We were staying at the Swan Hotel in Disney World and decided to try the Garden Grove Restaurant. One of the deciding factors was the Disney Character Dining. We thought this would be a fun experience.
We were seated by our very friendly and very efficient waiter, Rafael, who went through the menu for the night. It was Mediterranean Night so there was a minestrone, and a number of salads, pasta and beef dishes, baked eggplant Parmesan as well as a delicious lemon and herb chicken. Cold meat and cheese also featured and I couldn’t wait to finish my main meal to get to the desserts.
Unfortunately I don’t remember the name of the dessert chef, Raphael had mentioned it, but every one of the desserts was a taste of heaven.
After going through the menu, Rafael brought a large bowl full of lovely fresh garden salad to our table and an assortment of breads. He served the salad onto our plates and left the bowl for us to top up with as needed.
We got chatting and asked his opinion on a good cocktail or drink to have with dinner. Having just recently been in Spain we mentioned the Sangria which was on the menu. Rafael agreed it was an excellent choice and returned with two jugs of White Sangria which he served in our wine glasses commenting that he was sure the ‘ladies would prefer the drink in a glass’. and of course he was quite correct. Sucking Sangria through a straw in a jug didn’t quite have the same appeal as drinking it from a nice glass.
Here is an assortment of the yummy, delicious food on offer:
Desserts
Did I mention that the desserts were delicious (of course I did) and they are made by the same patisserie chef who makes the desserts for Todd English’s Blue Zoo Restaurant at the Dolphin Resort Hotel in Disney World.
And of course the highlight of this dining experience was the appearance of Pluto and Goofy, well apart from the desserts.
Both were an absolute delight and really played up to the camera. This is an experience I recommend not only for the kids but the adults as well. It is amazing how many adults are uptight when approached by the characters, especially those without children. Well we haven’t ever done this before and we were determined to make the most of the moment and we loved it.
Seafood Sensation at the Garden Grove Restaurant
We enjoyed the excellent service, the tasty food and the character dining so much that we decided to go back on the Friday night for the Seafood Buffet.
We had a different waiter on this night so we got to suck/swig Sangria from the jug.
Our dining experience began with our waiter bringing us a bowl of fried shrimp, Popcorn shrimp, calamari, hush puppies, some prawn crackers and a half a lobster each as starters. A lovely start to the meal.
On offer tonight are:
Soup:
- New England Clam Chowder
Raw Bar:
- Smoked fish Dip, Peel and Eat Shrimp and Ceviche
Salads:
- Pasta salad, Mediterranean salad, Caesar salad, potato salad and fruit salad
Buffet:
- Prime Rib (unfortunately I always find this way undercooked for my taste, and it seems to be the same everywhere that we go the US)
- Mussel Fra Diable
- Frutti de Mare
- Snow Crab Legs (another item that is very popular in the States but doesn’t interest me, too fiddly for what you get),
- Jumbo Scallops with wilted greens, Bacon, Cabernet Vinegar
- Lemon Chicken
- mashed potatoes
- Seafood paella
- Fish of the Day
- Tarragon Buerre Blanc
- Green Beans with shallots and toasted almonds
From the Kitchen – our starter dish as above
Assorted Desserts
The Buffet costs $35.99 plus tax and drinks are not included.
If you don’t want the buffet on this night you can just order unlimited stuff half Maine Lobster for $55.99 plus tax.
They only serve one lobster at a time and you must eat from tail to claw before you can order another one.
Once again the food is delicious and the desserts are divine. And tonight we not only had the pleasure of Pluto and Goofy but also Chip and Dale.
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