Carys
Mouse-Eared Kiwi
- Joined
- Aug 14, 2005
- Messages
- 834
Here are my promised dining reviews! These reviews are from my two December trips some were solo, and some were with my sister. All these meals were on the dining plan. Also, some of these meals were almost a month ago now, so please excuse me if some details are scanty on some things its probably because I dont remember.
As a general note, I found without exception that the service was at least as good if not better when dining solo, than when dining with my sister. None of the servers made me feel uncomfortable being there alone, and Id be happy to repeat any of the meals as a solo diner again. All the meals were early evening or later. I bought a digital camera right before the second vacation, but only remembered to take photos of food on the last two days, Im afraid. Ill post those photos in the dining picture thread when I get a chance later. Also, I was impressed at nearly every meal at how prompt refills were on drinks and bread items at some meals, I was hard put to finish my diet cokes before fresh glasses magically appeared courtesy of attentive servers.
Chefs de France
(Solo, Candlelight Processional Package, 6.40pm PS)
Service: I was seated at 6.50pm, at a window with a fair view of the world showcase lake, which was very pretty. The attendant (not sure of the American term?) gave recommendations as to what seat at the table gave the best view. The server was a young gentleman who offered recommendations on the menu, was very attentive during the meal, making sure at each course that I was satisfied with the dishes, patiently helped me with my attempts to pronounce French when ordering, joked that I was not allowed to order my dessert unless I attempted to pronounce it in French, and was happy to stop and chat a couple of times even though the restaurant was packed.
Appetiser: Tartare de saumon legerement fume, sauce moutarde. The salmon tartare tasted fresh and the texture showed no signs of poor preparation. The accompanying sauce was rather sweet, but I felt light enough to not overpower the delicate flavor of the salmon. The portion was a decent size for tartare- you can really only eat so much at once without getting bored of it, if that makes sense- but a hungry person should probably steer away from this dish if they were looking for larger portions.
Entrée: Canard a lorange, haricots vert. I have only tried duck a handful of times before, but this was definitely the best preparation of it that I have tasted. The breast of duck was not oily, which I generally find duck to be, and the sauce was a good balance of sweet and tartness, although maybe I expected for some reason the sauce to be more orange it was just a normal gravy brown. I havent had orange duck before though, so I dont have anything to compare it to. The green beans tasted a bit overcooked, as they didnt seem to be very flavorful, but I enjoyed the sweet potato puree not a lump to be found, decent sized serving, served at a nice warm temperature so hadnt been sitting around, and the sauce from the duck also went well with the puree.
Dessert: Profiterolles au Chocolat. I had intended to choose the spiced apple tart, but when I saw a round of this dish served to a neighbouring table, I couldnt resist. The portion was Huge a large pastry puff, stuffed with vanilla ice cream, covered in chocolate and if I recall correctly, nuts. Very sweet, chocolately, icecreamy, and oh so good my dessert inspired another solo diner at another adjacent table to also order this dish, so I guess there was a bit of a chain reaction there! My only criticism is that I could see the profiterole on another diners plate was overly browned, which had been disguised mostly by the sauce, but my own was the correct paler color so please consider it the mildest of criticisms.
Ohana
(Solo, 7pm PS)
Service: I checked in early and was immediately seated at 5.30pm. The initial attendant was very welcoming and had a lovely happy manner about her, explaining various things such as the coconut races that would be going on during the meal. I was seated at a window table that would have had a perfect view of Wishes later in the evening. It took 5 minutes before my server came across and took a drinks order, and it subsequently turned out that theyd incorrectly served one dish of one sauce, two dishes of another sauce, and left the third sauce off the table altogether. The waiter failed to notice this even as he pointed to a second dish of the same sauce and pronounced it to be peanut, but quickly brought out a dish of the peanut sauce once I pointed out the error the next time he visited the table. He promptly brought out dishes of everything, emphasized that I was not to feel rushed but to take as much time as I liked with the meal, and periodically offered to refresh or remove dishes. The meat skewer servers began to arrive as soon as the appetizers did, and swung by my table several times during the meal, even after I had turned down meat, just to be sure I hadnt changed my mind, which I thought was a considerate thing for them to do. So after the initial sauce hiccup, I thought the service was fairly good. They had several activities for the kids while I was there, and also had a special coconut race for adults only using only the wrong end of the broom!
