Final batch. Had to excuse myself for a few minutes so I could regain my composure after some of our final edits. I added some notes at the end about our experiences w/ the concierge as they played a significant culinary role in our trip. As always, all typos and inconsistencies are intentional and meant to keep you alert. Please feel free to chare any comments or questions with the group.
-Andrew
8/9
Quick B'fast at WL Concierge
Lunch at Concourse Steakhouse (Contemporary)
H- Shellfish Bisque - garnished with chives
H- 8 oz. Grilled Filet Mignon - roasted garlic smashed potatoes and red wine butter and sautéed mushrooms
H- Virgin Pina Colada
A- Five-Onion Soup - with melted Gruyere, Provolone and Parmesan cheeses
A- Oven Roasted Mushroom and Linguini - toasted with roasted mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes, herbs and parmesan cheese
A- Banana chocolata drink
H/A Strawberry shortcake
$91.59
We were feeling really bloated by this time in our trip, so I fear that we enjoyed the Concourse a little less than if we had dined here off plan. Having just come from our parasailing excursion, our stomachs were also a little off kilter. We had PSs just after the opened, at 12 noon. The drinks were very good and probably should have substituted them for our desserts. My five-onion soup was quite tasty and they did a good job on it. But it did taste just like onion soup. The mushroom linguini was recommended by our server as a nice, light alternative, but it still felt quite heavy after several forkfuls. I think it was a bad choice and should have gone with something else. The strawberry shortcake, on the other hand, went down very easily and I nearly ate the whole thing, even though it was supposed to be shared.
Heathers shellfish bisque was really good, and she ate it (perhaps too) quickly. The filet with mushrooms was just overkill. She ate the taters but the half pound of beef, while well prepared and tasty, was simply too much for my 96 lb bride.
We had a nice high-back booth that helped keep down the sound of Chef Mickeys next door. The restaurant was very open, what with being on the concourse level, and I felt it was a nice contrast to some of the darker establishment on property. Our server was quite friendly, but she definitely became less attentive as the place filled up and her Ill be right back as soon as I . lost all veracity. I would likely come back here, but maybe just for apps and a fun drink.
Dinner at Fulton's Crab House (DTD)
H- Fried calamari
H- Key lime pie
A- dozen oyster sampler
A- double chocolate cake with a white espresso cream
H/A shared the king crab claws and Australian lobster tails
H had a Captains cooler to drink (strawberry daquari/pina colada mix) and A had a ginger peach tea. The staff left a congratulatory card on our table prior to seating.
$168.37
We are big fans of Fultons and pretty much knew what we wanted before we even stepped on the old Empress Lilly. Several people without reservations were seated ahead of us so we were starting to get a bit miffed. But when we were seated (with a wait of perhaps only 7 minutes) we had a nice congratulatory card on the table from the Fultons staff for our honeymoon.
My oysters were a quartet of three kinds Id not heard of nor can remember. The first 4 were small and as I moved around the tray counter clockwise, they got larger until the final 4 which were nearly too big to be swallowed whole! They came with cocktail sauce and jalapeno sorbet, which will always be odd to me.
Heathers fried calamari was excellently prepared with only a light batter and just a dip in the hot oil. They were still very tender and flavorful, not stringy at all, in contrast to many other versions. They arrived with Fultons World Famous Tartar Sauce which seemed less than extra-ordinary, and I even preferred the marinara.
The king crab claws and Australian lobster tails, as always, knocked our socks off. The claws were so easy to open and eat, while the Australian lobster had a grilled, yet sweet taste. They truly didnt need the accompanying drawn butter. Oh yes, there were also some red skin potatoes on the side, but I only vaguely remember them!
Heather really liked the key lime pie, with its enjoyable tartness although still somewhat dense. My cake was delicious, but less-than-memorable after the entrée. She also was glad she had the Captains Cooler, but it wasnt as good as the pina colada from Concourse. My longevity tea came in a bottle and was very refreshing.
Lastly for the day, we enjoyed Cordials on our balcony at the Wilderness Lodge while watching the fireworks.
