OK, all I can say is amazing. This is the jewel of dining at Disney for many reasons, not the least of which is the serene setting and the dress code. An adult oasis of calm and charm, in the spectacular Grand Floridian Hotel, which is a Disney knock-off of the Hotel Del Mar in the San Diego area. The hotel is typical Disney over-the-top, but tucked away on the second floor is this reservations only, jacket required treat. Come prepared to spend the evening, the seven course meal is extravagant in all the right ways and just what the surroundings demand. Sit back and let it wash over you as a tonic from the frenetic activity just outside the doors, and be sure to indulge in the wine pairing, which makes a good thing that much better. So, here's a look at some of the choices you may have during the evening:
After contemplating the beautiful menu an amuse arrived with some sparkling wine and the festivities began. Seared tuna and tartar . . . beautiful and tasting of the sea, with pickled papaya and jicama. Braised Kobe short ribs with roasted mushrooms. Seared Foie Gras on brioche toast with a sauce of cherries that was absolutely perfect. A gamebird consomme as an interlude and on to guinea fowl with asparagus, morels and porcinis that was perfect . . . but what is a guinea fowl anyway . . . are they those cute grey birds one sees at the zoo sometimes? Best not to think about it I suppose. Herb crusted lamb with gnocchi [I love gnocchi] and roasted garlic. And then a cheese course! A dress code and a cheese course, its almost too much to bear, but I held up to the challenge. Dessert offered a kona chocolate souffle, tropical fruit mousse [guests from hawaii, perhaps?], tanzani chocolate mousse. As with the entire menu, so many choices and all wonderful. My favorites were the foie gras and the guinea fowl, but everything at our table was beautifully presented and well prepared.
For a celebratory dinner while visiting the Mouse [happily there are no character appearances here . . . although for special occasions those Disney folks can do anything], a quiet time away from the children [I understand Disney has a sitter service] or just some good old fashioned indulgence this is the place. Make a reservation, leave the flip flops behind and enjoy an evening that you'll not soon forget. Oh, and remember, no matter how well your team is doing a baseball cap is not a sign of anything but bad taste in a fine dining establishment. And the folks here will tell you so!
EatHereOrNot: EAT HERE
Showing posts with label expensive. Show all posts
Showing posts with label expensive. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Saturday, February 2, 2008
Detroit: Coach Insignia
Well, the only time I've ever eaten at a higher altitude was in a airplane . . . this steakhouse soars 70+ floors above Detroit with stunning views of the city [which I think looks better after dark] and across the river to Canada. Prices for restaurants of this type usually mirror the height of the building or the expanse of the view, and Coach Insignia is no exception . . . stratospheric. As with all restaurants with spectacular views there is usually a conundrum regarding which is better . . . the food or the view. The food shouldn't distract from the view, but neither should the view be an excuse for mediocre food and service. The view won out here, with poorly prepared food and sporadic service marking our dining experience.
After a vertigo-inducing rocket of an elevator ride, we began the evening at the bar for drinks and a first look at the amazing view. We settled in for a cocktail and decided to have their signature appetizer as well, "lobster corn dogs". Yes, deep fried lobster on a stick! It arrived hot and crisp and very tasty, proving again that you can [and maybe should] try frying anything at least once. It was also at the bar that we encountered the first service misstep of the evening in the form of a very pleasant, but overly chatty, bartender who kept inserting herself into our conversation. Some chat is good, but we had had a long day and needed to do some reflection and were regularly interrupted by our friendly bearer of libations.
Then it was on to the dining room for the main event, at a beautiful table with that perfect view across the river. We started with salads, the Chop-Chop [pretty boring, mostly lettuce with sparse dressing] and the Autumn Salad [poached pear, bleu cheese, baby spinach and caramelized shallot] which was beautifully presented and offered a sophisticated blend of flavors that turned out to be the star of the evening. Then there were the steaks . . . which I'm sorry to report reminded me of a Sizzler. These were not the steaks that one would expect from a restaurant of this pretense, and to compound things there were not cooked as ordered. The worst example was a steak that was ordered medium-well that arrived from the kitchen barely warm inside and much less cooked than the other steaks at the table which were ordered medium-rare. When the undercooked steak was sent back for more fire it returned barely changed, as if the kitchen wasn't paying attention or was trying to make a statement about how they thought steak should be ordered. Bad form for sure. The side dishes of sautéed mushrooms and scalloped potatoes were serviceable, but not memorable. This is basic food folks, nothing fancy or difficult to prepare, and with attention to detail should be wonderful in the best sense of comfort food. Somewhere along the way that lesson was missed by the Coach Insigna.
The service, unfortunately, matched the food. Our waiter was pleasant but not always around when needed. Water glasses weren't filled or plates cleared with any care. Then an overly solicitous wine steward made the proceedings almost like a SNL skit. Maybe it’s me, but I have not had much luck eating at steakhouses recently and my karma continued here. The view is wonderful, the restaurant beautiful [but why doesn't it rotate?] but nothing else about the place comes up to that level. If I am in Detroit again I'll go up for a drink, sitting at a table and not the bar, have an appetizer and enjoy the sunset view. Then I'll take the elevator back to earth and find a good restaurant for dinner.
EatHereOrNot: MAYBE
After a vertigo-inducing rocket of an elevator ride, we began the evening at the bar for drinks and a first look at the amazing view. We settled in for a cocktail and decided to have their signature appetizer as well, "lobster corn dogs". Yes, deep fried lobster on a stick! It arrived hot and crisp and very tasty, proving again that you can [and maybe should] try frying anything at least once. It was also at the bar that we encountered the first service misstep of the evening in the form of a very pleasant, but overly chatty, bartender who kept inserting herself into our conversation. Some chat is good, but we had had a long day and needed to do some reflection and were regularly interrupted by our friendly bearer of libations.
Then it was on to the dining room for the main event, at a beautiful table with that perfect view across the river. We started with salads, the Chop-Chop [pretty boring, mostly lettuce with sparse dressing] and the Autumn Salad [poached pear, bleu cheese, baby spinach and caramelized shallot] which was beautifully presented and offered a sophisticated blend of flavors that turned out to be the star of the evening. Then there were the steaks . . . which I'm sorry to report reminded me of a Sizzler. These were not the steaks that one would expect from a restaurant of this pretense, and to compound things there were not cooked as ordered. The worst example was a steak that was ordered medium-well that arrived from the kitchen barely warm inside and much less cooked than the other steaks at the table which were ordered medium-rare. When the undercooked steak was sent back for more fire it returned barely changed, as if the kitchen wasn't paying attention or was trying to make a statement about how they thought steak should be ordered. Bad form for sure. The side dishes of sautéed mushrooms and scalloped potatoes were serviceable, but not memorable. This is basic food folks, nothing fancy or difficult to prepare, and with attention to detail should be wonderful in the best sense of comfort food. Somewhere along the way that lesson was missed by the Coach Insigna.
The service, unfortunately, matched the food. Our waiter was pleasant but not always around when needed. Water glasses weren't filled or plates cleared with any care. Then an overly solicitous wine steward made the proceedings almost like a SNL skit. Maybe it’s me, but I have not had much luck eating at steakhouses recently and my karma continued here. The view is wonderful, the restaurant beautiful [but why doesn't it rotate?] but nothing else about the place comes up to that level. If I am in Detroit again I'll go up for a drink, sitting at a table and not the bar, have an appetizer and enjoy the sunset view. Then I'll take the elevator back to earth and find a good restaurant for dinner.
EatHereOrNot: MAYBE
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