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Victoria and Albert – Five Diamond Disney Dining

March 23, 2020 By karin Leave a Comment

Victoria and Albert Menu
Victoria and Albert Menu

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.

Imperial Caviar with Ocean Kiss Oysters
Imperial Caviar with Ocean Kiss Oysters

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…

International Caviar Tasting
International Caviar Tasting

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.

Caviar with Traditional Garnish
Caviar with Traditional Garnish

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.

Maine Lobster with Celery Root
Maine Lobster with Celery Root

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
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
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
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.

Australia Kobe Style Beef
Australia Kobe Style Beef

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.

Miyazaki Japanese Beef
Miyazaki Japanese Beef
Melt in your mouth tender beef
Melt in your mouth tender beef

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!

Grand Marnier Souffle
Grand Marnier Souffle

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’…

A red rose for the lady
A red rose for the lady

…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).

Filed Under: Restaurant Reviews Tagged With: AAA Five Diamond Restaurant Disney, Adults only dining Disney, caviar service, Degustation Menu, Fine dining Grand Floridian, Glacier 51 Tooth Fish, Kobe beef, romantic dinner Disney, wine pairings

The ‘Four Days of Christmas’ at the Post Hotel

February 5, 2018 By karin Leave a Comment

Deck the Halls…

We returned to one of our favourite Canadian holiday destinations this past December, The Post Hotel (Lake Louise, Alberta). Believe it or not, it was our first time there in the winter.

While not technically the Christmas holidays at least according to the school calendar – more mid-month – the spirit of the season was alive and well all around the tastefully-decorated hotel, including the dining room.

Not only were lovely winter-wonderland features subtly incorporated into the room, like the white branches dotted with lights gracing the ceiling, the windows overlooked a lovely skating rink created each winter at the hotel surrounded by pine trees lit with more white lights. With the Rocky Mountains in the backdrop, even in nighttime silhouette, it’s as magical as it sounds.



Tasteful Touches of Christmas
Tasteful Touches of Christmas

A highlight of our stays at The Post is of course the dining. With a wonderful menu and impressive wine list, a beautiful dinner at The Post is the finest way to end the day. (Studying the large wine list in our room in anticipation helped us to savor the experience even more. Find the menus and wine list here.)

Here’s an overview of our festive dining experience at the Post over the course of our four-day December vacation.

Day 1 – Oh, What Fun…

Our trip was shorter than in previous years, so we vowed to make the most of our dining – not at all difficult to do. In fact, at our very first dinner, we decided to go for it – cocktails followed by the six-course Gourmet Tasting Menu and Wine Pairing.

Tasting Menu and Wine Pairings, Post Hotel
Tasting Menu and Wine Pairings, Post Hotel

The Wine Pairing was welcome new addition to the experience since, as with most tasting menus, it’s hard if not impossible to pick a wine to match the range of offerings. For instance, this particular menu featured both Carpaccio of Angus Beef Tenderloin and Sauteed Deep Sea Scallops with Curry Sauce — no wine solution on earth is going to solve that one. But pair the beef with a glass of Cotes de Provence Rose “Whispering Angel” and the scallops and curry-sauce with a beautiful California chardonnay (Lewis Cellars), and things start to make more sense to the taste buds.

My favourite dish on this menu turned out to be the second course, a cold offering – Tomato Panna Cotta with Basil Espuma. It was creamy, rich and flavourful and matched very well with a crisp glass of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc (Cloudy Bay, 2016).

The venison chop was also lovely, served with a rich port wine game sauce, delicate napkin dumplings and earthy chanterelles mushrooms (so good!). This was paired wonderfully well with St. Supery Cabernet Sauvignon (2014, Napa Valley).

I didn’t think I could handle much more, but I ended up being head-over-heels for the dessert, a warmed Grand Marnier and strawberry confection served with warm vanilla cream. Incidentally, this was a substitution for the Peanut Butter and Milk Chocolate Mousse Bar with Tahitian Vanilla Sauce to accommodate a nut allergy. For anyone with dietary concerns, the Post is wonderfully accommodating and able to make sensational switches so you don’t feel you’re missing out – it’s great!

Day 2 – Let It Snow…

With little planned other than a walk around Lake Louise and a trip to the Temple Mountain Spa later in the day, we took it easy in the morning and enjoyed a lovely lunch in the dining room. We’ve always found lunch to be a quiet affair at the Post; compared to breakfast, the place seems practically deserted and that suited our relaxed mood just fine. We ate well – Eggs Benedict for him, and a truly delicious Ahi Tuna Nicoise salad for me. The range of items offered on the lunch menu is impressive. Soups, salads, burgers, some ‘breakfasty’ items, and heartier entrees – there’s something for everyone and for every mood. Here’s a pic of the generous breakfast skillet to give you a sense:

As the Tasting Menu was identical to the previous evening, we went in a different direction at dinner. Over the years, we’ve found the foie gras irresitable. That night, it was Pan-Seared Québec “Rougie” Foie Gras White Port Wine poached Apples, Celery Purée paired with a glass of Sauternes, of course. I sampled the Bisque of Atlantic Lobster with Diced Lobster, which was prepared with a root vegetable puree. Great with the sweet meat of the lobster!