8/10
Quick B'fast at WL Concierge
Lunch at Coral Reef (Epcot)
H-stone crab claws
H- Seafood Medley Open Face Ravioli - creamy clam sauce
H- Lost at Sea- trio of sorbets (coconut, raspberry & hot mango)
A- Pan-Seared Jumbo Scallops - braised artichokes, paddle fish caviar, veal sauce
A- blackened catfish on creamy pepper jack cheese grits
A- The Chocolate Wave - warm liquid chocolate cake with white chocolate ice cream, dried cherry compote
A/H cokes & Vittel
$91.60
Wed not eaten here before, although I had visited as a youngster many moons ago, when the décor and cuisine were a tad more conservative. My scallops were very good, although I felt the veal sauce had a bit of a burned flavor that detracted from the delicateness of the scallops. Heather, on the other hand, thought they were the best shed ever eaten, very tender not fibrous at all. The paddlefish caviar were used sparingly and I think that was a wise culinary decision. My blackened catfish was much better than I expected. While a few bites of the very thin edges tasted a bit over-blackened, the vast majority of it had a great, complex taste of smoke and fish. The grits underneath added a wonderfully contrasting smoothness, however the garnish on top (I think it was peppers) could have been left off, in my opinion.
Neither Heather nor I had tasted stone crab claws and they were nothing to write home about. I think Heather got 6 of them in total, and they were served chilled. Her seafood ravioli was disappointing and overly oily, which was a close call for me, since I had almost ordered it. While mahi mahi and salmon are definitely food from the sea, I think we were expecting more shellfish and less finfish. She did like the salmon in it, tho.
As always, I seemed to pick the winning dessert. The liquid just oozed so divinely out of the cake and I was sorry it went so quickly. Im not a fan of white chocolate, so I didnt really dig into the ice cream to deeply. Heathers sorbet trio was quite good as well. Per our servers suggestion, we used the coconut in between eating the other flavors to help bind them all together. The hot mango did indeed get hot very quickly, and we discovered the secret is red pepper flakes. Interesting combination, but not offensive.
It was very nice to sit in a relatively dark and quiet place, watching all the sea life float by. We saw sharks and tarpons, rays and schools of smaller fish. Scuba divers came by every so often and we even got a quick glimpse of the giant sea turtle. I would probably come back here for another meal, if only to enjoy the atmosphere.
Wine tasting at German Pavillion (Epcot)
Dinner at Bistro de Paris (Epcot)
H- Duck Foie Gras Cooked in Terrine red onions marmalades and spices caramel
H- Warm Grand-Marnier Soufflé
A- Browned Curry Scallops and Seared Shrimp - thin fried beets and fresh goat cheese
A- Hot crepes glazed with orange sauce flambeed with Grand Marnier
A/H each had Pan Seared Lobster and its Bisque - sautéed vegetables and mushroom potato puree
Bottle of Vouvray and Vittel to drink
$241.05
This was another experience for us, as we had only dined at the Chefs de France below. We sat next to each other on a high-backed leather booth. Our waiter was very nice and charmingly French, from Strasbourg. He was excited that we knew where that was.
My scallops were divine, thinly sliced and swimming in a sumptuous cream sauce. The seared shrimp on top had the most wonderful flavor of shrimp that showcased their freshness and only a quick sear on extremely high heat. I didnt discover the fresh goat cheese whip in the middle of the platter until halfway through the course. This was a horrible mistake as the tartness of the cheese accentuated the decadence of the cream sauce superbly. I could go on for paragraphs, but would only end up repeating myself.
The duck foie gras was a big hit with Heather and I found it to be very similar to braunschweiger, although of a much higher caliber. We both had pan-seared lobster which was placed on top of a pool of lobster bisque and covered a nice portion of pureed potatoes. We both agreed this was a great choice.
Heathers soufflé greatly deflated when the waiter pricked it to pour in the grand marnier. It seemed underdone, as it was very custardy not at all like the Grand Marnier soufflé at V&As. My crepes suzette were fun to watch as they prepared tableside and then I scarfed them up very quickly. They had a nice light orange taste and a small portion of seasonal berries as a garnish.
We were able to see a bit of the Illuminations from our seat which was a nice treat. We had not scheduled any time to see these fireworks, but we caught a good portion of it, despite the narrowness of the windows. Unfortunately, there was a child in the dining room who felt it appropriate to wail out every 5 minutes. His parents let him do this for a while. Finally, his mother, who was wearing some sort of tiny bikini top, took him outside. A table across from us had three children, two of which started roaming around the restaurant after the fireworks, blowing out candles on unused tables. They also constantly muttered to themselves and generally got in the way of the wait staff, many of whom were playing with some serious fire, making crepes. Dont get me started on these kinds of parents ..
