UPDT:IMAGINEER LUNCH Can't believe I ate the whole thing! How do I spell relief? DXDP
- Thread starter sarcasticblonde
- Start date
tarheelmjfan
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Your CR review wasn't what I wanted to see 6 days before our ADR. 
We've never eaten there, & it used to get great reviews. Seems like it's gone downhill recently. 
The talapia dish did look good to me, but it doesn't appear to be on the dinner menu. I'm debating on whether we should keep our 8:30 ADR, or try to get an ADR for one of the Boardwalk, YC, or BC restaurants after Epcot closes. I may not even be able to get one this late though.
PS: We're eating at Les Chefs de France Thursday night. Not to rush you or anything, but I need that review before then.
We've never eaten there, & it used to get great reviews. Seems like it's gone downhill recently. The talapia dish did look good to me, but it doesn't appear to be on the dinner menu. I'm debating on whether we should keep our 8:30 ADR, or try to get an ADR for one of the Boardwalk, YC, or BC restaurants after Epcot closes. I may not even be able to get one this late though.PS: We're eating at Les Chefs de France Thursday night. Not to rush you or anything, but I need that review before then.
tiggrsbride
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Thanks for the great reviews! We are doing some of the same restaurants that you are reviewing, so I am eager to hear your opinion. Your fiance's Jiko selections sound exactly like what DH would order there. Next trip, maybe! I am eagerly awaiting future installments!
sarcasticblonde
DIS Veteran
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Great reviews, can't wait for more.
You two are a very cute couple.
Thank you!
Your CR review wasn't what I wanted to see 6 days before our ADR.
PS: We're eating at Les Chefs de France Thursday night. Not to rush you or anything, but I need that review before then.
Yeah, I actually had higher hopes for Coral Reef. Adam actually had a really good theory about Coral Reef. When you go to a character meal, it doesn't matter if the food is just average because you are paying for the characters. Coral Reef is kind of like that in that you are paying for the aquarium and ambiance. The fish are the characters.
I definitely recommend Jiko. We've eaten there twice now and I'm sure we'll eat there our next trip as well.
sarcasticblonde
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Teppan Edo - Dinner
We spent the whole day in Epcot and were ready for dinner at Teppan Edo. Adam and I were both looking forward to this meal as we both like Asian cuisine. We walked in and realized that all Toyko Dining and Teppan Edo guests check in at the same front desk. Tokyo Dining looked very nice and we may consider eating there next trip. The host handed us a buzzer and we sat in the waiting area of Teppan Edo.
Since there were only 2 of us, I knew that we would be seated with other guests at a table for 8. When our buzzer went off, the host introduced us to the people we would be dining with. In case the people we sat with post here, I won't say much with the exception that one couple was extremely stuck up. Moving on
We were seated at a table with a grill in a very non-descprit room. While the lobby and hallways were somewhat ornamental, the dining rooms are not. We sat in the first room with 3 other tables.
Our main server was very nice. His name was Mutsukazu, and he told us to call him Mutsu. His spoken English was pretty good. He got all our drinks and offered us hot towels to clean up with. He then offered the table either chopsticks or silverware and Adam and I were the only ones who accepted only chopsticks. Adam thinks that the server appreciated that because it meant we were more intune with his culture
As we were on the DXDP, sushi platters were not included as an appetizer. I wanted it, so I got it anyway and paid cash for it. But, since an appetizer is included, I got one of those as well for Adam and I to share
My appetizer was the Sushi Sampler which consisted of tuna, yellow tail and shrimp nigiri plus 2 pieces of California roll. (That's a design on the plate...not soy sauce dripped all over it!)
Price - $8.00
I really enjoy sushi and was looking forward to being able to eat it while in Disney World. I thought that they all tasted good though I did let Adam eat the shrimp nigiri. The sushi was very nicely made and held together even when dipped in the soy sauce. The only thing I didn't like about this dish was the fact that the sushi was served on a hot plate therefore the sushi was warm. Other than that, it was great.
Adam and I split the Assorted Tempura. In this dish, you got one piece of shrimp, one piece of chicken, one piece of zucchini and one piece of carrot.
Price - $6.50
I ate the chicken and the zucchini. The tempura was crispy and I dipped it in the soy sauce to give it a bit of a salty kick - I like salty food. The chicken was a decent sized piece.
