The Wave Brings a Splash of Fun, Healthful Dining to
Disney’s Contemporary Resort
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- With drinks
like the Antioxidant Cocktail, entrées such as whole-wheat
linguine with clams, rock shrimp and fresh thyme in chunky
tomato broth, and crispy almond-raisin "baklava" for
dessert, The Wave brings a surge of new dining ideas to Walt
Disney World Resort.
Located in Disney's Contemporary Resort, the new restaurant
is "bold cooking inspired by fresh markets," said Dieter
Hannig, vice president of new concepts for Walt Disney World
Food & Beverage. "America is more and more a melting pot,
and The Wave features American cooking with world flavors."
Guests enter the stylish new
space on the first floor of the hotel through a brushed
steel arch "tunnel" into The Wave's lounge, one of the
largest at Walt Disney World Resort. The sleek, serene décor
is earthy browns and golds, with frosted glass lamps for
soft ambient light and a copper-colored metal ceiling.
Banquettes and booths line the perimeter of the dining room,
and wooden tables are set with white linen napkins. A large
central table is draped in sheer fabric in purples and golds.
Open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner, the 220-seat
restaurant takes casual dining into the health-conscious
21st century. The classic American breakfast menu includes
plenty of egg creations, but guests also can make their own
Wave muesli or sip a Beta Berry Smoothie with raspberry
puree and non-fat yogurt blended with Odwalla Berries GoMega
(a great source of Omega-3). The Pure Sunshine breakfast
cocktail features organic vodka and orange juice topped with
Vitamin Energy Drink. Coffee is organic Colombian (fair
trade and "Smithsonian-certified bird-friendly") and teas
are whole leaf Pyramid bags in flavors from chamomile
blossoms to monsoon chai.
At lunch, light eaters might enjoy lettuce wraps with
sautéed lamb and bay scallops, or a lump crab cake with
crispy papaya slaw. Entrées include oversized salads and a
vegetarian sandwich with grilled tofu, roasted veggies and
herb goat cheese on multi-grain bread, but guests also can
chow down on an Angus chuck burger with cheese and Applewood
smoked bacon, or a classic grilled Reuben.
The dinner menu offers a delicious spin on comfort classics
such as pan-seared Alaskan black cod with corn and edamame
(soybean) stew with cilantro chutney; braised lamb shank
with bulgur lentil stew and red wine sauce, and a nouvelle
chicken pot pie with thyme pastry. Sides at both lunch and
dinner include braised greens and roasted sweet potatoes and
carrots.
"Lots of stocks, lots of broths and seasonal ingredients
keep the menu well balanced," said Chef Frank Brough. "We
are sourcing ingredients locally and regionally to create
fresh flavors, and our fresh catch of the day features
sustainable seafood."
Desserts continue the theme with a dozen choices for mixing
and matching three mini-favorites for one price. From
chocolate mousse with chocolate ganache, to yogurt sorbet
with blueberry compote and coconut panna cotta with passion
fruit, guests can indulge their sweet tooth without a big
hit in calories. Or go overboard with a dessert cocktail
like the Mudslide martini: Baileys Irish Cream, vanilla
vodka, Kahlúa and vanilla ice cream.
Wine 'With a Twist,' Innovative Spirits Menu
The wine program, with only screw cap wines, is cutting-edge
and supports sustainable agriculture, says Master Sommelier
John Blazon, manager of wine sales and standards for Walt
Disney World Resort.
"The surge in the use of the screw cap is nothing short of a
revolution in wine packaging," says Blazon. Industry experts
say that the screw cap is the most significant technical
evolution in the wine industry since the glass bottle was
introduced 250 years ago.
And the options for screw cap wine are growing, said Blazon.
The Wave serves no California wines (California Grill on the
resort's 15th floor has a corner on the California market),
but instead focuses on bright-style New World wines from the
Southern Hemisphere, including Argentina, Chile, New
Zealand, Australia and South Africa.
Sparkling wines from Tasmania, Rieslings from South
Australia, floral New Wave whites from Argentina and pinot
noirs from New Zealand are among the interesting choices,
with 50 available by the glass. A flight of 3-ounce
samplings and dessert wines, ports and sherries round out
the wine list.
For beer fans, certified organic ales from Orlando Brewing
are on the menu. Produced in Orlando, these handcrafted ales
use only American-grown certified-organic barley malt. Three
Orlando Brewery ales are available on tap, including Blonde
Ale, Pale Ale and Blackwater Dry Porter. Also on the menu is
gluten-free Redbridge lager.
Trendy cocktails are served for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Start the day with a Pomegranate Splash (vodka, pomegranate
liqueur, cranberry juice and soda water) or the Ultimate
Bloody Mary (organic vodka, Bloody Mary mix and a dash of
red chili sauce).
"Natural and flavorful are the buzzwords for cocktails,"
said Stuart McGuire, director of beverage sales and
standards for Walt Disney World Parks and Resorts. The Pure-tini
mixes organic vodka with organic mango and passion fruit
liqueur. The Antioxidant Cocktail features wild berry vodka,
black raspberry liqueur, açai juice with agave, lychee, aloe
juice and freshly squeezed lemon juice.
The Wave is part of a revitalization at Disney's
Contemporary Resort that includes a makeover of the hotel's
fourth floor with a new game arcade and new quick-service
eatery for salads and sandwiches (replacing Concourse
Steakhouse). The popular Chef Mickey's restaurant and the
monorail station anchor that family-friendly area.
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