Again within the heyday of my youth, I might have cupcakes for breakfast at Walt Disney World. I at all times justified this to Sarah by saying it was “for analysis” and that there was numerous reader curiosity in cupcakes. There’s most likely no scarcity of father jokes in our outdated journey reviews about energy not relying on trip or cupcakes being the breakfast of rope drop champions.
That that I’m older, wiser, and extra subtle, I don’t eat cupcakes for breakfast. Largely as a result of, for my part, Walt Disney World’s cupcake sport peaked a decade in the past and has actually fallen off since. Quick-forward to right now, and when Sarah is round, we do grocery supply. I’ll eat plain greek yogurt, carrots, and different nutrient-dense well being meals. (Identical kind of stuff we predominantly eat at residence, if you happen to’ve ever questioned why I seem in form regardless of posts like this.)
When she isn’t round, I’ll nonetheless eat a few of that wholesome stuff, however complement with leftovers I take residence from bakeries within the parks. For analysis. Suffice to say, I’ve been doing an intensive investigation on Karamell-Küche and Les Halles Boulangerie-Patisserie over the past a number of years. (Outcomes are inconclusive and nonetheless within the exploratory part, so additional testing is required–deliberate publish date is presently 2029. Guess Disney development progress is quicker than one thing!) Anyway, there’s lastly a brand new choice like this in Magic Kingdom providing an extremely decadent “meal” with the potential for leftovers and a take-home breakfast…
This meal is discovered deep in New Fantasyland (at over 10 years outdated, is it simply common Fantasyland now?) at Gaston’s Tavern. For me, the story of Gaston’s Tavern is basically one in all squandered potential. It’s undersized relative to demand, with a fraction of the seating it really wants. That is doubly true now that Be Our Visitor Restaurant is desk service all day, and Gaston’s Tavern is the de facto counter service restaurant in not-so-New Fantasyland.
Nonetheless, I’ve at all times held a sure fondness for Gaston’s Tavern. The themed design is impeccable, giving the venue a quaint village really feel, and the main points all through the tavern are enjoyable and cheeky. All the pieces from the lighting to the unfinished sport of darts between Gaston and LeFou to Gaston’s prize heads on the partitions simply works.
The result’s a wonderfully executed theme, and a venue the place it’s enjoyable to linger and benefit from the ambiance. Gaston’s Tavern solutions the query of “what number of antlers in all the adorning is simply too many antlers?” with a tough “NO!” (Sure, I do know it wasn’t a sure or no query. The reply stands.)
Gaston’s Tavern is cozy and intimate, an antidote to the various cavernous counter service eating places with giant rooms and minimalist design that Disney has completed in recent times. The issue is that this intimacy is achieved through undersized seating areas, versus Imagineers working their magic to interrupt up area and make a much bigger venue really feel smaller.
Imagineering acquired it proper nearly a decade later with Gaston’s Tavern at Tokyo Disneyland, which completely threads the needle on dimension, scale, and environment. Oh and the menu has improbable responsible pleasures. (Japan additionally acquired the significantly better Beast’s Fort, a full-size model full with probably the greatest rides on the planet inside.)
However I digress. The explanation we’re right here right now is as a result of Gaston’s Tavern has expanded its menu, and now (arguably) qualifies as an precise counter service restaurant as an alternative of meager snack spot. Let’s have a look…
Let’s begin with the savory merchandise: Ham and Gruyère Tart made with a crispy croissant dough topped with ham and gruyere and served with a bag of chips. This dish presently prices $9.49.
It could not appear to be a lot, however this Ham and Gruyère Tart is principally a fancified flatbread. Much like what’s served across the bend at Pinocchio Village Haus, however much less substantial and significantly better. Fairly unexpectedly, it’s one in all my new favourite savory objects in Magic Kingdom.
The place this tart excels is the crust. It’s tender, buttery, flaky, and delicate. It’s paying homage to one thing from the France pavilion at EPCOT versus Magic Kingdom. Mainly the antithesis of the bargain-basement crusts of the flatbreads Pinocchio serves up. Very becoming for a Magnificence and the Beast impressed restaurant.
The melted gruyère on prime is creamy and tacky, and the right topping to the pastry crust. The ham is ok–positively not high quality on par with the cheese and crust, nevertheless it provides a much-needed savoriness to the dish, giving it a bit extra dimension. My greatest criticism is that it’s pretty mild–such is the character of that delicate pastry crust–and never significantly filling for the worth.
It’s additionally disappointing to have the Ham and Gruyère Tart served with an everyday ole bag of chips. The dish itself strikes me as extra gourmand, whereas pairing it with off-the-shelf chips is a inconsiderate contact. I’d truthfully moderately pay extra for house-made chips or much less for no facet in any respect. Nonetheless a dish I’d advocate, simply not the most effective bang for buck (additionally most likely not shareable until as a smaller snack).
Subsequent up is the tried and true Gray Stuff Cupcake, which is a Chocolate Cupcake topped with “The Gray Stuff” and crispy pearls for $5.99.
The Gray Stuff principally tastes like cookies & cream, however that’s an oversimplification. Though I believe cupcakes have been dumbed-down and simplified through the years at Walt Disney World, that is one exception to that rule. There are possibly 3 cupcakes I’d commonly advocate within the parks & resorts, and the Gray Stuff Cupcake is one in all them.
