The Food Was Not Undelicious: May 25-June 1, 2007!! Completed - Post #794

[Minniespal]

Excellent

 

[wilma-bride]

Too many 'quoteables' in there to be able to resist...

**Sigh** I have to be honest, and I am my own worst critic but how is it possible that I can look that...bleeeeeecccccch? I've lost my leg again, my hair is outta control, my arms look like the sausage links that Kona Cafe serves with breakfast, and isn't black supposed to have a slimming effect? I swear...I'm dropping 20 pounds by October or my name isn't One-Legged-Bewb-Flashin-For-Freebies-Brenda-No-Pants.

Personally, I think you look lovely - beautiful dress...check...well coiffured (is that even a word) hair...check...scrubbed and suited DH...check...small cuddly Plankton...che-e-e - hang on, where the devil is Plankton - I thought you guys were taking him along for the ride

For a moment I wanted to give them all my best Royal Family Wave, but I was afraid that my upper arm flab might swing too far out and hit someone on the head so I refrained.

Yup, just had my own mineral water-nostril-snorting experience here. I think we need a watch out for your keyboards warning from hereon in.

Amuse Bouche

OK, even to my un-gastronomised eye, this looks pretty good Whether I'd eat it or not is a different matter though

Can't wait for the rest of your 'Vicki and Al's' review Brenda - however, I am sad also because surely that means it's over

 

[WDW Poly Princess]

or my name isn't One-Legged-Bewb-Flashin-For-Freebies-Brenda-No-Pants.

I am sad that your dining review is almost over, dearest OLBFFFBNP! But I'm glad you decided to end with Vicki & Al's!

I know the feeling of wondering if they're going to kick you out of the GF lobby. I get that feeling just walking through there! I am a little worried that I'll be on some sort of blacklist when I call to make reservations for tea.

"No, I'm sorry, it says here that you've stayed at a value resort in the past decade. And you've...oh my! No, I'm sorry, we can't allow you here to drink our tea. Might I recommend Pecos Bill's?"

 

[A fat english gent]

Tuesday, May 29th - Happy Anniversary!!!!!!! I Love You...You Love Me... Now Let's Eat!

I love the way you two got all the lovely dovey stuff out of the way before your tucker arrived....Wham bam thank you mam now bring on the grub....

Hello my dear cyber-friends! Before embarking on the first part of our Chef's Table experience at Victoria and Albert's I must address a terrible oversight on my part. This evening as I was stuffing my face with crab Rangoon and washing it down with half a pitcher of Sangria - something that will surely result in much digestive unpleasantness during the deep, dark hours of the night - I realized that I had yet to share a single alcoholic beverage recipe with you.

How could I be so thoughtless...so inconsiderate...so sober???

Well, to make it up to you I'd like to offer our Sangria recipe - it's as good, if not neyyar... I mean better, than any Sangria you'll have while dining outside of your home (or mine).

Sangria

1 bottle (750ml) red wine (we used a Beaujolais)
1/4 cup brandy
1/4 cup orange flavored liqueur (either Grand Marnier or Triple Sec - we used the Grand Marnier)
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 orange, thinly sliced
1/2 lemon, thinly sliced
1 unwaxed apple, cored and cut into thin wedges
1 bottle (750ml) sparkling water, chilled (we used Gerolsteiner)

Combine everything but the sparkling water in a large pitcher - cover and chill completely. When ready to serve add the sparkling water and have yourselves a drinking good time.

Thank you, Emeril Lagasse

Now you see I'd have had you two down as FULL cup brandy kinda people...


**********************************************************

And now.without further delay...

Victoria and Albert's - The Chef's Table, Part I


Where do I start? This was the dinner reservation that spawned an entire week's vacation. Yeah, it sounds weird, but would you expect anything less from the two of us at this point?

We have been aching for this reservation for something like three years; when you normally only make it to WDW once a year (and sometimes not even that) it becomes very difficult to nab this kind of first-come, first-lucky reservation. And if I haven't mentioned it before...I am not generally a lucky person.

But in November, while still riding the crest of a post-vacation high and motivated by some strange certainty, I awoke very early and began calling WDW-DINE.

The result?

Holy crap on a stick!!!

We got the Chef's Table for our anniversary!!

Well, we might as well spend the entire week at Disney since we've got the extra vacation points to cover it.

And now you know how the whole thing spiraled out of control from there.

A bit of background about the restaurant for those of you who have not had the chance to dine there. Vicki and Al's (thank you Lori!) is Central Florida's only 5-star restaurant, although...I thought I just saw something yesterday that indicated that V&A has been downgraded to 4-star by Mobile. Anyone know for sure?

