The Disneyland Book of Secrets 2014: One Local's Unauthorized, Rapturous and Indispensable Guide to the Happiest Places on Earth (233 page)


        
Mickey Ice Cream Bars
(
DCA
,
DL
)

             
Who doesn’t get a warm-and-fuzzy feeling when they see and taste this ever-popular
Disney parks’
treat?  Known officially as
Mickey’s Premium Ice Cream Bar
, this
Nestlé
-manufactured wholesome goodness is vanilla ice cream (shaped like
Mickey
’s head) dipped in “chocolatey coating” then wrapped in paper and chilled until served. 
Mickey Ice Cream Bars
are sold at every frozen treat cart throughout both parks.  It’ll set you back about $25 to purchase these treats for a family of five, but what price
Disneyland
nostalgia?  These treats are so beloved they’ve inspired
ear hats
, T shirts, and car air fresheners.


        
Popcorn
(
DCA
,
DL
)

             
Guests know they’ve arrived at the happiest place on earth when they smell that fresh-popped
Disneyland
popcorn!  The popcorn has been here since the beginning, originally popped in carts provided by famous Chicago-based popcorn company
C.
Cretors
.  Each
Disneyland
cart features a unique
roastie-toastie
(aka
secret popcorn people
) figure turning a hand-crank.  Originally the figures were all clowns, but ultimately they were tailored to fit the land the cart inhabited (a
yeti
in
Fantasyland
, the
Rocketeer
in
Tomorrowland
, e.g.).  (Want to order your own
Cretors
machine?  Visit
www.cretors.com
.) 
Disneyland
popcorn is vegan—yes, vegan!—because despite its rich taste, it’s popped in vegetable and coconut oils—
not
butter.  It’s also purported to be gluten-free.  At $4 for a carton or $6 for a generous helping in a plastic
Disneyland
souvenir bucket, how can you go wrong?


        
Sweet Potato Fries
(
DL
)

             
A relatively new Guest favorite, this crispy, sweet side is a welcome change from standard French fries.  And they’re available prepared gluten-free (if you ask).


        
Tiramisu
(
DCA
)

             
This blend of cocoa, coffee, sugar, and egg yolks is pure culinary pleasure.  A perfect start-the-day nosh or mid-day pick-me-up best paired with coffee at the
Fiddler, Fifer & Practical Café
in
Buena Vista Street
.


        
Turkey Legs
(
DCA
,
DL
)

             
Paleos,
Disneyland
is your land!  If you’ve ever had a secret (or not-so-secret) hankering to wander around chomping on a giant turkey leg doing your best Henry VIII impression, your dream can come true where most dreams come true—at good ol’
Disneyland
!  Smoked turkey legs look and taste decadent, but they’re gluten-free.  They’re so big they inspired a
Disneyland
urban legend that they’re ostrich legs.  Not true.  Because the turkey legs are pink and smoky, people say they’re actually ham.  Also false—but the brine solution and spices with which they’re marinated
do
give the legs a “hammish” quality.  Turkey legs are a beloved
Disneyland
tradition.  Turkey leg fans count the days until their next
Disneyland
trip, and try to reproduce the recipe at home.  The
Disneyland
turkey leg now has its own T shirt and car air freshener.  (If you get into someone’s car and it smells like smoked turkey, assume they are a
Disney
fan—either that, or they work at a deli.)  Although turkey legs are big enough to share, as online bloggers have noted, who
wants
to trade germs by sharing a turkey leg?  After all, chomping a turkey leg might make you feel like a cave person—but are you a
barbarian
?  Few seem to be able to eat a turkey leg at
Disneyland
without spattering tsunami-scale grease, so grab plenty of napkins or wear a bib, tablecloth, or scuba suit.  Turkey legs are readily available throughout both parks, so you won’t have to exclaim (as Henry VIII once wrote) “Alack, alack, what shall I do?”  What
you
should do is bring your wallet, because turkey legs now cost about $10 each.

Meals


        
Asian RiceBowls
(
DCA
)

             
Reasonably priced and generously sized, the rice bowls at the
Lucky Fortune Cookery
are densely packed poems of vegetables, rice, and meat or tofu.  Dig in with utensils or chopsticks—this filling meal is perfect for hungry adults and is substantial enough for kids to share.  If you’re over 21, wash it all down with a Sapporo. 
Oishii
!


