Yes, It IS About the Food OR Two Foodies Do WDW From Table To Table--TR About This Page:

[Her Dotness]

In a moment, these doors will open just for you...



And you'll hear the words, "Welcome to Victoria & Albert's, [your name]" softly spoken by the Cast Member who greets and escorts you to your table.

But first, a brief recap of what your day was like...

If you're at all emotional about extraordinary food (and we know you must be or you'd not have faithfully followed our TR this far ), you'd have spent most of the day distracting yourself to keep your excitement from spiraling out of control. Not to mention starving somewhat so as to do justice to the 10-course feast you'll have for nearly four hours altogether. By the time you've walked through the lobby of the Grand Floridian and reached the check-in kiosk outside those doors, you're approaching meltdown.

At last, the doors open at precisely 5:00 p.m., and you enter the subdued atmosphere of the most peaceful restaurant at Disney World. (Yes, finally a restaurant quiet enough to suit us both!)

We already knew what lay immediately inside because we'd done the seven-course dinner five years ago in the main dining room, followed nearly four years later by the ten-course one in the more intimate Queen Victoria's Room with only four tables.

But, I don't think either of us anticipated how thrilling it would be to follow our escort through the main dining room and what seemed a labyrinth to the chef's table on the far side of the magnificent kitchen of Victoria & Albert's. I simply can't describe our progress in more detail as I was so keyed up that I could scarcely contain myself.

However, we soon arrived at the chef's table alcove and were seated along the table's length looking into the kitchen since we two were the only diners.



Larger parties would be seated along both sides which made me grateful there were only two of us. We could easily watch what was going on without craning our necks. You're encouraged to move to the wrought-iron railing if you like which enabled me to see a good deal more of the activity as our dinners and numerous others were prepared. Also, you're invited to ask the chefs questions about what they're doing if you wish. A good part of the purpose of the Chef's Table experience is for you to learn as much as you care to about the various stages of food preparation you see.

I was entranced immediately by the fact that there is no shouting back and forth among the chefs as they work. Our host Chef Aimee explained that Head Chef Scott Hunnel demands a purposeful and focused kitchen with no raised voices, conversational tones only. Indeed, that proved so later when one chef began frantically searching for some shrimp he had set aside somewhere and needed to cook immediately. He emphatically requested another chef to help him search but never did either of their voices rise above, for example, one of President Obama's more intense statements during a speech or press conference. In short, a distinct contrast with California Grill's open kitchen where expediting is shouted and confirmed along with pans clanging onto burners, the whole occasionally punctuated by the crash of breaking china.

But, I'm getting ahead of myself since I haven't even mentioned our personal servers, Jack and Sherry, a married couple who've been servers at Victoria and Albert's for going on twenty years, Jack told us. We met him first and then Sherry joined him after we'd begun eating.

Jack began our meal by presenting each of us with our personal menus and then offering us a flute of Moet et Chandon champagne, a toast with it being the traditional overture to dinner at the chef's table.

I accepted with delight and found it by far superior to the champagne I'd enjoyed so much with my Princess Kate tea. Drew declined and was offered instead a flute of Martinelli's sparkling apple cider. We were so enthralled already by the spectacle in the kitchen that we quickly clinked glasses and sat transfixed by our personal cooking show. As Drew said in awe, it was like being plopped into the midst of all the cooking shows on tv rolled into one.

Soon thereafter, Chef Aimee came back to meet us. We were mildly dismayed at not getting to see Chef Scott again because we so enjoyed chatting with him when he briefly stopped by each of the four tables in Queen Victoria's Room the previous year. However, Chef Aimee explained that it was his weekend, which we certainly weren't going to begrudge him.

She then asked if everything on our menus was to our liking. Drew mentioned that he doesn't care for tuna, which comprised the course following the amuse-bouche, or for scallops, the third course. There was a bit of discussion, as he'd been told by the CM who calls a few days before your dinner date that no alterations may be made to the chef's menu other than for food sensitivities or allergies. I'd assured him that was erroneous as various chef's table reviewers emphasized what a delight it was at the chef's table to have your personal likes and dislikes accommodated and not just special dietary needs. Chef Aimee quickly reassured him that he'd been mistakenly told no changes were possible, and she would see that the advance callers were disabused of the conviction that the menu must be slavishly adhered to. When chicken was offered instead of the tuna, Drew said he'd prefer that but seafood other than the scallop would be acceptable which surprised me since he ordinarily will eat only shrimp or lobster and occasionally calamari. Chef Aimee looked momentarily thoughtful but said she felt sure the chefs could quickly create something satisfactory for him.