Appetizers: Loved the greens with the dressing I wanted to have more, but knew I had to pace myself to get through the marathon meal, which turned out to be a wise decision. The fried wontons were ok, I enjoyed them with the peanut dip, and they were initially still nice and hot when they reached my table. I felt the shrimp werent as fresh as they could have been the ones on top were nice and firm, and delicious with the sauce, but further down they got a bit mushy. Loved the honey wings again served nice and hot, and the sauce made them more-ish. By the way I was served full dishes of food, so they definitely did not stinge on quantities for the solo diner here.
Skewers and Accompaniments: Im not a steak or sausage fan, so I did not try those skewers at all, although the steak seemed to be very popular at surrounding tables on subsequent skewer visits. The pork seemed to be both tough and slightly underdone, if thats possible, so I cant say I was a fan of it. The turkey however was really very delicious freshly hot, and not dry at all. I enjoyed a small portion of the stir fried veges the snap peas were very fresh tasting but didnt find them overall as more-ish as the initial salad. The scalloped potatoes were chock full of flavor and I liked them, although my tummy was getting too full to have more than a small taste.
Dessert: I actively dislike bananas but I Loved this dessert! How confusing is that. The bread pudding was served generously, and had a nice light texture, which made it easier to eat more of than would normally seem humanly possible. Again, big hit with surrounding tables, one even ordered a third round of the pudding. The server brought out the fosters sauce in a separate jug, and it was delicious, although very very sweet. A common theme in the meal was that all the flavours were solidly strong, which was quite a contrast to the delicate salmon tartare, for example, of the previous night.
Le Cellier Steakhouse x 2
(Solo, 8.40pm PS, With sister, Candlelight Processional Package, 7.40pm PS)
Service: In somewhat of a paradox because of the two meals, this restaurant had some of the best and worst service of the meals. I was able to be seated at 8.20pm, 20 minutes early, for the first meal, and when we checked in 15 minutes early for our second meal we were seated a fair amount of time after our PS time. During the first meal, the server was attentive, gave suggestions, made sure my drinks were fresh and offered more breadsticks, ensured the dishes were correct the chef came out to check that I was happy with my steak as Id ordered it butterflied and well done gave the story behind the seating areas and breadsticks, and found me a take-out dessert and bill in about one minute flat when I suddenly decided to change my mind and go watch Illuminations. She was absolutely terrific. During the second meal, after an initial friendliness and attentiveness during our drinks order, the server suddenly became very hard to find, was very slow in both taking our orders and getting our dishes to us, did not give any background as to our seating area, completely forgot to get us breadsticks at all only bringing them when I asked her about it after wed finished our appetizers, and then did not explain the story behind them. Im sure there are worse servers out there, but the service at the second meal was definitely several steps below the excellent service of the first meal.
Appetizers: Candied salmon: To be honest, I was a bit disappointed with this dish. The candied salmon seemed to just be minced up not very fresh smoked salmon that was not as well executed as the tartare at Chefs. Forgettable. Asian Shrimp Cocktail: Excellent the shrimp were firm and properly deveined, and the slaw was a real surprise that went above my expectations, with a perfectly measured kick of wasabi that really made the dish. Canadian Cheese Selection: Winner of the three by a nose in front of the shrimp. The servings of cheese were more generous than anticipated, served with a chutney, microgreens, and a fig if I recall correctly, and each cheese really had something to offer the dish, rather than there being one good cheese and then some filler cheese to bulk up the dish.
Entrees: As a non-steak-lover, I loved the steak here (my sister was surprised that I voluntarily ate steak twice in a month). Firstly, I had the Filet Mignon, and I was blown away by how perfectly the steak was cooked. I requested it butterflied and well done, and it came out sliced as symmetrical as though it had been done with a ruler to measure the halfway point of the thickness, without a hint of red in it, but still very tender. I savored it, and it convinced me to brave the New York Strip Steak the second time I visited Le Cellier. Somewhere on my camera is photographic proof that a 14 oz. steak does not have to be butterflied or burnt or tough to be cooked well-done, so top marks. My sister had the Mushroom Filet Mignon and loved the flavors of the risotto and tender cut of the meat. The fried parsnips on top proved to actually be rather tasty, not just superfluous decoration for the dish.
Dessert: Chocolate Whiskey Cake takeaway. Still very moist and rich the next morning when I got around to eating the piece. Kind of a chocolate cake for people who normally would order something more exciting than a chocolate cake, and not a chocolate cake for people who would normally stick with a chocolate cake because theyd get annoyed by the marmalade, in my opinion. I enjoyed it, but probably wouldnt order it again while there are other desserts to try. Maple Crème Brulee. Two thumbs up the maple flavor wasnt too strong, but was strong enough to make a difference out of a dessert that seems fairly standard around a lot of the WDW menus. I cant recall even having the accompanying cookie, so either it was missing (which is possible given the average service of that meal) or it wasnt exciting enough to remember. Seasonal fruit cobbler: cute presentation in the small pan, and enjoyable if unexciting solid dessert fare that went well with the rest of the meal.
