Le Cellier Steakhouse goes to all day menu

[DonaldDoleWhip]

No one insinuated LC was serving slop for lunch. Comparing the previous lunch & dinner menus it was obvious that they were using more expensive ingredients at dinner. Some of the menu offerings were the same only larger. A lot of them were a step up from the lunch menu though. Now that they will have an all day menu, they will be serving the same quality ingredients all day. I realize many of you are upset about the change. That doesn't change the fact that with higher prices should come better food. They could never get away with the prices otherwise & they would have to realize that.

Agreed. A lot of the food at lunch will now be better quality than before (once you look beyond the cheese soup and maple crème brûlée, which were so popular that it definitely made sense to increase the prices).

For me, the issue is that I don't think a meal at LC will be worth the higher prices (once you factor in the service and atmosphere at LC compared to the other signatures). There are many WDW restaurants that are too overpriced (IMO) for me to justify dining at, and now LC is one of them. For the same prices, I'll take Artist Point or Jiko.

Higher prices don't equate better food. One small example is the higher price for the WDW Kid's Meal that included chicken tenders at one time but now contains pressed (I think it is) chicken nuggets. Kona Cafe has raised the price and downsized their portion of the Big Kahuna (now it should be called the Jr. Kahuna) but they aren't serving a better breakfast.

In Le Cellier's defense (yes, I'm defending LC even though I'm not a fan of the price increases), Disney did try to raise the bar when they upgraded dinner to a 2-credit meal. Le Cellier received a new head chef (who'd previously been at Yachtsman) and some of the new dishes are great. The dinner poutine creatively incorporates upscale ingredients, such as red wine reduction and truffle salt (some people still harp on the fact that it isn't traditional, but I expect signature restaurants to take classic dishes and shake them up). Many of the other dishes, such as the lobster chopped salad, are also unique (and at certain points in time, they had venison, oxtail, and buffalo on the menu). There's obviously a difference in quality between salmon sliders with fries and "Golden Tilefish with glazed Salsify, Potato, Haricot Verts, and warm Bacon Vinaigrette" (the new seafood dish). Another new dish (Seared Veal Tenderloin with Parsnip Baby Brussel Sprouts, Wild Mushrooms, and grain Mustard Jus) also sounds like a step up from what was offered before.

For me, the problem with LC isn't the food quality, as I've had food there that stands up well against some of the other WDW signatures. IMO, the problem is the atmosphere - LC doesn't 'feel' like a signature restaurant. The place needs a proper refurbishment (just like many other WS restaurants have recently received), but I doubt it's going to get one.

 

[sweeteypie1118]

I have to agree with OrangeCountyCommuter. It isn't like Le Cellier, or any restaurants, serves slop for lunch and then goes to an entirely different food vendor for dinner.

I'm wondering if Le Cellier is doing this because they started seeing a drop in their dinner reservations once they started charging 2 TS credits. I know that we had planned on trying to get a last minute Le Cellier ADR for lunch last November. I could find times during our trip for dinner but could never find any availability for lunch. Now they have "fixed" that by charging 2 TS credits all day and basically making it dinner all day long.

I'm not happy about them taking off the House Burger. That burger used to be amazingly good and something DH & I looked forward to each trip. But, having said that, we did a last minute trip on Jan. 12th and were able to get an ADR for lunch that day. With our mouths watering we ordered the House Burger and were brought out what looked like a pre-frozen flattened burger that might have been good enough for a CS meal. The burger had no maple BBQ on it and instead of Canadian bacon it had regular bacon strips on it. It was awful and what made it worse that the CM never once mentioned that the burger had changed and we basically paid $15 for a CS burger. Needless to say IF we ever go back to Le Cellier it will be for breadsticks and soup only unless they start making you get a minimum purchase to dine there or say that you can only order the soup if you have an entree too.

Wow...we had the burger Thanksgiving week and it was the one stated on the menu. It was AMAZING! Wonder what happened. So bummed that burger is gone.

