For fans of gourmet cooking, the name Wolfgang Puck is synonymous with the fusion of delicious Asian and Californian cuisine. The term “California Cuisine” refers to the use of fresh, local ingredients in an ever-evolving menu of artistically presented offerings.
Among his many accomplishments, Wolfgang Puck helped to introduce inventive, West Coast culinary delights to the masses and popularize them in the eyes of mainstream America by way of his many restaurants and cookbooks. Among his many accomplishments, the Austrian born entrepreneur opened the first Spago restaurant in Los Angeles, California in the 80’s. His empire now reaches into the realms of catering, publishing, and television. He owns over a dozen restaurants spanning the country. From Las Vegas, Nevada to Ontario, Canada and Orlando, Florida, his brand now spans the continental United States.
Of the afore mentioned locations, I have only dined at the Orlando restaurant. My experiences there have been favorable. So when I began to plan my most recent trip to Walt Disney World, I decided to make reservations for a return visit.
The official name of the restaurant is the Wolfgang Puck Grand Café. It’s located in the “Westside” district of Downtown Disney, next to Bongo’s Cuban Café. In the photo below, look at the bottom row of buildings, it is in the middle.
The title refers to three restaurants which are actually housed under one roof. The Grand Café on the first floor, the Dining Room on the upper level, and the annexed Wolfgang Puck Express (there is another, separate location at Downtown Disney Marketplace). Wolfgang Puck Express offers quickly-served, truncated versions of the meals served at the full-service restaurants. Tasty Sandwiches, Salads, Rosemary Garlic Chicken, Tortilla Soup, and homemade potato chips are just a few of the items offered on their menu.
The Café is decorated in a colorful and vibrant art-deco style. It has a bustling, hurried atmosphere.
The Dining Room upstairs has a more sedate, formal setting geared toward fine-dining. Both offer scenic views of Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort and The Characters in Flight hot-air balloon.
My most recent meal there was in early January, and it was wonderful. Since Wolfgang Puck is so well known for Sushi, I felt obliged to begin my meal with some. The restaurant has a dedicated Sushi bar and offers seating “in the round”.
Patrons may walk right up, grab an available seat, and watch as the Sushi Chefs slice, dice, and prepare wonderful meals. Their extensive Sushi menu is available to guests of both the Café and Dining Room.
I’m always a little squeamish about ordering Sushi in unfamiliar restaurants, so I chose an old favorite. The California Roll ($12.95) is also a good introduction for folks who may be inquisitive about Sushi but have never tried it.
California Rolls are considered a “Maki Sushi”. The term Maki-Sushi is derived from the process by which the Sushi is prepared. A Makisu (usually made of bamboo) is a mat that the Sushi is rolled on. California Rolls are one of the many types served here. They are presented with the traditional accompaniments – Ginger, Wasabi, and Chopsticks. I love Wasabi on Sushi and can not get enough of it. For those who may be unfamiliar, its’ primary ingredient is horseradish and it is a very spicy condiment. The roll was cut into eight pieces and topped with Roe (fish eggs). This topping had an almost non-existent flavor. Perhaps it was my love of Wasabi I can thank for that. It is known to temporarily numb the taste buds thanks to its’ spicy flavor.
A few more appetizer choices – Crispy Calamari, Artichoke and Five Cheese Spinach Dip, Teriyaki Beef Satay, and Asian Style Vegetable Spring Rolls (pictured below – $10.95)
I chose one of the more popular menu items for my entrée, the Macadamia Nut Crusted Breast of Chicken ($25.95).
This consists of two golden, pan-fried chicken breasts served on a bed of garlic mashed potatoes and finished off with Sho-Yu Cream sauce and Papaya Puree. Sho-Yu is a reduction of Soy Sauce and cream. I would compare the texture to a demi-glace. This sauce was quite tasty and gave the meal some flare. Interestingly, the Papaya Puree was chilled, sweet, and brought out the flavor of the chicken. The plate was dusted with sesame seeds.
An important note for folks with food allergies – because of the broad spectrum of ingredients used by the chefs here, the servers make a concerted effort to understand and relay any food allergies on to the chef. If you have an allergy to certain foods, please convey this to your server if they don’t inquire.
Another favorite of mine is the Meatloaf (pictured below – $19.95). The generous serving of Ground-Beef and Pork is wrapped with bacon and served atop garlic mashed potatoes and topped off with crispy onion rings.
Other Entrée selections include: Pumpkin Ravioli, Chilean Salmon, Asian Hoisin BBQ Ribs, and a Chinois Chicken Salad (named after Wolfgang’s Santa Monica restaurant of the same name).
On to dessert! I chose the Crème Brulee Cheesecake ($7.95).
This was made more in the New York style of cheesecake, and had a thick consistency. It had a very thin layer of caramelized sugar glazed over the top. Strawberries, Raspberries, and a Strawberry sauce rounded out the dessert. I had the Espresso with Cinnamon Biscotti ($2.95) to caffeinate and revive me after this delicious meal.
Florida Key Lime Pie (pictured below – also $7.95), Chocolate Lava Cake, Carrot Cake, Double Chocolate Mud Pie, and Sugar-free Cheesecake Mousse are also on the dessert menu.
