Sunday Brunch: A
Landscape of Flavors
15 July 2012
Disney's Art of Animation Resort showcases
four animated films from the Disney and Pixar
library: The Little Mermaid, the Lion King,
Finding Nemo, and Cars. Opening on May 31, 2012
with the Finding Nemo section, the resort
continues to surprise guests throughout this
year with its whimsical emphasis on characters,
art, and animation. Though the biggest and best
surprise, especially for a Disney food blogger,
is the unique quick service food choices found
at this new Value Resort.


My friend Tony and his
coworkers proudly show off the colorful new
costumes that enhance the Landscape of Flavors

The wild savannahs and jungles
from the Lion King

The mythical undersea world of
Atlantica and Ariel's Grotto
From the resorts gift shop, the Ink & Paint
Shop, guests find their way into the Landscape
of Flavors. With dining rooms decorated with
impressive landscapes and background art, the
resort's food court puts guests directly in the
settings of the four animated features
represented. Though a 'Landscape of Flavors'
does not only describe the literal landscapes
guests are dining in, but also in the flavors
and cuisines guests will find in the food court.
Out of all of the value resorts, Disney's Art of
Animation boasts an incredibly unique and exotic
menu, with an emphasis on healthy eating and
green dining.



Before looking at the menu, we'll take a look
at the initiatives the resort is taking for
going green. Guests will not find disposable
dishware or flatware here. At the end of each
checkout counter is a station with silverware.
Food is also served on melamine plates and
reusable metal baskets. The trash bins have
sections for recyclables and pizza boxes like
the other resort food courts, but also a counter
and bussing station to drop off used silverware
and dishware. The Landscape of Flavors offers
such a landscape of conservation and waste
reduction!
Serving Breakfast, lunch, and dinner from 6
am to 12 midnight, the Landscape of Flavors
kitchen takes full advantage of the tools and
equipment it was provided with. Today, we'll be
looking at the lunch and dinner options. The two
stars of the kitchen are the tandoor ovens and
the Mongolian grill.

Tandoor
The tandoor is a cylindrical shaped oven
originating from Southern, Central, and Western
Asia. Its design and heat sources (charcoal,
wood, gas, and/or electric) allow it to reach
incredibly high temperatures as much as 900⁰ F.
Its high heat is used to bake and cook
flatbreads and meats. At Landscape of Flavors,
guests can order Tandoori Boneless chicken
thigh, Tandoor Shell-on Shrimp, Tandoor
Portuguese Sausage, and Tandoor Acorn Squash.
Each of the Tandoori entrees also comes with
Naan bread, a typical flatbread baked in a
tandoor.

Mongolian Grill
The Mongolian grill is a large, flat, round
iron grill used to cook meats and vegetables.
The grill originated in Taiwan in the middle of
the 20th century, and is said to
imitate the way Mongolian soldiers cooked meats
on their large round shields. The size and
design of the grill allows the grill chef to
cook multiple dishes at once on different
sections of the grill. As seen above, one grill
chef is stir frying vegetables and beef while
the other is cooking Spinach and Paneer cheese.
The Mongolian grill is used to grill the
Mongolian Beef Stir Fry, and Mongolian Grill
Fish along with other side items. At breakfast,
the grill is used to cook the Challah French
Toast.
Back in college, there was a Mongolian Grill
restaurant called the Round Grill near my campus
that I've had the fortune to dine at before it
closed. In a create your own stir fry dish
concept, diners could create dishes with strong
flavors and tender meats in a medley of
vegetables. While this create your own concept
was not present at the Landscape of Flavors, I
knew right away that I had to order from the
round grill to see how it compared to the fond
memories of food from college. With only two
choices, I chose the Mongolian Grill Beef
Stir-Fry and watched the grill chef cook it
right before my eyes. Eye appeal is buy appeal,
so I was looking forward to feasting, watching
her cook the rainbow of fresh broccoli, red
peppers, and carrots along with the mound of
beef.

My final dish came with the main entr'e, as
well as wild grain rice, naan bread, and a
tandoori acorn squash for my side. By nature,
the wild grain rice was very hard, but its
flavor made up for the texture. Basmati rice is
also available for guests wanting a softer, more
traditional rice. The naan bread was fluffy, and
while this is characteristic of naan bread, I
would have preferred a more uneven distribution
of fluff as it is a flatbread after all. Perhaps
they used too much leavening or they overproofed
the bread that day, but still it was good. The
tandoor acorn squash was my favorite of
everything, sweet with a somewhat creamy and
buttery texture. The real star though was the
stir fry: juicy, tender, high quality beef that
was incredibly flavorful with spices rather than
spicy in flavor. It definitely held up high with
the memories of the Round Grill.

While the create your own meal was not
present at the grill station, guests can do this
at the Sandwich, salad, and smoothie stations.
The dessert counter not only offers a variety of
smoothies, but also cupcakes, cheesecake,
gelato, and fresh fruit beverages.



(Naked) Chicken Burger

Gelato: Raspberry, mango,
Lemon, Chocolate, Pistachio, and Torrone (honey
and almonds)
With a variety of backgrounds, flavors, and
tastes, the Art of Animation Resort's food court
truly creates a unique Walt Disney World dining
experience found no place else. Fans of
animation and food would be pleased to stay at
this resort or simply just visit for the sights
and the food. In my youth, I had always known
Walt Disney World to be the land of junk food
when it came to quick service, but as the resort
continues to grow and evolve, it is quite
exciting to see how the company is taking
chances in offering their guests access to a
unique landscape of flavors.