8/11
Breakfast at Donald's Breakfastosaurus (AK)
H/A standard breakfast fare with eggs, bacon, fruit, cheese, juice etc.
~$40
No surprises here. While Mickey was just leaving our room as we entered, we got to pose with Donald, Pluto and Goofy. They have an odd server setup, whereby you are taken to the table by one person in Diner-staff garb. Someone else takes your drink order and then there are these roaming bands of paleontologists who clear plates and snap your photo upon request. One of our waitresses got the room to clap for us and then made us stand up and kiss. We got a pic and felt only a little silly.
Lunch at Rose & Crown (Epcot)
H- Mushroom Medley - Fresh wild and domestic mushrooms cooked with garlic, shallots and cream, served with a puffed pastry
H- Beefeater - sliced roast beef on a toasted English muffin toped with gravy, stilton cheese and chips
H- Traditional Sherry Trifle - Sherry-flavored sponge cake, layered with strawberry jam, topped with cold custard, and whipped cream
A- Fruit and Cheese Plate - Authentic British cheeses served with fresh seasonal fruit
A- Ploughman's Lunch - Sliced turkey and ham over mixed greens served with English cheeses, marinated vegetable, egg, with Stilton Cheese Dressing
A- Sticky Toffee Pudding - steamed pudding with vanilla custard and butter rum sauce
A had a tenants and a Tynants bottled water and H had a coke
$63.11
Heathers mushrooms were OK, but not great. The beefeater was a huge pile of heavy tastes, and was probably a bad choice, given our several previous days of gorging. Shed never had a sherry trifle before, and it proved to be the lightest course of the meal.
My cheese wedge was 5 county cheeses sandwiched together, which made it difficult to taste them individually, and really muddled the experience. On my Ploughmans, the stilton dressing was too much after the stilton slice I had for my starter. Doesnt matter how much you like cheese, you CAN overdo it. The sticky toffee pudding was also a new item for us, rich but I think Id order than again.
We liked our server who had a great sense of humor and just seemed to be in the jolliest of moods even during the thick lunch rush.
Dinner was at Jiko (AKL)
H- Duck Firecracker - Hot Spring and cold summer rolls with oyster dipping sauce and jicama-apple slaw
H- Steamed Golden Bass - with spicy Chaka-Laka sauce and corn pap
H- Kilimanjaro Cake - spice cookie shell filled with chocolate and peanut butter, splashed with chocolate-malt sauce
A- Brentwood Corn Soup - with shredded spinach, homemade yogurt and a hint of peri-peri pepper
A- Duck Confit and Grilled Duck Sausage with ratatouille, lentil salad and roasted vegetable vinaigrette
A- "Afrikaanse" Milk Tart - with dried cherry broth and toasted nuts
H had a glass of Mulderbosh Sauvignon Blanc and A had a glass of Carbiere Pinot Noir
$120.96
Our last meal of the plan and a new spot for us. HPs least favorite restaurant, even though the place had a nice décor. Duck Rolls were OK, fine. But she found the bass horrible. When she ordered, she asked how spicey the accompanying sauce was and we were told it was easy on the spice. When the waiter delivered the dish, however, he retracted his original statement and suggested that it may very well indeed be too much. In his favor, he did offer to fetch another one with the sauce separate if she desired. She waved him off, but really only picked at her plate. To top it off, every bite of the fish had bones in it which pretty much put the brakes on the course. She describes her dessert as a hard cookie shell filled with Hersheys syrup and little bit of peanut butter, topped by some cold chocolate malt topping. Disappointing after some of the others wed had on our trip.
I really dug my soup. As with previous dishes, I had eaten half, then discovered the yogurt/peri-peri which I assumed was meant to be swirled into the soup. Since I had already downed a good portion, the full strength of peri-peri made the dish almost too spicey. Still quite delicious, nonetheless. My confit was very good, and I found the sausage very piquant- perhaps too many flavors on one plate. The best part was the confit skin. My milk tart was great, not too heavy and the dried cherries added a nice contrast to the tarts creaminess. Going with wine by the glass was a good choice, since we probably could not have finished a whole bottle and we got to try two different types.
Would we return? I doubt it. While it deserves another chance, WDW just has too many other places we cant miss. The kitchen was also close to closing time and maybe this had some affect on the meal.
