Question for artisan cheese platter experts!

[perla75]

I have always wanted to try a cheese sampler platter from one of the WDW restaurants, but I've been hesitant because, although I LOVE cheese, I am picky about which ones I like. I've always resisted because I'm afraid I'll waste the plate!

If I told you my favorite kinds of cheese, could you recommend me a restaurant that might have a cheese sampler I'd like??

Here are my favorites:
-Brie
-Camembert
-Havarti
-Munster
-Montaray Jack
-Mozzerella
-Feta
-Ricotta
-Cheddar

So, I guess I like soft, mild cheeses. I do NOT like hard or stinky cheese

Any restaurant suggestions?

(disclaimer: We CANNOT afford and have no desire to go to V&A's!)

Thanks!

 

[AuroraBeauty]

I'm a cheese lover. But there are times I've had cheese platters (not at WDW) that had cheese I did not care for.

I've looked at the various restaurants that server the cheese platters and many of them only list 'artisanal cheeses' which could be anything as long as it's a small production cheese.

Of the cheese you've mentioned, you're not likely to find many of them on a cheese platter. Brie & Camembert, possibly. Cheddar, maybe -- especially at Rose & Crown b/c of the various great English varieties.

I think your best bet might be to try a good variety of cheeses BEFORE you go. Go to a place like Whole Foods that has a large cheese section and ask for samples. If you have a nice cheese shop in town, go there. Explain to the person working there that you're trying to expand your cheese likes and would like to try some new/different cheeses. You will be pleasantly surprised!


Cheese platters are set up differently, depending on who is putting it together. At a restaurant, it can be regional cheese -- so any type of cheese from that region (England) or by type of milk (all sheep milk cheeses). Normally, you'll get a hard cheese, a soft cheese and a sharp cheese. But having never had one at WDW I can't speak of those restaurants. Hopefully someone who has enjoyed them can chime in.

Some really great cheeses to try are:

1. traditional chevre (goat cheese) -- soft and sharp
2. Manchego -- great hard cheese from Spain, mild, flavorful. It is a sheep-milk cheese
3. Fontina -- soft, smooth, reminds me of havarti
4. Asiago Fresco -- it is the soft version of Asiago which is a hard cheese. I like the Fresco b/c it is soft (like a havarti) but packs a lot of flavor and is not over powering
5. Gouda -- soft-ish (a little more firm than havarti), flavorful

I love trying new cheese that I normally wouldn't buy. It has been a great adventure with my daughter, who thinks a store w/o cheese samples just isn't any good.

Don't be afraid to try the cheeses. If you have give things a try and just don't like any of the (i.e., blues) then let the server know. I have a very good friend who loves cheese but is highly allergic to veined cheese so he has to let servers know this when he does a cheese course. WDW is a great place to have an adventure. And, if you just don't like any of them at all let the server know and I'm sure they'll try and figure something out.

Best wishes!

 

[eapgourmet]

I order the artisanal cheese plate any time I'm dining at a restaurant that offers it - I love just about any kind of cheese. It's tough to recommend a restaurant, however, because they tend to change the cheese selections frequently. For example, I went to California Grill on Wednesday and had the cheese plate, which had five artisanal selections. I loved all of them: Pierre Robert, Pleasant Ridge Reserve, Monte Enebro, Torta del Casar and Cabrales.

The problem is that the selection will likely change soon. So I'd have to say just experiment. In my experience, the cheese plates have very different cheeses to choose from. AuroraBeauty's suggestions are right on, as well.

 

[tinkandpan]

Ok- EAP Gourmet, you scored a terrific platter at Cali Grill. That Pleasant Ridge is one of my new fave's. Hope it is still there when we visit in June.

As for the op- I too don't think many of those cheeses you mentioned would be on an artisinal cheese plate, but things similar might be. I would tend to in your case stay away from "stinky cheeses" unless you have never tried them and that is why they are not on your list of faves. The sampling of each cheese is so tiny that if you don't love it , there's not a lot of it.
California Grill IMO has one of the better cheese courses around but I am sure people out there will add some other fave's. And enjoy the cheese!

 

[marlynnp]

I just absolutely loved the cheese plate at the Rose & Crown... my mouth is watering right now thinking about it, lol.

 

[marlynnp]

Had to look at the pic of the menu....

Fruit and Cheese Plaste

Irish Cheddar, Mushroom Brie, and Stilton Pastry with individual accompaniments $8.99

The accompaniments were grapes, apple slices, onion jam, sesame crackers and candies walnuts.

 

[TDC Nala]

Cheese selection menu from Jiko for a particular day.

(These change often)

 

[jlewisinsyr]

Based on the cheeses you list, I would be hesistant to say you'll like a cheese platter. I have yet to find a cheese I don't like, sure there are some I like more then others, but I love cheese. I think at Disney last year I had 3 or 4 cheese plates, and each was very different from the next, but from recollection, most were on the stronger/pungent side.

 

[pixie08]

I have had cheese paltters at quite a few places in WDW with Jiko and CG being my favorite. That being said you must be some what willing to expeirment but you may find you like a few of them

 

[Stittsville]

I have yet to find a cheese I don't like

Spoken like a true cheese lover

 

[Clotho]

Another cheese lover here, and was pleased to learn that more restaurants on property are putting together nice selections!

I would probably recommend the Chefs de France cheese plate the most for what you say you like. France has a lot of great soft and semi-soft cheeses, and not so much with blues.

I am looking forward to trying the Flying Fish cheese plate after the review I read earlier today! We enjoyed the Cali Grill cheese plate well enough when we tried it years ago, but as someone said, it changes all the time so it's hard to say! You can always walk up to a place and inquire--we often do that, trying to get a rundown of what they have and decide to eat there or not based on the cheese plate offerings.

 

[Mickey'sApprentice]

We really enjoyed the cheese plate at Yachtsman Steakhouse!

It seems like the flavors were very mild, and the consistency was soft and most accompanied by jam, or something like jam.

I love cheese, and this was very good. The cheese and the jam blended very well.

The plate didn't look anything like the picture of cheese from Rose & Crown.

That was over a year ago. I don't remember a lot of the details.