Dinner that evening was at another restaurant that was new to us, Citricos in the Grand Floridian Resort.
I'm going to preface this by saying that this meal was a wonderful experience for both of us, but especially for my sister. I had noted that our trip was to celebrate Nancy's birthday, and Citricos really made it special for her.
They seated us at a table right next to the open kitchen, so we could watch the chef's work their culinary magic and were told we were welcome to ask questions if we wished. It was amazing to watch them work, they are definitely artists in their own right.
Our server came over and introduced herself right away, and miracle of miracles, I
do remember her name as it was the same as my sister's ... Nancy. She was probably the best server we had during our two week dining odyssey. She was very attentive, knowledgable, made wonderful suggestions and made us feel like we were the only people she was serving. She was fantastic!
She handed Nancy a special menu in honour of her birthday.
While we were studying the menu, Nancy brought us some ice water and the complimentary bread service.
The breads were olive and the other was a rye. Both were served warm and were accompanied by butter topped with sea salt. We enjoyed them both, but the olive was my favourite.
One of the chefs sent over a special amuse bouche in honour of my sister's birthday, and Nancy told us to spead it on our bread to really experience it fully. She didn't steer us wrong, it was delicious.
Amuse Bouche: pureed roasted tomatoes with crème fraiche, extra virgin olive oil and micro greens.
For her appetizer, Nancy chose:
Ashley Farms Chicken B'Steeya: in crisp dough with Orange Blossom Honey and Toasted Almonds.
Nancy really, really enjoyed this. She loved the combination of savoury and sweet. I tried a bite and while it was nice, it's not really my cup of tea. She gave it 5/5. I gave it 3/5, but only because I don't really appreciate the flavour combo, not because the dish was bad.
I chose:
Roasted Beets: Cumin-scented Goat Cheese, Applewood-smoked Bacon Lardons, and crisp Arugula.
I love beets so I thought this salad would be right up my alley. Unfortunately the bacon lardons were very overcooked, making them quite tough and difficult to eat. I also didn't care for the cumin-scented goat cheese. The beets were delicious though, lol. Nancy tried it and wasn't overly impressed either. We both give this dish 3/5, and we're probably being generous.
For my entree, I was seriously considering either the Madeira braised Short Ribs or the Pan Seared Florida Black Grouper, that is until I saw the Veal Shank plated and waiting for pick up. Both Nancy and I thought it looked (and smelled!) heavenly so we both decided to order it.
Braised Veal Shank: Roasted Elephant Garlic Smashed Yukon Gold Potatoes, Rainbow Carrots, Heirloom Long Beans and Toasted Citrus Gremolata.
I think this is seriously the best thing I've ever eaten in my life! We were told this was braised slowly for hours, so the meat is literally falling off the bone. It's so tender it melts in your mouth and all the accompaniments were absolutely perfect. We couldn't finish it but we both put a good dent in it! Superb! Definitely a 5/5.
After the plates were cleared, Nancy brought this surprise out for my sister.
It was a thoughtful gesture and very much appreciated.
Nancy also kindly offered to take a picture of us.
See the chef photobombing us behind the counter? That guy was an absolute hoot, he was always joking around. When he was working, he was very serious and focused, but once it was done he was ready to have fun, lol!
We were both really full at this point so Nancy (our server) suggested splitting their signature dessert, the Warm Chocolate-Banana Torte.
Served with vanilla ice cream and a handcrafted Belgium Chocolate Couverture Crown.
Nancy isn't usually a fan of banana desserts, but she really enjoyed this. Splitting it was a great idea because it was just enough to satisfy your sweet tooth without making you feel as stuffed as the Thanksgiving turkey. The chocolate crown was excellent too, definitely made with quality chocolate. The sprinkles under the ice cream were really good as well. I'm not sure what they were, but they also had a delightful chocolate/caramel flavour. 5/5
This was a fabulous evening and Nancy really appreciated the extra-special touches in honour of her celebration. Citricos proved to be an excellent choice and we would (and did!) return again.
Overall, Citricos gets 4.5/5 from us.
Up next: Food & Wine Festival selections; The Hoop De Doo Musical Review
If you enjoyed the Schnitzel you should try Kevin's Heavenly Ham, it was amazing!
During our next trip we have 2 Birthdays and our wedding anniversary 
. Hopefully, they do a better job with it most of the time. Im not a veal eater, but I am so glad that you got a truly delicious entree here. 
How great that they made such a wonderful birthday fuss - I just love that!
