Originally Posted By BrigmanMT 2 I have eating at the concourse and in the castle. Both were fantastic. I at the godly restaurant in IOA, and the Filet Mingon was okay, the atmosphere was almost as nice as the castle. I will have to try Canada out on my next trip, if I get to stay in the Boardwalk again, it would be nice to eat there around EPCOT's closing time, and then head back to the hotel. When I was staying at the Boardwalk, my friend and I headed over to the Dolphin every night for some great ice cream from that little diner. Good stuff.
Originally Posted By Mr X >>>As to steaks, Shula's is absolutely the best at WDW. But it is adult, which I like, and caters to an expense-account crowd, which I don't.<<< Wha? I don't understand what you mean? Who are the "expense-account crowd" exactly, and why don't you like them?
Originally Posted By trekkeruss I don't know if Shula's caters to an expense-account crowd that much (although I realize the Swan and Dolphin were built with business travelers in mind.) Regardless, I am sure LuvDatDisney is not objecting to those business patrons, but that the cost of eating there is higher than is comfortable.
Originally Posted By Mr X Well, you get what you pay for. I'm going out for a tempanyaki steak dinner next week that will cost at LEAST 200 bucks for 2 people (not including service charge and drinks). It will be worth every penny, I'm certain.
Originally Posted By LuvDatDisney >>>As to steaks, Shula's is absolutely the best at WDW. But it is adult, which I like, and caters to an expense-account crowd, which I don't.<<< ''Wha? I don't understand what you mean? Who are the "expense-account crowd" exactly, and why don't you like them?'' I don't want to get into a WE type discussion on how much money American companies throw away on employees expense accounts, so I'll tread carefully. Simply put, I try and avoid restaurants where the food is priced to take advantage of the stupidity of American business leaders. I was recently in Shula's at the Sheraton LAX and watched as three expense-account dudes tried to figure out how much they could possibly spend ... adding a second bottle of wine, lobster tails, extra sides ... the whole time, which naturally made my waiter forget about me (I don't blame him. I was adding up his tip too.) So I just try and avoid places where the main purpose is to build a check.
Originally Posted By vbdad55 <I don't want to get into a WE type discussion on how much money American companies throw away on employees expense accounts, so I'll tread carefully. < Also unless you work for a large company ( which I do ) - and have been an expense account person and have first hand knowledge of current practices -- don't assume they are what they were 10 years ago-- and surely post 9/11. Travel is very limited and expense accounts are watched for the bottom line like never before. While I admit some money was wasted on accounts - try being a corporate auditor and living on the road 25 days a month -- the perk of nice meals doesn't seem like too much then, as opposed to seeing your family, having a life...etc.
Originally Posted By LuvDatDisney ^^No doubt some companies have reigned in the lavish expense accounts since 2001, but the excess still continues. No one needs to spend $150 on dinner for just themself when on a business trip. I'm not talking about execs here either. I'm talking sales people and mid-level managers. And the amount these (mostly) guys spend on alcohol just blows my mind. This is a perq of many jobs that needs to be pulled way back. Now wanna talk about steaks?
Originally Posted By vbdad55 Anytime....I'll take Morton's in Chicago over Shula's any day of the week. I can tell you no one, management or not, where I work has $150 to spend on dinner while traveling., no one has more than $70 per day anywhere in the states,( Alaska/Hawaii exceptions ) and usually much less..and we are a company of 400,000 ..and if you peel back all those sales people working with customers, you also peel back your net income...there is a cost to doing business, and entertaining is no different than staplers and file cabinets -- Stadium skyboxes for example would be empty and many jobs would be lost -- the economy is a tricky thing......
Originally Posted By LuvDatDisney Morton's does have consistently great steaks. But I've enjoyed the three Shula's I've been to (Disney Dolphin, Shula's on the Beach in Fort Lauderdale and Shula's 347 in LA) a lot too. I'd still rather have a tamarind BBQ filet from the Cal Grill anyday!
