BriarRosie
<font color=blue>Creator of Tag Fairy Haiku:<br>Cl
- Joined
- Mar 7, 2002
I'm getting off my duff to start the new year with a dining review of Victoria and Albert's, or as I like to call it, Vicki and Al's Diner. 
Before I start the review, though, I wanted to share my past experiences there, all two of them. Back in 1996, I went to WDW for a birthday trip, and I thought it would be cool to book Victoria and Albert's for it. One of my friends traveling with me said he would go with me, while another friend decided to go off on his own and declined the invite.
I managed to snag the Chef's Table, but I don't think it seemed that difficult to get the reservation. We didn't know what to expect, but it was the first time I had any level of fine dining, my first time trying foie gras, and I was hooked. I didn't get the wine pairings, but we did pretty much get to try everything on that night's menu. It was such a great experience. Also, back then, you also got treated to a rodent infestation in the kitchen:
When I was younger and blonder...
As you can see, the table was squeezed into a little alcove in the kitchen, and the maximum seating was 4 people. Also the schtick was that all the female servers had a cast badge with Victoria on it, and all the male servers had theirs with Albert. I loved the special touches, like the personalized menus and the rose that women receive at the end of the meal.
Cut to 6 years later, 2002. I was on a trip with Catherine and another friend, and we were celebrating Catherine's birthday. I managed to make another Chef's Table reservation, this time for a party of 5. I don't have a picture of the changes made to the Chef's Table since then, but I know it's been featured on TV on a Food Network special. The area was expanded, and I believe you can have a party of up to 10 or 12 people in there. I think the area makes me feel like I'm dining on someone's back porch. It's pretty cozy for being inside an industrial kitchen. They discontinued the rodent visit, but I think it would have been funny if Remy from "Ratatouille" made an appearance.
As we checked in, waiting to be escorted inside, I overhead a couple approach the host and ask if the Chef's Table party showed up, thinking they could snag it if we didn't. I guess it was getting more difficult to book that reservation.
The servers by now had their own names on their cast badges, no longer the hokey Victoria or Albert on them. I opted to do the wine pairings this time, as did Catherine and another friend. Our servers would top off the glass of wine with the course, so midway through the meal, you know that the three of us were flying a bit from the wine.
The other interesting thing to note is that you need to be escorted from the kitchen if you have to visit the restroom. After being in a boisterous atmosphere in a bright kitchen, it's a bit of a shock to enter a dimly lit and quiet-you-can-hear-a-pin-drop atmosphere. I called the people in the main dining room The Stepford Diners because it was unnaturally quiet. It got to the point where someone (I think Catherine) called us the 8 O'Clock Parade to the Restroom, and I felt the fit of giggles bubbling up, finally erupting out of me as soon as we entered the Ladies' Room.
Ok, cut to 6 years later, planning my trip to the 2008 food and wine festival. It dawns on me that I've visited Victoria and Albert's in 6 year increments, so naturally I felt I must not break the cycle. I decided that this time I was not going to try to book the Chef's Table, and I was going to eat there solo, something I probably wouldn't have contemplated doing on prior visits. And since I posted the intentions here, Catherine piped up and said that she and her mom would want to eat there, so they added me to their reservation and I canceled mine. I was looking forward to seeing what the main dining room would be like. More importantly, I was also looking forward to the Disney Dining Experience, I mean Tables in Wonderland (ugh) discount.
Note: The Chef's Table is excluded from the discount. DDE/TiW is only accepted in the Main Dining Room.
So here we are on...
Sunday, October 19, 2008: Victoria and Albert's, Main Dining Room.
Catherine, her mom and I in our fancy dinner clothes made our way onto the bus to the Magic Kingdom from the Beach Club, then took the boat launch from the Magic Kingdom to the Grand Floridian. Soon we were walking to the main building and checked in for dinner.
We were escorted to our table, thankfully not under the rotunda dome. I've read reports of people who sat in that area and could hear the details of conversations of other tables very clearly. I guess that explains my Stepford Diners vibe I had in 2002.
