Legendary Charm and Style

Some restaurants are tough to get into because of their reputation and some because of their location. It is rare to find a restaurant with impeccable food, a prime location, and one that you can, on occasion, walk into without a reservation. The Grand Floridian Cafe just happens to be one of these locations.

The Grand Floridian Cafe offers spacious rooms that can seat several groups at a time, but each table feels quaint and cozy. They are filled with all of the Victorian charm found throughout every nook and cranny of the resort. The restaurant’s staff is friendly and insightful, and quick with a recommendation if you seem to be struggling between multiple options.

The Disney name is known for film, theme parks, and entertainment. Yet, more and more, those in and around the Disney community are becoming known for their vineyards. The Grand Floridian Cafe offers up a selection of wines from Fess Parker, Fred MacMurray (MacMurray Ranch), and Walt Disney's daughter, Diane Disney Miller and her husband, Ron Miller (Sliverado). I opted for the Silverado Cabernet Sauvignon which, while expensive, was one of the smoothest glasses I have had in recent memory.

For my main course I went with the Orecchiette Pasta. The pasta is tossed with an Asiago cream sauce, peas, grilled chicken and topped with prosciutto. The orecchiette is thick, but tender to the fork and the teeth. The chicken is cubed into bite sized pieces, but still has some great charred bits from the grilling process and it retains its natural juices. The peas are so fresh they pop as you bite into them. The prosciutto is shaved and crispy. There is a high salt content between the prosciutto and the ridiculously rich Asiago cream sauce, although it isn’t so salty that it turned me off of the dish. Pasta is an easy thing to accept mediocrity in, but that is not the case here, everything is fresh and has a homegrown, classic taste to it.

On the dessert tray there are a ton of tasty pastries, but I couldn’t resist the Seasonal Sorbet, which happened to be mango on that particular day. Three generous scoops, topped with a concentrated syrup, burst with the tropical flavor of the mango. Combine that with fresh blackberries and raspberries and you have one tasty treat that can cleanse your palate and leave you begging for more!

The Grand Floridian Cafe uses the best possible ingredients but never seems to be overrun by guests. I imagine a big reason for that is the fact that there are so many quality dining establishments around The Grand Floridian, but that doesn’t mean the Cafe should be overlooked or passed by. In fact, I believe the lack of lines should be relished by those who are smart enough to stop by.