Wednesday, September 2
Sanaa
I tried out the pool bar, but they had only two items on their food menu club sandwich and caesar salad with tandoori chicken. I thought they used to have more than that. Id have asked, but it was pouring down rain so I just went to Sanaa for lunch and got a table by the windows that look onto the savanna. There, I was able to take the greatest animal photo ever.
Is that the world's shortest giraffe or is it an optical illusion? Both, the giraffe is lying down and the ostrich isn't as close to the giraffe as it looks.
Tomato Soup with Paneer Cheese
Thick tomato soup with little cubes of cheese. Needed a couple more cubes of cheese. The soup was good.
Sustainable Fish Lunch
Todays fish was halibut. For lunch, they put the fish on a piece of naan bread and a bed of greens, and top it with curry sauce and cucumber raita. This is my perfect lunch. The fish was hot and slightly spicy, the sauces were good and there was mint in the greens. It had a lot of flavor. For dinner, they present the fish wrapped in a banana leaf. I might have to try that later. Lunch fish gets the Full Monty
La Cava del Tequila
This is a blood orange margarita, yes, with more foam. If you are freaked out by the foam you could ask to have it left off. They just slap it on top of the marg before serving it.
Its my favorite so far and I am giving it the Full Monty.
Le Cellier
This is the hot ticket of Walt Disney World. You have to sell your grandmother to get a reservation in this restaurant. You have to find Nemo. You have to know where Walts frozen head resides. Anything to get into this place. Even Hitler can't get in. (There's video to prove that one)
Its a small place and looks more like a cave than the Tequila Ditch. When the kid at the next table has a screaming fit, that fit carries over to your table, because the kids so close to you he will kick you in the thigh while hes pitching a fit. (Yes, that really happened.)
Had a talkative young Canadian waiter who seemed utterly astonished that I said I didnt want to order an entrée. Then he asked very tentatively if I was on the dining plan and visibly relaxed when I said no. He was probably anticipating having to explain to me that I couldnt have appetizers.
You get a batch of breadsticks: sourdough, multigrain, and two pretzel sticks. Each of these relates to Canada in some way that Ive forgotten (I remember the sourdough festival but not where they hold it and also forgot where they have the worlds second-largest Oktoberfest in Canada of course which is what the pretzel bread is for.
And then theres Maudite:
Pronounced mo-deet. From a brewery pronounced Uni-broo. (It is NOT pronounced Uni-brow). Mr. Canada says the name actually translates to The Damned. Of course I would be sitting in Le Cellier drinking damned beer. He says it comes from a story where some oceangoing guys (fishermen maybe) made a deal with the devil to get their boat operational so they could go home and see their wives. But the devil will get you in the end, because they made a voyage to pick up some supplies and never returned. So someone decided to name some beer after them.
Canadian Cheddar Cheese Soup:
This may be the most popular food item in the entire Walt Disney World complex. It makes an excellent dip for the breadsticks. If someone asked how it is Id say Its good but Im not sure I would rave my head off and tell them they needed to pledge their firstborn child to a lifetime sweeping up after the parades in order to get a reservation at Le Cellier.
Duck Three Ways:
The three ways are confit (the leg), rillette, and fleischnecke. The fleischnecke is the best. The rillettes good too. The confits only passable. If it was all like the confit itd get a Ned but I liked the other two items.
Prince Edward Island Mussels with celery, shallots, ginger, garlic, and coconut milk.
My server recommended the mussels. He thought there wasnt enough duck to make a main course. (He was right.) So I did get the mussels. And they were awesome! You have to pull them out and swish them around in the juice at the bottom of the bowl which also has some red pepper flakes. I did not think I would be giving a Monty to anything from Le Cellier but the mussels were worth it.
I did not order a dessert here I got that later at Jiko:
Tanzanian Chocolate Cheesecake with Amarula Sauce and Lavender Ice Cream.
I dont like lavender ice cream but I liked this. And the cheesecake was thick and very chocolatey. The wine is a Mulderbosch Late Harvest Cabernet Souvignon. That is a very sweet wine but the chocolate cuts the sweetness a bit. Exxxxcellent. Now if they dont serve any chocolate at the wine dinner tomorrow I am covered.
and what's wrong with Creme Brulle at every meal?? Glad there are other tempting bites for desserts!! 
I noticed last time we were there that esp at California Grill they have pouring 4 glasses from one bottle down to an exact science - esp compared to my town - my town they are way off either tooo short - or very generous!! Plus the menu usually gives you a break on price if you buy a bottle compared to 4 glasses - not at Disney!!
Wonder if you should check the prices on wines that are on that Wine and Dine package? No one ever seems to add that on - but we always read posts on whether its worth it - 
The gelato looked ok to me, but I'm prejudiced towards chocolate above everything else. 
So that's cheese? Arte Johnson time: "Verrrrrrrry Interesting."
