Queso, Fromage or Cheese....

[qohweddings]

I love cheese no matter how you say it....

We're headed to WDW next week on the Deluxe Dining Plan and several of the restaurants have great cheeses on their menu....

HOWEVER, from some of the food porn I've seen the portions of cheese look to be really, really tiny...

Anyone have any feedback on if the cheese plates are worth using an appetizer credit for?

Thanks!

 

[MariDisney]

I love cheese no matter how you say it....

We're headed to WDW next week on the Deluxe Dining Plan and several of the restaurants have great cheeses on their menu....

HOWEVER, from some of the food porn I've seen the portions of cheese look to be really, really tiny...

Anyone have any feedback on if the cheese plates are worth using an appetizer credit for?

Thanks!

We had the deluxe plan last fall. I had the cheese course as an appetizer at every restaurant we visited that offered one (off the top of my head: Flying Fish, Narcoossee's, Rose and Crown, and Le Chefs de France). I thought they were very good overall. The portions were not small. In fact I would categorize them overall as fairly large. Where are you thinking of having them?

 

[LockShockBarrel]

Keep in mind the accepted serving size for cheese is 1 oz. Most restaurants cheese plates are really geared towards "tasting" rather than "snacking". I work in the speciality cheese section of a grocery store (Wegmans) and from the prices listed and what cheeses are listed on the plates, they run a bit more than I really think they're worth. The price per lb on most of the cheeses listed run between $13 and $25, at least the ones we carry and according to our prices. Even adding in the little accompaniments (grapes, bread, compotes, whathaveyou) and telling you it's "chef prepared" and putting it on a pretty plate...I just don't think it's worth what you pay. You can go to any specialty cheese shop and get more cheese than what they're giving you for what you're paying. I also think that if you have access to a specialty cheese shop, most of the cheeses I've seen offered aren't that exotic. I'd suggest you see if you can find the cheeses offered locally before you spend the money, or credit rather, on the plate.

 

[qohweddings]

MariDisney -

Thanks so much....We're dining at Narcoossee, and the Brown Derby and probably cocktails at the BLT Lounge...

LockShockBarrel -

I'm actually a MAJOR foodie- CIA grad, worked as a chef for a major hotel chain, executive dining and catering for the Smithsonian and had my own restuarant and catering business...

In college I worked in a private cheese shop and am familiar with many of the cheese I've seen on the list...while I'm NOT expecting a 1/4# of each...many of the photos looked to have literally one tiny slice of each cheese

With so many great food options on some of the 2 dining credit restaurants I didn't want to blow an appetizer selection on 2 bites of cheese.

Thanks so much to both of you for taking the time to respond!

 

[qohweddings]

MariDisney -

I JUST looked at where you are from.....

I grew up in Bucks County - my brother and sister live in Warminster and Warrington...

Small world!

 

[MrsLS]

Keep in mind the accepted serving size for cheese is 1 oz. Most restaurants cheese plates are really geared towards "tasting" rather than "snacking". I work in the speciality cheese section of a grocery store (Wegmans) and from the prices listed and what cheeses are listed on the plates, they run a bit more than I really think they're worth. The price per lb on most of the cheeses listed run between $13 and $25, at least the ones we carry and according to our prices. Even adding in the little accompaniments (grapes, bread, compotes, whathaveyou) and telling you it's "chef prepared" and putting it on a pretty plate...I just don't think it's worth what you pay. You can go to any specialty cheese shop and get more cheese than what they're giving you for what you're paying. I also think that if you have access to a specialty cheese shop, most of the cheeses I've seen offered aren't that exotic. I'd suggest you see if you can find the cheeses offered locally before you spend the money, or credit rather, on the plate.

Can't you say that about any food you get at a restaurant though? I can make a pasta dish with whatver in it at home for a few bucks but any restaurant its $12-$30+, a good steak can be $7-10lb, but in the restaurant its $25-$50, etc...

I haven't gotten cheese plates but I've seen pictures on here and they don't look that small. But its just an app, some of the apps especially in the signature restaurants are tiny too.

 

[MariDisney]

MariDisney -

I JUST looked at where you are from.....

