Let's talk about the Napa Rose - UPDATE: We went last night 2/13/13. Full report.

Disney Dreams

Proudly afflicted with TDMA!
Joined
Mar 10, 2006
Sooo.... this year I am trying to do some of the wonderful things at Disneyland that I myself cannot believe I have yet to do.

One of those is eat at certain on-site restaurants. First up? The Napa Rose

DH & I have an ADR. We have looked at the dinner menus. We know about Chef's Counter (not this time, though).

What should we know about the Napa Rose that we may not already know that we don't want to find out AFTER the fact as I will scream that we missed something?

Tell me the wonderful, the "little known thing," the thing you wish someone had told YOU your first time there.

Thanks! :flower3:

- Dreams
 
Ooh, one of my faves! Let me see...

- free 5 hour valet parking with validation

- scallops in vanilla lobster sauce is probably one of the top 10 dishes I have ever had

- smiling tiger salad is also pretty amazing!

- do at least nibble on the bread basket, there are such interesting breads

- do have dessert! World's best hot chocolate is for serious chocolate lovers, I am a true chocoholic and it was a revelation

- don't be afraid to ask for recommendations, the servers are very helpful

- it is fun to drink some Lasseter wine while eating at Napa Rose :)

- don't eat lunch so you have room for dinner!

Have fun! And I would definitely recommend Chef's Counter in the future, it is a very special experience.
 
They usually have some sort of flavored creme brûlée, but if you are a traditionalist like me, they always have vanilla for the kids, and they will let adults have them as well. They made them into little beaches with blue sugar for the water and a Gummie fish.
 
Ooh, one of my faves! Let me see...

- free 5 hour valet parking with validation

- scallops in vanilla lobster sauce is probably one of the top 10 dishes I have ever had

- smiling tiger salad is also pretty amazing!

- do at least nibble on the bread basket, there are such interesting breads

- do have dessert! World's best hot chocolate is for serious chocolate lovers, I am a true chocoholic and it was a revelation

- don't be afraid to ask for recommendations, the servers are very helpful

- it is fun to drink some Lasseter wine while eating at Napa Rose :)

- don't eat lunch so you have room for dinner!

Have fun! And I would definitely recommend Chef's Counter in the future, it is a very special experience.

This is an awesome list...we will be making an ADR here for our trip in June and I am really excited about it. This is our first trip to DLR and I have read so many great reviews and have seen amazing photos of the different dishes there.
 


ArchOwl said:
Ooh, one of my faves! Let me see...

- free 5 hour valet parking with validation

- scallops in vanilla lobster sauce is probably one of the top 10 dishes I have ever had

- smiling tiger salad is also pretty amazing!

- do at least nibble on the bread basket, there are such interesting breads

- do have dessert! World's best hot chocolate is for serious chocolate lovers, I am a true chocoholic and it was a revelation

- don't be afraid to ask for recommendations, the servers are very helpful

- it is fun to drink some Lasseter wine while eating at Napa Rose :)

- don't eat lunch so you have room for dinner!

Have fun! And I would definitely recommend Chef's Counter in the future, it is a very special experience.

Thank you for the great tips and insight. I was eyeing the scallops on the menu. I think you just sold me on them. And one chocoholic to another, the dish you described above sounds amazing. Thanks for the above!

larina said:
They usually have some sort of flavored creme brûlée, but if you are a traditionalist like me, they always have vanilla for the kids, and they will let adults have them as well. They made them into little beaches with blue sugar for the water and a Gummie fish.

Little beaches... Cute! Thanks for sharing.

Anyone else with Napa Rose tips?

- Dreams
 
The pizza appetizer is to die for, but very filling (Signature Pizzetta - "La Quercia" Smoked American Prosciutto, Red Flame Grapes, Caramelized Onions, & Cambozola Cheese $15.) We love this so much, we go sit in the lounge and have drinks and share this and eat from the bread basket. We just can't stop eating the flat bread in there!

Also, I let the server pick my wine based on my meal, and I have never been disappointed.
 
Tell me the wonderful, the "little known thing," the thing you wish someone had told YOU your first time there.

Thanks! :flower3:

- Dreams

- How amazing the Mushroom Bisque is
- Ordering/Substituting a menu items setup (the other stuff that comes with the entree ... e.g mashed potatoes, vegetables) with the setup from a different entree.
 


Ask which dishes are seasonal.

Order multiple appetizers, desserts etc. so you can try more things!

Enjoy!
 
- How amazing the Mushroom Bisque is
- Ordering/Substituting a menu items setup (the other stuff that comes with the entree ... e.g mashed potatoes, vegetables) with the setup from a different entree.

