romantic dinner Disney Archives - Small Barrels Magazine

There is a hidden dining gem at Walt Disney World just for adults. Five star dining in a refined, romantic setting. Exquisite tasting menu with ten courses and divine enhancements. Wine pairings. Your own dedicated team of servers with impeccable attention to your needs.

Tucked away in the Grand Floridian Resort and Spa, Walt Disney World’s flagship hotel, is the exclusive Victoria and Albert’s Restaurant. Of course, you didn’t come to Disney to escape the family fun. But that doesn’t mean you can’t dress up and step away for just a while…

The first thing you need to know is that reservations are essential. Make them as early as possible. Bookings can be made through Disney’s online reservation system. The restaurant will also call you about a week in advance to double check on dietary restrictions, exact spelling of guest names (they personalize a keepsake menu), special occasions. (This would be an incredible venue to celebrate an engagement, honeymoon, anniversary, or romantic birthday.) And unlike most other dining bookies, 72 hours advance notice must be given for cancellations; there is a $75/person no-show fee.

Prices are high at $235 per guest, fitting the five diamond quality of the experience. Optional wine pairings are another $150 each, and enhancements such as the Caviar Tasting and Miyazaki beef are extra.

As you might imagine, there is also a more elevated dress code than most Disney restaurants: jacket required, tie optional for men; cocktail dresses/dresses, elegant pantsuits for ladies (you won’t be seeing Mouse ears here.) The dining room itself is intimate, softly lit, and while we were there also featured a live harpist. Just beautiful.

We enjoyed every moment of this very special experience. With two wonderful servers dedicated to our table, we felt like honoured guests in the best of hands.

I have a number of very serious allergies to contend with which I had informed the restaurant of in advance. All I can say is that the utmost attention was given to every aspect of my meal. Not only were scrumptious modifications and substitutions made, my personalized keepsake menu which all guests received reflected these changes.

Glacier 51 Tooth Fish and Alaskan King Crab

The menu changes daily to take advantage of the freshest and finest ingredients available. There are also a number of optional add ons and enhancements to extend the 10-course tasting experience even further. For instance, we added the International Caviar Tasting ($295) with traditional garnish (pictured above) which was phenomenal.

Honey Lacquered Rohan Duck with Sweet Potatoes

As you can see by scrolling through these pics, in addition to being delicious, each course was a work of art. Really almost too pretty to eat. Attempting to describe the tastes of each course couldn’t possibly do them justice. Instead, I’ve done my best to post the pics in the order in which the dishes were served, hopefully giving you a lovely sweep over what a meal at Victoria and Albert’s looks and feels like. I can say with conviction that for each course, the ingredients were premium, textures just perfect, and the accompaniments, sauces and garnishes always brought out the very best in each dish.

Lamb Loin with Dates, Garbanzo Bean Croquette

Highlights of our particular meal were numerous, but I will not forget the Glacier 51 Tooth Fish and Alaskan King Crab. If you don’t know about this fish, you need to read its story – or rather its lore. Caught in icy waters over 4,000 km away from mainland Australia, this incredible white fish is a rarity, to say the least, offered at the world’s finest restaurants (when possible!). It was delicious, so tender – and somehow rich and clean at the same time. I can’t promise that you’ll be offered Glacier 51 tooth fish on your visit, but I’m confident there will be something rare and special for you on this ever-changing menu.

Another highlight – an add on – was the Miyazaki Japanese wagyu beef. The presentation was amazing, and the melt-in-your-mouth flavours out of this world.

I was quite taken with the cheese course – it wasn’t what I was expecting, but it was excellent: mimolette cheese with a lovely nutty taste served with red apple compote (and just so pretty!).

Mimolette (Cheese Course) — Mimolette – A Surprising Cheese Course

Below is a deceptively simple looking dessert – a Grand Marnier soufflé – but its rich flavours, just the right sweetness and velvety eggy texture blew me away – so good!

You’ll see the lovely wine pairings (optional – though not optional for us!) listed on the menu above with the dish each glass accompanies. It looks like a lot – it is a lot – but we found the pours to be fairly small. It allows you to taste and enjoy everything, and of course there is no rushing at all through this experience anyway. The highlight wine for me was the Jayson Pahlmeyer Bordeaux Blend (Napa 2016). Deep red and super silky, I was ready for it after a few tastes of white – and of course it matched beautiful with the Wagyu beef. And of course, a glass of Sauternes with dessert was magic – in this case, La Fleur D’Or Sauternes.