Having been fortunate enough to experience both the dining room and the Chef's Table, I would really suggest that you try the dining room first, especially if you want a romantic, intimate dinner. The dining room is lovely...dim, hushed, elegant...they even have a harpist who plays every evening. You will typically have a 6-course meal in the dining room with wonderful food and extremely attentive service.

The Chef's Table will smack you down in the kitchen, right in the middle of all the hubbub that goes into preparing gourmet dinners for multitudes of guests. You'll get something like 10 courses at the CT, selected and prepared by the evening's head chef and embarrassing though this may be...I can't seem to find an appropriate adjective to describe the entire experience.

Incredible...Amazing...Fascinating...Wow!

No,say what you mean dear...


This evening's transportation was taken care of courtesy of some local cab company whose number the SSR concierge provided to us - we called them that morning and requested that we be picked up outside of our building at 5PM because we wanted to get to the Grand Floridian with plenty of time to spare.

All dressed up with someplace to go...

**Sigh** I have to be honest, and I am my own worst critic but how is it possible that I can look that...bleeeeeecccccch? I've lost my leg again, my hair is outta control, my arms look like the sausage links that Kona Cafe serves with breakfast, and isn't black supposed to have a slimming effect? I swear...I'm dropping 20 pounds by October or my name isn't One-Legged-Bewb-Flashing-For-Freebies-Brenda-No-Pants.

Well i thought you looked Hot,even taking into account am waiting for my cataracts to get sorted,i thought the red dress matched your eyes and your hat was peachy.....

Upon arriving at the Floridian, we had about forty minutes to kill until our dinner reservation. Just so you know, if you land the CT, dinner begins at 6PM - there is only the one seating. When you book dinner in the dining room there are two seatings - one that begins around 5:30 and the other that begins around 9:00, and you can choose different times within those two dinner seatings.

Jay and I decided to hang out at Mizner's Lounge which is located on the hotel's second floor rotunda just across the way from the entrance to Victoria and Albert's. We were practical and split a bottle of mineral water (served with lime!) since we knew that there would be plenty of drinking in the hours to come. For us the best thing about Mizner's is that the GF orchestra was set up just outside of the lounge and we were able to sit there and relax and listen to some great music.

The only problem was that the first song of the set was "Send in the Clowns."

Uh oh.

"Didn't Krusty the Clown sing this song?"

Jay smirked.

I started to giggle.

Jay began singing in his best Krusty Brand Imitation voice in time with the orchestra. "Send in the cloooooowns. Those daffy, laffy, clooooooowns. Send in those doleful and soulful and schmaltz by the bowlful...clowns. Send in...the clowns..." And then he pretended to cry.

I snorted mineral water up my nose in a fit of hysterical laughter that probably would have gotten us tossed out if we hadn't been dressed so nicely.
As a side note, I don't think the GF staff really likes it when you sit in their lounges and mock the orchestra's musical selections. But I really felt like this was a good omen of things to come. Our fondness for The Simpsons is one of the things that first brought Jay and I together; well, that and my refusal to take "no" for an answer.

So, enough silliness (for now). We checked in at the restaurant's front podium just like we would if we had a reservation for the dining room. In this instance, though, you have to be escorted back to the kitchen. I have to admit, it felt pretty special to walk through that dining room with the Maitre' de while all the patrons in the dining room watched. For a moment I wanted to give them all my best Royal Family Wave, but I was afraid that my upper arm flab might swing too far out and hit someone on the head so I refrained.

There is an alcove in the back part of the kitchen where a table has been set up behind a wrought iron banister; the table is set with the same flatware, glassware, and plates that you would use in the dining room.

Wow - the flash bounced right off the arm-flab!

"arm-flab"...The kids over here call them "bingo wings"...

Once you are seated, you will be introduced to your serving team and within a few moments the chef will come out and introduce him or herself. The chef will explain how the evening is going to unfold and will share a glass of champagne with you before leaving to toil in the kitchen on your behalf.

Our champagne, which you can see in the above picture, was Heidsieck Monopole "Blue Top" Brut Champagne. It's a drier champagne but very light and very refreshing - we both liked it very much.

Am waiting for you two to tell us a beverage you two DON'T LIKE....

The restaurant is also very good about addressing food issues: allergies, dislikes, potential death warrants. I had mentioned at the time of reservation that seeds and nuts were a bad idea for me; the chef verified this with me after Jay and I were seated, and I took that opportunity to let him know of my very strong aversion to mushrooms as well. The result, which will make for a sloppy review, is that Jay and I ended up with some different food pairings as the evening progressed.