8/12
Breakfast at Boma's Buffet (AKL)
$36.53
Made-to-order omelets, a carving station, typical fruits and breakfast fare. They suggested we save room for the pecan pull-a-parts (sticky buns) and we tried but they were huge! Opted instead for an almond bear claw which may have been a better choice in the long run. We had the frunch which was a nice fruit juice punch blend. Our final meal at WDW, so a little sad that we would have to go back to the real world and cook for ourselves.
A note About the Grand Floridian and Wilderness Lodge Concierge and their food offerings:
We used these as our breakfasts and for just very light midday snacks. Since we were stuffing ourselves in the afternoons and evenings at full-service restaurants, we found that they were best used in this manner. The GF had a couple pastries and a nice fruit selection in the morning. In the evening, they would present a selection of domestic wines (some would go very fast) and a few tasty appetizers- roast beef slices, cheese assortment, vegetable sushi, wraps of Thai noodles & shrimp w/ a peanut sauce, brownies and other small sweet snacks. Throughout the day we might stop in for some bottled water or glass of juice. Some of our most favorite moments of the entire trip (except for the wedding itself) were looking out the big bay windows of the 4th floor onto the GF grounds, having a light glass of wine and listening to the orchestra or pianist play. It was so sublime- decadent yet relaxed; understated in its grandness; not at all pretentious but with a certain air of if only we could live like this!. Words cant describe how happy we felt in those surroundings as they typify a most comforting environment to us.
The Wilderness Lodge Concierge is a bit of a contrast. As one would expect the surroundings are a bit more minimal in their creature comforts. They had no comparable relaxing view and it was almost as if the concierge setup was an afterthought once the lodge was constructed. The staff were just as friendly, if not more so and they took a very personal interest in what we had done/seen/planned for our stay. The food was, again, very light and not meant to replace a true meal. We often skipped the fruit for our breakfasts because they seemed less fresh and were often tossed together rather than as an assorted platter. They did have a nice juice service and offered some hot appetizers from Artist Point. But we were not impressed by these app offerings. I opted for some cheese or a pastry. We did get to have cordials here one night, which we unfortunately missed during our GF stay. Another special moment was sipping these on our private balcony, watching the MK fireworks.
I fear we have been spoiled by this first trip at the Concierge level, and will now have to save up twice as long so we can continue the tradition. At the GF, we definitely agree it was worth it, assuming you can budget time for some relaxing moments. At the WL, its harder to say- were not sure we would return to the Lodge, but only because we now think of the Grand as our true home at Disney.
-Andrew
8/9
Quick B'fast at WL Concierge
Lunch at Concourse Steakhouse (Contemporary)
H- Shellfish Bisque - garnished with chives
H- 8 oz. Grilled Filet Mignon - roasted garlic smashed potatoes and red wine butter and sautéed mushrooms
H- Virgin Pina Colada
A- Five-Onion Soup - with melted Gruyere, Provolone and Parmesan cheeses
A- Oven Roasted Mushroom and Linguini - toasted with roasted mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes, herbs and parmesan cheese
A- Banana chocolata drink
H/A Strawberry shortcake
$91.59
We were feeling really bloated by this time in our trip, so I fear that we enjoyed the Concourse a little less than if we had dined here off plan. Having just come from our parasailing excursion, our stomachs were also a little off kilter. We had PSs just after the opened, at 12 noon. The drinks were very good and probably should have substituted them for our desserts. My five-onion soup was quite tasty and they did a good job on it. But it did taste just like onion soup. The mushroom linguini was recommended by our server as a nice, light alternative, but it still felt quite heavy after several forkfuls. I think it was a bad choice and should have gone with something else. The strawberry shortcake, on the other hand, went down very easily and I nearly ate the whole thing, even though it was supposed to be shared.
Heathers shellfish bisque was really good, and she ate it (perhaps too) quickly. The filet with mushrooms was just overkill. She ate the taters but the half pound of beef, while well prepared and tasty, was simply too much for my 96 lb bride.
We had a nice high-back booth that helped keep down the sound of Chef Mickeys next door. The restaurant was very open, what with being on the concourse level, and I felt it was a nice contrast to some of the darker establishment on property. Our server was quite friendly, but she definitely became less attentive as the place filled up and her Ill be right back as soon as I . lost all veracity. I would likely come back here, but maybe just for apps and a fun drink.
Dinner at Fulton's Crab House (DTD)
H- Fried calamari
H- Key lime pie
A- dozen oyster sampler
A- double chocolate cake with a white espresso cream
H/A shared the king crab claws and Australian lobster tails
H had a Captains cooler to drink (strawberry daquari/pina colada mix) and A had a ginger peach tea. The staff left a congratulatory card on our table prior to seating.
