~We seldom report of having eaten too little~ 06/22 New Pre-Trip Posted!

[tortoni]

Oh, I love that breakfast pizza. Can't wait to order it next month.

 

[oybolshoi]

Disney is allowing the vol au vent cooking method to be used at V&A??? I was under the impression that the Dining Dictator didn't approve of that ... go figure.

So, didja order the caviar? Didja? Inquiring minds want to know! And happy birthday!

 

[vinotinto]

That is some serious food porn you have on the Kona sushi!

 

[jeminni]

I'm loving the pictures of the sushi at Kona. Guess what I'm going out to get for lunch tomorrow?


Waiting to see more pics from V&A. Hope you had a great birthday.

 

[TinkerBelle_325]

I'm joining in! I'm looking forward to all the reviews and can't wait to hear more about V&A!!

Thanks for reading!

Joining in!

We ate a V&A's in January and had the same menu! I have to say it was our best trip there, and the previous time I ate there was at the Chef's Table, but this last time was just great!

We had eaten at V&A once before and agree that this trip was simply amazing!

Wow, can't wait to hear the review of V&A! Thanks for posting the full menu-lots of fun for us foodies to drool over . . . I even picked from each course.

Glad to post the full menu What did you pick for each course??

Looking forward to your V & A review. I am now one and a half weeks past my meal there and still dream of it

I'm curious to see if you chose similar dishes and whether they have made small modifications to them.

I found that there were numerous modifications compared to our meal in September.

Wow, those pictures are awesome! Everything looks delicious, especially that bread pudding!

It was so yummy!

I really want to try sushi but have not been able to bring myself to do it. After looking at your pics I think I'm ready

I love your reviews.....HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Terri

Sushi is fantastic! I strongly recommend California Rolls or Shrimp Tempura Rolls to start. All the ingredients are cooked so it isn't as intimidating!

Oh, I love that breakfast pizza. Can't wait to order it next month.

It was my first time trying it, but DMom & DDad have been raving about it since they tried it last year.

Disney is allowing the vol au vent cooking method to be used at V&A??? I was under the impression that the Dining Dictator didn't approve of that ... go figure.

So, didja order the caviar? Didja? Inquiring minds want to know! And happy birthday!

LOL Now if only they would bring back the Foie Gras!

That is some serious food porn you have on the Kona sushi!

I loved the shots at Kona, the background of the gardens and the light made for some really cool pictures.

I'm loving the pictures of the sushi at Kona. Guess what I'm going out to get for lunch tomorrow?

Waiting to see more pics from V&A. Hope you had a great birthday.

It was easily the best birthday ever

Hehe I'll guess you are getting sushi for lunch?

 

[TinkerBelle_325]

Victoria & Albert's​

We returned to Victoria & Albert's nearly 6 months to the day from our first visit - March 25th 2010.

Our expectations were high as the first experience had been flawless but we were confident that this meal would be equally impressive. We were wrong....it was even better!

We arrived at the Grand Floridian around 4:45pm and after relaxing in the lobby, enjoying the gentle piano music we proceeded to the 2nd floor and the shared lobby of Victoria & Albert's and Citrico's. I noticed that the doors were closed, so I snapped a pictures and went over to peruse the menu from the previous night. Perhaps a minute after we set foot in the lobby we were greeted and checked in for our dinner.

We were seated at exactly 5:15, at a table in the back left corner of the restaurant. The first seating was very quiet, with a total of 7 tables, two parties of 3 and 5 parties of 2.

I could see into the Queen Victoria Room from my seat and I would guess there were 2 tables of 2 seated.

Just after we were seated my DMom and DDad gave me a birthday gift, which was entirely unexpected as I was under the impression that the trip, the flowers I received earlier and the dinner at V&A were gift enough! While the following 2 pictures aren't food, I figured you might be interested in seeing them

It is a Tahitian Black Pearl Pendant with diamonds and it blew me away. It is stunning and I love it DDad picked it out

Now...what you have all been waiting for:

The Food!​

Amuse-Bouche

I was so happy wen our server, Beth, told us that the amuse would be salmon that night

Organic Hen's Egg Smoked Salmon Custard
- I am not the biggest fan of egg but I adored the Tomato Fennel Custard in the fall, so I figured I would love this just as much! While it was good, it was the weakest item on the plate in my opinion. The smoked salmon flavor was too subtle for me, it was very eggy and not much else.

