Miner's Hall

Let’s start our 2018 culinary adventures off with a must-do and a must-don’t or, to paraphrase the Genie, try none of column A, try all of column B. For this installment, we’re heading over to Frontierland and one of the perennial quick service eateries, Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn & Cafe. We typically come here for the ambiance, the stories hanging from the walls, and the fixin’s bar. Today, however, we’re actually going to sit a spell with two entrees to let you know what we think.

First up is the Taco Burger. This burger is topped with seasoned ground beef, American cheese, lettuce, and tomato, and comes served on a brioche bun (which was whole grain bun when we sampled it) with a side of tortilla chips. I’m going to keep this simple, the tortilla chips are the best part of this dish as you can at least dip them in salsa. Due to the amount of liquid-filled components on this dish (lettuce, tomato, and ground beef), the bun immediately disintegrates into a soggy mush and your left trying to cut up your burger and scoop up the beef with a chip. Aside from the mess, the Taco Burger is very bland, and I don’t think adding anything from the fixin’s bar would even save this meal. Regardless of the bun change, this is not something I’ll be ordering again.

Flipping the coin over, we find the Fajita Platter. This spread that is the platter comes with three flour tortillas, spicy Barbacoa beef, seasoned chicken, yellow rice, beans, and grilled onions and peppers to build each fajita as you see fit. Additionally, the fixin’s bar has several other items on it that could amp up an already full assortment of trimmings. Barbacoa is a style of cooking meat over a fire and is where we get the term, and style of cooking known as, barbeque.

The beef is fork tender and falls apart, the spicy sauce also adds an ambiguous heat to the meat, but it doesn’t detract from the overall dish. The chicken is grilled and lightly seasoned, making it perfect for those who can’t handle spicy food. While the fajitas come with both, a request for only one or the other meat options in a larger portion is not a problem for the fine folks at Pecos Bill. The yellow rice didn’t have as much saffron flavor as I was hoping for, but it also wasn’t overcooked which is a tremendous win. The black beans, peppers, and onions were likewise not overcooked and only added to the dish. Between these accompaniments and the options on the fixin’s bar, you can make three very different fajitas and still find you have food left over with no stomach space with which to store it!

Before we mosey out of Frontierland, may we suggest taking a quick trip across the walkway to the popcorn cart. The maple popcorn found here is slightly sticky and sweet, but not so much so that you’re going to find the entire box of popcorn stuck together or your lips puckering. It has a lighter flavor than a traditional caramel corn, but is just sweet enough to hit that perfect sweet and salty zone. You may not need it after a meal at the Tall Tale Inn & Café, but you’ll be glad you have it later. Although, the warmer it is, the better.

The next time you find yourself hankering for some vittles in Frontierland and bellying up to a table at Pecos Bill’s place, just remember, ‘yes’ to the Fajitas Platter and ‘no’ to the Taco Burger. One is well worth your time; the other isn’t fit to fill a feedbag. Oh, and don’t forget to grab a box, or souvenir bucket, filled with maple popcorn for that sweet tooth the Magic Kingdom seems to bring out in all of us.