Mama Melrose x 2
(Solo and with sister, Fantasmic Dining Package, both 4.30pm PS)
Service: At both meals, the service was friendly, helpful with recommendations, and timely with service as they were aware of our need to not linger and get to the show. We were seated promptly at our PS times. At both meals I requested the flatbread be takeaway, and each time was provided with takeaway containers with no hassle at all. Drinks were kept full, and when a party beside us during the second meal spilt an entire glass of water, the server (who was not even present when the drink was toppled) had the entire thing cleaned up and practically forgotten with no fuss within a couple of minutes. So although not over-the-top astounding, the service was still pretty darn good.
Appetizers: I again Loved the salad here the first server mentioned they prepare the vinaigrette in house, and I felt there was just the right amount of cheese, in well prepared crumble sizes, for the salad. My sister was disappointed that this salad (as seems to be the trend at American restaurants) was just lettuce greens, instead of the range of salad vegetables that were more used to at home. If I were to add anything to the salad, I think I might toss in some capsicum, but otherwise I cant fault the salad, because too many veges would have made the cheese and vinaigrette taste confusing, if that makes sense too much happening at once. The flatbreads were good I definitely preferred the chicken pesto over the four cheese flatbread, as it was less greasy without sacrificing any flavor. Both were still good when cold.
Entrees: At both meals, I had the Fra Diavolo. I suppose that shows how much I enjoyed it. The servings were huge, I couldnt finish the dishes both meals. The first time, I think they overpeppered the dish, although it was still good. I enjoyed it more the second time around, when the less heavy inclusion of pepper gave the dish a richer sensation in the mouth. Plus, I found a tiny seed pearl in a clam during the second dish! A surprising bonus heheh.
Desserts: First time around, I tried the Warm Chocolate Truffle Cake. I enjoyed the textures and flavors of the dish, and the serving was a good size not small, not ridiculously huge. However, the presentation of the cake in a muffin/cupcakey shape wouldnt let me shake the feeling that I was just eating a muffin with sauce, rather than a cake, which was distracting. At the second meal, both my sister and I chose the Honey Hazelnut and Ricotta Cheesecake, and we both enjoyed it. I cant remember much about the dish itself, but I can remember we agreed it was good, so tentative thumbs up for those of you looking for MM dessert advice on the cheesecake heheh.
Liberty Tree Tavern
(Solo, before MVMCP, 4.55pm)
Service: Having been seated fairly promptly at 5pm, the service Id rate as a hesitant good for this meal. I rate it good as I myself had great service quick drink refilling without having to request them, periodic checks to make sure the food was fine, several offers to replenish food, and generally took good care of me, even though the restaurant was very busy and I was a solo diner. I rate it that with hesitation though, because I saw tables around me get poor service, with occupants ranging from 3 people to around 8 people, who were generally kept waiting for refills etc and not looking very happy about it. Nearly all of the characters came around twice although I seemed to be snubbed by one of the chipmunks (it kept walking right by me for some reason) the other characters were a lot of fun, and the neighboring tables kids seemed to like that the characters kept sitting down with me as though getting ready to eat with me it was pretty cute. The server took photos of me with the characters when he was nearby at the right time.
Dishes: Again, I really enjoyed the salad maybe theyve put an addictive substance into their lettuce or something, but I was impressed by how consistently fresh and crisp the salads were, and enjoyed the strawberry touch. I wasnt very hungry by the time I got to this meal (dining plan keeps you chomping) so just tried a bit of everything, and enjoyed what I had. The stand-outs were the mashed potatoes, the herb bread stuffing, and the tender moist turkey. Ive read on these boards that the food at this meal is standard Stouffers stuff, but since we dont have Stouffers in NZ (that Im aware of) I enjoyed these dishes as a first time experience, and Id happily eat at LTT again. Dessert was a standard apple cobbler, but I barely had any room left (I was getting flashbacks to Violet Beauregarde being rolled out of the room in Willie Wonka) so just had again a taste, and enjoyed what I tasted. After some of the reviews on these boards, I was expecting average food and average service, so this meal stood out as being a pleasant surprise.