The standard is excessive, the flavour is improbable–it’s only a well-rounded, albeit easy dessert. There’s additionally one thing to be stated for consuming an iconic providing from the film Magnificence and the Beast. If you happen to haven’t had the Gray Stuff Cupcake earlier than, or solely a unique of the Gray Stuff, I’d advocate giving this a strive.
Turning to an much more iconic breakfast-dessert, there’s the Heat Cinnamon Roll for $6.99.
I nonetheless keep in mind the one-two punch again in 2012 when Starbucks was introduced as taking up the Major Avenue Bakery; then Disney revealed the menu for Gaston’s Tavern, and that the big cinnamon rolls could be shifting again there to New Fantasyland. Followers completely misplaced their minds. It was just like the OG ‘Ohana Noodlegate, but when the noodles have been moved to Kona Cafe as an alternative of retired totally.
Our perspective was that followers have been overreacting to the cinnamon roll relocation. That it was ‘piling on’ about Starbucks coupled with disappointment that Gaston’s Tavern wasn’t larger and extra bold. What distinction did it make if the cinnamon rolls have been served within the entrance or again of the park? Because it seems, a massive distinction. Truthfully, nice name from the haters–they have been right.
Ordering a cinnamon roll from Gaston’s Tavern is sort of a low stakes sport of Russian roulette together with your abdomen. You may have a freshly-made one that’s gloriously gooey and tender, or one which’s been dry-aged beneath a warmth lamp for ages, is hardened and tastes stale.
I get why Walt Disney World followers love the Heat Cinnamon Roll, however you could watch out when ordering them later within the day once they’re extra prone to have been hardened beneath the warmth lamp for hours. The one we acquired on this specific day was a couple of 7/10 on the freshness scale, which is nice by Gaston’s requirements. I’ve had worse.
Past that, I don’t assume a lot of a overview is important right here. You’ve most likely had cinnamon rolls earlier than, and at their finest, it is a bigger and extra indulgent model of these. Personally, I don’t assume the Gaston’s Tavern is any higher than the type I could make myself from the freezer at Dealer Joe’s, however they’re addictively good…once they’re good. Not really useful, until tasting the enduring snacks is a must-do, during which case, you could get to Gaston’s within the morning.
Saving the most effective for final, there’s the Crème Brûlée Croissant, which consists of crispy croissant dough full of vanilla bean custard for $5.49.
This pet is improbable. It’s one other indulgent dessert, with caramelization on prime that’s candy and barely charred earlier than giving technique to a pastry that’s the suitable stability of doughy and fluffy, tender and dense.
That’s all topped off by the vanilla bean custard inside. It’s an excellent mess that’s finest eaten sitting down, with a knife and fork. Don’t attempt to eat this whereas on the transfer, until you need a mess throughout your arms, shirt, and so forth.
In a nutshell, the Crème Brûlée Croissant is all the pieces the Heat Cinnamon Roll ought to be. That is candy and sugary to the purpose that you just’ll really feel it in your tooth, nevertheless it’s not one-note.
There’s simply sufficient selection within the flavors and textures to provide it nuance, making it each addictively good and a dessert that’s distinct–it makes me crave one thing at Magic Kingdom, not one thing right here or from the Dealer Joe’s freezer aisle.
I break up this Crème Brûlée Croissant with two buddies, and would advocate doing likewise–I may additionally see consuming half within the park and taking the opposite half again to the lodge for breakfast the subsequent day. At any time when I get round to updating our listing of the Finest Snacks in Magic Kingdom, this may make the lower. I’d even embody the Ham and Gruyère Tart, for lack of savory choices.
Finally, the expanded menu at Gaston’s Tavern has two objects we love, one other that’s excellent, and one that may be excellent beneath the suitable circumstances. In terms of Magic Kingdom, the worst meals park at Walt Disney World, all the pieces is graded on a curve and this combo makes Gaston’s Tavern really useful with reservations.
The principle reservation is that we (nonetheless) can not advocate Gaston’s Tavern to your important meals at Magic Kingdom. As you’ll be able to most likely collect for your self, this isn’t going to be an appropriate lunch or dinner until you’re actually in trip mode and subsisting totally on candy treats. During which case, my youthful self ideas his hat to you. Take pleasure in it earlier than Father Time catches as much as you, twisting his merciless hand in your metabolism.
Gaston’s Tavern stays a glorified snack spot, however one that also has the potential for greatness as a fully-fledged counter service restaurant–all it might take is bringing again that superb pork shank! However as a breakfast after a satisfying rope drop run, or as a ‘complement’ to wholesome and nutrient-dense meals (through grocery supply), or as a fourth meal? There’s one thing to be stated for the present menu at Gaston’s Tavern, and it’s again on my “listing” of locations to eat commonly whereas in Magic Kingdom. (Editor’s observe: the royal “we” is used all through this submit, when in reality, that is the writer’s opinion alone.)
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Your Ideas
Have any favourite menu merchandise at Gaston’s Tavern? Have you ever tried the recently-added menu objects? Would you eat right here if the fantastic pork shank made its return? Do you agree or disagree with our overview of Gaston’s Tavern? Any questions we will help you reply? Listening to your suggestions–even while you disagree with us–is each attention-grabbing to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas under within the feedback!
