Mike & Suzy's Honeymoon Photo Filled Food Adventure

[jeminni]

Great review

I can't wait to see the rest of the V&A's review.

 

[kroberts]

These reviews are fabulous! Thanks for all of the great pictures/reviews!

 

[arieljasmine]

I am impressed by your dedication and glad you got the reservation in the end! Looking forward to hearing more about it.

Laur's

 

[hopey1kenobi]

For my money, the world's best hang-over food is grits.

100% agree, nothing can compare to grits and coffee for a hangover

 

[teag_98]

review EVER You are cracking me up! Keep 'em coming

 

[neutie88]

subscribing

 

[Tatania]

I was laughing throughout your review but by the time I came to this

On day six of their honeymoon Mike and Suzy were not happy campers. They were not even gleeful hikers. And they were far from being jubilant spelunkers. This was due to them being hung-over honeymooners.

I just about snorted the Diet Dr. Pepper I was drinking all over the keyboard. I have to remember that saying for my next vacation

 

[ss9498]

Great review. Hey, if you aren't hungover at some time during your honeymoon then you are doing something wrong.

 

[pta-mom]

.....and than what happened?????

 

[celerystalker]

No posts?
What?
NO! I just discovered this! I want more! Explain the duck under the glass! and the celery dish!

 

[mmmears]

I just found your review tonight and I have read all the way through it -- and now I cant wait for the rest of it!

This really is a great review, with the hilarious comments and fantastic photos! Thanks for all the hard work!

And congratulations...

 

[DexLabDeeDee]

Okay, coming out of the lurking woodwork to say that I have really enjoyed your review and "please, sir, can I have some more?"

 

[MikeR]

Let us talk about wine for a bit;

One can buy a bottle of Two-Buck-Chuck and chug it out of an old jam jar while munching on a bugger from Fuddruckers and that is a “wine paring” only in the same sense that a chicken is a Tyrannosaurus Rex.

What Victoria and Albert’s does with matching wine with food is difficult to describe, which makes the job of describing it rather difficult (funny that). Each course is well-thought out and perfectly harmonized with a wine that compliments the dish while not overpowering it.

And really, what more could one want from a wine? Other than to get a good buzz going down, another thing which these wines excelled at by the way.

The dishes, like the Chorizo Crusted Gulf Shrimp with Garbanzo Beans, Albequina Olives and Banyuls Vinaigrette with wine paring of Cantina Del Taburno Falanghina, Campania 2005, are all fondly remembered in the abstract from this gastronomical vacation from a vacation;

Yet describing a meal that one had four months ago is rather difficult. Does the memory of taste really last in the same way that the memory of sight or sound does? Can you really recall a great meal in the same way you recall a great game you played in or a great concert you heard? Is it just that we are trained to remember our other senses more than taste, or is it some biological factor? If someone says that they had Monterey Abalone with toasted capers and mey lemon Alaskan stablefish with petite French lentils, winter corn and saffron foam with wine paring of Frank Family Vineyards Chardonnay, Napa Valley 2005;

Does that draw forth memories in the same way that describing a lone beach at midnight on a summer night in which a solitary owl can be heard hooting in the distance? And how many questions can a foodie post pose anyways?

But while the questions may stop coming the courses at V&A never seemed to. The waiters expertly delivered dish after dish to the happy couple;

Who ate them all with relish. A multi-course meal is very different from more traditional meals. The food arrives in a slow steady stream rather than in a giant log. This allows you more time to savor and enjoy the experience and talk between courses. Much like the exact taste of the food (other than “it was good”) the specifics of the conversation also remain out of reach, yet fondly remembered.

Both the Ballotine of Pulet Rouge with Chicken Consomme, Scottish Chanterelles and black truffles with wine paring of Pere Fils Christian Moreau Chablis 2004.

and the Kurobuta Pork Tenderloin and Belly with Banana Squash Ragout, 100 Year Balsamic with wine paring of Carol Shelton Rocky Reserve Zinfandel, Dry Crekk Valley 2004

made the mouth experience flavors that fail at being adequately being put into words.

Now the next dish may be a little controversial as it was Pan Roasted Foie Gras with Fuji Apples and Mostarda did Cremona with Royal Tokaji Azsu 5 Puttonyos, Mad Tokaj-Hegyalja 2003.

Now Mike had heard horror stories about how Foie Gras is made, but before he went to his honeymoon he actually saw a documentary on how the ducks are fed, and how the composition of their necks makes it so that it is not as uncomfortable for them to be fed in that manner as one might suppose.

And Foie Gras tastes sooooooooooooooo good. So very very good.

The tasting of the Japanese Wagyu Strip Loin and Australian “Kobe” Tenderloin with Oxtail Jus with wine paring of Beaulie Vineyard Tapestry Reserve, Napa 2004 went very well and the beef just melted in their mouths;

Mike had some small worry that the various meats would not mix well in the stomach, but this proved not to be a problem.

The Fourme D’Ambert Cheese and Fondue, 4 Year Aged Gouda and St. Marcellin was fantastically rich and succulent;

Suzy started to get a little chilly so she began bundling up before the chilly desert courses;

Which consisted of Wild Strawberry Sorbet, Mango-Yogurt Panna Cotta and Miniature Banana Gateau with wine paring of Paolo Saracco Moscato D’Asti, Piedmont 2006.

