Tiana’s Palace Is the Most Exciting New Disneyland Restaurant in Years | Eater LA

"Opening September 7 in Disneyland’s New Orleans Square in the former French Market Place space, Tiana’s Palace aims to challenge expectations for theme-park dining by serving authentic Creole and Cajun dishes inspired by The Princess and the Frog. At a media preview I saw that the restaurant blends careful Imagineering details—two smoke stacks, a wheelhouse, a bright marquee, lighting, murals, wrought-iron details, and tile flooring—with a cafeteria-style service model offering a broad, fast menu. Dishes include a plant-based seven-greens gumbo and a spicy house gumbo with andouille and braised chicken, shrimp with cheesy grits, cornbread, muffuletta, a braised beef po’boy with scratch-made pickles and red beans and rice, Cajun-spiced roast chicken, kid options, and a lemon beignet dessert meant to be eaten first; beverages include a coffee chicory cold brew with sweet cream and an optional blinking Ray Firefly cube. The team emphasized sourcing and regional authenticity—po’boy bread baked in New Orleans, Louisiana andouille, Gulf shrimp, and Carolina Gold rice—and at the preview I found the house gumbo thick with a medium-browned roux, full of andouille and filé spices, finished with a 50/50 blend of Worcestershire and Crystal hot sauce for a tangy, umami-rich note; it tasted like a standout gumbo that might be considered exceptional at any Creole/Cajun restaurant in Southern California, though some diners may find it spicy. Food & Beverage director Michele Gendreau framed the project as adapting to diners’ growing interest in diverse flavors, and staff including New Orleans native Lindell Skinner and culinary director John State helped ground the menu in the region’s traditions." - Matthew Kang