Fairly average. I only ate the shrimp. I don't think you can mess up tempura.
Adam's appetizer was the Garden Salad. It was dressed with ginger dressing.
Price - $4.50
A salad's a salad. Little watery but the dressing was good.
Our entrees were made on the grill with everyone elses and since our Chef plated them herself as she made it, I didn't take pictures. I did however take pictures of her cooking. She did put on a good show. She was very personable and funny. She did accidentally throw her spatula across the table once though...
I chose the Tori which means chicken teriyaki style. It was served with udon noodles mixed with onions and zucchini and the chicken was mixed with mushrooms. White rice comes on the side. Also served with all entrees were a trio of dipping sauces: ginger, mustard and seafood.
Price - $18.00
The Chef was very nice and didn't give me any mushrooms with my chicken when she found out I didn't like them The chicken was flavorful but I dipped it in the ginger sauce and it was very delicious. The noodles were well cooked as was the zucchini. The portion size was large to me, I actually ended up giving some of my chicken to Adam. It was very yummy.
Adam chose the combination plate of Nihonbashi which means steak and chicken. It is served with the same items that my entree came with.
Price - $28.00
Steak was overcooked, but I blame the other people at the table for that and not the chef. Chicken was good and went very well with the ginger sauce and the mustard sauce. The noodles were a little disappointed but that had great seasoning and the vegetables were delicious as well.
For dessert, I asked the server what his favorite was and he said the Green Tea Pudding so that is what I chose.
Price - $5.50
Honestly, when it came out, it looked like crap. But it tasted great. I really enjoyed this. The sauce on the plate was like a carmelized green tea. The texture was a little firmer than a normal pudding. I would definitely get this again.
Chocolate Ginger Cake was Adam's dessert. Pretty self explanatory
Price - $5.50
A little dry but very good. Nice flavor. But I thought Lori's green tea pudding was much better.
Decor - 7/10
Food - 7/10
Service - 8-9/10
We spent the whole day in Epcot and were ready for dinner at Teppan Edo. Adam and I were both looking forward to this meal as we both like Asian cuisine. We walked in and realized that all Toyko Dining and Teppan Edo guests check in at the same front desk. Tokyo Dining looked very nice and we may consider eating there next trip. The host handed us a buzzer and we sat in the waiting area of Teppan Edo.
Since there were only 2 of us, I knew that we would be seated with other guests at a table for 8. When our buzzer went off, the host introduced us to the people we would be dining with. In case the people we sat with post here, I won't say much with the exception that one couple was extremely stuck up. Moving on
We were seated at a table with a grill in a very non-descprit room. While the lobby and hallways were somewhat ornamental, the dining rooms are not. We sat in the first room with 3 other tables.
Our main server was very nice. His name was Mutsukazu, and he told us to call him Mutsu. His spoken English was pretty good. He got all our drinks and offered us hot towels to clean up with. He then offered the table either chopsticks or silverware and Adam and I were the only ones who accepted only chopsticks. Adam thinks that the server appreciated that because it meant we were more intune with his culture
As we were on the DXDP, sushi platters were not included as an appetizer. I wanted it, so I got it anyway and paid cash for it. But, since an appetizer is included, I got one of those as well for Adam and I to share
My appetizer was the Sushi Sampler which consisted of tuna, yellow tail and shrimp nigiri plus 2 pieces of California roll. (That's a design on the plate...not soy sauce dripped all over it!)
Price - $8.00
I really enjoy sushi and was looking forward to being able to eat it while in Disney World. I thought that they all tasted good though I did let Adam eat the shrimp nigiri. The sushi was very nicely made and held together even when dipped in the soy sauce. The only thing I didn't like about this dish was the fact that the sushi was served on a hot plate therefore the sushi was warm. Other than that, it was great.
Adam and I split the Assorted Tempura. In this dish, you got one piece of shrimp, one piece of chicken, one piece of zucchini and one piece of carrot.
Price - $6.50
I ate the chicken and the zucchini. The tempura was crispy and I dipped it in the soy sauce to give it a bit of a salty kick - I like salty food. The chicken was a decent sized piece.
Fairly average. I only ate the shrimp. I don't think you can mess up tempura.
Adam's appetizer was the Garden Salad. It was dressed with ginger dressing.
Price - $4.50
A salad's a salad. Little watery but the dressing was good.
