Overview:
One of the great things about World Showcase at Epcot is that it allows you to be completely immersed in cultures that are completely different from our own, experiencing the sights, sounds, and tastes of eleven different nations. Each pavilion has their own unique offerings of attractions, shops, and restaurants that help give us insight into what life is like in these different nations. The Canada pavilion may be the most beautiful and visually stunning in all of World Showcase. The first things that catches the eye is the Victorian-style Hotel du Canada, inspired by the Chateau Laurier in Ottawa. The landscaping is likewise absolutely stunning with beautifully colorful grounds reminiscent of Victoria’s Butchart Gardens. The pavilion also pays homage to the Canadian Rockies with a boulder-strewn stream and thirty-foot waterfall. Just as the pavilion’s exterior captures the beauty of the Canadian landscape, Le Cellier offers an equally immersive experience into Canadian cuisine. It is a restaurant which offers an elegant and intimate escape and, during the course of a meal, makes one forget that you are actually dining in the middle of the theme park.
Atmosphere:
The great difficulty in getting reservations at Le Cellier is not only due to its incredible popularity, but also because of its size. Le Cellier is probably the smallest of all the sit-down restaurants at Epcot with exception of the Bistro di Paris, but this adds to its allure with the small size creating a very intimate atmosphere. The décor of the restaurant is simple and subtle, but elegant. True to its name, the restaurant is meant to feel as though you are dining in a wine cellar. Although the theming may not be as over-the-top as restaurants like Rainforest Café or 50’s Prime Time Café, it still has many little details that contribute to your sense of immersion. The stone and dark-wood paneled walls, the faux candle light fixtures, and faux fireplace all lend to the authentic wine cellar atmosphere, as well as the numerous wine bottles scattered around the restaurant.
The restaurant does not have any windows and so the dining area is somewhat dark and enclosed, but large mirrors on all of the walls give the sense that the restaurant is actually much bigger than it is. Due to its small space, the tables in the dining area are somewhat close together, but the restaurant is not loud at all even if all the tables are filled. With its refined and intimate feel, Le Cellier is a great dining location for a romantic night out, but at the same time it is not so upscale that you should hesitate going if you have children.
The Menu:
Le Cellier features a menu with dishes that highlight the different regions and provinces of Canada and the various culinary traditions of this vast nation. While the lunch and dinner menus have some similarities with certain selections found on both, there are also some noticeable differences between the two. The appetizer selections are identical on both menus. When it comes to appetizers, one of the must-have items at Le Cellier is the Canadian Cheddar Cheese Soup made with Moosehead beer and smoked bacon. Another popular appetizer is the Spicy Chicken and Chipotle Sausage served with a roasted corn polenta and sweet onion jam. Other appetizer options include Sautéed Prince Edward Island Mussels, Lump Crab and Sweet Corn Custards, the Tomato Stack with carmelized onions, cucumbers, and crumbled blue cheese, and Duck Three-Ways.
For entrees, Le Cellier is best known for its steaks. The New York Strip Steak, topped with bercy butter and served with Gruyere Yukon Gold Potato Gratin, as well as the Mushroom Filet Mignon, with wild mushroom risotto and a white truffle and herb butter sauce, are found on both the lunch and dinner menus. The Coffee-Rubbed Kansas City Strip Steak, with hazelnut butter and cream cheese mashed potatoes, is exclusive just to the dinner menu. Other entrees found on both menus are the King Salmon Two Ways (pan-seared and poached) and the Sautéed Potato Gnocchi served with grilled eggplant, cherry tomatoes, and pesto sauce.
The lunch menu also features a selection of sandwiches that come served with your choice of potato salad or French fries. These sandwiches include the Salmon Croque Madame with prosciutto, poached egg, and blue cheese sauce, the Shaved Prime Rib Sandwich topped with cheddar cheese, sauteed onions, and a horseradish cream sauce, the very popular Le Cellier House Burger served with maple barbecue sauce, cheddar cheese, and crispy onions, and the Chicken Crepe with roasted portobello mushrooms, peppers, and a blue cheese sauce.
Likewise, the dinner menu also has some exclusive items. Among the dinner selections are the Pan-Roasted Chicken Breast, a Salt-Crusted Prime Rib finished with au jus and horseradish cream sauce, a Spice-Crusted Pork Chop served with rosemary polenta, the Veal T-Bone, and a Brioche-Crusted Pacific Halibut that comes with sweet pea ravioli, carrots, and a white wine-butter sauce.
There are also several side orders which are available for both lunch and dinner to enhance your entrée selections. These include Oven-roasted Mushrooms, Grilled Asparagus, Creamed Spinach Gratinee, Sautéed Spinach, Onion Rings, Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes, Wild Mushroom Risotto, and Baked Macaroni and Cheese.
When dining at Le Cellier you want to make sure to save room for one of their delectable desserts. The dessert options are the same for both lunch and dinner and include a Chocolate on Chocolate Whiskey Cake, the Chocolate "Moose," Maple Creme Brulee, and Campfire S'mores.
For an appetizer I started with the Prince Edward Island Mussels which come sautéed with celery, shallots, ginger, garlic, and coconut milk. I am not usually a fan of mussels but these were outstanding and extremely flavorful. If you do not really care for garlic you may not want to order this particular appetizer because the mussels have a very strong garlic flavor. Surprisingly there was little taste of the coconut milk, which I thought would have stood out more. The mussels were cooked perfectly, were very tender, and come served in a skillet that is sizzling hot. Also of note, the sauce that the mussels come in is great for bread-dipping.
