Hungry Are The Damned! 10/15/07-10/25/07 - COMPLETED W/LOTS OF PICS!!!

[oybolshoi]

Yep, makes sense and sounds great!!!!It's funny we're talking about this, just last night we decided on 9/25-9/29 for our next trip, not knowing that the F&W festival begins on 9/26!!!!!! Are the parks more crowded during F&W?

It's hard to answer that question ... we've seen a definite increase in October crowd sizes during the last five years or so. Some of it is probably the tourism industry rebounding from 9/11 and some of it has to do with more schools giving kids Fall breaks.

Sheesh, I'm no help at all.

Oh my yummyness. We need a drooling smilie.

I am just so happy the gut sickness has gone away from this report. I hope it does not come back...

Howdy Briarmom! Don't worry ... there will be no more reversals of fortune on this thread (at least not on Jay's or my part).

OOH!! I wanna do PFTS so much. Last year we wanted to but couldn't justify the $$$ along with that of a babysitter. Are the glasses by Riedel? That would be sweet. I am really hoping to sneak in an adults only trip next year for my 40th you know what during the F & W Fest(even though my b-day is not during that time.

I just checked and yes - the wine glasses are Riedel! And attending PFTS would be a great way to celebrate a milestone birthday - you'd have a blast!

Hey Brenda!

The food porn is incredible, but tell me...do they offer high tables to perch your plate while eating or are you standing and balancing? I've heard it's hard to find and keep a sit-down table at Senses - and that's fine since there's so much to see and EAT and DRINK - but I hate juggling while eating.

They had high cocktail tables and they also had smaller tables with chairs. It would be dangerous if I tried to walk around that venue eating and drinking and reading and trying to avoid smacking into people all at the same time. I actually dropped my glass once while I was standing in line to get food. Luckily it was empty and it bounced. You should have heard the gasps all around me. After that I sent Jay out for food and I just concentrated on the alcohol.

This is way off topic, but I've been wanting to ask you about the Chef's Table at V&A. I would like to take my DH there for our 15 year anniversary in 2009- I went with my mom last October (main dining room) and it was diiiviiine - but is the Chef's Table romantic enough to fit the occasion? He loves Top Chef and Iron Chef America, so I thought he'd get a kick out of the behind-the-scenes aspect of a fine dining restaurant. I'm just not sure about the atmosphere of a kitchen for an anniversary dinner. Your opinion is appreciated!

Hmmmmm...another tough question. Keep in mind that this is just our opinion (I actually asked Jason for his thoughts on this and he actually gave them to me!) ... if this is the first time you and your husband will be dining together at V&A then we really think the dining room is more romantic, especially if you're celebrating an anniversary.

As much as we loved the Chef's Table, we both agreed that it might have been a bit of a let down had it been our first visit to the restaurant, especially for a romantic meal. Although there is a nice table set in an alcove, you're eating in the kitchen. It's loud and busy and very warm - not really an intimate place to make 15-year goo-goo eyes at your lovey. On the other hand, the CT is fascinating and indulgent and unforgettable.

I guess the right answer depends on the type of experience you both want to have for your anniversary. As long as you understand that you will have a very different ambience at the CT I think you'll be fine - it certainly is a once in a lifetime memory.

Sheesh ... this is the second time in less than 10 minutes that I've been less than helpful.

I like watching the Food Network too. I think I read in another TR that Colette Peters was there too. Did you see her?

Colette Peters was at WDW for Sweet Sundays and I think she did a couple of free seminars during the week. We did not get a chance to see her which is a bummer because I love her cakes!

so so so glad that the tummy icks were over for y'all BEFORE the "Meet Keegan Gerhard Event"!!!!

I love me some Keegan Gerhard...those Food Network Challenges really float my boat!

It sure looks like a LOT of fun!! Although it would have been more fun if there had been a DUCKSTICK!!!!




