REVIEW: Exploring the Disney Wonder’s First Night Menu with Alaskan Regional Inspirations

Katie Francis

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REVIEW: Exploring the Disney Wonder’s First Night Menu with Alaskan Regional Inspirations

On a recent voyage to Alaska aboard the Disney Wonder cruise ship, we dined at Triton’s on the first night. The upscale, fine dining venue is part of the ship’s rotational dining, which means that it’s included in the voyage (as opposed to the fine dining restaurant Palo, which is an additional cost).

The other two restaurants in the rotation are Animator’s Palate and Tiana’s Place. Guests on cruises lasting three or more nights will have the chance to dine at all three venues.

While the three restaurants usually have unique menus, this particular Alaskan-inspired menu is served at all three on the first night.

Disney Wonder Dining – Triton’s

DCL Wonder Tritons Entrance

Triton’s is located off the atrium on Deck 3.

DCL Wonder Tritons table

The blue wave pattern on the carpet helped to transport us “under the sea”.

DCL Wonder Tritons Sebastian sconce

Triton’s is named for King Triton from The Little Mermaid, and subtle and not-so-subtle nods to the film can be spotted throughout the dining room.

DCL Wonder Tritons interior

The lighting really adds to the ambiance, and the opulent gold pillars and ceiling in Triton’s remind us of his undersea palace. A large mural with King Triton himself is on one of the walls, welcoming guests to his underwater tables.

“Let the Magic Begin” Menu

DCL Wonder Tritons menu 2

The Triton’s menu is golden, gleaming under the lights. It features Triton’s hand holding his trident. The restaurant’s logo also features a stylized trident.

DCL Wonder Tritons menu 3

Playful fonts and fireworks highlight the first night’s “Let the Magic Begin” menu offerings.

DCL Wonder Tritons menu 1

Specific regional inspirations for the Alaska itinerary are highlighted throughout the menu.

Bread Service

Freshly Baked Carrot and Scallions Loaf

Cumin and Cilantro Dip

DCL Wonder Tritons Bread Service 1

At first, we thought we didn’t have the carrot loaf, but we did find a small bit of carrot swirled into the bread upon close inspection. We were not able to discern a carrot flavor in our portion, but the scallions did give the bread a little interest.

DCL Wonder Tritons Bread Service 2

We felt the dip was too light on the cumin and cilantro flavor. We liked the bread, but it wasn’t anything special.

Appetizers

Prosciutto, Mozzarella, and Tomato Bruschetta

with Fire-roasted Bell Peppers and Balsamic Vinegar

DCL Wonder Tritons Bruschetta 2

We didn’t find this to be a particularly flavorful dish. The crostini was thickly sliced, which made for a challenging bite. The prosciutto is appropriately salty, but the mild mozzarella and low acid in the tomato didn’t create the appropriate balance. When we tried the mozzarella by itself, we were disappointed that it wasn’t a better quality of cheese. We would recommend sticking with the seafood appetizers.

Fried Spiced Calamari

served with a Lemon-Garlic Mayonnaise

DCL Wonder Tritons Fried Spiced Calamari

We thought the bite was great on these fried spiced calamari, and didn’t find it rubbery at all as can sometimes happen if they are not prepared well. Though they are fried, they are not too crunchy, and we liked the soft texture and perfect calamari flavor, which was not too fishy. The lemon-garlic mayonnaise added some nice flavor to the calamari, which we thought was a little under-seasoned. With the sauce, they make a good appetizer.

Gravlax – Regional Inspiration

Dill-marinated Alaskan Salmon with Fennel-Radish Slaw and Raspberries

DCL Wonder Tritons Gravlax 2

This is one of the regionally inspired dishes and is a highlight of this itinerary. We enjoy the salmon on Disney Cruise Line, and this was no exception. It was not too fishy and was well prepared and high quality. Though the delicious salmon didn’t need the fennel-radish slaw and raspberries, they both added a nice counterbalance to the richness of the marinated salmon. The sweetness of the raspberry and the bitterness of the fennel and radish made for a well-balanced bite, though we would be happy to eat the excellent salmon solo.

Alaskan Crab Cakes – Regional Inspiration

with Mustard, Parsley, and Cardamom Slaw

DCL Wonder Tritons Alaskan Crab Cakes

This dish is another regionally inspired offering. We felt this was nice and soft on the inside, with a great crisp texture on the outside. We thought this was very good and didn’t have a lot of breading or filler, so the rich flavor of Alaskan crab could really shine through. We didn’t think it had an overly fishy flavor, and we liked the slaw accompaniment.

Soups and Salads

Clam Chowder

with Sourdough Croutons

DCL Wonder Tritons Clam Chowder

Yellow Pea Soup – Regional Inspiration

with crisp Bacon

DCL Wonder Tritons Yellow Pea Soup

The Alaskan-inspired dishes hit another home run with our reviewers. This soup is very creamy, with a somewhat grainy texture we enjoyed. The pork on top was not crispy and was chewy, but worked perfectly as a salty accompaniment. We really liked this soup, and we wished it had a little extra texture added to the soup itself. We would order it again.

