7/19 Cruise: Reviews of dinner menu items top to bottom

[Doctor P]

Thought it might be helpful to provide a review of the dinner menu items I tried on the 7/19 Western cruise. I am an experienced eater, as my waistline will attest. I am willing to try new things and have extremely eclectic tastes in food. I love fish and seafood, and lived several years in a coastal area where fresh fish and seafood were staples and were prepared every kind of way imaginable. I have lived most of my life in the Midwest and have eaten chicken, turkey, pork, veal, beef, and lamb all my life. So much for the background--here is a nutshell review of what I ate during the cruise dinners (in a very few instances, I only sampled a dish from my wife or stepdaughter's plate). In order, here are the dinners and my nutshell ratings:

Lumiere's:
Deep-fried Camembert Fritters: Excellent (creamy and flavorful)
Escargot: Very good (I had never eaten Escargot before!)
Chilled Vichyssoise Soup: Excellent
Tossed Field Greens w/balsamic mustard, hazelnuts, blue cheese: Very good
Garlic-roasted Beef Tenderloin: Excellent
Grand Marnier Souffle: Very good (too much chocolate sauce on top)

Animator's Palate
Lobster and Shrimp Wrapper: Poor (pasty consistency to filling; not true to ingredient flavors and more like tuna fish salad than anything; color was unappetizing also)
Duck and Goat Cheese Flat Bread: Excellent and unusual
Butternut Squash Soup: Excellent, and I am not usually a squash fan.
Pan-Fried Veal Chop: Excellent (one of the very best entrees I have eaten)
Double-Fudge Chocolate Cake: Very good

Parrot Cay
Glazed Chicken Wings: Excellent
Hot Crab Newburg: Good
Cold Avocado Soup: Excellent
Cream of Sweet Onion Soup: Good
Warm Banana Bread: Excellent
Fruit Salad: Excellent
Mixed Grill: Excellent
Potato-Crusted Grouper: Excellent
Kentucky Bourbon Pecan Pie: Excellent
Chocolate-Expresso Walnut Cake: Good

Around the World Menu
Soft-shell Crab Tempura: Excellent (though served only lukewarm)
Lobster Bisque: Good
Chilled Cucumber and Mint Soup: Excellent (best soup on cruise)
Mediterranean Seafood Stew: Excellent
Chocolate Torte (Sachertorte): Very Good
Tiramisu: Good


Mexicalifragilistic Dinner
Crab and Lobster Fritters: Very good
Mango and Papaya Cocktail: Excellent
Cream of Corn and Mussel Soup: Very good
Grilled Shrimp: Excellent--simple preparation; GREAT flavor
White Chocolate Cheescake: Very good
Banana Flambe': Excellent (this one is "to die for"
Sweet Empanada Sundae: Excellent

Captain's Gala Dinner
Baked Clams: Good
Fresh Fruit Cocktail: Excellent (eat all the fruit you can on the cruise--it is fresh and it is outstanding in flavor and texture)
Wild Forest Mushroom Soup: Very good, but not distinguished
Baked Lobster Tail: Very good (dry and overcooked, though)
Cherries Jubiliee: Good
Warm Chocolate Lava Cake: Best dessert tasted on the cruise!!!!
Lingonberry Cheese Pudding: Excellent, unique, and tasty

Best of... Menu
Seafood Medley: Very good--scallops were excellent
Honey Mustard Chicken Tenderloins: Excellent
Crawfish and Lobster Bisque: Good
Florida Citrus and Baby Spinach: Very good
Seafood Pappardelle Pasta: Very good
Baked Alaska Sundae: Poor
Chocolate Decadence: Very good

Doctor P's Awards:

Best Overall Restaurant Menu (normal menu): Parrot Cay
Best Appetizers: Cucumber/Mint Soup; Mango and Papaya Cocktail; Soft-Shell Crab Tempura
Best Entrees: Pan-Fried Veal Chop, Mediterranean Seafood Stew
Best Desserts: Banana Flambe'; Warm Chocolate Lava Cake
Best Meal of Cruise: Palo Champagne Brunch

 

[Jo-Anne]

WOW I'm hungry now! Never seen a review like this and I loved it. I've been glancing at the menus over past couple of months, and now you've brought it to life! Thanks, Jo

 

[alexandrew]

You know, at the risk of being flamed, I like your report so much better than the typical ones - really, who cares what Aunt Mildred did the week leading up to and after the cruise....I know i'm definitely in the minority, but a trip report chronicling every single moment of a week long cruise, including a prologue leading up to it is just overkill....

 

[DisneyNett]

Wow I was hooked! I had to read the menus twice!! They sound so yummy, I am REALLY exicted now, a highlight for me is to pig out on all of the food! MMMMMMMMMM!

 

[Rock'n Robin]

Had they already put the sauce on your grand marnier souffle? My sauce was on the side and our server said to just put a hole in the top and pour some in, so I was able to get it just right--it was awesome. Can't wait to try that lava cake next year!
Robin M.
PS--there is a mix lava cake out right now--the brand is Banquet--I made it two weeks ago, WOW!

 

[hilltopfamily]

I also enjoyed your unique review (I can see where Alexandrew are coming from). I shy away from trip reports that are multiple threads (day before, day 1, etc.) as they are too lengthy for my tastes. Anyway, to each his own, as in your choices for dishes!! And thanks for posting--enjoyed it.

 

[catspjmas]

YES! The lava cake was the best! Loved it! (And you're right about the Baked Alaska...they made such a show of bringing it into the dining room, but it wasn't the yummiest). The food on Disney keeps us coming back!

 

[strawberryblonde]

I loved this report! I had wondered if I would order the banana dessert or not and now I will for sure. Can't wait to taste all of the fresh fruit (my DD will be in heaven). Thanks for taking the time to write this up, I want to print it off and save it

 

[disneystyle]

Loved your report
My favorite item on the menu is the Corn and Asparagus Risotto that they serve with the lamb/veal chop you mentioned in Animators Palate. So Soooo Good.

 

[Doctor P]

I agree, disneystyle. That risotto was wonderful!

 

[disneyfan551]

FABULOUS review!!! Thanks so much for sharing with us! Now, I'm REALLY looking forward to our cruise in December!

 

[Gina]

Your report reminded me of that incredible banana bread at Parrot Cay.... *wipes drool off her keyboard*
I was raving about it so much, my sweet sweet server brought me a HUGE plate of it at the end of the meal to take back to my stateroom. I ate that with morning coffee for the next three days, and it was soooooo good.

*sighs* Now to last 6 more months....

-gina-