Did I mention that our chef for the evening was none other than Victoria and Albert's Chef de Cuisine (the head honcho, big cheese, numero uno) Scott Hunnel??? How in the world did that happen?

Front row seats...something sure smells good

Is it really a hidden Mickey if it's in plain view?

They have wonderful bread at Victoria and Albert's, but I must caution you as our waiter did us, do not eat too much of it or you won't have room for all the wonders to come. This picture coming up is Jay's bread plate - they only gave me the sourdough roll (remember, Crohn's Disease = bad; grains, seeds, nuts = emergency room).

Bread, glorious bread

And then a choir of angels began to sing and a single beam of light shone down on the table...

It was time.

I have a tear

Amuse Bouche

Starting at the top left-hand corner and moving clockwise we have:

1) Gulf of Mexico Shrimp with Tuscan Melon Coulis - this was a good-sized shrimp wrapped in prosciutto barely bathing in a chilled cantaloupe sauce. It was an interesting variation on the old prosciutto-wrapped-melon appetizer (which I like very much). I thought this was good, but I'm not convinced that these flavors work together; the melon coulis was a little too sweet and as much as I love shrimp I didn't think that the prosciutto enhanced it at all. Surprisingly enough, this was our least favorite of all four offerings.

2) Roasted Butternut Cream Soup - Oh. My. Gawd. Where have you been all my life? This was the most delicately flavored soup I've ever had - creamy and subtle upon first taste it and then it just explodes with flavor. I also loved the way it was served in that tiny pitcher - Chef Hunnel told us to drink right out of the pitcher, with our pinkies extended, of course!

3) Yellow Fin Tuna on a Himalayan Salt Plate - I'm not a huge fan of tuna outside of tuna fish sandwiches but I must say that this was very tasty. When used as plates, these salt blocks lend an enhanced salt and mineral flavor to the food; they also look pretty cool, don't they?

4) Deviled Quail Egg with Iranian Osetra Caviar - This was incredible, but I'm not exactly sure how to describe it. The quail egg tasted good but definitely had a stronger flavor than you'd expect from a "normal" egg. The caviar was wonderful - I wish we could have had more. Actually, I guess if we had wanted to pay for it we could have had more, but at $125 for a 1/2 ounce I knew that Jay would be happier with the dollar. Those little dollops on the plate are creme fraiche, which might have tasted really good with the caviar if I hadn't just popped the whole thing in my mouth at once without even using a fork.


When you have dinner in the dining room you are presented with one Amuse Bouche, which is basically a tiny, bite-sized morsel served before the first course of a meal. They are usually served to help excite the taste buds as well as to prepare the guest for the meal to come and to offer a glimpse into the chef's approach to cooking.

In this instance Chef Hunnel brought our Amuse Bouche to the table himself and told us what each offering was and what made it special in his eyes. He popped back over after a few minutes to find out what we thought and of course we could only grunt and drool, which seemed to satisfy him.

I did ask him a little later why they usually don't offer soup on the dining room menu because that Butternut Cream Soup was da bomb! Soups like that, while deceptively simple in appearance, are actually quite difficult to make properly. He did tell me that in the future if we called to make a reservation, even for the dining room, we could request something specific and they would do their best to accommodate our wishes. So that means if we go back I could request the soup when we make the reservation and the kitchen staff would try to make it available even if it's not on the menu. That's what I call service! I had no idea that V&A would go to those lengths to make their patrons happy, but now I do... and so do you!

Part II will be coming up shortly with lots of pictures. And speaking of pictures, I do want to apologize...we didn't do as good a job taking pictures at the Chef's Table as we should have. I especially wish we'd taken individual shots of the Amuse Bouche. Oh well... next time!

Thanks for reading so far and Happy 4th! Why not celebrate with a fresh batch of America balls?

"And then a choir of angels began to sing and a single beam of light shone down on the table...

It was time."

Gifted..what more can one say?....

 

[Summer-Caitlin]

Oh no, you can't leave us hanging like that Wow, everything sounds wonderful so far, we are eating in the main dining room on our wedding night but we are also planning on having the Chef's Menu. Does anyone know if you need to request this before you arrive or can you just order it on the day? I am so looking forward to dining at V & A, and I'll be in my wedding dress, maybe I can do the Royal Wave as I walk past? Looking forward to hearing all about your experience.

 

[DISNEYDUET]

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY EVERYONE!!

