Wolfgang Puck Express: Lunch Review

Abby Earl kicks back with a big salad and a wood-fired pizza

- Abby Earl, February 8, 2011

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Wolfgang Puck Express has two locations in Downtown Disney.

I had visited the West Side branch on a previous trip and had read that the other branch, located in the Marketplace, had an expanded menu. I decided to go there. (Okay, so maybe World of Disney being close by played a part in that decision.)

Wolfgang Puck Expresss is a quick-service restaurant. You place your order at the counter, get a number, and then a runner brings your food to the table.

After much deliberation (I loved the Chinois Chicken Salad I had last time - do I get that or try something different?), I finally settled upon the classic combo of salad and pizza and placed my order. They gave me a cup for a Coke that I had to dispense myself, but runners will offer to get you refills once you're seated at your table.

It was only 11:30 AM, too early for the lunch rush, and so I easily found a table. After 10 or 15 minutes, my food came.

My first dish, Hearts of Romaine Salad, was Puck fancy-speak for a basic Caesar salad. Instead of croutons, though, this not-so-little beauty came with tomato-basil bruschetta.

click an image to expand and read notes:

Hearts of Romaine Salad

Traditional Margherita Pizza

This was easily one of the best Caesar salads that I've ever eaten.

The romaine was fresh, crispy, and coated with just enough dressing. I'm not positive, but I think the Parmesan was freshly grated because it was the size of very thin, airy flecks of cheese which stuck nicely to the lettuce. I liked it much better than the hefty pre-shredded stuff that usually collects at the bottom of the plate.

The dressing was a basic Caesar with hints of lemon and anchovy. It could have used some pepper, but that's an issue easily solved.

The Margherita Pizza was another great dish. Call me a pizza snob, but I think the best pies come only from wood-fired ovens. And guess what they use here? So right away, I knew I'd like the pizza.

The crust was fairly thin, but not as thin as typical NYC style crust. There was no sauce - the pizza had been brushed with olive oil before the toppings went on. They use a standard mozzerella as a base, add sliced tomatoes and half balls of fresh mozzerella, and then when it's cooked they toss on some torn basil.

They obviously use quality ingredients at Wolfgang Puck Express because this was one of the best pizzas I've ever eaten in the U.S. I've been to Italy, so I'm ruined for life when it comes to pizza, but this was a very good alternative for me.

But I had one big issue with the pizza: it was cold!

It had obviously been sitting on the counter for awhile until a runner picked it up. I flagged someone down and asked her to pop it back in the oven for a minute or two. When it came the second time, it was nice and hot.

Other than the cold pizza, I really enjoyed my lunch at Wolfgang Puck Express.

The salad was fairly large, so I ended up taking half the pizza home. It is a great value for this kind of food - I had my salad, pizza, and a soda for about twenty bucks.

Abby Earl is a student living in North Florida. As a child, she took frequent family vacations to Walt Disney World. After snubbing Disney in her teen years, her affection for the mouse returned and she is now a seasonal pass holder.

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