Tiana’s Palace opened on September 7 in New Orleans Square at Disneyland Park. The new counter-service restaurant, which is inspired by “The Princess and the Frog,” will ultimately serve as a complementary eatery to Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, an attraction set to open at some point in 2024.
Tiana’s Palace is a reimagining of the former French Market Restaurant, and with its opening, implemented a new Cajun-and-Creole-inspired menu. We tried every item offered at the new restaurant.
Tiana’s Palace
Guests enter underneath a sign that says “Tiana’s Palace,” and its font matches that found on the facade of Tiana’s restaurant as it’s seen at the end of the 2009 film.
The interior features several references to the film the restaurant is inspired by.
The menu has an elegant look to it and features a stylized illustration of Tiana; the image is inspired by the “Almost There” musical number from the film in which Tiana fantasizes about one day owning a restaurant.
House-filled Beignet – $4.49
featuring lemon ice box pie filling topped with lemon glaze
For a dish that was supposed to be the show stealer — it’s a beignet at a New Orleans-themed restaurant, after all — we were a bit underwhelmed. It’s a singular beignet filled with lemon ice box filling, and the lemon flavor overpowers the entire treat. If you’re a fan of lemons or lemon-flavored desserts, this will likely be right up your alley; otherwise, it’s simply too tart.
The beignet is served at room temperature, which prevents the filling from spilling out rapidly and tidies the entire treat up. It also, however, inhibits the dish from being warm, which really would’ve added something here.
We would have preferred a simple well-done beignet with a lemon sauce or dipping option on the side, as this would have allowed each person to control the dough-to-lemon ratio. The House-filled Beignet isn’t terrible in its current form, it’s just disappointing that, as the only dessert at a New Orleans-centric restaurant, it’s as underwhelming as it is. If you’re truly craving beignets, you’re still better off going to Mint Julep or Jazz Kitchen.
House Gumbo – $16.99
with braised chicken, andouille sausage, and heirloom rice
The House Gumbo is unique in that it’s different from other gumbos you can try around the parks. We couldn’t place the base flavor, but we do know that it was effectively complemented by the sausage, chicken, and okra, which were the stars of the show.
This dish also has a nice kick to it, more so than the 7 Greens Gumbo (the other gumbo on the Tiana’s Palace menu). Though we enjoyed this meal, we still prefer the gumbo at Cafe Orleans in New Orleans Square.
7 Greens Gumbo – $14.49
with okra, yams, sweet potatoes, and heirloom rice
The 7 Greens Gumbo comes in two varieties: one with protein, and a vegetarian option, the latter of which serves as the basis of this review. The flavors of the two are quite similar, but this one is far more thin and watery, which does detract from the overall flavor and texture.
The flavors are complementary and solid enough, and this certainly isn’t a bad option if you’re a vegetarian. However, the liquidity of the gumbo made the greens soggy. It’s not terrible, but there are better vegetarian-friendly options throughout Disneyland.
7 Greens Gumbo with Chicken & Andouille Sausage – $16.99
with white beans, okra, yams, sweet potatoes, and heirloom rice
The 7 Greens Gumbo with chicken and andouille sausage is a real winner. The texture issue raised by the lack of protein in the vegetarian version of this dish is solved with the addition of the chicken and sausage, and the perfectly executed meats effectively pair with the flavors of the nicely cooked rice, vegetables, and collared greens.
The base of the gumbo is light and thin, and while it doesn’t have much of a kick on its own, a small one is provided by the andouille sausage.
This is definitely our favorite of the different gumbos on the menu; if you’re only going to try one, the 7 Greens Gumbo with chicken and andouille sausage is the one we’d recommend.
Cajun Spiced Half Chicken – $19.49
served with baked macaroni and cheese and coleslaw
We’ll use an analogy inspired by New Orleans’ musically rich culture to describe this item — if this dish were playing a concert, the chicken would unquestionably have the first chair. It’s the star of the dish, and it’s not particularly close. It’s humongous, perfectly cooked, and well-seasoned, with the chicory-smoked seasoning on the skin providing an excellent flavor that lifts the entire plate.
