Where's the beef? Not on Mouse Buffets.

[MousDad]

Isn't strip loin that cut of meat that you get at the grocery because it looks really red and juicy and the price is quite reasonable and you get it home and cook it and put it in your mouth and chew each bite 59 times before swallowing because the texture resembles tanned cow hide?

 

[rsoxguy]

Isn't strip loin that cut of meat that you get at the grocery because it looks really red and juicy and the price is quite reasonable and you get it home and cook it and put it in your mouth and chew each bite 59 times before swallowing because the texture resembles tanned cow hide?

You are being generous in your description, but yes, it is.

 

[imamouse]

I still rate Boma as one of the best buffets around, Disney or not.

So do I - and I've been to Africa and eaten at several buffets there (mostly in Namibia). Boma is very authentic and the quality of the food is outstanding.

I'm not a huge fan of prime rib, so if it goes missing, I wouldn't mind.

 

[4 Park Central]

Boma has always been the best buffet for me at WDW. I hate buffets - all that food congealing under hot lamps is highly unappealing to me. Also the fact that people gorge themselves on it. At least Boma had some unusual options - which should be the point of a buffet in the first place - to try new things.

That said - if it generally isn't cost effective they should find another way of limiting the prime rib rather than yanking it all together.

 

[RealHawker]

not a fan of prime rib here.... not gonna miss it if this is true.

 

[Christi22222]

You are being generous in your description, but yes, it is.

Oh my gosh! This oh-so-dry reply and the original statement it was intended towards both mad me laugh out loud. Thank you! This thread has actually been both informative and entertaining and no one has gotten their nose out of joint. Hurrah!! It's a magical thread!

Back on topic....I totally agree that the food quality has gone down and the prices way up. It has been a them at the World, but this is totally ridiculous. I also agree with many of you that the quality issue has been a direct result of the dining plan, which has also created the availability (or lack thereof) issue. This is one more way management doesn't realize that although folks are still coming through the turnstiles today, they are going to lose the long term loyalty they have earned in the past from fans like us who have bought in to their overall superior quality as a culture.

 

[CapnStinxy]

Either they made the change and immediately got such venom (and with good cause) from their guests, many DVCers now, and switched gears ... or they haven't switched over just yet at Boma (but obviously intend to) ... or Steve's friend doesn't know the difference between strip and prime rib.

I'm going to bring this thread back from the dead because I ate at Boma not four hours ago, and the carving station had strip loin. The server even told me as we were seated that the carving station "featured" strip loin tonight. Other servers nearby referred to it as "New York Strip Loin." The tag at the carving station referred to it as "strip loin." Many diners still called it "prime rib" and were shoveling it down with gusto.

How was it? Before the carver cut into it, it certainly looked good enough. Appeared to be a good crust on the outside, and visible fat. Once he cut into it, though, it went downhill. One was well done to the point of being gray (many people wanted the well done). The "rare" one was light pink, and really more of a medium-well. It tasted vaguely of fake smoke, or some rub with aromatic spices. It was definitely over-seasoned, with not really any stand-out beef flavor. It was certainly tender, but it was dry. Not that it looked dry; even though it was on the high side of medium it still looked like it had some juice. It just didn't taste like it. One slice was enough.

Since most of the people there tonight didn't seem to know the difference, or care, score one for the accountants.

 

[Jimmy Thick]

Other than Germany, the rest of the Disney buffets are garbage with greasy food. As long as prime rib is still in the resort but in the buffets, I'm cool with that.

 

[WDW1974]

And you can thank the DDP for that.

The free DDP has done nothing but lower the quality and quantity of offering at most all WDW dining establishments.

Finally we agree on something.

But it isn't simply the times it is free, the entire DDP has led to the WalMarting of WDW dining. And since dining was always one of my favorite things at WDW, it has really taken some magic away.

