May 8th at the Chef's Table

[Gobbles!]

My wife and I dined at Victoria and Albert’s chef’s table in May, to celebrate our trip to Disney. There were probably other things we could have been celebrating (Tuesday, for example), but we don’t really worry so much about why we’re going as the fact that we’re going. We aren’t allowed to visit the greater Orlando area without making a visit to the finest dining in central Florida. I think that was actually written into law when we moved out of the state. And yes, I realize it is August. We got our review together a long time ago, but then other things came up and we were forced to procrastinate.

We pulled up at the Grand Floridian for our reservation around 5:15, and dropped our car off to the valet. We were warmly greeted at the door (as is the custom) and led through the dining area and kitchen, to our table in the back of the kitchen. Jack and Sherry looked after us for the night. Before I go on and forget to say this, Jack and Sherry are very good at what they do. They are professional and polite and always make us feel at ease. On a side note, they’re also fun to hang out with. We ran into them at an event, and had a real blast.

My wife was unable to partake in the wine pairing, so I was thinking about passing on it as well. But Jack suggested that there were some pretty good pairings to be had, so I opted in for the wine pairing. The pairings turned out to be every bit as good as a pairing can be, so no regrets there. Actually, I should say almost no regrets. I was a little unprepared (understatement) for that much wine. Towards the end of the meal I went a bit downhill, resulting in my wife driving us home and me not really remembering the drive.

 

[Gobbles!]

Not to totally get off point, but wine pairings are awesome. The thing about wine pairings is that a good pairing helps to point out subtle nuances in the food that you would otherwise miss. For example, pairing a wine that has a very strong mineral taste to it might temper down the iron taste in elk to help you notice the rest of the flavor profile. So you could say it’s like a secret decoder ring that shows a different underlying message. Or maybe it’s like changing the equalizer settings when listening to music, to bring out the bass line or the guitar solo. Or old-school 3-D glasses, that allow each eye to see a different picture, resulting in a less blurry image that jumps out and scares the bejeezus out of you. Anyway, a good wine pairing is pretty magical. Having said all that, the first few wine pairings we had ever gotten were when we were in college. We thought the wine was tasty and the food was good, but never connected the pairing beyond that. Then, one day we were at V&A, enjoying a wine pairing, and got to the prawn course. We did the bite and sip, and were amazed at how much awesomeness came blasting out of the shrimp when the wine was added to it. We both immediately made a surprised face, followed by a guarded expression and a quick look to see if the effect was noticed by the other person. Then we gushed uncontrollably about how awesome wine pairings are. Since then, we have noticed the pairing generally does something to elevate the flavor profile of any given course (One exception to the rule may be port. It just tastes like delicious, and I never really connect it to the cheese course, except that I’m happy to see it when it’s there). So, the moral of this wildly rambling paragraph is this: you might or might not understand wine pairings, but don’t be afraid of them. Some day you may accidentally stumble on a pairing that makes everything clear. By the same token, don’t blindly order a wine pairing if you don’t like wine. People do that, and it’s a terrible idea (just about as bad as trying to get difficult reservations to the chef’s table if you want a dimly lit, romantic experience. If you know enough to know it’s a hard to get reservation, you should know better than to think it’s romantic. Cost and unavailability does not equal romance. If it did, every lady in the world would want 50 yard line tickets to the Super Bowl). If you don’t like it, it’s not any good. End of story.

 

[Gobbles!]

Amuse-Bouche

Soft poached quail egg, with Galilee caviar

Bison

Cauliflower Panna Cotta

Duck with Hearts of Palm

Favorite: Panna Cotta. I’ve never had a panna cotta as smooth and silky, and never had anything that had such a strong flavor of cauliflower. Even actual cauliflower by itself. The caviar was a nice visual accessory, but also worked well to add a little punch to the panna cotta. Not that it was strongly needed, but it was nice. I would like to note that at one point in my dining history at vna, the quail egg was a favorite if it was in the amuse. Also, there was a time when bison was king. Now, these two selections are still excellent, but not a surprise. If I see one of them, I don’t think ‘wow, that is an AMAZING quail egg! I’ve never had anything like it!’ or ‘I didn’t think bison would ever taste quite like this.’ That’s because I’ve had them before. Now when I see them it reminds me of old times and I get all sentimental about previous dinners. All that is to say that if anyone else went to vna for the first time and decided I am certifiable because the bison or duck didn’t rate my favorite this time around, I can’t argue. I’m just glad that VNA can keep making changes that surprise and delight, even after multiple visits.

 

[Gobbles!]

Maine Lobster with Herb aioli and miniature greens

We agreed that this was the best lobster either of us had ever had, and it was the first lobster my wife had ever enjoyed as a course.

