CA Grill was Awful

[JZCubed]

A few weeks ago, I defended the revamped California Grill against a DisBoard critique without having dined at the renovated establishment. I want to apologize to that ‘blogger’ – CA Grill is as bad as described.

CA Grill reopened at the end of Summer, 2013 with a modernized kitchen & menu along with a spruced up décor. Unless you’ve dined here countless times, the updates changed little to the overall dining ambiance and experience. Why they did not add a see-through glass screen to muffle noise from all or part of the exposed kitchen seems like a mistake. Since more seats were added closer to the kitchen, the competing noise levels from diners trying to have a simple chat is noticeable throughout the dining room. With an enhanced outside observation area, this continues to be the place for the best restaurant view at Disney. Unfortunately, the food and menu have reverted into a time warp from when cuisine at Disney was poorly received.

While a more accurate food review would require additional visits, I am inclined to believe that near collapse of fine dining caliber cuisine and service would be witnessed on near future occasions as well. Most of the blame goes to the kitchen & front of house, but I cannot help but wonder if the bad food and service is also a reflection of the customers. People dressed coming from the Parks in shorts, sandals, and t-shirts previously drenched by sweat and Splash Mountain simply inhibit the execution of the ballet that can make dinner the theater. I understand the difficulty in not turning away customers who have little or no shame dressing like slobs in an utter disregard for the oft cited dress code, but management at CA Grill need not add to the carnival-like atmosphere by not even offering to take shopping bags from folks before walking through the dining room.

Let’s start with bread and water. Restaurants at Disney have discovered a win-win for customers wanting either or both bottled tap- and/or spring-waters. Disney is offering ‘triple-filtered’ water right from their own sources. This is a win for customers because refills are being provided without additional charge, cost is lower than name-brand waters, and there is likely a lower environmental impact. This is a win for Disney because margins (profits) are better when they are selling you their own ‘filtered’ water.

I could sound like a total snob and tell you that we ordered the same sparkling water at Victoria & Albert and it tasted just like the sparkling water we make for ourselves at home. [If I were a total snob, I’d be drinking some designer water being served to me by a maid or restaurant server.] However, multiple bottles at CA Grill simply lacked any sparkle from bubbles – the water was being served flat and waiter/waitresses just brushed it off as being the way the water is served. And we also witnessed a waiter/waitress ‘marry’ the contents from one bottle into another – this is near heresy in a fine dining restaurant, and the problem is compounded when done in plain sight in the dining room. So as far our experience is concerned – CA Grill did not serve water at a Signature level.

Two breads were served in a basket lined with Tratorria-style yellow tissue paper – one was a warm, albeit tasteless, crunchy roll described as sour dough along side a lavender focaccia that was just about ice cold. Can I ask everyone a question – does lavender have more smell and taste when at room temperature or cold? The consistency continues – the butter sprinkled with course pink salt was also nearly solidly cold and barely spreadable inside the warm roll. With both bread and water service poorly executed, it was not a shock when yet another waiter/waitress was seen and heard playing with flatware by going hand-to-hand as if steak knives were a ‘Slinky’ - yet another example of near heresy for a fine dining establishment – playing with utensils that people will use for eating.

There were a few more service faux pas’, but at this point, you get the picture – in just a few moments, and during only one dining occasion, we witnessed as many as three different waiters/waitresses doing things that are simply out of character for a restaurant claiming to offer a Signature experience. That’s bad attitude and bad training.

Bad service can be overlooked by great food, however, the problems continue. I have enjoyed plates with bone marrow more than a few times (i.e., Blue Ribbon, NY) but was more than disappointed at the paltry portion served on the ‘Surf n Turf’ appetizer that needed only two of the four toast points that were to be used to spread the naturally gelatinous ‘marmalade’. Raw onion should be served at a Taco stand, not as garnish to Signature cuisine. The ‘Surf’ portion of the dish was 5 local clams in a spicy broth garnished with corn and pork chorizo sausage butter that simply melded into the soup that lacked any additional flavor of the saffron listed on the menu. The idea of the dish was ‘in the sweet spot’ for my family, but the execution of this ‘tapas-style’ dish was simply pedestrian.

Sushi is not a top food priority for my family, but Bacon can be. The Pork Belly Negiri was our favorite. As I understand sushi, most every bite should fit in your mouth. You should not have to bite through. The Pork Belly Negiri comes with a hot piece of bacon on top of a cold piece of classic sushi rice wrapped in seaweed with a lip smacking sauce. We ate the meat and then the ‘sushi’ – you could not bite through both without a mess (and we are very good with chopsticks). This was not really sushi, however, this was great pork with rice.

CA Grill offers a vegetarian option and it is safe to assume that this is marketed to people who seemingly would need to be fairly more particular with a menu listing. So it is remarkable that the dish listed on the menu as Sweet Potato Gnocchi (hand made potato pasta pillows) was being served with as many Purple Potato Gnocchi. My guest would not have ordered this dish knowing that purple potato were being used to make half the main ingredient served with a Hazelnut foam and earthy vegetables. This is not something that should be required in the customer/server exchange because any menu description should accurately describe the food being served. The small and unfulfilling pasta on this ‘new’ menu was a far cry from the ‘old menu’ carrot-silk ravioli. Change is fine, but it should be for the better.

