This will be our first time to dine at California Grill. I just have a few questions.
Are most seats in viewing area of the MK and Wishes?
I have a 7:45pm reservation at California Grill and Wishes is scheduled to be at 8pm. What are the chances that we will be seated in time to view Wishes?
Any suggestions on dessert?
Thanks for any info and suggestions.
California Grill is a really good meal. We just ate there two weeks ago, and while I would agree with those who criticize that is has gone down a bit in service and with the "standards of excellence", it is a really great experience. My biggest gripe for the decline of CG is really in the patrons - we saw more park attire this time than in any of our prior experiences. Our server was excellent and the food was top notch. None the less, on to your questions:
Quite a few of the seats are with a view of MK, but you will want to request it when you make the ressie and again when you check in. All patrons are allowed outside for the viewing, and if the weather is good, you may want to do that anyway.
I would show up a bit early for that ressie, just to ensure you are seated, particularly if you are going to wait for a "better table". You may not have the option though, as the people who booked from 6:30 on are all probably trying to wait it out for the Wishes view.
Their desserts are all pretty solid. The Valrhona Chocolate Cake was really good. We got the apple cobbler this past time, and while it was more like a crisp than a cobbler, it was really good too. We had cappucinos as well, and those were made pretty well.
If you want to read it, here is an except from my most recent trip report:
For those that haven't been there, the California Grill check in is on the 2nd floor of the Contemporary, and after checking in they take you up to the 15th floor, which is at the top of the hotel where the restaurant is located. We checked in rather early - it was 5:10-5:15, so it wasn't that surprising that we had to wait to be seated. We waited until 5:30 or a little after and then were shown to our table, which was a great four seater on the MK viewing side. They wished Bekka a Happy Birthday as we were seated, and soon there after our server came to greet us.
After chatting a bit about the northeast (he was from Massachusetts, on the NH border), he took our drink order (two iced teas and a jack & soda) as well as our order for an appetizer. We went with a flatbread for the table - it was braised beef with "mango pickles" and three cheeses. Sounds a little odd, but it was incredibly delicious. He came back with our drinks and then as our appy was being prepared took our dinner order. I don't remember all of the details of every dish, but DW ordered the tortelloni, which I know was a vegetarian option, while MIL had a california roll and a ceasar salad. FIL had what he called "the best salmon dish of my life", and seeing as he was in Alaska last summer, that is a big complement. I went with the bison, which was served with a "vegetable risotto" (the vegetables were the risotto) and mushrooms. It was incredible. Bison is just like beef, except much leaner and better for you. I paired it with a pinot noir, which went perfectly.
We ordered two coffees and two cappuccinos for dessert drinks, and DW & I split the apple cobbler (which was more like a crisp) while the in laws shared the molten chocolate cake. All dessert items were great. During dinner they played with the blinds a bit as the sun was definitely shining strong. Right before sunset they put the blinds up for good, and just after the sun dipped below the horizon, one of the staff announced "ladies and gentlemen, the California Grill sunset", which got a good applause from the patrons.
