I stopped by these spots yesterday at lunch. The first is near Boatyard. The second is in the shadow of Planet Hollywood.
Terralina - They said they just opened three weeks ago. I thought it had been open longer. The Olive Garden decor and pricey menu had me sharpening my claws the second I sat down. It didn't help when they asked if I wanted to sit at the bar in an empty restaurant and served me stank water (that I believe is purposely adulterated to force you to order a $4 soda). I tried the water fountains by the bathrooms outside the restaurant and the water there was ten times as potable. I settled on a sausage pizza because it was the cheapest thing at $14. And I didn't trust a place that looks like Olive Garden and sounds like a sandal company to cook anything of value. I may have been wrong. Not about the prices. They are Disney outrageous. $44 rib eye. $25+ pastas. $16+ "lunch special" sandwiches. $10 soups. $15 apps. The pizza was actually quite good. Especially for a "cracker style" pizza. and the dishes I saw other tables receiving looked good as well. My pizza was about ten inches across. Rustic style. They said it was made with mozzarella, but, it seemed like a blend. Little sauce. Plops of freshly ground, savory pork. The real star. Fresh red chilies. The pie was thin. I usually hate ones this thin. But, it was just thick enough and I had been pizza-less in the UK for three weeks, so, maybe I was a soft sale. I would have enjoyed it more if I wasn't dousing the heat with sips of pee water (or not drinking at all). I should mention that they provide the table with a loaf of foccacia bread with a side of jardiniere (cauliflower, etc). It is an odd match. The veggies fall right off the craggy bread. It also made me think that this is Chicago Italian and not the real McCoy. Service was ok. She was a little dim witted. She wanted to know if I wanted red pepper flakes on a pizza loaded with spicy red pepper pieces. All in all, it is too mundane for me to recommend. False ambiance. The food may be good (and that is an assumption), but, you need to click on all cylinders at these price points. It's unmemorable.
Yesake - This is a food stall that is kind of Asian and more. They serve udon, rice and maybe wraps that probably started as Japanese, but, they just decided to add ingredients and sauces until it appealed to any ethnic group. I mixed and matched udon noodles with shrimp, sesame sauce, kale, carrots and onions. The kale ruined it, but, I was struggling to add things. The shrimp were tiny. The noodles were scarce. Thankfully so was the sauce. Not a great meal. It cost $10. I wouldn't try them again. Some how they have survived for 2 and a half years.
*It seems like they have finished construction on this side. A new wine bar is also open.
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