The self portrait is FAB as usual. Y'all can't seem to take a bad picture!!! Jay looks very perky and much better than I'm sure he looked the day before!

Can't wait for more!!!

Hi Campbell! Your post reads like you feel better! Oh Keegan ... isn't he just a cutie? And I'm not sure ... there may have been duck somewhere on the menu ... I still have a lot of pictures to post so maybe we have one of another duckstick!

Thanks for the compliment on the picture. Compared with how he looked the day before, Jay looks fabu! And I always look better when I'm partially obscured by shadow.

Yes, I remember that $95 back in the "good old days" of 2005. That had been my most recent PFTS until the one I reviewed from October 13, 2007. Sadly, I cannot use any emotes that I want to use because you used up all your picture space! (insert furious emote here). Anyway, the $95 was a real bargain, and I think the price was even less the prior year! Disney realized that they were practically giving away their food, I guess.

Pictures or emot-icons ... pick one 'cause you can't have them both.

You have no idea how upset I was in 2006 when the new pricelist came out ... I had been reading all these reviews and programs from 2004 and 2005 and then suddenly we were finally going to get to attend something and they smacked us upside the head with human growth hormone sticker shock!!!

I was thinking that, too. If the break even point is less at Vicki and Al's Diner, I'd rather do that instead.

I think we'd probably be the same ... unless we just decided that we didn't care how much money we were spending (which has been known to happen).

To the uninitiated looking at the photos:
The first cattle area is outside the venue, but just inside the gated doors, where they give you the notched plate for the wine glass, the wine glass itself, and the menu/brochure. The second cattle area is just inside, where you wait for them to move the curtain aside for the cattle to rush in for the tables.

Thanks for explaining this ... I knew I was going to confuse people.

I did things differently this year. I didn't wander aimlessly looking for items in each color coded section. I systematically ate my way through each section, starting in the back of the venue, working my way forward.

We used the program to tell us what the heck we were eating once we got back to our table. Otherwise we just tried to sample one of everything in each section - we did pretty good ... missed a few things but not many.

Each year, the glass seems to get bigger and bigger. It's a big honkin' glass for sure.

We were really surprised by how nice the glass is - it's a great keepsake and it is a big wine glass. Just think how much fun we could have had if the guy from Sam Adams had just filled my glass halfway...

And you can see his strategically placed Food Network logo on his chef's whites. Coincidence? (insert thinking emote here). I have a Keegan story from a few years ago. I thought I mentioned it either here or in my trip report. TDC Nala went to Keegan's demo earlier in the day, and she was raving about the fantastic the marshmallows he made. She had a "he's standing right behind me, isn't he..." moment. And yes, Keegan was standing right there, and we gushed more about his desserts.

Too funny! You and TDC Nala always have the best stories.

I almost spit out my Diet Dr. Pepper! I was laughing so hard when I saw this caption! Oh you are wicked! (insert stirring the pot emote here)

I'm a woman ... sometimes it's hard to contain the snarkiness.

These fish dishes look incredible. And no blurry photos, either.

I wish I could remember more about the food than "it was great!" And thanks for admiring our pictures ... we tried very hard to take good shots for everyone here on the DIS to drool over.

This dish just screams Thurston Howell III and Lovey Howell. 'Why yes, dahling. I just adored the smoked pheasant. I remember how they would serve this at the club..." (insert snooty emote here)

I was disappointed that it wasn't served with a miniature silver dome.

Oh yum. Ceviche rocks. I skipped the Peru offering of the prior week because it was the same as the dish I hated at the Peru kiosk.

I ate the shrimp from the Ceviche and let Jay have the rest. The cookie was awesome. And later in the evening I found a really tasty little drink from Peru ... and I kept walking past and they kept giving me more.

Hear that Sam Adams? Peru knows how to treat a lady!!!

Oh yessss. Utopiasssss precioussssss. I think they gave you a generous portion, actually. But I couldn't take a pic of it without the cool shiny bottle it comes in.

