Travel Edition -Orlando
Day 5
Magical dining month (or for us, week) continues with a reservation at Paddlefish in the heart of Disney Springs (Some of you may remember this as Downtown Disney). This one is shaped like an old riverboat through and through (I had to ask if it was actually a riverboat that had been converted, It was not but it really looks and feels like it. The attention to detail is amazing).
The parking is easy with parking around the area as well as several relatively new parking complexes that tell you how many spaces are available in each level and row. I appreciate that they have security everywhere to make sure you have a fun and safe experience. They take your temperature and make sure you are wearing masks at all times while walking so you can feel comfortable that they are taking all the necessary precautions.
Once parked, enjoy the casual and if at night (very lively and romantic) walk through the springs to your dining location. We enjoy getting there 45 minutes early and strolling through some of the shops (try Na Hoku for some exotic and affordable jewelry).
We arrived at Paddlefish a few minutes early and sat down in the waiting area. The staff was very welcoming and pleasant. I had in my mind that they would not meet my expectations, but I was wrong, they surprised me at every opportunity. They have 3 levels including a beautiful rooftop bar and I was impressed with the friendliness of the entire staff and the level of detail in sticking to the upscale riverboat theme. Our server arrived quickly and was very friendly but allowed us our space (clearly knew what he was doing). He made drink recommendations and I ordered a Coke (probably because I had enough around the pool that day). My wife surprised me and ordered a white sangria (I know, right) instead of a glass of wine (they make them in house) and it was very good.
For the appetizers we ordered fried green tomatoes and tuna poke (the fried green tomatoes were incredible, and we ate every bite). The portions were larger then expected and they clearly weren’t skimping on the Magical Dining menu. For the main course I ordered the stuffed cod and my wife ordered the pork chop. Check out the pictures, they were amazing, and the portions were huge. We were blown away with the amount of food and the quality (top notch, really). Our server was on it and hustling to make sure we didn’t wait one minute longer than necessary for anything (clearing the table, drinks, or just checking in). He really was very good, thanks Steve, you exceeded our expectations.
For dessert we had the chocolate chip cookie sundae and the chocolate layer cake (which we also took to go because we were already so full). They were both excellent and we opted to box ½ of our main courses just to be able to eat the dessert. The desserts were both well crafted and we especially liked cutting through the crunchy cookie at the bottom mixed with what I think was house made ice cream, fudge, and caramel.
Overall, we would have to say that this is now in our top 2 favorite restaurants in Orlando with excellent service, perfect décor, great theme, wonderful food, good value, and especially from the 3rd floor deck overlooking Disney springs with views of the water, fire volcano, hot air balloon, and bridges, it was particularly romantic. If you have a special date or just want to stop in for a drink on the 3rd floor deck this one is highly recommended.
Date Nights Palm Beach 