New Potato Salad – Regional Inspiration

with Chervil and Green Beans

We were a little confused by this dish’s ratios; we had only two green beans on our plate and a lot of arugula. We didn’t think the dish was bad, but we wanted a little more. It may be a good option for vegetarians and vegans, but we felt it was more of an afterthought. This is one of the only regionally inspired dishes that we would not order again.

Main Course

Mesquite Grilled Chicken Breast

with wilted Spinach on Crushed Sweet Potatoes served with Cream of Corn and Bacon Sauce

DCL Wonder Tritons Mesquite Grilled Chicken Breast

This is a beautiful dish. Ours was very well-plated, and we thought this was overall pretty good. The chicken itself is not dry, and the puree and cream sauce coupled with it make it have an even better mouthfeel. We would recommend this for anyone seeking a comfort food while dining on their sailing; this isn’t a complex, complicated dish, and tastes like a great home-cooked meal.

Grilled Strip Loin

with Cheddar Cheese and Onion smashed Baked Potato, Roasted Green Asparagus, and a Red Wine Jus

DCL Wonder Tritons Grilled Strip Loin

Our strip loin was cooked well, and the jus was a nice addition. We wouldn’t order this again, but the right person who wants a fair steak with great cheesy potatoes and perfectly cooked asparagus will be very happy with this dish.

Roasted Alaskan Salmon Fillet – Regional Inspiration

with Crisp Potato, Caramelized Salsify, Asaparagus, and Truffle Jus

DCL Wonder Tritons Roasted Alaskan Salmon Filet

Another regionally inspired dish that was good and we would order again. It was tender and not too fishy.

Pork Tenderloin Wrapped in Pastry – Regional Inspiration

with Chopped Mushrooms, layered Potatoes, Roasted Baby Vegetables, and a Red Wine Sauce

DCL Wonder Tritons Pork Tenderloin Wrapped in Pastry

Our piece of pork was a little dry on this dish. The buttery, flaky pastry was very good, and we loved the peppered, creamy layered potatoes. The sides on this dish were definitely a winner, and we wish our pork had been a little more moist. We would order this dish again, particularly because it is one of the regionally inspired dishes, but maybe just for the perfectly prepared sides.

Pearl Barley Risotto – Regional Inspiration

with Roasted Caramelized Vegetables in a Tomato Thyme Sauce

We often enjoy the vegetarian options in the Disney Parks, and usually find them creative, flavorful, and a great option for folks who abstain from eating animal products. This dish, however, was disappointing. We thought it was textured like oatmeal, and the flavor was underwhelming. It reminded us of the sauce in Spaghetti-Os, and didn’t help elevate the strangely textured barley risotto. We would recommend skipping this one if you’re trying the regionally-inspired dishes.

“Let the Magic Begin” Dessert Menu

DCL Wonder Tritons Dessert Menu 2
DCL Wonder Tritons Dessert Menu 1

Kahlua Crème Brûlée

with Cinnamon Shortbread Cookies

DCL Wonder Tritons Kahlua Creme Brulee

We thought the Kahlua flavor was very strong in this dish, and we liked it. The crème brûlée is creamy, rich, and well prepared with a perfectly torched sugar top. It didn’t even need the shortbread cookies on top. We would get this again.

Mango Marble Cheesecake

served with Berry Compote

DCL Wonder Tritons Mango Marble Cheesecake

The mango was tart but subtle, and the cheesecake was not as rich as we would have hoped. The graham cracker crust was good. We would have liked this to offer stronger flavors and more richness in the cheesecake itself.

Fresh Fruit Sabayon – No Sugar Added

White Wine Sabayon over Seasonal Fruits and Vanilla Ice Cream

DCL Wonder Tritons Fresh Fruit Sabayon

One of our reviewers had never had a sabayon before, and we felt it was similar to a deconstructed crème brûlée. We loved this and would recommend it to anyone watching their sugar intake who wants a decadent-feeling dessert without a lot of extra sugar.

Wild Berry Cobbler – Regional Inspirations

served with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

DCL Wonder Tritons Wild Berry Cobbler

This had an excellent flavor and a good ratio of berry to cobbler. We loved this dish and would recommend it.

Specialty Cocktail

Key Lime Margarita

Casamigos Tequila, Licor 43, fresh Lime Juice, and Patrón Citrónge

DCL Wonder Tritons Key Lime Margarita

Our first sip didn’t feel like much of a departure from a classic margarita, but when we went back, we felt the tang of the key lime did give this margarita a little extra flavor. A regular margarita is somewhat less tart, and the key lime was good, though we thought it was only a little different from a classic margarita.

Our overall experience at Triton’s was good. While a couple of the dishes were not home runs for us, we enjoyed almost all of the desserts, most of the entrees, and the seafood appetizers. We wouldn’t skip the first night dinner on a subsequent sailing, and would look forward to revisiting many of these dishes, particularly those with regional inspiration.

Are you looking forward to enjoying the “Let the Magic Begin” menu on your next Disney Wonder sailing? Let us know in the comments.

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