My main course was perhaps my favourite of the trip: Roasted Alberta “Valley Ridge Farms” Free-Range Chicken Breast, with Thyme, and Chicken Jus Gnocchi with Chanterelles. The chicken was incredible tender, juicy and flavorful. The gnocchi was fantastic, every one a rich, tender morsel balanced by the earthy chanterelles.

For him — the Roasted Alberta “Driview Farms” Rack of Lamb with Herb Crust Lamb Jus with Rosemary Tomato, Spinach and Barley Risotto. The lamb was quite good, but the risotto was the surprising stand out, namely the barley which we were both a little skeptical about. It lent a heartiness to the risotto that seemed to make it better stand up to the lamb.

Our wine was the star of the night, Realm Cellars, “Farella Vineyard” Coombsville 2013. Deep and delicious, it paired beautifully with both of our entrees. A nice find from the extensive wine list.

Realm Cellars “Farella Vineyard” Coombsville 2013
Realm Cellars “Farella Vineyard” Coombsville 2013

We capped this wonderful meal with a scrumptious cheese plate accompanied by a very fine vintage port, Quinto do Noval 2000. Dark, bold and unctuous, the sommelier graciously cellared it afterward for us to enjoy the following few evenings of our stay.

Day 3 –The Most Wonderful Time of the Year…

We were determined to work a bottle of fine champagne into our ‘fours days of Christmas’, and yet there were so many intriguing reds to choose from – what to do?

Both.

With our final dinner already planned for Fondue Stubli, we treated ourselves on this last night in the dining room to an exceptionally decadent treat, a bottle of champagne, Krug, “Vintage Brut” 2000. Everything that sparkles in a glass wants to be this. It was phenomenal and went beautifully with our first two courses: I had the Organic Butterleaf Lettuce Salad Mustard Chive Dressing; for him – the Alberta Heirloom Tomatoes with Buffalo Mozzarella Peppery Olive Oil and Aged Balsamic.

Organic Butterleaf Salad
Organic Butterleaf Salad

Caprese Salad
Caprese Salad

The salads were fresh and beautiful, but what came next was awesome: Atlantic Lobster Risotto with Salsify for me, and Homemade Cheese Tortellini Assorted Mushrooms in Creamy Sauce for him.

Lobster Risotto and Homemade Tortellini
Lobster Risotto and Homemade Tortellini

I actually can’t believe we ate this much or this well. But when you embrace dinner as your evening entertainment, it’s really not that hard. Our main course was the evening’s special dish not listed on the menu. A rib eye prepared for two with port wine sauce, bearnaise, market vegetables and roasted potatoes.

Ribeye for Two
Ribeye for Two

To complement the rich beef and sauces, we enjoyed Chateau Trotanoy (Pomerol 2005). It had a gorgeous deep colour, matched with deep tastes. Very rich, smooth and wonderful.

Chateau Trotanoy 2005
Chateau Trotanoy 2005

Day 3 – Fa la la la la…

Fondue Stubli

Tucked away just off the Post’s main dining room in a nook that was once a cigar room, you will find Fondue Stubli, where magical pots of melted cheese and chocolate and charcuterie boards heaped with treats will bring you comfort and joy.

The Charcuterie plate at the Fondue Stubli is outstanding — just look:

A Plentiful Charcuterie Board
A Plentiful Charcuterie Board

As you can readily see, it’s incredibly generous, and beautiful to look at – to say nothing about its deliciousness. The pates prepared in house are particularly wonderful, and the other meats and cheeses scrumptious.

We paired this and the much anticipated traditional cheese fondue with a bottle of Peter Michael Mon Plaisir 2012, a chardonnay that was at once rich and fruity. It tasted like a summer day but matched perfectly with the wintery, mountain-top fare in the fondue room.

Peter Michael Chardonnay "Mon Plaisir"
Peter Michael Chardonnay “Mon Plaisir”

The Traditional Swiss Cheese Fondue is also remarkably generous. It could easily feed a hungry table of four, although we did very well considering it was just two of us – and we had the charcuterie to start. The fine cheeses and preparation make this the best cheese fondue we’ve ever tasted – as the Swiss intended.

