Offsite dining - "cheap" but yummy!

[Alycia]

Hey guys,

We ate a two FANTASTIC places offsite on this trip. 1st one was called Sweet Tomatoes, it's on the corner of Kirkland and I-Drive. DH, Myself and my 2 DS's ate for $32 for lunch one day. Very fresh, fresh, fresh buffet!! Salad bar & specialty salads ... they had a chicken oriental one that was fab! Baked potato bar, fresh fruit ... several different soups ... different breads like foccacia (sp?) and muffins. A pasta area with three different kinds of pasta. They also had really yummy and creamy froz. yougurt with a toppings bar. Dinner is not much more than lunch. If you join "club veg" they will e-mail you a 15% off certificate ... do it a few days in advance as I missed mine! If anyone wants the link I will post it. This place was great for vegetarians and non vegetarians alike!

2nd one was called Whistle Junction and it was farther down I-Drive past Universal ... kind of off the "strip". Seemed like mostly locals there as a school was having a fundraising night or something like that. Anyway ... it was 10.99 for adults for dinner and .55 for each year of our kids age for them ... plus 1.79 for drinks. It was UNDER $40 for all of us (even though I forgot my coupon that is in that coupon book) and get this ALL YOU CAN EAT STEAK! Cooked to order. And not that gross fake tasting steak like at Ponderosa. We loved it and we are picky about steak. They also have a full buffet with a lot of down home cookin' type things ... great fried chicken, mashed taters, yummy fresh rolls. pasta bar, meatloaf, pot roast, chicken pot pie, veggies ... oh and your server will bring you corn bread to die for. We sent my niece and her family there the next night and they agreed it was the best buffet they had ever gone to.

DH is not a big buffet person and always complains that the food is not fresh ... he LOVED both these places as did I. We'd venture off site for these two anytime.

Alycia

Try them ... ya won't regret it!

[Robin]

I knew about Sweet Tomatoes, as I've been to their California version. Love the 'pizza bread' and the warm chocolate and blueberry muffins are my favorite 'dessert' there. I usually get some of the fresh pasta too. It's definitely more than just 'rabbit food'.

Whistle Junction is new to me. Definitely will need to give them a try one day.

Thanks for the tips!

[lynner5996]

I love Sweet Tomatoes, I wish it would come here! The food was sooo fresh! I went to one in Phoenix.

[Rosebud]

I've been to Sweet Tomatoe's often. Since we don't have it around here, it is one of the places I tend to go when in FL.

Never heard of Whistle Junction. I'll have to keep that in mind.

[SuzyQ]

Thanks for the information! Those look like great deals and I have never heard of them- so must try sometime. :eat:

(I love their names!)

[Snickerdoodlesmommy]

If you will be eating at Sweet Tomatoes on a Sunday, well actually it doesn't matter which day,
Just pick up a copy of the Sunday Orlando Sentinel and there will be coupons for Sweet Tomatoes in the coupon section! :yahoo:
There are Orlando coupon books that you can grab at the airport, or at another buffet restaurant called Golden Corral. They have a great week end buffet as well and they have great steaks also!

[WDWDen]

Wow, those are some great prices! :shock: I'll be sure to remeber those names. Hopefully I can hit one of them on a future trip! :-)

[BuzzsMom]

we have eaten at Whistle Junction the past two times. We had to bring the kids there this year because my son loves "all you can eat!" The corn bread was my favorite too and the steak is very,very good. I am also very picky about steak but it had a great flavor.
Susan

[DisneyPam]

Wow...I'm surprised to read a good review for Whistle Junction. It is very close to work but nobody ever goes there. A few people have been and no one had anything good to say about it. Sounds like things have improved there. Just be careful if going after dark, that area can be a bit shady at times.

[Jimbolini1963]

Hi,

Because I cannot drive, when I'm in WDW I eat onsite. I'm not a food snob; I simply am not familiar with the public transportation options outside of the World other than cabs, which can be expensive. I'll eat anywhere that's clean and has decent food.

Jim