Your favorite meal experience

[HTanner]

I am just being nostalgic. My brother and I were talking about our all-time favorite Disney meal experience last night. We went to Le Cellier in 2002 and they were running a special - "add lobster tails" to any meal. I added a lobster tail to what I thought was a small filet (nope, it was the large one). We ordered way too much food. My mother, at the time a strict vegetarian (she's since gone back to foul/fish), ordered specially made butternut squash and brown butter raviolis. She normally eats a few bites and is full. We all cleared our plates. Nobody spoke for about ten minutes while we just inhaled and thoroughly enjoyed our meal. We still smile whenever we talk about that night.

How about you guys? Have a favorite dining experience?

[danyoung]

I've talked about this one before, but it bears repeating. I had a dinner a few years ago at the California Grill that lasted 2 1/2 hours, and it didn't seem too long at all! I had a great seat by the window, looking out over the MK and the Seven Seas Lagoon as the sun went down and the lights came up. I had a terrific waiter from Jersey, who really took his time and didn't rush me at all. He took my wine order, then once he brought it he took my appetizer order but waited to put in the main course order. Really very nicely spaced things out. The appetizer was a spicy sushi sampler, made by what my waiter told me was one of the top 5 sushi artists in the world. I completely believed him - it was incredible! Entree was my usual tamarind bbq marinated beef tenderloin - a cut of beef that just melts in your mouth while it explodes with flavor! I think dessert was some berries and some light ice cream - just the perfect capper to a really wonderful meal.

I have the CG booked again for my next trip in September, with big hopes of at least coming close to this amazing meal!

[HTanner]

I've talked about this one before, but it bears repeating. I had a dinner a few years ago at the California Grill that lasted 2 1/2 hours, and it didn't seem too long at all! I had a great seat by the window, looking out over the MK and the Seven Seas Lagoon as the sun went down and the lights came up. I had a terrific waiter from Jersey, who really took his time and didn't rush me at all. He took my wine order, then once he brought it he took my appetizer order but waited to put in the main course order. Really very nicely spaced things out. The appetizer was a spicy sushi sampler, made by what my waiter told me was one of the top 5 sushi artists in the world. I completely believed him - it was incredible! Entree was my usual tamarind bbq marinated beef tenderloin - a cut of beef that just melts in your mouth while it explodes with flavor! I think dessert was some berries and some light ice cream - just the perfect capper to a really wonderful meal.

I have the CG booked again for my next trip in September, with big hopes of at least coming close to this amazing meal!

That does sound amazing. I don't like sushi and that sounds good. LOL.

My family are such foodies, but that dinner at Le Cellier is probably in our top 10 meals. It was just that good. Our service was great that night, too. My mom had a hard time finding things to eat - only because she is pretty picky and there is only so much pasta or salad a girl can eat. She wasn't so jazzed about the raviolis because she was sick of pasta, but she ate every bite and even sopped up the rest of the sauce with the bread. She wouldn't let me have a taste! Which is o.k., because I wouldn't share my lobster with anyone, either - - not even my (then) new husband. The food was amazing.

[currence]

Can I cheat and declare my anniversary trip in 2010 my best "meal" ever? I think all we did that trip was eat? (I posted even a trip report)

Not only was it full of food, but we got to eat at Victoria & Albert's - twice. The first night was at the Chef's table and my husband and I consumed a 10 course meal in about 4 hours. The chef served food that I would NEVER order off a menu (squab anyone?) but we had told the server that we were adventurous and so we gave it a taste and it was reasonably good. The chef indicated that it was very hard to cook properly. The second night was in the main dining hall and was an amazing six course meal. Other than the prohibitive costs, I want to go back. And because we dined there using the Platinum plan, I keep trying to figure out how to budget another night in a Platinum room anytime soon. I fear that our next trip (a few years from now?) the best we will be able to do will be a premium plan in a tent somewhere.

