imbe@aol.com
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- May 22, 2001
- Messages
- 371
Our first real 'big night' out all together! Once we were back in the room, after a brief stop at the concierge floor for a snack, I scrambled to start getting ready. Normally, I don't take all *that* long, but I hadn't decided what to wear to dinner. (yes, I know, girlies - I am ridiculous, considering the steamer trunk sized luggage I had with me! LOL) I'm also one who believes that when you're going to a nice restaurant, be it in WDW or at home, well .. ya dress for it. After changing 20 million times <LOL> I was ready, and eventually <g> so was everyone else. We headed down to the lobby and caught a taxi (fare was about .. between $17-20 I believe, from the Swan) to the Contemporary.
If you've ever read any of my TR's, you *know* this is my absolute favorite! Love everything about it - the food, the location (obviously!), the service, the ambiance .. it's the best! And bein' there with my husband and girlies just made it all that much better!
This evening, I will say - I have NEVER EVER seen it SO mobbed! You'd have thought they were giving the food away! LOL I mean .. almost as soon as you stepped off the elevator, you were in the midst of a crowd of people! And a whole lot more children - really little ones too, running .. yes running!! .. *all* over the place! No offense here, but that was very annoying! LOL Yes, I do think the Grill's a fine place to take kids, IF you control them. But I don't think
it's at all fair to the other diners if you let them run wild, like they're on a playground. Thankfully, many of these people 'disappeared' once the fireworks were over - I'm betting that the new policy regarding no entrance to the observation deck w/o dinner PS at the Grill had a lot to do with that. I won't be at all surprised to hear, sometime down the road, that Disney has changed it's policy again, to one like what's in place for CRT, and they require a credit card for PS at CG. It'd be fine with me! LOL
I got a seat at the bar for a few, and was chatting with Laurie (the bartender there forever!) Debbie, Dave and Julie managed to snag one of those areas with the chairs & a cocktail table and then we all had a seat, and ordered up some champagne too. Not 10 min later, our table was ready, so Dave paid while we were seated. I was *finally* able to sit in the 'glass room'! I've been wanting to forever - no reason, just because .. it's there! LOL It's quite pretty, and measurably more quiet than the other part of the restaurant, with the screeching teradactyl (sp?) like kids in there! LOL
To start, Debbie had the Triple Cheese flatbread, which was good, as always! Dave and Julie had the Handmade Pork Eggrolls - Dave gets these almost every time we're here, and it was Julie's first try, and they both enjoyed them. I've sampled these before myself, and they *are* good! Nice crispy wrap, not greasy, and very tasty filling inside. I had a sushi appetizer that's not on the menu. I don't even remember (hmm .. wonder why? <eg>) how I got to talking to the waiter about this dish in the first place, but I was glad I took the recommendation! It was like a California Roll, except it had Shrimp Tempura in it, and BOY was it good! I could have had a double or triple order of this for my entree! Excellent! Even Dave tried it, and didn't hate it - that's saying a lot! <g> For our entrees .. Dave and Debbie had the Center Cut Beef Filet - surprise! .. not! LOL In between there were also pretty fair amts of red wine consumed too, though I'll be damned if I can remember what it was! :O (gotta start taking notes at these things I guess!
Julie had one of my favorites - the Pork Tenderloin, and she liked it a lot!! I had the Roasted Pumpkin Ravioli, with brown butter, sage vinagrette and pepito pesto - outstanding!!!!!!!! I love anything pumpkin flavored, sweet or savoury, and this was perfect! As for dessert .. I DO know that Debbie had her Butterscotch Creme Brulee, and loved it. What I DON'T recall is whether anyone else had dessert or not! LOL (did we Julie??)
