Wolfgang Puck Express in Downtown Disney’s Marketplace may be tucked away in the corner but this hard-to-find gem puts a welcome spin on quick-service dining. Both the food and the experience are elevated from the ordinary to something a little more special.
The Experience
After placing your order at the relatively small counter, you’ll be handed a number to place on your table. Having servers bring your food to your table once it is prepared is one of the very welcome and noticeable ways Wolfgang Puck Express steps up the quick-service experience. There are no bottlenecks at the counter as you wait for your meals, wet trays, or juggling food for a family of four while holding your breath as you navigate the labyrinth of tables and chairs in the dining room.
The tables are closely placed but with enough elbow room that you don’t feel as if your every word will be overheard by neighboring tables. Once seated, servers bring real silverware which adds to the table-service feeling at the restaurant.
The Food
Quick-service dining is often accepted as being overcooked burgers or soggy pizza but Wolfgang Puck Express shows it doesn’t have to be. Although there are the requisite salads, sandwiches, and pizzas on the menu, a quick glance at the descriptions reveals mouth-watering ingredients such as caramelized onions, tomato chutney, and buffalo mozzarella. There is also a large plate section with homey items such as meatloaf, rotisserie chicken, and oven roasted salmon.
On this visit, my husband and I shared the Roasted Turkey Sandwich with arugula, cheddar, caramelized onions, port wine sauce, and horseradish cream served on hearty bread ($13.50). It was accompanied by herbed potato chips. We shared because we had a long afternoon and night of eating planned but in all honesty, half of the hearty sandwich filled us both. Notice that the sandwich was served on a real plate instead of the paper plates expected at a quick-service location.
Roasted Turkey Sandwich
One bite into the sandwich resulted in delicious port wine sauce dribbling down my chin. This was not your ordinary turkey sandwich. It was super-moist but not soggy or overly messy with interesting and complimentary flavors. The herbed potato chips were appropriately crunchy didn’t have a greasy feel.
The Recap
Wolfgang Puck Express combines the best of quick-service and table-service dining with its speedy service, affordable prices, high quality food, servers, and place settings. The meals are a little more expensive than other quick-service locations but the extra cost is well worth the extra services and high-quality food. It is a quick-service location on the 2012 Disney Dining Plan which makes it one of the best uses of a quick-service credit.
Lisa M. Battista is the author of Beyond the Attractions: A Guide to Walt Disney World with Preschoolers. When she’s not chasing after her little ones, you can most likely find her at the beach or in the kitchen trying her hand at a new recipe. You can follow her on Twitter @DisneyExplorer or become a fan of Beyond the Attractions on Facebook.
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