For those of you who have read my other journals you know I have been visiting Walt Disney World® for nearly thirty years, however, every once in a while even the most traveled traveler will come across a hidden treasure that has always been right around the corner. For me, that little gem was the Plaza Restaurant.
As we walked around the Magic Kingdom we realized that we had not yet chosen a restaurant for dinner, so we collectively decided to try the Plaza. I knew where to find the restaurant (Take a right at the end of Main Street and you will find it between Walt’s Window and the Noodle Station). However, I had never eaten there. I didn’t even know what type of menu they offered.
The restaurant was so small that if you weren’t paying attention, you would walk right by it. I would love to say that once you got inside everything changed, but sadly it remained a small restaurant. The size of the Plaza Restaurant, however, did not affect its stature. The dining room was well decorated and almost every table had a window view of Cinderella Castle. The overall ambiance of the restaurant was early 20th century art nouveau, with softly lit chandeliers, wrought iron chairs, and plenty of mirrors. The servers wore pastel yellow costumes that not only complimented the blue and green dragonfly wallpaper but were date-specific to the setting of the restaurant.
Our waiter, Gerome, was very entertaining, but like our waiter from Spoodles, was not as "Disney-mannered" as one would expect to find at a Disney restaurant. The laughter started just after he introduced himself and Theresa’s cell phone rang. Gerome was more than happy to answer the call, mentioning that he and Theresa were out on a date. We all thought it was extremely funny and had a great time with Gerome during our dinner.
The fare at the Plaza Restaurant can only be described as old fashion deli-style burgers and sandwiches, completed by delicious selections from the ice cream fountain. I couldn’t make up my mind between the Angus Chuck Cheeseburger ($11.49) and the Grilled Ruben ($10.79), so I asked Gerome for a suggestion. He told me I wouldn’t find his favorite on the menu, but if I trusted him I wouldn’t be disappointed.
Needless to say I did trust his judgment and I wasn’t disappointed. Gerome brought me an Angus burger on a multigrain roll, covered in grilled onions, mushrooms, and melted mozzarella cheese with a side of sweet potato chips. This burger was delicious and well-worth the hazing I got from Gerome for not being able to chose something off the menu like a "big boy should".
We left not only with full stomachs but with smiles on our faces and that, in my opinion, makes the Plaza Restaurant a dining location that I plan on returning to in future visits.