Originally Posted By disneymum Is there somewhere that would list the menus and prices at the restaurants in HKDL as well as the two hotels? I would love to have an idea of what to expect as i plan our trip.
Originally Posted By Roger55 Expect a lot of Chinese food. I am not saying this to be funny. The majority of the food in the park and at the hotel was Chinese. Even the Plaza Inn Restaurant on Main Street USA was a Chinese restaurant(excellent)! There are places that offer some western dishes, but I was suprised (pleasantly in my case) to see the vast offerings of Chinese/Asian cuisine. At the hotels, I ate at the Enchanted Garden at HKDL Hotel. Chinese/Asian buffet with some western dishes. There was also a very fancy looking Chinese retaurant there. At the Disney Hollywood Hotel, I ate at Chef Micky which was also a Chinese/Asian style buffet, again with some western dishes. I also at at Hollywood and Dine which had Chinese snack/fast food, with some western dishes like pasta. Check out the official web page if you haven't already, and you can get an idea of the types of dining offerings they have.
Originally Posted By gurgitoy2 Isn't it this way because they did surveys and found that most Chinese (especially from the mainland) are not that adventurous when it comes to food? They would prefer to eat foods they are most familiar with than to try western style food. Americans are also not that adventurous, so it makes sense. I guess some people think that because Disneyland is American, that the food should be too, but they won't make money if people don't eat! It seems that Tokyo Disneyland has compromised, and offers a bit of asian/western foods throughout the parks, right? At least from looking at the menu items it seems that way!
Originally Posted By trekkeruss <<Isn't it this way because they did surveys and found that most Chinese (especially from the mainland) are not that adventurous when it comes to food? They would prefer to eat foods they are most familiar with than to try western style food.>> I think that is because China was more or less a closed society for quite a long time. When I visited China in the 80's, there were no restaurants serving anything but Chinese food. <<It seems that Tokyo Disneyland has compromised, and offers a bit of asian/western foods throughout the parks, right?>> Japan is a very western society, and Tokyo has plenty of non-Asian restaurants, so TDR can offer an array of ethnic foods.
Originally Posted By disneymum What kind of prices are we looking at? I will be travelling with a kind of picky 7 yr. old and wonder if kid's meals are offered and how much they cost. Am I right in thinking the Chinese food is more authentic and not necessarily what we might order here?
Originally Posted By disneymum What are the prices at the two hotel buffet restaurants and which one did you prefer? We will probably stay at the Hollywood Hotel. Thanks for everyones help so far!
Originally Posted By Roger55 Prices... well, I don't remember exactly, but it was typical Disney pricing. The buffet for four of us was over $200, no alchol. A pickey 7 year old that is used to western food may be a problem. You will find food they will eat, but it will be not much of a value to buy a whole child's buffet just to have your child eat french fries and chicken strips. You might just want to stick to snack foods at the park restaurants. The Chinese food tastes different than what we get here in America. Closest I can think of is authentic restaurants in Chinatowns. Nothing like the Panda Express or PF Chang style "Chinese" food. Lot of noodle dishes and dim sum style food. The buffet at the Enchanted Garden was much better than Chef Mickey's. And Enchanted Garden is character dining. Chef Mickey's is not. If finances is a concern, I would stay at the Hollywood Hotel. That is where I stayed. Take a look at my recent pics from HKDL if you haven't already. It shows the rooms at Hollywood Hotel and also a typical menu sign of the type of food in the park. <a href="http://albums.photo.epson.com/j/AlbumIndex?u=4379344&a=32143975&f=0" target="_blank">http://albums.photo.epson.com/ j/AlbumIndex?u=4379344&a=32143975&f=0</a>
Originally Posted By disneymum Great pics Roger55! I think we will stay at the Hollywood Hotel. It looks quite nice and actually the prices seem pretty good for a Disney hotel.
Originally Posted By Roger55 The Hollywood Hotel was a great "bargain" as far as Disney hotels go. The biggest drawback is that it is the further of the two hotels from the park and the MTR station. Wasn't that big a deal for me though. Especially if you consider the cost savings.
