Tucked in The Seas with Nemo & Friends in Epcot’s Future World, Coral Reef Restaurant is a cool respite from the Florida sunshine, dimly lit with a spectacular backdrop of the largest inland saltwater environment ever built (it holds enough water to fill 54 Olympic-sized swimming pools).
Every seat is a good one for watching more than 4,000 sea creatures that call The Seas home – sharks, sea turtles, rays and 85 species of tropical fish. And you might even see a scuba-diving Mickey Mouse.
Chef Keith Schockling recently added new dishes to the menu, both savory and sweet. Coral Reef Restaurant fans, never fear, the lobster bisque, there since the restaurant opened, remains on the menu.
For starters, there’s a charbroiled octopus with nori sushi rice, sesame slaw and a soy reduction; a lump crab cake with watercress-citrus salad and a classic remoulade; seafood salad with Gulf Shrimp and mahi mahi in a citrus marinade with a little kick from serrano peppers, a little sweetness from mango sorbet and crisp plantain chip, and a seasonal house salad – for summer it’s mixed greens, raspberry vinaigrette, fresh berries, feta cheese and sunflower brittle.
New entrées include one from land and one from sea: the tuna bowl with spice-crusted tuna, rice noodles, charred bok choy, crisp shiitakes, pickled vegetables and broth (substitute tofu for tuna if you prefer); and a bone-in roasted pork chop with potatoes, creamy pimento cheese, braised greens and a honey-barbecue vinaigrette.
There’s even a new sweet, a rich citrus bread pudding with whiskey sauce, candied pecans and salted caramel gelato.
For reservations, visit DisneyWorld.com/dining or call 407-WDW-DINE.