The sides are comparatively lackluster; the baked macaroni and cheese, while tasty, is dry, but this is to be somewhat expected out of baked mac n’ cheese.
The coleslaw was also rather bland, but you’re not ordering a dish called the “Cajun Spiced Half Chicken” for the sides — you’re ordering it for the half chicken. The protein delivers, and thus, we think you should try this dish out.
Muffuletta Sandwich – $14.99
served with red beans & rice and house-made pickles
The Muffuletta Sandwich is one of the more unique items on the menu, and we’re happy to say that it’s one of our favorites. The meat and cheese work well together, and the “tapenade” does add an unexpected, but welcomed complementary flavor. The bread serves as an effective host for these flavors, with all of them combining to create a taste we’ve never experienced before at a Disney park.
The bread is soft and authentic to Lousiana, and the layers of protein within the bread are packed with flavor. The beans and rice dish that comes as a side is also quite good.
There are several flavors at play here, with each being individually identifiable while simultaneously contributing to the cohesive overall taste. We loved this dish and will definitely be ordering it again.
Beef Po’boy Sandwich – $15.99
served with red beans & rice and house-made pickles
This is your standard, well-executed Po’Boy Sandwich. The beef, which is akin to short rib in both texture and flavor, is well-executed; it’s tender, rich, and generally quite tasty.
The sandwich toppings — the sweet pickles, tomatoes, mayo, and lettuce — are nice touches and do effectively complement the meat, but they’re impossible to mess up. The red beans and rice are also a nice side flavor.
The Beef Po’boy Sandwich is a tasty dish, but it’s not monumental in any way. We think it’s one of Tiana’s Palace’s more solid, but perhaps less memorable offerings.
Gulf Shrimp and Grits – $17.49
simmered in Creole sauce with cheesy grits
The Gulf Shrimp and Grits are up there with the Muffuletta Sandwich on our list of favorite dishes at Tiana’s Palace. The shrimp is well-cooked and packed with flavor; there’s a tiny hint of spice from the Cajun season, but it’s not overpowering.
The protein is effectively complemented by the thick, creamy grits that are super cheesy, and the helping of tomato sauce spread atop rounds out the dish by adding some acidity. It’s definitely a hearty dish, but we think it’s one of the stronger options on the menu.
Buttermilk Cornbread – $3.99
We would have been disappointed had this Southern-inspired restaurant messed up the cornbread, but we’re happy to say that the cornbread at Tiana’s Palace is tasty. It comes in a big portion that can be shared with others (if you’re feeling generous).
It effectively balances density and thickness with its moistness and strikes the right combination of corn and sweet flavors.
We think the bread could’ve used some melted butter on top, but it’s not completely necessary; as is, the Cornbread is a solid side or snack that should please everybody.
Joffrey’s Coffee Chicory Cold Brew – $5.99
with sweet cream
We thought the Chicory Cold Brew tasted similar to the Cold Brew Black Caf in Galaxy’s Edge, which is one of our favorite cold brews at Disneyland. It has a similar texture to that beverage, as well, with this drink’s cold foam effectively mixing with the coffee to create a sweet flavor that doesn’t completely overpower the coffee.
While this is Chicory cold brew, we didn’t notice any huge changes from the standard Disneyland cold brew in flavor, but it does have a smoother consistency. It’s definitely a winner and one that we will be mobile ordering while passing Tiana’s Palace quite frequently.
Ray Firefly Glow Cube – $5.69
with purchase of beverage, limit ten (10) per person, per transaction
This glow cube depicts Ray, the firefly from “The Princess and the Frog.”
Lily Pad and Lotus Cup Ceramic Set – $34.99
with house-filled beignet, limit two (2) per person, per transaction, no discounts apply
This ceramic set can be purchased with the House-filled Beignet and comes in a white box. It features Prince Naveen (in frog form) sitting on the edge of a green lily pad with a removable pink lotus cup.
Mobile Order
You can order your food ahead of time at Tiana’s Palace if you don’t want to wait in the standby line. Food presentation will be sacrificed a bit, however, as food ordered on mobile devices comes in plastic containers.
Will you be checking out Tiana’s Palace at Disneyland? Let us know in the comments.
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