The Fruits of Polynesia

The culture of vacation food has changed dramatically over the past generation. When I was a kid, a hot dog, burger, or ambiguously shaped chicken nuggets were exactly what you wanted out of a vacation. Heck, getting cheese on that burger was considered a treat. I feel like this was also what our parents wanted as well, except for those times we got ditched in favor of a specialty meal or upscale lounge. These days, however, we all want our taste buds to experience our vacation as well. There are a lot of options to consider, but one at Capt. Cook’s stands out.

As you venture down to the ground floor eatery of the Polynesian Village, you may already have your meal planned out. That meal may or may not consist of an entree, drink, and a Dole Whip. And shame on you if it doesn’t contain a Dole Whip! For your main course, may I suggest something a little different? It’s listed simply as Thai Coconut Meatballs, served with rice. What you get are three gigantic meatballs atop a fair mound of rice and covered in sauce. It is definitely more than enough to fill an individual up.

The rice is filling, but it is rice. I would love to see this dish amped up with either some jasmine or basmati rice, but that’s just me and my pretentious palate. As for the meatballs, they are incredibly large, and you will find yourself having to cut them in half, or more. Luckily for you, they are tender enough that a fork will cut through them. The spices used in the meatballs are great! I think I caught a hint of ginger, garlic, some mild chilies, and even a hint of something sweet. The sauce, although I could easily use the word gravy here, is thick and rich. The coconut milk immediately tells you that this isn’t your mama’s meatballs! Add in some tomatoes, and it takes on all the best parts of a curry. The green scallions on top are a nice touch.

For a pro tip, save as much of the sauce as you can and mix it up with your rice. You will not be disappointed!

It used to be that getting something like Capt. Cook’s Thai Coconut Meatballs meant going off property or having to pay for the full sit down experience. These days items like this are commonplace throughout Walt Disney World. I highly recommend giving these meatballs a try, but even more to the point, I recommend being a little adventurous with your vacation meals. After all, aren’t you away from home to experience something new? So go on, take a bite out of all the world has to offer!