Victoria & Albert - Dining Scheherazade Night #5 - "Table for One - Again" 23 FEB 10

[ehagerty]

I have been seriously distracted from the fun of picture posting and participating in the DIS. Without further excuses....

For those who may not already be aware, there are other nights to this story..
Night #1 - Victoria & Alberts - Picture Trip Report (January, 2009)
Night #2 - Victoria & Albert - A Once-in-a-Decade Dinner, for the second time in 2009 (May, 2009)
Night #3 - Victoria & Albert - My Dining Scheherazade (September, 2009)
Night #4 - Victoria & Albert - Dining Scheherazade Night #4 - "Table for One" (October, 2009)
Night #6&7 - Victoria & Albert - Dining Scheherazade Night 6&7 - "I could die happy, and I am only 20" (May, 2010)​

Table of Contents for THIS report:

Introduction - Post #1 - 07 MAY 09


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Table for One - Again

Delightful ambiance...

Amuse Bouche

Wine Pairing: Taittinger Prestige Cuvee NV

I do not have the descriptions, only the pictures. Imagine "yummy"!

Maine Lobster with Watermelon Radish, Kohlrabi, and Vanilla Aioli

Wine Pairing: Baileyana Chardonney "Firepeak, Vineyard," Edna Valley 2006)

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[ehagerty]

Sake-Soy-marinated King Salmon with Bok Choy and Soy Beans

Wine Pairing: Kanbara "Bride of the Fox" Gohyakumangoku Junmai Ginjo, Nigata

Something new this meal - creative "wine" pairings, in this case sake. I know little about sake - enough to know that whatever I've tasted to date reminded me of any country's moonshine - rudimentary alcohol. This sake was more complex than those and paired well with the salmon.

Some other notes from the internet
Niigata (two "i"s - differed from menu) is the prefecture where it is made, famous for its rice
Kanbara - region
Gohyakumangoku - is the type of rice it is made from (superior to the
Junmai Gingo = grade


From the brewer's web site:

All too often in the West, sake is associated with cheap, warm, sticky hangover-causing rotgut. If that was your experience, you have NOT tasted the real thing. Premium sake, unlike the cheap stuff you probably tasted, is similar to wine in its potential for serious gourmet appreciation. Sake brewing techniques have improved drastically since the 1950s, and premium sake is now sipped cooled, not warmed. Sake can still be warmed, often with wonderful results, but only for certain types of sake. In this workshop, we present four basic lessons​

Click here for to learn more about sake

Tasting notes for food pairing = "Enjoy intense aromas of grilled nuts, pistachio, and a hint of white chocolate Flavors of nuts and ripe honeydew explode at the front and finishes crisp with a hint of lingering sweetness." (91 Points, Stephen Tanzers International Wine Cellar, 2007)


In context......

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[ehagerty]

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[ehagerty]

Lobster Bisque with Vol au Vent and Vanilla Foam

Wine Pairing: Chimay Ale Peres Trappistes, Belgium

Close up of bisque

Thinking about the ale - I enjoyed it. I was hoping to provide tasting notes (from the internet, not memory), but am not sure which Chimay it was. Apparently it could be Red, Blue, Triple (the three official offerings on Chimay's site) or brown. There was a lot of internet raving about Blue, but less available about the others. Will have to ask next time!



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[ehagerty]

Marcho Farms Veal Tenderloin with Marble Potatoes and Souce Soubise

Wine Pairing: Pirathon Shiraz, Barossa Valley 2005

Artistic Veggies:

Marble Potatoes (pretty sure):

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[ehagerty]

Thomas Hoe Stevenson Stilton, Coach Farm Goat, 36-Month Ages Parmigiano-Reggiano, and Thomasville Tomme

Wine Pairing: Quinta do Crasto Late Bottled Vintage Porto 2002​

The Cheese Plate was wonderful - however, the photo did not do it justice. Ever since my first, and favorite, food-picture-of-cheese, CaliGrill, 2006:

Since then, I have never been satisfied with a picture of my cheese plates - the harsh light of the flash doesn't work well for me!





Tanzanie Chocolate Pyramid with a Champagne-Chambord truffle and Macerated Pomegrante Seeds

Dessert on the other hand, besides being outstanding in flavor, produced in pictures rich in color and contrast!

.... with a close up

Finally, a picture of all the great wine I could not finish because (a) I did not have help and (b) I drank WAY too much bubble (sparkling, fizzy) water. Won't make that mistake again!!!

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[duffy]

Everything looks absolutely wonderful! Both the food and the pictures.

 

[anotherdisneygal]

That looks so good...

Now I'm starving (and craving a good glass of wine!)

 

[Unca_Scrooge]

It's money well spent, I'll tell you. Straight out of the fancy Food Network Chef shows, and if you can skip the wine pairing it isn't so so bad at $125 a person.

 

[donaldtutter]

Great review and pictures!!!

 

[crimowls]

Thanks for sharing your pics! Haven't been there in almost a year (my wife and I have been twice) but I can still remember how good it was... It was definitely worth the money and we want to go back. Last year we ate there the night after our wedding (which we had at Disney in Epcot).

 

[ehagerty]

Everything looks absolutely wonderful! Both the food and the pictures.

Thank's!!!

That looks so good... Now I'm starving (and craving a good glass of wine!)

