*NEW* Fried Green Tomatoes (plant-based) – $12

With Rémoulade Sauce

Green tomatoes aren’t especially known for tasting like a whole lot, so what matters here is the breading and how they’re served. Thankfully, all three fried green tomato slices come out very fresh and hot, with a crispy, well-seasoned coating.

It’s the house-made rémoulade that’s really the star here, with a nice Cajun spice that pairs perfectly with the crunchy tomato slices.

Rating out of 7: 5

*NEW* House-made Plantain Rolls – $9

With Sweet Plantain Butter

This appetizer includes seven plantain rolls arranged artfully like a little flower. These rolls are also served nice and warm and are soft with a mildly sweet flavor; the plantain butter adds even more sweetness if that’s the flavor you’re after. At $9 for seven rolls, these are a surprisingly good value that’s excellent for sharing.

Rating out of 7: 6

*NEW* Shrimp Scampi – $38

Fettuccine, Chardonnay, Lemon, Herbed Butter

While the shrimp scampi’s description lists Chardonnay, lemon, and herbs as its flavor notes, be warned that the lemon completely dominates. Thankfully, the dish is also tossed with spinach and sun-dried tomatoes for a very nice mélange of flavors with a surprisingly pleasant, unexpected hit of spice.

While the shrimp themselves are not heavily seasoned, they were perfectly cooked and very tender. While it’s a solid pasta dish, it’s not revolutionary.

Rating out of 7: 5

*NEW* Charred Cauliflower Steak (plant-based) – $27

Green Goddess, Dried Fruit, Ancient Grains

In terms of presentation, the cauliflower comes out with nice char marks, just like a steak. The Green Goddess dressing on top is an interesting choice; it’s very citrusy, which is not normally what we expect from Green Goddess. The dressing does become a bit overpowering after a few bites, so we’d ask for it on the side.

The dried fruit and ancient grains consist of wheat berries and couscous with raisins tossed in a savory sauce that adds a nice flavor complexity as well as keeping it moist. This is a really good vegan/vegetarian option.

Rating out of 7: 5

Applewood Bacon Burger – $25

Hand-cut Maple-glazed bacon, Pimento Cheese, House-Seasoned Steak Fries

The burger was overall excellent. The patty was super juicy and served on a very fresh bun.

The two pieces of bacon were at least a quarter-inch thick. The pimento cheese was slathered on nice and thick, and it gave the burger a nice bit of spice.

However, the real winner on the plate were the fries. These are probably the best french fries we’ve had anywhere on Walt Disney World property. They are so crispy on the outside yet light and fluffy on the inside, and the little added zip of the seasoning is just the cherry on the top.

This is an absolutely fantastic option for diners who don’t necessarily want a super fancy entrée for dinner, but are just looking for something basic. Note that the pickle served on the side is definitely not house-made; as opposed to being crisp and crunchy, it was floppy and flavorless and added nothing.

Rating out of 7: 5

*NEW* Creamed Corn – $6

Crispy Onions, Chives

Forget canned creamed corn: this is creamed corn taken to a luxurious new level. There’s obviously a lot of butter and cream to make it very rich, but the corn is also super fresh, adding sweetness and crunch. While we’re baffled at this being offered as an à la carte side — considering most of the dishes include a side by default, so we wouldn’t want to eat this in addition to it — we see this as being an excellent option for sharing in addition to the appetizers.

Rating out of 7: 6

*NEW* Charred Broccolini – $6

Herb Vinaigrette, Ricotta Salata, Sunflower Seeds

While this looks like asparagus, it is actually broccolini, just lacking its distinctive juvenile floret tops. Every stalk is nicely charred with visible marks, and it’s all tossed in a bright, herby dressing. There’s a generous amount of mild ricotta shaved thinly over the top.

The vinaigrette does pool in the bowl, so by the time you get to the last few bites, they’re absolutely soaked in the dressing, so it’s a bit much. However, at a high-end steakhouse, a similar side would run you $15-$17, so for $6 and at a very shareable portion size, we can’t complain.

Rating out of 7: 5

*NEW* Loaded Fingerling Potatoes – $7

Sour Cream, Bacon Jam, Chives

This reminds us of upscale loaded fries from a gastropub, and that’s not a complaint. It’s basically a mound of mini baked potatoes with big dollops of bacon jam and chive-studded sour cream. The bacon jam isn’t strictly sweet; it has a peppery note to it that gives it a little spicy tingle. But the chive sour cream, which is great, works perfectly to balance it.

This is a weird concept, but it works really well together and tastes great. And once again, we have a very generous portion size for the price. You could realistically order this and a second side and have a satisfying meal for under $20.

Rating out of 7: 6

*NEW* Strawberry Shortcake (plant-based) – $9

Orange Biscuit, Roasted Strawberry Sauce, Plant-based Vanilla Bean Cream

The presentation for this dessert is great, especially with the stenciled GF monogram on top, but that’s where our compliments end. This is a rough experience. It’s layered like a trifle, and there technically isn’t even shortcake involved: it has a layer of “orange biscuit,” which tasted like crumbled pie crust with orange flavoring.

The components just clash with each other in terms of texture and flavor, especially when you’re expecting a strawberry shortcake. The best part of it is the plant-based vanilla cream, which was delicious.

Rating out of 7: 2

Vanilla Bean Crème Brûlée – $11

Macerated Berries, Crème Fraîche Chantilly

The previous Grand Floridian Cafe dessert menu also had a crème brûlée, but it was citrus. This is a much more traditional vanilla bean crème brûlée. While the texture was more pasty than creamy, the toasty vanilla flavor was absolutely fantastic.

The burnt-sugar Mickey on top is the type of detail we enjoy, as well as adding more flavor to the final dessert. However, that said, this is a very classic/average crème brûlée, so you know exactly what to expect, and that’s what you get.

Rating out of 7: 4