Located at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort, Narcoossee's is one of the nicer restaurants on Disney property. The restaurant is somewhat secluded within the resort, as it is located away from the main lobby, with a view that is one of the best in all of Disney. The panorama from the restaurant overlooks the Seven Seas Lagoon, as well as the Magic Kingdom. As is the case with any great restaurant, it is the food which is the main attraction, and in Narcoossee's lovers of seafood will certainly feel at home.
Over the years, Narcoossee's has been our "usual spot" when my wife and I find ourselves at Disney. After a few lackluster experiences when it came to service, we started dining at the bar instead, and came to know Charlie, the restaurant's sommelier and bar manager. We always look forward to our visits with Charlie, and value his insight on wine selection and the goings on at restaurants around Disney. Knowing that Charlie did not work weekends, I knew our visit to Narcoossee's wouldn't quite be the same as usual, but I was optimistic that we were in for a great experience.
The evening got off to a great start, when the four of us were seated at one of the best tables in the restaurant, next to the windows overlooking the lagoon and Magic Kingdom. The ladies started with wine, while us guys ordered a pair of Arnold Palmer's. Our server initially told us they did not carry the necessary sweet tea flavored vodka, but after joking that if Charlie were here he'd make it happen, magically the key ingredient was found. We settled in with their signature bread and pink sea salt butter, and began the difficult process of deciding what to order.
The decision on my appetizer was a pretty easy one. From our very first visit to Narcoossee's, we have always loved their steamed mussels. So much so, that we served them at our wedding reception two years ago when we were married at Disney. In addition to our usual mussels, one of the first things I noticed on the menu was the "Fried Oysters Rockefeller." I decided that the fried version of this famous dish would probably appeal more to my taste then the traditional raw serving. It proved to be an excellent choice, and while I'm not much on raw oysters, I left somewhat inspired to try true Rockefeller one day.
While choosing our appetizers was fairly easy, the decision on what to have as my main proved a bit more difficult. As we entered the restaurant, I had noticed in the open kitchen one of the chefs preparing the whole Maine lobster dish, and my mouth began to water. As usual, I also briefly considered the surf and turf, but decided that was too typical of me for that to be the choice. Ultimately, my wife and I both decided on the chef's special for the evening, which was a "Blackened Grouper Oscar." This was an incredibly succulent dish, and was certain to be a hit with me, as I've never met an "Oscar" on a menu that I didn't like.
Given the richness of my main, there was little room for dessert. However, not being one to pass on the best portion of any meal, I opted for the "Gelato Sampler." The gelato was some of the best I've ever had, and was a great combination of chocolate, mocha, and strawberry flavors. As usual, however, I still managed to have a bout of "dessert envy" as my wife's choice of the "Chocolate Mousse Dome" was clearly superior.Without a doubt, the best thing about our meal was the service. I was a bit skeptical going in, given the past mediocre experiences we had in the dining room. On the contrary, our server Tom was one of the best I've had in any restaurant of late. He went above and beyond in many cases, the biggest of which was suggesting we remain at our table an extra twenty minutes after our meal so we could watch the fireworks from the Magic Kingdom. Many servers only care about turning the table for the next guests, and Tom's insistence that we stay was a welcome gesture, not to mention it gave us the best seats in the house for the fireworks.
Of all the meals I've had at Narcoossee's, this one may prove to be the most memorable because of the great food, service, and time with friends. It's worth mentioning that those great friends are Disney cast members, and were generous enough to share their annual 50% off dinner coupons with us, which certainly kept the bill from also being memorable. As is always the case, however, no matter how great the meal may have been, I'm already looking forward to the next one.
We might just have to pay a visit to Charlie in a couple weeks.
Enjoy Your Stay