Last but not least, after several leisurely hours of amazing food and service, ladies are presented with a red rose to take ‘home’…

…makes it hard to believe one was on a rollercoaster a few hours before…

To make reservations or for more information about Walt Disney World’s Victoria and Albet’s Restaurant, go to Disney’s online reservations or call (407) WDW-DVNA (939-3862).

Victoria and Albert’s is located in Walt Disney World’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa, (Orlando, Florida). For priority seating arrangements or for more information, call (407) WDW-DINE (939-3463).

Victoria and Albert is a fine dining establishment at Walt Disney World’s premiere luxury resort, The Grand Floridian. The décor is classic and elegant, graced with columns and lush draperies. An ornate floral arrangement decorates the entrance to the intimate, rounded room and the lighting is soft and romantic. This is the ideal setting for a proposal, and anniversary, or any other very special occasion. Note for families: While children are not prevented from dining here, unlike almost any other restaurant on the Disney property, Victoria and Albert’s is not at all family oriented in terms menu, setting, or tone.

Food: Victoria and Albert’s offers a prix fixe menu ($95.00) prepared daily by Chef Scott Hunnel. For each course, you have a (challenging) choice from a list of between two and five items, each of which promise to be delectable. Certain items, such as caviar, are offered in addition to the prix fixe menu. Of course, wine is not included in the $95.00 price. You may peruse the very thick, world-class wine list or choose the wine pairings option, available for $50.00/person (we have enjoyed the latter in the past, a chance to enjoy a variety of exceptional wines). Piping hot, freshly baked rolls are continuously brought to your table and are difficult to resist. Rest assured that what is coming next is worth saving room for.

For our first course, we had the Iranian Beluga Caviar with Traditional Garnish ($70.00/ ½ oz. or $140.00/ 1 oz.) and the Cape Canaveral Shrimp with Rutabaga and Petit French Lentils. The presentation of the caviar was fantastic, and the caviar was of course accompanied by a delicate mother-of-pearl spoon.

For our second course, we tried the Nantucket Scallops with Fennel and Satsuma Tangerines and Salsify. The scallops were wonderfully tender, and the Satsuma tangerines provided a gorgeous deep orange-red color and zesty taste.

We chose the Gamebird Consomme with Pheasant Sausage for the soup course. The flavorful broth was elegantly served at our table from a teapot and poured over the pheasant sausage.

My husband enjoyed the Colorado Lamb Loin prepared medium rare with Gnocchi and Heirloom Tomatoes, and Elephant Garlic Jus. I had the Grilled Prime Filet, also prepared medium rare and served with Celeriac Root-Potato Puree and Burgundy Reduction. My knife went through the beef like butter, no exaggeration, and the sauce perfectly balanced its rich taste with that of the beef. We were surprised at the entrée portion size, which seemed quite generous for a mulit-course meal such as this.

The cheese course consisted of creamy textured Colston Bassett Stilton with an inspired Black Mission Fig Chutney. And dessert, after all of the delicacies above, was another heavenly treat. While, my husband had the Hawaiian Kona Chocolate Soufflé, I melted over the Vanilla Bean Crème Brulee. The Caramelized surface was absolutely divine, the stuff of dreams!

Victoria and Albert’s provides outstanding food with beautiful presentation. Any occasion spent here will certainly be special and memorable.

Exceptional Features: Impressive wine list. Each guest is given a personalized copy of the evening’s menu. We were pleased with this elegant souvenir presented on Victoria and Albert’s custom paper in a heavy, leather-like outer cover. Also, a gorgeous long-stemmed rose is offered to each lady as she leaves.

Service: Your servers will likely be very formal, attentive and efficient befitting the Victorian theme of the restaurant and the award-winning, elegant menu. However, not to stray completely from Disney fantasy, all of the female servers go by the name “Victoria” while all of the male servers go by the name “Albert”. You will be waited on by at least one of each.

Dress Code: Formal. Jackets are required for men (tie optional), and dress or pantsuit for ladies.

Price: High. A prix fixe menu is prepared daily at approximately $95.00 a person. The wine pairings offering is $50.00, and the wine list carries a range of high-end wines.

Reservations: Priority seating arrangements and credit card number is required; a cancellation fee applies. Guests are requested to arrive a few minutes before their seating time. Note that you should plan to spend about two and a half hours at dinner, allowing time for the many elaborate courses and also to simply enjoy the intimate ambience.

Overall Dining Experience: Excellent.

Victoria and Albert – Five Diamond Disney Dining

Victoria and Albert (Orlando, Florida)