This post is not a dining review. It’s a love letter.
To celebrate our upcoming fifth anniversary, Brandon and I went to dinner at Victoria & Albert’s in Walt Disney World. Victoria & Albert’s, located inside Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort, is the only Five Diamond restaurant in Central Florida and one of only three in the entire state. But if you’re here, you’re likely one of my Disney friends and you already knew that.
Personally, Victoria & Albert’s is where my husband and I ate dinner the day after we got married– our first dinner alone as a married couple.
It was the most decadent meal we’d ever had, by miles, and still is. (As a side note, if you’re a Disney cruiser, my husband and I both think Remy, onboard the Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy, is comparable to Victoria & Albert’s, although not quite as formal or extensive, but at a lower price. Not surprising, since Scott Hunnel created part of the Remy menu.)
On to the anniversary dinner.
After a great day at Epcot, we stopped eating several hours before our early reservation– we learned the first time around just how incredibly full you get at a Victoria & Albert’s dinner. We cleaned up after walking miles in the mild Orlando September weather, dropped the toddler with his grammies, and headed to the Grand Floridian.
*Small note: If you read my original Victoria & Albert’s report, you got to see photos that Brandon took on his real camera. We forgot it in our room this time, so these photos were taken on our phones. Hopefully you won’t mind.
Look, a blurry photo of me in the lobby! It’s art! I also desperately want you to know that this favorite dress of mine is very draping and flowy, and that is neither the size nor shape of my upper arm.
The band was playing in the lobby, and I would have loved to stop for a drink in Mizner’s, but I never arrive that early for anything. We made our way up to Victoria & Albert’s, and the nostalgia of being a newlywed on honeymoon hit me as soon as we stepped through the door.
After congratulating us, the maitre d’ led us to our table. It was directly across the room from where we sat the first time. I love the little tables nestled by the wall; they feel a bit more secluded and intimate for a romantic meal. There was a small half-wall to one side, and a set of double doors to our other (we don’t know where they led to, and obviously they weren’t being used, I would love to hear if anyone knows what’s on the other side– separate entrance to Queen Victoria?).
We’ve eaten in the main dining room both times. Although I wouldn’t turn it down, I can’t imagine eating everything that’s served in the Queen Victoria room– it already feels like so much you can’t possibly finish. And I’m sure it’s fun in it’s own way, but my husband and I aren’t interested in dining at the chef’s table. Our dinners alone now are rare, and I would prefer not to share them with an entire kitchen staff.
Now for the good stuff…
Our servers all came by to introduce themselves, explain the menu a bit, and take our first drink order. We settled in with some cocktails
Scotch for Brandon and a dirty martini for me. They brought me a little plate of skewered olives, which you can see there in the back, because they didn’t know if I would prefer regular olives or cheese-stuffed (cheese-stuffed, obviously, I’m not a monster).
I absolutely adore the styling of everything in Victoria & Albert’s. The room is dimly-lit and comforting. Fresh flowers top most of the surfaces. Crystal and china decorate the tables. It truly feels like stepping into a mindset where dining is always a celebration.
The table to one side of us was a wedding party, complete with tuxes and a white gown and veil. Later, a couple celebrating their 10th anniversary sat on the other side of us. Poetic, no?
After only a little indecisiveness, we made our selections and were told by our server that we picked many of the best things. I sort of wonder if they say this regardless of what you order, but it certainly makes you feel good, doesn’t it?
Brandon and I both went with the traditional prix fixe 7 course menu with wine pairings. In all honesty, I think the price of the wine pairings at Victoria and Albert’s is very reasonable when you consider the general price of everything at the restaurant. I did think the pours this time around were a little smaller than during our first visit, but you get six glasses of wine (one for every course except dessert), so it’s more than plenty.
First up was the amuse-bouche, the only course I can’t really describe to you because I don’t remember what it was (exactly like last time). And this isn’t because I waited too long to write the report; as soon as the server walked away, Brandon and I both had forgotten what he said it was. So this is the official Tasty Mystery Course
It looks like a tiny poached egg, but it was some kind of savory cream/foam. It was delicious, whatever it was, and a cute start to the meal.