As well as the Tanzanian Chocolate Pyramid, Hawaiian Kona Chocolate Soufflé and Peruvian Chocolate Ice Cream and Puff Pastry

Which was followed by the exciting act of the “Celebes” Coffee brewing, a type of brewing the Suzy had never seen before and as an engineer she had lots of questions to ask about it;

For Mike it was enough that it produced a cup of coffee, and that was all he needed to know. He was not and is not a big coffee fan, but he drank most of his cup for the experience of it, and also because he could probably have used a caffeine jolt by then;

The two did drink a fair amount that night;

But Mike still had time to play with his camera settings;

As the night wore to a close the happy couple was presented with chocolate candy treats and a polite invitation to vacate the premises as they and one waiter were the only ones left, all other cooks and patrons having departed;

As Mike left the facilities he happened to notice a tray of booze just sitting in the hallway and also noticed the curious fact that no one else around. But he most certainly did not get a nightcap from it of Pearl Brandy before leaving. Because that would have been wrong;

Total cost for the nights dinner? A lot. The tip alone was more than Mike has often spent for a nice dinner and lets just leave it at that. Weeks later Mike would talk about the dinner with his Dad and not only was it the most expensive dinner Mike had ever had, but it was also more expensive than any dinner his Dad had had, and his Dad is not a poor man.

But was it worth it? On the whole, yes, in that it was their honeymoon and it was nice to get all dressed up for a grand and memorable dinner, but they are unlikely to do anything like that again for a long time.

And of course it can be considered all worth it when Suzy thanked Mike for the lovely dinner;

The happy couple took the monorail home;

Said goodnight to their blanket-animal pal, and went to sleep because they had another busy day tomorrow;

 

[Lady V]

Just wonderful!! Keep it coming!!

 

[BriarRosie]

Can't get enough Vicki & Al's Diner reviews.
I'm a foie gras junkie, too. I admit it.

I'm due for another Chef's Table this year, since it was 6 years since my last, and 6 years prior to that for my first. But I didn't call 180 days out for my October trip, so I'm SOL.

 

[Ms. Heimlich]

Great Job!!

I loved your thoughts on the chef's table.

There should be a posted warning about the food & liquor consumption at that place!!

Keep 'em comin'!

 

[First timer]

Subsribing - great thread!

 

[arieljasmine]

Sounds like it was a great night.

Laur's

 

[MikeR]

Mike and Suzy left Animal Kingdom earlier than they needed to because they didn't know the travel times to get from the Animal Kingdom to the Animal Kingdom Lodge;

They arrived a little early but that was OK as it gave them time to check out some of the attractions at the lodge;

If you've got to kill time waiting for a reservation, there are definitely worse places to do it than the AKL;

Heck, even the waiting tables were pretty spiffy;

Finally it was time for Boma;

The staff was helpful;

and very friendly;

and quickly showed the newlyweds to their seats;

The menu was very intriguing. Mike loves to explore when he is dining and does not have that much experience with African food so other than Victoria and Albert's, Boma was probably the place he was most excited about eating at;

A quick rundown of the menu;

African Breads
Mixed Field Greens:
Mango Vinaigrette, Paw Paw Vinaigrette,
Chili Cilantro Vinaigrette, Balsamic Vinaigrette
Potato Salad
Fresh Fruit

Pasta Salad
Watermelon Rind Salad
Kool Slaai
Chicken Salad with Chili Cilantro
Moroccan Seafood Salad - Couscous, mussels, scallops and shrimp

Avocado, Grapefruit, Papaya, Curry Cucumber Salad, Spinach and Beet Salad

Macaroni and Cheese
Saffron Rice
African Soups and Stews:
Chicken Corn Porridge
Smoked Tomato Soup

Sweet Potato Pancakes
Vegetable Lentil Kofta
Pap
Braised Greens
FuFu
Potatoes with Afritude

Durban Spiced Roasted Chicken
Malabu Pepper Steak
Grilled Seafood
Wood Roasted Meats

Vegetable Skewers
Chicken Pepper Pot
Coconut Curried Chicken Soup
Curried Coconut Seafood Stew
Couscous Marrakesh

Chicken Tenders
Spaghetti and Meatballs

Wonderful Dessert Buffet including:
Zebra Domes
Simba Paw Prints
shows that their was much food to explore;

and;

explore;

they;

did;

And of course they got their customary free honeymoon desert;

It has been over half a year since Mike last ate at Boma, so remember any specific likes and dislike is rather difficult for him. He remembers being very pleased with the overall experience and devouring a number of dishes, but he can not recommend any exact ones. So try them all!

 

[intricatejewel]

"One can buy a bottle of Two-Buck-Chuck and chug it out of an old jam jar while munching on a bugger from Fuddruckers and that is a “wine paring” only in the same sense that a chicken is a Tyrannosaurus Rex."

OMG! That was too, too funny! I am very much enjoying your reviews and can't wait for more! Thanks so much for posting!!