Back in October, there was a perfect storm of Disney fans, bloggers and social media mavens swooping in to the place Where Dreams Come True, our beloved Walt Disney World. This little rendez-vous among the many came to be known as Epic October. There was a Walt Disney World Moms Panel Reunion, meet-ups, live podcasts, the first annual Disney Food Blog Foodie Fest and – when all was said and done and the proverbial dust had settled, three blogging friends sat down to enjoy a leisurely lunch at an off-the-beaten path spot where none of them had ever dined – The Turf Club at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa. These three bloggers were myself, AJ Wolfe from The Disney Food Blog and Amanda Tinney from Disney Every Day. We decided in-between the great conversation and reconnecting, that we would each take one course and write it up on our respective blogs – a trifecta of reviews if you will. I have the honor of reviewing the main course entrees, so here we go!
As a little preface, I think we all agreed that the Turf Club is a great place to escape the hustle and bustle of the Parks. We had a lovely table outside on the covered veranda area, overlooking the Sassagoula River. In addition, because it is out of the way – a little hard to get to if you aren’t a Saratoga Springs guest (but not impossible) – and it isn’t shall we say known for its fare, the seclusion is paired with absence of crowds. The result is a quiet, serene, relaxing meal, which is hard to accomplish in most resort dining locations. So for this reason alone, I would definitely head back with my husband to enjoy a quiet meal if we were unable to secure a reservation at a favorite spot.
Now on to the entrees!
If you’d like to check out the Turf Club Bar and Grill menus you can see what we had to choose from. I had a tough time deciding between the Reuben, the Prime Rib Sandwich and the Angus Burger. With the Reuben, I would’ve ordered it with no sauerkraut or Russian dressing, so I didn’t think that’d be a very worthwhile review for everyone. I was also worried that I wouldn’t care for the Prime Rib sandwich because steak sandwiches can be to cumbersome to eat, so in the end I went with the burger. I think I made a wise choice.
Angus Chuck Cheeseburger topped with Cheddar and Applewood Smoked Bacon served with Vegetable Slaw or French Fries for $11.99. The burger was well-seasoned, perfectly cooked and to me, one of the best burgers I’ve had on property – and at $11.99 it’s not far off from the prices for burgers inside the parks. The fries were an excellent companion; a crispy combination of regular and sweet potatoes, seasoned and topped with shredded Parmesan. I might try one of the sandwiches if I were to return, but I definitely recommend the burger and the fries to anyone trying out the Turf Club for lunch.
Amanda chose the Seared Yellowfin Tuna with Cucumber Salad, Avocado, and Wasabi Cream Cheese served with Sesame Bagel Chips for $18.99. I’m glad she did because I don’t eat that kind of seafood, so I wouldn’t have ordered it, but it was beautiful to look at! Sadly, Amanda thought the tuna was lacking in flavor or seasoning of any kind so she probably wouldn’t order it again, but she did enjoy the wasabi cream cheese and bagel chips with it. It is pretty though, isn’t it?
Our faithful foodie leader had heard great reports about the New York Strip Steak from the Turf Club, but was disappointed to find it not on the lunch menu. Our wonderful server let us know that it was available to order from the dinner menu, so AJ did just that. However disappointment returned in the form of a bland, flavorless steak. In other words, nothing to write home about. Sad!
Now the Grilled New York Strip Steak is usually served from the dinner menu as follows: Grilled New York Strip topped with Blue Cheese, Portobello Mushrooms, and Balsamic-Port Glaze served with Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes for $27.99. So I’m not sure if perhaps the absence of those accompaniments explained the lack of flavor in her steak above. Still, a good steak should stand on its own, toppings or not and this one definitely did not.
But let’s not leave on a down note – there are still appetizers to describe and desserts to indulge in! Simply click the pictures below to be taken to my companions reviews of our first and last courses. My bottom line recommendation is: The Turf Club is a wonderful place to relax and rejuvenate after a hectic day of park-going. Of course you want to enjoy the meal you’re paying good money for, so I’d feel safe recommending the Angus Chuck Burger, or even just splitting a selection of appetizers and imbibing in some fun drinks on the patio. If you have an extra day or cannot find reservations elsewhere, this is a great go-to spot for a unique resort dining experience. The service and atmosphere were both wonderful and worth the visit.
Did you like this 3-part review? Let us know in the comments and maybe we’ll bring you more group reviews in the future! Thanks for reading and Happy Thanksgiving to all celebrating tomorrow!