Home Disney Vacation November 4-11, 2014 2014

With a goal of enjoying the EPCOT Food and Wine Festival and the Christmas Holiday decorations, Lyd and I are making our first trip to Walt Disney World in November. We'll be at Bay Lake Tower (BLT) at the Contemporary Hotel.

|≤ <<< Victoria and Albert's >>> ≥| Background

Our good friend Viviana, their guest service manager (and our friend from her Citricos days) greeted us with warm hugs. The dining room is small with only about 20 tables. This time of year there is a second seating later in the evening. Al and Sharon combined as our serving team. They started us off with champagne while the menu (found here) was explained and choices determined. This is a prix fixe menu of seven courses with selections available for each course. We eschewed the upgrades of white truffle shavings (45), Galilee Osetra Caviar (210/oz) and Kobe Beef (110). The prix fixe price of $150, joined with the wine pairings (65) we also accepted was adequate for our tastes. The amuse bouche was Ahi Tuna. For the second course, we both selected the Crab. The third course, for both of us, the Maine Scallop. For the fourth course, we parted, with Lyd choosing the Quail and my choice being the pork. The fifth course, the entrée, for both of us: the Duck. The sixth course, the cheese, was boxed for the room. The seventh (dessert) course was Grand Marnier Soufflé for Lyd and Crème Brulee for me. Following a glass of port, we finished with a pot of decaf coffee, and the cast presented Lyd with a rose. This truly was a magnificent dining experience and a cultural leap from last night’s Spirit of Aloha Dinner Show. I’ve read the Trip Advisor reviews of Victoria and Albert’s where it is ranked #1 of over 3,000 restaurants in the Orlando area. While the overwhelming number of reviews are 5 star, there are a few poor reviews. I think these poor reviews are by those who expected a gargantuan dinner for the price, rather than a dining experience. Those naysayers would probably be happier with the salad bar, the 48 ounce steak and three pound baked potato. For us, we couldn’t be happier with the food (flavor and appearance), the atmosphere, the service, and yes, even the price. We have often said to people when discussing Disney World: “Don’t dwell on Price. Enjoy, instead, the value.”

Amuse Bouche Baggette Crab Scallop Truffle Bread Butter Quail Pork Multigrain Bread Duck Coffee Creme Brulee