Well well well! Back at Tokyo Disney Resort, are we? The place is renowned for its food; let’s be real. The popcorn, snacks, and Japan-exclusive eats are truly something to envy, but what about their interpretation of a Disneyland classic?
What is the Blue Bayou?
This is a restaurant that is built into the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction. The first one in the original Disneyland opened on March 18, 1967, and primarily served dinner. The Tokyo Disneyland location opened with the park on April 15, 1987, and the final location in Disneyland Resort Paris opened on April 12, 1992 (although it went by the name Blue Lagoon, and currently goes by the name Captain Jack’s). It serves up Cajun-style cuisine overlooking the loading area for the popular attraction Pirates of the Caribbean. The dining makes it perpetual twilight, and you are serenaded by the animatronic gentleman with the banjo for the duration of your stay.
You have to make a reservation to get in, and reservations are competitive for this location. The novelty of watching the boats go by and dining in an attraction is very alluring for many visitors, so you need to be at the ready to get your reservation (and potentially be willing to eat at an off-time). The Blue Bayou at Tokyo Disney has only one option: The course meal, which I will outline below:
Course 1: Appetizer
The appetizer comes with some delicious bread (spot the hidden Mickey!) and your choice of a salmon platter or lobster gumbo. Being a fan of southern cuisine, I went with the gumbo. It had a fair amount of veggies and just a hint of spiciness in it. It had a good consistency and the mussels and lobster paired really nicely with the gumbo spices.
Course 2: Main
The main course was a real savory affair: You had roasted chicken in a mustard sauce and beef in a red wine sauce. It also came with a roasted potato, deep-fried mushrooms, and a thick peanut sauce. The chicken was a bit fatty, but the crispy skin and sauce really helped make it memorable. The beef was cooked to perfection, and the red wine sauce really added a nice level of sweetness that made it the real MVP of the meal. The mushrooms and potato were nice, but I wasn’t a bit fan of the peanut sauce. I wasn’t sure what to do with it, so I left it there to forever garnish my plate.
Course 3: Dessert
The dessert was actually two bits: A chocolate cake with blueberry jello on top to emulate water, and a nice ball of sorbet with candied fruits, all accompanied with a chocolate rose outline. The cake was pretty standard fare, nothing too out of the ordinary there. The candied fruits were nice, but I really enjoyed the sorbet the most. It was a nice contrast to the super meat-heavy main and gave you a nice satisfied feeling at the end of your meal.
All in all, it was a pretty awesome experience for the price. Tokyo Disneyland has some pretty fair prices once you’re in the parks, unlike its American counterparts. If you have the spare money and want to splurge further, Blue Bayou is an excellent choice for a filling meal and atmospheric experience.
Two Second Street 