Last day... Best for last!

[dotterson]

Nov. 30th was my hubbie's 40th and we had surprises in store...

After an EE at MGM, we went to Cape May for the breakfast buffet. Wait staff was very nice and brought a chocolate cake and balloon signed by the characters for his B-day. Selection was nice. Characters took a while to come around tho. We were disappointed Minnie left before we got to see her. (Ok, we had a late reservation, but still...) I was a bit peeved. My daughter really loves her... A- Reasonably priced too. Would do it again.

Took a break at Garden Grill for the Ice Cream Social and did the Re-hitchin' ceremony. Ice cream was nice, except mine (which I switched with my daughter's) had freezer burn at the bottom. After reminding everyone about the rehitching, and nothing was happening, my daughter asked the waitress who said the front desk only wrote B-day and not re-hitching. Two waitresses finally came and did it. I bet it would have been better if they didn't have to do it so fast. Hubbie was happy and that was the point... He liked the ice cream, daughter liked hers, mine was just ok... B for food, B for wait staff, D for front desk!

Best for last. I debated many different places for the B-day dinner. CA Grill isn't his style, nor V&A (at least not now). Didn't want to go far, so I chose Le Bistro de Paris and hoped we could see the fireworks (how romantic, oui??) My hubbie decided to include our daughter (she was going to go to the babysitting place at our hotel). I thought that was really nice of him! Anyway, we dressed up and had to wait only about 5-10 minutes. I am from a French background, so I was expecting some possible snobbiness... But, waiter was great!

My daughter picked a chicken and pasta dish from the children's menu and ended up eating my soup -- a brioche and consomme thing. Fab! Hubbie had a crab and asparagus dish which he kinda liked. (Uncultured, huh?) We both had the filet which was to die for! Bread was also great. They gave hubbie free chocolate cake and daughter had the sampler of 5 petite desserts - also great! a pear tart, pineapple something, small creme brulee, and another little cake. I had a souffle. (I had been saying I wanted one for days...) Well, it was one of the BEST I've ever had. We had a very leisurely dinner as the fireworks went off and left after 10 (8:15 reservation). Hubbie who likes to complain about the French, had nothing but good things to say. Everyone was SO nice. We would definitely do this again! A+++++

One note: Some patrons were acting like gauche Americans insisting on doggie bags (not here, for Pete's sake!) and another group was videotaping their meal! ARG!!!! I'm sure the French had a lot to say in the kitchen!!!!!!

So... expensive trip. Several resturants we would go back to... Also, would make more meals in the room. We have several restaurants near our house that are way cheaper and have better quality..

Hope you enjoyed the reviews...

d

 

[inaminute]

"One note: Some patrons were acting like gauche Americans insisting on doggie bags (not here, for Pete's sake!) and another group was videotaping their meal! ARG!!!! I'm sure the French had a lot to say in the kitchen!!!!!!"

Thanks for sharing your restaurant experiences. I just disagree with the above statement. I think it's impossible to be a gauche American on American soil at a restaurant in an American theme park.

Besides, this restaurant isn't all THAT fancy! I've been to much better. Now if we were talking about a restaurant away from the parks, I might agree.

As to what the serving staff thought--if the high and mighty French have a problem with how we behave in a theme park in our country...well...then let them just eat cake!!! (Is that gauche enough? LOL)

 

[CamColt]

Thanks for the great reviews, but I never thought videotaping a meal at a Disney theme park was wrong. I myself have done it because I videotape every little detail of our trips. I do it so I have something to remember a great meal by plus to have answers when someone on these boards asks a question about something.

 

[dotterson]

But honestly, it seems gauche to ME to ask for doggie bags and videotape a meal. I doubt either would be terribly acceptable at V&A... Remember folks, this is MY opinion...

d

 

[inaminute]

Comparing Le Bistro de Paris to Victoria & Albert's is like comparing apples to oranges. One restaurant is at a noisy, busy theme park. The other is a small intimate restaurant at an upscale hotel. They are two entirely different experiences (and if one REALLY wanted to take their meal home from V&A's, I'm sure it would be discreetly arranged--with no one thinking twice about it).

 

[pewing]

Thanks for the reviews! Tell me more about the rehitching...we will be celebrating our 10th during our upcoming trip.

 

[dotterson]

It's just a little thing they do at the Garden Grill in Epcot. You get a signed letter from M&M that says you retied the knot. The waitresses make you kiss to 100 (by 10s) and announce that you're rehitching to the other patrons.

It was cute, nothing formal... I thought my hubbie would like it...

d

 

[pewing]

Thanks...that sounds great. Something cute, but not too much. My sweetie will like that. I will try to call and ask for that...or can you just ask when you arrive?

 

[dotterson]

And, even tho I repeated and verified it several times, it almost didn't happen since the desk clerk at the restaurant forgot to write it for the waitress...

So, you can't just spring it on them!

d

 

[Rneighh]

Dotterson -- doggie bags are gauche but not re-hitching. Seems to be a bit of a contradiction to me.

Renee

 

[dotterson]

Renee,

One goes to a nice restaurant to enjoy the meal and not be distracted by poor behavior.

One goes to a fun event, such as a rehitching, for amusement. That's what it was designed to be.

Your comment was neither nice nor necessary.

d

 

[Debi]

Hi everybody! Just a reminder to keep personal attacks at a minimum. The original poster was sharing information about her dining experiences, not asking to start a debate about what is and isn't acceptable dining behavior.

Lets keep this thread to its original topic. Thanks!

 

[Muffy]

I didn't know you could rehitch at the ice cream social! I may have to think about that.....

 

[JulesMom]

Thanks for the great review!

I'm glad your DH had a nice birthday!

 

[dotterson]

Yes, we had a lovely trip...

d

 

[Uncleromulus]

d:
Thanks for the review. It's been awhile since we've done Bistro, and we're going there in May. Your reviw helped cement that choice!!

I doubt the staff at Bistro was very taken aback by the behavior you saw--my hunch is they are quite used to it at WDW. In all my years of Disney Dining, I've come to expect videos and pictures, etc at Disney Restaurants.

BTW--I have seen at least one party take some food from V&A (tho it probably happens very infrequently) and tho I haven't seen a videotaping of a "meal", I have seen videotaping of the restaurant it self--tho again, not often. Most folks bring a camera to V&A--we always do!!

 

[nutz4dzny]

Thanks Uncleromulus, I was about to say the exact thing. We have eaten at V & A each trip we take and have been to the Chef's Table 4 times. Our next trip to the Chef Tables is only 14 days away! We have had pics taken in the main dining room and at the Chef's Table. I saw a couple in the main dining room get engaged with the man down on one knee and the staff was taking a picture. It would be sad if you thought it was wrong to take a picture and miss out on a very important event! I have also seen video taping and as long as there aren't any external lights on...I think it is fine as does the wait staff at V & A or else they would stop it!

However if your personal convictions feel it is wrong for you...don't do it. But I wouldn't judge others who do.