 

[rentayenta]

Brenda, you look beautiful with your hair down and what killer dress! I love this review and it sounds like a Dream come true. I love all of the personal attention you received from the chef and the food sounds amazing. What an incredible night!


P.S. Does it mean I am trashy if I read Amuse Bouche as Anheuser Busch?

 

[kikigirl]

Thanks Brenda! I thought you looked beautiful. Yummy yummy food...Can't wait to see the rest of the report.

Happy Independence Day!

 

[jakenjess]

Well, to make it up to you I'd like to offer our Sangria recipe - it's as good, if not neyyer... I mean better, than any Sangria you'll have while dining outside of your home (or mine).

Sangria

1 bottle (750ml) red wine (we used a Beaujolais)
1/4 cup brandy
1/4 cup orange flavored liqueur (either Grand Marnier or Triple Sec - we used the Grand Marnier)
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 orange, thinly sliced
1/2 lemon, thinly sliced
1 unwaxed apple, cored and cut into thin wedges
1 bottle (750ml) sparkling water, chilled (we used Gerolsteiner)

Combine everything but the sparkling water in a large pitcher - cover and chill completely. When ready to serve add the sparkling water and have yourselves a drinking good time.

Thank you, Emeril Lagasse

Looks like a perfect recipe for me and the other desperate housewives of the neighborhood!

Well, we might as well spend the entire week at Disney since we've got the extra vacation points to cover it.

Really, how could you not?

All dressed up with someplace to go...

I think you both look fabulous! Another Ann Taylor?

The only problem was that the first song of the set was "Send in the Clowns."

Uh oh.

"Didn't Krusty the Clown sing this song?"

Jay smirked.

I started to giggle.

Jay began singing in his best Krusty Brand Imitation voice in time with the orchestra. "Send in the cloooooowns. Those daffy, laffy, clooooooowns. Send in those doleful and soulful and schmaltz by the bowlful...clowns. Send in...the clowns..." And then he pretended to cry.

Oh, my, gosh!! I would have been dying! That's hysterical!

They have wonderful bread at Victoria and Albert's, but I must caution you as our waiter did us, do not eat too much of it or you won't have room for all the wonders to come. This picture coming up is Jay's bread plate - they only gave me the sourdough roll (remember, Crohns Disease = bad; grains, seeds, nuts = emergency room).

Bread, glorious bread

This would be my downfall. I'd eat all of mine and my husband's too! LOVE bread! (Which explains why I'll probably never drop those 10 pounds)

Amuse Bouche

I'm thinking if I'm ever going to enjoy seafood, this would be the kind I might like! It all looks wonderful, especially the soup!

Thanks for reading so far and Happy 4th! Why not celebrate with a fresh batch of America balls?

Have a great holiday, Brenda! I'll be looking forward to more of the Chef's Table!

 

[Poohbear67]

Wow brenda you two are just knock outs I am so drooling from all the food and oh by the way we changed our ADR's to Calf Grill so I hope are is as good as your was.

Please don't stop with the TR we won't know what to do with ourselves.

 

[oybolshoi]

When did you change your name to Emeril Lagasse? Heheh, the sangria recipe sounds delish!

Right after I stole his Sangria recipe and posted it here on the DIS for all the world to try.

Now we're cooking with gas! (That's such a quaint expression, and I've always wanted to use it!) Glad you liked the Vicki and Al's thing, but I'm not the first (nor will I be the last) to refer to V&A in such a casual way.

I love the idea of referring to it as Vicki and Al's - much more fun! And be careful how much you talk about "gas" at our house...

I've only had the Amazing/Fascinating/Wow experience....twice. 1996 and 2002. I have yet to go there for the main dining room. But the good news is, I've found out that you can request in advance...the same dining menu as the Chefs Table, even if you don't get the Chef's Table reservation!

Yes, I heard this too - as long as you request the CT menu when you make your dining room reservation they will do their best to serve it to you that evening. That would be awesome - Jay and I might just have to try that next time around.

You are your own worst critic. Bah. You call that out-of-control hair? I call that hair bouncin' and behavin' hair. I can make you look 20 lbs. lighter by standing next to you. I could probably make you appear more tan, too. The dress is the same flattering cut that you wear with your less fancy Ann Taylor dresses. I can't trip that new name over my brain, so I will call you OLBFFFBNP. Eh. Maybe not.

Well thanks for the kind words - honestly I hated just about every picture that I showed up in on this trip. My problem is that I look like me...

Hmmmmm...OLBFFFBNP... I like it!!!!

