Kouzzina by Cat Cora closing permanently at the end of September

Empress Room

Empress Room

Active Member
The problem with Kouzzina, frankly, is that it just is not that good or that unique. When it opened, it replaced Spoodles, another "Mediterranean" cuisine restaurant. Besides having a name associated with a famous Iron Chef, the food was not all that different from Spoodles and neither was the restaurant's physical makeover. Spoodles had its fans, but the reason it was replaced was that its cuisine obviously was not hitting home with the guests. Kouzzina came in and transformed very little from the Spoodles days - it looked the same and tasted (relatively) the same.

I do not buy at all the hypothesis that it is closing because the Boardwalk area is hard to get to, doesn't have adequate bus service or is otherwise hidden. Flying Fish is right next door and is always packed - it is largely regarded as one of the best restaurants on property. The Yachtsman's Steakhouse is no easier to get to and it, too, draws great crowds because of its fine food. To a lesser extent (because it is not the same dining experience), Cape May and the ESPN Zone similarly are successful because they provide guests with a style and fare that they want.

I ate at Kouzzina a couple of times. I was underwhelmed. The service was a bit spotty and the food (and yes, I like Greek and Mediterranean cuisine) was satisfactory, but not memorable. Memorable is next door at Flying Fish and around the lake at Yachtsman's. The right concept with the right cuisine will do just fine at that location. People will seek and find great restaurants; Kouzzina, unfortunately, just is not one of them.
 
PrincessNelly_NJ

PrincessNelly_NJ

Well-Known Member
While I didn't experience the Atlantic City Boardwalk back in the days that inspired Disney's Boardwalk.
I just returned from a long weekend there and it makes me sad to see Jersey's boardwalks go down hill. Atlantic City, Seaside, and Wildwood just aren't as great as they used to be. :(
Joe's Crab shack is terrible and doesn't deserve to be anywhere in Disney!
However, I had the pleasure of eating at Carmine's in AC and it was fantastic... good ol' family style italian food! But Disney has more than enough Italian restaurants... I'm not really sure what would fit... current NJ boardwalks restaurants are mostly pizza joints and buffets.
Whatever they do, can we please get some Taylor Ham/Pork breakfast sandwiches out of the boardwalk bakery please and thank you! :hungry:
 
tribbleorlfl

tribbleorlfl

Well-Known Member
Communicore said:
I watched a Taco Bell video once and the honcho was there in the kitchen and she prepared the "food." The whole time she referred to it as "the product and the products" and never used the words "food" and "meal" lol.
Click to expand...
To be fair, "product" is a very common term in food service. You cook long enough, it ceases to be food.
 
Cesar R M

Cesar R M

Well-Known Member
PrincessNelly_NJ said:
I wish... But something tells me Gordon wouldn't take kindly to being Disney Dining Planned...
Click to expand...
D0rT2yj.jpg

tribbleorlfl said:
To be fair, "product" is a very common term in food service. You cook long enough, it ceases to be food.
Click to expand...
more like everything is pre processed and isnt real food.
just like they claimed their stuff is 100% meat when in reality not even 50% is meat.. the rest are fillers.
disgusting!
 
Obi

Obi

Well-Known Member
englanddg said:
That's because most people don't like "high end" food. So much so, they won't even give it a try.

"THERE IS NO WAY I'M EATING THAT! I WON'T EVEN TRY IT!"

But...you'll eat a box of cheap pasta shells smothered in plasticy velveeta.

Yeah...

Personally, it annoys me. I'll try pretty much anything at least once. I remember being revolted at escargot when I first tried it (as a child in europe)...but, now it's one of my favorite things.

I'm not saying it's about exotic ingredients, per se. I mean more that fine-dine just doesn't have the mass appeal that it probably should.
Click to expand...
but...but...but.... velveeta is liquid gold!!! at least that is what they tell me in their ads... and they never lie, stretch the truth, make stuff up in television ads... *nods*...
 
Communicore

Communicore

Well-Known Member
Speaking of liquid, I recall at one time Taco Bell used liquid beef. It came out of a hose and solidifies once placed in a heating apparatus.
 
rael ramone

rael ramone

Well-Known Member
I wonder how having a Celebrity Restaurant at a hotel that isn't the Signature Restaurant of that hotel sat with Chef Cora.

I found Spoodles at first to be great. Then later they decided 'Hey, Italy is on the Med. Let's load up the menu w/ chicken parm' and it became skippable.

Kouzinna made it worth a visit again. I thought enough of the 'whole fish' to seek out cookbook that had the recipe for it (haven't tried to make it yet).

For people who want 'simple food' at the Boardwalk, you already have TWO options -ESPN & the Brewhouse.

My guess is it will end up a Captains Grille clone. Whatever it is will have to have a sit-down breakfast.
 
NeedMoreMickey

NeedMoreMickey

Well-Known Member
The first time we went to the Boardwalk it was a last minute idea, we didn’t know anything about it so we didn’t have reservations and I was disappointed because we couldn’t find some place to eat. With the three resorts around the lake it would be nice to have a counter QS place to get a quick bite. It was nice last week staying at Bay Lake and we stopped in Contempo Café for lunch one day and a late night snack when we checked in. Something like this would be nice on the Boardwalk.
 
scarr13311

scarr13311

Active Member
We ate there when Kouzzina first opend up and we were not impressed with the food was bland and service was not that great. Needless to say we never returned. So we are not surprised to hear that the
restaurant is closing. Perhaps she is dealing personnal issues like the DUI issue where she was drunk and rear ended a driver last year or other issues. Disney should of considered bringing in some of the better Chefs like Bobby Flay, Michael Simon, Jeffrey Zicarrian, Jose Garces, or Scott Conant before opening Kouzzina. Hope they bring a nice 1 dinning place to eat that is much better.
 
Cesar R M

Cesar R M

Well-Known Member
Communicore said:
Speaking of liquid, I recall at one time Taco Bell used liquid beef. It came out of a hose and solidifies once placed in a heating apparatus.
Click to expand...
oh gods, that sounds disgusting..!
3mJWiTk.jpg


scarr13311 said:
We ate there when Kouzzina first opend up and we were not impressed with the food was bland and service was not that great. Needless to say we never returned. So we are not surprised to hear that the
restaurant is closing. Perhaps she is dealing personnal issues like the DUI issue where she was drunk and rear ended a driver last year or other issues. Disney should of considered bringing in some of the better Chefs like Bobby Flay, Michael Simon, Jeffrey Zicarrian, Jose Garces, or Scott Conant before opening Kouzzina. Hope they bring a nice 1 dinning place to eat that is much better.
Click to expand...
what if the others wanted more money or better perks and only Kouzzina accepted?
 
PrincessNelly_NJ

PrincessNelly_NJ

Well-Known Member
NeedMoreMickey said:
The first time we went to the Boardwalk it was a last minute idea, we didn’t know anything about it so we didn’t have reservations and I was disappointed because we couldn’t find some place to eat. With the three resorts around the lake it would be nice to have a counter QS place to get a quick bite. It was nice last week staying at Bay Lake and we stopped in Contempo Café for lunch one day and a late night snack when we checked in. Something like this would be nice on the Boardwalk.
Click to expand...

They do have quick service options around there.
 

Register on WDWMAGIC. This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.

Back
Top Bottom