I wish I could remember our servers names, but they were a husband and wife team who worked at Victoria and Albert's for many years. I guess I'll refer to them as "Victoria" and "Albert". They had a soothing way they talked, not unlike Mr. Rogers. We were handed our personalized menus and quickly decided to do the wine pairings.
Because this menu is extensive with lots of courses and choices, I will share the entire menu before I mention what I ordered. The menu is "Prix Fixe" (or in English, Fixed Price) for $125 per person, optional wine pairing an additional $60 per person. Usually the last item in each course was listed as an extra surcharge. I will list the cost of those items, as well.
Amuse Bouche
Piper Hidsieck Brut NV, Reims
First course choices:
Tamarind-Anch Marinated Spot Prawns with Heirloom Tomato Vinaigrette
King Estate Pinot Bris, Oregon 2007
Alaskan King Crab and Dungeness Crab Salad, Mustard Aioli
Langtry Savingnon Blanc, Lake County 2006
Iranian Golden Osetra Caviar with Traditional Garnish ($150 1/2 oz $300 1 oz)
Roth Vodka
Second course choices:
Colorado Buffalo over Stewed French Lentils with Baby Brussels Sprouts
Cesari "Mara" Vino Di Ripasso Valpolicella 2004
Poached Vermont Quail with Black Mission Figs and Fuji Apples
Dr. Zenzen Valwiger Herrenberg Riesling Auslese, Mosel 2001
Third course choices:
Corn-Crusted Florida Grouper with Zellwood Corn and Geoduck Clams
Domaine Vincent Girardin Savigny-Les-Beaune "Les Vermots Dessus" 2006
Alaskan King Salmon with Salsify and Demi-Tasse Cup of Smoked Salmon Cream
Rosenthal "The Malibu Estate" Chardonnay, Malibu 2006
Monterrey Abalone with Toasted Capers and Meyer Lemon ($30)
Twisted Oak Roussanne/Marsanne, Sierra Foothills 2005
Fourth course choices:
Kurobuta Pork Tenderloin and Belly with Baby Beets and Sherry Bacon Vinaigrette
Dutton Goldfield "Dutton Ranch" Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley 2004
Fennel Pollen Dusted Lamb with Vegetable Ratatouille
Las Terrasses, Priorat 2005
Marcho Farms Veal Tenderloin with Yellow Chanterelles and English Peas
Abbazia Barolo D.O.C.G., Piedmont 2004
Australian "Kobe" Beef Tenderloin with Smoked Garlic Potato Purée ($35)
Japanese Wagyu Strip Loin with Oxtail Jus ($80)
Chateau St. Jean Cinq Cépages , Sonoma 2004
Opus One, Napa Valley 2005 ($65)
Fifth course choices:
Colston Basset Stilton, Brillat Savarin and Comté Forte Rousses
Quinta do Crasto Late Bottled Vintage Porto 2001
White Chocolate Gelato with Tableside Shavings and Micro Garden Mint
Paolo Saracco Moscato D'Asti, Piedmont 2006
Sixth course choices:
Tanzanian Chocolate Pyramid, Hawaiian Kona Chocolate Soufflé and Peruvian Chocolate Ice Cream and Puff Pastry
Berry Gâteau with Mango Yogurt and Panna Cotta
Caramelized Banana Gâteau
Vanilla Bean Crème Brûlée
Grand Marnier Soufflé
Hawaiian Chocolate Kona Soufflé
"Celebes" Coffee, Tea and Friandise
I don't remember what Catherine and her mom had during dinner, but they did sometimes have the same items as I did. Catherine was able to substitute one of the non-surcharge items from a previous course (in her case, from the first course) instead of the fourth-course items on the meat course. I was able to switch one of the wine pairings on the meat course to one of the featured wines, as well. The staff were very accommodating about that, but it's Victoria and Albert's. What else would you expect?
I have to say that the servers had the right amount of fawning, but I had to suppress a giggle fit because I detected a pattern in the way "Albert" took the order. As I told him each course I wanted, it was followed by a discreet echo of approval by "Albert" in the form of "delicious". A few synonyms thrown in like "exquisite" or "excellent" and you get the point.
