Recently, mom and I had the great fortune to travel to Anaheim, California for my work. We stayed at the Disney Grand Californian hotel. To be honest with you, I had strong reservations about staying at a Disney property. Would it be too...Disney? Much to my delight, I could not have been more wrong. Not only was the property beautiful, it was...well...one of the happiest places on Earth.
Our first night in, we decided to have dinner at one of the hotel restaurants called the Napa Rose. The Napa Rose is sumptuously lit with warm colored glass covering the wall fixtures and creating an intimate dining experience. Maybe it was the jet lag (or maybe it was the wine) but I immediately felt comfortable and happy to be there.
We took our seats and ordered a zucchini tart that was so delicious. Flaky pastry filled with summer squashes and topped with fresh radishes? Yes, please. Deep fried stuffed squash blossoms? Shut up.
On to the mains: I went with the duck. Topped with radicchio and served over a squash puree with white peaches, this was divine. Mom went with the chicken roulade, another smash hit. We also ordered the comte potatoes (basically roasted potatoes covered in cheese)- a little bit heavy, but completely delicious.
Absolutely stuffed but not quite ready to go, we ended the night with something called “blooming peach tea.” Blooming tea is served in a tightly closed ball that is dropped into a kettle of hot water. Over the course of several minutes, the tea ball blooms into a beautiful flower (and the tea is ready to drink).
This meal was delicious and fun and had a touch of that Disney magic I have always heard of but never quite understood. The open kitchen let you see the staff working to create these colorful and filling dishes, while the layout of the space gave you a view out the windows to the lovely green spaces outside. It was understated and delicious and nothing at all like I (very wrongly) anticipated. I loved it and would go back any time.
It really was a fabulous treat and I agree with everything Sarah said here! The food was outstanding, the place was elegant, and the memory is magical!