So Many ADR's, So Little Time...COMPLETE 7/24!

Amorette's Patisserie - January 2017

Located in Disney Springs, Amorette’s Patisserie is a high-end pastry shop that makes beautiful desserts. We decided to stop in before making our way over to the Polynesian Resort, and I’m so glad we did!

It’s not a huge store, but there are these long glass display cases showing off the amazingness:

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The way they package up your purchases is even nice! It’s a really high quality bag that’s really pretty on the sides, and then they top it with some tissue paper.

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I guess they didn’t have any small boxes the day we were there, since one of our treats came in this giant box haha.

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Inside that giant box was this little tiny Mickey Mousse – Chocolate chiffon cake, chocolate pudding and white chocolate mousse, $8. We didn’t eat this until the next day, so it was a little beat up from being carried around (which is why the little yellow dots appear to be falling off).

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The little details were so great on this – the chocolate ears, the cute little tail..

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And then you get to the inside of this. Oh man, this was so good. I’m not sure if the red was fondant – if it is, it’s the best tasting fondant I’ve ever had. Luke and I shared this – it wasn’t huge, but there’s no way I could have ate the entire thing myself.

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The other thing we picked up was the Petit Amorette’s Cake – eleven layers of red velvet cake, cherry mousse, chocolate cake, chocolate mousse, raspberry pate de fruit jelly and Italian buttercream, $15. This came boxed up in a nice little box to keep it safe.

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This little cake was so beautiful! We bought this on a Saturday, and then carried it around in our backpack for days before finally digging in to it – it made for a great little celebratory snack on Tuesday after we got engaged

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For being such a tiny little cake, it really did have eleven layers! It’s hard to really count all the layers in the picture below, but you can see that there’s a lot! This was so amazing, it remained moist even days later!

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Amorette’s is not a cheap option, but it’s a very tasty one that I highly recommend checking out!​
 
Le Cellier - January 8, 2017 - Lunch

After our morning at Epcot, it was soon time to check in for a meal I was very much looking forward to – Le Cellier! This signature restaurant is located in the Canada Pavilion at Epcot.



Can we just take a moment to appreciate how beautiful the Canada pavilion is?



We checked in, and only had to wait a few minutes before being led to our table. As the hostess was seating us, she told us we were sitting in the “Prince Edward Island” section of the restaurant, so I asked where the New Brunswick section was – she quickly pointed to the corner and announced it was that table over there haha.

When our server arrived, she again told us we were in the PEI section, and started telling us facts about the Island (while I sat there grinning and nodding excitedly since I knew what she was talking about haha).

It’s pretty dark in that restaurant, so it was difficult to get great pictures. Here is the menu though:



And shortly before we went on this trip, they had introduced a Prixe Fixe menu for lunch only, here’s that menu:



We had looked over the menu for every restaurant before the trip, and we thought it would be silly to spend $50++ on steak at a Canadian themed restaurant in Florida when we live in Alberta – home to the best beef in the country, so we had decided on splitting a bunch of appetizers. But then, once Luke saw the prixe fixe menu he decided to go with that instead (and ordered a steak :rolleyes1).

First, they bring you a bread basket. There were two of each kind (Luke had already taken his before I took the picture, and he had already dug into the butter). The long one is pretzel bread and the other one is a multigrain roll. The butter was sprinkled with maple sugar and sea salt (ooo, fancy!). Both bread offerings were really excellent, but the pretzel bread wins for best hands down.





You can also kind of see it in the back of the picture with the bread, but Luke ordered a La Fin du Monde to drink. It’s one of his favourite beers, and it just happens to be Canadian! I didn’t take a picture of my drink, but it was a Coke – pretty standard.

Now for the good stuff –

Le Cellier Signature Poutine – fresh-cut french fries, Canadian Cheddar, Truffles and Red-wine Reduction, $10



First of all – this is not a proper poutine (which is pronounced pou-tin, NOT pou-teen!). In Canada, a traditional poutine has brown gravy and big, thick, squeaky cheese curds. That said, this was one of the most amazing poutines I’ve ever had in my life. All of the ingredients worked so well together, and the fries were thinner, shoestring style like I prefer – and they were hot and fresh! I want more of this right now…

Luke’s prixe fixe lunch was a 3-course meal that cost $49. For his first course, he chose the:

Canadian Cheddar Cheese Soup – Moosehead beer, Nueske’s Applewood-smoked bacon



I was looking forward to trying this, but also really apprehensive because of the beer. I was born and raised in New Brunswick, which is where the Moosehead Brewery is located. I’m not a huge fan of beer in general, but I really hate that kind. I was scared the soup would taste like beer, but it doesn’t at all! It was so rich and creamy and delicious.

