10 Nights of Magic in The Orlando Trifecta-TR - COMPLETE!! 12/10 About This Page:

[patclairesmom]

The butter That's amazing. Your beef looked great. I myself like a firmer meat like a NY strip. I don't like soft like a filet mignon, but I do enjoy a filet of beef.

[SuperDave]

Originally Posted by Her Dotness

I’m with Dave on preferring medium-rare whether steak or roast beef.

Most supermarkets sell choice grade steaks, but if you can find one that sells prime, go there. The difference in enjoyment will be profound—if you don’t cook them past medium doneness.

If one insists upon well-done beef, a pot roast is preferable, IMO, as that’s a cut that benefits from long, slow cooking, well done being the goal.

You're spot on with the info Dot. I try to get prime when I can and you do pay more for them, but worth it. Then you can go a step up with dry aged variety and aging days varies and price goes up the longer the aging process. Many well known steakhouses age their beef in house.

[SuperDave]

Originally Posted by patclairesmom

The butter That's amazing. Your beef looked great. I myself like a firmer meat like a NY strip. I don't like soft like a filet mignon, but I do enjoy a filet of beef.

Loved the butter sculpture as it was quite something to see! I agree with you regarding the beef as what I like but will still have filet on occasion.

[KimmyAnn1147]

Well, I'm not really a rare beef or a cheese person, but I absolutely love the look of the cheese presentation. And I would love to try one of those heavily marbled beefs just for the experience.

[Her Dotness]

I meant to remark earlier that those Cona coffeemakers are amazing to watch—when they work properly, that is.

We had a server explain once that these pots must be assembled very precisely. If any portion is a bit askew or the water not at exactly the right temperature, the vacuum won’t form and thus no coffee. In fact, he asked us to excuse him from conversation briefly so that he could insure that he had the pot correctly put together. Needless to say, we were happy to comply as these pots make completely silt-free coffee. Without any filter, too.

Waiting for the whoosh of coffee going suddenly into the lower pot, which occurs in seconds, is as suspenseful every time as it was the first, I think. I suspect Dave will agree.

[SuperDave]

Originally Posted by KimmyAnn1147

Well, I'm not really a rare beef or a cheese person, but I absolutely love the look of the cheese presentation. And I would love to try one of those heavily marbled beefs just for the experience.

The presentation is amazing and they go all out here and basically an art form!

[SuperDave]

Originally Posted by Her Dotness

I meant to remark earlier that those Cona coffeemakers are amazing to watch—when they work properly, that is.

We had a server explain once that these pots must be assembled very precisely. If any portion is a bit askew or the water not at exactly the right temperature, the vacuum won’t form and thus no coffee. In fact, he asked us to excuse him from conversation briefly so that he could insure that he had the pot correctly put together. Needless to say, we were happy to comply as these pots make completely silt-free coffee. Without any filter, too.

Waiting for the whoosh of coffee going suddenly into the lower pot, which occurs in seconds, is as suspenseful every time as it was the first, I think. I suspect Dave will agree.

Well done Dot and all the details are precisely what the process is with the Cona coffee makers. I had asked one of the servers a few years ago about them and that's pretty much it. They have to be exact as you found out with yours and Drew's which had its' problems! At least you got your coffees with a slight delay, while I got to enjoy mine and savoring every drop of it, while you were drooling at my enjoyment in anticipation!

[Tara O'Hara]

what a lovely and amazing meal at V & A's !! Your food sounds wonderful and fun!!! everything is so beautifully presented and you are making me realize that it is time to go back there!!!

[SuperDave]

Originally Posted by Tara O'Hara

what a lovely and amazing meal at V & A's !! Your food sounds wonderful and fun!!! everything is so beautifully presented and you are making me realize that it is time to go back there!!!

Just an amazing experience and never get tired of V & A's after dining here so many times. Always different things each visit as they change up the menu a lot. You may want to return there and use some of your casino winnings!

[SuperDave]

It Would Be Nice If They Took Care of Ours as Well!




Friday, October 6th (Part VII)
The three of us talked for a bit, while we waited for the first of two dessert courses to arrive. It’s been a very long and enjoyable meal so far and well over three hours!

I think it was at this point that we noticed something with the couple over at the table next to us. I believe they were celebrating a big anniversary here tonight. They were paying their bill for the meal and sent payment with the server who was Al as well. When he returned, I think he was also with the Maitre D’ Hotel, Israel Perez, who informed the couple that their children had paid for their anniversary dinner celebration tonight! It was presented on a formal card done by the restaurant in a classy way as always and presented to the couple. They may have received a few other gifts from the restaurant as well. That must have been some surprise. It would be nice, if they took care of ours as well! But, that would not be happening!




A couple photos of the room

After all of this, Al returned with the first of our two desserts. Unfortunately, this was probably the only thing I forgot to take a photo of all night. It was a Caramelized Banana Gateau. I’m usually not a big fan of bananas in desserts but I know I enjoyed this a lot and packed lots of flavor. I remember the presentation being very good as well.

After we finished this first dessert offering Al cleared our settings and returned shortly with our final dessert and glad I remembered to get a photo of this one.


Peruvian Chocolate Crunch

It looks quite amazing on the plate, even though not a huge portion. I enjoyed this most of the two desserts as I love my chocolate. Especially, when it’s very rich as this was. I’m not sure how much Dot and Drew enjoyed these, but I’m guessing they did.