Our entrees were made on the grill with everyone elses and since our Chef plated them herself as she made it, I didn't take pictures. I did however take pictures of her cooking. She did put on a good show. She was very personable and funny. She did accidentally throw her spatula across the table once though...
I chose the Tori which means chicken teriyaki style. It was served with udon noodles mixed with onions and zucchini and the chicken was mixed with mushrooms. White rice comes on the side. Also served with all entrees were a trio of dipping sauces: ginger, mustard and seafood.
Price - $18.00
The Chef was very nice and didn't give me any mushrooms with my chicken when she found out I didn't like them
The chicken was flavorful but I dipped it in the ginger sauce and it was very delicious. The noodles were well cooked as was the zucchini. The portion size was large to me, I actually ended up giving some of my chicken to Adam. It was very yummy.Adam chose the combination plate of Nihonbashi which means steak and chicken. It is served with the same items that my entree came with.
Price - $28.00
Steak was overcooked, but I blame the other people at the table for that and not the chef. Chicken was good and went very well with the ginger sauce and the mustard sauce. The noodles were a little disappointed but that had great seasoning and the vegetables were delicious as well.
For dessert, I asked the server what his favorite was and he said the Green Tea Pudding so that is what I chose.
Price - $5.50
Honestly, when it came out, it looked like crap. But it tasted great. I really enjoyed this. The sauce on the plate was like a carmelized green tea. The texture was a little firmer than a normal pudding. I would definitely get this again.
Chocolate Ginger Cake was Adam's dessert. Pretty self explanatory
Price - $5.50
A little dry but very good. Nice flavor. But I thought Lori's green tea pudding was much better.
Decor - 7/10
Food - 7/10
Service - 8-9/10
keelyhealthnut
Mouseketeer
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We'll be going to Tokyo Dining and will definitely get the green tea pudding! I've seen a few really good reviews for it and DH is a tea fanatic so it's a must. Great reviews!
sarcasticblonde
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- May 21, 2007
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DisneyMom5
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Really enjoying your review! Found it from the food pic thread. 
Dh and I were looking at the pics and groaning because we were super stuffed on the regular dining plan (back when appys were still included.)
Well, and not to mention we usually have to help the kids finish their meals. LOL
Looking forward to the rest.
Dh and I were looking at the pics and groaning because we were super stuffed on the regular dining plan (back when appys were still included.)
Well, and not to mention we usually have to help the kids finish their meals. LOL
Looking forward to the rest.
2giddy4wdw
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- 937
great reviews, can't wait to read more!!!!
sarcasticblonde
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- May 21, 2007
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- 584
THE WAVE - Lunch
I had mixed feelings about dining at this restaurant. I was excited because it was a new restaurant. I was uneasy about it though after seeing the menu and hearing the mixed reviews.
We drove to the Contemporary and decided to go out to the observation tower to take some pics of Bay Lake Tower and the surrounding landscape. Adam was very impressed...he was already chomping at the bit to stay at BLT.
After he was done drooling, we headed back downstairs to The Wave.
The entry way, lounge and bar are very neat...lots of blue lighting to simulate the ocean. We gave our names and were seated immediately. Granted it was 1ish on a Saturday afternoon, but the restaurant was very empty...I thought I saw a tumbleweed blow past
Adam hated the inside of this restaurant. He said the dining room looked pretty identical to the way it did when it was a cafeteria/quick service place except they swapped out the plastic tables for wood tables. The tables were packed in and it was very earthtone and blah.
Our server was a Romanian gentleman named Marian. You could tell we were his only table because he wanted to immediately take our order even though we asked for time to look over the menu. He was nice though.
For my appetizer, I chose the Seasonal Soup which was a Butternut Squash Soup. It was served with a mini grilled cheese sandwich made with cheddar cheese.
Price - $7.99
The soup was very smooth and had a very rich, creamy flavor to it. Though I don't think that grilled cheese sandwich "complimented" the soup, it was really delicious to eat on its own. Plus, who doesn't like eating miniature finger sandwiches??
Adam had the Lettuce Wraps which came with sauteed lamb and bay scallops with soy-rice wine vinegar sauce and 3 pieces of lettuce to wrap it in.
