The Cioppino is gone! What to order at California Grill?

[LucyBC80]

So I decided to take another look at the California Grill menu today and to my surprise and sadness the Cioppino is now off the menu. This was exactly what I was supposed to order this coming September and I was really looking forward to it.

I’m a piscatarian so no chicken or red meat will do, so what would you order? What are your thoughts on the grouper and the Alaskan halibut? I don’t like tuna so that is out.

 

[porschegrl]

I'm sorry, I don't know anything about the fish. But if you're open to a vegetarian option (and assuming they don't change the menu again, to eliminate this option), I highly recommend the "Vegetarian Unplugged" menu! It's a whole separate menu of vegetarian and vegan small plates (8 or 12 different options, I think), and you select 4 for your meal. I swooned over the vegan roll, and if it's on the menu the next time I go, I fully intend to ask if I can select it for at least 2 of my 4 choices.

 

[LucyBC80]

I'm sorry, I don't know anything about the fish. But if you're open to a vegetarian option (and assuming they don't change the menu again, to eliminate this option), I highly recommend the "Vegetarian Unplugged" menu! It's a whole separate menu of vegetarian and vegan small plates (8 or 12 different options, I think), and you select 4 for your meal. I swooned over the vegan roll, and if it's on the menu the next time I go, I fully intend to ask if I can select it for at least 2 of my 4 choices.

I’m intrigued! While I was looking forward to the Cioppino, I’m not opposed to go full vegetarian for my meal! I’ll ask for the menu when I arrive and have a look, thanks for the suggestion!

 

[Keels]

California Grill is one of the few restaurants on property that change their menu seasonally ... so even looking at the menu now won't guarantee that what you're interested will be there come September - just an FYI!

My favorite items on the current menu (I don't eat cooked fish, so no input on those items you specifically mentioned): Mushroom & Burrata Flatbread, Double Tuna Crunch Roll, Mussels & Frites, Goat Cheese Ravioli, Florida Corn Soup, Meyer Lemon Shrimp.

 

[NYCgrrl]

The shrimp and seasoned grits were yummy earlier this month; probably U-10s or maybe a tad smaller. We didn't have the shrimps and grit cake but it certainly sounded good. The man loved his lobster eggs Benedict.

 

[Dean Marino]

So I decided to take another look at the California Grill menu today and to my surprise and sadness the Cioppino is now off the menu. This was exactly what I was supposed to order this coming September and I was really looking forward to it.

I’m a piscatarian so no chicken or red meat will do, so what would you order? What are your thoughts on the grouper and the Alaskan halibut? I don’t like tuna so that is out.

Gee, I hate to say this....
That Cioppino was a disaster from day 1 . Both our favorite CG Waiter, AND our dear CG MGMT Management Friend recommend against it . Being Sicilian, raised in SF? I still had to try it...

Our dear CG MGMT Management Friend (also Italian stock), was dead right .

This was NOT Italian Cioppino. FAR closer to a fairly poor Portuguese Cioppino . Probably the ONLY dish EVER that has disappointed us at the Grill .

Fulton's (when it existed), could actually throw together a pretty fair REAL Italian Cioppino. But Fulton's no longer exists . Were it me? I would try dropping an EMAIL to Il Mulino at the Swan - they have a STUNNING ...

"SPAGHETTI AI FRUTTI DI MARE
Baby Shrimp, scallops, Clams, Mussels
and Calamari in a Spicy Red or Garlic White Wine Sauce"

Now? They still need dungeness, or Alaskan King, crab SOMEPLACE in the Restaurant to do this right.... REAL San Francisco style Italian Cioppino has no "scale fish" in it - all shellfish. My dear Father (gone now), grew up in SF 1918-1938. He was both an Italian Fisherman (youth), AND a 40+ year Maître D' with SF's finest...

If he ever got "Cioppino" with scale fish in it? He threw things . This is how I learned to swear in Italian .

 

[heidijanesmith]

The wood fired pizza is amazing. DH and I split one in June and it was fantastic.

Highly recommend the pizza!

