With recent refurbishment dates announced for the two table-service restaurants at Disney’s Grand Californian Resort & Spa, I feel like it’s the perfect time to share a lovely dining experience I had on my recent trip to Disneyland Resort.
I stayed at the Grand Californian this time. The weather was a bit chilly during my trip, and on one of the nights, I decided to stay in and explore the resort instead of heading out to the Downtown Disney District or one of the theme parks for dinner. Believe it or not, I’ve never dined at Hearthstone Lounge. In fact, I made it a mission to find and experience it this time because I’ve heard nothing but amazing things about it. You can find it tucked in the corner of the lobby just after you pass the giant fireplace.
The lounge’s sign is pretty small, so you could easily miss it if you weren’t looking for it.
This beautiful lounge is modeled after a turn-of-the-20th-century traditional game room that could often be found in Arts and Crafts homes during that time period. The space was constructed with redwood veneers and the décor is a bit masculine in its design and materials. Interestingly enough, the veneers all came from a single redwood tree that fell naturally. Hand-selected by the interior designer, it was later purchased at auction by Walt Disney Imagineers.
I really appreciate the Hidden Mickey detailing on the light fixtures. These are the kinds of details I love to see!
I loved being seated at a table that was tucked into a very cozy corner all the way in the back of the lounge. It was quiet, peaceful, and very comfortable.
Since it was such a cold night, I decided to order French Onion Soup for an appetizer so I could start to warm up.
French Onion Soup: Caramelized Onions, Sourdough Croutons, Gruyère Cheese | $12
This was a phenomenal bowl of soup that was so rich and delicious. The broth was piping hot and had tons of perfectly caramelized onions. The melty Gruyère on top with the sourdough croutons baked into it was exactly what I needed.
I love a well-cooked seafood dish, and I had a feeling that I could get a good one here. Seabass is one of my favorite dishes onboard Disney Cruise Line, so when I saw it on the menu, I just had to order Hearthstone’s version.
Pacific Seabass: Fingerling Potatoes, Broccolini, Aromatic Lemon Butter, Champagne-Truffle Vinaigrette | $45
As you can see, the portion size of this dish was ample. There are more of the fingerling potatoes under the fish. I really mean it when I tell you that every bite of this dish was just fabulous. The greens were so fresh, and the broccolini was cooked perfectly with an al dente texture I love in fresh vegetables. The vinaigrette was beautiful, with a hint of champagne and truffle – it was truly luxurious. The seabass was cooked to a flakey perfection and had a buttery flavor with a touch of lemon. It was so different from DCL’s dish but in a good way. Honestly, I would have difficulty not ordering this one again on my next visit despite the other incredible-sounding dishes on the menu.
Time slipped away as I took my time with dinner, and when my server asked if he could bring anything else, I jokingly said I’d love it if he could move the fireplace into the lounge as I was still a bit chilly. That’s when he invited me over to another area of the lounge that I hadn’t noticed on the way in.
This cozy “living room” area had its very own fireplace that was so toasty – I honestly could’ve slept there if I’d had a blanket! Needless to say, I stayed put for quite some time until the last guests in the lounge were getting ready to leave. It was glorious, and I cannot recommend a visit highly enough.
