This week was a very magical week for Disney nerds, (I mean enthusiasts ;p), everywhere! Disneyland celebrated its 62nd birthday. And while we couldn’t be there in person to celebrate, it definitely got us feeling all kinds of nostalgic and reminiscent of our past trips to the happiest place on Earth! So, while thinking back to these fond memories, it became obvious that this week’s blog post had to be about our all-time favorite Disney dining option: Blue Bayou. Blue Bayou is a sit-down restaurant located INSIDE the Pirates of the Caribbean ride. Tables are placed all along the edge of the water of the ride so that you can watch boats pass by continuously. The attraction and restaurant are part of the “French Quarter” section of the park, and the theming down here in the New Orleans bayou is completely immersive. Even though you’re sitting inside of a restaurant, the scenery makes you feel like you’re actually sitting in a swamp! Which may not sound all that appealing, but picture more The Princess and the Frog, and less Duck Dynasty. Not only is the theming in this restaurant spot on, but the food is AMAZING as well! It is hands-down our favorite restaurant in any Disney park, and probably the only sit-down place we will ever go to more than once. Until we’ve tried them all of course! The menu here is not too extensive, (which is usually a good sign), but what they lack in options, they make up for in quality of food. This Louisiana-inspired menu offers only 8 adult entrée options, and while we may not have tried all 8, we were blown away with what we have tried so far! Our first trip to Blue Bayou was enough to keep us hooked on returning every time! We ordered the Surf and Turf and the Citrus-Marinated Chicken Breast. Each entrée also comes with your choice of house-salad or cup of Nawlins gumbo. In our opinion we preferred the salad, but to be fair neither of us are big gumbo people so our recommendation is a little biased. Both of the entrees were delicious. The chicken is served with a bacon and sweet pea risotto, haricot verts, and a sun-dried tomato mustard jus. The risotto alone is enough to make you want to order this dish, but the chicken itself and sauce are equally good. However, if you are a meat eater then you absolutely have to go with the surf and turf. This steak is the main reason we love Blue Bayou so much, and although we make sure to order one surf and turf and one different entrée each time we go, we always end up fighting for the last piece of perfectly seasoned filet mignon. This entrée consists of a six oz broiled filet topped with a petite lobster tail and béarnaise sauce, and is paired with au gratin potatoes and seasonal vegetables. The béarnaise sauce blew us away, and continues to be the most magical part of our vacation each time we travel to Disneyland. Blue Bayou also offers an array of specialty non-alcoholic drinks, which we make sure to order every time as well. Since Disneyland is a dry park, the restaurant does not serve alcohol, but the crafted mock-tails are cute and fun and add to the overall experience. They, of course, serve perfectly themed Mint Juleps, which you can order with or without a Souvenir glow cube. If you’re unfamiliar with Disney glow cubes please visit any Disney bar or restaurant and you’re guaranteed to see them on the menu. Sure, they’re a bit more expensive and they’re not really a souvenir that you’d want to keep, but when you’re on a Disney vacation it’s your responsibility to be a bit of a sucker and buy into the pointless “magical memorabilia.” Blue Bayou does accept dining reservations, which we recommend you schedule ahead of time if you plan on stopping by the “Big Easy” (which we suggest you do…in case you haven’t noticed). They also offer Fantasmic and Main Street Electrical Parade dining packages as well. We tried the Fantasmic dining package on our last trip to Disneyland and it was totally worth it to get an up-front spot for the show. They also give you souvenir seat cushions since Fantasmic does not offer stadium seating in Disneyland like it does in Hollywood Studios. Hopefully these suggestions will lead you to a truly one-of-a-kind dining experience that you’ll always remember. We know that we can’t plan a trip to Disneyland without including a trip to Blue Bayou, and we hope you all get the chance to try it as well!
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AuthorsParker and Brittany Ruhmel- Lovers of all things food and theme park related! Categories
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August 2019
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