No meal at Le Cellier is complete without having the Canadian Cheddar Cheese Soup. In my opinion, it is the best item on the entire menu. I could go to Le Cellier, just order the Cheddar Cheese Soup, and leave completely happy and satisfied. What makes the soup so special is its incredible flavor. It is extremely rich and creamy, very thick, and very filling. The predominant flavor of the soup is the cheddar cheese, but there is also a slight hint of beer that adds an extra little kick. There is also the taste of smoked bacon, but this is just enough to enhance the overall flavor of the soup rather than being overpowering. The flavors of the cheddar cheese, Moosehead beer, and smoked bacon blend together in a way that creates a soup unmatched by any other that I have ever had. I would go so far as to say that Le Cellier’s Canadian Cheddar Cheese Soup is one of my favorite food items in all of Disney World.
Despite Le Cellier being known for its steaks, my favorite entrée selection is the Sauteed Potato Gnocchi. For those of you not familiar with gnocchi, it is a type of pasta/dumpling made of potato and flour. The word gnocchi actually means “lumps” and it has been a traditional Italian dish since ancient Roman times. Like the Cheddar Cheese Soup, this is a dish which is very rich and filling. The gnocchi come sautéed so that they are just slightly browned on the outside, but still nice and soft on the inside, with an “al dente” consistency that is firm and not mushy. The gnocchi come in a pesto sauce that is very fresh and flavorful. The lightness of the pesto sauce provides a good contrast to the heaviness of the gnocchi. Also providing additional flavor to the dish are the diced eggplant and cherry tomatoes, which like the pesto add a refreshing and lighter texture to an otherwise very heavy dish. The gnocchi also come topped with parmesan cheese, just enough to add some additional flavor without overpowering the other elements of the dish.
With all this food it is very tough to still have room for dessert, but it is definitely worth your while. I opted for the Chocolate “Moose,” which presents a fun twist on a traditional dessert. Served in the shape of a Moose head, this is yet another very rich dish. The mousse is very thick and firm in texture, but still creamy and smooth. The mousse also has a toasted chocolate coating which provides additional texture and added chocolaty flavor to the dessert. While this dessert may be simple, it is still very flavorful and extremely good.
Service:
The service at Le Cellier is of very high quality. Because of the restaurant’s smaller size, it means that the servers are able to pay an even greater amount of attention to each table. It seemed as though the server was always coming by the table to make sure everything was okay and to see if anything was needed. I found my server to be very friendly and helpful. She pointed out some of the more popular items on the menu, her own personal favorites, and also offered suggestions as to which wines might be the best for certain dishes. One thing I enjoy about the service at Le Cellier is that, although they are very efficient and attentive, the meal still progresses at a relaxed pace. Even though the restaurant is extremely popular, I did not feel as though they were trying to rush me through my meal in order to get the tables turned-over quickly. While the service was not slow, they still allowed enough time between each course to digest a little before the next dish was brought out. I felt that this pace of service actually allows you to enjoy the meal much more and really appreciate the high quality of the restaurant.
Dining on a Budget:
Le Cellier offers a “Chef’s Favorites” prix fixe option for both lunch and dinner that includes your choice of an appetizer, entrée, and dessert. The price for lunch is $29.99 and $36.99 for dinner. The appetizer selections are the same for both lunch and dinner, with the choice of Mixed Field Greens, Canadian Cheddar Cheese Soup, or Spicy Chicken and Chipotle Sausage. The lunch menu entrees include the Shaved Prime Rib Sandwich, Grilled Angus Chuck Burger, Sauteed Potato Gnocchi, and the Grilled Sirloin Salad. For dinner, the options are the King Salmon Two Ways, the Salt-crusted Prime Rib, Sautéed Potato Gnocchi, and the Pan-Roasted Chicken Breast. Both lunch and dinner dessert options feature the Maple Créme Brulée, Chocolate “Moose,” or the Seasonal Sorbet.
While this may appear to be a good value, you need to be careful with what you order because some combinations of appetizer, entrée, and dessert do not add up to the price you are paying for the prix fixe menu. In some instances you can save money. For example, if you were to order the Spicy Chicken and Chipotle Sausage ($9.99), the Sauteed Potato Gnocchi ($19.99), and a Chocolate “Moose” ($5.99) separately off the lunch menu your total would come to $36. In this case, you would be saving $6 by ordering off the prix fixe menu; it would be like getting a free dessert. Some combinations, however, just do not add up. For example, the Canadian Cheddar Cheese Soup ($6.99), House Burger ($13.99), and Chocolate “Moose” ($5.99) would come to $26 if ordered separately off the lunch menu, $3 less than if you ordered the prix fixe lunch. So, while it can be a good value, be sure to do the math before you order from the prix fixe menu.
The Overall Experience:
One of the main ways that restaurants become successful is to deliver a high quality product and to do so consistently. This is especially true at Le Cellier. It comes as no surprise that the restaurant is one of the most popular in all of Disney World. In all the times of have dined there I have never been disappointed. You go to Le Cellier with very high expectations and yet the restaurant delivers time after time; not only does it meet these expectations, but it exceeds them. I highly recommend Le Cellier as one of my “must do” Disney restaurants. If you have not experienced this restaurant yet, it is definitely worth trying. As soon as you have dined there once, you will want to keep going back again and again. However, be advised that reservations are a must and should be booked as far in advance as possible. If you cannot get a reservation, be persistent because you never know when there will be changes or cancellations. All this effort will be worth it because the experience of Le Cellier can best be summed up as Disney dining at its very best.
No comments:
Post a Comment