 

[mareed]

Have been watching for the new menu, and now having seen it, just canceled my early March lunch reservation as many others have done. I always loved the cheese soup, burger, cream-cheese mashed potatoes, and mac & cheese side-order along with pretzel bread. This was our favorite meal at WDW and we'd usually eat there twice on a normal 7-9 day trip for us! No more with this new menu, and we really don't like any of the other table-service options at Epcot, so not sure where we'll end up.

Actually, I'm not even sure when we're returning to WDW next after regular trips for so many years. I really don't like the way things are going with Fastpass changes, and food changes. DH & I are doing our annual anniversary trip at Universal Orlando instead this year (have done so before and loved it)!

 

[tarheelmjfan]

Higher prices don't equate better food. One small example is the higher price for the WDW Kid's Meal that included chicken tenders at one time but now contains pressed (I think it is) chicken nuggets. Kona Cafe has raised the price and downsized their portion of the Big Kahuna (now it should be called the Jr. Kahuna) but they aren't serving a better breakfast.

All you need to do is look at the before & after LeCellier menu to see they are using more expensive ingredients in a lot of the dishes. It is definitely a step up from the old lunch menu. You could argue it isn't an improvement, if you prefer a burger to what the menu now offers. Whether or not many of the additions are more expensive to prepare is less debatable.

Agreed. A lot of the food at lunch will now be better quality than before (once you look beyond the cheese soup and maple crème brûlée, which were so popular that it definitely made sense to increase the prices).

For me, the issue is that I don't think a meal at LC will be worth the higher prices (once you factor in the service and atmosphere at LC compared to the other signatures). There are many WDW restaurants that are too overpriced (IMO) for me to justify dining at, and now LC is one of them. For the same prices, I'll take Artist Point or Jiko.


In Le Cellier's defense (yes, I'm defending LC even though I'm not a fan of the price increases), Disney did try to raise the bar when they upgraded dinner to a 2-credit meal. Le Cellier received a new head chef (who'd previously been at Yachtsman) and some of the new dishes are great. The dinner poutine creatively incorporates upscale ingredients, such as red wine reduction and truffle salt (some people still harp on the fact that it isn't traditional, but I expect signature restaurants to take classic dishes and shake them up). Many of the other dishes, such as the lobster chopped salad, are also unique (and at certain points in time, they had venison, oxtail, and buffalo on the menu). There's obviously a difference in quality between salmon sliders with fries and "Golden Tilefish with glazed Salsify, Potato, Haricot Verts, and warm Bacon Vinaigrette" (the new seafood dish). Another new dish (Seared Veal Tenderloin with Parsnip Baby Brussel Sprouts, Wild Mushrooms, and grain Mustard Jus) also sounds like a step up from what was offered before.

For me, the problem with LC isn't the food quality, as I've had food there that stands up well against some of the other WDW signatures. IMO, the problem is the atmosphere - LC doesn't 'feel' like a signature restaurant. The place needs a proper refurbishment (just like many other WS restaurants have recently received), but I doubt it's going to get one.

I agree that LC doesn't appear to offer a true signature experience. (We haven't eaten there, since it went signature, so I can't speak from personal experience.) That's one reason I'm fine with the change. Hopefully, this will decrease demand & the place will be less chaotic. That is to be seen, but I don't think the restaurant will get worse with the change. It can only improve, if anything. I already think the all day menu looks like an improvement. Many of the appetizers & sides look great to me. I wouldn't have ordered a big meal at lunch anyway. To me a burger w/fries & pretzel bread would be too much for lunch. Admittedly, I'm a light eater. The 2 signature restaurants are the only restaurants in the parks where I like the all day menu. It's possible to put together a great, light meal. Most of the all day menus are way too heavy for me early in the day. As for the atmosphere, we'll go for lunch, when we aren't as concerned about the atmosphere as we are at dinner.

