Today we are setting sail to Ale & Compass at Disney’s Yacht Club Resort. This resort is brimming with that New England feel; the lobby is filled with nautical theming. I have never been to Ale & Compass, so I am excited to see the outcome of this experience.
This is how Disney describes the dining location.
Dine on New England comfort food and classic seafood dishes in a coastal-inspired restaurant that’s reminiscent of a cozy lighthouse.
Appetizers
There were three of us at the table, and we each ordered different appetizers. Before I jump into those, I just wanted to talk about how accommodating they were with allergies. They gave me an allergy menu for my dairy allergy, and the server also made a note of it and told the chef immediately. Everything I ordered had a lovely allergy stick that notified me it was safe to eat. Now let’s jump into the food.
Pete ordered the Parker House Rolls and Spreads for his appetizer. Although the spreads were good, this appetizer should have been a regular bread service for the restaurant. It would’ve added a nice touch if it was done that way. These rolls were $13, and we concluded that if it’s going to be priced that way, the appetizer should’ve come with more bread.
Patreon members helped Craig pick out his meal (Patreon is a fun place and a great way to continue to support our content), so for his starter, he got the Lobster and Corn Chowder. He mentioned it wasn’t heavy in shellfish flavor to the point you couldn’t even tell it was made with lobster, but at least it was creamy. He wasn’t impressed with the crackers, but Craig did say he would order this again. He mentioned that the soup had some ‘zip’ to it and had that Old Bay seasoning flavor. The soup is priced at $13, just like the rolls. Craig also said that the soup hit the spot but wished that the potatoes in the soup were a bit softer.
I got the Roasted “Buffalo-Style” Cauliflower. I loved my dish so much. I love buffalo sauce; it’s the perfect amount of spicy, in my opinion, and I love cauliflower. If my five-year-old self heard me say that, she would be shocked. I advise that if you are sensitive to spicy food, don’t order this for obvious reasons. If you love spicy foods, get this and eat the cauliflower at the bottom, those pieces are drenched in buffalo sauce. This appetizer cost $9, which I didn’t think was terrible because it came with a lot of cauliflower, definitely enough to share with someone.
Entrees
Pete ordered the Grilled Cheese Sandwich and Tomato Soup has his entree. The grilled cheese is made with artisanal country bread, aged white cheddar, gruyere, and fontina cheese with truffle butter. You can also add bacon or country ham at an additional cost. He added bacon to his grilled cheese, bringing the price to $17. It was a decent grilled cheese, but nothing out of this world. When I saw the soup from across the table, I thought they had accidentally given him a side of red pasta sauce, but no, it was tomato soup. He said the soup resembled an unseasoned red sauce because it lacked flavor and wasn’t creamy.
As I mentioned earlier, our lovely Patreon supporters voted for Craigs meal, and the highest votes were between the Bacon and Vermont Cheddar Burger and the Blackened Sustainable Fish Tacos. Craig went with the burger, and I chose the tacos. The burger came out looking perfectly staged, which was nice to see. After cutting it open, Craig said it was cooked to perfection, which is surprising considering the history of Disney burgers. The burger itself, according to him, wasn’t seasoned, which made it lack flavor. This Bacon and Vermont Cheddar Burger had the potential to be one of the better burgers on property, but it needs some work. The sandwich cost $21. Now the fries that came with the burger were well received by those at the table. I didn’t try them, but you could tell they were cooked perfectly and salted to perfection.
As I mentioned above, I got the fish tacos. This was love at first bite. The Mahi-Mahi was cooked to perfection and seasoned amazingly. The tacos are made with chilled cucumber slaw, avocado, chipotle remoulade, and flour tortillas. It may have been love at first bite, but some things could’ve been better. That chilled slaw was nowhere near chilled. I could tell it was sitting under a heat lamp because the lime that came with the dish was warm. I would love to try this dish with the slaw at the right temperate because I think that would add dynamic to the food. I can say it did add texture, though, which I appreciated. The chipotle remoulade was delicious, I spread it all over each taco, and it added that perfect kick to the dish. These tacos cost $17, which I didn’t think was bad for three fish tacos. I rate these tacos an 8 out of 10, but I think if the slaw were chilled, it would’ve been a 10 out of 10 for me.
Overall the meal was good. I can’t say it was the best food I’ve had on Disney property, but it wasn’t the worst. I could see myself putting this restaurant in my top ten but not my top five. The service was decent, but the meal’s pacing was slightly off. It took an abnormally long time for the appetizers to come out. Of course, that affected the flow of the entrees coming out. The interior of the restaurant was dark, and instead of making us feel cozy, it made us want to take a nap. My biggest critique of the design is that there needs to be more light entering the area. Will I come back to Ale & Compass? Yes, I will, but will I fight tooth a nail for a reservation? No.
Have you ever dined at Ale & Compass? If so, what are your thoughts on this table-service restaurant? Let us know in the comments.