For Luke’s main course in his prixe fixe lunch, he went with the:

Beef Tenderloin – with grilled asparagus, crispy onions and peppercorn butter.



I tried a small piece from the outside of this – I’m a steak well-done person, Luke is not, so the outside was the only part cooked enough for me. It was very tasty! I believe we were even told it was Alberta beef, which we laughed about since that's home. Luke seemed to really enjoy this, and ate it all!

I didn’t order a main, but instead went for another side dish:

Loaded Mashed Potatoes – Nueske’s bacon, black diamond cheddar, chives, potato skin crisp, $9



These were really creamy, and really rich! The potato skin crisp was really enjoyable, and they were very generous with the bacon and cheese in these! I actually couldn’t finish them all myself, it was a bit too many potatoes after polishing off that poutine haha.

Luke’s third and final course was dessert. He went for the Maple Creme Brulee



I don’t think I had ever tried creme brulee before, and this was when I realized I don’t like it at all. I ate the chocolate stick and a raspberry haha. Luke loved this though, and ate it all.

Our bill came to a total of $85.99 – which isn’t terrible, but I also only had appetizers and Luke went for the lunch special. That said, we’d absolutely go back (even if it’s just for that poutine!).
 
Your meal at Le Cellier looked great! I'm glad you liked it, I really liked the restaurant too. I went for dinner and had the steak, which I thought was amazing. How does it compare to steaks back in Canada? I had always avoid this restaurant since there are so many good steak restaurants around me it seemed silly to go to one in a theme park. But I'm so glad I finally did. What changed my mind was the food and wine festival that has a Canada booth and the steak and cheese soup from there was so good I had to get more.
 


After our morning at Epcot, it was soon time to check in for a meal I was very much looking forward to – Le Cellier!

I LOVE Le Cellier, but we haven't been there the last couple of times because of the cost (and this last time because of the toddler...never know how he will act at restaurants, so we didn't go anywhere fancy).

which is pronounced pou-tin, NOT pou-teen!

Really? You learn new things every day!

I’m not a huge fan of beer in general, but I really hate that kind. I was scared the soup would taste like beer, but it doesn’t at all!

I love that soup and am very glad it doesn't taste like the beer!



I tried a small piece from the outside of this – I’m a steak well-done person, Luke is not, so the outside was the only part cooked enough for me.

That does look good, but I can never veer away from the filet and risotto there. Really, I just want the risotto.

Luke’s third and final course was dessert. He went for the Maple Creme Brulee



I don’t think I had ever tried creme brulee before, and this was when I realized I don’t like it at all. I ate the chocolate stick and a raspberry haha. Luke loved this though, and ate it all.

How can you not like creme brulee?! Of course, this is coming from the person who doesn't like cake. I love that maple creme brulee. It was our first of many different kinds on our honeymoon, and we have at least one every trip.
 
So, so far in December we're eating at Le Cellier and I can't wait!

Both bread offerings were really excellent, but the pretzel bread wins for best hands down.

The pretzel bread looks sooo good!

Le Cellier Signature Poutine – fresh-cut french fries, Canadian Cheddar, Truffles and Red-wine Reduction, $10

So does that!

I was looking forward to trying this, but also really apprehensive because of the beer.

I was worried about that too, I'm not really a beer fan, and I kind of hate when it's in cheese or fondue and you can really taste it. But your review of it makes me feel better.
 
These pastries look so cute, I would have felt bad cutting into them

Haha, we carried around that little cake in our backpack for three days before we cut into it - it was so pretty! Once we did finally cut into it though - oh man! So delicious!

Your meal at Le Cellier looked great! I'm glad you liked it, I really liked the restaurant too. I went for dinner and had the steak, which I thought was amazing. How does it compare to steaks back in Canada? I had always avoid this restaurant since there are so many good steak restaurants around me it seemed silly to go to one in a theme park. But I'm so glad I finally did. What changed my mind was the food and wine festival that has a Canada booth and the steak and cheese soup from there was so good I had to get more.

The biggest difference between Canadian beef and American beef is what the cows are fed. Canadian food laws are very strict, and cows in Canada are not allowed to be fed corn (but that is one of the main things American cows are fed). It actually does change the taste of the beef :)
 


Really? You learn new things every day!

Almost everyone I know pronounces it wrong haha. It's originally from Quebec, so the name is French.


I love that soup and am very glad it doesn't taste like the beer!

Same! I was worried it would taste like beer, but it just tastes like deliciousness :)

How can you not like creme brulee?! Of course, this is coming from the person who doesn't like cake. I love that maple creme brulee. It was our first of many different kinds on our honeymoon, and we have at least one every trip.

Luke loved it, but it was my first time trying creme brulee - and possibly my last haha.

So, so far in December we're eating at Le Cellier and I can't wait!

