The Everything Victoria & Albert's Thread

[svltvl]

When splitting a pairing, are you able to choose which wines you are served or do you still get all the of them but smaller pours? We're not huge white fans and I can't do an entire pairing on my own if I want to be able to walk out of the restaurant Would it make more sense to just order by the glass and have them make the recommendation for whatever course?

 

[AndieKay]

For what it's worth, I'm a 6'2 240lb man and after having a pairing all for myself I definitely left fairly tipsy.

Well, if you at 6'2" left fairly tipsy, then me at 5'6" and something-something pounds will definitely be plastered. I guess that means the wine pairing is out for me, then! Good to know Ah well, I'll just ask for 2-3 recommended glasses to go along with the meal! That's helpful to know, thank you!

 

[Richard M Nixon]

Well, if you at 6'2" left fairly tipsy, then me at 5'6" and something-something pounds will definitely be plastered. I guess that means the wine pairing is out for me, then! Good to know Ah well, I'll just ask for 2-3 recommended glasses to go along with the meal! That's helpful to know, thank you!

Well the pairing is, I believe, 8 or 9 glasses so there's certainly a lot to take in. You don't have to finish each drink if you don't want. I would definitely endorse trying the pairing to sample the flavors of the wine melding with each course and to get a broad range of different varietals.

When splitting a pairing, are you able to choose which wines you are served or do you still get all the of them but smaller pours? We're not huge white fans and I can't do an entire pairing on my own if I want to be able to walk out of the restaurant Would it make more sense to just order by the glass and have them make the recommendation for whatever course?

Well they have pre-set pairings with a mix of red/white, usually starting with a champagne and ending with a port. I'm sure you can ask them to tweak the menu to take in your tastes, especially if you tell them when they call a week out to verify your reservation, that way they can plan accordingly and maybe order something to your liking. As someone who pretty much exclusively drinks reds, try being a bit adventurous. I think I had 3 whites served to me and I was amazed at how much I liked each one of them.

 

[ambgoph]

When splitting a pairing, are you able to choose which wines you are served or do you still get all the of them but smaller pours? We're not huge white fans and I can't do an entire pairing on my own if I want to be able to walk out of the restaurant Would it make more sense to just order by the glass and have them make the recommendation for whatever course?

FYI - we ate in the main dining room two weeks ago and were not allowed to split the wine pairing as we have done in years past.

Israel was not there that night, so I don't know if this is a new policy or if they just didn't do it that night since he wasn't there.

In the past we were each able to receive a small pour for each course. Two years ago you picked which course you wanted a full pour with (alternating courses with your dining companion).

 

[AndieKay]

I would LOVE to just get a taste of each pairing with each course, but to spend 100 or so dollars on it, when I won't drink it all, just seems a tad wasteful to me. I still have a month and a half or so before I go. I may change my mind by then, who knows!

 

[iloveeeyore]

Hi all- My husband is trying to plan our first visit to V&A's for about a year from now. It will be for our 12th wedding anniversary (we just celebrated #11 but were unable to really do anything special this year due to circumstances beyond our control). How difficult are reservations to get? He will be calling right at the 180 day mark but do any of you have insight/tips as to getting a reservation? He was trying to do it in the MDE app but I told him that I thought you had to call for that res, much like CRT. Any advice/recs would be appreciated! We are pass holders who live a little over an hour away but are planning on spending 1-2 nights at the Grand Flo for this occasion (we have never stayed there either and it's on my Disney bucket list). We are pretty familiar with WDW in general but the whole V&A/Grand Flo experience is new to us...

Hi! We are doing the Chef's Table for the first time this July, and we are so excited!! We called at 9 am on our 180+10 mark and we had a choice of 6 out of 7 of our nights. We used 2 phones and would have been fine with 1. Good luck!!

 

[swwake]

Did you call at 9am Eastern time? Do you know whether online reservations for CT are available? And, you mentioned they had availability for 6 of your 7 nights - did these include Wednesdays or Fridays? I had read that these two nights are not available for reservations. We only have 4 nights, so I'm hoping to get CT for at least one of those nights in September. Thanks for any advice/info you have!

 

[cwis]

Just noticed this thread mention reservations at V&A were not available online… things might have changed as we were able to make an ADR for late August (or there is a subtlety I failed to grasp!)

 

[kungaloosh22]

Just noticed this thread mention reservations at V&A were not available online… things might have changed as we were able to make an ADR for late August (or there is a subtlety I failed to grasp!)