First, however, came the amuse-bouche which, as some of you will know, begins your every dinner at Victoria and Albert's. Admittedly, I had no idea what an amuse-bouche was prior to our first time at Victoria and Albert's. For those of you who may be as unenlightened as I was, it's an artfully composed tidbit intended to stimulate the appetite, highly original so as to display the chef's talent and creativity. An hors d'oeuvre essentially, although this one was certainly far removed from a cocktail weinie in barbecue sauce.

Ours was a bit disconcerting as neither of us is a big fan of caviar. We'd approved our respective menus, however, having determined to be adventurous despite Fear of Fish Eggs.

Here's how it appeared initially, which made us both wonder if we'd been too hasty in accepting this one.



After a few bites with the traditional mother-of-pearl spoon that does not impart a metallic taste to caviar, our fears vanished.




We found the tiny subtly sauced bits of Maine lobster you see here played delightfully off the Siberian Osetra caviar which was only faintly fishy compared with the obviously much cheaper stuff either of us had had previously. Consequently, the caviar beautifully complemented the slight sweetness of the startlingly fresh lobster. (Holy Russian Fish Eggs, Batman! I googled this particular caviar and learned that it costs from $60-$80 per ounce. ULP!)

(Cont. below)

[Her Dotness]

The fish course was next.



For me, a sumac-crusted slice of seared tuna topped with a baby red radish and something like pickled watermelon rind, that yellowish strip. What it was, I've since forgotten although I'm sure Jack told me since he meticulously identified the various ingredients of every course for us each.

Alongside, you'll recognize very thinly sliced red radishes and the black radish-topped slaw which was most unusual. Black radishes are somewhat rare, Jack mentioned, and Victoria and Albert's one of the few restaurants which acquires them. A bit piquant, the slaw set off the richness of the tuna excellently.



Drew said that the chicken was delicately flavored, doubtless so that the slight flavor variations of the different colored heirloom tomatoes accompanying the chicken could be savored. As you may notice, unlike most dishes we enjoyed later, there is no sauce to speak of other than the puree of heirloom tomatoes, the orange rectangle below two brownish pickled heirloom tomatoes and wedges of hearts of palm.

To the left are two different heirloom tomatoes with rings of hearts of palm over a pesto-infused oil, and at the right a strip of sauteed chicken. What looks like white bubbles in the lower front were crystallized tomatoes, Drew told me, very intensely flavored as you can imagine.

The second course you'll find to be somewhat obscured initially as it is dramatically presented inside a smoke-filled bell jar.



Jack lifted each of our bell jars releasing that highly aromatic smoke and revealing three small pieces of medium-rare Niman Ranch lamb accented by the colorfully executed Fuji apple-curry dressing. That dressing was so good, I honestly could have eaten it without the lamb...but I wouldn't really have wanted to because the heat-and-sweet combination of curry with apple meshed perfectly with the lamb.



This lamb was exceptionally tender and flavorful without the slightly gamy taste that supermarket lamb so often has. Niman Ranch, we learned, maintains a network of several hundred family farmers in various regions so that lamb is available throughout the year. This proved to be our favorite course as it had been the year before in Queen Victoria's Room.

(Cont. below)

[Her Dotness]

Drew exclaimed with delight upon tasting his third course. This can't be salmon, he kept insisting, despite Jack's having said it was. I laughed and said it looked to me like salmon, which he had long insisted he detests.



Naturally, when Chef Aimee returned to inquire if it met with his satisfaction, he asked her how salmon could have such marvelously un-fishy flavor and the consistency of a prime filet mignon.

I remarked that it most likely didn't resemble any fish he was accustomed to because it tasted from the bite he'd given me not only extraordinarily fresh but expertly cooked. She smiled, confirmed my assessment with a nod, and added that only the finest quality and very freshest fish is served at Victoria and Albert's, some of it just a few hours from being caught. Chef Scott will permit nothing less, she added. Anywhere else, that would likely be hype. At Victoria & Albert's, it is demonstrably true and undoubtedly contributes to the restaurant's AAA five-diamond rating which it has held for fifteen years straight.