Holy Coincidence, Batman! As you know, I play VMK, and we have our avatars of ourselves and our friends meet and "dance" at VMK closing. What song was brought up? Send in the Clowns. But in VMK, you can't type "clowns" because it's not part of the limited dictionary, but the word "clones" is, go figure. So we're singing, "Send in the Clones". I guess you had to be there, but I read your report shortly after this happened in VMK.

Hahahahahaa... send in the clones - that's totally appropriate in June if VMK celebrates Star Wars weekends like MGM!

Wow, you were like that without the wine pairings? I so need to share edibles and drinkables with you two. I would be if I heard this version of the song, for sure.

I thought it came through loud and clear in my trippies that I may be the single-most silliest "grown-up" ever? I don't need alcohol to get the giggles over nothing - just about everything can crack me up if I think about it too long.

While Jay was doing his Krusty impression I was actually picturing Krusty the Clown sitting on the Grand Floridian staircase, highlighted by a single spotlight, singing this song while the orchestra played.

Oh, let the GF staff stew about it. You're having fun. I have an idea. We need to drink French wine and discuss the "miracle of anti-freeze" at their kiosk in October. That would be enough to make the French hate us even more than they already do.

Now this would be funny...I'll see you in Epcot come October and we can talk anti-freeze and World War II collaborations while the poor CMs from France listen in...that should really get their goat cheese.

Great. Now I'm picturing some gentleman with an angry red welt on his forehead after you knock him (and his chair) over backwards by the force of your arm flab while waving. His feet go flying in my vision, too.

Yes! Exactly the image I was thinking of except that in my version his uber-expensive tin of caviar went flying with him and scattered around the dining room when the chair tipped beacuse his foot grazed the table.

Yay, the "back porch"! When I was there, they had a round table for our party of five. I had heard they switched out the table after that.

I really like the rectangular table - it might be a little crowded for a larger group but it's was more than enough space for the two of us.

Yeah, I think I'd be most excited about the butternut soup and the caviar! Ok, I'm already jealous of that! I made my own butternut soup for Thanksgiving, but I know it can't be anywhere near the level of THAT.

I want to try to make soup this good sometime in my life. I may give it a go at Thanksgiving like you did. While Jay and I might be able to compare it with something better, the saving grace is that no one else but Jay and me would know just how good it could be.

I describe the Amuse Bouche as: "My mouth is having a party, and I'm invited to come along for the ride! Wahoo!"

I like that! I also like the explanation the waiter at Emeril's gave me, which was "Happy Mouth."

I'm satisfied with these pics you have so far!! Dang it, this is making me want to go to V&A in October, now. I can't wait to see what you and Jason have in store for us later in the meal! And I am not gonna make any comment about America balls!

Thanks - the pictures are acceptable but I know they could have been better and I just wish we'd taken a couple of more seconds with each one before diving in to eat.

America Balls ... Simpsons reference (what else?).

Excellent

Thanks!

Too many 'quoteables' in there to be able to resist...



Personally, I think you look lovely - beautiful dress...check...well coiffured (is that even a word) hair...check...scrubbed and suited DH...check...small cuddly Plankton...che-e-e - hang on, where the devil is Plankton - I thought you guys were taking him along for the ride

Thanks Joh! Oh yes, Plankton... he didn't have a suit and tie so the staff wouldn't allow him in the restaurant. They have a really strict dress code at V&A that actually is enforced!

Plankton was most displeased and is even now plotting his revenge, the horrible consequences of which will be seen and felt by all this October.

Yup, just had my own mineral water-nostril-snorting experience here. I think we need a watch out for your keyboards warning from hereon in.

Hee hee hee ... I love it when readers spew/snort/spray!

OK, even to my un-gastronomised eye, this looks pretty good Whether I'd eat it or not is a different matter though

Can't wait for the rest of your 'Vicki and Al's' review Brenda - however, I am sad also because surely that means it's over

The presentation for all the courses was just amazing. A friend of mine said it's not like typical eating...it's like art. She's right, don't you think? And shocking though this may be...there were some things that I did pass over to Jay after I took a taste or two. It's a function of being me, but there are some things I just don't like.

Oh, don't be sad. If you really want more to read there are my "real" trip reports that are still in the works...those are turing into first-draft novels.

I am sad that your dining review is almost over, dearest OLBFFFBNP! But I'm glad you decided to end with Vicki & Al's!

Awww, thanks Crystal! I wonder if it would just be possible to have the Tag Fairy give me a Tag that reads: OLBFFFBNP? Wouldn't that be a hoot?

I don't think the TF reads my threads...maybe they're too long?

BTW - you will be giving us a dining report along with your October trippie, right?

