We had really been looking forward to this dinner since I booked it, Sir for a different reason than me which you'll see soon. I've always wanted to eat here, it seemed perfect for a romantic dinner, with a view of the Castle, and Wishes. I booked it at 7:40 so that we'd still be there for Wishes at 9:00.
This picture is of our room that afternoon before we left, it's not of Cali Grill but it's kind of food related:
Mousekeeping made a towel lobster, then arranged our Disney teddies around it holding plastic forks!
We went to MK first because I wanted to get pictures in front of the castle with our fancy clothes on. We took the monorail to the CR, and we were pretty early. We check in at around I think 7:15 and took the elevator up to the Cali Grill. We were seated almost right away at around 7:20, we didn't even have time to sit in the lounge. The manager sat us, we were originally seated in the wine room but she said because it was our first time there she'd try to get us a better table. She put us at an amazing table by the window with a great view of the Castle & MK. In my opinion, it was the best table in the whole place.
Here's us in on Main St before dinner:
Sir's comments about eating here: I had been waiting for our meal at California Grill for months, I had a lot riding on it but you will see that soon.
Here's a picture of our view, it's a bit blurry but it gives you an idea of our view. We could see the Castle and all of Tomorrowland:
Here's a picture of our table, with pretty Castle confetti on it
While Sir was in the washroom, I ordered a bottle of Pellegrino for us to share
Luckily he didn't mind too much. I like the small touches here, like putting the bottle on a little metal plate so it doesn't make the table wet. Our server, Steve, was amazing. The perfect balance between nice, considerate & attentive.
To drink, Sir got a
Twisted Mai Tai Mt Gay rum, Creme de Noyaux, and orange and pineapple juice with a splash of lime $9
Sir's comments: This was fruity & good, I liked it.
I had a
Pomegranate COZ Charbay pomegranate vodka, Cointreau, and cranberry juice with a splash of lime $9
This drink was really good. It was kind of strong, but I didn't mind lol It was cold & refreshing.
We were served sourdough bread & whipped butter with sea salt to start
This was yummy! The crust was super hard, basically too hard to eat (it hurt my teeth), but the inside was soft & warm.
Sir started with
Tuna Three Ways...Poke, Tartare, Tataki $23
I didn't try this, seafood again!
Sir's comments: I loved it! I'm a big fan of sushi so I was happy to see what the Disney chefs could make. The tuna was all delicious but I really liked the Tuna Tartare the most.
I had the
Sonoma Goat Cheese Ravioli sun-dried tomatoes, pesto, shiitake mushrooms, basil $14
I loved this! I knew months in advance this is what I'd be ordering, and I was not disappointed. It was the perfect size for an appetizer. I looooooved goat cheese, and there was a perfect amount. When I cut open the ravioli the cheese inside melted into the hot tomato broth. It was perfect! and I don't think I even let Sir get a bite
For entree, Sir had
Oak-fired filet of Beef Tillamook potatoes, blue lake beans, bacon vinaigrette, teriyaki barbecue $47
I had a small bite of this and it was delicious, though I thought my main was better!
Sir's comments: I liked everything on the plate. The filet was well seasoned and perfectly cooked (mid rare). The mash was flavourful and creamy, while the beans were lighty salted and crunchy.
I had
Grilled Pork Tenderloin, goat cheese polenta, roasted mushrooms, Zinfandel glaze, crispy sage $37
Pork again! Have I mentioned I love pork? This was amazing. The pork was a perfect medium, tender & juicy. But the real star was the goat cheese polenta. I really developed a love for polenta on this trip. I was worried that with my app & main both having goat cheese it might be too much, but it wasn't at all. The mushrooms & sage were an excellent garnish. I couldn't eat 1 of the pieces of pork, so Sir ate it. He thought it was good, but not as good as his steak.
With dessert, we each ordered a glass of
Rosa Regale $12 each
I've always wanted to try this, and it was SO GOOD! The perfect amount of sweet & sparkling.
Sir's comments: I loved it, best wine I've ever had!
For my dessert, I had a
Pear Tart with Toasted Almond Ice Cream I can't find this on any online menus
I hardly ate any of this, you'll see why in a minute. I ate a slice of pear which was yummy (pear's my favourite fruit). The ice cream was so good, but I only ate a few bites. It had a candle for my birthday!
Sir had
Bananas and Caramel, crispy baked phyllo squares layered with banana, mascarpone mousse, and caramalized banana
I didn't try this.
Sir's comments: It was good but I didn't each much... oh and I also had...
MICHAELA'S HAND IN MARRIAGE!!!
This was what came with my dessert! Sir had been conspiring with California Grill staff & Disney Florist the whole time! The plate came with a silver dome which was removed when it was presented to me. On the plate was a gorgeous white satin Mickey ring pillow with red roses, a gorgeous tiara (while I'll use for our wedding) and a box with a BEAUTIFUL diamond engagement ring!
I couldn't believe how sneaky Sir was!! He'd called the manager the day before which is why we got the amazing table. And when I was gone to the washroom in between entrees & dessert the bartender came & got Sir's camera & offered to come take pictures of the proposal. That was so nice him! Thank you Fred!!! Sir got down on one knee in front of everyone, some people were outside waiting for Wishes luckily so our audience was smaller, and when it was over everyone clapped. Then about 1-2 mins later Wishes started and we could see them perfectly from our table. It was a complete dream come true!
I don't have the receipt for this meal, but I think I can be excused for that! We paid OOP for our 2 drinks & 2 glasses of champagne.
This will now be a must-do for every trip for us. I can't wait to re-visit the place where we got engaged.
I'm going to put a few more engagement pics in the next post for anyone who's interested!
Thanks! Great choice on GF Cafe for lunch! We really loved it. 
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