While Walt Disney World’s Disney Springs is just entering its final stages with the two-story shopping mall and second parking garage going up, the local restaurant scene is booming for the winter season.

Two new restaurants recently opened and are complete opposites in every manner of thinking.

Marimoto Asia is a giant two-story modernistic, very arty masterpiece of architecture filling the old Masquerade Disco of Pleasure Island with sophisticated light beams.  The Hanger resembles a dark, run-down 1940’s dive bar where painted ladies might hang out for sailors.

Moto Is A Rainstorm of Lights

Moto, named for its celebrity Iron Chef is WDW’s largest Asian restaurant and its menu covers everything from sushi to the specialties of Duck for Two and Moto’s amazing ribs. Prices for the noodle dishes and sushi are reasonable for a tourist spot with better deals at lunch for budgeting families.

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Lunch Special minus Soup and Salad

I found the set lunch of black cod, miso soup, salad, and sushi a good meal for $26.  The lamb rice was an amazing dish and the desserts, while not exactly Asian, were huge and perfect for sharing.  The hand-picked staff is professional and all-knowing of the menu.

Moto merits a full scale tour of the second floor sushi bar and the bottle-lined upstairs bar. Even the bathrooms with their walls of opposite sex black and white photographs deserve mention.

Moto Mens Bathroom Wall

Jock Lidsey’s Hangar Bar is stated to be the home of the guy who flew Indian Jones over Florida (sic) while probably locating a prime waterfront spot on Village Lake.

The Hanger is all dark wood with walls filled with weird and even dumpy collectibles. With a menu that is 90% items in bottles and exotic glassware, this is the ultimate man cave of Disney Springs.

When your eyes adjust to both the dark and the wild scenery, you note there is a huge outdoor waterfront patio attached to a clever dry-docked steamboat called “Reggie.”  The staff is very friendly and loves the down and out theme.

The Reggie Boat For Seasick Diners

There is a limited but very creative menu.  I suggest you look into the amazing rolling boulder sliders, the she-deviled eggs, and something called Lao Che’s Revenge.

A Wild Food Supply At The Hanger