It wasn't even that I noticed this when I was ordering. I noticed it when Catherine's mom ordered, I could hear the same echoes of approval after each of her dishes were ordered. It just struck me as hilarious, and I know that I was a giggle time bomb waiting to go off. What started as subtle when I ordered seemed blatantly obvious when she ordered, but I still was thinking, "Wow, he is GOOD." Our "Victoria" was on hand with the wines, and it was clear that she and her husband had the serving routine down to a science. It didn't hurt that their soothing Mr. Rogers voices set the mood, too.
Let's Feast!
Amuse Bouche
This was all about duck in many forms, and think it was supposed to represent the seasons of the year. I don't remember what each thing was, but it's pretty clear that there's a spring roll and some duck sausage in there. I just remember it was a tasty way to start the meal.
First course:Alaskan King Crab and Dungeness Crab Salad, Mustard Aioli
I loved this dish, but then again, I love crab. I was pleased to see the asparagus in the center, as well. Being the snarky creatures we were, I said it looked like asparagus tic-tac-toe. Catherine thought it reminded her of the setup for "Hollywood Squares". This brought up a reference to Paul Lynde, the center square from the original show, and I did an impromptu impression of him. Catherine's mom was mildly amused, and I think Catherine found the imitation somewhat identifiable.
When I remarked to Catherine to eat the Krabby Patty on the left, she gave me this LOOK that told me I shouldn't try to make Spongebob Squarepants references during dinner to induce a giggle fit. I patently ignored the look and silliness took over one more time later in the meal.
You'll note that none of us were willing to spend the entire cost of dinner on half a freaking ounce of caviar. Maybe when I win big in Vegas, but not now.
Second course: Poached Vermont Quail with Black Mission Figs and Fuji Apples
Catherine went to V&A a few months earlier and told me that this dish was really good, so I had high expectations of it. While it was good, it didn't wow me as much as I hyped it in my head. I need to get Catherine's input on whether her dish was not as good this time around. More likely I was sulking about Disney's choice to remove foie gras from their restaurants, a decision that took place a week or so before this trip. This was the course where the foie gras was supposed to be. Yes, I'm still bitter, but I can't change the past, so I'll move on to the next course.
Third course:Alaskan King Salmon with Salsify and Demi-Tasse Cup of Smoked Salmon Cream
Oh. My. GAWD. This was by far my favorite dish on the menu. Yes, the salmon on the left was cooked perfectly and the sauce complimented it, but the star of the plate was the smoked salmon cream soup on the right. It was so silky, so tasty that I made Catherine and her mom try it. I admit I am a food sharer. You can go so far as to call me a Food Pusher, when I find something that tastes so fabulous, you have to share it with someone who isn't eating it. I do my Food Pusher thing to Catherine every so often, and she agreed it was amazing stuff. I only wished I was able to have more than that demi-tasse cup of it.
Fourth course:Marcho Farms Veal Tenderloin with Yellow Chanterelles and English Peas
Another gorgeous plate of food. There's an item on this plate not mentioned in the menu, the lightly breaded sweetbreads on top of the greens. Now some of you might not know what sweetbreads are, thinking nothing unusual about this. I do know what they are, so when Catherine said in her best Igor voice, "Braaaains...", I had to giggle and answer back with "Braaaaaaains!" in my best Igor voice. Next thing you know, I'm picturing Marty Feldman from "Young Frankenstein", and Catherine is quoting his line about picking the "Abby Normal" brain to use on the monster.
Ahem...
Technically, sweetbreads are the thymus gland of the animal (in this case, a calf), but you can see why we started going off on our snarkiness about them. And you can see why people refer to them with the euphemism, as I don't think people would eat them if they were labeled as "thymus gland".
They were some pretty darn tasty thymus glands, and I think I did make Catherine try them. At least that's how it plays in my shoddy memory. She'll have to confirm or deny it.