The chocolate fondue remained tempting despite the filling meal. I declined – maybe on Day One, but on Day Four I truly couldn’t do it! – and enjoyed with my eyes instead. But my partner valiantly made his way through a portion of it, sipping that Quinto do Noval 2000 we had set aside. He assured me the fondue tasted as good as it looked, and it certainly makes for a pretty picture:

Chocolate Fondue

Cozy Chocolate Fondue at the Post Hotel
Cozy Chocolate Fondue at the Post Hotel

It was a whirlwind of winter wonderland and gourmet food and wine to warm us each night. We would readily return to the Post at this time of year, and highly recommend it!

Filed Under: Restaurant Reviews, Wine Reviews Tagged With: Lake Louise, Lake Louise dining, Post Hotel, tasting menu, wine pairings

Alex (Las Vegas, Nevada)

March 3, 2007 By karin Leave a Comment

Alex is Located in the spectacular Wynn Las Vegas Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information or to make reservations, call (702) 248-DINE (3463) or (888) 352-DINE (3463) or visit http://www.wynnlasvegas.com.

One of my favorite Woody Allen movies is The Purple Rose of Cairo. The basic plot involves a movie character stepping out of the silver screen and into the real world. At Alex, I felt that roles were reversed and that I had stepped into a movie of that elegant Old Hollywood era. Specifically, I walked into ‘that scene’ at the glamorous dinner and dance club, with the sunken dance floor spreading out before you, allowing you to survey the who’s who and who was with who. The dining room is elegantly lit and richly adorned oozing, with romantic glamour. You descend the stairs and sink into luxury.

Immediately apparent was the striking difference in feel between Alex and Robuchon, another fine restaurant we had the pleasure of visiting during this same trip. The overall ambience at Robuchon, even upon entering, is one of supreme sophistication requiring hushed tones and the quiet that comes with the introspective contemplation of each bite. The menu there was truly out of this world, with almost esoteric presentation. Alex is sophisticated but in a more accessible way – a “rat pack, loosen the collar slightly, and give a casual swirl to your martini glass” sort of experience. This impression upon entering Alex is carried through to the menu and service. Though, as at Robuchon, the menu items employ only the finest ingredients and are exquisitely prepared, overall the dishes are more down to earth and recognizable in their presentation at Alex.



And the menu and service at Alex are truly spectacular. My dining partner and I had the Tasting Menu with wine pairings and were transported to successive levels of culinary heaven. Decadent ingredients of the highest quality are the hallmark of Alex, impeccably presented and flawlessly paired with the finest wines.

The first course was a Marinated Yellowtail Crisp with Osetra Caviar and Carrot-Ginger Pearls, a bright, rich dish complimented by a crisp glass of fine champagne. Next were Nantucket Bay Scallops with Sea Urchin, Herb Linguini, and Celery Root paired with Turley, “The White Coat”, San Luis Obispo, California 2004. The scallops were plump and tender, marrying perfectly with the crispness of the wine.

What followed was probably our favorite course – Saute of Foie Gras with Oven-Dried Grapes, Hakurei Turnips, and Blood Orange. The combination of the autumnal flavors of grape and turnip with the foie gras was, not surprisingly, fantastic – and the addition of citrus tones gave the whole dish an unexpectedly bright twist. To further the autumn-harvest theme, the wine from the Loire Valley (Domaine des Baumard, Quarts de Chaume, 1990) had a distinct reference to apples picked at the height of their goodness.

Wild Turbot with Salsifis, Black Truffles, Almonds and Red Wine Sauce brought us back “to earth”, with no complaints on our part! This was in no way hurt by a glass of wine fit for an Emperor – Domaine Vincent Girardin, Gevrey Chambertin, “Les Champeaux”, Burgundy 2002.

Unbelievably…there was more. A morsel of prized Japanese Wagyu Beef (cooked to perfection with the most gorgeous color in the center!) with Potato Gnocchi and Porcini Mushrooms was served near to last. A beautiful Italian wine (Valdicava, Brunello di Montalcino, Tuscany, 2001) was paired with this decadent treat.

There is always room for dessert somehow. (You begin to feel that you as may as well not stop!) Passion Cheesecake with Graham Crumble and Vanilla Nougat and Praline Ice Cream with Caramel Hazelnuts was offered, the latter paired with a lovely Spanish sherry. A perfect end to a glamorous evening fit for the silver screen.

Our first visit to Alex was filled with the charm of a by-gone era of glamour, with surroundings, service, food and wine of the highest class. We will be quick to return on our next visit.

Jacket suggested.

Overall Experience
We give Alex 5 Stars- Outstanding!

Filed Under: Restaurant Reviews Tagged With: Alex, fine dining Las Vegas, tasting menu, wine pairings, Wynn hotel dining

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