My third course was a Diver scallop on a scallop shell in a salt bowl which I anticipated with delight because I loved its multifaceted presentation the year before and hoped it would be similar if not identical. Identical it was. The Diver scallop itself is seared on each side at 600 degrees for just seconds, Jack informed me, so as not to overcook it. Consequently, it had a wee bit of surface crust contrasting delightfully with the velvety-smooth interior.



The coral bowl is actually carved from a block of salt and so hot that you're cautioned not to touch the bowl itself. You can see the edge of a bed of equally hot rock salt interspersed with fennel seeds below the large scallop shell.

As the heat slowly rises from the salt bowl, the fennel seeds emit fumes which flavor each bite. I found myself leaning over the bowl as I ate because the fennel flavor was more pronounced when I did so even though I am not overly fond of fennel which tastes faintly of licorice. However, this dish was once again thoroughly enjoyable, in large part due to the elaborate presentation.

More unusual still was the assortment of salt and pepper we were offered with this course in this attractive sectioned bowl containing two ground peppers, white and black, along with Himalayan red sea salt, Hawaiian black volcanic salt, plain kosher salt and kosher salt mixed with fennel seeds.



The salt and pepper assortment could be left for us to use with our remaining courses if we wished, but having previously found the food at Victoria and Albert's adequately seasoned for our tastes, we declined. It certainly was a different experience to have such an array of salt and pepper so appealingly presented.

Our next course gave us an opportunity to meet its creator, Chef Ben, a self-effacing young chef who explained how best to eat his variation on bacon and eggs.



This proved to be a dome of vivid yellow corn foam atop a puff-pastry ravioli enclosing a perfectly soft-poached, extremely fresh egg. All of that was set upon very lean julienned smoked bacon.

We were advised by Chef Ben to break the yolk and mix it a bit with the corn foam for his intended effect which we did. It was spectacular, the delicate sweetness of the corn foam combining wonderfully with the smoky bacon and mellow richness of the poached egg.

(Cont. below)

[Her Dotness]

At the halfway point came veal with peas, carrots and chanterelle mushrooms. Also, the white truffle we ordered at an extra cost accompanied this course, and as it had been the previous year, was magnificent.



White truffles are available only from mid-September through November. Unlike black truffles which are at their best in cooked foods, whites are shaved and served raw, heated only enough to release their aroma. The truffle arrives under a small dome which you're told to be sure to replace after plucking a few slices with the tongs because the flavor dissipates rapidly as the truffle slices are exposed to air. We did not hesitate to add some to the veal before cutting into it.



In the center are two baby carrots, and the peas of "peas and carrots" to the right--a puree of peas mixed with chanterelle mushrooms and topped with black truffle slices. A quaint interpretation of peas and carrots which we both enjoyed.

Then came the primary meat course, Australian Kobe-style beef with potato sphere. If you didn't know, it can be called Kobe beef only if the meat actually is Japanese Kobe beef; Japan strictly regulates use of that label.



Honestly, I was more impressed with the potato sphere than the beef itself although the beef is incredibly tender and exquisitely cooked. Drew would tell you otherwise, I expect, as he special-ordered the Kobe beef at an extra charge both times before this. The sphere consists of mashed potatoes formed around a bit of oxtail and deep-fried. So, you get crispy crust, velvety smooth mashed potato and the fatty richness of the oxtail in the middle. Simply decadent.

The pool of reddish-brown sauce is an oxtail reduction that Chef Aimee told us takes just over a week to prepare, twelve hours of simmering for a stock that is slowly reduced from twelve to two quarts when finished. I spent a fair bit of time hovering near the two enormous electric stockpots just beyond the wrought-iron railing. Both smelled incredible. One of the chefs told me that stocks simmer for at least 8 hours, some longer before they're reduced or otherwise used.

Before going on to the dessert courses, I have to slip in the photo of one of the chefs mincing garlic. I was mesmerized by his wide-angled stance which you see here.



And then, after our return home, I realized that's how I stand myself when using any but a paring knife. I had never realized that I instinctively adopt a similar stance for stability when chopping or mincing. I had to laugh about my lack of self-awareness in that regard.

(Cont. below)

[Her Dotness]

Next came the bridge from savory to sweet with the cheese course, number seven.

Our cheese selection included Flagship Reserve (similar to cheddar in texture but with the nuttiness of a fine Gruyere), a wonderful goat cheese and a bit of Stilton (somewhat like blue cheese).



