Dinner at the California Grill in Disney's Contemporary Resort
During our visit to Walt Disney World, for my 30th birthday, we took the opportunity to visit the Contemporary Resort, dining at a restaurant that sits right at the top of the building called the California Grill.
It involves a three-course dinner with amazing views of Magic Kingdom and the adjoining lake. We arrived there at around 7:50PM. We booked that time specifically so that we could see the Magic Kingdom fireworks at 8:30PM from the rooftop, which was just incredible.
The food was also extraordinary. Together, it made for a wonderful dining experience and I'm going to be taking you through the details of our visit in this article. Here's what we thought to the California Grill atop the Contemporary Resort in Walt Disney World.
A three-course dinner to die for
The menu at the California Grill changes with the seasons. So what you see here might well change come the summer, autumn and even the winter. Seeing as this was the spring menu, I thought I'd show you what we enjoyed while we dined here.
First of all, the three-course dinner is $89 per person, excluding drinks. While this might seem like a lot of money, you're getting a fine dining experience for a fraction of the cost. No, let me take you through what we chose.
Before you choose a starter, you're given a bread service, comprised of oils and warm sourdough bread rolls. It comes on a custom California Grill block and wrapped in a cloth so as to keep the bread warm. The crust was mouthwatering, with just the right amount of crunch.
The inside was light and fluffy, with a subtle flavour - perfect for sourdough and dipping oils, in my opinion. You get enough for around two each, which I think is quite a generous amount. Once the bread service is done, then the starter arrives.
Starters at the California Grill - Market Inspirations
You get to choose between six different dishes: Sonoma Goat Cheese Cappelletti, Surf & Turf Roll, Barbecue American Eel Roll, Farmer's Market Salad, Wood-fired Octopus and Tempura Lion's Mane Roll.
For my starter, I chose the Sonoma Goat Cheese Cappelletti. According to the waiter, this dish hasn't changed since it became the California Grill in 1995. The starter consisted of "organic mixed mushroom ragout, tomato-fennel brodo and California exrtra virgin olive oil".
You could tell that the pasta they've used was fresh and they were very generous with the filling. The goat cheese was creamy with just the right amount of flavour. Tom even went for the Cappelletti, despite not liking goat cheese at all, so that just goes to show how tasty it was.
It was the perfect size for a starter. It didn't sit heavy on the stomach, despite being a pasta dish. It wet the appetite just enough, leaving you wanting more. This brings me onto the next course - the main event.
Main courses at the California Grill - Chef's Journey
The main course was something that I had been contemplating. I didn't know which dish to go for. The choice was extensive. There were so many meals to choose from, such as: Oak-Grilled Filet of Beef, Cast Iron-Grilled Pork Tenderloin, Plancha-Seared Sea Scallops, Wagyu Strip Loin, Domestic Lamb, Potato Pierogi and Seared Market Fish.
I don't think the picture below does the food justice, and you're probably still wondering which main I chose, in the end. I went for the Domestic Lamb meal, which consisted of "English peas, marinated artichokes, vegetable samosa, golden hummus, date gel and lemon-pepper jus".
The meat was juicy and tender, cooked medium-to-well-done - just the way I like it. The knife sliced through the meat like butter, and the accompaniments were just as delectable. Everything on the plate complemented each other, making for the perfect main course which almost polished me off!
Dessert at the California Grill - Sweet Creations
No for the best bit - pudding. Again, it was so difficult to choose just one dessert, when there were a few amazing options available. I wanted to taste them all, especially when you're given a choice of: Pistachio-Chocolate Mousse, Seasonal Panna Cotta, Caramel Cappuccino Cake and Yuzu Meringue Tart.
You might have already guessed which dessert I chose based on the picture, but just to clarify, I decided on the Caramel Cappuccino Cake in the end, which consisted of "caramel cremeux, espresso cake, honeycomb candy, caramelised chocolate "soil", caramel tuile".
It was so light, creamy and flavoursome, but I just couldn't finish it all. I left about half of it, despite loving every single bite. I just couldn't fit any more food or wine in my tummy that night. It pained me to watch the waiter walk off with the rest of my pudding, but I'd rather that than have to go to bed with a box full of Gaviscon on the side, haha.
All in all, the pudding rounded off an incredible three-course dining experience and I couldn't recommend the place enough, especially if you have something special to celebrate or just want the fine dining experience for less. Which options would you choose?
A relaxing atmosphere & incredible views
The ambience was delightful, providing a warming and relaxing atmosphere that's perfect for enjoying a three-course dining experience, and that's just the half of it. The other great thing about dining at the California Grill is the views from the top of the Contemporary.
You get a full view of Magic Kingdom, complete with the lake, the ferry boats and everything in between. The great thing about the evening bookings is that you might have the chance to watch the fireworks from the balcony, or through the window.
They pipe the sound in through the speakers and dim the lights to make the experience more powerful and memorable. If you can get a nighttime booking, like we did then I highly suggest you do.
We went for a 7:50PM booking, just to make sure we didn't miss it. Of course, seeing the fireworks is dependent on the weather, so keep an eye on the forecast if it's on your bucket list of things to do.
***
I hope you enjoyed this blog post? Let me know in the comments below whether you've been here before, or what you would choose if you were to go and I will see you all again very soon with some brand new content!
***
WHERE TO FIND ME
PREVIOUS BLOG POST
COPYRIGHT INFORMATION
Comments
Post a Comment