 

[WDW1974]

I'm going to bring this thread back from the dead because I ate at Boma not four hours ago, and the carving station had strip loin. The server even told me as we were seated that the carving station "featured" strip loin tonight. Other servers nearby referred to it as "New York Strip Loin." The tag at the carving station referred to it as "strip loin." Many diners still called it "prime rib" and were shoveling it down with gusto.

How was it? Before the carver cut into it, it certainly looked good enough. Appeared to be a good crust on the outside, and visible fat. Once he cut into it, though, it went downhill. One was well done to the point of being gray (many people wanted the well done). The "rare" one was light pink, and really more of a medium-well. It tasted vaguely of fake smoke, or some rub with aromatic spices. It was definitely over-seasoned, with not really any stand-out beef flavor. It was certainly tender, but it was dry. Not that it looked dry; even though it was on the high side of medium it still looked like it had some juice. It just didn't taste like it. One slice was enough.

Since most of the people there tonight didn't seem to know the difference, or care, score one for the accountants.

Thanks for the first hand (or mouth!) report.

I doubt I'll return to Boma as the prime rib was my favorite entree item and strip loin just ain't going to cut it.

A shame that no one was complaining, but people are sheep.

I would guess that they'll be getting some bigtime complaints from some locals and some DVCers who show up and get shocked by the change. This one may not last after a few ugly exchanges that I could see with all the short tempers.

BTW ... how much is dinner at Boma up to these days?

 

[Missing20K]

Other than Germany, the rest of the Disney buffets are garbage with greasy food. As long as prime rib is still in the resort but in the buffets, I'm cool with that.

We had a much different experience at Germany last January. Besides the potato salad, cabbage, bratwurst, beer, and cheesecake, the food was "eh" at best. When I had last been there with my family in '97, we all loved the Biergarten, even the friend who came with us who didn't even like German food thought it was great.

On a side note, the show is still fantastic. You just can't help yourself but to join in the drinking songs. And the performers are top-notch. I honestly felt we paid $26 (I think that's how much we paid) for the performance, and the food was thrown in for free. Kind of made us feel like we didn't get completely ripped off.

 

[CapnStinxy]

BTW ... how much is dinner at Boma up to these days?

The "seasonal" price is $28.99. We have a Dining Experience card (or whatever it's called now) so this blunts the price hikes somewhat.

The strip loin substitution seems to be the only decline-by-degrees™ I saw. Pretty much everything else was as I remember and definitely enjoyable. I just wonder how much longer that's going to hold. It seemed every third adult I saw had plates with nothing but slices of the strip loin and a mound of fries from the children's table, so it's not like most of the Boma patrons are going for the exotic.

 

[WDW1974]

$28.99?!?!

Amazing. I think when it opened in 2001 dinner was about $15.99 (and we got 20% off with DDE).

As to all the folks with beef and fries, it doesn't surprise me. I saw one adult eating nothing but fries and chicken fingers from the kids' buffet on my last visit. A lot of folks with very simple palletes (i.e. they think chicken on a pizza is exotic, eat burgers plain and have no clue what a risotto is) tend to make up a large portion of WDW diners. Sadly, that has helped them dumb down the dining property-wide.

 

[disneydiva72]

I still rate Boma as one of the best buffets around, Disney or not.

I agree...in my opinion that and O'hana is the only place I can still get a good meal in WDW.

 

[CapnStinxy]

Amazing. I think when it opened in 2001 dinner was about $15.99 (and we got 20% off with DDE).

Yeah, well. What the traffic will bear, &c &c. I expect DDE isn't long for this world either.

As to all the folks with beef and fries, it doesn't surprise me. I saw one adult eating nothing but fries and chicken fingers from the kids' buffet on my last visit. A lot of folks with very simple palletes (i.e. they think chicken on a pizza is exotic, eat burgers plain and have no clue what a risotto is) tend to make up a large portion of WDW diners. Sadly, that has helped them dumb down the dining property-wide.

