One of my favorite spots to rest and rejuvenate in between park hopping is the Polynesian Resort. It makes me feel like I’ve been transported to a relaxing paradise oasis. The resort is relatively empty during the midday while most guests are off at the parks. This is a great place to grab a Dole Whip at Pineapple Lanai or a light lunch at Kona Cafe or Captain Cook’s (for a cheaper lunch). On my most recent stop at the Polynesian, I decided to see what vegetarian options were available at Captain Cook’s.
Captain Cook’s is a laid back quick service with the atmosphere of a tropical hideaway. The walls are adorned with exotic travel posters. There were maybe two other people in the restaurant when we visited for lunch. Which meant that we didn’t have to wait to order the food. Once we ordered, they gave us a pager to locate us once our food was ready. It took about ten minutes for our food to arrive.
We decided to try the plant based burger and the Asian tofu veggie noodles. Both are vegetarian friendly. I’m not sure if they are vegan friendly, but it doesn’t hurt to ask a cast member if they can be modified. The plant based burger was topped with arugula and tomato jam. It was actually much better than I was expecting it to be. I thought it would be dry, but it was cooked just right. The tomato and arugula provided a light and simple flavor to the burger without being too overpowering.
The tofu noodle bowl had an abundant of veggies like broccoli, peppers, baby corn and snow peas and generous amounts of tofu. The serving size was actually much bigger than what I was expecting. We added some sriracha sauce to it, which gave it some much needed heat. Overall, it was filling but not too heavy or greasy. It provided us with just the right amount of fuel to take on another park. Captain Cook’s quiet midday atmosphere also gave us the chance to leisurely retreat and recuperate from the exhausting crowds.