With the Flagship Reserve was a stripe of Tupelo honey and next to it a slice of fruitcake (like a dark Christmas fruitcake but very good nevertheless even though I've never cared for dark fruitcake). Atop the white cube of goat cheese was a strip of dried fig, and finally the wedge of Stilton with red wine poached pear slice and three drops of Port wine reduction. A lovely combination of savory and sweet that prepared us nicely for the desserts.

The eighth course had Drew wondering if he'd like it since it was described as a pear quark mousse, and he doesn't care for pears. The cylinder atop a graham cracker crust is the mousse itself, silken-smooth with a slight sour cream tang, a wonderful contrast to the slightly crunchy poached pear slices.



If you're at all familiar with subatomic particles, you are probably wondering what quarks have to do with mousse. So was I until I learned that quark cheese is a soft, unripened cheese with a texture similar to ricotta unless blended when it closely resembles cream cheese.

That weird antenna-like thing was a hazelnut robed in hardspun caramel. We were encouraged to eat those, too, but unfortunately found they were stuck to our plates and wouldn't budge. When we mentioned to Sherry that we hadn't been able to get them loose, she frowned a bit as she removed our otherwise empty plates. Undoubtedly, Chef Aimee heard about that little misstep, the only one we experienced in the entire meal.

The golden pools were honey containing flecks of edible gold which you can just barely see as tiny yellow dots. I wondered how much money I was ingesting as the honey was speckled fairly heavily with them. And no, I can't honestly say that "gold-filled" honey tastes any different than plain honey if you were wondering.

And now, the main dessert, a visually spectacular Peruvian Chocolate Timbale with Roasted White Chocolate Gelato.



Although I could have done without quite such a pointless scattering of crunchy stuff on the plate, I couldn't fault this dessert one bit otherwise. The chocolate timbale was the most intensely creamy, chocolatey thing I think I've ever eaten.

The dots of chocolate were bittersweet and a terrific contrast to the mellow white chocolate gelato poised on that upstanding swoop of dark chocolate that unified the whole. Really a stunning next-to-last course both visually and flavorwise.

But, there's a bit more to show you. Since we can't either of us recall just which bread came with what course, here they both are. The first was a crusty multi-grain with caraway seeds, chewy and hearty, a bread that would be a terrific accompaniment to a shepherd's pie or meaty stew.



Both of us became immediate fans of the black truffle bread with black truffle butter. So much so, that we debated asking for more!



It had a wonderfully earthy flavor, and the butter added more truffle intensity. If Disney shipped foodstuffs, you can bet we'd order some of both.

(Cont. below)

[Her Dotness]

And so, we come to the finale of our trip's grand finale, coffee with friandises--Victoria & Albert's housemade chocolates.

As SuperDave commented above, the coffee served at Victoria & Albert's is an experience as well as excellent coffee. Some of that undoubtedly results from the drama of watching the remarkable Cona coffeemaker do its work.



It's a fairly involved process since Jack said that the parts must be precisely assembled in order for heat gradually to force the water up into the grounds in the top section. In this first view, the water has just begun rising into the grounds.

When critical point is reached between temperature and vacuum, the coffee descends suddenly with an audible whoosh into the pot below, leaving behind the grounds. You can probably see the water line above the grounds in the view below. There is no filter. It's all a matter of temperature differential and vacuum pressure producing completely sediment-free coffee in your cup.



And here are our chosen friandises, boxed to go and savor for the next few weeks. At the Chef's Table, you may choose any four chocolates you wish whereas you're given a pre-selected assortment of five in the main dining room and Queen Victoria's Room.



Drew was most enthusiastic about the two sea-salted caramels, to the right in the box on the left. He also definitely wanted one of the dark chocolate enrobed marinated cherries (in red foil) but generously allowed me to choose the greenish dome in the lower left corner, a superb marzipan. I wish I'd gotten another of those. Jack mentioned that the cherries for the cherry-chocolates are marinated in brandy for six months in jars we saw sitting atop a cupboard to the left of our seats, so the cherry-chocolates became nostalgic mementos of our Chef's Table extravaganza as well as being absolutely fantastic.