LOriginale Alfredo di Roma
(Solo, lunch, 12pm PS)
Service: Talk about the dark horse surprise excellent meal! Much like LTT, I went into this meal armed with skepticism given some of the reviews, and came out ready to serenade the place from a nearby balcony, if there had been one at a convenient place. My server was absolutely charming in that disarming Italian manner an excellent conversationalist, attentive to the T, gave good advice about the dishes, and was also training another staff member all the while, without me even realizing it until he casually mentioned near the end of the meal. During the space of the lunch, my glass was refilled four times I was barely getting halfway down before a fresh one was whisked into its place.
Appetizer: Fritto Misto con Calamari. A generous serving, crisp, fresh, hot, and a nice way to start off the meal.
Entrée: Fettucine alla Vodka con Gamberoni. The sauce was rich and creamy, the shrimp were fresh, properly deveined (which is important to me! I dont like those black veins), a large portion, and the dish was all around just a real pleasure to enjoy.
Dessert: I loved the way youre shown the desserts and then choose I still ended up going for the classic tiramisu, but theres something about looking at a tray full of desserts that makes you feel all giddy, like a kid in a candystore. It was a well executed classic rendition of the dessert no surprises, but just yum yum yum. The scent, layout, and décor of the restaurant reminded me of the places I ate when I visited Italy it felt like an authentic experience, especially as the sun was shining outside.
Boma
(With sister, 6pm PS)
Service: Good used plates cleared quickly, drinks refilled promptly, and otherwise generally stayed clear, which is what you really want when at a buffet heheh. We were seated around 30 minutes prior to our time almost immediately upon checking in. When I asked, the smoothies were included on the dining plan, so enjoyed a berry flavored one.
Dishes: (buffet)
Best savory dish: The hummus. Im a huge hummus fan, and these had so much flavor. What more can I say? You either like hummus or you dont, in my experience. These were good, and tasted freshly made, whether or not they actually were.
Best dessert: Its unanimous the pineapple cheesecakes were the hands down winners. Fluffy sweet fruity creamy goodness on a disc of white chocolate they were cute, pretty and yummy, a hard combination to beat.
Surprisingly good dish: Salmon in a curry sauce Im pretty sure thats what the sign said, and it almost put me off the dish. However, the sauce didnt taste curried at all, and the salmon was pretty close to perfectly baked a real surprise when salmon is cooked en masse. They must have the time and temperature down to a fine art on that dish,
Let down dish: The soups. The soups had rave reviews, and I have high expectations when it comes to soup. So when expecting fantastic soup, and instead having just merely good soup, I was a little bit disappointed. They were good, just not rave material.
1900 Park Fare Character Dinner
(With sister, 7.20pm PS)
Service: Good. Drinks werent filled as quickly as at other places, and I only have the vaguest memory of our server, so cant have been stand out service, but I dont recall it being particularly bad. The characters however were excellent. Cinderella came around twice, the first time right after we were seated, and was very sweet. Both Cinderella and Prince Charming very obligingly wrote little notes on postcards for us to send to relatives, and Prince Charming was Very charming. There were audible Aaawws from several surrounding tables, when he helped seat at the next table a young girl dressed up in her princess finery, pulling out and pushing in her chair with elaborate gestures she looked ecstatic. Suzy and Perla were also excellent, taking their time with each table and coming past several times. We did not feel rushed at all, and had a great time.
Dishes: (buffet)
Best savory dish: The pasta! I could have just eaten those all evening, especially the shrimp and asparagus dish. They were so delicious, and there was constantly a fresh batch being made as they were so popular.
Best dessert: Tough one, but I think the key lime pipped the cheesecake for me they were both very enjoyable. My sister also really enjoyed the torte she rated 1900 as having better buffet dishes all around than Boma.
Surprisingly good dish: Im going to have to make it a tie in this category. Firstly, the strawberry soup the photos made it look like of overdone and artificial, but Im a big fan of strawberry yogurt, and as this tasted very similar it was a hit with me. Secondly, the Portobello raviolis. Im not a very big fan of mushroom at all, and I really enjoyed this dish.
Let down dish: This was easy. The prime rib was terrible it is no exaggeration to say that I had veins of meat running through my lard and gristle. I was so shocked that the server would even give me such a poor piece of meat that I didnt bother asking for a replacement piece. The only shadow on the meal, but bad enough to deserve a mention in this review.
Well, thats my whirl through the table service on the dining plan. I dont think I can remember enough about the counter service meals to review them fairly, which is why I havent included them. I hope some of you find my reviews helpful I ended up having an overall excellent dining experience because of all the reviews and suggestions Ive found on this board. If anyone has any questions that I havent answered above, please feel free to post them here or drop me a private message. Thanks!