Oooh, thank you! I was curious about the Mushroom Bisque. I just might have to try it!

And thanks for mentioning substituting items. DH is a huge mashed potatoes lover and was a little hesitant about asking to switch out sides due to the "classiness" of the restaurant. He'll be thrilled to hear it's not going to be frowned upon. :)

Anyone else getting hungry?

Any more Napa Rose tips, hints, secrets? Please share.

Thanks,
Dreams
 
For anyone interested in seeing tons of pictures of the food, check out this thread: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2656163

The title says Chef's Counter, but you can get a good idea of what is available by looking through the pictures. As you look through you can see there are staples available year-round (such as the scallop and filet) but there is also lots of seasonal dishes. :goodvibes
 
I'm surprised no one has suggested the Truffled mac and cheese. Be prepare to share, it's really creamy! And I second or third the scallops. I'm hungry now :)
 
I second all the things that have been suggested (love the mushroom bisque, and the scallops, and the Smiling Tiger salad). I also highly recommend either of the Starters to Share (Seven Sparkling Sins or the Sizzling Beach Rock). Both are beautifully presented and offer lots of varied and delicious nibbles. Actually both of these offer a good amount of food to share so it is a good thing to get not just as a starter but if you and your dinner mate want a light dinner. Or if you want to save extra room for dessert, and all the desserts are so good.

One more thing I would add is not to forget about the wine list. It is absolutely first class and the wait staff are well versed. I've had wonderful wine pairings (by the glass or bottle) suggested by the wait staff. They are very approachable on the subject and make it so fun to try new, delicious wines.
 
Ask if "Saucy" is working the night you go, and find out if you can be seated in his section. He is a top-notch server and sommelier.
 
Totally agree about Saucy, but, really, just about all the servers we've had have been top notch. Don't be afraid to ask any questions (there are no dumb questions about food at NR!). The servers will be glad to answer or will be glad to ask in the kitchen to find out the answer for you. Definitely share -- more fun all around. The Vinter's Menu changes seasonally. Totally worth doing with the wine pairing. Everything on the menu can also be ordered in the lounge or at the bar. The cheese plate is the most generous one we've ever had in a nice restaurant. It comes with an explanation sheet so you know what you are eating and where it comes from. Really fun. Enjoy your dinner at NR!
 
We love Napa Rose. Chef's Counter is our favorite way to go (Chef Sutton has been able to get my DH to eat foods, he wouldn't ever try before.) The times we weren't at the counter, we let the servers recommend our menu and wine. I would second the scallops, delicious!!

Sighh, we didn't go to Napa Rose this January for our birthdays because we went to a wedding at Aulani. Have to wait for our anniversary. Sure am enjoying everyone's recommendations.
 
Thank you to everyone who posted here. We really appreciate it. I am no longer a Napa Rose virgin. Last night DH and I celebrated an early Valentine's Day at the Napa Rose. For those of you who like to read the last page of a book first: OH-MY-GOODNESS! It was a wonderful evening. Fantastic food, great wine, incredible atmosphere, terrific service, and of course, fabulous company. How we have never eaten there before is just beyond me and we will definitely be back. It was amazing.

Now, for the full report (and yes, there will be food porn!):

DH and I arrived at the GCH early. After we valet parked, we went into DtD and did a little shopping, wandering, and people watching. We lost track of time and were running a bit late for our ressie. We called and they said it was no problem. (FYI, for others' knowledge, you get a 15 minute grace period.)

We were seated immediately upon arrival.

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We forgot to ask for Saucy, but our server was fantastic. He explained the menu beautifully, answered our questions without talking down to us, suggested a wonderful wine, never made us feel rushed, and made our evening enjoyable.

I am not knowledgeable about wine at all. I would like to be and have visited a few wineries recently to try to start to learn. I explained to our server that I would like to try a wine, but not sure what to order. He said that after I ordered my meal, he would suggest something. I ended up with a glass of Valdiguie, J. Lohr Estate, Wildflower and it was perfect for my tastes.

For a starter I had the scallops that were mentioned here and that our server spoke highly of as well. Allow me to say that I enjoy scallops, but am not in love with them. Then I tasted my starter. OH - MY - STARS! It was amazing! Not, Dreams, you are exaggerating, amazing, but truly just amazing. The sauce was delicious, the scallops were tender and just perfect. Although not listed on the menu, they were also available as an entree and I would have been very happy with a full entree of them. They were truly delicious.