My remaining three in the box at right were the bright green-topped one, an intensely banana-flavored cream enrobed in dark chocolate; a raspberry-filled dark and white chocolate cameo; below, a tart blood-orange and pomegranate jelly--all of which I'd had the previous year and really enjoyed. But after tasting that cherry-chocolate, I wish I'd gotten three of those and only one marzipan.



Finally, since we were celebrating my birthday, Chef Aimee brought me the carefully wrapped loaf of orange-date nutbread you see next to the longstemmed red rose each lady receives at Victoria & Albert's.

And now, just as all wonderful meals must end, we conclude this table-to-table trip report with fond hopes that you've enjoyed your vicarious experience at least a bit as much as we did the meals in actuality.

Thanks so much for your enthusiastic remarks as I posted real-time updates and then the reviews. It's been a delight sharing with you our recollection of so many wonderful meals and attempting to convey how delicious they were. (Well, most of them... )

As Julia Child once would have said at this point, "Goodbye for now and Bon Appetit!"

[jandsdennis]

WONDERFUL!! I hope one day we can do V&A. All your meals looked wonderful though. That was definitely the creshendo! Thanks for sharing with us all.

[chezp]

Well thank goodness I was having breakfast at the time I ate this, so at least I didn't salivate too much over the computer! You've reminded how wonderful V&As is - it's been too long since we went there (I think our last visit was back in 2008 maybe? ) We will have to go back one day.

[lauriep]

A spectacular meal! I'm always happy to read these reviews of V&A. I love how much people enjoy it, and my bank account loves yet another confirmation that I would not! Even with their vegetarian meal version, which I've heard is fantastic, I could only eat about a fourth of that much food at one meal. I should have done it when I was younger and could have worked up an appetite!

[Her Dotness]

Originally Posted by lauriep

A spectacular meal! I'm always happy to read these reviews of V&A. I love how much people enjoy it, and my bank account loves yet another confirmation that I would not! Even with their vegetarian meal version, which I've heard is fantastic, I could only eat about a fourth of that much food at one meal. I should have done it when I was younger and could have worked up an appetite!

Actually, Laurie, unless the Buckingham Palace tea is no longer negotiable for you, I think you might find the 7-course doable. Not only do you have 2-3 hours for it, but portion size is smaller at V&A's. Telling the confirmation caller that you are "a lady of dainty appetite" would likely render your meal quite manageable. They really truly are intent upon pleasing there.

Now, as for your bank account, that would be a different story....

We couldn't manage our V&A's indulgence without determined saving. More than once during the months prior to the trip when we were in an eat-out mood, one or the other would say, "Let's put it toward V&A's instead."

[Her Dotness]

Originally Posted by chezp

Well thank goodness I was having breakfast at the time I ate this,...

You really must yank up that Freudian slip, Cheryl. It's showing again.

[Her Dotness]

Originally Posted by jandsdennis

WONDERFUL!! I hope one day we can do V&A. All your meals looked wonderful though. That was definitely the creshendo! Thanks for sharing with us all.

Well then, we should agree to a PassPorter meetup there sometime. Wouldn't that be a meetup to remember?

Besides, when we paused upon leaving to chat with Victoria the receptionist, we moaned what would we do now that we'd done all three levels at Victoria & Albert's. Without missing a beat, she replied with a smile, "Start over again, of course."

[lauriep]

Originally Posted by Her Dotness

Actually, Laurie, unless the Buckingham Palace tea is no longer negotiable for you, I think you might find the 7-course doable. Not only do you have 2-3 hours for it, but portion size is smaller at V&A's. Telling the confirmation caller that you are "a lady of dainty appetite" would likely render your meal quite manageable. They really truly are intent upon pleasing there.

Now, as for your bank account, that would be a different story....

We couldn't manage our V&A's indulgence without determined saving. More than once during the months prior to the trip when we were in an eat-out mood, one or the other would say, "Let's put it toward V&A's instead."

I definitely can't manage all of the Buckingham Palace tea! I still enjoy it, but leave half of each course and most of the dessert behind. I've had 7 course tasting meals many times and just can't do it all. I typically order just an appetizer when I go out to dinner, and rarely eat 3 meals a day. My activity level is so low I just don't get that hungry. I still really enjoy wonderful flavors and a creative touch with food, though, so thanks for encouraging me not to rule V&A out for the future!

[Colexis Mom]

What a wonderful meal you had at V&A's!

[Cam22]

Wonderful dining experience at V & A's!