Originally Posted By HongKongDisneyLand >>>>>>The Chinese food tastes different than what we get here in America. Closest I can think of is authentic restaurants in Chinatowns. Most Chinese restaurants in China Towns are NOT Authentic, even though they might be run my chinese.
Originally Posted By HongKongDisneyLand sorry for the typo... i mean "even though they might be run by chinese"
Originally Posted By Roger55 HKDL, please expound about what Chinatowns you are specifically talking about. I think there are many authentic Chinese restaurants in the Los Angeles area Chinatown, Montery Park, Alhambra, Lomita. I belive this to be true in San Francisco and Vancouver too. Not sure about Chicago or New York.
Originally Posted By trekkeruss FWIW, I am 100% Chinese, and grew up with what I know to be authentic Chinese food, i.e. not the typical chow mein, moo goo gai pan, egg foo yung meals that Americans eat. A "real" Chinese restaurant in the U.S. will have a second menu for those that want food like "back home." Having said that, when I visited China 20 years ago, I was surprised at how different the food was. I chalk a lot of the difference up to the quality of ingredients available, but even so, I still think it was not the same as what is on the menu here. I can't really explain it any better than that; it was just not the same.
Originally Posted By SuperDry <<< Most Chinese restaurants in China Towns are NOT Authentic, even though they might be run my chinese. >>> Hmmm. I would have said that in the US, most Chinese restaurants NOT in a Chinatown are NOT authentic, even if they are run by Chinese. But many in a Chinatown are. At least that's what I would say. There are a couple of key indicators: a) is your place set with chopsticks, or western utensils? b) what is the ethnicity of most of the clientele? If most of the tables have Caucasian customers and are set with knives and forks, then it's a pretty good bet that the food is Americanized.
Originally Posted By wildghostz Its true that the Chinese restaurant in Canada have 2 menus for local and Chinese customers. Locals order with western style chinese meal but Chinese order with "home-style" menu. like trekkeruss said the "home-style" food found in Canada still have difference than authentic chinese food, its because of the presentation, in HK, many dishes are very creative, like pizza-hut serves rice dishes, so do Mcdonald's recently, that have rice burger. I just love all the creativity of dishes in HK, that is what US/Canada chinese restaurant lacks. and also may be because the food they use to cook is somewhat difference too, like..the chicken in Asia tastes alot difference than the Westerns.
Originally Posted By HongKongDisneyLand >>>>>There are a couple of key indicators: a) is your place set with chopsticks, or western utensils? I totally disagree. providing a pair of chopsticks doesn't mean anything. It is the food that's count. >>>>>>Hmmm. I would have said that in the US, most Chinese restaurants NOT in a Chinatown are NOT authentic. I also disagree with that.
Originally Posted By HongKongDisneyLand I see more Restaurants in the ChinaTowns that are pretending to be Authentic Chinese than those than are located outside ChinaTowns.
Originally Posted By disneymum Sorry I didn't mean this to digress into a discussion on what is authentic Chinese food, I just wanted to get an idea of what to expect from the restaurants. So it looks like DS will be able to get french fries and chicken nuggets? Thank you all for your help!
Originally Posted By gurgitoy2 There are quite a few "authentic" Chinese restaurants in NYC, especially in Chinatown. That does not mean that there are not an overabundance of Americanized ones too. I'm aure it does differ from food in China though...however it's as authentic as we Americans are probably going to get in our country.
Originally Posted By leemac Roger is that right? $200 for 4? Just sounds a little expensive for the Enchanted Garden to me. I heartily recommend the Crystal Lotus restaurant in the Disneyland Hotel. Exceptional food and a beautiful setting. One of the best Disney dining experiences I have ever had. Funny how people compare the "authentic" offerings of HKDL with TDR. As a vegetarian I really suffer at TDR (TDL is a real struggle) as even their Westernised offerings are a hodgepodge of local and Western. Some of the pizzas are just downright strange!
