Le Cellier - Disappointing

[Rustysmom]

Our waiter for the second meal was EXCELLENT, his name is Patrick - I'd ask for him if I went back again. The first waitress was okay, but my DH and I both agreed that Patrick would be on top of any lost ticket (you could tell that he was very aware and on top of his tables).

Denise

Oooh, we had Patrick too when we went last month. He was SO nice! He kept joking around with my DS because he couldn't believe that he ate almost the whole strip steak. My DS was getting sick and had a sore throat and it took him forever to eat the steak. We were ordering dessert and he was still going. Finally Patrick told him to "give it up". He was stuffed but still managed to eat his smores. Patrick was always checking on us and making sure we had everything.

We're going back in less than a month and I sure hope we get Patrick again. Funny, he's the only CM whose name I remember.

About our meal, I didn't have anything to compare it to because it was the first time I was ever there, but I thought it was excellent, except the risotto was too salty. Good thing I like salt, but they should tone it down a bit.

 

[LWcalif]

Wow, I'm surprised to hear so many people felt the same way we did. I thought maybe we just hit the chef on an off night. LeCellier has always been our favorite restaurant, but we'll be excluding it on our trip next year. Food was so salty it was barely edible.

Ate at Jiko for the first time and had the mac & cheese filet and it was fabulous!

 

[nbodyhome]

Wow, I'm surprised to hear so many people felt the same way we did. I thought maybe we just hit the chef on an off night. LeCellier has always been our favorite restaurant, but we'll be excluding it on our trip next year. Food was so salty it was barely edible.

Ate at Jiko for the first time and had the mac & cheese filet and it was fabulous!

Since Jiko has Le Cellier's former chef, I expect the food there to be good!

I'm not sure what it is with the Le Cellier chef and salt. How does someone keep a job when the food doesn't taste good?

I am glad that others have had similar experiences, which says there is a problem (and it's not all in my head!) Maybe we can all let Disney know how we feel, but I don't know how much that would matter if the same chef stays there. One of my favorite dishes at WDW has been the mushroom filet - and without mushrooms (only in the risotto), it isn't much of a mushroom filet.

I feel bad saying anything, I've been going to Le Cellier for years and years. I'm not especially nitpicky on food either. But Le Cellier has always been such a standout for me, and now it's just - not worth my time or money (or dining credits). My steaks weren't even worth "free".

 

[tarheelmjfan]

Since Jiko has Le Cellier's former chef, I expect the food there to be good!

We've always thought LC was hit or miss. To us, this is nothing new. I'm not thrilled to hear the former LC chef is now at Jiko. It's one of the few WDW restaurants we haven't eaten at, & I'm thinking now may not be the time to give it a try. Maybe we should wait for another chef change. Jiko costs a bit too much to take a chance on a hit or miss experience.

 

[kabbie]

We ate at Le Cellier on Monday 10/1 -- the 25th anniversary of Epcot.

I also ate there on 10/1 for lunch at 12:10pm. I went with the filet and was disappointed. They had changed the menu and instead of cream cheese mashed potatoes they now have sweet potato mash. And the steaks come with a cherry glaze which was horrible to me. It wasn't the best steak that I thought it was going to be.

I got this new appetizer--spicy chicken sausage with cornmeal. I wasn't thrilled with the other choices and the server recommended it highly. Boy was it spicy!

I know how everyone swears by the pretzel bread, but the whole grain was my favorite. And I ordered the chocolate mousse. Divine.

Overall, I'm glad I went, but I would like to try other restaurants in the future.

 

[nbodyhome]

I know how everyone swears by the pretzel bread, but the whole grain was my favorite.

I like the whole grain best too, I'll always start with that one. And thankfully, the bread hasn't changed.

 

[3clements]

My sister and I planned to take our families to Le Cellier for a nice dinner on Friday night during our visit later this month... but after reading these posts I'm torn! We are big steak lovers so we thought it would be a good choice. However three of the five of us prefer "plain" food, not a lot of sauces etc., and the menu looks very heavy on the jazzed-up stuff. Does anyone know whether they will cook a steak plain, without all the sauces and stuff? I appreciate the help!!

 

[mikymouse]

I found this at allearsnet web site

The new executive chef for Jiko - The Cooking Place is Brian Piasecki. This is a good news. Brian comes to Jiko from Le Cellier Steakhouse at Epcot's Canada and the Rose and Crown at Epcot's United Kingdom. Previously, Brian was a chef at the Coral Reef Restaurant at the Living Seas. Under Brian's leadership, the reputation of Le Cellier has reached a point that makes Le Cellier one of the hardest-to-get dining reservations at Walt Disney World. Brian replace Anette Grecchi Gray, who left Jiko for an opportunity with Carlson Companies, Inc., the parent company of T.G.I. Friday's, Radisson Hotels, and other restaurant, hospitality, and travel services brands. This information was announced Thursday evening, August 2, at a Jiko Wine Dinner. (Thanks to Werner Weiss for this news!)

 

[Buzz's Buddy]

Does anyone know whether they will cook a steak plain, without all the sauces and stuff?

We have always found them willing to accomodate those requests.

And despite the many criticisms on this board, we still enjoy Le Cellier and will continue to make it a must-do on every trip.

 

[nbodyhome]

We have always found them willing to accomodate those requests.

And despite the many criticisms on this board, we still enjoy Le Cellier and will continue to make it a must-do on every trip.

I had a friend who recently enjoyed it. It has absolutely been a must-do for me for a very long time, even when it wasn't popular (before it was a steakhouse, I really enjoyed it as a buffeteria). But I don't want to go back anytime soon, the main draw for me was the mushroom filet. And I tended up with an overcooked steak, no mushrooms except in a salty risotto (which I barely touched).

There is nothing wrong with criticism, I mostly wanted others to know that the filet was different, and the restaurant meals are also different (and I would definitely ask for no salt on everything). The breadsticks however, are the same (and I enjoyed those). If I was going for soup and breadsticks, I'm sure I'd enjoy the experience again. Chefs change, and dining experiences change. And the fact that I've enjoyed meals at this restaurant since it first opened doesn't mean anything to me now that I had two very blah meals.