As a general note, I found without exception that the service was at least as good if not better when dining solo, than when dining with my sister. None of the servers made me feel uncomfortable being there alone, and Id be happy to repeat any of the meals as a solo diner again. All the meals were early evening or later. I bought a digital camera right before the second vacation, but only remembered to take photos of food on the last two days, Im afraid. Ill post those photos in the dining picture thread when I get a chance later. Also, I was impressed at nearly every meal at how prompt refills were on drinks and bread items at some meals, I was hard put to finish my diet cokes before fresh glasses magically appeared courtesy of attentive servers.
Chefs de France
(Solo, Candlelight Processional Package, 6.40pm PS)
Service: I was seated at 6.50pm, at a window with a fair view of the world showcase lake, which was very pretty. The attendant (not sure of the American term?) gave recommendations as to what seat at the table gave the best view. The server was a young gentleman who offered recommendations on the menu, was very attentive during the meal, making sure at each course that I was satisfied with the dishes, patiently helped me with my attempts to pronounce French when ordering, joked that I was not allowed to order my dessert unless I attempted to pronounce it in French, and was happy to stop and chat a couple of times even though the restaurant was packed.
Appetiser: Tartare de saumon legerement fume, sauce moutarde. The salmon tartare tasted fresh and the texture showed no signs of poor preparation. The accompanying sauce was rather sweet, but I felt light enough to not overpower the delicate flavor of the salmon. The portion was a decent size for tartare- you can really only eat so much at once without getting bored of it, if that makes sense- but a hungry person should probably steer away from this dish if they were looking for larger portions.
Entrée: Canard a lorange, haricots vert. I have only tried duck a handful of times before, but this was definitely the best preparation of it that I have tasted. The breast of duck was not oily, which I generally find duck to be, and the sauce was a good balance of sweet and tartness, although maybe I expected for some reason the sauce to be more orange it was just a normal gravy brown. I havent had orange duck before though, so I dont have anything to compare it to. The green beans tasted a bit overcooked, as they didnt seem to be very flavorful, but I enjoyed the sweet potato puree not a lump to be found, decent sized serving, served at a nice warm temperature so hadnt been sitting around, and the sauce from the duck also went well with the puree.
Dessert: Profiterolles au Chocolat. I had intended to choose the spiced apple tart, but when I saw a round of this dish served to a neighbouring table, I couldnt resist. The portion was Huge a large pastry puff, stuffed with vanilla ice cream, covered in chocolate and if I recall correctly, nuts. Very sweet, chocolately, icecreamy, and oh so good my dessert inspired another solo diner at another adjacent table to also order this dish, so I guess there was a bit of a chain reaction there! My only criticism is that I could see the profiterole on another diners plate was overly browned, which had been disguised mostly by the sauce, but my own was the correct paler color so please consider it the mildest of criticisms.
Ohana
(Solo, 7pm PS)
Service: I checked in early and was immediately seated at 5.30pm. The initial attendant was very welcoming and had a lovely happy manner about her, explaining various things such as the coconut races that would be going on during the meal. I was seated at a window table that would have had a perfect view of Wishes later in the evening. It took 5 minutes before my server came across and took a drinks order, and it subsequently turned out that theyd incorrectly served one dish of one sauce, two dishes of another sauce, and left the third sauce off the table altogether. The waiter failed to notice this even as he pointed to a second dish of the same sauce and pronounced it to be peanut, but quickly brought out a dish of the peanut sauce once I pointed out the error the next time he visited the table. He promptly brought out dishes of everything, emphasized that I was not to feel rushed but to take as much time as I liked with the meal, and periodically offered to refresh or remove dishes. The meat skewer servers began to arrive as soon as the appetizers did, and swung by my table several times during the meal, even after I had turned down meat, just to be sure I hadnt changed my mind, which I thought was a considerate thing for them to do. So after the initial sauce hiccup, I thought the service was fairly good. They had several activities for the kids while I was there, and also had a special coconut race for adults only using only the wrong end of the broom!
Appetizers: Loved the greens with the dressing I wanted to have more, but knew I had to pace myself to get through the marathon meal, which turned out to be a wise decision. The fried wontons were ok, I enjoyed them with the peanut dip, and they were initially still nice and hot when they reached my table. I felt the shrimp werent as fresh as they could have been the ones on top were nice and firm, and delicious with the sauce, but further down they got a bit mushy. Loved the honey wings again served nice and hot, and the sauce made them more-ish. By the way I was served full dishes of food, so they definitely did not stinge on quantities for the solo diner here.
