Orlando: Disneyworld: Disney's Boardwalk: Flying Fish

Back to Florida for another conference and the Disney craziness that I love, and more chances to eat well and find the unexpected in this over the top world. This time its off to the Boardwalk area, a complex on a lake designed to simulate a classic beach-front boardwalk of an earlier time. The star restaurant at this locale is Flying Fish, a bustling seafood house with a whimsical interior design and thoughtfully prepared food. As with any Disney place, look around you for the details that will make you smile, particularly the golden fish parasailing from the rafters. Then look at your plate, it will make you smile too.

The menu has a nice selection of seafood entrees and includes some beef for the non-fish-friendly. This evening I had a dish of seared sea scallops presented over a risotto with parmesan, fresh peas and pea tendrils. It was an excellent combination, not too heavy but filling and the combination of flavors and textures worked well. The scallops were a tad overcooked to my taste, not ruined, but just beyond that point of perfection. The risotto was on the mark and the real star of the presentation. Others at my table had the “signature” dish which is a snapper crusted in potatoes and sautéed. It’s a nice preparation, looks good on the fish-shaped plate and was very popular. I was less convinced as I found the whole thing kind of bland, but that’s probably just me. There are a number of desserts on the menu, but none of them were enticing enough to call us away from finishing the meal with the cheese plate. The five cheeses arrived beautifully plated and with interesting condiments, including a kumquat marmalade that was a perfect foil to the blue cheese on the plate.

This is not my favorite restaurant in the area, but it can provide a fun evening of nice food in interesting surroundings. Drawbacks include the usual troops of children with Mcdonald’s level restaurant skills [even later in the evening, this being spring break], their associated and equally challenged parental units, and a generally high decibel level. This is not a place to expect quiet conversation or seclusion, but without those expectations give it a go.

EatHereOrNot: MAYBE