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo The expense account perk days are over. I am reasonable well positioned in a firm not much smaller than VBDAD, and we have really clamped down on expenses. In the main, the allowance is about $35 a night for food, and it is frowned upon to order alcohol on expenses. The only exception is when entertaining clients, but as I work with government contracts, the most hospitality a customer can accept is $15 worth. The expense account days that are OTT are over for most firms. And I echo VBDAD - our expense accounts are little compensation for 18 hour working days, and stints away from the family. And before anyone asks why I choose to do this - the quick answer is so that my wife can be a full time domestic goddess and we can aford my one additiction - Disney trips!!!! BTW - I too get angry at hyperinflated prices due to expense accounts - it makes life more difficult for the average Joe.
Originally Posted By DVC_dad It's all about supply and demand. Good 'ol Free Enterprise. I used to get sick to my stomach at being told how certain professionals make too much money, have too liberal expense accounts, pay too much for stuff, and ..."They have it made" or... "It must be nice." I have given a lot of thought to this, but I no longer care. In reality the people making these claims were typically those out getting drunk with their work buddies, while I was pulling all nighters in the Science Building. They were scoring with Sally Whoo-hoo while I was stressing that my 140,000 hours of lab work were going to be destroyed and made fun of by the professor, only to hear "Do it over." They were finally growing up a little and getting married, having kids, while I was embarking on "4 more years" for the 3rd time!...putting the American Dream off for another full decade. They were buying Big Screen Tv's and a new Mustang while I was thinking I would drown in either student loans or Van Camps pork n beans. Bottom line in my humble opinion is this: Very few people, if any are getting a "free lunch." The vast majority of people have worked very hard for the success/position/title or profession that they have. If Shula can get ten more bucks for their steak, they will and they should! I don't drive a Lotus, and I really really want a castle in Ireland, but I can't afford that either. That doesn't mean the castles for sell are over priced nor that Lotus thinks too much of their hand made cars. Somewhere in this rant I lost my point...sorry. I probably shouldn't click the Submit button. The grass is always greener on the other side...nothing worthwhile comes without great sacrifice.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip Hey vbdad... Here is what the University would pay for my travel related expenses in Chicago. Per Diem Amounts Chicago (Cook and Lake counties) (July 1 - August 31) Maximum Lodging (before taxes) $127 Maximum Meals $64 Seems to me the lodging rate would get me a Super-8 or at most a Best Western. I could probably get by on the meal allowance if I just had coffee for breakfast, fast food for lunch, and a modestly priced dinner at a mid-scale restaurant. Does that seem right to you, or will I really be able to booze it up and order lobster??
Originally Posted By vbdad55 <I'd still rather have a tamarind BBQ filet from the Cal Grill anyday!< Now that I absolutely agree with
Originally Posted By trekkeruss It's interesting to me that expense accounts don't appear to have been rolled back much in Japan. Maybe that's just my perception as an outsider, but isn't the entire hostess bar industry, not to mention the geisha culture, kept alive on expense accounts?
Originally Posted By vbdad55 at my company - a trip to a Geisha on yor expense account = a new career elsewhere
Originally Posted By beamerdog (1) Cali Grille, and little known (2) Flying Fish We used to go to the Y Steakhouse on every visit, but the steak at FF is absolutely awesome. Take it medium or medium rare and you can cut it with a fork. Last time we went my son wanted Chicken Fingers (don't even ask -genetics gone wrong) and the waiter ran into ESPN to get him some even though they werent on the menu. BTW, the back room is much quieter and private.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip <<(1) Cali Grille, and little known (2) Flying Fish>> For some reason I'd forgotten about the Flying Fish!! Since Boardwalk is my DVC home, I'm appalled that such a wonderful restaurant slipped my mind. That is definitely a good candidate for inclusion on our list.
Originally Posted By beamerdog Here's the menu. I know it's strip steak, but it's just as tender as filet. <a href="http://allearsnet.com/menu/menu_ff.htm" target="_blank">http://allearsnet.com/menu/men u_ff.htm</a>
Originally Posted By beamerdog They also use Maytag blue cheese if you're into the best of the best blue cheese.