The most amusing meal memory I have from WDW was our Spring 2011 trip. We took our kids and my son (5) fell in love with "Angry Birds" on my old cell phone. We occasionally brought it out and let him play when he was expected to wait patiently and had let him have it for this particular meal. He insisted on showing every princess the phone and explaining that the birds were out to get the green pigs. The princesses reactions were priceless. Ariel asked if Scuttle should be an angry bird and then when she saw them explode into the pigs thought perhaps not. I believe Snow White indicated she had a number of forest friends and again expressed horror when she learned the finer details of the game. I'm pretty sure by the last princess I was doing my mommy chant "This may not be my finest moment, but I am a good mom. This may not be my finest moment..."

[punkyv]

Ohana...a very relaxing & welcoming dinner. The servers really did make us feel like family! GREAT food! :o)

[fairestoneofall]

I'm going to have to say CA Grill as well. DH had a date night there in May. We left the boys at the kids club at AKL. We arrived early and sat in the bar and enjoyed the cheese tray and a glass of wine. We also had a chance to go out onto the observation deck near sunset before our table was ready. We too had a lovely table with a perfect view of the MK and the lagoon. Dinner was great, wine pairings were perfect and we were in NO RUSH! The fireworks from our table while eating dessert were phenomenal!

[tappenfeat]

The Garden Grill is our newest favorite dining experience. I loved the menu and how we slowly rotate while dining. The atmosphere is great! And the Characters were wonderful and visited us often.

The other best dining experience was 50's Prime Time Cafe'. We had "Mom" and DH was misbehaving at the table. So she pulled his ear to make hime stand up then, made him put a sugar packet to his nose and hold it up to the wall. We laughed so hard! The menu is comfort food, so that's always a plus with me.

The one just for DH and I was on our Honeymoon and we went to Victoria and Alberts. The atmosphere was incredible and the menu was exquisite with so many courses. Expensive, but so worth it!

[petesimac]

My mother, at the time a strict vegetarian (she's since gone back to foul/fish), ordered specially made butternut squash and brown butter raviolis.

First and foremost, I can't believe Dan didn't catch this: your mother only eats foul fish now? LOL; you probably meant fowl.

For me, my most favorite meal at Disney occurred at Yak and Yeti in 2009, our first visit to that restaurant. We had another fine meal this past trip, but that first trip was extra special. I don't know if it was because we were particularly hungry, but the food, everything on everyone's plate (there was much sharing) tasted perfect. I had the crispy mahi-mahi for my entree and the famous mango pie for dessert; I can almost taste it still!

I'm always afraid that if I recommend a place, someone else will not enjoy it as much as I did. But having enjoyed the restaurant again this past visit has emboldened me: you must eat at Yak and Yeti! It's so good!

[Mermaid]

CA Grill hands down. It wasn't anything super specific, but just a wonderful evening with amazing food. We got the sushi appetizer which was just amazing. I can't remember what I had, it was seasonal with sweet potatoes if I remember right, but it was amazing. We did see the fireworks which was pretty neat as well.

[danyoung]

First and foremost, I can't believe Dan didn't catch this: your mother only eats foul fish now?

Sorry I missed it - I read vegetarian and kinda tuned out after that!

[HTanner]

Oops on the foul fowl fish incident. I guess I was paying attention to sports that day....

I forgot about a great time we had at 50s PT. We had a waiter who was great, but then another waiter, who was going off duty, decided to come play with us, too. They were bickering cousins, and funny, funny, funny (think Smothers brothers). At one point, one of the waiters went outside and made faces at my kids through the window while the other one was trying to take our order. They got into a funny fight, and one ended up jumping through the little window! I was in tears through the whole meal, it was so funny!

[scoobydooby]

I've got to say Crystal Palace, Easter 2005, for lunch. Best food in the world? Probably not. However, this was our first trip to WDW with children, (aged 5 and 8 then) and, critically, with a bit of disposable income. Me and DH went to WDW for the first time in 1998 for our honeymoon. We blew every penny we had getting there, stayed offsite and ate very little in cheap off site places the whole trip as we had really limited spending money. I remember pressing my face up against the window of the Crystal Palace that trip, wondering that so many people could actually afford to eat in there. It seemed like a really magical place to me as I gazed in through the window of that beautiful building, wandering off shortly after to buy a banana and an apple off the fruit cart. I knew when we took the children it would our first table service meal on our first day and it has remained so for our three family trips.