$168.37
We are big fans of Fultons and pretty much knew what we wanted before we even stepped on the old Empress Lilly. Several people without reservations were seated ahead of us so we were starting to get a bit miffed. But when we were seated (with a wait of perhaps only 7 minutes) we had a nice congratulatory card on the table from the Fultons staff for our honeymoon.
My oysters were a quartet of three kinds Id not heard of nor can remember. The first 4 were small and as I moved around the tray counter clockwise, they got larger until the final 4 which were nearly too big to be swallowed whole! They came with cocktail sauce and jalapeno sorbet, which will always be odd to me.
Heathers fried calamari was excellently prepared with only a light batter and just a dip in the hot oil. They were still very tender and flavorful, not stringy at all, in contrast to many other versions. They arrived with Fultons World Famous Tartar Sauce which seemed less than extra-ordinary, and I even preferred the marinara.
The king crab claws and Australian lobster tails, as always, knocked our socks off. The claws were so easy to open and eat, while the Australian lobster had a grilled, yet sweet taste. They truly didnt need the accompanying drawn butter. Oh yes, there were also some red skin potatoes on the side, but I only vaguely remember them!
Heather really liked the key lime pie, with its enjoyable tartness although still somewhat dense. My cake was delicious, but less-than-memorable after the entrée. She also was glad she had the Captains Cooler, but it wasnt as good as the pina colada from Concourse. My longevity tea came in a bottle and was very refreshing.
Lastly for the day, we enjoyed Cordials on our balcony at the Wilderness Lodge while watching the fireworks.
8/10
Quick B'fast at WL Concierge
Lunch at Coral Reef (Epcot)
H-stone crab claws
H- Seafood Medley Open Face Ravioli - creamy clam sauce
H- Lost at Sea- trio of sorbets (coconut, raspberry & hot mango)
A- Pan-Seared Jumbo Scallops - braised artichokes, paddle fish caviar, veal sauce
A- blackened catfish on creamy pepper jack cheese grits
A- The Chocolate Wave - warm liquid chocolate cake with white chocolate ice cream, dried cherry compote
A/H cokes & Vittel
$91.60
Wed not eaten here before, although I had visited as a youngster many moons ago, when the décor and cuisine were a tad more conservative. My scallops were very good, although I felt the veal sauce had a bit of a burned flavor that detracted from the delicateness of the scallops. Heather, on the other hand, thought they were the best shed ever eaten, very tender not fibrous at all. The paddlefish caviar were used sparingly and I think that was a wise culinary decision. My blackened catfish was much better than I expected. While a few bites of the very thin edges tasted a bit over-blackened, the vast majority of it had a great, complex taste of smoke and fish. The grits underneath added a wonderfully contrasting smoothness, however the garnish on top (I think it was peppers) could have been left off, in my opinion.
Neither Heather nor I had tasted stone crab claws and they were nothing to write home about. I think Heather got 6 of them in total, and they were served chilled. Her seafood ravioli was disappointing and overly oily, which was a close call for me, since I had almost ordered it. While mahi mahi and salmon are definitely food from the sea, I think we were expecting more shellfish and less finfish. She did like the salmon in it, tho.
As always, I seemed to pick the winning dessert. The liquid just oozed so divinely out of the cake and I was sorry it went so quickly. Im not a fan of white chocolate, so I didnt really dig into the ice cream to deeply. Heathers sorbet trio was quite good as well. Per our servers suggestion, we used the coconut in between eating the other flavors to help bind them all together. The hot mango did indeed get hot very quickly, and we discovered the secret is red pepper flakes. Interesting combination, but not offensive.
It was very nice to sit in a relatively dark and quiet place, watching all the sea life float by. We saw sharks and tarpons, rays and schools of smaller fish. Scuba divers came by every so often and we even got a quick glimpse of the giant sea turtle. I would probably come back here for another meal, if only to enjoy the atmosphere.
Wine tasting at German Pavillion (Epcot)
Dinner at Bistro de Paris (Epcot)
H- Duck Foie Gras Cooked in Terrine red onions marmalades and spices caramel
H- Warm Grand-Marnier Soufflé
A- Browned Curry Scallops and Seared Shrimp - thin fried beets and fresh goat cheese
A- Hot crepes glazed with orange sauce flambeed with Grand Marnier
A/H each had Pan Seared Lobster and its Bisque - sautéed vegetables and mushroom potato puree
Bottle of Vouvray and Vittel to drink
$241.05
This was another experience for us, as we had only dined at the Chefs de France below. We sat next to each other on a high-backed leather booth. Our waiter was very nice and charmingly French, from Strasbourg. He was excited that we knew where that was.