With a price tag over $40, the Scallops dusted with a spicy French Curry over-seasoned with fenugreek simply overpowered the Lemon Citrus Sauce and were no better than the scallops at your neighborhood bistro for half the price or from EPCOT’s Food & Wine Festival for about $4 each. These expensive mollusks were served on top of a Squash Ravioli that was garnished with what the menu described as an Arugula Salad which was nothing more that a few greens with a raw strip of bell pepper and nondescript pumpkin seeds that might have been better received had they been toasted to accentuate their flavor.

Two days previous, we dined at Cinderella’s Royal Table for lunch and my child consumed nearly all the garlic & chickpea hummus spread that came with the family-style appetizer. Our child eats hummus often at or near home as well. After tasting the hummus from the Grilled Vegetable Lettuce Wraps, our DD cried from the burning taste of the course raw garlic that rendered this spread inedible. She was not going to starve, because her pizza would arrive with the adult entrées. Guess what – the pizza was seasoned with garlic oil too after coming from the oven. This was all on the Children’s Menu.

The freshly made Fritters (doughnut holes) that barely tasted of being stuffed with banana came with a Trio of dipping sauces which included an unmemorable dark chocolate and peanut butter – none had a healthier fruit base like jam. This simply lacks imagination.

Frankly, the Fried Chicken in Waffle Sandwich at Sleepy Hollow in Magic Kingdom is more satisfying since my family likes sweet & savory combinations. We also enjoyed on this trip, and for the first time, the Caramel Fleur de Sel (salted) Ice Cream at L’Artisan des Glace in EPCOT’s France. So my family should have been fine with the Chocolate Pudding Cake sprinkled with Salt garnished with a very minty quenelle of whipped cream. We hesitated ordering this because Nutella is a main ingredient and this seems out of place at a Signature restaurant that already has two other kitschy desserts (Sundae Sampler and Seasonal Tasting). The chocolate cake was memorable for one reason – way too salty.

CA Grill may still have the best restaurant view in Disney, but the circus-like attitudes and implementation of both service and food preparation will have me looking elsewhere for a Signature experience.

 

[HolidayRose]

Thanks for your thoughtful and thorough review. There seem to be quite a few complaints from diners at CG recently.

 

[mrincredible70]

A few weeks ago, I defended the revamped California Grill against a DisBoard critique without having dined at the renovated establishment. I want to apologize to that ‘blogger’ – CA Grill is as bad as described.

CA Grill reopened at the end of Summer, 2013 with a modernized kitchen & menu along with a spruced up décor. Unless you’ve dined here countless times, the updates changed little to the overall dining ambiance and experience. Why they did not add a see-through glass screen to muffle noise from all or part of the exposed kitchen seems like a mistake. Since more seats were added closer to the kitchen, the competing noise levels from diners trying to have a simple chat is noticeable throughout the dining room. With an enhanced outside observation area, this continues to be the place for the best restaurant view at Disney. Unfortunately, the food and menu have reverted into a time warp from when cuisine at Disney was poorly received.

While a more accurate food review would require additional visits, I am inclined to believe that near collapse of fine dining caliber cuisine and service would be witnessed on near future occasions as well. Most of the blame goes to the kitchen & front of house, but I cannot help but wonder if the bad food and service is also a reflection of the customers. People dressed coming from the Parks in shorts, sandals, and t-shirts previously drenched by sweat and Splash Mountain simply inhibit the execution of the ballet that can make dinner the theater. I understand the difficulty in not turning away customers who have little or no shame dressing like slobs in an utter disregard for the oft cited dress code, but management at CA Grill need not add to the carnival-like atmosphere by not even offering to take shopping bags from folks before walking through the dining room.

Let’s start with bread and water. Restaurants at Disney have discovered a win-win for customers wanting either or both bottled tap- and/or spring-waters. Disney is offering ‘triple-filtered’ water right from their own sources. This is a win for customers because refills are being provided without additional charge, cost is lower than name-brand waters, and there is likely a lower environmental impact. This is a win for Disney because margins (profits) are better when they are selling you their own ‘filtered’ water.

I could sound like a total snob and tell you that we ordered the same sparkling water at Victoria & Albert and it tasted just like the sparkling water we make for ourselves at home. [If I were a total snob, I’d be drinking some designer water being served to me by a maid or restaurant server.] However, multiple bottles at CA Grill simply lacked any sparkle from bubbles – the water was being served flat and waiter/waitresses just brushed it off as being the way the water is served. And we also witnessed a waiter/waitress ‘marry’ the contents from one bottle into another – this is near heresy in a fine dining restaurant, and the problem is compounded when done in plain sight in the dining room. So as far our experience is concerned – CA Grill did not serve water at a Signature level.