It is a very cool bottle!

Hello!!! i just joined the dis like 3 days so i obviously new nothing about your thread. I found it yesterday and read the entire thing. I just finished and it was great! it just put me in the Disney mood (even more than usual ) i can't wait to see the rest of what you have to say!!

Hello there and welcome to the DIS!! So glad to know that you've enjoyed our reviews so far - if you have any questions feel free to ask away. Someone here will have an answer (or more than one!). Thanks for reading!!

Yummy, yum yum yum!!!! Everything looks so good, as I sit here eating my fat free potato chips and french onion dip for lunch. Huh, I bet PFTS didn't have any of THAT.....

It was all Yummy. And I feel your pain ... I really do. Hmmm.... no, I don't think anything at PFTS was fat free, but the venue is so large that you can certainly burn off some calories while walking around looking for more calories!

... and two plastic lobsters.

So the head chef said "Twas no woman. Twas a remorseless eating machine. Arrrrr......."

Bwahahahahahaaaaa! I've run out of image space again but I just spewed water all over my pajama bottoms.

How did you know that Captain McAllister made an appearance that night???

Ohhhh, the food looks divine, but my clausterphobia and I don't do crowds. Did you feel like you were packed in, or could you breathe?

Keegan is good, but Tyler would be better!

Once you're inside the venue it's huge - you wouldn't feel crowded at all, I'm sure of it. Tyler Florence would also be acceptable ... oh my yes!

First, I'm glad to see you grew your leg back Bendy.

Secondly, I actually saw a few things that I might eat and they weren't even desserts ! I'm getting there, I truly think I am. (When's dessert?)

Hooray for Mother Goose! She finally sees something on my food porn that she might want to eat! Wait until you see all the dessert pictures I still have to share with everyone!

I finally got the chance to come by and read the last 3 reviews

I'm sorry to hear that Jay was so sick I know what it's like to be in WDW and be really sick and it's so not fun

That beef dish at your Le Cellier pairing looked sooo delicious! Why did they have to mess it up with all those mushrooms

Hey there Cass! It was definitely no fun for Jay to be sick and no fun for me to watch him feel sick ...

And I'm with you ... why did Le Cellier ruin a perfectly good plate of meat with fungus?

Room service also looked really good, what did that set you back...$75???

The Party for the Senseless It looks like fun. Very expensive fun but still fun. If we drank, I definitely would do this but for us it would be a huge waste of money unless of course they offered the hot dogs/fries/burgers section with pairings of iced tea

Some of those desserts looked like they would be good

Thanks for the reports and I look forward to Senseless Two!

Well, room service didn't cost as much as PFTS! As for the party - it really was a ton of fun but I understand exactly where you're coming from. If you don't drink I think that it's hard to recognize as much value from the event, especially considering how pricey it's become. The desserts were all wonderful!

Thanks for stopping in to read - it's always good to know you're keeping up with us here!

Great reviews!

Thanks Jenny!

OMG! The pics of the Senseless seafood dishes literally has my mouth watering. Which is no easy feat because I'm sick as a dog and my mouth has been dryer than cotton balls all day.

Thanks for reading, especially while you're a sickie. I hope you start to feel better soon!

 

[A fat english gent]

Just found out - contest is already over. I missed my one shot at fame ... I'm going to go drown my sorrows in cheese.

Poor Bendy you'd have won no problem,not sure how we'd have chosen where to send our prize...

I finally got the chance to come by and read the last 3 reviews

The Party for the Senseless It looks like fun. Very expensive fun but still fun. If we drank, I definitely would do this but for us it would be a huge waste of money unless of course they offered the hot dogs/fries/burgers section with pairings of iced tea

Some of those desserts looked like they would be good

Thanks for the reports and I look forward to Senseless Two!

You can take the girl out of Calgary,but you can't take Calgary out of the girl.....I think it's her Scottish roots....

ps...Can you people try using the "Y" word a little more sparingly as some find it somewhat Tacky,Thank You...

