Emerils?

[Rlock]

Am planning to get a babysitter and have a reservation for Emerils with DH. How far is it from the Polynesian, and is it worth it to go to Universal Walk, or should we just go to Downtown Disney? Have never been to either.
Thanks!

 

[sharbear]

I've never been to Emerils but I would pose this question on the Universal Board. They will have your answers for you. BTW all the reviews say that the food is pricey but great.

Good Luck!

 

[Pat_Elliott]

We always take a trip to Citywalk to go to Jimmy Buffet's Margarittaville. It's about a twenty five minute drive from the Poly with normal traffic. Count on another ten to fifteen minutes to park and walk over.

Reviews: I'm biased, as I'm an Emeril fanatic. It's a fantastic meal. The food is good, but it's the service that sticks out. Four to five waiters on you at all times. You're treated like royalty. Note: if you do it right (appetizer to desert, coffee, a decent bottle of wine), it's around $125 to $150 a person. We found it a small price to pay for the incredible food and service.

If you're not too full, drop afterwards to Margarittaville. This is hands down my favorite restaurant/bar in Orlando. They've recreated a Key West feel. It's just a plain old fun time. In June, I'll make my 20th visit!

As for distance from the Poly to DTD, I'd say about ten minutes if traffic is light.

Pat

 

[mcnuss]

You paid $300 for a meal for 2 people at Emerils in a theme park???? I am sorry, but I have eaten in the best restaurants in NYC and I have never, ever had a $300 bill for a couple and that was with good wine and cocktails. Did you mean per couple?

 

[Pat_Elliott]

Originally posted by mcnuss
You paid $300 for a meal for 2 people at Emerils in a theme park???? I am sorry, but I have eaten in the best restaurants in NYC and I have never, ever had a $300 bill for a couple and that was with good wine and cocktails. Did you mean per couple?

Total with Tax, tip, etc: $285 for my wife and me, if I remember correctly. The approximate breakdown, and note that the booze was quite expensive.

Both our entrees were in the forty dollar range (me the leg of lamb, DW some sort of mushroom and vegetable compote). I had a bowl of the soup of the day (lobster bisque), which was $8, and an andouille sausage appetizer ($8). The wife had no soup, with calamari as an appetizer ($10), and a green salad ($6). Deserts were $8 each (she had a lobster cheesecake, I had chocolate creme brulee). The food total, if I remember correctly, was about $130. We had a mimosa cocktail while waiting ($12 per), an $80 bottle of wine (I know nothing about wine, my wife picked it), plus coffee afterwards. Add in tip and tax and we were approaching the $300 mark.

A ridiculous amount of cash to spend on wine and cocktails, as well as food. However, I think to kiss the restaurant off as "Emeril's in a themepark" kind of belittles the restaurant. That particular trip, Emeril's was the centerpiece of our vacation. Normally we can eat for a week for less than that. And someone can easily get out of Emeril's for under a hundred bucks if they don't run the full length of the menu and if they don't buy designer wine. None-the-less, it was worth it. Sorry you don't agree. I'll not make that stop every time I'm on vacation, but I'd gladly do it again.

I'd also point out I do regular business in Philadelphia, and at places like the Four Seasons and Le Bec Fin's, $300 for two with a decent bottle of wine would be about right. Not familiar with NYC.

Pat

 

[Muffy]

We had lunch there last winter and it was great. We were at IOA for the day. We took a chance and stopped in prior to them opening for the day and got a table for later. We had the redsnapper with shoestring potatoes with menier sauce, fantastic! Worth the $$$

 

[mcnuss]

Pat_Elliott -- I had no intention of insulting you, your choice of restaurant or Emeril. It's just that the price you quoted seemed very high to me, but you ordered a lot and obviously thought it was worth it, and that's all that matters. Please accept my apologies if you thought I was belittling your choice.

BTW - to compare with other "celebrity" chef restaurants, I've eaten at Mario Batali's restaurant in NYC (he has a show on Food TV too) and it ran about $150 for 2, but we did not have as many courses.

And I love le Bec Fin, even though it has been many years since I was there....

 

[Steve P]

If you go, park in valet parking. Emeril's will validate your parking ticket and you'll have a much shorter walk for the price of tipping the attendant. We valet parked for a lunch trip to Emeril's. BTW,
for us- full lunch, 4 adults, no alcohol, was $140 incl tax and tip.

 

[Pat_Elliott]

Originally posted by mcnuss
Pat_Elliott -- I had no intention of insulting you, your choice of restaurant or Emeril. It's just that the price you quoted seemed very high to me, but you ordered a lot and obviously thought it was worth it, and that's all that matters. Please accept my apologies if you thought I was belittling your choice.

No insult taken. I do feel I should have pointed out the following to readers: we were celebrating our tenth anniversary, thus we certainly went "whole hog." You can have an excellent time and get out of the place for under a hundred bucks a head if you choose your wine carefully. We don't know how to pick good wine, so we just picked something expensive and assumed it would rate. Normally, I'm an Almadan Man.

This year, our eleventh anniversary is a duller event, and the pending financial burden of our first child means we'll be having burgers at Margarittaville and simply gaze at Emeril's.

I admire Mario, and look forward to eating there one day. As for le Bec Fin, should you ever be in Central PA, we're blessed that Eric Sarnow, former assitant Executive Chef, has settled here. He's opened an incredible restaurant, The Hummingbird Room, in a historically registered Manor in Amish Country. Quite the food, service, and ambiance. http://www.hummingbirdroom.com

So if you're ever in State College, don't feel like Ye Old College Diner is your only hope...

Pat

 

[Rlock]

If we don't rent a car, how much do you think a taxi will cost?

 

[mcnuss]

Alot. Sorry to be so unspecific, but I remember paying around $50 to get from the Contemp to the airport, so I would figure it to be similar. I hope someone else can give you better details.

You may be able to pre-arrange something with one of the limo companies that advertise here on the DIS...that way, you would know for sure how much before you go.

 

[BarryHom]

I spent around $85 for a couple. We didn't have booze or desert, though. Emeril's is good for an "event" meal (marriage, anniversary, graduations, etc.), but I'd perfer to eat at Mythos in IOA. The food is good and the price is fairly cheap for what you get.