Two breads were served in a basket lined with Tratorria-style yellow tissue paper – one was a warm, albeit tasteless, crunchy roll described as sour dough along side a lavender focaccia that was just about ice cold. Can I ask everyone a question – does lavender have more smell and taste when at room temperature or cold? The consistency continues – the butter sprinkled with course pink salt was also nearly solidly cold and barely spreadable inside the warm roll. With both bread and water service poorly executed, it was not a shock when yet another waiter/waitress was seen and heard playing with flatware by going hand-to-hand as if steak knives were a ‘Slinky’ - yet another example of near heresy for a fine dining establishment – playing with utensils that people will use for eating.

There were a few more service faux pas’, but at this point, you get the picture – in just a few moments, and during only one dining occasion, we witnessed as many as three different waiters/waitresses doing things that are simply out of character for a restaurant claiming to offer a Signature experience. That’s bad attitude and bad training.

Bad service can be overlooked by great food, however, the problems continue. I have enjoyed plates with bone marrow more than a few times (i.e., Blue Ribbon, NY) but was more than disappointed at the paltry portion served on the ‘Surf n Turf’ appetizer that needed only two of the four toast points that were to be used to spread the naturally gelatinous ‘marmalade’. Raw onion should be served at a Taco stand, not as garnish to Signature cuisine. The ‘Surf’ portion of the dish was 5 local clams in a spicy broth garnished with corn and pork chorizo sausage butter that simply melded into the soup that lacked any additional flavor of the saffron listed on the menu. The idea of the dish was ‘in the sweet spot’ for my family, but the execution of this ‘tapas-style’ dish was simply pedestrian.

Sushi is not a top food priority for my family, but Bacon can be. The Pork Belly Negiri was our favorite. As I understand sushi, most every bite should fit in your mouth. You should not have to bite through. The Pork Belly Negiri comes with a hot piece of bacon on top of a cold piece of classic sushi rice wrapped in seaweed with a lip smacking sauce. We ate the meat and then the ‘sushi’ – you could not bite through both without a mess (and we are very good with chopsticks). This was not really sushi, however, this was great pork with rice.

CA Grill offers a vegetarian option and it is safe to assume that this is marketed to people who seemingly would need to be fairly more particular with a menu listing. So it is remarkable that the dish listed on the menu as Sweet Potato Gnocchi (hand made potato pasta pillows) was being served with as many Purple Potato Gnocchi. My guest would not have ordered this dish knowing that purple potato were being used to make half the main ingredient served with a Hazelnut foam and earthy vegetables. This is not something that should be required in the customer/server exchange because any menu description should accurately describe the food being served. The small and unfulfilling pasta on this ‘new’ menu was a far cry from the ‘old menu’ carrot-silk ravioli. Change is fine, but it should be for the better.

With a price tag over $40, the Scallops dusted with a spicy French Curry over-seasoned with fenugreek simply overpowered the Lemon Citrus Sauce and were no better than the scallops at your neighborhood bistro for half the price or from EPCOT’s Food & Wine Festival for about $4 each. These expensive mollusks were served on top of a Squash Ravioli that was garnished with what the menu described as an Arugula Salad which was nothing more that a few greens with a raw strip of bell pepper and nondescript pumpkin seeds that might have been better received had they been toasted to accentuate their flavor.

Two days previous, we dined at Cinderella’s Royal Table for lunch and my child consumed nearly all the garlic & chickpea hummus spread that came with the family-style appetizer. Our child eats hummus often at or near home as well. After tasting the hummus from the Grilled Vegetable Lettuce Wraps, our DD cried from the burning taste of the course raw garlic that rendered this spread inedible. She was not going to starve, because her pizza would arrive with the adult entrées. Guess what – the pizza was seasoned with garlic oil too after coming from the oven. This was all on the Children’s Menu.

The freshly made Fritters (doughnut holes) that barely tasted of being stuffed with banana came with a Trio of dipping sauces which included an unmemorable dark chocolate and peanut butter – none had a healthier fruit base like jam. This simply lacks imagination.

Frankly, the Fried Chicken in Waffle Sandwich at Sleepy Hollow in Magic Kingdom is more satisfying since my family likes sweet & savory combinations. We also enjoyed on this trip, and for the first time, the Caramel Fleur de Sel (salted) Ice Cream at L’Artisan des Glace in EPCOT’s France. So my family should have been fine with the Chocolate Pudding Cake sprinkled with Salt garnished with a very minty quenelle of whipped cream. We hesitated ordering this because Nutella is a main ingredient and this seems out of place at a Signature restaurant that already has two other kitschy desserts (Sundae Sampler and Seasonal Tasting). The chocolate cake was memorable for one reason – way too salty.

CA Grill may still have the best restaurant view in Disney, but the circus-like attitudes and implementation of both service and food preparation will have me looking elsewhere for a Signature experience.

Wow!

 

[TDC Nala]

I have friends who went there last week, and they say the exact opposite.