Guess if I did, it didn't make a big impression on me! ;O
We ended up just catching a cab back to the Swan after dinner. We'd considered going to PI to do a bit of the Jazz Festival there .. but then decided against that -- Debbie and Julie accomplished their "goal" of getting Dave pretty tipsy! <eg> and I figured it was best *not* to take him down there, since I myself was gettin' rather looped, Debbie was too, and I don't know if Julie could've handled all of us in that state! LOL There was SUCH a wide range of topics, so much talking, gabbing, laughing at dinner, I couldn't even begin to list them all! ;o) Everyone pretty much fell into bed and slept soundly *that* night! LOL
If you've ever read any of my TR's, you *know* this is my absolute favorite! Love everything about it - the food, the location (obviously!), the service, the ambiance .. it's the best! And bein' there with my husband and girlies just made it all that much better!
This evening, I will say - I have NEVER EVER seen it SO mobbed! You'd have thought they were giving the food away! LOL I mean .. almost as soon as you stepped off the elevator, you were in the midst of a crowd of people! And a whole lot more children - really little ones too, running .. yes running!! .. *all* over the place! No offense here, but that was very annoying! LOL Yes, I do think the Grill's a fine place to take kids, IF you control them. But I don't think
it's at all fair to the other diners if you let them run wild, like they're on a playground. Thankfully, many of these people 'disappeared' once the fireworks were over - I'm betting that the new policy regarding no entrance to the observation deck w/o dinner PS at the Grill had a lot to do with that. I won't be at all surprised to hear, sometime down the road, that Disney has changed it's policy again, to one like what's in place for CRT, and they require a credit card for PS at CG. It'd be fine with me! LOL
I got a seat at the bar for a few, and was chatting with Laurie (the bartender there forever!) Debbie, Dave and Julie managed to snag one of those areas with the chairs & a cocktail table and then we all had a seat, and ordered up some champagne too. Not 10 min later, our table was ready, so Dave paid while we were seated. I was *finally* able to sit in the 'glass room'! I've been wanting to forever - no reason, just because .. it's there! LOL It's quite pretty, and measurably more quiet than the other part of the restaurant, with the screeching teradactyl (sp?) like kids in there! LOL
To start, Debbie had the Triple Cheese flatbread, which was good, as always! Dave and Julie had the Handmade Pork Eggrolls - Dave gets these almost every time we're here, and it was Julie's first try, and they both enjoyed them. I've sampled these before myself, and they *are* good! Nice crispy wrap, not greasy, and very tasty filling inside. I had a sushi appetizer that's not on the menu. I don't even remember (hmm .. wonder why? <eg>) how I got to talking to the waiter about this dish in the first place, but I was glad I took the recommendation! It was like a California Roll, except it had Shrimp Tempura in it, and BOY was it good! I could have had a double or triple order of this for my entree! Excellent! Even Dave tried it, and didn't hate it - that's saying a lot! <g> For our entrees .. Dave and Debbie had the Center Cut Beef Filet - surprise! .. not! LOL In between there were also pretty fair amts of red wine consumed too, though I'll be damned if I can remember what it was! :O (gotta start taking notes at these things I guess!
Julie had one of my favorites - the Pork Tenderloin, and she liked it a lot!! I had the Roasted Pumpkin Ravioli, with brown butter, sage vinagrette and pepito pesto - outstanding!!!!!!!! I love anything pumpkin flavored, sweet or savoury, and this was perfect! As for dessert .. I DO know that Debbie had her Butterscotch Creme Brulee, and loved it. What I DON'T recall is whether anyone else had dessert or not! LOL (did we Julie??)Guess if I did, it didn't make a big impression on me! ;O
We ended up just catching a cab back to the Swan after dinner. We'd considered going to PI to do a bit of the Jazz Festival there .. but then decided against that -- Debbie and Julie accomplished their "goal" of getting Dave pretty tipsy! <eg> and I figured it was best *not* to take him down there, since I myself was gettin' rather looped, Debbie was too, and I don't know if Julie could've handled all of us in that state! LOL There was SUCH a wide range of topics, so much talking, gabbing, laughing at dinner, I couldn't even begin to list them all! ;o) Everyone pretty much fell into bed and slept soundly *that* night! LOL