It was around this time or a bit before the Maitre D’ Hotel came to our table for some chit chat about the meal and general talk. Always, a nice touch when they do this as it makes the experience more personal. I’ve also been visited on a few occasions by Aimee Rivera, Chef de Cuisine and Scott Hunnel, Executive Chef. Usually only in this room and not the main dining room. Scott has received a variety of awards and nominations for the cuisine at Victoria & Albert’s during his tenure here.

When Al returned after clearing our dessert plates, we asked him to take a few photos of us as we hadn’t done so. He happily obliged.


A little blurry!


Much better and don’t we look nice?

The meal was not over yet as there was one more thing left. We got to choose some of their own chocolates produced in-house to have now or take home. It was of course the latter as the three of us were too full to have anything else.


The nice selection of chocolates to choose from.

Al let us choose what we wanted and he boxed them up while we did this. We could choose four as that is all the box could hold. I’m not sure what Dot chose but Drew selected the chocolate covered Maraschino cherries. I went with a variety of chocolates and filled with a creamy chocolate like mousse or ganache. I had these over the next couple of days and enjoyed them a lot.


My chocolates box

After this, we asked Al for our checks as we were ready to end our great meal at Victoria & Albert’s. He returned with these.


Our checks are presented inside of this and another nice touch here!

Well, it didn’t come cheap in any way but paying for nearly 50% of it with my Disney Visa Rewards dollars made it much more manageable! I think Dot and Drew may have used some Disney Gift Cards for theirs. We returned our payments to Al and he also returned with bags for us to put our chocolates in as well as a rose for Dot. Always, standard for the female diners at Victoria & Albert’s.



We got up and began to leave. We also thanked Al for the evening as everything from the service, cuisine, personal service and details were exceptional! It’s what makes this restaurant and experience so special and why I return on every WDW trip and will continue to do so! I know Dot and Drew feel the same. You certainly pay for it, but it is so worth every penny of it! No other eatery in WDW can compare to this!

Before, leaving the restaurant I returned my jacket to the hostess at the check in desk. Israel Perez was there and thanked us once again and hope we’d return. I told him that I’d be returning once again on my next trip!





The three of us talked for a little outside the restaurant. I told Dot and Drew how much I enjoyed our meal together and thanked them once again for including me in their ADR. What a nice gesture on their part and I appreciate it so much! We then said our goodbyes.

Dot and Drew were returning to their resort room at the Grand Floridian as they were going home tomorrow. I’d be going back to the Royal Pacific at Universal later and I still had another week of my trip left and would be beginning my WDW stay in just two days.

Before returning to the Royal Pacific there were a couple of things I wanted to do. Do some exploring in the main building as it’s just so beautiful and more so when it’s quiet at night. The other is to go to Mizner’s Lounge as I didn’t get to do so before dinner with the traffic problems getting here earlier. I also didn’t get to go here in 2016 as Mizner’s was being used as the quick service location during the Gasparilla Grill rehab. I also wasn’t sure if I’d get back here during the Disney portion of my stay next week. So, this was the plan. It was 10:30 pm and that made it a 4 ½ hour meal and a new record for me here! I was planning to sleep in tomorrow as there wasn’t a lot I hadn’t covered in Universal Studios since Wednesday. I would probably begin my day there around 11 am or so tomorrow.



NEXT: Exploring the Grand Floridian!

[Cam22]

Wonderful finish to your meal at V&A! So sweet of Drew and Dot to make this possible on this trip. It would have been a shame for you to miss out on this trip.

[pamcarey]

Great pictures with Dot and Drew! The chocolates look wonderful, and what a classy way to be presented with the checks!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[DMA]

That's a great picture of the three of you!

[Her Dotness]

One more lovely detail about the elderly couple at the nearby table that slipped Dave’s mind—

As Dave mentioned, they were more than a bit shocked and somewhat overcome upon being advised that their children had arranged to pay for their meal.

Either Al or Israel, I don’t recall which, presented the gentleman with a beautiful box that contained a 50-year-old Madeira, also a gift from their children because their father was especially fond of Madeira wines. And likely a generous gift indeed since aged Madeiras can be very expensive.

Perhaps the couple were celebrating their 50th? They looked of an age to have been married that long. I don’t recall, but it was an exciting addition to an already wonderful dinner.

As for our desserts, I enjoyed the banana gateau although wasn’t tremendously fond of it.

I refused the Peruvian chocolate one outright, something I’ve never before done. (Me? Refuse a V&A’s dessert? I’d never have envisioned that happening. )

That one simply looked too weird to me—like a squooshed eyeball with very long fake eyelashes. ICK! Not appetizing at all! One of the few V&A’s dishes I haven’t found visually appealing. Usually, every one is such an artwork, I hate destroying it.

Oh, and Dave’s recollection was a bit faulty as to which of us, Drew or I, chose four of those wonderful brandy-soaked cherry chocolates. That was me. Drew wanted two of those and two of the sea-salt caramels.

Those cherries are marinated for six full months, Drew and I were told once before. The fumes alone from those chocolates could make one a bit tipsy, but my! is that ever a delicious brandy that enhances the cherries marvelously!

[Colexis Mom]

What a great finish to your meal! Well worth it!