Potato Blini with Caviar, Creme Fraiche, Egg Yolk and Cornichon
- Our server Rado said that this item was compliments of the Chef for my birthday. I'm not sure if the other diners got the caviar blini with their amuse that evening but I *loved* it, it was my 2nd favorite item on the plte!! I can definitely see why you loved the caviar Brenda, but this was my only taste of caviar for the evening. As tempting as it was at $60 for a 1/2 oz I just wasn't in the mood. Maybe in January?

Salmon Panna Cotta with Salmon Caviar
- This was a delightful little bite, creamy and soft with the perfect balance of salmon and a touch of chive paired with the great pop and saltiness of the salmon caviar! This was my 3rd favorite item on the plate.

Demitasse cup with smoked salmon, tomato salad and celery root puree
- Once again the tomato haunts me at V&A When I first heard the description I thought this would be my least favorite item, but my god was I wrong! The spoon was warmed and the item itself was warm, creamy and insanely delicious. The tomato provided a bright acidic note, the puree was creamy and the smoked salmon was rich. I wanted like 10 more of these!

So, I will now run through the courses and what each of us ordered:

Me
1st course - Maine Lobster with Watermelon Radish, Kohlrabi, and Vanilla Aioli paired with Baileyana Chardonnay "Firepeak Vineyard" Edna Valley 2006

2nd course - Diver Scallop with Florida Corn and Chorizo Sauce paired with Michel Redde Sancerre "Les Tuilieres" Loire 2007

Extra Course! - Lobster Bisque with Vol au Vent and Vanilla Foam paired with Chimay Ale Peres Trappistes, Belgium (DDad and I asked if we could split an order of the bisque and they indulged us!)

3rd course - Duck Breast, Duck Sausage and Confit with Salsify and Pomegranate Sauce paired with Acacia "Winery Lake Vineyard" Pinot Noir, Carneros 2006

4th course - Australian "Kobe" Beef Tenderloin with Smoked Garlic Potato Puree paired with Benziger "Tribute" Sonoma Mountain 2006

5th course - White Chocolate Gelato with Tableside Shavings and Micro Orchids paired with Paolo Saracco Moscato D'Asti, Piedmont 2007

6th course - Hawaiian Kona Chocolate Souffle

DDad
1st course - Maine Lobster with Watermelon Radish, Kohlrabi, and Vanilla Aioli paired with Baileyana Chardonnay "Firepeak Vineyard" Edna Valley 2006

2nd course - Timbale of Rataouille (this was a special request by DDad, he adored this in Sept so Chef Hunnel made it available, but it was not on DDad's menu OR the vegetarian menu).

Extra Course! - Lobster Bisque with Vol au Vent and Vanilla Foam paired with Chimay Ale Peres Trappistes, Belgium (shared order with me)

3rd course - Duck Breast, Duck Sausage and Confit with Salsify and Pomegranate Sauce paired with Acacia "Winery Lake Vineyard" Pinot Noir, Carneros 2006

4th course - Marcho Farms Veal Tenderloin, Shank and Sweetbread with Marble Potatoes and Sauce Soubise paired with Pirathon Shiraz, Barossa Valley 2005

5th course - 36-month Aged Parmigiano-Reggiano, Coach Farm Goat, Thomasville Tomme, Fiscalini Cheddar paired with Quinta do Crasto Late Bottled Vintage Potro 2003

6th course - Grand Marnier Souffle

DMom
1st course - Maine Lobster with Watermelon Radish, Kohlrabi, and Vanilla Aioli paired with Baileyana Chardonnay "Firepeak Vineyard" Edna Valley 2006

2nd course - Sake-Soy-marinated King Salmon with Bok Choy and Soy Beans paired with a white requested by DMom as she dislikes sake

3rd course - Poulet Rouge with Mushroom-Truffle Ragout, Black Trumpet Mushrooms and English Peas paired with Cesari Mara Ripasso Valpolicella, Veneto 2006

4th course - Marcho Farms Veal Tenderloin, Shank and Sweetbread with Marble Potatoes and Sauce Soubise paired with Pirathon Shiraz, Barossa Valley 2005

5th course - 36-month Aged Parmigiano-Reggiano, Coach Farm Goat, Thomasville Tomme, Thomas Hoe Stevenson Stilton paired with Quinta do Crasto Late Bottled Vintage Potro 2003

6th course - Vanilla Bean Creme Brulee

Our Friandise were:
- Blood Orange Jelee
- Lemon Shortbread
- Murray River Sea Salted Rum Caramels

First Bread

Fresh mini baguette with house made lightly salted butter

Oh these are divine and we were actually lucky enough to be offered 2 of these!! I ate every bite of each

First Course

We all ordered the same first course, boring I know but I assure you, it was delicious!