I know the feeling of wondering if they're going to kick you out of the GF lobby. I get that feeling just walking through there! I am a little worried that I'll be on some sort of blacklist when I call to make reservations for tea.

"No, I'm sorry, it says here that you've stayed at a value resort in the past decade. And you've...oh my! No, I'm sorry, we can't allow you here to drink our tea. Might I recommend Pecos Bill's?"

Every time we walk into the GF lobby on our way to tea I always feel like we're going to get picked up for loitering. Last October we were there after spending the morning at the MK and we both had Splash Mountain clothes...you know those dirty water marks you end up with if you get over-splashed on the plummet?

For a minute at the podium I thought they were going to ask us to leave and come back with "clean" clothes.

"And then a choir of angels began to sing and a single beam of light shone down on the table...

It was time."

Gifted..what more can one say?....

Oh, stop! You're just trying to butter me up so that I don't stop your flattery allowance.

Oh no, you can't leave us hanging like that Wow, everything sounds wonderful so far, we are eating in the main dining room on our wedding night but we are also planning on having the Chef's Menu. Does anyone know if you need to request this before you arrive or can you just order it on the day? I am so looking forward to dining at V & A, and I'll be in my wedding dress, maybe I can do the Royal Wave as I walk past? Looking forward to hearing all about your experience.

I think you need to request the CT menu prior to arriving at the restuarant that evening. If I were you I'd call V&A and let them know exactly what's going on and that you and your party would like the CT menu that evening. I'm sure they will do everything they can to accomodate you since it will be your wedding night!

And in your wedding dress... you have to do the Royal Wave - it's a moral imperative! And please take lots of pictures and come back and share them with all of us, OK?

Have a lovely and magical time!

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY EVERYONE!!

Yes indeed - what DisneyDuet said! And all you Simpsons fans out there...celebrate with a fresh batch of America Balls!!!!

Brenda, you look beautiful with your hair down and what killer dress! I love this review and it sounds like a Dream come true. I love all of the personal attention you received from the chef and the food sounds amazing. What an incredible night!

Thanks Jenny! The attention was almost overwhelming - I felt like every bite we took and every facial expression was being monitored by someone. Eh, that went away after a couple of glasses of wine.

P.S. Does it mean I am trashy if I read Amuse Bouche as Anheuser Busch?

Hell no! The first time someone actually presented an Amuse Bouche to me was at Emeril's over at CityWalk a few years ago. I thought he was talking about the actual food item...he had to explain and translate for me right there at the table. He was very nice but for the rest of the evening I felt like a slack-jawed yokel...us folks in the middle of the country don't get out much.

Thanks Brenda! I thought you looked beautiful. Yummy yummy food...Can't wait to see the rest of the report.

Happy Independence Day!

Thanks Kiki. I say the food was definitely more "put together" than me, but there were professional working on the food.

 

[OKWMom]

Brenda, I think both of you looked wonderful, even your hair. It's Florida girl, can you say humidity. The humidity is how southerners in general got the reputation for big hair. You've got to work with what ya got, KWIM?

Brilliant reviews all around. Looking forward to the rest of V&A. I have to live vicariously through others' reviews as DH would HATE V&A. When I first approached him about it, his eyes bugged at the price. Then when I thought I would sway him with the food porn, his response was "that's all?!?" "You want to spend $100 for a dinner where I'll leave hungry?!?" Sigh. I guess my WFD friend Kathy is right when she says you can't live with them and you can't stuff them in the freezer when you're done with them.

 

[oybolshoi]

Looks like a perfect recipe for me and the other desperate housewives of the neighborhood!

Hi Lori! I think this recipe should do the trick nicely - it's got quite a nice kick. Tastes like fizzy kool-aid and numbs your face within 10 minutes.

I think you both look fabulous! Another Ann Taylor?

Thanks. This dress was something I splurged on - I found it on-line at Nordstrom and thought to myself, "I need a new little black dress because the only other one I have is now too little to wear in public."

This is Ann Klein... I should get a lot of wear out of it as long as I don't gain any more weight.

Oh, my, gosh!! I would have been dying! That's hysterical!

I can only hope that the next time we're at a fine dining establishment Send in the Clowns doesn't start playing or I'm going to be in fits.

This would be my downfall. I'd eat all of mine and my husband's too! LOVE bread! (Which explains why I'll probably never drop those 10 pounds)

I could make a meal out of fresh, hot bread as long as it's prepared correctly.

I'm thinking if I'm ever going to enjoy seafood, this would be the kind I might like! It all looks wonderful, especially the soup!

It was yummy in our tummies!!!