This is especially sad because I can't think of a more accommodating, less threatening place to practice "try it, you'll like it" than WDW. Fine, if you tried it and didn't like it...at least you tried it. I was in front of some chuckleheads in the Boma line who talked like seeing tofu in the green beans was like having to go on the Bataan Death March. Even in these forums, the menu of the then-new Tomorrowland Noodle Station was greeted with wailing and rending of garments.

When I first moved to Florida (Ft. Myers area), it was a restaurant desert. Then EPCOT opened, and if one was willing to travel some, there were restaurants that were at least different and interesting. Now, we finally have a crop of really good restaurants, but WDW suffers the long death by dining plan.

 

[diddy_mouse]

This is especially sad because I can't think of a more accommodating, less threatening place to practice "try it, you'll like it" than WDW. Fine, if you tried it and didn't like it...at least you tried it.

{minor thread drift}
I couldn't agree more with this statement. I absolutely loved Boma but I knew my husband would be a little apprehensive. He was willing to try a few of the more uncommon choices and actually found some that he liked. Now he wants to try Jiko...which is not in the "just give it a try" category. :lol:

{resume thread}

 

[yankspy]

While it is a shame that they have taken Prime Rib off of the buffets, we are talking about buffets which are never really that sophisticated in the first place. Boma was a little better than most (love the soups) but it is still a buffet. I would guess that the average WDW tourist does not look for sophistication on a buffet. A diner looking to be impressed with exotic fare still has V&A, Cali Grill, and the Wave, to name a few.

 

[Phonedave]

I'm going to bring this thread back from the dead because I ate at Boma not four hours ago, and the carving station had strip loin. The server even told me as we were seated that the carving station "featured" strip loin tonight. Other servers nearby referred to it as "New York Strip Loin." The tag at the carving station referred to it as "strip loin." Many diners still called it "prime rib" and were shoveling it down with gusto.

How was it? Before the carver cut into it, it certainly looked good enough. Appeared to be a good crust on the outside, and visible fat. Once he cut into it, though, it went downhill. One was well done to the point of being gray (many people wanted the well done). The "rare" one was light pink, and really more of a medium-well. It tasted vaguely of fake smoke, or some rub with aromatic spices. It was definitely over-seasoned, with not really any stand-out beef flavor. It was certainly tender, but it was dry. Not that it looked dry; even though it was on the high side of medium it still looked like it had some juice. It just didn't taste like it. One slice was enough.

Since most of the people there tonight didn't seem to know the difference, or care, score one for the accountants.

Sounds more like preperation (and carving) problems than a problem with the cut. Possible a quality of the beef itself problem as well.

A strip loin is not a cheap cut of meat. Go price out some shell steaks at the buchers. You can take the best cut of beef from the best cow, and cook it wrong and it will be horrible.

I have had some "prime rib" that was downright nasty. In fact I find most prime rib poor because it seems restatuants can get away with it. They advertise "prime rib" and people just flock in, thinking a prime rib is some sort of wonder meat.

-dave

 

[captainkidd]

WDW1974 - Do you work for Universal?

 

[DisneyMusician2]

Sounds more like preperation (and carving) problems than a problem with the cut. Possible a quality of the beef itself problem as well.

A strip loin is not a cheap cut of meat. Go price out some shell steaks at the buchers. You can take the best cut of beef from the best cow, and cook it wrong and it will be horrible.

I have had some "prime rib" that was downright nasty. In fact I find most prime rib poor because it seems restatuants can get away with it. They advertise "prime rib" and people just flock in, thinking a prime rib is some sort of wonder meat.

-dave

I would have to agree - this is a preparation problem, not a problem with the cut.

Not that strip is necessarily the same prime rib, but it also is not the inferior cut that many here have made it out to be. Let us not forget that the loin cut is what filet mingon is made from, not the rib cut.

If it is a New York Strip Loin cut, that is a much higher quality piece of meat than most are. We are not talking about beef chuck steak, unless I miss my guess. Jut looking for some clarification from someone who knows the quality of the cut, as several loin cuts are considered to be superior to prime rib.