Skewers and Accompaniments: Im not a steak or sausage fan, so I did not try those skewers at all, although the steak seemed to be very popular at surrounding tables on subsequent skewer visits. The pork seemed to be both tough and slightly underdone, if thats possible, so I cant say I was a fan of it. The turkey however was really very delicious freshly hot, and not dry at all. I enjoyed a small portion of the stir fried veges the snap peas were very fresh tasting but didnt find them overall as more-ish as the initial salad. The scalloped potatoes were chock full of flavor and I liked them, although my tummy was getting too full to have more than a small taste.
Dessert: I actively dislike bananas but I Loved this dessert! How confusing is that. The bread pudding was served generously, and had a nice light texture, which made it easier to eat more of than would normally seem humanly possible. Again, big hit with surrounding tables, one even ordered a third round of the pudding. The server brought out the fosters sauce in a separate jug, and it was delicious, although very very sweet. A common theme in the meal was that all the flavours were solidly strong, which was quite a contrast to the delicate salmon tartare, for example, of the previous night.
Le Cellier Steakhouse x 2
(Solo, 8.40pm PS, With sister, Candlelight Processional Package, 7.40pm PS)
Service: In somewhat of a paradox because of the two meals, this restaurant had some of the best and worst service of the meals. I was able to be seated at 8.20pm, 20 minutes early, for the first meal, and when we checked in 15 minutes early for our second meal we were seated a fair amount of time after our PS time. During the first meal, the server was attentive, gave suggestions, made sure my drinks were fresh and offered more breadsticks, ensured the dishes were correct the chef came out to check that I was happy with my steak as Id ordered it butterflied and well done gave the story behind the seating areas and breadsticks, and found me a take-out dessert and bill in about one minute flat when I suddenly decided to change my mind and go watch Illuminations. She was absolutely terrific. During the second meal, after an initial friendliness and attentiveness during our drinks order, the server suddenly became very hard to find, was very slow in both taking our orders and getting our dishes to us, did not give any background as to our seating area, completely forgot to get us breadsticks at all only bringing them when I asked her about it after wed finished our appetizers, and then did not explain the story behind them. Im sure there are worse servers out there, but the service at the second meal was definitely several steps below the excellent service of the first meal.
Appetizers: Candied salmon: To be honest, I was a bit disappointed with this dish. The candied salmon seemed to just be minced up not very fresh smoked salmon that was not as well executed as the tartare at Chefs. Forgettable. Asian Shrimp Cocktail: Excellent the shrimp were firm and properly deveined, and the slaw was a real surprise that went above my expectations, with a perfectly measured kick of wasabi that really made the dish. Canadian Cheese Selection: Winner of the three by a nose in front of the shrimp. The servings of cheese were more generous than anticipated, served with a chutney, microgreens, and a fig if I recall correctly, and each cheese really had something to offer the dish, rather than there being one good cheese and then some filler cheese to bulk up the dish.
Entrees: As a non-steak-lover, I loved the steak here (my sister was surprised that I voluntarily ate steak twice in a month). Firstly, I had the Filet Mignon, and I was blown away by how perfectly the steak was cooked. I requested it butterflied and well done, and it came out sliced as symmetrical as though it had been done with a ruler to measure the halfway point of the thickness, without a hint of red in it, but still very tender. I savored it, and it convinced me to brave the New York Strip Steak the second time I visited Le Cellier. Somewhere on my camera is photographic proof that a 14 oz. steak does not have to be butterflied or burnt or tough to be cooked well-done, so top marks. My sister had the Mushroom Filet Mignon and loved the flavors of the risotto and tender cut of the meat. The fried parsnips on top proved to actually be rather tasty, not just superfluous decoration for the dish.
Dessert: Chocolate Whiskey Cake takeaway. Still very moist and rich the next morning when I got around to eating the piece. Kind of a chocolate cake for people who normally would order something more exciting than a chocolate cake, and not a chocolate cake for people who would normally stick with a chocolate cake because theyd get annoyed by the marmalade, in my opinion. I enjoyed it, but probably wouldnt order it again while there are other desserts to try. Maple Crème Brulee. Two thumbs up the maple flavor wasnt too strong, but was strong enough to make a difference out of a dessert that seems fairly standard around a lot of the WDW menus. I cant recall even having the accompanying cookie, so either it was missing (which is possible given the average service of that meal) or it wasnt exciting enough to remember. Seasonal fruit cobbler: cute presentation in the small pan, and enjoyable if unexciting solid dessert fare that went well with the rest of the meal.
