Okay people, listen up. My wife has been posting the vast majority of these Disney blogs but I wanted to do this one. Because I wanted to channel my innermost Alex Guarnaschelli and describe the food in the most scrumptious way imaginable. Also for other reasons that may or may not be relevant
– I love Ratatouille (the movie)
– My (most common) nickname is Remy (or Remi) and I love to cook
– Kara even got me a blue chef’s apron one year that says “Lil’ Chef” on it.
Remy is one of the two adults only fine dining restaurants you’ll find on the Fantasy. Reservations are required, dress code is enforced, and yes it will cost you some money. We had earned a healthy amount of on board credit prior to our trip and decided to spend a chunk of it here to celebrate our anniversary (5 years!). Dinner will cost you $75pp and we talked amongst ourselves and decided it was a little steep, so we opted for the champagne brunch at $50pp. Well, the fine print here is that in order to get the champagne pairings to go along with your brunch, it’s an additional $25pp. So…we ended up paying the same as we would have for dinner. Oh well. The experience was still VERY worth it.
This is high end French cuisine. From the moment you waltz in the door, you are treated like royalty. It only adds to the atmosphere that most of the staff working there happen to be French as well. Something very authentic about having a French chef describe French dishes to me. Nevertheless, the menu was created by Chef Arnaud Lallement from l’Assiette Champenoise—a Michelin 2-star restaurant just outside Reims, France—and Chef Scott Hunnel from award-winning Victoria & Albert’s at Walt Disney World Resort and it is executed to a tedious perfection that seemingly only a French chef would understand. Folks, the French love food. They are culinary innovators and have been for hundreds of years.
The restaurant is located on Deck 12, Aft (or rear for you non-nautical folk) and the dining room arches out over the water. Makes for some spectacular views to accompany your experience. The restaurant has an upscale, yet cozy atmosphere and there are hidden Remys throughout. Disney. Details. Yep.
So, now it’s time to walk you through our 2 hour brunch course by course. I am beside myself with glee that I get to take you through this journey.
To start, you gather in the wine room where Executive Chef Benoît & Sous Chef Fabrice take you through each course that will be served…
…while the Sommelier, Daniel explains which champagnes he has carefully selected to be paired with your dining experience.
In the wine room, you are presented with a complimentary glass of Taittigner Brut champagne served alongside your first course; the Jamón Ibérico (cured ham).Kara & I looked at each other with the same foodie-induced snob-face. “Ham?” As in…“That’s what they’re rolling out with? Just some shaved ham on a plate?”
*open mouth > insert foot*
This “ham on a plate” literally melts in your mouth. I’m about to use a word you may have never heard used before to describe ham. Are you ready? Silky. This ham was silky. Most cured meats are too salty for my taste, but this was sensationally delectable. Like butter.
It was so delicious that we gobbled it up without snapping a picture. Rest assured this was the only time this happened over the course of the meal. Fortunately, this is 2013 and such a thing called the internet exists and other people have blogged about this exact same experience. So, for the first course I’m borrowing some a picture.
(Benoît on the left, Daniel on the right, HAM! in the middle)
Photo Credit – Scott Sanders – Disney Cruise Line Blog
Once you’ve devoured your ham on a plate, you are escorted to your table.
And presented with this.
You’re going to get very tired of hearing me say “the best ____ I’ve ever had in my life” but get used to it. I don’t know if it was the atmosphere, the champagne flowing in my veins, or me being stupid happy that I’m on a Disney cruise celebrating 5 years of marital bliss with the love of my life; but this was the best bread I’ve ever had in my life. See? I got you there.
A truffled brioche served with fresh butter and coarse sea salt. Brioche is already one of the most sinful breads out there. Soft & eggy, like a warm bread pillow. But they had to go and add black truffle shavings to it. Then you slather on the cool, fresh butter and sprinkle with some coarse sea salt and it’s time for heaven. This is no ordinary bread.