There is a lot for kids to enjoy here, too. The Children’s menu includes Grilled Chicken, Pizza, Mini-Burgers, Spaghetti and Salmon. For dessert “make your own” sundaes can be created from a wide variety of toppings.
The meals at the Café are reasonably priced. Most of the entrees run under $20.00. The pricing is on par with restaurants at Disney’s Moderate resorts. The Dining Room is more on par with Disney’s signature restaurants, with prices to match. Entrée prices range from $24.95 – $42.95. Both participate in the Disney Dining Plan and Annual Passholder discounts are also available. Tables in Wonderland discounts are also offered as of January 2010. Lunch is served from 11:30-4:00 p.m. Dinner runs from 4:00-10:30 Sunday and Monday, 4:00-11:00 Tuesday-Thursday, and 4:00-11:30 on Friday and Saturday. The (upstairs) Dining Room opens nightly at 6:00. Reservations can be made Online through Disney at http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/destinations/downtown-disney/dining/wolfgang-puck-cafe/reservations/ or by contacting the restaurant directly at (407) 938-WOLF(9653). Please note that they only accept reservations for dining before 6:30 or after 9:00.
One of my favorite aspects of dining at the Grand Café is the abundant choices their menu offers. It seems that no matter what type of meal I am in the mood for, I can find something to enjoy here. From imaginatively spun comfort foods to exotic seafood presented with intricate detail, they have something to satiate anything I may be hankering for. And with three restaurants under one roof, they have a setting to suit any mood or occasion. I enjoy dining here after a day of shopping at Downtown Disney. With the AMC Movie Theaters, Cirque du Soleil, and the House of Blues just a stone’s throw from their front door, you may want to stop in for a bite before a night out on the town. Wolfgang Puck’s Grand Café is a dining hub that has something appealing to everyone.
Related Links:
Wolfgang Puck Cafe Dinner Menu
Readers Rate and Review Wolfgang Puck’s Grand Cafe
Wolfgang Puck Dining Room Menu
Readers Rate and Review Wolfgang Puck Upstairs Dining Room
About Jeff: I am 33 years old and from Gettysburg, PA. By day I work in the Accounting Department of a Newspaper Publishing Company. My first visit to WDW was at the age of 2, and have been back around 35 times since then. I often travel solo to WDW, as well as with family. I make good use of my Annual Pass, and trek to Orlando about 5 times per year to visit my favorite travel destination. My favorite resort is the Polynesian, but have stayed at all of the WDW resorts at least once. In fact, my favorite aspect of visiting the Walt Disney World Resort is trying out the different Resorts and Restaurants. I also enjoy the many restaurants and sampling different foods that I normally would never try at home! (such as Escargot at the France pavillion).
Awesome review! How do you get to take all these pictures with no one in them? Maybe I should start blogging for All Ears! 😉
Thanks for the blog and great pictures! We love both the Grand Cafe and the Dining Room.
This is one of my favorite restaurants in the area. The appetizers are especially haute’ cuisine. Great pics of the facilty. All families would enjoy this dining experience.
You say NO TABLES IN WONDERLAND discount however the program lists WOLFGANG PUCK CAFE on the list now. What’s gives.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Wolfgang Puck just added to Tables in Wonderland in January 2010. This was written before the change, and we didn’t catch it before publishing, sorry. In any case, yes, Wolfgang Puck’s Cafe does now accept the Tables in Wonderland card.
My husband and I ate at Wolfgang Puck Express for the first time in January. The pizzas were fantastic!
But, one correction to the intro text: Ontario, Canada is not in continental United States.
We always eat at Wolfgang Puck’s Express when we visit Downtown Disney! The mac & cheese is out of this world and we can feed a family of 4 for under $50 – highly recommend it to friends visiting the World!
We love Wolfgang Puck! We enjoy sitting at the counter by the pizza oven….great entertainment.
By the way, Wolfgang Puck is one of the newest additions to Tables in Wonderland.
Hate to always make Dining Plan references, but ate here a few years back when the dining plan included an appetizer.
It may have changed since, but when you mention that, the shoulders of the staff just shrug. Then came all the menu changes…..sushi does not qualify as an appetizer, only as a meal, also this this and this are not appetizers. For the main courses, this this and this does not come under the plan.
After that, the abundant choices that you mention became quite slim.
Regardless the meal was VERY good but the service was lacking, again at that time gratuity was also included.
Also as a note, you may use your Levy card here as well as Fultons. It’s a great deal to those that do not know about it…..check it out!
Thanks for a great article. My family ate here the second week of December and the food was great. The only problem was my daughters mini burgers were charred on the outside and RAW on the inside. Luckily I noticed before she bit off too much. (she is six). The waitress was very helpful and they resolved the issue quickly. When it came out again she did enjoy it (maybe because of the toothpick/ us flags that held them together). Just use caution when ordering this item and slice throught he thickest Section to see if it was cooked all the way through.
Thank you so much for this blog! My wife and I love dining at every restaurant at the WDW Resort. We have eaten at the Wolfgang Puck Express at the Downtown Disney Marketplace, but I have always been confused by the multiple Wolfgang Puck restaurants on the Westside. Now it is very clear that there are 3 separate dining experiences. We will have to try all 3 during our upcoming trips!!!