But I have just now realized that I forgot to take a picture Sorry!

We each had the Maine Lobster with Watermelon Radish, Kohlrabi, and Vanilla Aioli paired with Baileyana Chardonnay "Firepeak Vineyard" Edna Valley 2006

I tend to dislike radish as I feel the flavor can be too intense, but the watermelon radish was very mild and perfectly crunchy against the creamy tender lobster salad. The vanilla flavor was so mild that it merely imparted a delicate sweetness that complimented the natural sweetness of the lobster.

 

[franandaj]

We all ordered the same first course, boring I know but I assure you, it was delicious!

But I have just now realized that I forgot to take a picture Sorry!

We each had the Maine Lobster with Watermelon Radish, Kohlrabi, and Vanilla Aioli paired with Baileyana Chardonnay "Firepeak Vineyard" Edna Valley 2006

I tend to dislike radish as I feel the flavor can be too intense, but the watermelon radish was very mild and perfectly crunchy against the creamy tender lobster salad. The vanilla flavor was so mild that it merely imparted a delicate sweetness that complimented the natural sweetness of the lobster.

I can help you out here....we ordered the same first course in January it was GREAT! You described it much more eloquently!

 

[Cookie Princess]

That cornflake french toast looks yummy! How was it??

 

[tinkerbell48]

I'm in!

 

[DW2010]

Count me in!!!

 

[lovemickeyshouse]

Happy birthday and great reviews so far enjoy your week and wow you actuallu ate 6 courses of food impressed.

 

[TinkerBelle_325]

Victoria & Albert's

Second Course

We each went with different selections for our 2nd course.

DMom had the Sake-Soy-marinated King Salmon with Bok Choy and Soy Beans

The listed pairing was a sake, but as DMom is not the biggest fan, she asked for a white to be substituted. Off the top of my head I cannot recall what it was, but it was crisp and light to compliment the earthy flavors and the fatty taste of the salmon. I had one bite and it was amazing! Far superior to the salmon preparation I had in September. It was rich, earthy, salty but balanced with the basmati rice, shiitake and hojumiji mushrooms and edamame. I almost regret not ordering this!

DDad had an item that was a special request rather than being listed on his menu OR the vegetarian menu.

In September he had the Timbale of Rataouille which looked like this:

When we spoke to V&A to confirm allergies the week prior we had requested this dish as DDad has raved about it ever since!

We were delighted when Beth informed us that Chef Hunnel would make the Ratatouille and DDad ordered it as a replacement for his fish course.

Much to his surprise this was presented:

This is what we love about V&A, even items that seem similar from menu to menu can be dramatically different. He said this was lighter, sweeter and more acidic whereas the fall preparation was earthy, rich and savory. It appears the recipe changes to reflect the seasons, fall versus spring, but regardless, he loved this.

I ordered the 2nd course - Diver Scallop with Florida Corn and Chorizo Sauce paired with Michel Redde Sancerre "Les Tuilieres" Loire 2007

I adore scallops but so rarely get them as DDad is allergic and DMom does not like them much. This was heavenly. The scallop was perfectly seared and lovely and opaque inside. The corn cake was tender, fluffy and melted away on your tongue. The two sauces were the perfect compliment of one another - the corn sauce was sweet and creamy whereas the chorizo sauce was salty and had a mild hint of spice. The ragout of corn was crisp and bright. The best scallop dish I've ever had!

Extra Course
When DDad and I were looking at the menu we both gravitated towards Duck for the third course, but were also drawn to the Lobster Bisque. I recalled a DISer that had requested a split portion of the bisque and we requested this of Beth. She happily granted our wish and DDad and I were presented with:

Lobster Bisque with Vol au Vent and Vanilla Foam paired with Chimay Ale Peres Trappistes, Belgium

The most surprising element to DDad and myself was that we were each poured a pairing of ale! We had not anticipated getting the additional pairing when we asked for the split order of the bisque. We are so glad that we got the pairing! The ale was creamy but had acidic tones that helped cut the richness of the bisque.