Apparently a lot of the menu items are not what the OP expected.

I'm still going to try it. I'm going to the bar, though, because I don't have a reservation.

 

[wiigirl]

Thanks for the review!

 

[peteykirch]

I don't know, I ate there last week and had an amazing meal.

I didn't get any entrees but I enjoyed everything.

My bread wasn't cold like the OP's. I will say the sourdough was piping hot, while the lavender foccaccia was a bit more room temperature.

I had the Crispy Rock Shrimp Salad, and it was as good as I always remembered. The shrimp was delicately fried, they had a nice crunch but weren't the greasy.

I also had the pork belly nigiri and didn't have the issue of eating them like the OP apparently did. Maybe I have a bigger mouth and could easily eat the nigiri in one bite?

For dessert I had the Seasonal Tasting which was Heirloom Apple. I pretty much licked the plate clean it was that good. It came with this little cup of spiced cider on the side, I remarked that I'd gladly purchase a full cup to drink, and my server brought me a regular cup at no charge.

I found the service to be attentive but not overly clingy. It was a great meal, and I was strongly considering trying to get in again but decided to try a new restaurant instead.

 

[DLgal]

Is this review a joke? It's awfully (and almost comically) pretentious.

CA Grill has NEVER really, truly been "fine dining.". At best, it's a good attempt at "fancy" food in an atmosphere that never really matched the intent of the food.

 

[princess aleya]

I really hate to hear the bad reviews , I was really looking forward to trying it. Maybe we will wait a while and hopefully things will turn around.

 

[TinkerBelle_325]

A few weeks ago, I defended the revamped California Grill against a DisBoard critique without having dined at the renovated establishment. I want to apologize to that ‘blogger’ – CA Grill is as bad as described.

CA Grill reopened at the end of Summer, 2013 with a modernized kitchen & menu along with a spruced up décor. Unless you’ve dined here countless times, the updates changed little to the overall dining ambiance and experience. Why they did not add a see-through glass screen to muffle noise from all or part of the exposed kitchen seems like a mistake. Since more seats were added closer to the kitchen, the competing noise levels from diners trying to have a simple chat is noticeable throughout the dining room. With an enhanced outside observation area, this continues to be the place for the best restaurant view at Disney. Unfortunately, the food and menu have reverted into a time warp from when cuisine at Disney was poorly received.

The kitchen has always been open concept and it did not appears that there were that many additional seats in close proximity. Plus, for many diners it is entertaining to watch the kitchen and expediting process - my family & I enjoy this view more than that of Wishes to be honest.

While a more accurate food review would require additional visits, I am inclined to believe that near collapse of fine dining caliber cuisine and service would be witnessed on near future occasions as well. Most of the blame goes to the kitchen & front of house, but I cannot help but wonder if the bad food and service is also a reflection of the customers. People dressed coming from the Parks in shorts, sandals, and t-shirts previously drenched by sweat and Splash Mountain simply inhibit the execution of the ballet that can make dinner the theater. I understand the difficulty in not turning away customers who have little or no shame dressing like slobs in an utter disregard for the oft cited dress code, but management at CA Grill need not add to the carnival-like atmosphere by not even offering to take shopping bags from folks before walking through the dining room.

Even before the refurbishment CG did not enforce the dress code. In fact, the only restaurant on WDW property that strictly enforces the dress code is Victoria & Albert's.

Let’s start with bread and water. Restaurants at Disney have discovered a win-win for customers wanting either or both bottled tap- and/or spring-waters. Disney is offering ‘triple-filtered’ water right from their own sources. This is a win for customers because refills are being provided without additional charge, cost is lower than name-brand waters, and there is likely a lower environmental impact. This is a win for Disney because margins (profits) are better when they are selling you their own ‘filtered’ water.

I could sound like a total snob and tell you that we ordered the same sparkling water at Victoria & Albert and it tasted just like the sparkling water we make for ourselves at home. [If I were a total snob, I’d be drinking some designer water being served to me by a maid or restaurant server.] However, multiple bottles at CA Grill simply lacked any sparkle from bubbles – the water was being served flat and waiter/waitresses just brushed it off as being the way the water is served. And we also witnessed a waiter/waitress ‘marry’ the contents from one bottle into another – this is near heresy in a fine dining restaurant, and the problem is compounded when done in plain sight in the dining room. So as far our experience is concerned – CA Grill did not serve water at a Signature level.

There are two types of "triple-filtered" water served at any restaurant that offers this feature - still and sparkling. It is quite possible that you were served still as it was the overwhelming guest choice on our occasion. The triple filtered water does not come sealed in the bottles at all locations (it does at V&A or if it is sparkling, that is why you saw servers replenishing bottles.

