Did I get too excited about this EPIC birthday dinner and eat every last bite without taking one photo? I’m going to start this post by saying it’s a little different than my other foodie posts in one major way. I have no food pictures, because yes, yes I did.
Narcoossee’s at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa is a beautiful dining location nestled on the shoreline of the California hotel-inspired property. Just like the rest of this grand resort, this restaurant has an incredible view of the Magic Kingdom. As we ate, we looked out the window at the iconic silhouettes of Cinderella Castle, Space Mountain, and the Contemporary resort.
A Rhode Island favorite
Throughout all four years of my college education, I attended the University of Rhode Island. One of the things I loved most about my time in this tiny state was its big appreciation of food. Rhode Island has so many unique dishes, one of them being Rhode Island calamari. The squid is cut into rings, coated in breadcrumbs and fried to a golden brown, then served with warm marinara sauce, just like the rest. However, fried cherry pepper rings add a bright and slightly spicy acidity to the dish that makes it pop.
At Narcoossee’s, their calamari dish is a spin on this Rhody favorite with sliced green olives and yellow banana peppers adorning the crisp and rich calamari. The red sauce lies at the base of the plate and was seasoned perfectly to complement the dish. Additionally, I requested lemon slices on the side and it sent this dish over the top – we would absolutely enjoy this appetizer again.
Dinner
For our main course, we both selected the surf and turf and upgraded to the filet mignon. Right off the bat, I have to say that I think a $19 upgrade for a filet on Disney property is a bit expensive, however, we were out celebrating my birthday. Since it was a special occasion, we did splurge on this meal, which was totally worth it.
The steak was cooked to perfection at a cool rare. The outside had a beautiful sear and it was tender all the way through. Accompanying the steak were roasted root vegetables that I really enjoyed. Then, the mashed potatoes – the secretly most super important part in any steak dinner. They were smooth, but a bit salty. When pared with the roasted vegetables, it was the perfect bite. But alone, they had just a touch too much salt.
Saving the best part of dinner for last – the buttery, herb sprinkled lobster tail. It was perfect, as most lobster tails are. I could have made a meal just out of lobster tails and clarified butter and been perfectly happy. It was cooked just enough and had an amazing texture and mouthfeel. Lobster, done right, is one of the greatest foods in the world. The lobster at Narcoossee’s is certainly worth the trip!
Overall experience
Dinner at Narcoossee’s is perfect for a special occasion or for the fancy dinner of your vacation. It’s an elegant, waterfront location that lets you feel like you’re simultaneously on and off Walt Disney World property.
Follow me on TikTok to keep up with all my food adventures! Below is my video of our Narcoossee’s experience.
Looking for more Tasty Tuesday? Check out our night at Jaleo, Disney Springs!