The veal was tender and tasty, and those chanterelle mushrooms...yum. They were earthy and good, and I know that many people reading this will go "Ewww" because they hate mushrooms. Fine. Stick your nose up about mushrooms,
, but I love 'em. I substituted the pinot noir from the pork tenderloin pairing to go with this course, and I think it worked well.
At this point, Catherine grabbed my camera to take a picture of her food. I'm glad she did because it's a very pretty plate of food. She didn't want any of the listed items on this course, so she had:
Colorado Buffalo over Stewed French Lentils with Baby Brussels Sprouts
Not only was this another gorgeous plate of food, I believe Catherine found this to be equally as tasty as it looked. Again, she can confirm or deny it. The general consensus seemed to be that the food was a hit, and Catherine's mom seemed to enjoy her meal, too.
Time for some cheeeeeeeese!
Fifth course: Colston Basset Stilton, Brillat Savarin and Comté Forte Rousses
As you see them, the Stilton is actually on the right, and the Comté Forte Rousses is on the left. The totally washed-out-by-my-flash cheese in the middle is the Brillat Savarin.
The comté is a hard cow's milk cheese, served with a bread that was really good, with bits of fruit in it. The Brillat Savarin is a soft cow's milk cheese, typically classified as a triple cream Brie. I just know it was creamy and smooth, and the tiny grapes served with it were champagne grapes. And the Stilton is blue cheese from England, and pretty much more commonly known than the other two. I generally am not a huge fan of blue cheese, because it's pretty strong, but I thought the Stilton was milder than I expected. I don't remember what the stuff on the right was that accompanied it, but the dark dot is balsamic vinegar.
Now it was time to start the coffee before we were served dessert. It's by far the coolest coffee making presentation, more like a science experiment. Of course I'm talking about the vacuum brewed coffee maker featuring Celebes coffee.
Pressure from the water vapor from the boiling water is forced to the top pot, and then the heating element is removed, forcing the water back down through a filter of the coffee grounds. It's very cool to watch, and it makes a heckuva good cup of coffee.
Time for dessert!
Sixth course: Hawaiian Chocolate Kona Soufflé
I am all about the chocolate. But I wanted this over the trio of chocolate desserts because I know this is my favorite. Here you see the soufflé in its pristine, un-altered state. It was served with some rich ice cream and a sugar decoration that of course had to be devoured, too. Unfortunately the painted chocolate on the plate was decorative, hardened onto the plate and not to be eaten, sadly.
So "Albert" comes by and pours a decadent chocolate sauce over the soufflé.
This is why I would never order any other dessert on the menu. I think the only dessert to rival this is the other Disney chocolate soufflé served at Palo on the Disney Cruise Line.
And here's the Friandise portion of the program.
Hey look, a deformed Hidden Mickey!
Friandise is just a fancy word for truffles, which we did not eat because we were stuffed. The servers boxed them up for us to take back to the room, and I carried them. Unfortunately I dropped the box while I was sitting on the bus back to the Beach Club, and one of them escaped to be lost forever. It had to be a chocolate one, grrr. I took one for the team and told Catherine and her mom that I will sacrifice the chocolate since I was the one that dropped the box. It's easy to understand why I'd drop this thing because I was also juggling the box with the long-stemmed rose and my menu.
I can't say much about the wines other than they did match well with the food, but I didn't get any topped off like the Chef's Table. That's not necessarily a bad thing, because I was definitely not feeling tipsy after dessert. I think the wine pairings aren't necessary, either, but I do think they add a little something extra in the enjoyment of the meal.
Because my food and wine special events weren't as special as in years past, and they cost about the same as a dinner at Victoria and Albert's, I'm thinking about skipping any paid events other than Party for the Senses and just book another dinner at Victoria and Albert's. It can be a food and wine coup, boycotting the events with a decent display of fine food. If I could get 12 people for the Chef's Domain at Citrico's, I'd totally be all over that action, too.
Next: California Grill - I go for the food, not the fireworks. But if they're going to show fireworks, I might as well act like a sheep and see them.