Price - $11.99
This sounded so good on paper that I passed on the crab cake in favor of this unique item. In retrospect, I wish I hadn't (but it did make my decision at dinner much easier). The lamb was actually lamb sausage, which was pretty decent but certainly not what I was expecting. The bay scallops appeared to outnumber the lamb by about 10 to 1 (no doubt because of cost), meaning that the dish was totally unbalanced, and had questionable texture. The sauce itself was very nicely flavored and had a little kick to it, which I found pleasant. But the sauce was actually the ultimate shortcoming with this dish and the reason I wouldn't order it again. There was so much sauce that the composition of the plate bordered on soup. Coupled with the three pieces of lettuce--one of which had a giant hole--which were simply placed ATOP THE SAUCE, and you have a liquidy mess that forced me to change napkins between courses because I'd wiped my fingers over every available clean inch (and several drops had splashed on my shirt as well). When the table next to us ordered the crab cake, I instantly wished I had too.
I normally don't order salads for an entree, but what the heck, it was lunch and besides none of the other entrees really "spoke" to me. I had the Spice-crusted Chicken Salad. The fixings included apples, grapes, tomatoes and polenta croutons.
I thought this was really good for a salad. I normally don't like fruit in my salads but it worked. The chicken had some great spices on it. The only downside were the polenta croutons. They should have called them rock croutons. I thought I was going to chip a tooth on them.
The Sustainable Fish of the Day was Adam's entree. That day, the fish was Coho Salmon. It came with corn, edamame, haricot vert and tomatoes. It was topped with a pesto of sorts.
Price - $20.00
A simple preparation, with simple ingredients, executed very well. The sauce was chicken stock reduction that was a nice complement which served to flavor the vegetables moreso than the fish. The vegetables were cooked well, as was the fish. The cilantro chimichurri on top of the fish was nice, but it wasn't necessary as the fish was seasoned quite well. Not a home run, but a solid double that I was pretty happy with and would recommend to anybody provided they like whatever the fish of the day happens to be.
If you've read anything about the desserts at The Wave, you know they do trios. While there are pre-arranged desserts, you can really mix and match any three deserts together.
I decided to go with a pre-arranged dessert when I chose the Freshly Crafted Sorbet Trio. The three sorbets were strawberry, pineapple and lemon.
Price - $7.99
This was super tasty! My favorite of the three was the pineapple, followed closely by the strawberry. Lemon tasted good, but seriously, lemon sorbet is very tired and played out. The trio was very fresh, light and was a pleasant end to the meal.
Adam decided to do a little of the ol' mix and match for his dessert. He chose: Blueberry Compote with Yogurt Gelato, Vanilla-braised Pineapple Spears and Strawberry Sorbet.
Price - $7.99
My pickiness forced me to avoid most of the items and so I settled on a couple interesting ones and then chose what I hoped would be the best sorbet. The blueberry compote was nice, but the highlight for me was the yogurt gelato, which I thought was one of the better dessert offerings available anywhere. The pineapple was fairly mediocre, tasting more dried and sugary than vanilly (my favorite made-up adjective). The strawberry sorbet was pretty okay, but not anything to write home about.
Decor - 6/10
Food - 5/10
Service -6/10
P.S. Wow...I didn't realize Adam was going to go on a 10 minute rant about his appetizer...
I had mixed feelings about dining at this restaurant. I was excited because it was a new restaurant. I was uneasy about it though after seeing the menu and hearing the mixed reviews.
We drove to the Contemporary and decided to go out to the observation tower to take some pics of Bay Lake Tower and the surrounding landscape. Adam was very impressed...he was already chomping at the bit to stay at BLT.
After he was done drooling, we headed back downstairs to The Wave.
The entry way, lounge and bar are very neat...lots of blue lighting to simulate the ocean. We gave our names and were seated immediately. Granted it was 1ish on a Saturday afternoon, but the restaurant was very empty...I thought I saw a tumbleweed blow past
Adam hated the inside of this restaurant. He said the dining room looked pretty identical to the way it did when it was a cafeteria/quick service place except they swapped out the plastic tables for wood tables. The tables were packed in and it was very earthtone and blah.
Our server was a Romanian gentleman named Marian. You could tell we were his only table because he wanted to immediately take our order even though we asked for time to look over the menu. He was nice though.
For my appetizer, I chose the Seasonal Soup which was a Butternut Squash Soup. It was served with a mini grilled cheese sandwich made with cheddar cheese.