My scallops were divine, thinly sliced and swimming in a sumptuous cream sauce. The seared shrimp on top had the most wonderful flavor of shrimp that showcased their freshness and only a quick sear on extremely high heat. I didnt discover the fresh goat cheese whip in the middle of the platter until halfway through the course. This was a horrible mistake as the tartness of the cheese accentuated the decadence of the cream sauce superbly. I could go on for paragraphs, but would only end up repeating myself.
The duck foie gras was a big hit with Heather and I found it to be very similar to braunschweiger, although of a much higher caliber. We both had pan-seared lobster which was placed on top of a pool of lobster bisque and covered a nice portion of pureed potatoes. We both agreed this was a great choice.
Heathers soufflé greatly deflated when the waiter pricked it to pour in the grand marnier. It seemed underdone, as it was very custardy not at all like the Grand Marnier soufflé at V&As. My crepes suzette were fun to watch as they prepared tableside and then I scarfed them up very quickly. They had a nice light orange taste and a small portion of seasonal berries as a garnish.
We were able to see a bit of the Illuminations from our seat which was a nice treat. We had not scheduled any time to see these fireworks, but we caught a good portion of it, despite the narrowness of the windows. Unfortunately, there was a child in the dining room who felt it appropriate to wail out every 5 minutes. His parents let him do this for a while. Finally, his mother, who was wearing some sort of tiny bikini top, took him outside. A table across from us had three children, two of which started roaming around the restaurant after the fireworks, blowing out candles on unused tables. They also constantly muttered to themselves and generally got in the way of the wait staff, many of whom were playing with some serious fire, making crepes. Dont get me started on these kinds of parents ..
8/11
Breakfast at Donald's Breakfastosaurus (AK)
H/A standard breakfast fare with eggs, bacon, fruit, cheese, juice etc.
~$40
No surprises here. While Mickey was just leaving our room as we entered, we got to pose with Donald, Pluto and Goofy. They have an odd server setup, whereby you are taken to the table by one person in Diner-staff garb. Someone else takes your drink order and then there are these roaming bands of paleontologists who clear plates and snap your photo upon request. One of our waitresses got the room to clap for us and then made us stand up and kiss. We got a pic and felt only a little silly.
Lunch at Rose & Crown (Epcot)
H- Mushroom Medley - Fresh wild and domestic mushrooms cooked with garlic, shallots and cream, served with a puffed pastry
H- Beefeater - sliced roast beef on a toasted English muffin toped with gravy, stilton cheese and chips
H- Traditional Sherry Trifle - Sherry-flavored sponge cake, layered with strawberry jam, topped with cold custard, and whipped cream
A- Fruit and Cheese Plate - Authentic British cheeses served with fresh seasonal fruit
A- Ploughman's Lunch - Sliced turkey and ham over mixed greens served with English cheeses, marinated vegetable, egg, with Stilton Cheese Dressing
A- Sticky Toffee Pudding - steamed pudding with vanilla custard and butter rum sauce
A had a tenants and a Tynants bottled water and H had a coke
$63.11
Heathers mushrooms were OK, but not great. The beefeater was a huge pile of heavy tastes, and was probably a bad choice, given our several previous days of gorging. Shed never had a sherry trifle before, and it proved to be the lightest course of the meal.
My cheese wedge was 5 county cheeses sandwiched together, which made it difficult to taste them individually, and really muddled the experience. On my Ploughmans, the stilton dressing was too much after the stilton slice I had for my starter. Doesnt matter how much you like cheese, you CAN overdo it. The sticky toffee pudding was also a new item for us, rich but I think Id order than again.
We liked our server who had a great sense of humor and just seemed to be in the jolliest of moods even during the thick lunch rush.
