Long awarded "World's Best Theme Park Restaurant" by Theme Park Insider, Mythos certainly wins the Universal Islands of Adventure award for most iconic exterior. It's a breathtaking piece of work! Placed in the ever shrinking Lost Continent section of the park (will The Legend of Zelda replace it?), the magnificent building houses a popular eatery. But is Mythos a good one or merely resting on its laurels? That's the focus of this latest Dine or Ditch installment.Banner proudly proclaiming its award status.
Unlike those most sought after restaurants at competitor Walt Disney World, obtaining dining reservations for similar type fare at Universal Orlando Resort is easy, fast, and with seating generally available for exactly when you want it. How nice a change that is!
We saved Mythos for last. The night before, we dined at City Walk's Toothsome Chocolate Emporium with the same goal in mind: an enjoyable meal to weed through all the hype.
From checking in at the front kiosk, seating was quick, bringing us a nice respite from the heat outside. The room seemed much warmer and louder than I expected, but the large viewing windows held quite a spectacular sight: The trains of The Hulk coaster zipped by across the lagoon. Made for a rather fun topic of discussion as we bantered about the merits of Universal Orlando vs. Walt Disney World. Seating here is in stadium type layers with each row slightly above the previous ones so most everyone in the place has a good view of all the action.
Our server arrived quickly with menus, followed by cold water. Our drink order came quickly: A Cucumber Martini for me, a glass of white wine for my wife, and a local beer for our son, name forgotten. Each was a generous pour at a typical higher than normal but normal for a theme park price. Tasty, refreshing, and just the thing to end a long day at Islands of Adventure and the one of a kind thrills of Velocicoaster and Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure.
The starters on the menu were varied and appealing, making a good beginning. We opted for the Lamb Meatballs. I found them rather tasty, very moist, and with a slight tang. Unfortunately, I was the only fan among our table. My wife was not impressed and neither was our son.
My eye was instantly drawn to the Pad Thai noodles- one of my favorite dishes in Asian cuisine, something we had not eaten much of on this trip. We'd planned a meal at Morimoto Asia at Disney Springs, but we ran out of time. It was a quick decision.
The entrees. A decent selection to be sure.
But what would everyone else choose?
My son, on the other hand, only tolerates Asian cuisine and went directly for the big, beefy burger. Brick Oven Roasted Chicken tempted my wife and completed our order.
The burger was exactly what you'd expect at a higher end restaurant. I thought it'd be very, very difficult to beat the one at The Edison, but he pronounced it as just what the doctor ordered. Flavorful, fresh, and with a great bun.
My wife is not a fussy eater, and she truly enjoyed the chicken and the fingerling potatoes side dish. The chicken held just enough of the Mediterranean spice and not too much. Exactly to her liking.
Pad Thai noodles. Photographer unknown.
That was the problem with my Pad Thai. The noodles were great, the crushed nuts and fresh vegetables perfect, but it was a total let down in the spice department. The peanut sauce had no bite. In this dish, the sauce makes or breaks the dish.
All three of our dishes, much like our drinks, had more than adequate portions. We were left without room or desire for dessert. That said, there were quite a few options that caught my eye. But the sun was still beating down outside, and I didn't feel like walking away that full when the temporary sugar rush was soon crash.
Nice but not compelling at least for this dinner.
Is Mythos really the "World's Best Theme Park Restaurant"? No, not at all. That award truly belongs elsewhere. But is it a Dine or Ditch?
It's a "Dine here" if you're looking for something slightly out of the ordinary with a great park lagoon view. It would be stunning in the evening. There's certainly something for multiple tastes and budgets at a fairly reasonable price. Mythos is kid friendly without catering to them. As it is a bit more expensive than the park's other restaurants, I'd think twice bringing the kiddos if they're used to being loud and having the run of the place.
It's a definite "Ditch this place" if you believe the hype and fully expect it to meet that measurement. There are much better choices at Universal's City Walk and even at their on site hotels. Especially at the price point. To be fair, we did eat here almost two years ago when the menu was smaller, staff was harder to come by, and things in general seemed less festive. That said, I still would not return. Mythos is just not special enough to warrant a return visit.
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(Bottom photo copyright Universal Orlando. Top two photographs copyright Mark Taft.)
