danandjackie
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Nov 3, 2003
- Messages
- 440
Good Grief this one has been a long time coming, so apologies for that to start with.. I have actually missed out a couple of things from the day including a great lunch at Lombards in Universal Studios and the day at the Studios, I will add those to the trip reports.
The evening ended at universal with us both exhausted and sleeping in DTD Hilton till the alarm awoke us with only an hour or so to spare to get to the Grand Floridian. After the usual hop across the road to the Transportation center in DTD we were on the bus to the Grand Floridian.
The Foyer was beautiful I remember and there was a live band playing carols on the first balcony, so we wandered up to have a listen before heading to the V&A, we had taken what was probably the last sitting, I think it was 9.30pm, and were shown to our table and treated with fantastic service and hospitality until sometime after midnight.
We had discussed previously that we did not want to take the wine package simply because there are wines on the list we wanted to taste, beautiful Sauvignons from New Zealand and Ripe full Zinfandels from the Santa Rosa and Sonoma areas of California. We have become experts on avoiding the big name brands, where you pay for marketing and a bland over oaked taste.
We were seated under the dome with 3 other tables of 2, outside this were a couple of larger tables including one of 12 with the most wonderfully behaved children ever. At last a restaurant with an excellent ambience though it still felt rather cold as usual and Jackie kept her Jacket over her strappy black dress for the first course at least.( Way too much air con and it was freezing at night)
I am now having to look at our menu and try to work out who had what, though in truth we each tasted the other's dishes anyway.
After a tongue tingling Amuse Bouche to excite yet freshen the taste buds I had the Terrine of Foie Gras with Pumpernickel Curls and Sierra Beauty Apple Chutney
[
and Jackie had the Jumbo Lump and Peekytoe Crab Timbale with Avocado Crouton
. It will defy logic for me to keep describing each dish as outstanding so I will try to pick out one thing that was excellent in each dish and suffice to say that quality, presentation, service, explanations, seasoning, texture etc etc were second to none for every course.
Here in the first course I notice from some hasty notes that texture was perfect in the Terrine and that the Crab was light and subtle and not to heavy in the way a dressed crab dish can be..
The next course was a Kurobuta Pork Tenderloin and Belly with Serrano Ham for myself
and Nantucket Scallop with Shaved Fennel and Satsuma Tangerines for Jackie
Here the small piece of Pork Belly was a masterpiece in care over cooking.. Our waitress (whose name I have unfortunately forgot but who was fun and not overly serious, but who certainly knew what she was talking about).. The Belly she explained had been slow roasted for over 24hrs .It was a texture I had never tasted before..Even Jackie was persuaded to take a sliver and this is a girl who will not let a morsel of fat pass her lips..
Next was Alaskan Sable Fish with Florida Corn, topped with a garnish of wild mustard cress that was a taste experience on its own,
just a slight criticism here, babycorn should not be served in any restaurant, It seems to me to be one of the most useless vegetables on the planet, thankfully it had been cut in half. It seems to be a dinner party cliche vegetable that provides no taste, a poor texture and is the most bland insipid color in the world once cooked..(Rant over back to the meal).. The fish was super though and wonderfully cooked, flaking yet still translucent..
Jackie took the Kabocha Squash Cream with Hazlenuts in a mini Zucchini,
this she declared as wonderful, with just a hint of spice, she was part way through it before we got the camera onto it.
Next the MacFarlane Pheasant with Porcini Pasta and Truffle Foam
and the Marcho Farm Veal Tenderloin with Laura Chenel Goat Cheese Gnocchi.. Beautiful.
The next course was a Baked Seckle Pear with Gorgonzola Dolce and there was plenty of Gorgonzola in the poached pear,
and Jackie had the Pineapple Passion Sorbet with Micro Mint. Nice and refreshing but starting to burst by now!
I then had the Grand marnier souffle,
and Jackie had the Vanilla Bean Creme Brulee
All of this was then followed by a scientific demonstration in how to make coffee using a vacuum only I forgot to take a picture of the antique looking machine...