 

[DDM101]

I haven't read ANY of the previous posts (probably should have), but I really only have only a couple of things to say about the new changes:

1. No burger = SAD - Lecellier's lunch burger was tops in all respects.
2. Mushroom Filet = Higher Price = Boo! I would much rather have a smaller filet (at lunch) that satiates me in every way than pay for extra meat that I don't want or need...!

Not happy with the changes, but I do love the mushroom filet, so I don't know how I will stay away.

 

[baler31]

Brown Derby, the other in-park signature restaurant (besides CRT) has had an all-day menu for over a year now. It appears to be working there. It hasn't caused a lot of hoopla because Brown Derby is nowhere near as popular as Le Cellier. Time will tell how it works at Le Cellier, whether people really liked the food that much or just thought of it as a good value.

Don't know that I would say it works as the restaurant is always at least half empty when we dine there. They do still offer a few salads so we continue going for lunch.

 

[mjlass11]

Is there anyone that we could call and complain to about the menu change? Would it do any good? We have a lunch reservation for 5 in May...... we all used to order the burger, and the only thing one the new menu that we'd order is the filet. However, there's no way we're going to spend at least $60 per person for lunch (counting beverage, dessert...).

 

[julie4423]

This thread got me curious. I plugged in MANY dates for lunch including weekends and spring break. Almost every single day had an opening...totally unheard of. I've battled for this ADR myself before.

 

[HadesTX]

Well, poo. Glad we ate there last year for the first (and only) time. DH was going to get the burger on our next trip. He saw one after he ordered & immediately regretted his steak & potato skillet (which he didn't like at all).

I will miss the cream cheese mashed potatoes. They were really good. My strip steak was better than expected, also. I would love to get the ribeye, but $46... I'll pass. None of the sides sound good.

At least we got to eat there once!

 

[tavettava]

We had 2 adr's for next month. I cancelled them because we are paying out of pocket and I am not paying that much.

 

[DVCJones]

Just an idea. What would happen if all of us who have ADRs and are planning to cancel wait until 24 hours before.

That may get the message when they have a lot of empty tables that were canceled with less time to fill it...

 

[minnie56]

Would just make for lots of happy walk ins...

 

[Ro Z]

Who is gonna walk in and pay $30-40 a person for LUNCH?!?! I don't even want to pay that for dinner! You could feed your family of 4 for a week for that kind of $$. I think this is a huge mistake. And lunch will be back next year. I hope!

 

[DVCJones]

Would just make for lots of happy walk ins...

But, would walk-ins want to pay that kind of $$ for lunch? I think one look at the menu and the prices for lunch might change that...

 

[katieandemismom]

We ate there Friday, and I can say I don't know that we'll be back. The soup and bread were good, the creme brûlée was good, but the entrees were just okay at best. My filet was dry, and dh's was undercooked. He sent it back, and it came out almost burned to a crisp (ordered med). It was over $200 for lunch for 2 adults and 2 children. Way overpriced for what we got.

On the other hand, we found our new LC last night at The Wave! I had pretzel bread as my app, an amazing filet for my entree, and the dessert trios were outstanding. Two thumbs up for it! We will be back without a doubt.

 

[minnie56]

But, would walk-ins want to pay that kind of $$ for lunch? I think one look at the menu and the prices for lunch might change that...

For everyone that might not, I am sure just as many would..
If I wanted to eat there, I would. Would take a lot to scare me off

 

[DVCJones]

For everyone that might not, I am sure just as many would..
If I wanted to eat there, I would. Would take a lot to scare me off

I imagine $200 for lunch for a family of 4 would scare many off. Unless on the free DDP...

 

[julie4423]

I imagine $200 for lunch for a family of 4 would scare many off. Unless on the free DDP...

And willing to sacrifice 2 credits for it.

 

[minnie56]

I spent over $100 at Tutto Italia last week and the place was packed so?

 

[minnie56]

Should add that was for 2