Enjoy us at each meal

We all have our favorite restaurants that we cannot wait to visit on any given trip to Walt Disney World. But I’ll let you in on a little secret, those of us who regularly review restaurant and menu offerings have a tough time getting back to our favorite haunts when we know there is something out there that we haven’t discussed or tried. Which means when a favorite spot, say Columbia Harbour House in my case, mixes up their menu selection I am first in line to give it a go!

The two story, two land eatery recently switched out some of its more lackluster entrees for some new and enticing dishes. Most of which were seafood, which made my wife squeal with delight, while I began to feel the onset of a sour stomach. And then, I saw it. Broccoli Peppercorn Salad. My favorite vegetable, aside from potatoes, mixed in with something sure to add some spice to the dish? I’m in.

The menu board lists the entrée sized salad as follows: mixed greens, garden vegetables, chicken, broccoli, bacon and parmesan cheese tossed in a creamy peppercorn dressing. The rundown makes it sound like there is a lot going on here and it’s dead on.

The mixed greens are a marked improvement over regular iceberg lettuce and the garden vegetables include corn, peas and julienned carrots. The chicken is grilled well and avoids the slimy coating that could so often detract from chicken in a salad. The cheese and bacon add a needed salt component to balance the dish. The broccoli is steamed, and keeps a great crunch where it could just as easily be mushy. As for the peppercorn dressing, all I can say is the spice brings out the rich and fresh flavors equally in this new offering.

Columbia Harbour House may not be the guest favorite dining destination that it once was, once upon a time when kitchens worked on two floors and the chicken strips were the best in the land, any land of the Magic Kingdom, but there are stirrings of new life coming to this restaurant. With new seafood and salad options available, Columbia Harbour House is sure to bring guests in with every ring of its bell. Oh, and be sure to try and grab a seat in on the second floor breezeway overlooking Liberty Square or Fantasyland, it truly is the best seat in town!