In all the bill came to $274 dollars, including wine and service However (and this is what makes V&A) unique, the service is out of this world, the whole experience is given that slight Disney Magic (all be it in a good subtle way)
Worth therefore every cent..
Danny
The evening ended at universal with us both exhausted and sleeping in DTD Hilton till the alarm awoke us with only an hour or so to spare to get to the Grand Floridian. After the usual hop across the road to the Transportation center in DTD we were on the bus to the Grand Floridian.
The Foyer was beautiful I remember and there was a live band playing carols on the first balcony, so we wandered up to have a listen before heading to the V&A, we had taken what was probably the last sitting, I think it was 9.30pm, and were shown to our table and treated with fantastic service and hospitality until sometime after midnight.
We had discussed previously that we did not want to take the wine package simply because there are wines on the list we wanted to taste, beautiful Sauvignons from New Zealand and Ripe full Zinfandels from the Santa Rosa and Sonoma areas of California. We have become experts on avoiding the big name brands, where you pay for marketing and a bland over oaked taste.
We were seated under the dome with 3 other tables of 2, outside this were a couple of larger tables including one of 12 with the most wonderfully behaved children ever. At last a restaurant with an excellent ambience though it still felt rather cold as usual and Jackie kept her Jacket over her strappy black dress for the first course at least.( Way too much air con and it was freezing at night)
I am now having to look at our menu and try to work out who had what, though in truth we each tasted the other's dishes anyway.
After a tongue tingling Amuse Bouche to excite yet freshen the taste buds I had the Terrine of Foie Gras with Pumpernickel Curls and Sierra Beauty Apple Chutney
[
and Jackie had the Jumbo Lump and Peekytoe Crab Timbale with Avocado Crouton
. It will defy logic for me to keep describing each dish as outstanding so I will try to pick out one thing that was excellent in each dish and suffice to say that quality, presentation, service, explanations, seasoning, texture etc etc were second to none for every course.
Here in the first course I notice from some hasty notes that texture was perfect in the Terrine and that the Crab was light and subtle and not to heavy in the way a dressed crab dish can be..
The next course was a Kurobuta Pork Tenderloin and Belly with Serrano Ham for myself
and Nantucket Scallop with Shaved Fennel and Satsuma Tangerines for Jackie
Here the small piece of Pork Belly was a masterpiece in care over cooking.. Our waitress (whose name I have unfortunately forgot but who was fun and not overly serious, but who certainly knew what she was talking about).. The Belly she explained had been slow roasted for over 24hrs .It was a texture I had never tasted before..Even Jackie was persuaded to take a sliver and this is a girl who will not let a morsel of fat pass her lips..
Next was Alaskan Sable Fish with Florida Corn, topped with a garnish of wild mustard cress that was a taste experience on its own,
just a slight criticism here, babycorn should not be served in any restaurant, It seems to me to be one of the most useless vegetables on the planet, thankfully it had been cut in half. It seems to be a dinner party cliche vegetable that provides no taste, a poor texture and is the most bland insipid color in the world once cooked..(Rant over back to the meal).. The fish was super though and wonderfully cooked, flaking yet still translucent..
Jackie took the Kabocha Squash Cream with Hazlenuts in a mini Zucchini,
this she declared as wonderful, with just a hint of spice, she was part way through it before we got the camera onto it.
Next the MacFarlane Pheasant with Porcini Pasta and Truffle Foam
and the Marcho Farm Veal Tenderloin with Laura Chenel Goat Cheese Gnocchi.. Beautiful.
The next course was a Baked Seckle Pear with Gorgonzola Dolce and there was plenty of Gorgonzola in the poached pear,
and Jackie had the Pineapple Passion Sorbet with Micro Mint. Nice and refreshing but starting to burst by now!
I then had the Grand marnier souffle,
and Jackie had the Vanilla Bean Creme Brulee
All of this was then followed by a scientific demonstration in how to make coffee using a vacuum only I forgot to take a picture of the antique looking machine...
In all the bill came to $274 dollars, including wine and service However (and this is what makes V&A) unique, the service is out of this world, the whole experience is given that slight Disney Magic (all be it in a good subtle way)
Worth therefore every cent..
Danny
we ate there on our wedding night.