        
Bratwurst Sausages
(
DL
)

             
How is
this
for a decadent vacation meal:  A bratwurst topped with hickory-smoked bacon sauerkraut, cushioned in a garlic-herb brioche! 
Wunderbar
!  You’ll find this tasty treat for less than $10 at the
Troubadour Tavern
, next to the
Fantasyland Theatre
where
Mickey and the Magical Map
is playing presently.  Note that food
is
allowed in the theatre.  ;)


        
Ceviche
(
DCA
)

             
This is one of the dishes that tells us
Disneyland
cuisine has grown up.  Technically raw fish, ceviche is “cooked” in the acids of the citrus juices in which it marinates.  The
Carthay Circle Theatre
restaurant serves a ceviche appetizer plated with “avocado and tomatillo-cilantro essence” and paired with plantain chips.  It is lovely to look at, and a tasty hit even with some non-seafood loving Guests.


        
Cheeseburgers
(
DCA
,
DL
,
DTD
)

             
Classic vacation fare,
Disneyland
cheeseburgers have drastically improved in the last few years.  The
Carthay Circle Theatre
restaurant sells a high-end burger, a half-pound of Angus beef with Tillamook Cheddar, grilled onions, and black pepper bacon.  The price tag?  $22.  Somewhat more modestly priced cheeseburgers can be found at
Downtown Disney
venues like
Ralph Brennan’s Jazz Kitchen
and the
Uva Bar
.  Guests on a budget can happily sink their teeth into the Angus burgers at
Fantasyland
’s
Village Haus
or
Critter Country
’s
Hungry Bear
; these burgers come with fries or fruit, and are mouthwateringly delicious for the price.  The
Village Haus
even serves a
Pastrami Cheeseburger
!  Burger lovers on a budget at
DCA
should take flight for the
Taste Pilots’ Grill
near
Soarin’ Over California
.  Ask about kids’ burgers for the little ones.  Vegetarians can request veggie burgers, and those following gluten-free diets can request gluten-free buns or bunless servings.  However you order your burger, it tastes all the better at
the happiest place on earth
!


        
Chili Bowls
(
DCA
,
DL
,
DTD
)

             
Sometimes you just need a hearty bowl of chili, especially in the autumn or winter, and this western favorite is easy to find throughout the resort.  Ask for the vegetarian version if you don’t eat meat.  If you’re living gluten-free, skip the sourdough bread bowls in which the chili is usually served.  Chili hot spots include
Refreshment Corner
(DL), and
La Brea Bakery
(
DTD
).


        
Corn or Clam Chowders
(
DCA
,
DL
)

             
Originally a New England specialty, corn or clam chowders are served year-round at the resort, but
really
hit the spot during fall and winter visits when So Cal experiences its big chill.  One of the author’s relatives who is quite a chowder aficionado describes the corn chowder at
Pacific Wharf
as “hearty and not too spicy” and notes that it pairs well with “a
Red Trolley Ale
from the
Karl Strauss
cart”.  “The bread bowl itself is a tasty meal.”  Sadly, the corn chowder has been dropped from the menu (for now), but the equally tasty clam chowder remains.  Drop by the
Harbour Galley
or
Royal Street Veranda
in
Disneyland
, or the
Pacific Wharf Café
in
DCA
, for a hot bowl of chowder to warm your day at the parks.


        
Duck Confit Sliders
(
DCA
)

             
Like the ceviche, this is a dish that says “
Disneyland
isn’t just about hot dogs and popcorn anymore”.  If you’re looking for a novel treat, you’ll find these little gems at the
Carthay Circle Theatre
.  Tiny, but hearty and delicious, the sliders are garnished with apricot conserve and cheese.


        
Enchiladas
(
DCA
,
DL
)

             
For tasty Mexican-American cuisine at the resort, you can’t do better than enchiladas at
Tortilla Jo
’s in
Downtown Disney
, the
Red Chile Enchilada Platter
at
Rancho del Zocalo
(
DL
), or the
Cheese Enchilada
at
Fiddler, Fifer & Practical Café
(
DCA
).  Suprisingly, Guests
won’t
find enchiladas at
Cocina Cucamonga Mexican Grill
on
Pacific Wharf
, but they will find other flavorful treats and the award-winning music of the
Mariachi Divas
.


        
Five-Cheese Ravioli
(
DCA
)

             
Prepared fresh while you wait and watch,
Boardwalk Pizza and Pasta
’s five-cheese raviolis are little works of art. 
Disney magic
never ends; all you expected was a bowl of ravioli, but you get a show, too, as a
Disneyland
cook in pristine white uniform heats, seasons, plates, and garnishes your food right in front of your eyes.  The large, green-striped raviolis are stuffed with five cheeses (probably mozzarella, parmesan, pecorino romano, provolone, and ricotta) and topped with pesto sauce, diced tomatoes, toasted pine nuts, and as much parmesan as you care to eat  Filling, flavorful, and—if they can get past the green stripes—tasty for little ones, too.  The price is reasonable and—bonus—crowds tend to be light at this end of the pier.


        
Fried Chicken
(
DL
)