SBETigg
09-13-2007, 03:59 PM
Thursday August 23, 6:40 pm
Our table isn’t ready when we arrive and we’re given a beeper to go sit down and wait. My DH harasses me to tell them we would like a patio seat and I assure him that they do not take special requests. Everyone wants a patio seat. He tells me that it wouldn’t hurt to ask. I assure him that I don’t want to annoy the CMs and so it goes. I wonder why he still does not realize that I'm the expert on WDW? We’re early anyway. There’s a sign at the podium that asks people not to linger over two hours for a meal and I believe we’ll be done and gone well before Illuminations.
We go to the beer garden and order Bass for the adults and get water for the kids while we wait for the beeper to go off. Shortly after seven, we’re finally being seated. Without any begging, pleading, or needling, we’re shown to a wonderful table on the patio with a fantastic view of the lagoon. So we’ll probably be done before it gets dark, but it’s nice to have a great view while we eat.
The DH and DS both start with the Fruit and Cheese Plate, which is Irish Cheddar, Mushroom Brie, and Stilton Pastry with individual accompaniments, a nice meal starter because it has a lot of neat different little things. I go for the Stewed Mushrooms, cooked with garlic, shallots and cream, and I am very pleased. They’re so good! My DD gets the Potato and Leek Soup, a smooth puree of roasted potatoes, cream and leeks, something I would never get as I am not a fan of leeks. But I try her soup and it is really incredible, quite good. I suddenly think better of leeks. The appetizers were a big hit here, much better than I expected. The chef comes out to introduce herself to the table next to us. What a nice touch! I can’t wait to tell her how much I loved the mushrooms.
I’ve had trouble deciding what to order for dinner and now the server is back. I ask her opinion. She recommends the bangers and mash. My DH takes her up on it. My DS and I get the steak and fish. The DD, not a fish lover, opts for fish and chips.
I regret the steak and fish when it comes and my DS seems a little dubious as well. The fish is very good. Fresh, flaky, batter fried, not much wrong with that. It’s the steak that doesn’t thrill me. The black-and-tan demi-glace reminds me of the gravy that came with swiss steak at the school cafeteria, and the cut of meat isn’t particularly special either. The green beans and mashed potatoes are decent though, and I fill up on those.
The DD decides she really isn’t fond of the fish and the DH kindly offers to switch meals. But I catch him eyeing the Bangers and Mash all evening. And no wonder! When I taste it, I realize that it really is the triumph of the evening and the thing to get at R & C. The traditional English sausages manage to seem light, with a delicate flavor (not a usual description for sausages). The braised cabbage, bacon, mashed potatoes and shallot gravy all go together so well and what seems like it would be heavy traditional English pub grub turns out to be a symphony of finely tuned flavors on a plate.
Now I really want to compliment the chef, but she comes out to talk to the table behind us and I realize I probably have to wait for dessert.
The server brings more drinks, more ale for the DH, and tells us she will be back to get our dessert order in a few minutes. At last, I check the time and realize that Illuminations is less than a half hour off. When she comes back to take our order, she tells us that she will bring it in time for us to eat it with the show. What? So we’re not being rushed off? We can stay? I’m delighted. We’re all delighted. Thrilled, actually. What an incredible view!
Illuminations does not disappoint, and neither does dessert. It’s a calm, clear night. No smoke blows around or lingers. It’s just an amazing show with rousing fireworks and music and the kids eyes light up like never before as they watch.
I’m a big fan of trifle and though the Baileys Irish Coffee Trifle is not my favorite strawberry sherry custard trifle, it does the trick. The Sticky Toffee Pudding, steamed pudding cake with warm vanilla custard and hot butter rum sauce, is also quite delicious. The Chocolate Guinness Torte is nice, but the toffee pudding is the big dessert winner for the non-trifle fans at the table. We linger after Illuminations with our dessert and drinks and marvel at what a magical night it was and how it will live with us forever.
The server, for not hustling us through the meal, gets an outstanding tip and I only realize as we are heading back to the monorail that I never got to compliment the chef. Maybe next time.
On a scale of:
-Highly Recommended: Must try
-Recommended: A good one to try.
-Not bad: You might give it a try.
-Unsatisfactory: I can’t recommend it.
It’s a Not bad: You might give it a try. If you could guarantee the view, it would be a must. But we did return to the pub a few times during the week and it’s almost as nice inside with the occasional live music and jaunty pub atmosphere. Maybe a good one for drinks and appetizers if you can’t manage an Illuminations view table for dinner. Of the WDW UK pubs, Raglan Road wins for better food but you really can't beat World Showcase for atmosphere.
