One of my goals here is to help all of you expand your culinary experiences through new skills, new recipes, and new dining experiences. When I get an opportunity, I want to share it with you so that you might decide to pursue it yourself.
This is or first restaurant review. My partner-in-crime, Sam, and I decided that we wanted to try the new (at the time) Jock Lindsey’s Hangar Bar located in the former Pleasure Island section of Downtown Disney, which has all now been re-branded as Disney Springs. The re-brand really fits what Disney has done with the area. They have created a wonderful social area with a number of nooks and crannies that can house live musicians or performances. While we wandered through the new and old shops, we saw no less than a dozen performers.
We approached Jock Lindsey’s with no reservation (looking into it afterwards, they were not taking reservations at the time. I believe they are still not).
The building exterior as the rustic look of a well worn hangar. The corrugated metal browned to a nice patina. Upon entering the front door there is a bar on the right side with a number of lounge style tables set up tightly without being crowded. Some of the best looking seats in the house are a plush style couch on the left wall and a full size diving bell that had been converted into a corner booth. There was additional seating outside on the dock as well as a boat that was moored to the dock boasting even more seating and a few tables. On every wall, ceiling, and even in some curios, the lounge was filled with early aircraft memorabilia that did not make the room feel cluttered.
Hangar Bar uses a “free seating” style. The night of our escapade, there appeared to be standing room only with a sign boasting “feel free to grab something if you see it”. After a few minutes and a short walk around, we were able to find a table on the dock. The weather was beautiful and the view across Village Lake was breathtaking. From our table we were able to hear one of the live performers that was tucked into a nearby venue. The table was not dirty, but there were the leftover sweat rings from the previous guests drinks and the table had not been bussed. While not the best show, this is a problem that is common in free seating establishments so it didn’t bother us much.
Our server, Jason, stopped by rather quickly (we had only been sitting about a minute) to clean the table and let us know he would be right back with menus. We ordered a Coke and a water to hold us over while we perused the menu.
The menu featured items themed for the adventures of Indiana Jones. From “Good Dates” and “Rolling Boulder Sliders” to “Dr. Elsa’s She-Deviled Eggs” and “Brody’s Brats”. The alcoholic drink selection included some creative numbers like “Anything Goes”, the “German Mechanic”, and the “Cool-Headed Monkey”
We asked Jason for his recommendation. He told us that the best sellers so far were the “Rolling Boulder Sliders” and the “Air Pirate’s Pretzels”. The sliders are described as “Three spicy meatball sliders served with yogurt sauce”, while the pretzels are “A flight of everything pretzels with house-made mustard and beer-cheese fondue”. For drinks we ordered the non-alcoholic “Diving Bell” (Simply Lemonade and watermelon topped with a lemon-lime foam) and the “Cool-Headed Monkey” (Starr African Rum, Ven Der Hum Tangerine Liqueur, Fresh Lime Juice, Watermelon, and Pineapple Juice)
Our drinks and food came at the same time. All of the food was appetizer portions. Small tin plates were dropped off with silverware rolled in shop rags for napkins.
The Diving Bell was light and refreshing. It had a fruity taste with only a light lemonade undertone. The lemon lime foam topping was smooth and creamy with a taste like sucking on a wedge of tart fruit.
While the Cool-Headed Monkey wasn’t served in the monkey head glass pictured in the menu (which would have given the full effect) it was an overall very pleasant cocktail. The pineapple slightly overpowers the watermelon due to the acid/sugar and flavor combinations. It doesn’t have an extreme alcohol taste, which Sam tends to like. This does make it a drink that will likely sneak up on you if you’re not careful.
Like most meatballs, these consisted of onions, garlic, oregano, and basil (maybe thyme) in the mix. They were extremely moist and did not have a lot of taste or feel of the binder that you sometimes get in meatballs or meatloafs. It had an intense herbal flavor. They were served on the perfect sized rolls that had a firm crust that was not hard. Topped with a smooth slaw and the yogurt sauce made with Sriracha. The sauce had a nice spice to it that didn’t linger or make you crave milk.
I always say food is art. The Air Pirate’s Pretzels are a prime example of this. Served on a custom made frame work designed to look like a classic propeller plane. The pretzels are super soft fresh baked rings of goodness topped with fennel seeds as well as white and black sesame seeds. The house made mustard is smooth, not gritty, and spicy yellow style. On the other wing is the beer cheese fondue made with Stella Artois. Sam says that it has a little more beer flavor than she is used to. Personally I can’t get past all of the cheesy goodness, which Jason tells us is a Gruyere based fondue.
When we had finished eating and decided to move on to the rest of our night’s excursion, it took a mere 5 minutes to get the check, and then 5 more for Jason to come back and cash us out.
Since no review would be complete without a potty break,.. I stopped in the men’s room on the way out. The facilities were ultra clean and efficient with modern styling and a full length mirror so you can make sure you are still looking dapper for the remainder of your date.
Closing thoughts for Jock Lindsey’s Hangar Bar:
I really like this place. It is definitely not a sit down for dinner kind of place, but a prime spot for a date night. If you wanted to grab a bite before a movie at the AMC Theatre or some drinks and atmosphere after checking out some of the live entertainment, this is your place.
You want a rating? 4.75/5 stars. I love this place. The atmosphere is great. Jason had a wonderful personality and I could tell that the bartenders were having a good time. I only wish they bussed the tables before you sat down.
Enjoy, and…
May The Food Be With You