 

[Suzibrat]

Ohh the pictures, the humor, the drama, the suspense, the revenge! (back to the duck again!) This thread has it all! I wish you lived at Disney and could do a daily report for us! Love this report and thank you for making it so much fun! Of course my alcohol consumption has gone up since I started reading it......

 

[oybolshoi]

Poor Bendy you'd have won no problem,not sure how we'd have chosen where to send our prize...

Well thank you very much, but it's never good to tempt the gods. I'm sure there are a ton of people who submitted excellent reviews for that contest - they probably just have a different "voice" than I do. It's taken me a long time to perfect my drunken cyber-slur. Blesh my hearth ...

You can take the girl out of Calgary,but you can't take Calgary out of the girl.....I think it's her Scottish roots....

ps...Can you people try using the "Y" word a little more sparingly as some find it somewhat Tacky,Thank You...

We like hot dogs and hamburgers and ice tea, too! BriarRose informed me the other day that we are gourmands, in that we like all types of food. I translate that to this: Brenda and Jay now eat almost anything = P.I.G.S.

Ohh the pictures, the humor, the drama, the suspense, the revenge! (back to the duck again!) This thread has it all! I wish you lived at Disney and could do a daily report for us! Love this report and thank you for making it so much fun! Of course my alcohol consumption has gone up since I started reading it......

Hey there Suzi! I wish I lived at Disney, too; but I'm not sure that the Jay & Bendy WDW is the one that they want marketed to the public at large.

Thanks so much for reading - I'm glad you're having fun, which always makes it more fun for me (I'm selfish that way).

I've been slacking on the drink recipes ... We'll have to come up with another good one soon to share!

 

[oybolshoi]

Saturday, October 20th - Eat, Drink, Rinse, Repeat ... Eat, Drink, Rinse, Repeat ... Eat, Drink ... You Get the General Idea, Don't You?

Time for some more pictures ...

Roast pumpkin soup with lobster and truffle foam - Chef Michael Kramer, Hotel Icon, Houston, TX

Chocolate version 2.1 - Chef Keegan Gerhard, Food Network, Las Vegas, NV

Sheep's milk ricotta gnudi with crispy pancetta, trumpet mushrooms, and parmesan brodo - Chef Ken Vedrinski, Sienna, Daniel Island, SC

Preserved lemon braised chicken pizza with arugula, spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, and feta cheese - Chef Jeramy Moore, Disney's Contemporary Resort, Orlando, FL

Same dish later in the evening ... no 'maters, precious!

Strascinati pasta with turnip, anchovies, and bread - Chef Pietro Zito, Andria, Italy

Cocoa-crusted pork tenderloin with boursin grit cake, collard greens, and fig chutney - Chef Aaron Brown, Disney's Port Orleans Resort, Orlando, FL

Tar tar tuna with spicy volcano sauce - Chef Nabi Saito, Mitsukoshi, Japan Pavilion, Epcot, Orlando, FL

Pisco Sour - a bunch of Peruvian guys who kept offering me more every time I walked by their beverage station

Cast iron skillet seared diver scallop with petite lobster chorizo tamale and avacado-watermelon gelee' - Chef Ted Cizma, Grand Traverse Resort, Traverse City, MI

Garlic infused lamb loin with a sun-dried cranberry, port wine reduction, and a pan seared herbed potato cake - Chef Dylan Schauwecker, The Yacht Club Gacky, Disney's Yacht and Beach Club Resort, Orlando, FL

Heads up - there are two desserts in the next picture!