Next up, our caviar arrived
Caviar is not one of the regular courses of the prix fixe menu, but is offered as an add-on. Caviar is pretty much my favorite food, and not something I get to have often since my last name isn’t Kennedy or Vandersnot. Sometimes in college, I would buy caviar from the grocery store, which is proof that we all make stupid mistakes in our youth. Grocery store caviar is basically garbage juice and you should never buy it.
On our honeymoon, a relative arranged for caviar and a bottle of Dom Perignon to be served as a surprise. It was an amazing experience that I’ve never forgotten. We passed on the Dom this time, but were served a glass of Voirin-Jumel as one of our wine pairings. I think the first glass of the pairings is usually, or perhaps always, a sparkling wine in case you do order the caviar.
Let’s admire this again.
This is Galilee Osetra caviar, and is served with the traditional garnishes of creme fraiche (which had a subtle, very yummy flavor of chive), hard-boiled egg, caper berries, and housemade blinis. That’s a pearl spoon in the middle, since most materials would spoil the flavor of caviar.
What more can you really say about caviar? It’s perfect, and if you have the opportunity to have good caviar, you should. This is hands down my favorite course.
Next up, it was time for cold appetizers
Brandon had Rohan Duck with Soba Noodles.
And I had Octopus “A La Plancha” with heirloom tomato gazpacho.
I am a sucker for any kind of cold soup, and I don’t eat duck ever (I kept them as pets when I was a kid, so for me it’s like seeing dog on a menu), so this was a non-choice for me. Mine had little slices of hearts of palm, which were such a great, crunchy friend for the gazpacho. I didn’t try Brandon’s for the above reason, but it seemed interesting with the Asian flair– soba noodles, a wasabi-infused sauce, and those baby sauteed mushrooms. Brandon doesn’t eat mushrooms, so those were all for me.
Around this time we were delivered our first bread course as well. I don’t have pictures of it (I didn’t the last time either), because Victoria & Albert’s is so wonderful that occasionally I got sucked into the experience and forgot to document. I am pretty sure that I remember there being more bread courses last time; this time there were only three. However, with only three offerings (and their paired butter, naturally), this time I felt that I could sample the bread and not waste much valuable stomach space.
If you’re going to Victoria and Albert’s for the first time, take this advice: Do not eat all the bread. It is for fun only. The only bread course that I remember vividly was a rye sourdough, not something that I would typically be interested in, that our server said was inspired by a bread the pastry chef used to eat growing up in Austria. It was fantastic.
Next came the seafood appetizers
Brandon had the Wild Turbot with Toasted Capers and Preserved Lemon.
This was one of few repeats from our honeymoon dinner. Brandon had it the last time, and was excited to see it on the menu again. Have you had chicken picatta? You know that mouth-watering lemon/butter/caper combination? This is like that, but 1000x better, and on one of the best pieces of fish you’ve ever tasted.
I had Pumpernickel Crusted King Salmon with Lemongrass Sabayon.
This was a little bit of a gamble for me, as I wasn’t sure that pumpernickel crusted anything sounded that great. But the third option was very similar to what I had on our honeymoon, and the only course I repeated was the main entree. I knew Brandon’s choice was good, but we usually only order the same thing if we don’t like the other options, or can’t bear to share.
Anyway, the salmon turned out to be surprisingly delightful. The pumpernickel was seared into the fish and acted like a crispy skin. The sabayon had dustings of fish skin in it (which maybe doesn’t sound that appetizing, but was basically like just eating the fried batter off of fried chicken). The sabayon was salty, lemony, egg yolk heaven– I believe that’s the technical term as well. Plus, most any rare fish gets a thumbs up from me.
After the seafood appetizer came the hot appetizer. I don’t have pictures of it, but I do remember it was the only thing we didn’t finish. It was chicken. I love Victoria and Albert’s and maintain that it is perfect, but I can only get so excited for chicken. The other option was loin of rabbit, which falls into what I call Apocalypse Food.