Once you’ve embarrassingly scarfed it all down, you are treated to your first champagne that will accompany the next two courses. A glass of the yummy Taittinger Prestige Cuvée Rosé NV. Slightly sweet, crisp, and fruity.
The first course set in front of you to go along side this champagne is a Sweet Corn Emulsion spiced with a chili oil and topped with crisp pancetta croutons.
You know how it feels when you’re at the lake on a hot summer day and you sink your teeth into some fresh, sweet corn on the cob? Imagine that in soup form. It was ever so sweet, delectably creamy, and wonderfully frothy. The chili oil gave it the slightest hint of spice to excite your taste buds and leave a lingering warmth. I would have turned the bowl up and drank it if it wasn’t considered poor form.
Amazingly, we have nowhere to go but UP from here. It just keeps getting better. The next course was a delightful presentation of color.
Salmon that had been cured in sugar and salt, then smoked at 98 degrees for precisely 5 minutes (Chef Benoît made that very clear) served atop an herb-scented aoili, surrounded with edible micro-greens and flower blossoms. The salmon was melt-in-your mouth creamy. Ever so delicate. They told us everything on the plate was edible, so I trusted them. Hard to imagine a time I felt more awkward as when I’m munching on flowers.
Okay *leans back, cracks knuckles* NOW it’s time for the heavy hitters. If you need to refill your beverages or make a run to the restroom, now would be a good time.
Your glass is magically refilled! This time with the Lanson Pink Label champagne. We didn’t snap a picture of it because it looked identical to the first. After scouring other blogs, this is not what is normally served, but you won’t hear me complain as this was an extremely tasty blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, & Pinot Meunier. It pairs well with heavier dishes which means…it’s time for the heavier dishes. Heh.
Without a doubt, the most unique dish of the day was this sea bass. Seared, served atop a bed of scrambled eggs (yes, you read that right) and a thai peanut sauce. Sea bass is a hearty, flaky, fish and can stand up to the abuse of a good sear. This was done perfectly. The eggs and sauce were an unusual, but pleasantly surprising combo. This turned out to be one of my favorite dishes of the entire cruise.
And it just keeps getting better. Here we have a Veal tenderloin, roasted to absolute perfection. Juicy, tender, and bathed in rich, velvety au jus. Off to the side is a potato croquette. Mashed potatoes, mixed with a little veal au jus, and deep fried. When you slice into it, piping hot mashed potatoes just ooze out. This is how the french “play with their food”.
So, we’ve licked all the plates clean. Waiting with baited breath for our dessert when Daniel comes over to pour us a glass of this:
A sinfully sweet Moet & Chandon Ice, served over ice. I had never heard nor seen that before. But it didn’t matter, I was stuffed, slightly boozed, and happy to accept anything else they dared to serve me. Like this ridiculous dessert.
A moment of silence if you will…..
Paris Brest (pastries stuffed with hazelnut cream) accompanied with a dollop of praline gelato in the middle. Rich, decadent, not overly sweet. Simply put, the best dessert I’ve ever had. We both thought so.
Just when you think it’s all over, they offer coffee and bring out some petit fours.
Banana marshmallows, canelé, & chocolate suckers (which we took to-go).
Never have I been so fat & happy. This experience was one of the best we’ve had at any restaurant ever. I highly recommend setting aside some time (& $$$) to do this, especially if you are a fellow foodie.
The featured menu (which varies seasonally) can be found here.
Next up on the Disney cruise posts – Satellite Falls.
Awesome. My mind is still trying to comprehend the scrambled egg/sea bass/Thai peanut sauce combo, but hey, well-prepared sea bass is one of my favorite types of seafood, so I’m game. I’m surprised you guys were able to walk back to your cabin after all of that champagne. Do they offer complimentary wheelchairs to shuttle their guests out the back door and through the crew’s quarters so no one sees the damage that has been done?
I seem to remember “drifting” back to the stateroom.