Walt Disney World has announced a series of new additions at Downtown Disney, a shopping and entertainment complex at the resort.

First up is the new store RIDEMAKERZ, which is opening March 25 on the Downtown Disney West Side. Shoppers can trick out their own remote-controlled car in an interactive environment. This store is open for a limited time, with plans to close it in the fall. The RIDEMAKERZ at Disneyland is apparently a big hit. Sounds like fun!

Another new store, D Street, will sell urban apparel, accessories and Vinylmation figures.  D Street comes after the successful launch of Tren-D on the opposite end of Downtown Disney. Disney says the store will have an industrial look and will showcase Disney-inspired art by local artists. D Street will open in April.

Downtown Disney’s AMC movie theater is also undergoing renovations. One of the theaters is getting a larger, floor-to-ceiling screen and video and audio enhancements to make for better 3D viewing. The changes will be done just in time for Friday’s Alice in Wonderland premiere.

And a new quick-service restaurant – Pollo Campero — will open in the space that was once a McDonalds. Pollo Campero will dish up chicken, yuca fries and sweet plantains, as well as Latin drinks such as horchata and tamarindo. The new restaurant is scheduled to open this fall at Downtown Disney.

Downtown Disney update: New stores, dining and an upgraded theater is a post from Family travel blog Theme Park Mom

Cat Cora talks about her new restuarant, Kouzzina, at Disney's Boardwalk. She's with Disney Parks President Al Weiss.

Celebrity chef Cat Cora opened her new restaurant, Kouzzina, at Walt Disney World’s Boardwalk on Thursday.

I tasted many of the dishes on the menu at a media lunch. So, here’s a look at some of the food at Kouzzina:

Spiro's Greek salad at Kouzzina

Spiro’s Greek Salad is a pretty combination of tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, Kalamata olives, a wedge of feta and just a touch of arugula underneath it all. It was the familiar flavors of a Greek salad, but with higher quality ingredients than many of the restaurants out there, and minus the mountain of iceberg.

The bread service at Kouzzina features grilled pita wedges with three sauces: Harissa Yogurt, Kalamata Fig and Chickpea Hummus.

Spanakopita at Kouzzina

Spanakopita is the traditional spinach and feta pie in phyllo pastry. Cora’s version also has leeks and dill, which add a new dimension.

The main course

The Pastitsio Greek-style Lasagna had bucatini with plenty of meat sauce and bechamel. It’s a great comfort-food fix for your Disney vacation.

Cinnamon Stewed Chicken at Kouzzina

Cat Cora said that as a child, she would request Cinnamon Stewed Chicken for dinner on her birthday every year. Kouzzina’s version is served with orzo and a sprinkle of Mizithra cheese. Cat’s mom came by our table, sampled the salty cheese off one of the diner’s plates and proclaimed it the real thing.

Oak-grilled Lamb Burger at Kouzzina

I’m not sure I can say enough about the Oak-grilled Lamb Burger with olives and feta. It was so flavorful and moist, with some serious heat behind it. That heat was balanced nicely by tsatsiki sauce and the crunch of a cucumber on top.

Fisherman's Stew at Kouzzina

There is also a Fisherman’s Stew with scallops, fish and fennel. It’s served with grilled bread and ouzo butter, which sounds very intriguing. I couldn’t taste this one, though, because I have a shellfish allergy.

On to the sides…

I am a fan of well-prepared brussels sprouts, and the Sauteed Brussels Sprouts on Kouzzina’s menu were outstanding.

Chilled Salt-Roasted Beets on Skordalia at Kouzzina

Before we tried the Chilled Salt-Roasted Beets, Cat warned us that the Skordalia they were served on would be extremely garlicky. It was, but I didn’t find the garlic harsh or overpowering. I really enjoyed this unusual side dish. If you’ve never had Skordalia, it is a thick, Greek dip made from pureed potatoes, garlic and vinegar.

The Oven-Baked Gigantes Beans were as big as my thumbs, cooked in tomato sauce and olive oil.

Now the sweet stuff

Obviously, I was starving when we got to dessert, because we had hardly anything to eat for lunch.

The Chocolate Budino Cake is a moist chocolate lava cake.

The Baklava is rich and filled with an extravagant amount of walnut filling.

Yogurt Sorbet at Kouzzina

My favorite dessert was the Greek-style Yogurt Sorbet, which sounds like nothing special, right? Wrong. The tangy sorbet is served with a tiny jar of fresh berries and mint syrup. Pour it over your sorbet and it’s a light, refreshing treat.

Beverages

Cat Cora has her own wine label, called Coranation. (Clever, right?) I love the wine flights available at Disney’s finer restaurants, which generally feature 3-oz. pours of three different wines for around $15.

Coranation wine at Kouzzina

We were served the “Cat Flight” with lunch. I enjoyed all three of the Coranation wines in the flight, a Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc, Russian River Chardonnay and Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir. In general, I am not a fan of California Chardonnays because I do not enjoy the oak in them, but it was light and well-balanced in Coranation’s version.

The decor inside Kouzzina is warmed by the open kitchen and the smell of the wood-fired grill. The new Disney restaurant is casual and family-friendly. Even the celebrity chef was walking around most of the afternoon with a baby on her hip. She has four young sons, after all.

The children’s menu has many of the standard Disney offerings, from cheese pizza to the ubiquitous chicken noodle soup appetizer, but I was happy to see a little Mediterranean flavor in the form of Greek lasagna.

I am excited about Kouzzina, I think it adds a great table-service option for families. I can see my family riding the boat over to the Boardwalk to eat at Kouzzina after a day at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Kouzzina would also be a great restaurant for the first night of your trip, if you’re not planning to go to the parks that night. Or the Boardwalk is a good evening option after a day at Disney’s water parks.

Kouzzina is open for breakfast and lunch seven days a week. The Disney Dining Plan is accepted at this new restaurant at Walt Disney World. You can make reservations at (407) WDW-DINE.

Kouzzina's dining room has an open kitchen.

Celebrity chef Cat Cora opens Kouzzina restaurant at Disney’s Boardwalk is a post from Family travel blog Theme Park Mom

Courtesy photo / Walt Disney World

The restaurant, named Kouzzina, will replace Spoodles. Not surprisingly, the menu will be Mediterranean influenced. Cora grew up in a family of Greek restaurateurs.

Cora said that the new restaurant will feature “time-honored recipes passed down from my ancestors, as well as my favorite Greek and Mediterranean dishes that my family loves.”

I always enjoy watching Cora on “Iron Chef America,” I like her southern, easygoing style.

I’m eager to check out the new restaurant when it opens. Especially since Disney’s Boardwalk is one of my favorite places to spend an evening, outside of the parks. It’s a great place to catch Epcot’s Illuminations without paying for theme park admission.

Hopefully, Cora will use her own experience as a mom to make the restaurant truly family friendly.

Iron Chef Cat Cora to open restaurant at Walt Disney World is a post from Family travel blog Theme Park Mom