Looking forward to reading your review!

The pretzel bread looks sooo good!

It was really good!

So does that!

Mmm, I can't wait to have that poutine again....

I was worried about that too, I'm not really a beer fan, and I kind of hate when it's in cheese or fondue and you can really taste it. But your review of it makes me feel better.

Same! I'm not a beer fan at all, and I don't want my food to taste like it.
 
Via Napoli - January 8th, 2017 - Supper

After watching the animatronic show about US history in the American Pavilion, we had to rush to get over to the Italian Pavilion to get to our reservation on time. We made it, and checked in at the booth about a minute before our reservation at 6:35pm…and then stood around for 20 minutes. That place was slammed! So many people were trying to get in without a reservation, and were being turned away – there were some angry people.

We were finally led to our table, a little 2-top against a wall. I had read so many fantastic reviews of this place, I was really looking forward to trying it.

Shortly after being seated, a young man approached us to offer water. Luke took him up on his offer of sparkling water, and ordered a bottle of it.

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Yes, I forgot to take a picture of it until later. I think carbonated water is one of the most disgusting things ever created, so I did not try any of this. Water should not have bubbles! Luke seemed to enjoy it though. This bottle cost $5.

Here’s a picture of the menu:

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Once again, we had read the menu prior to our trip, and knew exactly what we wanted to eat.

To drink, I ordered a Blood Orange Acqua Frescas – our signature house-made fruit juice cooler, $6

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This thing was delicious! Our server was really trying to push us into buying alcohol, but neither one of us were feeling like it at this point. He kept asking for our drink orders, but Luke already had his bottle of sparkling water, and I had just asked my server for the drink shown above. He just would not give it up - "Wine?" No thanks. "Beer"? No thanks. He was way too pushy, I was not impressed. Then we apparently angered our server even more by ordering a large pepperoni pizza to split instead of ordering separate entrees…

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Let’s start by saying this pizza was really tasty! I love Neapolitan style pizza more than any other kind, and this one did not disappoint. We do have a chain restaurant here in Alberta called Famoso, and I think their Neapolitan pizza might be a little bit better than this one - but this one was good!

Now for the bad – our actual server didn’t even bring it to us – another server did. Our server did not stop by even once to check on us to ask if everything was ok, or if we needed anything else. Had he come by, I would have probably ordered another one of those blood orange drinks. We saw him checking in on the other tables he was serving around us multiple times, but not once did he acknowledge us after taking our order. We assume it was because we weren’t drinking and our total bill wasn’t going to be very expensive compared to what other tables were spending – but I find this very unacceptable. Then, once we finished our pizza, we ended up sitting there for awhile before he finally reappeared with our bill – without even asking if we wanted anything else. How did he know we didn’t want to order dessert or a coffee or something? (We didn’t want those things, but a server should not just assume that). It was very clear he just wanted us out of there as quickly as possible so he could get someone else at the table. I do understand that they were extremely busy, but I expect so much more from a waiter working at Disney.

Our total bill came to $46.54. The pizza was great, but the service left a lot to be desired. We did leave a tip, but not even close to what we typically leave. I imagine we’ll be back to eat there again one day, but it’s not at the top of our list - the waiter definitely left me a little sour when it comes to that place.
 
So many people were trying to get in without a reservation, and were being turned away – there were some angry people.

I always find it hard to feel bad for these people. You really have to know what you are getting into when you go to WDW. If you want to eat somewhere nice, you better have an ADR!

I think carbonated water is one of the most disgusting things ever created, so I did not try any of this. Water should not have bubbles!

I totally agree!

I hate when you see waiters spending more time with other tables and totally ignoring you. I don't blame you at all for not wanting to rush back because of that. We haven't been there since January 2014, and I'm dying to go back!
 
That pizza looked delicious. I'm sorry you had bad service, that can ruin a meal. I feel like Disney gets away with it more because they have so many people coming there no matter the service.
 

As for the chips we added to our combos, Luke had Original Chips – which are really only good when they’re kettle cooked. I went for Sea Salt and Vinegar Chips – because America doesn’t seem to understand the amazing thing that is flavoured chips, so when you see them you need to grab them. Seriously – try All Dressed or Ketchup chips sometime, and tell me they aren’t life-changing.

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Well, we did try the Ketchup chips when we were in Vancouver for our DCL Alaska cruise a few years ago. My son's reaction was about the same we all had. They were a bust. We did like the dressed ones, but Ketchup is right out!!! We currently have some Bacon Mac-N-Cheese chips in the house that are pretty tasty!

Enjoying your reviews!!! Keep them coming!!!
 

