On the occasion of my fiftieth birthday Tracy decided to celebrate by taking me to Victoria & Albert’s at Disney’s Grand Floridian, for dinner. This restaurant is the only place where Disney does not allow children to enter and whilst it is one of the more exclusive and expensive restaurants in Orlando, Chef de Cuisine Scott Hummel produces a series of culinary masterpieces, which are well worth the price.
The restaurant is located with the heart of the Victorian themed Grand Floridian Hotel and exquisitely decorated in keeping with the venue. With only a limited number of guests allowed and subdued lighting there is an intimate feel to the location and an atmosphere suitable for lovers of all ages. Guests are required to dress appropriately for the venue, no shorts allowed, jackets are required for men, and evening wear for ladies. This provides a rare opportunity for Orlando, to pull out all the stops and display your best finery, knowing that everyone else will be looking equally glamorous.
Unlike many restaurants in Orlando it is no good just turning up and hoping for a table; the reputation of this restaurant is such that you will need to book well ahead. Indeed our reservation was made eleven months in advance; perhaps a little excessive but we wanted to be sure of a place.
The menu of culinary delights ran to eight different courses, with between two and five dishes to choose from for each course. Fresh ingredients sourced from every corner of the globe were combined in exquisite combinations that left us struggling to make that choice. Eventually I settled for
Dungeness Crab Cannelloni with Baby Greens, Radishes and Italian Caviar
Minnesota Elk Tenderloin over Mustard Spaetzle and Apple-Wine Kraut
Seared Wild Turbot with Toasted Capers and Meyer Lemmon
Australian “Kobe” Beef Tenderloin with Smoked Garlic Potato Puree
Colton Bassett Stilton Manchester Goat and Comte des Rousses
Grand Marnier Soufflé
Coffee and Friandise
We perused the extensive wine list before deciding to go with the chef’s choice of wine pairings. Beginning with a glass of Champagne, before the meal, each course subsequently came with a different glass of wine selected to perfectly complement the dish.
The food was beautifully presented and served by efficient waiting staff who seemed to effortlessly glide around the room, serving the dishes and removing the remnants so discreetly that we barely noticed their presence.
All in all it was a memorable evening with a meal fit for the restaurant’s namesake monarch and her consort. Certainly a birthday I will remember for a long while to come.
The restaurant is located with the heart of the Victorian themed Grand Floridian Hotel and exquisitely decorated in keeping with the venue. With only a limited number of guests allowed and subdued lighting there is an intimate feel to the location and an atmosphere suitable for lovers of all ages. Guests are required to dress appropriately for the venue, no shorts allowed, jackets are required for men, and evening wear for ladies. This provides a rare opportunity for Orlando, to pull out all the stops and display your best finery, knowing that everyone else will be looking equally glamorous.
Unlike many restaurants in Orlando it is no good just turning up and hoping for a table; the reputation of this restaurant is such that you will need to book well ahead. Indeed our reservation was made eleven months in advance; perhaps a little excessive but we wanted to be sure of a place.
The menu of culinary delights ran to eight different courses, with between two and five dishes to choose from for each course. Fresh ingredients sourced from every corner of the globe were combined in exquisite combinations that left us struggling to make that choice. Eventually I settled for
Dungeness Crab Cannelloni with Baby Greens, Radishes and Italian Caviar
Minnesota Elk Tenderloin over Mustard Spaetzle and Apple-Wine Kraut
Seared Wild Turbot with Toasted Capers and Meyer Lemmon
Australian “Kobe” Beef Tenderloin with Smoked Garlic Potato Puree
Colton Bassett Stilton Manchester Goat and Comte des Rousses
Grand Marnier Soufflé
Coffee and Friandise
We perused the extensive wine list before deciding to go with the chef’s choice of wine pairings. Beginning with a glass of Champagne, before the meal, each course subsequently came with a different glass of wine selected to perfectly complement the dish.
The food was beautifully presented and served by efficient waiting staff who seemed to effortlessly glide around the room, serving the dishes and removing the remnants so discreetly that we barely noticed their presence.
All in all it was a memorable evening with a meal fit for the restaurant’s namesake monarch and her consort. Certainly a birthday I will remember for a long while to come.