The bowls were presented warmed and empty and then your server pours the bisque just prior to eating. The spoon was warmed as well! Now, I have had lobster bisque before and I find it can be overwhelmingly lobster-y if not prepared properly. This was velvety, rich and had just the perfect amount of lobster flavor. The vol-au-vent was filled with claw meat and dusted with lobster roe, it was very sweet and crisp, providing a delightful contrast to the bisque. We are so glad we ordered this and nearly licked the bowls clean.

 

[franandaj]

Awesome! So far you've had the EXACT same meal as I did, right down to the split of the Lobster Bisque! We got the soup in little cappucino cups instead of bowls like that. Great pictures, yours put mine to shame! Keep it up!

 

[PrincessBetsy]

Wow, the food at V&A looks absolutely amazing!! The scallop dish that you ordered looks so delicious . I'm a big fan of scallops, but I don't eat them very often because the really good ones are so expensive and my mom is the only other person in my family that likes them. This is definitely going to be a must do sometime in the future! Looking forward to the next update!

 

[yakkin' yeti]

Gorgeous photos! What an amazing sounding dinner. We had a blast at CSR. Hope your birthday trip was equally wonderful.

 

[TinkerBelle_325]

Awesome! So far you've had the EXACT same meal as I did, right down to the split of the Lobster Bisque! We got the soup in little cappucino cups instead of bowls like that. Great pictures, yours put mine to shame! Keep it up!

Very cool that we've had the exact same meal. I knew that I read about the split order of bisque somewhere, thanks for the great idea!

Wow, the food at V&A looks absolutely amazing!! The scallop dish that you ordered looks so delicious . I'm a big fan of scallops, but I don't eat them very often because the really good ones are so expensive and my mom is the only other person in my family that likes them. This is definitely going to be a must do sometime in the future! Looking forward to the next update!

The scallop was delicious, like butter! You won't be disappointed if you try Victoria & Albert's, it is worth every penny!

Gorgeous photos! What an amazing sounding dinner. We had a blast at CSR. Hope your birthday trip was equally wonderful.

Glad you guys had a great trip! Ours was fantastic but I'm not sure we'll ever go back in March, the crowds were just too much for us.

 

[TinkerBelle_325]

Victoria & Albert's​

Second Bread
I was really hoping that we would get a chance to try the truffle brioche, but they had switched back to the herb brioche - not a disappointment at all! The herbs add a bright freshness to the rich buttery brioche. I love this bread.

Third Course

DMom went with the same selection for her 3rd course as our September meal. She was amazed how different the preparation was. It was lighter, not as heavily earthy. I tried one bite and made a mental note to try this the next time!

Poulet Rouge with Mushroom-Truffle Ragout, Black Trumpet Mushrooms and English Peas paired with Cesari Mara Ripasso Valpolicella, Veneto 2006

DDad and I also went with the same selection as our last visit. This time the duck was paired with different items. The duck breast was paired with butternut squash puree and a fine dice of sauteed butternut squash. The sweetness really complimented the meaty flavor of the duck. The sausage was paired with spaghetti squash and salsify, which added texture and crunch. The confit had slivers of salty duck proscuitto and was matched with a pomegranate sauce that was tangy to cut through the fattiness of the confit.

3rd course - Duck Breast, Duck Sausage and Confit with Salsify and Pomegranate Sauce paired with Acacia "Winery Lake Vineyard" Pinot Noir, Carneros 2006

Third Bread

I am not a big fan of multigrain bread as I find it kind of bland. This is the holy grail of multigrain. It has a perfect crust much like a baguette but is super light and soft inside. It also has sea salt that heightens the flavor of the grains. Yummy!

Fourth Course

This was the course I had been debating over since our last visit to V&A. I absolutely loved my pork on our last visit but I was so tempted to try the Australian Kobe.

I went with whatever rolled off my tongue when we ordered at the start of the meal.

Australian "Kobe" Beef Tenderloin with Smoked Garlic Potato Puree paired with Benziger "Tribute" Sonoma Mountain 2006

This dish was so much more complex than I had been expecting.
Bottom right: Australian Kobe, cooked perfectly to medium.
Bottom left: Spring vegetable medley with a sliver of black garlic
Top left: Smoked garlic potato puree with braised kobe shortribs
Top right: oxtail jus that takes 5 days to make as Chef Hunnel refuses to use any thickening agents!

