Taste of Disney

My plans for dinner that night were to return to a signature restaurant which I had not been to in 2 1/2 years. My family’s first two or three visits to Narcoossee’s had been very good experiences. One of them, back in 2010, was among the best meals of that trip. But then my next three visits were while we were using the DeLuxe DDP. Trying to maximize the value of the plan, I made the mistake of ordering the most expensive entree on the menu, which was the Surf & Turf (filet mignon and lobster tail), and every time I was disappointed. So after three lackluster meals, it was time for Narcoossee’s and I to take a break. I probably would have permanently severed our dining relationship except for one thing…Narcoossee’s Almond-crusted Cheesecake. My love for this dessert ultimately drew me back to Narcoossee’s and was the primary reason for this return visit. Would I regret my decision to give Narcoossee’s another chance? Read on to find out.

I arrived at Narcoossee’s by taking a boat from Magic Kingdom. The boat dock at the Grand Floridian resort is conveniently located right next to the restaurant. Unlike the resort’s other restaurants, Narcoossee’s can be found in a separate building down by the lake rather than in the resort’s main building.

Once I checked in at the desk inside and received my pager, I found a bench seat outside on the porch since it was a beautiful night. When my pager went off I was seated at a four-top table by the window…

Here are the menus I was presented, starting with the Cocktail/Wine/Beer menu…

I wanted some wine that night but couldn’t decide on just one so ordered one of their white wine flights…

Here is what I chose…

I had had the Conundrum several times previously, but the A to Z Riesling and Trinitas Moscato were both new for me. I enjoyed all three wines and would recommend the Unique White flight to any other white wine fans out there.

Then on to the food…

Though a couple of the appetizers sounded good, I wanted to save room for dessert so stuck with just the bread to start with…

This was a good sourdough along with butter with sea salt. Not quite in the same league as the onion rolls at Yachtsman, but a good start to the meal.

As for my entree, I chose the…

Key West Shrimp & Fettuccine – Wild White Shrimp, Savoy Spinach, Baby Heirloom Tomatoes, and Lemon-Chardonnay-Garlic Cream Sauce

I had read a few less than stellar reviews of this dish, but I’m so glad I decided to ignore these and try this for myself because I thought it was delicious. One of the negative reviews commented that this entree tasted like a frozen dinner. I totally disagree with this assessment. The perfectly cooked shrimp in my entree were large and very fresh tasting, not like they had once been frozen. The pasta was also cooked perfectly and the sauce was surprisingly light for a cream sauce. I thought it perfectly complemented the shrimp and pasta. I had a similar entree at Hollywood Brown Derby on my last trip and really enjoyed it but I would have to say that the Narcoossee’s one was even better.

Then it was time for the Electrical Water Pageant, but first I placed my order for dessert and coffee. For the purpose of ordering there was no need for me to look at the dessert menu, but I did take photos of it for my review…

Though I could see the water parade from my seat by the window, I went outside to get a better view and took a few (not so great) photos…

I always enjoy seeing this simple, yet classic Disney World parade.
It was almost time for the Magic Kingdom fireworks (I believe it was HalloWishes that night) to begin so I stayed outside on the porch to await their start.

I apologize, as again my photos are not good. But hopefully you can tell that Narcoossee’s private porch (it’s only to be used by the restaurant’s patrons) provides an excellent view of Magic Kingdom and the fireworks. Oh, and in case you were wondering, the music from the fireworks show is piped in to the restaurant, inside and out. This is definitely a perk of dining at Narcoossee’s around the scheduled time of the Magic Kingdom fireworks.

Anyway, once the show was over I returned to my table where my dessert and coffee were waiting for me…

I forgot to ask if I could get just a regular cup of coffee, so what I ended up with was a pressed pot of their Joffrey’s premium signature blend coffee. While this was good, for me it wasn’t really worth the premium price of $6.29 per person. But even a $6+ cup of coffee could not put a damper on my enjoyment of this wonderful dessert…

Almond-crusted Cheesecake with Lambert Cherry Sauce

Oh my gosh, I had forgotten just how delicious this dessert was!! This could very well be my favorite Disney World dessert. The combination of the creamy, sweet cheesecake and the salty, crunchy almonds is perfect. Seeing my photos and thinking about this dessert is making my mouth water. It’s also making me sad because Narcoossee’s is not on the dining schedule for my upcoming trip. Unfortunately, I let my three kids choose the restaurants where we will be dining and even though I was campaigning for Narcoossee’s, it did not make their cut. So unless I resort to bribery (which is possible ), I don’t foresee this heavenly cheesecake in my near future. But…as God as my witness, I will not go without it for 2 1/2 years ever again!!

I left Narcoossee’s that night quite full and very happy. This had been the best dinner of the trip so far, beating out Yachtsman, California Grill, and Artist Point. With upcoming dinners at Flying Fish Cafe, bluezoo, and Citricos, would Narcoossee’s hold on to the #1 spot? Stay tuned to find out.