Two breads were served in a basket lined with Tratorria-style yellow tissue paper – one was a warm, albeit tasteless, crunchy roll described as sour dough along side a lavender focaccia that was just about ice cold. Can I ask everyone a question – does lavender have more smell and taste when at room temperature or cold? The consistency continues – the butter sprinkled with course pink salt was also nearly solidly cold and barely spreadable inside the warm roll. With both bread and water service poorly executed, it was not a shock when yet another waiter/waitress was seen and heard playing with flatware by going hand-to-hand as if steak knives were a ‘Slinky’ - yet another example of near heresy for a fine dining establishment – playing with utensils that people will use for eating.

There were a few more service faux pas’, but at this point, you get the picture – in just a few moments, and during only one dining occasion, we witnessed as many as three different waiters/waitresses doing things that are simply out of character for a restaurant claiming to offer a Signature experience. That’s bad attitude and bad training.

I'm sorry to hear about these experiences. But I will ask, did you inquire about the bread and butter or the odd behavior? If something isn't to our satisfaction we point it out

Bad service can be overlooked by great food, however, the problems continue. I have enjoyed plates with bone marrow more than a few times (i.e., Blue Ribbon, NY) but was more than disappointed at the paltry portion served on the ‘Surf n Turf’ appetizer that needed only two of the four toast points that were to be used to spread the naturally gelatinous ‘marmalade’. Raw onion should be served at a Taco stand, not as garnish to Signature cuisine. The ‘Surf’ portion of the dish was 5 local clams in a spicy broth garnished with corn and pork chorizo sausage butter that simply melded into the soup that lacked any additional flavor of the saffron listed on the menu. The idea of the dish was ‘in the sweet spot’ for my family, but the execution of this ‘tapas-style’ dish was simply pedestrian.

Sushi is not a top food priority for my family, but Bacon can be. The Pork Belly Negiri was our favorite. As I understand sushi, most every bite should fit in your mouth. You should not have to bite through. The Pork Belly Negiri comes with a hot piece of bacon on top of a cold piece of classic sushi rice wrapped in seaweed with a lip smacking sauce. We ate the meat and then the ‘sushi’ – you could not bite through both without a mess (and we are very good with chopsticks). This was not really sushi, however, this was great pork with rice.

CA Grill offers a vegetarian option and it is safe to assume that this is marketed to people who seemingly would need to be fairly more particular with a menu listing. So it is remarkable that the dish listed on the menu as Sweet Potato Gnocchi (hand made potato pasta pillows) was being served with as many Purple Potato Gnocchi. My guest would not have ordered this dish knowing that purple potato were being used to make half the main ingredient served with a Hazelnut foam and earthy vegetables. This is not something that should be required in the customer/server exchange because any menu description should accurately describe the food being served. The small and unfulfilling pasta on this ‘new’ menu was a far cry from the ‘old menu’ carrot-silk ravioli. Change is fine, but it should be for the better.

With a price tag over $40, the Scallops dusted with a spicy French Curry over-seasoned with fenugreek simply overpowered the Lemon Citrus Sauce and were no better than the scallops at your neighborhood bistro for half the price or from EPCOT’s Food & Wine Festival for about $4 each. These expensive mollusks were served on top of a Squash Ravioli that was garnished with what the menu described as an Arugula Salad which was nothing more that a few greens with a raw strip of bell pepper and nondescript pumpkin seeds that might have been better received had they been toasted to accentuate their flavor.

Two days previous, we dined at Cinderella’s Royal Table for lunch and my child consumed nearly all the garlic & chickpea hummus spread that came with the family-style appetizer. Our child eats hummus often at or near home as well. After tasting the hummus from the Grilled Vegetable Lettuce Wraps, our DD cried from the burning taste of the course raw garlic that rendered this spread inedible. She was not going to starve, because her pizza would arrive with the adult entrées. Guess what – the pizza was seasoned with garlic oil too after coming from the oven. This was all on the Children’s Menu.

The freshly made Fritters (doughnut holes) that barely tasted of being stuffed with banana came with a Trio of dipping sauces which included an unmemorable dark chocolate and peanut butter – none had a healthier fruit base like jam. This simply lacks imagination.

Frankly, the Fried Chicken in Waffle Sandwich at Sleepy Hollow in Magic Kingdom is more satisfying since my family likes sweet & savory combinations. We also enjoyed on this trip, and for the first time, the Caramel Fleur de Sel (salted) Ice Cream at L’Artisan des Glace in EPCOT’s France. So my family should have been fine with the Chocolate Pudding Cake sprinkled with Salt garnished with a very minty quenelle of whipped cream. We hesitated ordering this because Nutella is a main ingredient and this seems out of place at a Signature restaurant that already has two other kitschy desserts (Sundae Sampler and Seasonal Tasting). The chocolate cake was memorable for one reason – way too salty.

I can't speak to the food as it is a matter of individual taste. I am sorry that many items were not to your liking.

CA Grill may still have the best restaurant view in Disney, but the circus-like attitudes and implementation of both service and food preparation will have me looking elsewhere for a Signature experience.

I would generally agree that this review seems a touch over-critical.

 

[JZCubed]

I have friends who went there last week, and they say the exact opposite.

Apparently a lot of the menu items are not what the OP expected.