 

[LucyBC80]

Gee, I hate to say this....
That Cioppino was a disaster from day 1 . Both our favorite CG Waiter, AND our dear CG MGMT Management Friend recommend against it . Being Sicilian, raised in SF? I still had to try it...

Our dear CG MGMT Management Friend (also Italian stock), was dead right .

This was NOT Italian Cioppino. FAR closer to a fairly poor Portuguese Cioppino . Probably the ONLY dish EVER that has disappointed us at the Grill .

Fulton's (when it existed), could actually throw together a pretty fair REAL Italian Cioppino. But Fulton's no longer exists . Were it me? I would try dropping an EMAIL to Il Mulino at the Swan - they have a STUNNING ...

"SPAGHETTI AI FRUTTI DI MARE
Baby Shrimp, scallops, Clams, Mussels
and Calamari in a Spicy Red or Garlic White Wine Sauce"

Now? They still need dungeness, or Alaskan King, crab SOMEPLACE in the Restaurant to do this right.... REAL San Francisco style Italian Cioppino has no "scale fish" in it - all shellfish. My dear Father (gone now), grew up in SF 1918-1938. He was both an Italian Fisherman (youth), AND a 40+ year Maître D' with SF's finest...

If he ever got "Cioppino" with scale fish in it? He threw things . This is how I learned to swear in Italian .

I have a friend coming with me and he's dead set on California Grill and we really want to see the fireworks, so no switching restaurants I'm afraid. But I'm glad too know I won't be missing on the delicacy I was expecting! My grandma made a amazing Cioppino, probably one of the reasons I was so excited when I saw it on the menu. Any advice on the other fish plates available?

 

[NYCgrrl]

Gee, I hate to say this....
That Cioppino was a disaster from day 1 . Both our favorite CG Waiter, AND our dear CG MGMT Management Friend recommend against it . Being Sicilian, raised in SF? I still had to try it...

Our dear CG MGMT Management Friend (also Italian stock), was dead right .

This was NOT Italian Cioppino. FAR closer to a fairly poor Portuguese Cioppino . Probably the ONLY dish EVER that has disappointed us at the Grill .

Fulton's (when it existed), could actually throw together a pretty fair REAL Italian Cioppino. But Fulton's no longer exists . Were it me? I would try dropping an EMAIL to Il Mulino at the Swan - they have a STUNNING ...

"SPAGHETTI AI FRUTTI DI MARE
Baby Shrimp, scallops, Clams, Mussels
and Calamari in a Spicy Red or Garlic White Wine Sauce"

Now? They still need dungeness, or Alaskan King, crab SOMEPLACE in the Restaurant to do this right.... REAL San Francisco style Italian Cioppino has no "scale fish" in it - all shellfish. My dear Father (gone now), grew up in SF 1918-1938. He was both an Italian Fisherman (youth), AND a 40+ year Maître D' with SF's finest...

If he ever got "Cioppino" with scale fish in it? He threw things . This is how I learned to swear in Italian .

Loving that your father had a history of the sea that he passed down to you but just want to point out that cioppino in the US came from the Genovese who settled there, originally, and they certainly used scaled fish with shellfish to make this dish same as the dish's sister, bouillabaisse, from the French side. Sad it's no longer available (hopefully only for the season but but for me summer would be the right season) at CG. Psst- Dungeness is missing for sure! It's quite possibly that your DF came from another part of Italy that revered shellfish.
When I make bouillabaisse, (which is closer to my children's and the ex's heritage), I use whatever type of white fleshed fish looks freshest.

My love of the gifts of the sea come from both sides of my grandparents who were from the Caribbean. Not unusual for that or this generation to eat fish for breakfast too.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

So I decided to take another look at the California Grill menu today and to my surprise and sadness the Cioppino is now off the menu. This was exactly what I was supposed to order this coming September and I was really looking forward to it.

I’m a piscatarian so no chicken or red meat will do, so what would you order? What are your thoughts on the grouper and the Alaskan halibut? I don’t like tuna so that is out.