Price - $7.99
The soup was very smooth and had a very rich, creamy flavor to it. Though I don't think that grilled cheese sandwich "complimented" the soup, it was really delicious to eat on its own. Plus, who doesn't like eating miniature finger sandwiches??
Adam had the Lettuce Wraps which came with sauteed lamb and bay scallops with soy-rice wine vinegar sauce and 3 pieces of lettuce to wrap it in.
Price - $11.99
This sounded so good on paper that I passed on the crab cake in favor of this unique item. In retrospect, I wish I hadn't (but it did make my decision at dinner much easier). The lamb was actually lamb sausage, which was pretty decent but certainly not what I was expecting. The bay scallops appeared to outnumber the lamb by about 10 to 1 (no doubt because of cost), meaning that the dish was totally unbalanced, and had questionable texture. The sauce itself was very nicely flavored and had a little kick to it, which I found pleasant. But the sauce was actually the ultimate shortcoming with this dish and the reason I wouldn't order it again. There was so much sauce that the composition of the plate bordered on soup. Coupled with the three pieces of lettuce--one of which had a giant hole--which were simply placed ATOP THE SAUCE, and you have a liquidy mess that forced me to change napkins between courses because I'd wiped my fingers over every available clean inch (and several drops had splashed on my shirt as well). When the table next to us ordered the crab cake, I instantly wished I had too.
I normally don't order salads for an entree, but what the heck, it was lunch and besides none of the other entrees really "spoke" to me. I had the Spice-crusted Chicken Salad. The fixings included apples, grapes, tomatoes and polenta croutons.
I thought this was really good for a salad. I normally don't like fruit in my salads but it worked. The chicken had some great spices on it. The only downside were the polenta croutons. They should have called them rock croutons. I thought I was going to chip a tooth on them.
The Sustainable Fish of the Day was Adam's entree. That day, the fish was Coho Salmon. It came with corn, edamame, haricot vert and tomatoes. It was topped with a pesto of sorts.
Price - $20.00
A simple preparation, with simple ingredients, executed very well. The sauce was chicken stock reduction that was a nice complement which served to flavor the vegetables moreso than the fish. The vegetables were cooked well, as was the fish. The cilantro chimichurri on top of the fish was nice, but it wasn't necessary as the fish was seasoned quite well. Not a home run, but a solid double that I was pretty happy with and would recommend to anybody provided they like whatever the fish of the day happens to be.
If you've read anything about the desserts at The Wave, you know they do trios. While there are pre-arranged desserts, you can really mix and match any three deserts together.
I decided to go with a pre-arranged dessert when I chose the Freshly Crafted Sorbet Trio. The three sorbets were strawberry, pineapple and lemon.
Price - $7.99
This was super tasty! My favorite of the three was the pineapple, followed closely by the strawberry. Lemon tasted good, but seriously, lemon sorbet is very tired and played out. The trio was very fresh, light and was a pleasant end to the meal.
Adam decided to do a little of the ol' mix and match for his dessert. He chose: Blueberry Compote with Yogurt Gelato, Vanilla-braised Pineapple Spears and Strawberry Sorbet.
Price - $7.99
My pickiness forced me to avoid most of the items and so I settled on a couple interesting ones and then chose what I hoped would be the best sorbet. The blueberry compote was nice, but the highlight for me was the yogurt gelato, which I thought was one of the better dessert offerings available anywhere. The pineapple was fairly mediocre, tasting more dried and sugary than vanilly (my favorite made-up adjective). The strawberry sorbet was pretty okay, but not anything to write home about.
Decor - 6/10
Food - 5/10
Service -6/10
P.S. Wow...I didn't realize Adam was going to go on a 10 minute rant about his appetizer...
sarcasticblonde
DIS Veteran
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- May 21, 2007
- Messages
- 584
Out of curiosity, are thinking of trying the restaurants that Adam and I went to because it looks good or are you thinking of canceling a reservation because you saw the food and thought it looked/sounded bad?
both actually. some places i wasn't considering where the food looked good to me and others that i thought "i must eat there", not so sure now.
sarcasticblonde
DIS Veteran
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- May 21, 2007
- Messages
- 584
Loving your dining reviews and pictures
Looking forward to your next installment
Thanks! Glad to have some readers
sarcasticblonde
DIS Veteran
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- 584
Citricos
THIS is the meal that I had been looking forward to on our trip. It was going to be our "fancy" meal. Not to say that Jiko and California Grill aren't very nice too, but something about eating at the Grand Floridian. I got to wear my favorite purple dress and yeah, I was looking forward to it.