Now for the bad – our actual server didn’t even bring it to us – another server did. Our server did not stop by even once to check on us to ask if everything was ok, or if we needed anything else. Had he come by, I would have probably ordered another one of those blood orange drinks. We saw him checking in on the other tables he was serving around us multiple times, but not once did he acknowledge us after taking our order. We assume it was because we weren’t drinking and our total bill wasn’t going to be very expensive compared to what other tables were spending – but I find this very unacceptable. Then, once we finished our pizza, we ended up sitting there for awhile before he finally reappeared with our bill – without even asking if we wanted anything else. How did he know we didn’t want to order dessert or a coffee or something? (We didn’t want those things, but a server should not just assume that). It was very clear he just wanted us out of there as quickly as possible so he could get someone else at the table. I do understand that they were extremely busy, but I expect so much more from a waiter working at Disney.

For the most part, it is just my DD and I on trips to Disney. We have felt abandoned by servers so many times! They find out we're a party of two, not on a dinning plan, and aren't drinking alcohol and poof they're gone. I've had so many instances where we don't get refills on drinks or asked if we need anything. Once, I literally had no silverware and this was after my food arrived. Someone else brought it out and were off before I could even ask for silverware and then our waitress was a no show. It's impossible to flag people down for help. At least this time the waitress eventually came back to see how things were going and I was like, um need silverware. However, I like the break from the parks with a chance to sit down and relax in air conditioning, so we will always keep doing TS. Obviously, not every visit is like that, but sometimes it feels that way. lol
 
La Hacienda de San Angel - January 8th, 2017

When we initially booked our ADR’s for this trip (at the 180 day window of course!), this was not included in our plans. We did have a lunch reservation at Le Cellier and a supper reservation at Via Napoli, so the idea of a third ADR did not even cross our minds. However, while we were in that lull between booking ADR’s and booking Fastpasses, Luke was reading some things on the Walt Disney World Reddit page. One of the things that caught his interest was this place, which is located in the Mexico pavilion right on the water. There are these large, beautiful floor to ceiling windows overlooking the World Showcase Lagoon, and it offers a decent view of Illuminations (without staking out a spot hours in advance!). So, he looked online and found an 8:30 opening which he booked for us.​

I don’t think we even had an hour between finishing our meal at Via Napoli and this reservation time, but it was freezing cold that night so it worked out quite well to be able to go inside again!

We knew when we booked this reservation that we would not be eating a full meal, but since we were in the Mexican pavilion we assumed there would be some margaritas to be had…

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Shortly after we were led to our table, we were brought a basket of chips with salsa. The red salsa had lots of flavour and a decent spicy kick (I’m pretty soft when it comes to spice), whereas the green salsa (salsa verde) was pretty mild (but still full of flavour). The chips were also pretty tasty!

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Of course, we both had to order a margarita! I went for the Classic – tequila, orange liqueur, lime mix, on the rocks with salt on the rim, $12.50. This was good, but strong! The tequila was clearly better than any of the cheap stuff I used to drink in my university days, but you really need to be ok with the taste of alcohol to enjoy a margarita in my opinion.

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Luke decided on the Maelstrom – tequila, mango puree, orange liquor, habanero peppers, blueberries, basil, Tajin chili powder on the rim, $14.50. Luke thought this was good, and the mango helped to cool the heat from the habanero peppers, but overall it was a little too spicy and he said he regretted not just ordering the same as I did.

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Even though we were not hungry, I was intrigued by the Queso Fundido on the menu (even though I actually had no idea what it was haha). The menu describes this as: Melted cheese with chorizo, Poblano and Serrano peppers, avocado-tomatillo sauce, and flour tortillas, $14.

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This was not what I was imagining for some reason? But it was really good! I mean, it’s literally just a chunk of cheese, so how can you go wrong?! It could have used more flour tortillas though, they only gave us two and they were gone fairly quickly (with over half of the cheese left). This is where the basket of chips really came in handy! I was not about to leave any cheese behind, and we polished it off with the help of those chips :)

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Of course, the main reason we booked this reservation was to watch Illuminations. They dimmed the restaurant lights and piped in the music, and this was our view from our table.

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There’s obviously parts of it which you can’t see perfectly, but if you’ve already seen Illuminations and are looking for a different experience, I highly recommend grabbing a reservation here!

Our total for an appetizer and two drinks came to $43.67.

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This was not what I was imagining for some reason? But it was really good! I mean, it’s literally just a chunk of cheese, so how can you go wrong?! It could have used more flour tortillas though, they only gave us two and they were gone fairly quickly (with over half of the cheese left). This is where the basket of chips really came in handy! I was not about to leave any cheese behind, and we polished it off with the help of those chips :)

Hmm, that's not what I would imagine either, but I would steer away from it because of the description, but the picture looks like I could easily avoid the chorizo.
 

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