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 lots of reader curiosity in cupcakes. There’s most likely no scarcity of pop jokes in our outdated journey stories about energy not relying on trip or cupcakes being the breakfast of rope drop champions.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 recreation peaked a decade in the past and has actually fallen off since. Quick-forward to at the moment, and when Sarah is round, we do grocery supply. I’ll eat plain greek yogurt, carrots, and different nutrient-dense well being meals. (Similar sort of stuff we predominantly eat at residence, in case you’ve ever puzzled 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 in depth investigation on Karamell-Küche and Les Halles Boulangerie-Patisserie during the last a number of years. (Outcomes are inconclusive and nonetheless within the exploratory section, so additional testing is required–deliberate publish date is presently 2029. Guess Disney building 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This meal is discovered deep in New Fantasyland (at over 10 years outdated, is it simply common Fantasyland now?)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 essentially one in all squandered potential. It’s undersized relative to demand, with a fraction of the seating it truly 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.
However, 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 small print all through the tavern are enjoyable and cheeky. The whole lot from the lighting to the unfinished recreation 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 is cozy and intimate, an antidote to the various cavernous counter service eating places with giant rooms that Disney has completed lately. The issue is that this intimacy is achieved by way of undersized seating areas, versus Imagineers working their magic to interrupt up house and make a much bigger venue really feel smaller.
Imagineering received it proper nearly a decade later with Gaston’s Tavern at Tokyo Disneyland, which completely threads the needle on measurement, scale, and environment. Oh and the menu has incredible responsible pleasures. (Japan additionally received the a lot better Beast’s Fort, a full-size model full with probably the greatest rides on the planet inside.)
However I digress. The rationale we’re right here at the moment 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 like a lot, however this Ham and Gruyère Tart is principally a fancified flatbread. Just like what’s served across the bend at Pinocchio Village Haus, however much less substantial and a lot 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 harking back to one thing from the France pavilion at EPCOT versus Magic Kingdom. Principally 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 proper 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 largest criticism is that it’s pretty gentle–such is the character of that delicate pastry crust–and never notably filling for the value.
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 connoisseur, whereas pairing it with off-the-shelf chips is a inconsiderate contact. I’d truthfully somewhat pay extra for house-made chips or much less for no facet in any respect. Nonetheless a dish I’d suggest, simply not the perfect bang for buck (additionally most likely not shareable except 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 feel 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 suggest within the parks & resorts, and the Gray Stuff Cupcake is one in all them.
The standard is excessive, the flavour is incredible–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. When you haven’t had the Gray Stuff Cupcake earlier than, or solely a special of the Gray Stuff, I’d suggest giving this a strive.
Turning to an much more iconic breakfast-dessert, there’s the Heat Cinnamon Roll for $6.99.
I nonetheless bear in mind the one-two punch again in 2012 when Starbucks was introduced as taking up the Important Avenue Bakery and Disney revealed the menu for Gaston’s Tavern, and that the big cinnamon rolls can be transferring again there to New Fantasyland. Followers completely misplaced their minds. It was just like the OG ‘Ohana Noodlegate, but when the noodles had been moved to Kona Cafe as an alternative of retired totally.
Our perspective was that followers had 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 had been served within the entrance or again of the park? Because it seems, a huge distinction. Truthfully, nice name from the haters–they had been appropriate.
Ordering a cinnamon roll from Gaston’s Tavern is a raffle. You might have a freshly-made one that’s gloriously gooey and tender, or one which’s been sitting beneath a warmth lamp for hours, is hardened and tastes stale.
I get why Walt Disney World followers love the Heat Cinnamon Roll, however it’s good to watch out when ordering them later within the day after they’re extra prone to have been slow-cooked to hardness beneath the warmth lamp for hours. The one we received 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 assessment is important right here. You’ve most likely had cinnamon rolls earlier than, and at their greatest, this can be a bigger and extra indulgent model of these. Personally, I don’t assume the Gaston’s Tavern is any higher than the sort I could make myself from the freezer at Dealer Joe’s, however they’re addictively good…after they’re good. Not beneficial, except tasting the long-lasting snacks is a must-do, through which case, it’s good to get to Gaston’s within the morning.
Saving the perfect for final, there’s the Crème Brûlée Croissant, which consists of crispy croissant dough crammed with vanilla bean custard for $5.49.
This pet is incredible. It’s one other indulgent dessert, with caramelization on prime that’s candy and barely charred earlier than giving approach to a pastry that’s the best steadiness of doughy and fluffy, tender and dense.
That’s all topped off by the vanilla bean custard inside. It’s a wonderful mess that’s greatest eaten sitting down, with a knife and fork. Don’t attempt to eat this whereas on the transfer, except you desire a mess throughout your fingers, shirt, and so forth.
In a nutshell, the Crème Brûlée Croissant is every part 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 offer 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 mates, and would suggest doing likewise–I might additionally see consuming half within the park and taking the opposite half again to the resort for breakfast the following day.
In the end, 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 best circumstances. Relating to Magic Kingdom, the worst meals park at Walt Disney World, every part is graded on a curve and this combo makes Gaston’s Tavern beneficial with reservations.
The primary reservation is that we (nonetheless) can’t suggest Gaston’s Tavern on your major meals at Magic Kingdom. As you’ll be able to most likely collect for your self, this isn’t going to be an acceptable lunch or dinner except you’re actually in trip mode and subsisting totally on candy treats. By which case, my youthful self ideas his hat to you. Take pleasure in it when you can.
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 could take is bringing again that wonderful pork shank! However as a breakfast after a satisfying rope drop run, or as a ‘complement’ to wholesome and nutrient-dense meals (by way of 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 word: the royal “we” is used all through this publish, when in truth, that is the creator’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 wonderful pork shank made its return? Do you agree or disagree with our assessment of Gaston’s Tavern? Any questions we will help you reply? Listening to your suggestions–even if you disagree with us–is each attention-grabbing to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas under within the feedback!