Have a great holiday, Brenda! I'll be looking forward to more of the Chef's Table!

You have a great one, too, and don't have too many America Balls (Simpsons joke - I'm not trying to be naughty with my readers...this time.)

Wow brenda you two are just knock outs I am so drooling from all the food and oh by the way we changed our ADR's to Calf Grill so I hope are is as good as your was.

Please don't stop with the TR we won't know what to do with ourselves.

Thanks for the kind compliment. You changed your ADRs...uh oh, I'm feeling the pressure already. I am certain that you will have a lovely time at CA Grill, but I'm going to send you some positive dining thoughts over the next few weeks just to be on the safe side.

I do have other TRs in progress ... they're not quite so food intensive, but they are entertaining if I say so myself. But then again... maybe not. Anyone from the DIS-galleries care to advise Poohbear67 as to whether or not she should wade into the Argie-Bargie or the Shrubbery?


Thanks for reading everyone!

 

[cocowum]

All dressed up with someplace to go...

**Sigh** I have to be honest, and I am my own worst critic but how is it possible that I can look that...bleeeeeecccccch? I've lost my leg again, my hair is outta control, my arms look like the sausage links that Kona Cafe serves with breakfast, and isn't black supposed to have a slimming effect? I swear...I'm dropping 20 pounds by October or my name isn't One-Legged-Bewb-Flashin-For-Freebies-Brenda-No-Pants.

Brenda, I have 2 things to say...

First, YOU LOOK GREAT, HOT, really. Smokin' Hot according to DH (and he knows hot ) Love the dress, and Love, Love, Love the hair!!! (but hey, I'm an 80's girl, I'm partial to big hair. The bigger the better, I always say.)

Second, Women are insane!!! not matter how good we look, we always find fault with something.


I just have to say you have such a talent. I'm soo jealous of your ability to tell a story. I have no desire to eat at V&A, but I absolutely can't wait to read your story about. Does that make sense??? It's a huge compliment. I don't know what you do IRL but hopefully it involves writing because you are fantastic!!!

 

[oybolshoi]

Brenda, I think both of you looked wonderful, even your hair. It's Florida girl, can you say humidity. The humidity is how southerners in general got the reputation for big hair. You've got to work with what ya got, KWIM?

Thanks so much. And you know... I totally forgot about the humidity facor. D'OH!

Brilliant reviews all around. Looking forward to the rest of V&A. I have to live vicariously through others' reviews as DH would HATE V&A. When I first approached him about it, his eyes bugged at the price. Then when I thought I would sway him with the food porn, his response was "that's all?!?" "You want to spend $100 for a dinner where I'll leave hungry?!?" Sigh. I guess my WFD friend Kathy is right when she says you can't live with them and you can't stuff them in the freezer when you're done with them.

Thanks again.

I don't see how anyone can leave V&A hungry - it's just enough food to pleasantly fill you up and with the wine pairing it all ends up nicely pickled in your stomach.

WFD Kathy is a riot!! I've never wanted to stuff jay in the freezer but I have thought about doing that with my mother.

Thanks for reading!

 

[TigerKat]

I have to agree Brenda, you looked beautiful and the two of you together were a knock-out!!

I'm disappointed that this review will soon be ending, it's been such a great time. Looking forward to the rest of V&A's!!!!!!!

 

[oybolshoi]

Brenda, I have 2 things to say...

First, YOU LOOK GREAT, HOT, really. Smokin' Hot according to DH (and he knows hot ) Love the dress, and Love, Love, Love the hair!!! (but hey, I'm an 80's girl, I'm partial to big hair. The bigger the better, I always say.)

Second, Women are insane!!! not matter how good we look, we always find fault with something.

Well thanks very much - my DH says I'm too critical and I try to tell him it's a chick thing but he doesn't get it. We are crazy aren't we? All I do is look at the picture and see things that I don't like... I guess I should try to be more positive.

And I'm an 80s girl too ... I used to have really long hair and I'd get those spiral perms... crazy!

I just have to say you have such a talent. I'm soo jealous of your ability to tell a story. I have no desire to eat at V&A, but I absolutely can't wait to read your story about. Does that make sense??? It's a huge compliment. I don't know what you do IRL but hopefully it involves writing because you are fantastic!!!

And now you're making me all verklempt...

I really appreciate the kind words - I do write in real life but it's not the fun stuff...more like technical writing and financial analysis (yeeeech). Everyone here has been so encouraging that I may try once more to see if someone somewhere will publish something original of mine. I'll dedicate it to all the DIS-foodies.