We drove to the Grand Floridian for a 7:05pm reservation. The hotel was gorgeous. I'd never actually been inside of it, only saw it from the exterior, driving by or riding the monorail. We headed straight upstairs to the restaurant and while waiting in line to speak to the host, a gentleman came up to us and asked, "Are you dining at Victoria and Albert's??" We said no and he seemed relieved
Guess it's because Adam wasn't wearing a jacket. Oh well. They asked us to be seated in the lobby for a few moments and I enjoyed sitting near the window, looking out to the beach. I saw the little cabanas on the beach and told Adam that I wanted to go down there after dinner.
After a few moments, our name was called and we headed in. We seated in the back portion of the restaurant right by the window. We had a view of the grounds and the pool area.
Our server came by and introduced herself. Her name was Tiffany and she was very nice and pretty dedicated to us. She did have other tables, but it was nice to be treated like our table of 2 was as important as the group of 6 that sat behind us. She took our food and wine order and said that we picked the 2 appetizers that she loves the most.
Here is a picture of the cute centerpiece on the table.
For our wine, Adam chose a nice 2004 Montrasell blend from Spain. Montrasell is the same thing as mourvedre, which some of you might recognize as one of the major chateauneuf du pape grapes. The rest of the blend was cabernet sauvignon and tempranillo, which adds a little depth to the montrasell and helps the wine go well with meat and heavier fish. A good unique choice at a modest price.
(Adam wrote the review of the wine...He comes off as a wine snob, but he really just loves wine )
My first course was the Goat Cheese "Truffles". It was a salad comprised of arugula, frisee, applewood smoked bacon with thin peach slivers. The "truffles" were 3 balls of goat cheese. One was rolled in sesame seeds, one in dried tomato and pepper and the last in chili powder.
Price - $9.00
I thought this was awesome. I'm not a huge fan of goat cheese but I took a chance and am glad that I did. Everything worked well together. The frisee and arugula was crisp, the bacon was savory, the peaches were dry and sweet. Each "truffle" was rolled in a delicious spice or accoutrement. When I was done, I wanted more.
Adam loves him some crab cakes, so he chose the Gateau of Crab. It is a jumbo lump crab cake dressed with orange fennel cream and tomato fennel slaw.
Price - $12.00
After my earlier regret not picking the crab cake for lunch, I was pretty much obligated to go with this, and I'm so glad I did. Because it's a gateau, that means that there's no real breading and it's held together mostly by almond flour. That gives this dish a really light and delicate texture that's a great alternative to the ultra-fried crab cake options. The crab was very flavorful, and being jumbo lump it held together nicely. The sauce that accompanied it was unintrusive and added a nice creamy touch to the whole plate. The fennel slaw on top was very nice, but if you're afraid of fennel for one reason or another, skipping it doesn't detract from the flavor at all. This was a great starter, and a must-order for crab fans.
I really wanted to do a red meat for dinner that night, so I chose the Bone-in Ribeye. It was served with wood-roasted Spanish onions, julienne carrots, fingerling potatoes, lemon rosemary butter, and veal glacé de viande.
Price - $43.00
This mother was phenomenal!! Wow! First off, it's huge. After I was done eating it, we asked the server how many ounces it was. She said that including bone and the fat, it was 20oz. Speaking of fat, yes, you are going to find fat on it, but that is only to be expected. There is still a ton of delicious, melt in your mouth steak to eat. The veal glacé was to die for and I was also dipping my mini potatoes in them. The potatoes were perfectly cooked skin on. They popped in your mouth when you sank your teeth into them. The wine tasted great with the ribeye as well. I didn't eat the onions or carrots as I am not a fan of those veggies. Adam ended up eating some of my steak as well when I was finished with it and he loved it too.
Here is a photo of me enjoying my steak and wine:
Adam chose the Braised Veal Shank. The shank sits on a bed of carrot-potato puree with roasted vegetables and toasted citrus gremolata.