I will be hard pressed not to order this in the future. The kobe is like butter and has the most flavor I've ever tasted in a piece of beef.

DMom & DDad both ordered the veal which was prepared three ways: Tenderloin, Shank and Sweetbread, with marble potatoes and a sweet onion sauce.

The only item I tried on this plate was the sweetbread and the best way I can describe it is like bacon! Salty and crunchy. So good!

 

[franandaj]

Looks, yummy, our meals have finally parted their ways, I didn't want to pay extra for the Kobe beef, but it looks spectacular. I'll have to reconsider if they offer something like that when I go back next time!

 

[TinkerBelle_325]

Victoria & Albert's​

Between the main course and the pre-dessert course we were offered a tour of the kitchen. I was excited to meet Chef Hunnel! Israel came to our table and walked us back to the kitchen, we spent a few minutes talking with Chef Hunnel, telling him how delicious every bite had been. He was very friendly and offered to take a picture with us.

Israel showed us around the rest of the kitchen and explained that each dish contains 19-25 components! The tour was the perfect break between courses as we were starting to feel extremely full by that point.

Fifth Course

I was torn between the gelato and the cheese but my love of chocolate and moscato d'asti led me towards the gelato.

White Chocolate Gelato with Tableside Shavings and Micro Orchids paired with Paolo Saracco Moscato D'Asti, Piedmont 2007

The pairing was slightly different than from our September trip. It was micro mint on that visit and imported hawaiian micro orchids on this visit. The flavor was entirely different, fruity, sweet and floral - the best way I can describe it is like watermelon.

Both DMom & DDad went with the cheese course.

36-month Aged Parmigiano-Reggiano, Coach Farm Goat, Thomasville Tomme, Fiscalini Cheddar paired with Quinta do Crasto Late Bottled Vintage Potro 2003

36-month Aged Parmigiano-Reggiano, Coach Farm Goat, Thomasville Tomme, Thomas Hoe Stevenson Stilton paired with Quinta do Crasto Late Bottled Vintage Potro 2003

I had a bite of each of DDad's cheese pairings and they were delicious, particularly the fiscalini cheddar!

Between fifth and sixth courses we were offered coffee or tea. DMom discovered the best tea in the world, Harmony, and ordered it several times after trying it at V&A. DDad and I went with Celebes coffee. Now, let me preface this by saying I never drink coffee but I love this! It is much more subtle, less bitter and very smooth.

Now...onto the best course of all....Sixth Course

This course was not a difficult choice for me...in fact, I decided what I wanted last September!

Hawaiian Kona Chocolate Souffle

This is heaven in dessert form. It is so rich and light and airy with the godiva anglaise and the chocolate ice cream! I'm ashamed to say that I couldn't bring myself to finish it as I was too full but what I did eat of it was bliss!

DMom went with her favorite dessert figuring that no restaurant would do it better than V&A

Vanilla Bean Creme Brulee

Oh my god, from the one bite I had I can tell you that this was literally the perfect creme brulee. The custard was creamy, cold and the dish was the perfect depth to provide a high brulee to custard ratio. The brulee crust was the perfect thickness and the most evenly caramelized crust I'd ever seen. Yum!

DDad had also decided on his dessert months ago...

Grand Marnier Souffle

I had one bite and it was delicious. I still like the Kona Chocolate version better but this was equally good in terms of texture and execution, just not my favorite flavor. DDad also loved the orange sauce and the candied orange pieces on the plate.

Friandise

I forgot to take a picture of these But there were three: blood orange gelee, lemon shortbread cookies and salted rum caramels.

This concludes my review of Victoria & Albert's, but I want to relay a funny story from our meal.

I wore extremely high heels to this dinner. I love them, but I've only ever worn them with stockings. As it is too hot in Florida for stockings I wore them with bare feet. Well, by the fourth course my feet were unbearably sore. By the end of the meal I actually asked DMom if she would run down to the store and buy me flip flops to wear back to CSR. While we were sorting out what I would do to get out of the restaurant our server Beth came by and asked if there was anything else she could get for us. As she walked away I said "yes! flip flops" so that only my parents could hear. I'm sure it was the 7 glasses of wine, but we all burst into fits of giggles and it took us a few moments to compose ourselves. Come to think of it, had Beth actually heard me I almost believe that she would have found flip flips for me

 

[tink1957]

flip flops.