Before I start the review, though, I wanted to share my past experiences there, all two of them. Back in 1996, I went to WDW for a birthday trip, and I thought it would be cool to book Victoria and Albert's for it. One of my friends traveling with me said he would go with me, while another friend decided to go off on his own and declined the invite.
I managed to snag the Chef's Table, but I don't think it seemed that difficult to get the reservation. We didn't know what to expect, but it was the first time I had any level of fine dining, my first time trying foie gras, and I was hooked. I didn't get the wine pairings, but we did pretty much get to try everything on that night's menu. It was such a great experience. Also, back then, you also got treated to a rodent infestation in the kitchen:
When I was younger and blonder...
As you can see, the table was squeezed into a little alcove in the kitchen, and the maximum seating was 4 people. Also the schtick was that all the female servers had a cast badge with Victoria on it, and all the male servers had theirs with Albert. I loved the special touches, like the personalized menus and the rose that women receive at the end of the meal.
Cut to 6 years later, 2002. I was on a trip with Catherine and another friend, and we were celebrating Catherine's birthday. I managed to make another Chef's Table reservation, this time for a party of 5. I don't have a picture of the changes made to the Chef's Table since then, but I know it's been featured on TV on a Food Network special. The area was expanded, and I believe you can have a party of up to 10 or 12 people in there. I think the area makes me feel like I'm dining on someone's back porch. It's pretty cozy for being inside an industrial kitchen. They discontinued the rodent visit, but I think it would have been funny if Remy from "Ratatouille" made an appearance.
As we checked in, waiting to be escorted inside, I overhead a couple approach the host and ask if the Chef's Table party showed up, thinking they could snag it if we didn't. I guess it was getting more difficult to book that reservation.
The servers by now had their own names on their cast badges, no longer the hokey Victoria or Albert on them. I opted to do the wine pairings this time, as did Catherine and another friend. Our servers would top off the glass of wine with the course, so midway through the meal, you know that the three of us were flying a bit from the wine.
The other interesting thing to note is that you need to be escorted from the kitchen if you have to visit the restroom. After being in a boisterous atmosphere in a bright kitchen, it's a bit of a shock to enter a dimly lit and quiet-you-can-hear-a-pin-drop atmosphere. I called the people in the main dining room The Stepford Diners because it was unnaturally quiet. It got to the point where someone (I think Catherine) called us the 8 O'Clock Parade to the Restroom, and I felt the fit of giggles bubbling up, finally erupting out of me as soon as we entered the Ladies' Room.
Ok, cut to 6 years later, planning my trip to the 2008 food and wine festival. It dawns on me that I've visited Victoria and Albert's in 6 year increments, so naturally I felt I must not break the cycle. I decided that this time I was not going to try to book the Chef's Table, and I was going to eat there solo, something I probably wouldn't have contemplated doing on prior visits. And since I posted the intentions here, Catherine piped up and said that she and her mom would want to eat there, so they added me to their reservation and I canceled mine. I was looking forward to seeing what the main dining room would be like. More importantly, I was also looking forward to the Disney Dining Experience, I mean Tables in Wonderland (ugh) discount.
Note: The Chef's Table is excluded from the discount. DDE/TiW is only accepted in the Main Dining Room.
So here we are on...
Sunday, October 19, 2008: Victoria and Albert's, Main Dining Room.
Catherine, her mom and I in our fancy dinner clothes made our way onto the bus to the Magic Kingdom from the Beach Club, then took the boat launch from the Magic Kingdom to the Grand Floridian. Soon we were walking to the main building and checked in for dinner.
We were escorted to our table, thankfully not under the rotunda dome. I've read reports of people who sat in that area and could hear the details of conversations of other tables very clearly. I guess that explains my Stepford Diners vibe I had in 2002.
I wish I could remember our servers names, but they were a husband and wife team who worked at Victoria and Albert's for many years. I guess I'll refer to them as "Victoria" and "Albert". They had a soothing way they talked, not unlike Mr. Rogers.