Strawberry jelly surrounded by a light cream cheese mousse topped with crispy streusel - Chef Ewald Notter, Instructor / Founder Notter School of Pastry Arts; and Passion Cube: Cocoa coffee genoise, passion curd, and chocolate - Chefs Travis Bowman & Ruy Guzman, Disney's Contemporary Resort, Orlando, FL

Roasted cipollini onion, exotic wild mushroom, and cranberry ravioli with aged balsamic & truffle essence - Chef George Paterakis, Disney's Yacht & Beach Club Resort, Orlando, FL

Seared duck breast with sweet potato & zucchini hash and molasses butter - Chef John Malik, 33 Liberty Restaurant, Greenville, SC

Gaaaaaaah! This duck has been de-sticked!!!


Raspberry Gelato and Lemon Gelato

We weren't quick enough to try the other four gelatos being offered that evening: mango, chocolate, toasted almond, and stracciatella, which sounds like a flesh-eating bacteria but I think it's actually a dark chocolate / vanilla gelato mix.


Mango pana cotta with tropical fruit sauces - Chef Eric Herbitschek, Disney's Grand Floridian Resort, Orlando, FL

Pineapple Temptation (phyllo-wrapped pineapple, figs, mascarpone, with a port reduction) - Chefs Travis Bowman & Ruy Guzman, Disney's Contemporary Resort, Orlando, FL

And to round out the night a selection of cheeses in no particular order: Parmigiano Reggiano, Humboldt Fog, some other kind of cheese - most likely from a cow, and that hunk of lumpy white at the forefront of the picture is some kind of goat cheese with hints of lavender. The program didn't inlcude the names of the cheeses for the station that I went to, so I'm trying to decipher my notes ... written in half-gloom after much drinking and eating. And something tells me the name of that cheese was not "good-smellin' goat."

Cheasy does it!

Coming later this evening... a recap of the Senseless of it all, a list of the food we missed, and a list of the booziers on hand dispensing liquid joy.

 

[Lanie]

Brenda, I think Disney should pay you a portion of the profits for the next Party for the Senses because I'm pretty sure that A LOT of the people that drooled on this thread will be there Fall 2008!

Love the pics and the writing!

 

[TigerKat]

Brenda - I am really getting excited about F&W!!! We didn't have a clue when we decided on the dates, I think that means it was meant to be and we're gonna love it! I hope we get to do a PFTS!!!

 

[Mic_n_Min]

Great photos in your TR Brenda! I can't wait to hear what you thought about all of the foods you tried.

 

[Maraena]

Phew! I'm sorta back and mostly alive. Those pictures and that food looks incredible. Sadly, we won't be attending the Party of the Senses. We're not planning on being there on a Saturday and I'd probably die a horrible death when I saw the charge on my credit card for it. (Yeah, we pay em off monthly. On meager student salaries. It's never pretty. I like to reconcile each dollar and I either badger myself or my DF about extraneous items - like fast food or coffee - that comes to a total I find to be unacceptable. ) We'd definitely feel a need to get our money's worth which would equate to an extremely drunk DF rolling me out, most likely into the lake outside.

Speaking of the poor guy, we're a week out from Vegas (it's for a conference!) and he is getting treatment for a peptic ulcer that he suffered through most of last week. Things are better but the odds of us experiencing delectable delights while gorging ourselves on Vegas buffets have now all but disappeared. Now it's low fat this or no fat that; can't have this and certainly can't have that. He's lucky most nights to even finish a plate of food much less drink anything beyond water. Le sigh.

Let's just hope that he's a fast healer. I've taken to talking to his stomach to tell his ulcer how displeased we are with its sudden appearance and we'd appreciate if it would go away quickly. (You know how dads and kids talk to a pregnant mom's belly. Yeah, I'm chatting up the ulcer. ) Everyone I've been talking to has said it took them anywhere from 8-15 months to get over an ulcer. Anyone with any ideas where we might be able to eat in Vegas that will have less rich items? Heh, thought not.

Anyhow, fabulous reviews. I loved the Le Cellier Food and Wine Pairing. Depending on how things progress with Mr. Ulcer, that or the Tutto Italia one are my first choice.