Price - $46.00
A very good dish and another braised entree for me (that's two so far if you're keeping score at home). The braise was done very well, but the meat was not quite so tender as my Jiko short rib earlier in the week. This one needed the steak knife they brought, but I actually welcomed the extra texture, as it gave me a chance to savor the delicious veal. A great plus was the demitasse spoon that was delivered with the plate so I could spoon the bone marrow out and apply it to the veal for some extra flavor. The vegetables were done with a simple olive oil saute and maintained their crispness without breaking your teeth. The puree was not as sweet as I would've liked (or would've guessed, judging by the bright orange color) but was quite good regardless. Another thumbs up, and a good dish if you're looking for meat but not steak.
After such great 1st and 2nd courses, I was looking forward to appeasing my sweet tooth was a decadent dessert. I chose the simple, timeless, Tiramisu which is served with vanilla and chocolate sauces.
Price - $8.00
I know that tiramisu may seem like one of those desserts that you can't mess up, but this was done right. The presentation was beautiful and from the angle in which I took the photo, it looks like a little chocolate caterpillar...face and all. The dessert itself was light and airy, and the whipped cream dollops on top were like eating clouds. I loved this so much that I even ate the chocolate pieces that were for design on top.
Adam likes one thing that I don't...bananas
!! He chose the Warm Chocolate Banana Tart served with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream and caramelized bananas.
Price - $8.00
A gorgeously plated dessert, with high marks for vertical edible decoration. I was surprised to find that the cake itself actually has bananas inside it as well, which give it a little more complexity than just a straight chocolate cake would. If I had just one complaint it would be that the cake was slightly dry, but if you ration the ice cream properly, this shouldn't be an issue. Quite good, but make sure you're still hungry enough to finish it.
Decor - 8/10
Food - 9.5/10
Service - 9/10
As you can tell, we loved Citricos. It didn't feel stuffy at all - in fact that were a few small (age 5ish) children sitting at the table behind us. I would recommend this restaurant in a heartbeat and we have it on our list for next year.
Even though this is a dining report, if you dine there you should definitely check out the beach after dinner. It was a perfect, romantic way to end the evening. Adam and sat on the hammock and saw the Electric Water Parade go by and then hopped a ride on the monorail (and sat in the front).
THIS is the meal that I had been looking forward to on our trip. It was going to be our "fancy" meal. Not to say that Jiko and California Grill aren't very nice too, but something about eating at the Grand Floridian. I got to wear my favorite purple dress and yeah, I was looking forward to it.
We drove to the Grand Floridian for a 7:05pm reservation. The hotel was gorgeous. I'd never actually been inside of it, only saw it from the exterior, driving by or riding the monorail. We headed straight upstairs to the restaurant and while waiting in line to speak to the host, a gentleman came up to us and asked, "Are you dining at Victoria and Albert's??" We said no and he seemed relieved
Guess it's because Adam wasn't wearing a jacket. Oh well. They asked us to be seated in the lobby for a few moments and I enjoyed sitting near the window, looking out to the beach. I saw the little cabanas on the beach and told Adam that I wanted to go down there after dinner.After a few moments, our name was called and we headed in. We seated in the back portion of the restaurant right by the window. We had a view of the grounds and the pool area.
Our server came by and introduced herself. Her name was Tiffany and she was very nice and pretty dedicated to us. She did have other tables, but it was nice to be treated like our table of 2 was as important as the group of 6 that sat behind us. She took our food and wine order and said that we picked the 2 appetizers that she loves the most.
Here is a picture of the cute centerpiece on the table.
For our wine, Adam chose a nice 2004 Montrasell blend from Spain. Montrasell is the same thing as mourvedre, which some of you might recognize as one of the major chateauneuf du pape grapes. The rest of the blend was cabernet sauvignon and tempranillo, which adds a little depth to the montrasell and helps the wine go well with meat and heavier fish. A good unique choice at a modest price.
(Adam wrote the review of the wine...He comes off as a wine snob, but he really just loves wine
)
My first course was the Goat Cheese "Truffles". It was a salad comprised of arugula, frisee, applewood smoked bacon with thin peach slivers. The "truffles" were 3 balls of goat cheese. One was rolled in sesame seeds, one in dried tomato and pepper and the last in chili powder.
Price - $9.00
I thought this was awesome. I'm not a huge fan of goat cheese but I took a chance and am glad that I did. Everything worked well together. The frisee and arugula was crisp, the bacon was savory, the peaches were dry and sweet. Each "truffle" was rolled in a delicious spice or accoutrement. When I was done, I wanted more.