No subtlety missed. V&A online reservations were not working for a while, but they are now back. Thanks for the heads up!

 

[iloveeeyore]

Did you call at 9am Eastern time? Do you know whether online reservations for CT are available? And, you mentioned they had availability for 6 of your 7 nights - did these include Wednesdays or Fridays? I had read that these two nights are not available for reservations. We only have 4 nights, so I'm hoping to get CT for at least one of those nights in September. Thanks for any advice/info you have!

Yes we called at 9 am Eastern Time. There were no on-line reservations available for the Chef's Table at the time I made the ressie. I think that both of the above situations is true. V&A does usually take on-line ressies but the system was down for a while; also, I don't think the Chef's Table can ever be reserved on-line. I am not sure about Wednesdays and Fridays, but I am there for 7 nights and only 1 was not available. I think the unavailable night was a Thursday, but I'm not sure about that. Good luck!

 

[Vegananthropologist]

Just a quick question. DH and I dined here in May 2015 and are looking to book it for September. When we ate here in May they had 2 set times for dinner but when I was looking at dates in September online it seems like it has reservations every hour. Did V&A change the way they do reservations?

 

[cwis]

Just a quick question. DH and I dined here in May 2015 and are looking to book it for September. When we ate here in May they had 2 set times for dinner but when I was looking at dates in September online it seems like it has reservations every hour. Did V&A change the way they do reservations?

IIRC, we were given a choice of three seatings, spanning a 1-hour period, when we booked our ADR. We believed this is so all guests do not show up at once, yet keep the kitchen busy all time long?

 

[swwake]

Yes we called at 9 am Eastern Time. There were no on-line reservations available for the Chef's Table at the time I made the ressie. I think that both of the above situations is true. V&A does usually take on-line ressies but the system was down for a while; also, I don't think the Chef's Table can ever be reserved on-line. I am not sure about Wednesdays and Fridays, but I am there for 7 nights and only 1 was not available. I think the unavailable night was a Thursday, but I'm not sure about that. Good luck!

Thank you so much for the info. I'm gonna try all the different strategies. TA suggested getting online at 5am and being ready with the ADR screen open, date selected, etc., then hit "enter" starting a couple of minutes before 6am (my time - Central - 7am Eastern). If I can't get the reservation online, I'll call. If the phone line doesn't open until 9 (8 my time) I'll call back then. I can report back here afterward, to share my experience in case others have the same questions.

 

[AndieKay]

I got my email today, a month ahead of my reservation, to ask if I was celebrating anything, and what my dietary needs were!

So excited! Now I have to decide whether I am going to go with the 7 course or the 10 course meal. Oh, and whether to add the wine pairings! A month left to decide...

 

[AdamEfimoff]

@AndieKay I some how managed to book this

 

[AndieKay]

@AndieKay I some how managed to book this

Nice! What are you thinking? 7 course? 10 course? I am ridiculously excited about this experience, myself

 

[Richard M Nixon]

So is the chef's table open yet? Why haven't any pictures been posted?

 

[BC1836]

FYI - we ate in the main dining room two weeks ago and were not allowed to split the wine pairing as we have done in years past.

Hmm. During 15 previous V&A dining experiences we have had the option of splitting the wine pairings. We have to investigate this seemingly disappointing situation further. We'll phone V&A.

All the best!

 

[jhaig]

So I just booked our first V&A experience this morning and we are very excited about it. My 16 year old is a budding foodie, loves to cook, and can't wait to see how it's done by the best.

A couple of questions immediately come to mind:

1) My wife is a very picky eater. My daughter and I will be fine. Looking at the menu as posted she would eat only a couple things out of the 10 courses. Will she be able to make specific requests and will the chef be able to hook her up with something wonderful?

2) My wife and I are non-drinkers. Will there be any problem with this? Can't imagine there would be, except saving some money. What should I expect to pay for the three of us, without the wine pairings?

 

[belleincanada]

Hello, hello!

I'm a complete V&A virgin and my fiancé and I are going for our honeymoon in September. I have a couple questions.

1. Chef's Table or QVR? This is our biggest debate. The chef's table will obviously be amazing. But as newlyweds, the Queen Vic room would be much more romantic, yes??

2. If we do decide on the Chef's table, please tell me the things, cause I've heard a few different things. I'm renting DVC points for this trip so I do believe I get 180+10, which opens up for me this coming Tues Mar. 15. Is it that I need to be online and booking at 6am EST, or do I need to be reaching the restaurant by phone at 7am EST? I've heard both things.

Thanks for the help.