I'm still going to try it. I'm going to the bar, though, because I don't have a reservation.

My family knew what to expect:

Carbonated water with bubbles, soften butter to spread onto bread, clams and chorizo better than made at home, menu items served as described, something better than drastically over-seasoned for $11/scallop, dessert that is not too salty, and service that does not breach basic standards of fine dining etiquette (i.e., openly marrying bottle contents, playing with flatware).

Please, stop defending what's broken with, "My friends said....."

There comes a point at which even people who are willing to defend something to the end have to realize they are fighting a losing cause. How many bad reviews before the folks at CA Grill take notice?

Were it not for the fact that Disney has a captive audience always willing to eat at CA Grill, then bad press won't amount to much. Regardless, CA Grill must learn about all that is wrong so that they can make things right again.

Plainly and simply, my family went to CA Grill expecting not only fine food, but fine service as well. Instead, we received and witnessed little of either. The Sparkling Water was repeatedly flat, Pork Sushi was delicious, Surf-n-Turf appetizer was small and pedestrian, Vegetarian Pasta not as described, and both Scallops and Chocolate Dessert were over-seasoned.

I have eaten at CA Grill many times since Bay Lake became my DVC home resort. And I have been fortunate to have eaten at more than my fair share of fine dining restaurants.

Please, stop defending what's broken with, "My friends said....."

I made a similar mistake and decided for myself.

Unfortunately, CA Grill has a great amount of work to do before they can reclaim what I used to call, "The best all-around restaurant at Disney."

 

[JZCubed]

I don't know, I ate there last week and had an amazing meal.

I didn't get any entrees but I enjoyed everything.

My bread wasn't cold like the OP's. I will say the sourdough was piping hot, while the lavender foccaccia was a bit more room temperature.

I had the Crispy Rock Shrimp Salad, and it was as good as I always remembered. The shrimp was delicately fried, they had a nice crunch but weren't the greasy.

I also had the pork belly nigiri and didn't have the issue of eating them like the OP apparently did. Maybe I have a bigger mouth and could easily eat the nigiri in one bite?

For dessert I had the Seasonal Tasting which was Heirloom Apple. I pretty much licked the plate clean it was that good. It came with this little cup of spiced cider on the side, I remarked that I'd gladly purchase a full cup to drink, and my server brought me a regular cup at no charge.

I found the service to be attentive but not overly clingy. It was a great meal, and I was strongly considering trying to get in again but decided to try a new restaurant instead.

Great pictures.

The sliced pork on our Nigiri Sushi was double the size. By far, this was the tastiest thing we ate.

For better or worse, I avoid apple desserts outside my home region - Hudson Valley, NY - where we have an annual Apple Festival with everything apple. Regardless, the doughnuts and dripping sauces were, meh. And the chocolate cake was too salty.

 

[JZCubed]

Is this review a joke. It's awully (and almost comically) pretentious.

CA Grill has NEVER really, truly been "fine dining.". At best, it's a good attempt at "fancy" food in an atmosphere that never really matched the intent of the food.

They updated the decor, raised prices, increased the penalty for late cancellations, repeatedly remind patrons of a dress code that is not enforced, and offer a reserve wine list - the Tale of Two Restaurants is the fault of CA Grill.

Regardless, the food served to us was simply awful. Hummus for children was inedible. I have eaten here too many times to let the kitchen and servers off-the-hook for a horrible night.

You said, "At best, it's a good attempt at "fancy" food in an atmosphere that never really matched the intent of the food."

I beg to differ, I believe that the atmosphere has been allowed to deteriorate to match declining standards to lesser quality food.

Maybe I'm just living in a bygone era of men in trousers, a woman in a dress, and children washed for a nice dinner. After all, the great restauranteur Danny Meyer is expanding his Shake Shack chain while selling off his fine dining establishments. With all the t-shirts and sandals entering the dining room at CA Grill, it should only be a matter of time before a $20 hamburger and bottled ketchup appear on a lunch menu with fish sticks and make-your-own s'mores.

 

[JZCubed]

The kitchen has always been open concept and it did not appears that there were that many additional seats in close proximity. Plus, for many diners it is entertaining to watch the kitchen and expediting process - my family & I enjoy this view more than that of Wishes to be honest.

There are plenty of glass enclosed kitchens that allow folks to look inside. I like them too. However, the new banquettes closer to the kitchen as you walk to the rear of the restaurant has added more seats. In my opinion, this has added more noise to the entire dining room.

Even before the refurbishment CG did not enforce the dress code. In fact, the only restaurant on WDW property that strictly enforces the dress code is Victoria & Albert's.

I see more and more t-shirts every time I go. What was a lone t-shirt here or there just 5 years ago is now over 1/4 the dining patrons. Some people dress for special occasions; no need to celebrate at CA Grill if so many are willing to make it a perennial beach party instead.

There are two types of "triple-filtered" water served at any restaurant that offers this feature - still and sparkling. It is quite possible that you were served still as it was the overwhelming guest choice on our occasion. The triple filtered water does not come sealed in the bottles at all locations (it does at V&A or if it is sparkling, that is why you saw servers replenishing bottles.