We were handed our personalized menus and quickly decided to do the wine pairings. Because this menu is extensive with lots of courses and choices, I will share the entire menu before I mention what I ordered. The menu is "Prix Fixe" (or in English, Fixed Price) for $125 per person, optional wine pairing an additional $60 per person. Usually the last item in each course was listed as an extra surcharge. I will list the cost of those items, as well.
Amuse Bouche
Piper Hidsieck Brut NV, Reims
First course choices:
Tamarind-Anch Marinated Spot Prawns with Heirloom Tomato Vinaigrette
King Estate Pinot Bris, Oregon 2007
Alaskan King Crab and Dungeness Crab Salad, Mustard Aioli
Langtry Savingnon Blanc, Lake County 2006
Iranian Golden Osetra Caviar with Traditional Garnish ($150 1/2 oz $300 1 oz)
Roth Vodka
Second course choices:
Colorado Buffalo over Stewed French Lentils with Baby Brussels Sprouts
Cesari "Mara" Vino Di Ripasso Valpolicella 2004
Poached Vermont Quail with Black Mission Figs and Fuji Apples
Dr. Zenzen Valwiger Herrenberg Riesling Auslese, Mosel 2001
Third course choices:
Corn-Crusted Florida Grouper with Zellwood Corn and Geoduck Clams
Domaine Vincent Girardin Savigny-Les-Beaune "Les Vermots Dessus" 2006
Alaskan King Salmon with Salsify and Demi-Tasse Cup of Smoked Salmon Cream
Rosenthal "The Malibu Estate" Chardonnay, Malibu 2006
Monterrey Abalone with Toasted Capers and Meyer Lemon ($30)
Twisted Oak Roussanne/Marsanne, Sierra Foothills 2005
Fourth course choices:
Kurobuta Pork Tenderloin and Belly with Baby Beets and Sherry Bacon Vinaigrette
Dutton Goldfield "Dutton Ranch" Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley 2004
Fennel Pollen Dusted Lamb with Vegetable Ratatouille
Las Terrasses, Priorat 2005
Marcho Farms Veal Tenderloin with Yellow Chanterelles and English Peas
Abbazia Barolo D.O.C.G., Piedmont 2004
Australian "Kobe" Beef Tenderloin with Smoked Garlic Potato Purée ($35)
Japanese Wagyu Strip Loin with Oxtail Jus ($80)
Chateau St. Jean Cinq Cépages , Sonoma 2004
Opus One, Napa Valley 2005 ($65)
Fifth course choices:
Colston Basset Stilton, Brillat Savarin and Comté Forte Rousses
Quinta do Crasto Late Bottled Vintage Porto 2001
White Chocolate Gelato with Tableside Shavings and Micro Garden Mint
Paolo Saracco Moscato D'Asti, Piedmont 2006
Sixth course choices:
Tanzanian Chocolate Pyramid, Hawaiian Kona Chocolate Soufflé and Peruvian Chocolate Ice Cream and Puff Pastry
Berry Gâteau with Mango Yogurt and Panna Cotta
Caramelized Banana Gâteau
Vanilla Bean Crème Brûlée
Grand Marnier Soufflé
Hawaiian Chocolate Kona Soufflé
"Celebes" Coffee, Tea and Friandise
I don't remember what Catherine and her mom had during dinner, but they did sometimes have the same items as I did. Catherine was able to substitute one of the non-surcharge items from a previous course (in her case, from the first course) instead of the fourth-course items on the meat course. I was able to switch one of the wine pairings on the meat course to one of the featured wines, as well. The staff were very accommodating about that, but it's Victoria and Albert's. What else would you expect?
I have to say that the servers had the right amount of fawning, but I had to suppress a giggle fit because I detected a pattern in the way "Albert" took the order. As I told him each course I wanted, it was followed by a discreet echo of approval by "Albert" in the form of "delicious". A few synonyms thrown in like "exquisite" or "excellent" and you get the point.
It wasn't even that I noticed this when I was ordering. I noticed it when Catherine's mom ordered, I could hear the same echoes of approval after each of her dishes were ordered. It just struck me as hilarious, and I know that I was a giggle time bomb waiting to go off. What started as subtle when I ordered seemed blatantly obvious when she ordered, but I still was thinking, "Wow, he is GOOD." Our "Victoria" was on hand with the wines, and it was clear that she and her husband had the serving routine down to a science. It didn't hurt that their soothing Mr. Rogers voices set the mood, too.
