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DINING REVIEW: YAK & YETI
by Cheryl Pendry, PassPorter Featured Columnist
The Walt Disney World Resort is ever changing, and that
doesn't mean just adding new attractions or updates to old favorites, it also
means new dining opportunities. Over the past few months, we had watched with
eager anticipation as plans were announced for various restaurants and each one
that was new or had undergone major changes was dutifully added into our
itinerary.
One of those that I was probably most eager to try was the new table-service
restaurant at Disney's Animal Kingdom. For a long time, I've loved this park,
but my main frustration with it has been the lack of good places to sit down and
enjoy a good meal. We're just not counter service people. We like to settle
down, browse a menu, pick some food and enjoy it, rather than having to go and
order it, find a table (sometimes not the easiest of tasks!) and then feel
rushed, as other people are in the same position. When I heard about Yak &
Yeti, I just knew we had to try it out. Fortunately, that ended up being just a
few weeks after it opened.
Set in Asia, its no surprise that Yak &
Yeti is an Asian-themed restaurant, offering food that seemed to be Chinese,
Japanese, and perhaps Thai in origin. You can start off with a choice of
appetizers, soups, and salads. The wonton soup, with pork wontons and a clear
chicken broth ($4.99) got a thumbs up from our table, although I found the prawn
flavored crisps ($4.99) to be nothing special. I think perhaps I was hoping for
more than the standard prawn crackers that we get with any Chinese takeaway at
home! That's not to say that the menu isn't ambitious. More unusual dishes to
start with include the seared ahi tuna ($9.99), the steamed mussels with a Thai
basil broth and lemon grass ($9.99) and the lettuce cups with minced chicken
breast, chopped vegetables and maple tamarind sauce ($10.99).
There's a
strong focus on seafood and fish here at Yak & Yeti, as shown by the fact
that of the four specials offered when we dined there, only one was meat-based,
the other were all fish. It was one of those that I eventually went for - the
seared miso salmon ($20.99), following a glowing recommendation from our server.
It came with jasmine rice, which seemed to be a staple accompaniment to a lot of
the main dishes, baby bok choy and a shiitake mushroom stir-fry. As soon as I
bit into it, I could see why our server had been so keen on it. It was one of
those dishes where all the flavors blend together perfectly and eating every
mouthful was an absolute treat.
If fish isn't your thing, there's plenty
for meat eaters, with other dishes including the crispy honey chicken with
broccoli, carrots and honey sauce ($15.99), maple tamarind chicken with an
Indonesian tamarind glaze and coconut-ginger rice ($17.99), duck with Anandapur
glaze - a roasted half duckling with orange wasabi glaze, jasmine rice (again)
and stir-fried vegetables ($21.99). My husband went for the shaoxing steak and
shrimp ($22.99). Despite its fancy name, this is essentially surf'n'turf,
although the shrimp is tempura-battered and it's served with the ever familiar
jasmine rice, stir fried vegetables and chili plum dipping sauce.
One
comment I had heard before dining at Yak & Yeti is that there isn't much for
true vegetarians and the menu certainly failed to highlight anything under the
entrees that didn't feature either fish or meat, which is a great shame.
However, this is Disney and usually a word with your server and the chef can
come up with something, but it's still a disappointment not to see vegetarian
dishes appearing as a matter of course on the menu.
Dessert choices
include mango pie ($6.99), chocolate brownie sundae ($7.99) and fried wontons
($7.99), which we sampled. This is skewers of fresh pineapple and cream cheese
wontons, vanilla ice cream and honey vanilla drizzle. Odd as it sounds, it
seemed to work and was met with smiles from around the table.
If you're
thinking that perhaps Yak & Yeti's food is a touch too exotic for you, don't
worry. We dined with friends, one of whom I think it's fair to say is fairly
conservative in their food tastes and they found plenty to enjoy.
But the
food is only half the story here. Yak & Yeti has to be one of the best
themed restaurants on Disney property. It's clear the Imagineers had a ball
putting this place together. Everywhere you look are Asian artifacts, and this
is a photographer's paradise. The minute you walk in, you really do feel as if
you're stepping onto a different continent.
Within the restaurant, there
are a series of different rooms with different color schemes, including pale
greens, blues and orange. As you walk from one part of the restaurant to
another, you get a different atmosphere, and that was a great touch. It's worth
chatting with the Cast Members here. They were only too happy to explain to us
all about some of the artifacts that are on display, some of which have very
interesting stories behind them. There's even a fertility Buddha in there, so if
children is something you'd like in your future, be sure to find it and rub its
belly!
All in all, Yak & Yeti is a great new addition to dining at
Disney's Animal Kingdom and it's just a shame it was so long in arriving. Let's
hope, as the park prepares to celebrate its 10th anniversary this year that
plans are in the works for more table service restaurants in the park's second
decade. If they are, Yak and Yeti has already set the bar exceptionally high
here for good food and wonderful theming. Any other restaurants here in the
future will have a lot to live up to.
Related Links: Dining Review: Crystal Palace
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Updated 10/23/08
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