So let me get this right - you admit that mistakes can happen and the wrong water can get served. And you admit that it's OK to marry bottles of water. Do you see the problem now?

More over, I order sparkling water everywhere I can. On this evening at CA Grill, we had two waiters/servers. The first bottle of water, I could not complain, since we moved to a different table with a different server. This second water bottle was flat and I complained - only to be told that the sparkling water at CA Grill is not very sparkly. I know the taste of flat previously sparkling home-made club soda - I make it all the time in my own home.

The Server's comment was offensive all on it's own, double-so given that the same house water was served at V&A just a few days previous with an appropriate amount of bubbles.

Are you suggesting that one Disney water has one set of carbonation standards with a different set of standards at a neighboring restaurant?

I'm sorry to hear about these experiences. But I will ask, did you inquire about the bread and butter or the odd behavior? If something isn't to our satisfaction we point it out

I would rather not eat too much bread and butter. Had I made a fuss, I would have felt obligated to eat more empty calories. In a back-handed way, bad bread & butter is better for my waistline. Regardless, the focaccia was cold.


I can't speak to the food as it is a matter of individual taste. I am sorry that many items were not to your liking.

You're right, many of my complaints have to do with an individual taste. But please explain why my child, who eats hummus all the time, cried after a mere taste of the hummus because she said it was too spicy (she was right) or why more garlic seasoning needs to appear on a child's pizza?

 

[lua1904]

Have to comment and say that we ate there twice in October and the first time our service was utterly lousy, the waiter ignored us most of the evening for a larger table next door and threw every part of our meal at us. The food for the most part was ok, spicy Kazan roll was lovely, pork belly sushi was my husband's favourite and he has a big mouth, mains weren't great, short rib with the texture of liver and gritty scallops. Have to agree with OP that the bread was freezing. My husband had the chocolate cake and said it was unbelievably salty.

Because we loved the California Grill so much on our honeymoon we gave it another go on the last night of our holiday. My husband asked if we could be seated with a different server to the first time and the hostess made such a fuss about not hurting our original server's feelings!!! How about pull him up for his poor customer service?!? When we were buzzed to our table we were taken over to a table that still hadn't been cleared from the previous diner so we were asked to go back to the lounge - no apology for this was given. The food this time was marginally better and so was the server but simple requests were missed such as we asked for sushi with no wasabi and it came with it on, the server was sniffy about the fact I wanted red wine with the dragon roll rather than white and again the bread was frozen!!!

I don't really mind about the dress code of a place but I think customer behaviour is important, I have to say that I was shocked at the number of very drunk people we saw in a number of the signature restaurants this year and thought that it wasn't really appropriate for Disney (we don't have any children)

This was our 3rd year holidaying at Disney and we have decided to spend our money elsewhere next year as we really noticed a marked decline in restaurant quality and we were really disappointed with our accommodation this year too, we were assigned 3 rooms before we found one that was actually habitable - sometimes companies / brands become complacent and we're voting with our feet until they up their game!

 

[sarah4770]

When you are spending $200-$300 for dinner, I don't think it unreasonable to expect good service and good food. If OP was unhappy, he probably had a good reason. The whole "Disney can do no wrong" attitude is no longer appropriate. disney used to be a great company,they set the bar for others, with really great customer service....in the past. Sadly, this is no longer the case. It's our dollars, folks. We work hard for them.

 

[TinkerBelle_325]

There are plenty of glass enclosed kitchens that allow folks to look inside. I like them too. However, the new banquettes closer to the kitchen as you walk to the rear of the restaurant has added more seats. In my opinion, this has added more noise to the entire dining room.

There are also plenty of restaurants that still have an exposed kitchen Gordon Ramsay, one of the most successful and high-end chefs in the mainstream food world uses them in many of his restaurants. Restaurants that charge a lot more than CG. CG always had an open kitchen and this hasn't changed. I don't really understand this complaint. Not a "Disney can do no wrong" rather a "manage your expectations accordingly"

Are you suggesting that one Disney water has one set of carbonation standards with a different set of standards at a neighboring restaurant?

Disney has multiple different types of water on property (unfiltered at quick service locations, filtered but in carafes at casual table service like Kona and Via Napoli, filtered in unsealed bottles at CG [and other signature locations possibly - perhaps the same as is used in carafes at the causal locations] and bottled filtered at V&A) and it is quite easy to suggest that CG has a different filtration and carbonation system. And I simply asked if you had specified sparkling water.

I would rather not eat too much bread and butter. Had I made a fuss, I would have felt obligated to eat more empty calories. In a back-handed way, bad bread & butter is better for my waistline. Regardless, the focaccia was cold.

I meant did you bring your overall issues to the attention of a manager, not just the bread

You're right, many of my complaints have to do with an individual taste. But please explain why my child, who eats hummus all the time, cried after a mere taste of the hummus because she said it was too spicy (she was right) or why more garlic seasoning needs to appear on a child's pizza?