Dinner was at Jiko (AKL)
H- Duck Firecracker - Hot Spring and cold summer rolls with oyster dipping sauce and jicama-apple slaw
H- Steamed Golden Bass - with spicy Chaka-Laka sauce and corn pap
H- Kilimanjaro Cake - spice cookie shell filled with chocolate and peanut butter, splashed with chocolate-malt sauce
A- Brentwood Corn Soup - with shredded spinach, homemade yogurt and a hint of peri-peri pepper
A- Duck Confit and Grilled Duck Sausage with ratatouille, lentil salad and roasted vegetable vinaigrette
A- "Afrikaanse" Milk Tart - with dried cherry broth and toasted nuts
H had a glass of Mulderbosh Sauvignon Blanc and A had a glass of Carbiere Pinot Noir
$120.96
Our last meal of the plan and a new spot for us. HPs least favorite restaurant, even though the place had a nice décor. Duck Rolls were OK, fine. But she found the bass horrible. When she ordered, she asked how spicey the accompanying sauce was and we were told it was easy on the spice. When the waiter delivered the dish, however, he retracted his original statement and suggested that it may very well indeed be too much. In his favor, he did offer to fetch another one with the sauce separate if she desired. She waved him off, but really only picked at her plate. To top it off, every bite of the fish had bones in it which pretty much put the brakes on the course. She describes her dessert as a hard cookie shell filled with Hersheys syrup and little bit of peanut butter, topped by some cold chocolate malt topping. Disappointing after some of the others wed had on our trip.
I really dug my soup. As with previous dishes, I had eaten half, then discovered the yogurt/peri-peri which I assumed was meant to be swirled into the soup. Since I had already downed a good portion, the full strength of peri-peri made the dish almost too spicey. Still quite delicious, nonetheless. My confit was very good, and I found the sausage very piquant- perhaps too many flavors on one plate. The best part was the confit skin. My milk tart was great, not too heavy and the dried cherries added a nice contrast to the tarts creaminess. Going with wine by the glass was a good choice, since we probably could not have finished a whole bottle and we got to try two different types.
Would we return? I doubt it. While it deserves another chance, WDW just has too many other places we cant miss. The kitchen was also close to closing time and maybe this had some affect on the meal.
8/12
Breakfast at Boma's Buffet (AKL)
$36.53
Made-to-order omelets, a carving station, typical fruits and breakfast fare. They suggested we save room for the pecan pull-a-parts (sticky buns) and we tried but they were huge! Opted instead for an almond bear claw which may have been a better choice in the long run. We had the frunch which was a nice fruit juice punch blend. Our final meal at WDW, so a little sad that we would have to go back to the real world and cook for ourselves.
A note About the Grand Floridian and Wilderness Lodge Concierge and their food offerings:
We used these as our breakfasts and for just very light midday snacks. Since we were stuffing ourselves in the afternoons and evenings at full-service restaurants, we found that they were best used in this manner. The GF had a couple pastries and a nice fruit selection in the morning. In the evening, they would present a selection of domestic wines (some would go very fast) and a few tasty appetizers- roast beef slices, cheese assortment, vegetable sushi, wraps of Thai noodles & shrimp w/ a peanut sauce, brownies and other small sweet snacks. Throughout the day we might stop in for some bottled water or glass of juice. Some of our most favorite moments of the entire trip (except for the wedding itself
) were looking out the big bay windows of the 4th floor onto the GF grounds, having a light glass of wine and listening to the orchestra or pianist play. It was so sublime- decadent yet relaxed; understated in its grandness; not at all pretentious but with a certain air of if only we could live like this!. Words cant describe how happy we felt in those surroundings as they typify a most comforting environment to us.The Wilderness Lodge Concierge is a bit of a contrast. As one would expect the surroundings are a bit more minimal in their creature comforts. They had no comparable relaxing view and it was almost as if the concierge setup was an afterthought once the lodge was constructed. The staff were just as friendly, if not more so and they took a very personal interest in what we had done/seen/planned for our stay. The food was, again, very light and not meant to replace a true meal. We often skipped the fruit for our breakfasts because they seemed less fresh and were often tossed together rather than as an assorted platter. They did have a nice juice service and offered some hot appetizers from Artist Point. But we were not impressed by these app offerings. I opted for some cheese or a pastry. We did get to have cordials here one night, which we unfortunately missed during our GF stay. Another special moment was sipping these on our private balcony, watching the MK fireworks.
I fear we have been spoiled by this first trip at the Concierge level, and will now have to save up twice as long so we can continue the tradition. At the GF, we definitely agree it was worth it, assuming you can budget time for some relaxing moments. At the WL, its harder to say- were not sure we would return to the Lodge, but only because we now think of the Grand as our true home at Disney.
Krissy