Mama Melrose x 2
(Solo and with sister, Fantasmic Dining Package, both 4.30pm PS)
Service: At both meals, the service was friendly, helpful with recommendations, and timely with service as they were aware of our need to not linger and get to the show. We were seated promptly at our PS times. At both meals I requested the flatbread be takeaway, and each time was provided with takeaway containers with no hassle at all. Drinks were kept full, and when a party beside us during the second meal spilt an entire glass of water, the server (who was not even present when the drink was toppled) had the entire thing cleaned up and practically forgotten with no fuss within a couple of minutes. So although not over-the-top astounding, the service was still pretty darn good.
Appetizers: I again Loved the salad here the first server mentioned they prepare the vinaigrette in house, and I felt there was just the right amount of cheese, in well prepared crumble sizes, for the salad. My sister was disappointed that this salad (as seems to be the trend at American restaurants) was just lettuce greens, instead of the range of salad vegetables that were more used to at home. If I were to add anything to the salad, I think I might toss in some capsicum, but otherwise I cant fault the salad, because too many veges would have made the cheese and vinaigrette taste confusing, if that makes sense too much happening at once. The flatbreads were good I definitely preferred the chicken pesto over the four cheese flatbread, as it was less greasy without sacrificing any flavor. Both were still good when cold.
Entrees: At both meals, I had the Fra Diavolo. I suppose that shows how much I enjoyed it. The servings were huge, I couldnt finish the dishes both meals. The first time, I think they overpeppered the dish, although it was still good. I enjoyed it more the second time around, when the less heavy inclusion of pepper gave the dish a richer sensation in the mouth. Plus, I found a tiny seed pearl in a clam during the second dish! A surprising bonus heheh.
Desserts: First time around, I tried the Warm Chocolate Truffle Cake. I enjoyed the textures and flavors of the dish, and the serving was a good size not small, not ridiculously huge. However, the presentation of the cake in a muffin/cupcakey shape wouldnt let me shake the feeling that I was just eating a muffin with sauce, rather than a cake, which was distracting. At the second meal, both my sister and I chose the Honey Hazelnut and Ricotta Cheesecake, and we both enjoyed it. I cant remember much about the dish itself, but I can remember we agreed it was good, so tentative thumbs up for those of you looking for MM dessert advice on the cheesecake heheh.
Liberty Tree Tavern
(Solo, before MVMCP, 4.55pm)
Service: Having been seated fairly promptly at 5pm, the service Id rate as a hesitant good for this meal. I rate it good as I myself had great service quick drink refilling without having to request them, periodic checks to make sure the food was fine, several offers to replenish food, and generally took good care of me, even though the restaurant was very busy and I was a solo diner. I rate it that with hesitation though, because I saw tables around me get poor service, with occupants ranging from 3 people to around 8 people, who were generally kept waiting for refills etc and not looking very happy about it. Nearly all of the characters came around twice although I seemed to be snubbed by one of the chipmunks (it kept walking right by me for some reason) the other characters were a lot of fun, and the neighboring tables kids seemed to like that the characters kept sitting down with me as though getting ready to eat with me it was pretty cute. The server took photos of me with the characters when he was nearby at the right time.
Dishes: Again, I really enjoyed the salad maybe theyve put an addictive substance into their lettuce or something, but I was impressed by how consistently fresh and crisp the salads were, and enjoyed the strawberry touch. I wasnt very hungry by the time I got to this meal (dining plan keeps you chomping) so just tried a bit of everything, and enjoyed what I had. The stand-outs were the mashed potatoes, the herb bread stuffing, and the tender moist turkey. Ive read on these boards that the food at this meal is standard Stouffers stuff, but since we dont have Stouffers in NZ (that Im aware of) I enjoyed these dishes as a first time experience, and Id happily eat at LTT again. Dessert was a standard apple cobbler, but I barely had any room left (I was getting flashbacks to Violet Beauregarde being rolled out of the room in Willie Wonka) so just had again a taste, and enjoyed what I tasted. After some of the reviews on these boards, I was expecting average food and average service, so this meal stood out as being a pleasant surprise.
LOriginale Alfredo di Roma
(Solo, lunch, 12pm PS)
Service: Talk about the dark horse surprise excellent meal! Much like LTT, I went into this meal armed with skepticism given some of the reviews, and came out ready to serenade the place from a nearby balcony, if there had been one at a convenient place. My server was absolutely charming in that disarming Italian manner an excellent conversationalist, attentive to the T, gave good advice about the dishes, and was also training another staff member all the while, without me even realizing it until he casually mentioned near the end of the meal. During the space of the lunch, my glass was refilled four times I was barely getting halfway down before a fresh one was whisked into its place.