Call me crazy, and say what you want about my lowbrow ways, but a very interesting thing happened with this dish. When you eat the lobster together with the aioli, it ends up with a very strong avocado/guacamole essence to it. It doesn’t really make any sense at all, but we both agreed that the flavor profile was there. In fact, when we were discussing the dish we both stopped short when we got the word ‘avocado’, just in case the other person was about to say something that sounded more sane. We mentioned it to Aimee, and she was nice enough not to laugh at us outright. Thank you Aimee, if you’re reading this.

 

[Gobbles!]

Herb-crusted Rabbit loin and rabbit sausage with carrots

I couldn’t help but notice how it was a little messed up that the rabbit was served over the foods rabbits like to eat the most (peas and carrots). We also lamented that our baby daughter couldn’t be with us, because her solid foods diet consisted of mainly pureed peas and carrots (which are technically not solid at all, I know). She would have loved the purees, and so did we. The rabbit was also good, but surprisingly white. I had never had rabbit, to my recollection, and always imagined it as a red meat. The rabbit sausage had a good level of spice that played very nicely with the vegetables. The loin was super-tender and juicy. And, regardless of the cruel irony, it was delicious.

 

[Gobbles!]

Cioppino with Maine Mussel, Langoustine, and scallop

The course was introduced on delivery as mussel, lobster, and scallop cioppino. This was my first honest cioppino, and I had to update the ‘best lobster I’ve ever had’ title to show this dish sporting the best lobster ever. Langoustine is a close enough relative that I stand behind the decision. Also, first mussel ever. It was very nice, but I must warn anyone who doesn’t already know: don’t lick the shell. That may sound obvious, but the broth was good enough that licking the broth off the shell didn’t seem like much of a stretch until it was tried.

Oh, and they poured the broth tableside. Super awesome.

 

[Happy 2 B Me]

You have a wonderful gift in your writtings. I have so enjoyed your review so far. I also would like to thank you for sharing your view on wine pairings. I only enjoy very sweet white wines or white sparkling wines. I now am able to understand that for me not having wine with each food course is not a food sin as I probably would not enjoy the wine at all. I would take super bowl tickets though

Patty




Did you end up with a cut? Re: The clam shell? I have ended up with tiny cuts on my fingers if I rub the sells of little necks. It might be I just have tender finger tips to. No matter still enjoying your review.

 

[Gobbles!]

Lamb with baby tomatoes, artichokes, and olive pesto

Very nice lamb. We had gotten used to the previous lamb service, which is also very good, in my opinion. It was the one where the lamb was cold and curried, and it smoked when the servers poured apple juice over the top (dry ice below the plate). Back to the current lamb, it was most remarkable in that I thought the rest of the dish (yes, the vegetables) starred in the course. By that I mean the lamb didn’t take over the plate, the way meats have a tendency to do. The vegetables complemented the lamb very well, and I would look forward to this lamb preparation in the future.

 

[Gobbles!]

Veal tenderloin with red cabbage tart and veal cheek

The veal tenderloin course is always very nicely done, but this time it was changed up a little bit. The usual sweetbreads that accompany the tenderloin were replaced with braised cheek. While some might call that going from one offal item to another (meat joke), the cheek was very well prepared, resulting in a juicy, flavorful, pleasantly chewy addition to the course. I will add that the cabbage tart is very good on its own (especially the pastry crusting), but when mixed with the apple sauce on the plate really elevates to a whole new level. And with or without the apple sauce, the pie is a nice pairing with the veal.


Closeup of tart:

 

[Gobbles!]

Kobe style Australian beef tenderloin with garlic potato puree

Once upon a time, before frequenting VNA, I had a list of the best steaks I had ever had. The list was very well maintained and constantly updated based on the latest restaurant experience. Then, I had ‘Kobe’ for the first time, at VNA (I think we actually were getting real Japanese Kobe at the time, before the big Japanese meat embargo). Since then I have stopped thinking about keeping a list, because VNA prepared Kobe takes up the entire top ten list. Having said that, the ‘Kobe’ was very very good, just as I expected. It was fork tender, and the marbling was buttery and delicious. The potato puree was velvety and smooth, and the short ribs were very tender and succulent. Also, the jus was unbearably good, as usual. The combination of quality foods on this plate would make it impossible to pick the best thing, if it weren’t ‘Kobe’ on the plate. And if you don’t know what the deal with ‘Kobe’ is (why it’s supposed to be so good, and why people use the air quotes when saying it, and what the difference is between that and Wagyu), it’s an interesting story and would make for good light reading some time.


Seriously, check out the marbling. I've seen Italian marble with less marble than this:

 

[Gobbles!]

Cheese course
Fiscalini cheddar, Gouda reypenaer XO, Colston bassett stilton, Parmigiano reggiano

As usual, a strong cheese course. Strength ranged from mild to strong going left to right. Because I like strong cheeses (pretty much all cheeses for that matter) I always like the cheese course.

 

[Gobbles!]