I have to agree Brenda, you looked beautiful and the two of you together were a knock-out!!

I'm disappointed that this review will soon be ending, it's been such a great time. Looking forward to the rest of V&A's!!!!!!!

Thanks Kathy. I'm glad you've enjoyed our reviews and truth be told, I'll be said when I'm finished with this, too because it has been so much fun! I may just have to come back in October and give it another whirl.

 

[BriarRosie]

I love the idea of referring to it as Vicki and Al's - much more fun! And be careful how much you talk about "gas" at our house...

It really is much more fun to refer to it as Vicki and Al's. And I knew as soon as I typed the "gas" comment that there would be consequences.

Yes, I heard this too - as long as you request the CT menu when you make your dining room reservation they will do their best to serve it to you that evening. That would be awesome - Jay and I might just have to try that next time around.

I am glad that they have it as an option, mostly because I completely lucked out and was 2 for 2 making those reservations for the CT. I don't know if I would even like the dining room, especially if I sit under the Eavesdropping Rotunda I've read about in other reports. Hmm, maybe it would be more fun, actually, especially if it was juicy gossip. The downside is that the other table could hear me just as easily.

Hmmmmm...OLBFFFBNP... I like it!!!!

Sort of looks like what giving someone "raspberries" sounds like, doesn't it?

While Jay was doing his Krusty impression I was actually picturing Krusty the Clown sitting on the Grand Floridian staircase, highlighted by a single spotlight, singing this song while the orchestra played.

Was Krusty dressed like one of those Emmett Kelly hobo clowns in that vision, by any chance? Heheh.

Now this would be funny...I'll see you in Epcot come October and we can talk anti-freeze and World War II collaborations while the poor CMs from France listen in...that should really get their goat cheese.

Brilliant. Evil. I like it!

Yes! Exactly the image I was thinking of except that in my version his uber-expensive tin of caviar went flying with him and scattered around the dining room when the chair tipped beacuse his foot grazed the table.

Ooh, you totally plussed my visual with that caviar tin! I didn't have any havoc with caviar in my visual. How about making his dining companion his wife, utterly horrified by the turn of events, fainting delicately into her chair?

I want to try to make soup this good sometime in my life. I may give it a go at Thanksgiving like you did. While Jay and I might be able to compare it with something better, the saving grace is that no one else but Jay and me would know just how good it could be.

I wonder how difficult it really is to make their version. My version wasn't that difficult to make.

 

[cntkg1]

**Sigh** I have to be honest, and I am my own worst critic but how is it possible that I can look that...bleeeeeecccccch? I've lost my leg again, my hair is outta control, my arms look like the sausage links that Kona Cafe serves with breakfast, and isn't black supposed to have a slimming effect? I swear...I'm dropping 20 pounds by October or my name isn't One-Legged-Bewb-Flashin-For-Freebies-Brenda-No-Pants.

Say what??? There is nothing bleeeeeecccccch about you B. You both looked stunning! And shouldn't that be: One-Legged-Bewb-Flashin-For-Freebies-Brown-Juggin'-Spoon-Slapping-Brenda-No-Pants??

So, enough silliness (for now). We checked in at the restaurant's front podium just like we would if we had a reservation for the dining room. In this instance, though, you have to be escorted back to the kitchen. I have to admit, it felt pretty special to walk through that dining room with the Maitre' de while all the patrons in the dining room watched. For a moment I wanted to give them all my best Royal Family Wave, but I was afraid that my upper arm flab might swing too far out and hit someone on the head so I refrained.

I see absolutely no "Bingo Arms" in any of those pictures.

And then a choir of angels began to sing and a single beam of light shone down on the table...

I've seen those angels. They appear with the Mango Soup on the Magic.

Great update Brenda, but I do detect a slight variation of the picture you posted of you and Jason before dinner and the one on the KK thread of the two of you after the dinner.

 

[mlill]

Did You Just Say We Spent This Month's Mortgage Payment on Dinner???

You ain't kiddin'! But, it's so worth it.

Well, so far, so good! You had me drooling at Roasted Butternut Cream Soup. I would kill for this soup. We had it at our CT in 2004 and were hoping to get it again last time. When it didn't appear on our Amuse Bouche plate, we were so upset! But, the little quail egg w/caviar was good.

By the way, you look mah-velous, darling! Stop beating yourself up. I really like your hair down. (I understand why you wear it up so much. It has to be a very special occasion for me to wear mine down and curled.)

MORE, please! (and where's Jay's side of the report?!)

Happy 4th! I hope you're having a great day off! Now, get back to writing!

-Michelle