My hubby and I had the chance to check a Walt Disney World restaurant off of our list last week, and I thought I’d stop by today and share a few thoughts with you about our experience. As I introduced in my column last week, and as we mentioned on Friday’s Disney Dining Show, we’ve come up with a WDW table service restaurant checklist. You can find the checklist on our Facebook page, and in Friday’s show notes. While this was a date night, and not an official review, I wanted to share a few thoughts about our time at Homecomin‘.

Back in mid-June, we had a dining reservation for Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’ booked for my birthday. We initially had a reservation that evening for The Wave, but Disney had to cancel the reservation due to the closure. Homecomin’ was a great backup choice because we’d never eaten there. However, as the date got closer, we didn’t feel ready to go out and eat at a restaurant. Fast forward to last week, and we felt we were ready to give eating outside at a restaurant a shot. Homecomin’ had a reservation available, so off we went to Disney Springs.

During the temporary closure, the team at Homecomin’ built an expanded outside seating area. This patio area, called Shine Bar + Social, features tables that have been spaced out to adhere to physical distancing standards. Guests can request to sit on the patio when they check in at the host stand.

Guests dining at Homecomin’ now access the menu by opening their smartphone cameras and pointing their phones at the QR code on the table. At that point, a pop up will appear on the phone, and, after tapping on the pop up, a contactless menu will pull up.

We don’t always get appetizers when we’re out and about, but we had heard fantastic things about the Church Lady Deviled Eggs ($12), so they were ordered. How cute are those deviled eggs? The eggs were served on the same dish as the deviled eggs that were offered at Le Cellier’s special brunch that Disney introduced during this year’s Epcot International Festival of the Arts. If you’re accustomed to a vinegar-based deviled egg, please know that these eggs are different. They were good, but the taste is very mild. I feel that it’s good to know that before you order them. The texture is lovely and creamy, but the punchiness that I’m used to with a deviled egg wasn’t there. If you like a milder deviled egg, then you’ll love these.

My hubby ordered Art’s Famous Fried Chicken ($29), and, thankfully, he shared some with me. If you like super crunchy fried chicken (and who doesn’t?!), you’ll enjoy this dish. The mashed potatoes were lovely (and not garlicky if that’s something you want to avoid) and creamy.

I ordered the Chopped Pork Barbecue main plate ($26). Friends, I am someone who loves pulled/chopped/whatevered barbecue pork, and this was a great option. This was also a TON of food. I ate dinner, shared a bit with my husband, and ate the leftovers for dinner the next evening.

The Cheddar Cheese Drop Biscuit that came with the entrée was incredible, and the Momma’s Mac and Cheese? Well, just look at that picture. This mac and cheese was the best macaroni and cheese I’ve ever had. No joke. If you like this ultra cheesy sort of thing, please order it. And then let me know what you thought.

I really wanted to try the Hummingbird Cake for dessert, but I was too stuffed. You have to save something for next time, right?

I enjoyed my experience at Homecomin’. It was a great first attempt back eating at a restaurant, and I appreciated the effort put forth by the restaurant’s team to ensure a safer dining experience.

What’s your favorite dish at Homecomin’? What should I try next time?