There is a downside to this though. In 1998 I was 126 lbs. You can, sadly, add 40 lbs to that now

[GusMan]

In 2008, the Mrs. and I went to MouseFest to celebrate our anniversary. She set up a wonderful meal at the Cali Grill while we were there. It was timed out perfectly. We got there, had a beverage, got seated (table was decorated for our anniversary), had some of the best sushi and goat cheese ravioli ever made. Saw Wishes, which was fantastic, and then went back to a great fillet. Dessert was over the top and they even gave us a small chocolate-raspberry cake to take back to the room with us.

The service was awesome as well. It was way over the top.

We still talk about that meal...
CG remains our fave places for a dining experience.

[Drince88]

Looking only at food and beverage - I'd say it had to be a Wine dinner my sister and I did at Jiko last year during the Food & Wine festival. 7 courses, complete with wine pairings from Bookenhoutsckloof (I'm sounding it out, so I probably have a few letters off) winery in South Africa. There was one course that most of the table agreed wasn't quite paired right, but otherwise it was fantastic. They had different chefs from different restaurants doing each course, so it wasn't even 100% Jiko staff, either!

My second favorite was a similar experience with Tables in Wonderland at Jiko, but it was a food and tea luncheon. The tea company, T, supplies (almost) all the signature restaurants with their wonderful tea selections. These people are so intense about their teas, that they'll blend a tea specific to the water supply at the restaurant! Though I don't know if they do a 'summer' and 'winter' blend for Florida or not (I've found the water quality in many areas in both Florida and where I live vary quite a bit depending on the water level in the source of the drinking water, which is seasonally dependent.)

Overall experience was a fun meal in Germany with a bunch of people attending MouseFest - and then a character meal with 3 nephews at Crystal Palace (and the food wasn't bad, either).

[CBFETT]

For the family Whispering Canyon Cafe was great food and a Ton of FUN! Followed by 50's Prime Time Cafe. If it was a meal with DW, Le Cellier with Tuttu Italia a close second.

[dawz1026]

Here we go... Mama Melrose..Clams and Calamari Apps..Followed by Spaghetti Vongole and cannoli dessert..yum

[Drince88]

For the family Whispering Canyon Cafe was great food and a Ton of FUN!

Oh, how could I forget my WCC experience! That one was great, too! It was me, a family with 3 boys and a family with 3 girls (all similar ages between the boys and girls). I had been holding out going there until I was wiht a bigger group, and it was a really good decision. I'm sure it's fine with just a couple of people, but it was a BLAST with a bigger group!)

[fairestoneofall]

For a family meal, WC is our favorite, hands down! What a great time we had there with a party of 14 for DS4's birthday!

[cbarry]

Artist Point - There's so many good things on the menu but, the truffle fries are just killer.

Citricos - Hard to go wrong with anything here.

California Grill - One of the best meals we've ever had.

Boatwright's at Port Orleans Riverside - The jambalaya is awesome and so is the Bananas Foster for dessert.

We're also big fans of the San Angel Inn in Mexico. The ride going by, the mariachi band, the volcano, the food, the Mango Margaritas!

[TinaMouse]

We had a wonderful breakfast experience at Bonfamilie's at POFQ (when it used to be open...sniff, sniff....They need to open it, but that's another thread....)
California Grill--AMAZING pork tenderloin and polenta as well as fireworks. AH! PERFECT!
Flying Fish--Really good food, but very, very loud
Kona--#1 meal the last TWO trips, one for dinner; one for lunch. I'm saying this from a food perspective, not the ambience. It's certainly not V&A!

WANNA TRY:
Yachtsman
Citricos
Narcoosees

[tappenfeat]

We're also big fans of the San Angel Inn in Mexico. The ride going by, the mariachi band, the volcano, the food, the Mango Margaritas!

That's a beautiful sentence.