Blood orange timbale with array of fruits on a raspberry veil

It was at this course that I realized something was going horribly wrong. The wine pairing I had been enjoying throughout the night had gotten the best of me, and I was unable to properly finish the course. However, from what I had a chance to try, this was a very nice, refreshing dessert. The fruits lent a nice brightness to the dish, and the timbale was light and rich at the same time. There was a delicate meringue lattice on the side that was a nice compliment to the more syrupy elements of the plate. A very nice fruit dessert. As a side note, don’t let my wine pairing issues dissuade you from trying a pairing if you are interested in wines. A good pairing will complement the food in ways I would have never thought possible.

 

[Gobbles!]

Peruvian chocolate cylinder with elder flower sauce, chocolate and navan bubble

Unfortunately for me, I enjoyed a little too much of the wine pairing, and was unable to enjoy the main part this dessert. Meaning I couldn’t think about eating it. Fortunately for me, it was boxed up for me to enjoy later. I did get to eat the chocolate and navan bubble. It was what I would imagine shooting oysters on the half shell would be like, if the oysters were made of chocolate. Very nice trick to make the chocolate form a bubble, and very neat texture. Too bad I was feeling the wine so strongly. Oh, and unless I was just really drunk... I'm pretty sure I remember them saying they put 24k gold IN the elder flower sauce. It was shiny and tasty.

This is the chocolate bubble:

This is how you eat a chocolate bubble:

 

[Gobbles!]

Celebes coffee, tea, and friandises

The coffee is the best I have ever had. It is a very good blend. I remember that there is actually a coffee menu at VNA that features single bean coffees from around the world, and am sure that they are all good, but I can never bring myself to stray from the house blend. Very smooth and rich. We chose five chocolates each to take home with us, but the only one I got to have was the cherry cordial. Explosively delicious.

 

[Gobbles!]

You have a wonderful gift in your writtings. I have so enjoyed your review so far. I also would like to thank you for sharing your view on wine pairings. I only enjoy very sweet white wines or white sparkling wines. I now am able to understand that for me not having wine with each food course is not a food sin as I probably would not enjoy the wine at all. I would take super bowl tickets though

Patty

Patty, thanks a lot. I'm glad it's not too bad of a review. My wife and I always mean to put up a review when we go, but either don't get around to it or are afraid we'd be too boring. We love to look at everyone else's reviews, though.

I'm glad I could help with the wine topic. I personally think too many people think they have to force the default options on themselves at nice restaurants because they think it would look bad to do what they want.

At V&A there's a 'knife' that is used for spooning up sauce. A lot of people feel like it's a crazy and intimidating piece of silverware, but once our server Allen told us it only exists because one of the English queens decided that only common folk used bread to spoon up sauce. So she had the thing invented so she could lick her plate with grace. Kind of a tangent, but I guess my point is it's a good idea to do what you want to do.I don't actually use the sauce knife. Instead, I try to lick the plate when nobody's looking.

Be sure to tell Israel or the server what kind of wines you like, and they'll be very excited to hook you up with suggestions of good pairings or just good wines. There have been a few times when I have just asked for a couple of the best pairings. These aren't necessarily the crazy expensive wines, but the matches the sommelier is particularly proud of making.

And my wife and I would totally go for the super bowl tickets too.

Sorry for rambling. I tend to do that.

 

[Gobbles!]

Patty,

I just saw the followup. We didn't get any cuts, but it was like licking a dock pier. I guess we were lucky though if they can cut you. Then it would have been like licking an opened can that had been floating in a harbor, next to a dock pier.

 

[Gobbles!]

We missed seeing Chef Scott, but had a great time (as always) with Chef Aimee. There are many things about V&A I didn't get to touch on (such as the amazing bread courses and kitchen activities), but I don't want to give away the entire experience. If I did that, you would go and the night would at best meet your expectations. Half the fun is being surprised and delighted by the evening as it unfolds course by course.

I do have to add that after this particular night we went home and I passed out. Then we came back three days later with my sister in law to enjoy the main dining room. Allen took very good care of us in the dining room, and Chef Tom took great care of us in the kitchen.

For those of you who want to shy away from V&A because it is unquestionably expensive, I would like to offer our philosophy: restaurants of this caliber are expensive. However, the quality of food at V&A is better than anything I can get in my home town. So my wife and I don't eat out very often, and save the money we could have spent at Applebee's, Outback, or McDonald's (you get the idea) for our fine dining when we go to Disney. The quality of chefs and service are second to none, and we always have a top notch experience.

I hope you enjoyed the review. I know I had a great time writing it.

 

[ClareH37]

Thank you so much for the fantastic review - I'm dining there with a friend in December, looks like we're in for a treat

 

[CanadianPaco]

That was an amazing review! Thanks for sharing!

 

[jmm476]

Thanks for the review, everything looked amazing! Well except for the rabbit, I've never been able to bring myself to eat Thumper. Lol