Let's Feast!
Amuse Bouche
This was all about duck in many forms, and think it was supposed to represent the seasons of the year. I don't remember what each thing was, but it's pretty clear that there's a spring roll and some duck sausage in there. I just remember it was a tasty way to start the meal.
First course:Alaskan King Crab and Dungeness Crab Salad, Mustard Aioli
I loved this dish, but then again, I love crab. I was pleased to see the asparagus in the center, as well. Being the snarky creatures we were, I said it looked like asparagus tic-tac-toe. Catherine thought it reminded her of the setup for "Hollywood Squares". This brought up a reference to Paul Lynde, the center square from the original show, and I did an impromptu impression of him. Catherine's mom was mildly amused, and I think Catherine found the imitation somewhat identifiable.
When I remarked to Catherine to eat the Krabby Patty on the left, she gave me this LOOK that told me I shouldn't try to make Spongebob Squarepants references during dinner to induce a giggle fit. I patently ignored the look and silliness took over one more time later in the meal.
You'll note that none of us were willing to spend the entire cost of dinner on half a freaking ounce of caviar. Maybe when I win big in Vegas, but not now.
Second course: Poached Vermont Quail with Black Mission Figs and Fuji Apples
Catherine went to V&A a few months earlier and told me that this dish was really good, so I had high expectations of it. While it was good, it didn't wow me as much as I hyped it in my head. I need to get Catherine's input on whether her dish was not as good this time around. More likely I was sulking about Disney's choice to remove foie gras from their restaurants, a decision that took place a week or so before this trip. This was the course where the foie gras was supposed to be. Yes, I'm still bitter, but I can't change the past, so I'll move on to the next course.
Third course:Alaskan King Salmon with Salsify and Demi-Tasse Cup of Smoked Salmon Cream
Oh. My. GAWD. This was by far my favorite dish on the menu. Yes, the salmon on the left was cooked perfectly and the sauce complimented it, but the star of the plate was the smoked salmon cream soup on the right. It was so silky, so tasty that I made Catherine and her mom try it. I admit I am a food sharer. You can go so far as to call me a Food Pusher, when I find something that tastes so fabulous, you have to share it with someone who isn't eating it. I do my Food Pusher thing to Catherine every so often, and she agreed it was amazing stuff. I only wished I was able to have more than that demi-tasse cup of it.
Fourth course:Marcho Farms Veal Tenderloin with Yellow Chanterelles and English Peas
Another gorgeous plate of food. There's an item on this plate not mentioned in the menu, the lightly breaded sweetbreads on top of the greens. Now some of you might not know what sweetbreads are, thinking nothing unusual about this. I do know what they are, so when Catherine said in her best Igor voice, "Braaaains...", I had to giggle and answer back with "Braaaaaaains!" in my best Igor voice. Next thing you know, I'm picturing Marty Feldman from "Young Frankenstein", and Catherine is quoting his line about picking the "Abby Normal" brain to use on the monster.
Ahem...
Technically, sweetbreads are the thymus gland of the animal (in this case, a calf), but you can see why we started going off on our snarkiness about them. And you can see why people refer to them with the euphemism, as I don't think people would eat them if they were labeled as "thymus gland".
They were some pretty darn tasty thymus glands, and I think I did make Catherine try them. At least that's how it plays in my shoddy memory. She'll have to confirm or deny it.
The veal was tender and tasty, and those chanterelle mushrooms...yum. They were earthy and good, and I know that many people reading this will go "Ewww" because they hate mushrooms. Fine. Stick your nose up about mushrooms,
, but I love 'em. I substituted the pinot noir from the pork tenderloin pairing to go with this course, and I think it worked well.At this point, Catherine grabbed my camera to take a picture of her food. I'm glad she did because it's a very pretty plate of food. She didn't want any of the listed items on this course, so she had:
Colorado Buffalo over Stewed French Lentils with Baby Brussels Sprouts
Not only was this another gorgeous plate of food, I believe Catherine found this to be equally as tasty as it looked. Again, she can confirm or deny it. The general consensus seemed to be that the food was a hit, and Catherine's mom seemed to enjoy her meal, too.