Sorry that the hummus was spicy and the pizza garlicy - from what I saw though, the children's menu offered a combination of the standard "MickeyCheck" meals or those created by the CG staff. It stands to reason that the CG food would be a bit more highly seasoned - the children's meals at Jiko are similar if I am not mistaken - not made bland just for children's palates but rather smaller portions of the same food served to adults.

 

[Eastern]

When you are spending $200-$300 for dinner, I don't think it unreasonable to expect good service and good food. If OP was unhappy, he probably had a good reason. The whole "Disney can do no wrong" attitude is no longer appropriate. disney used to be a great company,they set the bar for others, with really great customer service....in the past. Sadly, this is no longer the case. It's our dollars, folks. We work hard for them.

I agree, and when you are charging $20 for a salad or a few shrimp, there is little room for error.

I have it booked for our Dec trip, but it's mostly because my one son has never seen the fireworks from the outside deck. (We like the sushi there, but I think I could get it cheaper and be just as happy with Kona Island Sushi bar.)

 

[LowesChevy]

I don't know, I ate there last week and had an amazing meal.

Brilliant photographs! I love them

 

[JZCubed]

There are also plenty of restaurants that still have an exposed kitchen Gordon Ramsay, one of the most successful and high-end chefs in the mainstream food world uses them in many of his restaurants. Restaurants that charge a lot more than CG. CG always had an open kitchen and this hasn't changed. I don't really understand this complaint. Not a "Disney can do no wrong" rather a "manage your expectations accordingly"

Seats were added along the path between previous dining space and present. In my view, this has added to the noise level. The noise is as much from new patrons as the previous kitchen. Then patron murmuring feeds to make ambient noise. The entire dining room is nosier because patrons next to the kitchen are increasing overall ambient noise.

Disney has multiple different types of water on property (unfiltered at quick service locations, filtered but in carafes at casual table service like Kona and Via Napoli, filtered in unsealed bottles at CG [and other signature locations possibly - perhaps the same as is used in carafes at the causal locations] and bottled filtered at V&A) and it is quite easy to suggest that CG has a different filtration and carbonation system. And I simply asked if you had specified sparkling water.

I'll say it again - I always specify sparkling. The server admitted as much when suggesting that, "This is the way sparkling water is served here [at CA Grill]." Sparkling water is served in bottles with a heavy-duty twist cap where it also screws to receive carbonation - just like the common self-carbonation systems available at the shopping mall.

I meant did you bring your overall issues to the attention of a manager, not just the bread.

Prolonging the meal to meet the needs of management and not my family was unnecessary. I can write a review/comments while they sleep. One other blogger also experienced focaccia cold bread.

Sorry that the hummus was spicy and the pizza garlicy - from what I saw though, the children's menu offered a combination of the standard "MickeyCheck" meals or those created by the CG staff. It stands to reason that the CG food would be a bit more highly seasoned - the children's meals at Jiko are similar if I am not mistaken - not made bland just for children's palates but rather smaller portions of the same food served to adults.

My child typically eats beef or chicken from Disney menus. After a week, a pizza is what she wanted. Only reason we ordered hummus too, was because DD had consumed some with enthusiasm just a few meals previous and the Surf 'n' Turf appetizer & Sushi were arriving at different times. For a place that makes their own flatbreads, the pizza was boring without any garlic oil.

Hummus is not made by adding copious quantities of raw garlic to chickpeas. Would Jiko serve inhumane amounts of raw garlic to adults, yet alone children?

Here's what you should imagine: add 1/4 cup raw garlic to 3/4 cup prepared hummus. Let rest. Consume.

The bad hummus is not merely a fine line between well-seasoned and over-seasoned.

 

[Couchy]

I have to agree with the OP. I am not overly critical. I have done several live dining reports but when we recently went to CA Grill it was not good.

Service was awful- went went about 30 minutes without seeing our server. We asked another server multiple times to see a manager but one never appeared. When our waiter finally reappeared after the other server told him we were unhappy he blamed another table for his 30 minute absence. That is unprofessional.

Food:Farm Fresh Salad with poached egg. Egg was very overdone with no oozing yellow center. Also 2 pistachios still had shells on them and I bit into one. That is no good. Could not send back because this was the 30 minutes of absence.

I had tuna 4 ways for my entree and asked for no wasabi on the plate or on the sushi. It had wasabi on 2 of the 4 ways.

My DH ordered pork and the pork tenderloin was overdone. Dried out, no pink( he ordered it medium rare)

I did not eat most of my salad or the tuna with the wasabi. I was told sorry about the wasabi but was not offered a remedy. Husband did not eat his pork that was overdone and too dry

Asked to speak to a manager again and none came.

When the bill came the server comped us a glass of wine ( because we waited 30 minutes for it. ) Nothing was done about our uneaten food. No comp, no offer of a replacement. Never got see a manager.

This is completely unacceptable . We left and had to go to our resort and eat there