Another difference from our first trip that I noticed around this time in the evening: Silverware service has been changed, on the conservative side. During our honeymoon, I remember vividly that they brought you entirely new silverware between courses, whereas this visit, you began with most of the flatware they expected you to use and only the applicable piece was removed after a course. It makes no difference to me, and I’m sure it’s easier for all the staff involved, just something I noticed.
Then the belle of the ball arrived
We both ordered the Miyazaki Japanese Beef without a moment’s hesitation.
We had a wagyu steak as the entree on our honeymoon, both because our beloved server Sharon said it was the best and because we had heard of wagyu and wanted to try it. We’ve spent the past five years drooling over our memory of it and couldn’t wait to have more. Apparently, the term “wagyu” has become trendy and used for cuts of steak that the original term didn’t describe. Ergo, real wagyu is no longer called wagyu to distinguish it from fake wagyu. At least that’s what I was told. I don’t follow beef industry feuds. Beef industry beefs.
Whatever name applies, it’s the tastiest thing on this planet. This steak is so velvety, so soft but with that little crisp on the crust. The absolute perfect level of salty, savory goodness. No other steak compares to this stuff.
It was served with a jus that was very nice, but both Brandon and I prefer the steak as is. I love the teensy roasted vegetables, and the short-rib garnish and potatoes were quite good as well.
Thankfully, this time around I was not as overly-stuffed by the time the entree arrived, and I was able to enjoy myself even more. Having a bite of that divine steak, sipping a little wine, and listening to the harpist in the corner is my idea of a perfect evening. The harpist even did a Phantom of the Opera medley, I suppose because she knew I was coming.
After a little extra time to savor our entrees, our server came by with the cheese cart and explained the offerings while she made a plate for each of us. I should have taken a picture, but I was busy plastering my eager face to the glass of the cart.
Do I remember what any of them are? No. Other than cheese. Amazing cheese. Sorry the picture is a bit blurry. I took it while simultaneously throwing my phone out of the way so I could get to the cheese.
The other option for this course was a Dragon Fruit Lychee Sorbet, something I highly suspect they don’t make and is only a ruse to see if they should escort you out immediately when you place your stupid order for the stupid sorbet like an idiot.
At this time, we asked for some coffee, because it was such a fascinating thing to watch the last time.
This is how the coffee is served at Victoria & Albert’s
They place it on your table, light the candle underneath, and a few minutes later, Disney magic or an invisible genie or “science” has made your coffee.
Which was ready just in time for our desserts
Brandon ordered the Caramelized Banana Gateau, which is what I had on our honeymoon.
Isn’t it beautiful? It is so luscious that I almost ordered it again, but decided to try something new.
I had the Grand Marnier Souffle, which was equally fabulous. Cakey, warm, with that great gooey center. Plus, Grand Marnier.
Dessert and coffee? Yes, please. I love ordering an after-dinner coffee on vacation, and perhaps because I almost only do it on vacation, it triggers the languid luxury spot in my brain. We mixed a little Grand Marnier into our coffee, for synergy and all that.
By now, I was feeling quite stuffed. Victoria & Albert’s is expensive, no doubt, but they bring you heaps of food.
Including these little treats at the end
Our server brought a lovely box with several morsels to choose from. I’m sure you can spot the chocolate-covered cherry. One of the dark chocolates had rum in it, and I don’t remember the others. We finished the last of our coffees, and sadly, it was time to go.
We got one more picture by the large flower arrangement
I miss it terribly. Thanks for a dream evening, V&A. See you in another five years, I hope.
Gr
For those of you who didn’t know me at 16, Audrey is my car. She was a gift on the morning of my 16th birthday, from my Mom, and she is the only car I’ve ever driven. My first photo of Audrey is of me sitting in the trunk (a hatch), because she was so freaking awesome I just liked being there.
Chez Huffman 