Adam loves him some crab cakes, so he chose the Gateau of Crab. It is a jumbo lump crab cake dressed with orange fennel cream and tomato fennel slaw.
Price - $12.00
After my earlier regret not picking the crab cake for lunch, I was pretty much obligated to go with this, and I'm so glad I did. Because it's a gateau, that means that there's no real breading and it's held together mostly by almond flour. That gives this dish a really light and delicate texture that's a great alternative to the ultra-fried crab cake options. The crab was very flavorful, and being jumbo lump it held together nicely. The sauce that accompanied it was unintrusive and added a nice creamy touch to the whole plate. The fennel slaw on top was very nice, but if you're afraid of fennel for one reason or another, skipping it doesn't detract from the flavor at all. This was a great starter, and a must-order for crab fans.
I really wanted to do a red meat for dinner that night, so I chose the Bone-in Ribeye. It was served with wood-roasted Spanish onions, julienne carrots, fingerling potatoes, lemon rosemary butter, and veal glacé de viande.
Price - $43.00
This mother was phenomenal!! Wow! First off, it's huge. After I was done eating it, we asked the server how many ounces it was. She said that including bone and the fat, it was 20oz. Speaking of fat, yes, you are going to find fat on it, but that is only to be expected. There is still a ton of delicious, melt in your mouth steak to eat. The veal glacé was to die for and I was also dipping my mini potatoes in them. The potatoes were perfectly cooked skin on. They popped in your mouth when you sank your teeth into them. The wine tasted great with the ribeye as well. I didn't eat the onions or carrots as I am not a fan of those veggies. Adam ended up eating some of my steak as well when I was finished with it and he loved it too.
Here is a photo of me enjoying my steak and wine:
Adam chose the Braised Veal Shank. The shank sits on a bed of carrot-potato puree with roasted vegetables and toasted citrus gremolata.
Price - $46.00
A very good dish and another braised entree for me (that's two so far if you're keeping score at home). The braise was done very well, but the meat was not quite so tender as my Jiko short rib earlier in the week. This one needed the steak knife they brought, but I actually welcomed the extra texture, as it gave me a chance to savor the delicious veal. A great plus was the demitasse spoon that was delivered with the plate so I could spoon the bone marrow out and apply it to the veal for some extra flavor. The vegetables were done with a simple olive oil saute and maintained their crispness without breaking your teeth. The puree was not as sweet as I would've liked (or would've guessed, judging by the bright orange color) but was quite good regardless. Another thumbs up, and a good dish if you're looking for meat but not steak.
After such great 1st and 2nd courses, I was looking forward to appeasing my sweet tooth was a decadent dessert. I chose the simple, timeless, Tiramisu which is served with vanilla and chocolate sauces.
Price - $8.00
I know that tiramisu may seem like one of those desserts that you can't mess up, but this was done right. The presentation was beautiful and from the angle in which I took the photo, it looks like a little chocolate caterpillar...face and all. The dessert itself was light and airy, and the whipped cream dollops on top were like eating clouds. I loved this so much that I even ate the chocolate pieces that were for design on top.
Adam likes one thing that I don't...bananas
!! He chose the Warm Chocolate Banana Tart served with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream and caramelized bananas.Price - $8.00
A gorgeously plated dessert, with high marks for vertical edible decoration. I was surprised to find that the cake itself actually has bananas inside it as well, which give it a little more complexity than just a straight chocolate cake would. If I had just one complaint it would be that the cake was slightly dry, but if you ration the ice cream properly, this shouldn't be an issue. Quite good, but make sure you're still hungry enough to finish it.
Decor - 8/10
Food - 9.5/10
Service - 9/10
As you can tell, we loved Citricos. It didn't feel stuffy at all - in fact that were a few small (age 5ish) children sitting at the table behind us. I would recommend this restaurant in a heartbeat and we have it on our list for next year.
Even though this is a dining report, if you dine there you should definitely check out the beach after dinner. It was a perfect, romantic way to end the evening. Adam and sat on the hammock and saw the Electric Water Parade go by and then hopped a ride on the monorail (and sat in the front).
MickeyNicki
It is pretty darn sad when a valet picks you out a
- Joined
- Sep 22, 2005
- Messages
- 21,518
First I gotta say that you two are so cute!
Second, thanks for the Citrico's, looks like I will add that one in for 2009!
Second, thanks for the Citrico's, looks like I will add that one in for 2009!
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