 

[MA pigletfan]

WOW!!! Brenda..thanks so much for the in depth pics and postings! HOLY YUM!!! i am so sad we are not going this fall...but there is always 2009!! I was really wondering if there would be too much seafood, i love it but greg wont' eat it..but it looks like there was a nice mix of meatly meats and marine life
again..great job!

 

[2ScottishPrincesses]

What a fantastic post , that food looked absolutely amazing. I can't believe you had any senses left after that evening of sensory overload

 

[shovan]

Oh Brenda, you have given everyone such wonderful insight into the Party for the Senseless! You've jarred my tastebuds with some great memories! I realize why I recommend this event over & over!

We enjoyed that evening so much! You & Jay were wonderful company. Remember you weren't alone in the rush of "Eat, Drink, Rinse, Repeat ... " !
Due to the grossness of talking with mouthfuls of food, I think we were all much quieter than usual! DH & I really enjoyed meeting y'all & our fellow dis'ers! Sad though that our huge PFTS dis meet didn't work out, but I'm sure everyone still enjoyed the evening!

And here we are midway thru the evening! With our stomachs not so full, that we are still able to stand comfortably & our eyes not quite glazed over from the rinsing & repeating!

 

[TigerKat]

What a great pic Sheryl!!

 

[theycallmered]

Wowza. Just wowza. To come back from a lunch of reheated pasta to this is just unfair. Please next time you go to WDW take me with. PLEASE!!

 

[Timon]

Good Lord woman, where did you put all that??? I think our fellow KKer was right about that wooden leg of yours when he said it must be hollow and that's where all of that food went to

Roast pumpkin soup with lobster and truffle foam - Chef Michael Kramer, Hotel Icon, Houston, TX

Soup in a tall glass??? I hope they gave you a loooooong spoon

Preserved lemon braised chicken pizza with arugula, spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, and feta cheese - Chef Jeramy Moore, Disney's Contemporary Resort, Orlando, FL

Ok, I don't see the "pizza" part of that dish anywhere!!!

 

[sunny04]

This has absolutely nothing to do with food or your report, but I just have to announce that I just hung up from booking our next trip --- IN ONE MONTH!!! We've never booked a trip this late, so I'm not sure about getting all this planning together, but woohoo anyway!

 

[redmaz0000]

All that food looks amazing. I've been reluctant to attend a Party for the Senses because they are so expensive. I may just have to attend this year.

Mike

 

[Suzibrat]

Oh Brenda, you have given everyone such wonderful insight into the Party for the Senseless! You've jarred my tastebuds with some great memories! I realize why I recommend this event over & over!

We enjoyed that evening so much! You & Jay were wonderful company. Remember you weren't alone in the rush of "Eat, Drink, Rinse, Repeat ... " !
Due to the grossness of talking with mouthfuls of food, I think we were all much quieter than usual! DH & I really enjoyed meeting y'all & our fellow dis'ers! Sad though that our huge PFTS dis meet didn't work out, but I'm sure everyone still enjoyed the evening!

And here we are midway thru the evening! With our stomachs not so full, that we are still able to stand comfortably & our eyes not quite glazed over from the rinsing & repeating!

What a beautiful picture! Thank you for sharing!

 

[DisneyMom5]

RE: Rooooooom service - one of my fav 3rd. Rock episodes when they discover room service at a Sci Fi convention. And then stick "Sulu" w/the bill.

RE: - The seared scallops were by a Chef from Traverse City, MI. My sis lives near there. See, there is some culture in MI. LOL
It's a truly beautiful place to visit.

No way John is EVER doing a party like this, so I like to look at your pics and play "Would I try that or not?" I'm intrigued by the cranberry ravioli.

Keep up the good work. I need to get working on my reports. Sigh.

 

[TxMickeyLover]

Gaaaaaaah! This duck has been de-sticked!!!

Next time I go to a 5-star restaurant (which is so often, let me tell you), I may have to see if I can have my duck de-sticked.