Panasonic Academic Challenge - 2008

The 21st Panasonic Academic Challenge, Tom's 11th, was at the Contemporary Resort at Walt Disney World. This annual event is a competition among states and territories of the United States giving us yet another opportunity to enjoy the fine WDW cuisine.

Monday, 2008-06-09
Today, for the consolation rounds, Tom was a Coordinating Judge for Rounds 3 and 4, both in Room "MN". We finished at 1430 and dinner was at Artist Point, where Matt Paisley is a sous chef.
On the 1st floor of the Contemporary, there is a new restaurant called "Wave." It seemed a little dark and more like a lounge.

The new time-share wing is progressing, but is rather ugly.

The water across the seven seas lagoon is like glass this morning.
There are animals on the grounds of the Wilderness Lodge.
<<< Artist Point >>>

Artist Point, in the Wilderness Lodge, concentrates on the cuisine of the Pacific Northwest. It's been 18 months since we were last here, but Matt Paisley's presence as Sous Chef has brought us back. Here is the menu and a blurb on the salmon.

Matt & Lyd. Matt is still planning an October wedding and eventually wants to open a restaurant in the Carolinas.
Lyd had a Tanqueray Martini(8) and a glass of Bernard Griffin Chardonnay, Columbia '06(10). Tom enjoyed a pair of Makers Mark Manhattans(8@)
We each had a bowl of the signature Smokey Portobello Soup with roasted shitakes and chive oil(8)and pronounced its triumphant return. It was as good as we remembered it.
After we discussed our choices with Matt, and this lost out to other choices, Matt produced a small portion of Grilled Buffalo Sirloin Steak with sweet potato-hazelnut gratin and chardonnay butter sauce, anyway. It was excellent.
Izzy, our server, brought us a small sorbet to cleanse the pallet.
Lyd couldn't resist the Cedar Plank Roasted Wild Copper River Salmon with pear and smoked pork belly hash(47).
As it was Matt's addition to the menu, Tom chose Seared Jumbo Day-Boat Scallops with hazelnut butter potatoes, Zellwood corn, cherry tomatoes and preserved lemons(29). I suggested the lemon peel be julienned, and Matt agreed.