Time for some cheeeeeeeese!
Fifth course: Colston Basset Stilton, Brillat Savarin and Comté Forte Rousses
As you see them, the Stilton is actually on the right, and the Comté Forte Rousses is on the left. The totally washed-out-by-my-flash cheese in the middle is the Brillat Savarin.
The comté is a hard cow's milk cheese, served with a bread that was really good, with bits of fruit in it. The Brillat Savarin is a soft cow's milk cheese, typically classified as a triple cream Brie. I just know it was creamy and smooth, and the tiny grapes served with it were champagne grapes. And the Stilton is blue cheese from England, and pretty much more commonly known than the other two. I generally am not a huge fan of blue cheese, because it's pretty strong, but I thought the Stilton was milder than I expected. I don't remember what the stuff on the right was that accompanied it, but the dark dot is balsamic vinegar.
Now it was time to start the coffee before we were served dessert. It's by far the coolest coffee making presentation, more like a science experiment. Of course I'm talking about the vacuum brewed coffee maker featuring Celebes coffee.
Pressure from the water vapor from the boiling water is forced to the top pot, and then the heating element is removed, forcing the water back down through a filter of the coffee grounds. It's very cool to watch, and it makes a heckuva good cup of coffee.
Time for dessert!
Sixth course: Hawaiian Chocolate Kona Soufflé
I am all about the chocolate. But I wanted this over the trio of chocolate desserts because I know this is my favorite. Here you see the soufflé in its pristine, un-altered state. It was served with some rich ice cream and a sugar decoration that of course had to be devoured, too. Unfortunately the painted chocolate on the plate was decorative, hardened onto the plate and not to be eaten, sadly.
So "Albert" comes by and pours a decadent chocolate sauce over the soufflé.
This is why I would never order any other dessert on the menu. I think the only dessert to rival this is the other Disney chocolate soufflé served at Palo on the Disney Cruise Line.
And here's the Friandise portion of the program.
Hey look, a deformed Hidden Mickey!
Friandise is just a fancy word for truffles, which we did not eat because we were stuffed. The servers boxed them up for us to take back to the room, and I carried them. Unfortunately I dropped the box while I was sitting on the bus back to the Beach Club, and one of them escaped to be lost forever. It had to be a chocolate one, grrr. I took one for the team and told Catherine and her mom that I will sacrifice the chocolate since I was the one that dropped the box. It's easy to understand why I'd drop this thing because I was also juggling the box with the long-stemmed rose and my menu.
I can't say much about the wines other than they did match well with the food, but I didn't get any topped off like the Chef's Table. That's not necessarily a bad thing, because I was definitely not feeling tipsy after dessert. I think the wine pairings aren't necessary, either, but I do think they add a little something extra in the enjoyment of the meal.
Because my food and wine special events weren't as special as in years past, and they cost about the same as a dinner at Victoria and Albert's, I'm thinking about skipping any paid events other than Party for the Senses and just book another dinner at Victoria and Albert's. It can be a food and wine coup, boycotting the events with a decent display of fine food. If I could get 12 people for the Chef's Domain at Citrico's, I'd totally be all over that action, too.
Next: California Grill - I go for the food, not the fireworks. But if they're going to show fireworks, I might as well act like a sheep and see them.
I'm glad you had another good dinner at V&A. 
We're heading back next week for our 20th anniversary. 
BTW, anytime you want to do Citricos Chef's Domain, you can count on us. It was great, and getting to the minimum $$$ was not a problem. 
When are you going to F&W this year? Brenda's trip & our trip overlap by a few days... if your trip does, too, that's 8. 
Someday, someday.......
We leave the 16th. (as of right now 
(he spent a ton of time at our house!!!) (my nephew's middle name is his...) 
