The old Florida Keys town of Conch Flats comes alive at Disney’s Old Key West. With stories of fishermen, chefs, and even cats loom around every corner of this quaint town. You may find it hard to believe you are not in Conch Flats, but instead in the middle of the Walt Disney World Resort. Disney’s Old Key West takes theming to a whole new level with a whole story surrounding the town of Conch Flats. One of the main plots of this theme takes place in Olivia’s Cafe. Olivia lived in a small cottage in Conch Flats. She loved to cook! Her cottage was upwind from downtown, so her cooking started attracting attention from fishermen, crew, and boat captains. She welcomed them in with open arms. The word spread and soon her little cottage was too small for all of the traffic. She pulled in more tables and chairs and even encouraged friends to dine on the porch. Finally, Olivia hung up her sign and made Olivia’s Cafe an official restaurant in Conch Flats.
As you walk into Olivia’s Cafe, you immediately feel like you are in her home. The tables and chairs are all mismatched, because of the quick growth with Olivia’s Cafe. Across the walls are artwork and decorations from the Florida Keys. As a Florida local myself, I even noticed fun decorations from some of my favorite places in the Keys, like Mallory Square. Along the ceiling lies a shelf around the entire restaurant. This shelf houses trinkets from fishermen, crew and boat captains. These decorations are often right from their boats!
Olivia’s Cafe feels even more like a home with the photos that line the walls in one of the back rooms. Since Disney’s Old Key West is a Disney DVC property, DVC members mailed family pictures (from their own Disney World vacation) to Disney. These pictures line the walls of one of the rooms, like a huge vacation mural.
The menu of seafood, sandwiches and steaks even make you feel like you are in the Florida Keys. The appetizers, include Crab Cakes, Conch Fritters, Homemade Soup of the Day, Olivia’s House Salad, Tomato-Mozzarella Salad, Onion Rings, Conch Chowder, and Caesar Salad. The entrees, include Grilled New York Strip, Slow-cooked Prime Rib, Mallory Square Cobb Salad, Duval Street Burger, Southernmost Buttermilk Chicken, Island Barbecue Pork Ribs, Caribbean Shrimp and Rice, Seven Mile Sea Scallops, Cayo Hueso Chicken Pasta, Catch of the Day, and Plantation Key Pork Chop.
The more popular entrees are Mallory Square Cobb Salad, Caribbean Shrimp and Rice, and Slow-cooked Prime Rib. The Mallory Square Cobb Salad features Romaine Lettuce with layers of chilled shrimp, crab salad, bacon, egg, blue cheese, tomato, and avocado with a Key-Lime Mustard Vinaigrette. The Caribbean Shrimp and Rice includes sautéed shrimp with red bell peppers, plantains, mushrooms, and pineapple served over coconut rice. The Slow-cooked Prime Rib is a 10 oz. cut with Olivia’s Potatoes, green beans, carrots, and Cabernet Demi-Glaze.
Prices for appetizers range from $5.99-12.49. Prices for entrees range from $17.49- 32.99. Olivia’s is a hidden gem at Disney World and often takes walk up’s. I rarely make a reservation and just walk in, even over popular weekends like 4th of July. I do still encourage booking an Advanced Dining Reservation. You can call 407-WDW- DINE or contact your local travel agent. The Chef at Olivia’s Cafe wanted to share their popular Banana Bread Pudding Dessert. Enjoy this tasty treat at home!
Banana Bread Pudding Dessert at Olivia’s Cafe
- Banana Bread Pudding Cup 1 each
- Edy’s Vanilla Ice Cream 3 oz.
- Banana Rum Sauce 3 oz.
Directions: In a bowl, place a warm Banana Bread Pudding cup in center. Scoop vanilla ice cream on top of round. Pour rum sauce (with garnished banana slices) over both.
Banana Bread Recipe
- Flour 14 oz.
- Sugar, granulated 6 oz.
- Baking powder 1/4 oz.
- Cinnamon, ground 1/4 oz.
- Egg, whole 2
- Butter, unsalted 4 oz.
- Bananas, peeled and pureed 24 oz.
- Vanilla extract 1/4 oz.
- Salt, kosher Pinch
Directions: In mixer combine dry ingredients and blend well. In separate container blend wet ingredients till combined, then slowly add in dry ingredients in mixer with paddle attachment moving. Spray baking pans/forms with quick release spray and fill with batter. Cook in over at 325 F until an inserted toothpick in bread comes out dry. Remove from oven and pans and cool.
Banana Bread Pudding
- Banana Bread, cubed 2 lb.
- Milk 24 oz.
- Egg, whole 3
- Bananas, peeled and pureed 1 oz.
- Sugar, granulated 4 oz.
- Vanilla, imitation 1/4 oz.
- Cinnamon, ground 1/2 oz.
- Nutmeg, ground Pinch
Directions: In mixing container, combine all ingredients except cubed banana bread to form custard base. Spray muffin pan/forms with quick release spray. Fill each round/form with enough cubed banana bread to be level with top of form. Pour custard base into each round/form to cover/soak the banana bread cubes. Cook in over at 325 F until custard base sets. Chill pans/forms, then remove pudding rounds for service.
Banana Rum Sauce
- Butter, unsalted 6 oz.
- Olivia’s Cafe
- Sugar, brown, light 4 oz.
- Banana, peeled and pureed 32 oz.
- Nutmeg, ground Pinch
- Captain Morgan Spiced Rum 1.5 oz.
- Banana Liquor 1 oz.
- Vanilla, imitation 1/4 oz.
Directions: In sauce pan on medium high heat, combine rum and banana liquor. Allow alcohol to flame to cook out alcohol. Once alcohol is cooked out, add butter, light brown sugar, and pureed banana. Allow butter and sugar to melt and combine. Season at end with nutmeg and vanilla. Keep warm for service. Sauce can also be garnished with sliced bananas at service time.