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DH had the pizzette. He didn't care for it as much as he thought he would (but finished it off, so I'm guessing it wasn't all that bad hehe).

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We both ordered the Smiling Tiger Salad. At first I thought that the dressing had a spicy kick to it. Then I realized that under the greens was the spicy beef. I generally don't care for spicy, but the combination with the greens and the dressing (and some ice water hehe) made it really delicious. However, DH and I agreed that the star of this salad were the little guys tucked to each side: the tempura fried lobster. I'm going to repeat that because, well, it's worth repeating. Tempura fried lobster. Absolutely amazing. If they offered those little jewels as an entree, I'd order it twice a week and six times on Sunday. DH took a bite of one and his face suddenly changed. I thought the kick from the spicy beef got him. Then I realized he had just eaten a tempura fried lobster bite. He was in food heaven. A-mazing.

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For our entree, seriously, there's more food coming?, I had the Cedar Roasted Maple Leaf Duck Breast and he had the Herb Roasted Colorado Rack of Lamb. I have had duck that I enjoyed and I have had duck that has left my tummy feeling ill because it's too greasy. For this reason I was hesitant to order the duck, but our server assured me the chef prepares it to not leave one with that greasy-tummy feeling. So I went with it. Have you ever taken a bite of something and literally had it melt in your mouth? The duck was absolutely fabulous. DH loved his lamb. There is a local restaurant that we have eaten at for years that serves lamb which he LOVES. His comment was, "With apologies to Chef S., this is the best lamb I have ever tasted." And that's a HUGE comment.

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DH was very excited about the idea of trying a "fancy" mac & cheese so he switched his side (thanks for the tip!) to Truffled "Mac & Cheese" Orecchiette Pasta. He absolutely loved it. I am not a big mac & cheese fan, but had to try it. Wow it was good! Soooo good.

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At this point, we were stuffed, DH was joking about "roll me out to the car," and the topic of dessert came up. The chocolate mousse caught my eye, but I was told it really wasn't to die for so we took DIS'ers input (and our server's) and we went for the hot chocolate. Are we really ordering hot chocolate? It's just hot chocolate. Sigh. We'll share the hot chocolate, please.

So a platter arrives with two donuts, a donut hole, and small little cup of hot chocolate. Really? DH stares at me. I joke, "So, who's taking first sip?" DH picks up a donut, takes a bit, and just about starts to drool. So I take a bite. "Oh wow! Umm, yum." Then, the hot chocolate. I take a sip. I'm the chocolate-lover in the pair. Okay, it's chocolate. It's good. I start to put it back down. Whoah. What the -- what's that? There's like pieces of chocolate something in there. Oh my stars. That's chocolate goodness. What IS that? - sip again - Okay, DH is not getting any of this. He's not a chocolate lover. It'll be wasted on him. He is staring at me. He asks me for the cup so he can have a sip. Sigh. Fine. I'll share. He takes a sip. His eyes get big. "That's ___ good hot chocolate." "I know, huh? Give it back." :rotfl: And we shared the most amazing hot chocolate ever and the donuts.

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At this point we realized that we had been there almost 3 hours. Yep. And it was an amazing evening. We glanced at our valet ticket and realized we were 12 minutes away from our five hours of valet parking. However, true to the entire evening, our server was in no rush to hurry us out the door. Except now we needed to zoom out of there. Let's ignore how much we are paying for dinner. We are going to get charge for 30 minutes of valet. HAHAHAHA! :rotfl: Sometimes self-observation is funny. So... another server noticed us looking around. Asked if we needed anything. We told her. She got our server and he got us out the door very quickly. They told us to mention to the hostess that we were going to be about 10 minutes over on our valet. On our way out we did so. She called the valet and told them the restaurant was just a bit slow getting us out the door and to please extend our valet a bit. We took a few pictures and left.

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Love the little details. This is the floor.

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When we got to the valet, 20 minutes beyond our five hours, they had our car waiting and we were on our way, ending an amazing evening with a wonderful dinner.

Thank you everyone for your tips and input. It was exactly the introduction we needed for a perfect night.

Any questions? Feel free to ask.

- Dreams
 
I am so glad you had such an amazing visit! Thanks for the report, although now I am re-thinking our reservations for our next trip! :rotfl2:

DH and I had decided to skip Napa Rose this next trip in favor of Carthay Circle, but now I am totally re-thinking that decision! Your report has my mouth watering for some scallops and hot chocolate. :rotfl:

Can't wait for our next visit and I am so glad yours turned out so beautifully. Happy Valentine's Day! :lovestruc
 

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