I grew up in Bucks County - my brother and sister live in Warminster and Warrington...

Small world!

Yes, small world. Wave next time you're passing through.

 

[Mom-2-2Princesses]

I had the cheese plate at Narcoosees in April (as well as at Chefs de France) and it was delicious. The portions weren't small at all. They weren't huge, but it was an appropriately sized appetizer. I don't think you will be disappointed.

 

[LockShockBarrel]

Yes you could say that about at least some of the food, but I wouldn't order plain pasta at a restaurant. I know there's a mark up on the food, and for something that involves roasting and then a sauce for the meat and a sauce for the veggies that I don't have the recipe for to make at home, I think its different. For the cheese, I just see it as going to a fancy restaurant and asking for a banana and accepting that they'll charge you an extra 10 bucks for it. They're not doing anything to the cheese except cutting it and putting it on a plate and I don't think a huge markup on that is warranted, especially if you can get the cheese elsewhere.

 

[disneyfav4ever]

I think the cheeses are worth it. I like tasting different kinds of cheese, and I don't think the portion is too small at all.

 

[qohweddings]

Thanks everyone-

I totally understand product markup - we rarely go out for Italian as I'm not paying $20+ for pasta I can make at home..

Again I'm NOT expecting a huge portion I just wanted to make sure it's an appetizer sized portion I'd be happy with if I chose it...

Sounds like I'm trying some of the great cheeses when we got to Narcoossee- we'll have to do some food porn to share when we try it out.

Thanks again!

MariDisney - Ever eat at The Great American Grill north of D-Town?

 

[JenSop]

Don't forget Käse! (Can't leave out the Germans!) haha!

(Especially with all these PA'ers - there's so many of us who are of German decent!)

I've always been intrigued to try one of the cheese plates, but have always thought of them as being too big for one person? Perhaps I'm wrong?

 

[MariDisney]

MariDisney - Ever eat at The Great American Grill north of D-Town?

No, I haven't. Is it good? We're always looking for new places to try.

 

[cdepauli]

I've found the cheese portions to be about the same size as I have at other better dining establishments, maybe a bit smaller.

I would never not order something at a restaurant just because I can make it cheaper at home if it was something that I wanted and would enhance my dining experience. It's part of the price of going out to dinner.

I particularly enjoyed the plate at Flying Fish because they seem to include more varied "sides" with it. Also, if you don't want to waste an appetizer credit, maybe your server would let you use a dessert credit, but still get the cheese before your meal, since the cheese plates are offered as both dessert and appetizer. Then you could still get two appetizers to share.

 

[drenalin'junkie]

Our experience with WDW cheese portions are average.We live 2 hours N of Orlando and the local restaurants mostly have similar size portions with the exception here and there.Our favorites so far have been V&A,Artist Point and FF.We try every cheese and antipasto plate we see and find them to be the most reasonable of WDW food for the most part.YMMV as portions can vary depending on the restaurant and who is plating that night.

We are major goodies and I eat cheese for lunch 50% of the time at home.It's roughly $4-6 for ingredients and accompaniments for me at home so a $14 or even $20 plate of 3-4 with goodies isn't out of line to us.

FWIW Today's lunch is 5yr old Vermont cheddar,an Italian buttermilk blue and a French soft rind triple cream with toasts,crackers and fig jam and fruit juice.

 

[Belle2009]

I love cheese no matter how you say it....

We're headed to WDW next week on the Deluxe Dining Plan and several of the restaurants have great cheeses on their menu....

HOWEVER, from some of the food porn I've seen the portions of cheese look to be really, really tiny...

Anyone have any feedback on if the cheese plates are worth using an appetizer credit for?

Thanks!

If you are a cheese lover you will most definitely enjoy the Chedder Chesse soup at Le Cellier (located in Epcot's world showcase in Canada). This is an appetizer, and is to die for! I get it everytime we dine at Le Cellier. Definately worth the appetizer credit! This is also a great restaurant to use your Dining Plan at! Although it is really hard to get into at last minute. Not sure if you would be able to get a reservation this late in the game.