Suggestions for Anniversary Dinner?

[lilwhiterabbit]

My partner and I will (hopefully) be celebrating our anniversary next October at WDW. I'm a planner, so of course I'm starting to get things together now. One of the things I'd really like to do is have a nice, romantic dinner somewhere in the World during the trip. We both *love* food, so yummy-ness wins out over everything else. Price isn't a huge issue, though I doubt we'll be able to afford Victoria & Albert's. I was considering California Grill, but I'm not sold on the menu. I also love Jiko and will use that as a fall-back if I can't find anything else, but I'd like to try someplace new.

So, suggestions?

 

[cbg1027]

Citricos Citricos CITRICOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I just ate dinner there for the 3rd time this year and all 3 times it was AMAZING! It's my absolute favorite restaurant at Disney. The food is French/Italian/Spanish Mediterranean flavors.

The service is excellent - I would ask for the blonde Nancy or Keira.

 

[Pakey]

The only place that guarantees you romance is Victoria & Alberts and it really delivers. I would check out the price before making a decision. If you don't do the wine pairing or any of the upgrades, the prices are actually very reasonable for what you get. We've always had good luck with a late dinner at Bistro de Paris in Epcot (it's small and intimate and NOT on the dining plan and does not have a children's menu) but there's been recent reports on here that they are now offering children options from Chefs de France downstairs which is disappointing as it was a nice adult only type of place.

You might always want to consider a few other non-dining plan options. Bluezoo, Il Mulino and Wolfgang Pucks The Dining Room (upstairs in DTD).

On the dining plan, we think the best chances for quiet and romantic are going to be 1) Artist Point 2) Citricos and 3) Jiko. The later you eat, the better chance you have that it will be quiet. CG will be one of the worst choices unless you eat late after fireworks. Before that, the place is a zoo.

I hope you have a great time. We'll be there at the same time, celebrating our 25th.

 

[TDC Nala]

California Grill is not quiet. I was there on December 6 (long before fireworks) and I saw very few couples there - the one I remember spent the entire time taking photos of the castle out the window. All other parties I saw were family groups, some of them quite large and with a number of small children. If you're looking for a quiet dinner there, go after the fireworks are over. Even then it might not be quiet. You might ask to be seated in the wine room, but if you want the MK view you are not going to get it there.

 

[Native NYer]

What abour Narcoosee's?

 

[Pygoplites]

Good point about V&A not being that much more than some other places. For three courses at CG, Citrico's or Narcoosee's, you can spend $70-$80+/person before drinks, tax and tip (if you order the more expensive items). For $50 or so extra, V&A delivers an experience that is exponentially better. Since you're not going until October, you'd only have to save a few extra bucks per week to pay the difference between a nice meal and an unforgettable one.

I hope you have a wonderful time no matter what you decide and that you and yours have many, many more happy years together!

The only place that guarantees you romance is Victoria & Alberts and it really delivers. I would check out the price before making a decision. If you don't do the wine pairing or any of the upgrades, the prices are actually very reasonable for what you get. We've always had good luck with a late dinner at Bistro de Paris in Epcot (it's small and intimate and NOT on the dining plan and does not have a children's menu) but there's been recent reports on here that they are now offering children options from Chefs de France downstairs which is disappointing as it was a nice adult only type of place.

You might always want to consider a few other non-dining plan options. Bluezoo, Il Mulino and Wolfgang Pucks The Dining Room (upstairs in DTD).

On the dining plan, we think the best chances for quiet and romantic are going to be 1) Artist Point 2) Citricos and 3) Jiko. The later you eat, the better chance you have that it will be quiet. CG will be one of the worst choices unless you eat late after fireworks. Before that, the place is a zoo.

I hope you have a great time. We'll be there at the same time, celebrating our 25th.

 

[lilwhiterabbit]

Thanks for the responses! I wasn't expecting so much love for Citricos, but I am definitely eyeing it now. Also, thanks for mentioning the volume level at California Grill. I had no idea it would be that loud.

I have eaten at Chefs des France before and was disappointed with my meal. I've never been upstairs to Bistro de Paris, however. Is the food at Bistro any better than Chefs?

V&A's is something I'm looking into and I appreciate the price comparisons. I'm a big wine fiend, however, so it would be really hard for me to eat there without spending the extra money for wine pairings. Also, my partner blanched at the idea of having to wear dinner attire while on vacation when I brought it up (I suspect this might be pretty common for men, however ).

 

[iloveeeyore]

Also, my partner blanched at the idea of having to wear dinner attire while on vacation when I brought it up (I suspect this might be pretty common for men, however ).

Yup! DH (softly) refuses to pack a dinner jacket for vacation. He wears one very often at home and wants to relax when in WDW. If I told him that dining at V&A was crucial, he'd do it for me...but I don't see the point, when there are lots of other wonderful ways to dine in WDW.

We thought Artist Point was very romantic and delicious when we dined there last year (especially the buffalo filet prepared rare, and the mushroom soup). I don't know where you're staying, but is romantic in-room dining an option for you?

 

[TDC Nala]

Bistro's food is far better than Chefs de France (in my opinion). It used to be a good restaurant for quiet adult dinners because it isn't on the dining plan and has no children's menu. Since parents have discovered they can ask for a child's menu from Chefs de France it has become more populated by families with little kids, but it still isn't on the dining plan, so it's sort of hit or miss for quietness. Even with kids present, there's no discernable difference if the kids are well-behaved, but I have heard from a few people who shared the near vicinity with little "restaurant-roamers" who couldn't stay in their seats.

 

[Pygoplites]

Citrico's has a great wine list, too! Although it is quieter than CG, it is certainly not immune to the cranky/crying children syndrome. I've had some great meals there, nonetheless. But my entree was almost inedible the last time I ate there, so I can't give them a perfect score.

Thanks for the responses! I wasn't expecting so much love for Citricos, but I am definitely eyeing it now. Also, thanks for mentioning the volume level at California Grill. I had no idea it would be that loud.

I have eaten at Chefs des France before and was disappointed with my meal. I've never been upstairs to Bistro de Paris, however. Is the food at Bistro any better than Chefs?

V&A's is something I'm looking into and I appreciate the price comparisons. I'm a big wine fiend, however, so it would be really hard for me to eat there without spending the extra money for wine pairings. Also, my partner blanched at the idea of having to wear dinner attire while on vacation when I brought it up (I suspect this might be pretty common for men, however ).

 

[TheRustyScupper]

1) There are very few romantic restaurants owned by WDW.
2) Due to DDP, they all are usually noisy with kids and DDP folks.
3) I suggest
. . . Bistro de Paris (Epcot, France, upstairs)
. . . Shula's (Dolphin)
. . . Il Mulino's (Swan)
. . . Victoria & Albert's (Grand Floridian)

 

[TDC Nala]

There was a report awhile back about a couple dining at Shula's who had a family sitting next to them that had their child watching a movie on a DVD player - loud, and without using earphones. So anywhere at Disney there is a chance of running into noisiness while dining. (Groups of adults can be as noisy or noiser than children, and there's lots of groups eating out at WDW).

But, there are several very nice restaurants with really good food there (I say stick with the 2 credit DDP with the exception of CRT, V&A, or the non-Disney/no dining plan restaurants for food quality). I just wouldn't be able to recommend anyplace that is ALWAYS going to be quiet.