Me, too. Wait, I AM having a good glass of wine - Poggio Il Castellare - Brunello di Montalcino 2004
96 points, Wine Spectator, April 30, 2009
Dried dark fruit on the nose, verging on date and prune. Full-bodied, with a dense palate of ripe fruit and supersilky tannins. This is a deep and beautiful red, delivering lots of subtle character. Fascinating. One of the undiscovered treasures of the vintage. Best after 2011.

It's money well spent, I'll tell you. Straight out of the fancy Food Network Chef shows, and if you can skip the wine pairing it isn't so so bad at $125 a person.

Unc - don't forget the 20% discount for TiW!! I haven't watched network chefs shows - but they'll probably still be on when I get the time! I've grown to like the wine pairing - I just can't finish it by myself. I actually look up the wines when I get home - really like the chance to try selections from someone with a more sophisticated palate than mine.

Great review and pictures!!!

Any time (I get the chance!)

Thanks for sharing your pics! Haven't been there in almost a year (my wife and I have been twice) but I can still remember how good it was... It was definitely worth the money and we want to go back. Last year we ate there the night after our wedding (which we had at Disney in Epcot).

Where did you get married in Epcot - inside the park? Where?? Hope you get back soon!

 

[ehagerty]

I should know better by now that where VnA is concerned, no justification is needed. However, I am going to WDW soon, and for the first time in a long time, have no "next trip" plan to the World. Taking a "free" DCL 4-nighter in Dec 2010 (for buying 100 points at BLT on last year's member cruise) - then Alaska (May, 2011) - then Disney Dream Dec 2011. It could be two years before I return to WDW - hard to imagine - unlikely to happen, but still, just in case, I am taking my family, then a week later, taking my brother. More pictures coming!!

 

[crimowls]

We got married in the courtyard in Italy and had the reception in the Living Seas Salon. It was amazing. I'm working on an article about the whole event but I'll have to post some photos... We are going to stay at Disney for our 1 year anniversary in a couple weeks but sadly won't be dining at Victoria and Alberts while we are there. We are doing deluxe dining though and have several good reservations. We have annual passes and take day trips over to the parks often enough but love staying on property as well!

 

[Joshua_me]

I don't know which is more impressive... The quality of the food or the quality of these wonderful photos !

Thanks you SO much for sharing these !!

 

[Pumbaa_]

just amazing, the presentation is amazing

Thanks for sharing!

 

[anthonut]

Once again your photos are amazing. And I understand the desire to return to V & A multiple times. I leave for WDW in two days and I'm having a seriously difficult time not calling and checking on availability at V & A. I really wanted this to be a very inexpensive trip, but it is taking all my will power to not call and grab a table.

 

[mr.bungle]

Lobster Bisque with Vol au Vent and Vanilla Foam

Wine Pairing: Chimay Ale Peres Trappistes, Belgium

Close up of bisque

Thinking about the ale - I enjoyed it. I was hoping to provide tasting notes (from the internet, not memory), but am not sure which Chimay it was. Apparently it could be Red, Blue, Triple (the three official offerings on Chimay's site) or brown. There was a lot of internet raving about Blue, but less available about the others. Will have to ask next time!



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That is really cool! Beer often pairs better with food than wine. Belgian ales are often considered the "Burgundies of Belgium". I haven't had the dish it was paired with so I can't offer suggestions of a similar beer but probably another Quad or Tripel. Something like a St. Bernardus Abt 12 would be nice or a Trappists Rochefort 10. I would imagine a Saison would be nice and refreshing and accentuate the lobster flavors as well. I'm just starting to get into beer and food pairings.

Some tasting notes about Chimay Blue from BeerAdvocate.com:
Brewed by:
Bières de Chimay (Abbaye Notre Dame de Scourmont)
Belgium

Style | ABV
Belgian Strong Dark Ale | 9.00% ABV

taken from a recent user review (not a professional but a connoisseur):

"Appearance: The beer poured cloudy brown into a goblet. It had a pillowy head that was off white in color, suspended the yeast particles (resembled nutmeg on eggnog) and left nice lacing patterns. There are also lots of particles floating near the bottom.
Smell: Complex aromas of dark fruits provide for a rather sweet smell in the nose, particularly as the beer warms up. Notes of grapes and plums really stand out to my nostrils.
Taste: Dominated with flavors of dark fruits, the taste shares a lot of similarities with the aroma. Some flavors of spices are also detectable.
Mouth feel: It feels medium-bodied on the palate and very smooth. There is a slight amount of dryness in the finish.
Drinkability: Although the alcohol is well masked, this beer is a great beer to sip and savor all of the complexities in the aroma and taste."

 

[BriarRosie]

I don't know which is more impressive... The quality of the food or the quality of these wonderful photos !

Thanks you SO much for sharing these !!

I've seen her photo equipment first hand. It would probably make Kathy and Corey drool with envy.

I really liked that the chefs took the same dish description from the veal I had in October, but made it a bit differently. I loved the veggie display. Very cool and much different than mine.

I'd love to see Ellen have a photo adventure with the Queen Victoria dining room.

 

[Joshua_me]

I've seen her photo equipment first hand. It would probably make Kathy and Corey drool with envy.

WHO are Kathy and Corey ???