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Grand
Floridian Cafe
Restaurant Review
The Czarina's Royal Table
EXPLANATION OF SORTS: The Czarina is a Real Person who eats -- a lot - at Disney World. She takes sole responsibility for all opinions stated below, de gustibus non disputandum and chacun a son gout. Do let us know what you think about this column at eureka@eurekajim.org.
Hello, Beloved Public!
Your Czarina had lunch, all by her Royal self, at the Grand Floridian Cafe, a cheerful pink-and-white place in that big old Victorian hotel, one day in August 2000. Your Czarina has eaten there a couple of times before, at both breakfast and lunch.
For those who are devoted aficionados of the Cafe, be warned: this review should probably be subtitled They Can't All Be Gems. I was (alas) on my way out of the World, and had a plane to catch. I was seated promptly, and informed my server that my time was a bit limited. He kindly brought me a mini-loaf of the Cafe's sourdough bread while I looked - quickly - at the menu.
The bread was still warm, and served with two kinds of butter - plain, and garlic/herb. It was quite edible, but a little on the unsubstantial and dry side. The concept was better than the execution.
The lunch menu includes soups, salads (including Cobb Salad and a Caesar which may be ordered with chicken or shrimp as an entrée), flatbreads, sandwiches and entrees. The entree choices were pasta, meatloaf, lobster Shepherd's pie, and a catch of the day.
Several specialty frozen drinks are featured (for example the Secret Garden, a strawberry and mango Margarita) at $6.95. Desserts are all $5.75 and include Mixed Berry Pyramid, Chocolate Hazelnut Mousse and New York Cheesecake.
As you know, Beloved Public, your Czarina is nothing if not a daredevil, and has in fact been called Warrior Woman by no less a person than the Editor of WDWIG. I decided to try the Lobster Shepherd's pie ($14.95). I asked carefully if this could be ready within 15 minutes and was assured it would, so I settled back to snoop on the nearby tables - well, not snoop exactly, but do a little covert research on what other people were eating.
Most people (obviously brighter bulbs than the Czarina, as you will see) seemed to be having sandwiches. The lady next door was tackling a New York Style Reuben on a good-looking marbled rye bread, and seeming to enjoy it. There was also a special of chili in a tortilla basket that looked tasty. I sipped some iced tea and tried to crane my neck to see what a large family table across the room were having.
With a start, I realized that 25 minutes had passed and no sign of my Shepherd's pie. It took me a further 5 minutes to attract the attention of my server. Your Czarina is sorry to say this, but repeated visits to the GF Cafe have left her with the impression that the servers are a little on the laid-back side. It took another five minutes for the dish to arrive.
It came in a mini-gratin dish with nicely browned mashed potatoes on top; but as all lovers of Shepherd's Pie know, it's what's under the potatoes that counts. What was under the potatoes was what I can only call Newburg soup - a pink, sherry-flavored, creamy soup, lightly dotted with small pieces of lobster. There were also diced carrots which, if not raw, were still extremely crunchy. I like crunchy carrots in salad, but they seemed out of place here. Once again, concept better than execution.
I gave up using a fork, and dug in with a spoon. The soup mixed sadly with the mashed potatoes into an unappetizing sludge. After consuming the 7 or 8 bits of lobster, there really wasn't much point going on. Your Czarina gave up, paid up, and left the premises for the airport.
THE BOTTOM LINE: the Grand Floridian Cafe is in the difficult position of being an all-around, family restaurant in the priciest and grandest of the WDW resorts. It is a good option if lots of space at your table is important to you; you will never feel crowded, the chairs are big and comfy, and it1s a good place for a chat. But lunch here is expensive! Both food and service need to be sharpened up.
CZARINA'S TOP TIP: I have had very good breakfasts here, and can certainly recommend the biscuits and extra-large omelettes they serve. I advise not eating here, however, if your time is limited.