Appetizer: Fritto Misto con Calamari. A generous serving, crisp, fresh, hot, and a nice way to start off the meal.
Entrée: Fettucine alla Vodka con Gamberoni. The sauce was rich and creamy, the shrimp were fresh, properly deveined (which is important to me! I dont like those black veins), a large portion, and the dish was all around just a real pleasure to enjoy.
Dessert: I loved the way youre shown the desserts and then choose I still ended up going for the classic tiramisu, but theres something about looking at a tray full of desserts that makes you feel all giddy, like a kid in a candystore. It was a well executed classic rendition of the dessert no surprises, but just yum yum yum. The scent, layout, and décor of the restaurant reminded me of the places I ate when I visited Italy it felt like an authentic experience, especially as the sun was shining outside.
Boma
(With sister, 6pm PS)
Service: Good used plates cleared quickly, drinks refilled promptly, and otherwise generally stayed clear, which is what you really want when at a buffet heheh. We were seated around 30 minutes prior to our time almost immediately upon checking in. When I asked, the smoothies were included on the dining plan, so enjoyed a berry flavored one.
Dishes: (buffet)
Best savory dish: The hummus. Im a huge hummus fan, and these had so much flavor. What more can I say? You either like hummus or you dont, in my experience. These were good, and tasted freshly made, whether or not they actually were.
Best dessert: Its unanimous the pineapple cheesecakes were the hands down winners. Fluffy sweet fruity creamy goodness on a disc of white chocolate they were cute, pretty and yummy, a hard combination to beat.
Surprisingly good dish: Salmon in a curry sauce Im pretty sure thats what the sign said, and it almost put me off the dish. However, the sauce didnt taste curried at all, and the salmon was pretty close to perfectly baked a real surprise when salmon is cooked en masse. They must have the time and temperature down to a fine art on that dish,
Let down dish: The soups. The soups had rave reviews, and I have high expectations when it comes to soup. So when expecting fantastic soup, and instead having just merely good soup, I was a little bit disappointed. They were good, just not rave material.
1900 Park Fare Character Dinner
(With sister, 7.20pm PS)
Service: Good. Drinks werent filled as quickly as at other places, and I only have the vaguest memory of our server, so cant have been stand out service, but I dont recall it being particularly bad. The characters however were excellent. Cinderella came around twice, the first time right after we were seated, and was very sweet. Both Cinderella and Prince Charming very obligingly wrote little notes on postcards for us to send to relatives, and Prince Charming was Very charming. There were audible Aaawws from several surrounding tables, when he helped seat at the next table a young girl dressed up in her princess finery, pulling out and pushing in her chair with elaborate gestures she looked ecstatic. Suzy and Perla were also excellent, taking their time with each table and coming past several times. We did not feel rushed at all, and had a great time.
Dishes: (buffet)
Best savory dish: The pasta! I could have just eaten those all evening, especially the shrimp and asparagus dish. They were so delicious, and there was constantly a fresh batch being made as they were so popular.
Best dessert: Tough one, but I think the key lime pipped the cheesecake for me they were both very enjoyable. My sister also really enjoyed the torte she rated 1900 as having better buffet dishes all around than Boma.
Surprisingly good dish: Im going to have to make it a tie in this category. Firstly, the strawberry soup the photos made it look like of overdone and artificial, but Im a big fan of strawberry yogurt, and as this tasted very similar it was a hit with me. Secondly, the Portobello raviolis. Im not a very big fan of mushroom at all, and I really enjoyed this dish.
Let down dish: This was easy. The prime rib was terrible it is no exaggeration to say that I had veins of meat running through my lard and gristle. I was so shocked that the server would even give me such a poor piece of meat that I didnt bother asking for a replacement piece. The only shadow on the meal, but bad enough to deserve a mention in this review.
Well, thats my whirl through the table service on the dining plan. I dont think I can remember enough about the counter service meals to review them fairly, which is why I havent included them. I hope some of you find my reviews helpful I ended up having an overall excellent dining experience because of all the reviews and suggestions Ive found on this board. If anyone has any questions that I havent answered above, please feel free to post them here or drop me a private message. Thanks!
I may really consider some new restaurants now because the detail of the food and service were frst class, so i feel like I know what I will get.
Now for a few answers to questions...