Our table isn’t ready when we arrive and we’re given a beeper to go sit down and wait. My DH harasses me to tell them we would like a patio seat and I assure him that they do not take special requests. Everyone wants a patio seat. He tells me that it wouldn’t hurt to ask. I assure him that I don’t want to annoy the CMs and so it goes. I wonder why he still does not realize that I'm the expert on WDW? We’re early anyway. There’s a sign at the podium that asks people not to linger over two hours for a meal and I believe we’ll be done and gone well before Illuminations.
We go to the beer garden and order Bass for the adults and get water for the kids while we wait for the beeper to go off. Shortly after seven, we’re finally being seated. Without any begging, pleading, or needling, we’re shown to a wonderful table on the patio with a fantastic view of the lagoon. So we’ll probably be done before it gets dark, but it’s nice to have a great view while we eat.
The DH and DS both start with the Fruit and Cheese Plate, which is Irish Cheddar, Mushroom Brie, and Stilton Pastry with individual accompaniments, a nice meal starter because it has a lot of neat different little things. I go for the Stewed Mushrooms, cooked with garlic, shallots and cream, and I am very pleased. They’re so good! My DD gets the Potato and Leek Soup, a smooth puree of roasted potatoes, cream and leeks, something I would never get as I am not a fan of leeks. But I try her soup and it is really incredible, quite good. I suddenly think better of leeks. The appetizers were a big hit here, much better than I expected. The chef comes out to introduce herself to the table next to us. What a nice touch! I can’t wait to tell her how much I loved the mushrooms.
I’ve had trouble deciding what to order for dinner and now the server is back. I ask her opinion. She recommends the bangers and mash. My DH takes her up on it. My DS and I get the steak and fish. The DD, not a fish lover, opts for fish and chips.
I regret the steak and fish when it comes and my DS seems a little dubious as well. The fish is very good. Fresh, flaky, batter fried, not much wrong with that. It’s the steak that doesn’t thrill me. The black-and-tan demi-glace reminds me of the gravy that came with swiss steak at the school cafeteria, and the cut of meat isn’t particularly special either. The green beans and mashed potatoes are decent though, and I fill up on those.
The DD decides she really isn’t fond of the fish and the DH kindly offers to switch meals. But I catch him eyeing the Bangers and Mash all evening. And no wonder! When I taste it, I realize that it really is the triumph of the evening and the thing to get at R & C. The traditional English sausages manage to seem light, with a delicate flavor (not a usual description for sausages). The braised cabbage, bacon, mashed potatoes and shallot gravy all go together so well and what seems like it would be heavy traditional English pub grub turns out to be a symphony of finely tuned flavors on a plate.
Now I really want to compliment the chef, but she comes out to talk to the table behind us and I realize I probably have to wait for dessert.
The server brings more drinks, more ale for the DH, and tells us she will be back to get our dessert order in a few minutes. At last, I check the time and realize that Illuminations is less than a half hour off. When she comes back to take our order, she tells us that she will bring it in time for us to eat it with the show. What? So we’re not being rushed off? We can stay? I’m delighted. We’re all delighted. Thrilled, actually. What an incredible view!
Illuminations does not disappoint, and neither does dessert. It’s a calm, clear night. No smoke blows around or lingers. It’s just an amazing show with rousing fireworks and music and the kids eyes light up like never before as they watch.
I’m a big fan of trifle and though the Baileys Irish Coffee Trifle is not my favorite strawberry sherry custard trifle, it does the trick. The Sticky Toffee Pudding, steamed pudding cake with warm vanilla custard and hot butter rum sauce, is also quite delicious. The Chocolate Guinness Torte is nice, but the toffee pudding is the big dessert winner for the non-trifle fans at the table. We linger after Illuminations with our dessert and drinks and marvel at what a magical night it was and how it will live with us forever.
The server, for not hustling us through the meal, gets an outstanding tip and I only realize as we are heading back to the monorail that I never got to compliment the chef. Maybe next time.
On a scale of:
-Highly Recommended: Must try
-Recommended: A good one to try.
-Not bad: You might give it a try.
-Unsatisfactory: I can’t recommend it.
It’s a Not bad: You might give it a try. If you could guarantee the view, it would be a must. But we did return to the pub a few times during the week and it’s almost as nice inside with the occasional live music and jaunty pub atmosphere. Maybe a good one for drinks and appetizers if you can’t manage an Illuminations view table for dinner. Of the WDW UK pubs, Raglan Road wins for better food but you really can't beat World Showcase for atmosphere.