The DIS Unlimited Team tasted and tested out an EPCOT classic, Le Cellier. It was either a first or had been a long time since most of the team had visited this Signature Restaurant and we were all excited to escape the heat and enjoy a great meal!
Le Cellier is a Disney Signature Restaurant and is a two table service credit restaurant on the Disney Dining Plan. The inside of the restaurant is themed after a Canadian wine cellar and offers a cozy setting with dim lighting perfect for a special occasion.
The team decided to begin our dining experience with Canadian cocktails and beer – cheers!
Ryno chose the Ottawa Apple comprised with Crown Maple whisky, apple infusion, and cranberry juice for $15. He really enjoyed the apple taste and felt it was more of a red apple and not a tart Granny Smith apple taste like many other apple cocktails. Despite not being a maple fan, Ryno really enjoyed the taste and would definitely come back for this drink again!
I chose the Windsor Old Fashioned with Canadian whisky, muddled fruit, chocolate and orange bitters, and a splash of soda for $17. I really enjoyed the uniqueness of this classic cocktail and felt the flavors paired nicely. I would absolutely get this again!
Teresa enjoyed the Victorian Raspberry made with Canadian iceberg vodka, fresh squeezed lime juice and raspberry puree for $15. She loved light and refreshing taste complimented by the fruity flavor.
Craig selected the Collective Arts Good Monster IPA solid New England IPA for $12. He’s had other beers from this brewery before and felt this was a solid double IPA. It is served in a can, however, it was very refreshing.
The meal itself begins with pretzel bread and sourdough multi-grain roll served with maple butter. The maple butter was pretty sweet and dipping the pretzel bread in the Canadian cheese soup was a winning choice!
Craig enjoyed the Le Cellier Signature Poutine comprised of fresh-cut French fries, Canadian cheddar cheese curds, truffle, red wine reduction for $15. He felt this was the best version of poutine at Walt Disney World and was more elevated to match the signature restaurant. He did wish the cheese curds were served warm and the French fries were thinly cut but overall a great flavor.
Ryno selected the Fried Cauliflower with tahini espuma, mignonette, and lemon for $21. He really enjoyed this dish and just like his cocktail, would order it again. It also was served with pine nut brittle which gave it a nice crunch and the cauliflower was fried perfectly.
I chose Canadian Cheddar Cheese Soup made with Moosehead Pale Ale and Nueske’s Applewood-smoke Bacon for $13. This is a favorite at EPCOT’s Food and Wine Festival but I wanted to properly enjoy it inside with a larger portion and I was not disappointed. The soup is rich and does have a deep flavor from both the Moosehead beer and the bacon. Being able to drip the pretzel bread in it, only made it that much better.
Teresa selected the Heirloom Beets prepared with goat cheese, almonds, crispy prosciutto, sherry vinaigrette for $15. While the beets were not the star of the show, the goat cheese and the crispy prosciutto were fantastic and the plating was beautiful.
For his entrée, Ryno enjoyed the Le Cellier Filet Mignon described as AAA Canadian tenderloin, mushroom risotto, pomodoraccio tomato, truffle butter sauce for $62. Ryno commented that he usually does not order steak at restaurants but felt compelled to order the signature dish. While the steak was a great cut, it was lacking some flavor and the truffle butter sauce did not seem to have much truffle. While he still felt portion size and overall taste was good, he would order a different entrée next time.
I chose the Bison Strip Loin served with kabocha squash, roasted cauliflower, Jerusalem artichoke, black garlic-sage béarnaise for $54. I was so pleasantly surprised surprised by this dish. The bison was tender and cooked perfectly and the béarnaise sauce added a nice rich flavor. I really enjoyed the side of cauliflower and squash. It was both unique and complimented the bison.
Teresa enjoyed the Halibut served with leeks, roasted onions, fennel, onion soubise, and crispy salsify for $47. She loved the taste after originally being concerned about a slight fishy smell when it came to the table. Theresa felt she had the best entrée at the table and loved the buttery texture of the halibut.
Craig chose the Dry-Aged Pork Chop accompanied by goat cheese polenta, smoked tomato jam, citrus butter, and pea tendrils for $44. The pork chop was cooked medium but was not consistently cooked and under seasoned. He was surprised to say the pork chop at Be Our Guest Restaurant is the better version at Walt Disney World but the goat cheese polenta was wonderful and helped compliment it.
We also shared two enhancements and chose the bacon-Smoked Gouda Macaroni & Cheese for $14. It was creamy and had a nice smoky flavor from the bacon.
We also shared the Canadian Cheddar Creamed Spinach for $10.50. It was a unique version of creamed spinach and while the cheddar was not over-powering, it was creamy and delicious.
After so much delicious food, we still saved a little room for dessert. Ryno selected the Profiterole made with craquelin, cheesecake inlay, marionberry, and sorrel for $14. Ryno described it as a puff pastry with a cheesecake center and was a large portion. He felt it was a solid dessert but likely wouldn’t order it again.
I was very full and decided to select the dessert Ice Wine for $22. Ice Wine is also something you can get year-round in the Canadian pavilion but is a smaller serving and less options are offered. While I enjoyed the sweet, refreshing flavor, the price point was still too high for my taste.
Teresa had the winning dessert which was the Maple Crème Brule served with Chantilly, gooseberries, and tuile for $14. The maple flavor wasn’t overpowering and she loved it. Like Teresa, we all agreed this was the winning dessert at the table!
Craig went for a lighter dessert and chose the Victoria Gardens Sorbet comprised of strawberry sorbet, hibiscus meringue, garden blooms for $12. Craig thought it was going to be a small scoop and not worth the price but was surprised by both the portion and the light flavor.
And now to the moment we’ve all been waiting for… the scores.
Ryno went first and gave Le Cellier a 7.5 for ambiance, food preparation and presentation a 9, quality of taste a 9, service a 7, cost a 6.5. His total rating was a 39 out of 50 or 3.9.
Theresa gave Le Cellier a 8 for ambiance, food preparation and presentation a 9, quality of taste a 8, service a 7, cost a 6. His total rating was a 38 out of 50 or 3.8.
Hannah gave Le Cellier a 6 for ambiance, food preparation and presentation a 10, quality of taste a 10, service a 7, cost a 8. His total rating was a 41 out of 50 or 4.1.
Craig rounded out the reviews with a 7 for ambiance, food preparation and presentation a 9, quality of taste a 8, service a 10, cost a 7. His total rating was a 41 out of 50 or 4.1.