The Halibut is off the menu too. Grouper and King Salmon are on. I would choose the grouper because looking at the whole dish as opposed to just the fish, I think I'd like that better. Also I like Grouper. I'm not a big Salmon fan in general but I really do enjoy the chinook (aka King) It's much better flavored.

 

[Cramden]

The Halibut is off the menu too. Grouper and King Salmon are on. I would choose the grouper because looking at the whole dish as opposed to just the fish, I think I'd like that better. Also I like Grouper. I'm not a big Salmon fan in general but I really do enjoy the chinook (aka King) It's much better flavored.

I'm a big fan of King Salmon, especially when it's in season. Unless there's a new company I'm not familiar with my guess is the CG Salmon is a typo on the menu and it should read Ora and not "One". Ora is a farmed King from New Zealand that is excellent but still not as special as the wild caught that runs seasonally in the Spring.

 

[alltwelve]

Just an FYI- we went to Citrico's Friday night and they have both Halibut and Swordfish- I got the Swordfish and it was delicious!!! Definitely worth a try if you're willing to switch restaurants, however, I have to say I still prefer California Grill over Citrico's.

 

[sbprincess]

I agree about the Vegetarian Unplugged. My DH, who eats veg at home with me, was a little jealous when it came to the table. Ha! I’ve had it a few times and it’s always a little different in the choices, but excellent.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

Gee, I hate to say this....
That Cioppino was a disaster from day 1 . Both our favorite CG Waiter, AND our dear CG MGMT Management Friend recommend against it . Being Sicilian, raised in SF? I still had to try it...

Our dear CG MGMT Management Friend (also Italian stock), was dead right .

This was NOT Italian Cioppino. FAR closer to a fairly poor Portuguese Cioppino . Probably the ONLY dish EVER that has disappointed us at the Grill .

Fulton's (when it existed), could actually throw together a pretty fair REAL Italian Cioppino. But Fulton's no longer exists . Were it me? I would try dropping an EMAIL to Il Mulino at the Swan - they have a STUNNING ...

"SPAGHETTI AI FRUTTI DI MARE
Baby Shrimp, scallops, Clams, Mussels
and Calamari in a Spicy Red or Garlic White Wine Sauce"

Now? They still need dungeness, or Alaskan King, crab SOMEPLACE in the Restaurant to do this right.... REAL San Francisco style Italian Cioppino has no "scale fish" in it - all shellfish. My dear Father (gone now), grew up in SF 1918-1938. He was both an Italian Fisherman (youth), AND a 40+ year Maître D' with SF's finest...

If he ever got "Cioppino" with scale fish in it? He threw things . This is how I learned to swear in Italian .

Cioppino, being made with whatever they had at the time, certainly often did have some scale fish in it in addition to the shell fish. Your father may not have liked it that way and may have said that's not a REAL cioppino. But Real anything is often the version the person saying it likes rather than there being one hard and fast real version. When it began to be served in restaurants, it became more standardized. But there still isn't one hard and fast recipe. The city of Bologna in Italy adopted a recipe for Bolognese sauce. So there is an "official" recipe. The city of San Francisco hasn't done the same with cioppino. But perhaps it's time that San Francisco did just that.

I'm a big fan of King Salmon, especially when it's in season. Unless there's a new company I'm not familiar with my guess is the CG Salmon is a typo on the menu and it should read Ora and not "One". Ora is a farmed King from New Zealand that is excellent but still not as special as the wild caught that runs seasonally in the Spring.

Ahhh ok. The menu I looked at did not say one. It just said King Salmon. They probably saw One on Disney's site and disregarded it. I'd bet it is Ora. I don't know how to make the bar over the O. Sorry. Still very good. Much better than your average salmon of not as good varieties available at most supermarkets.

 

[Cramden]

Oh yes, the Ora is the best Farmed Salmon I've ever had. It really is delicious. It's just Wild King, especially Copper River during it's very short season is amazing.

 

[Dean Marino]

I have a friend coming with me and he's dead set on California Grill and we really want to see the fireworks, so no switching restaurants I'm afraid. But I'm glad too know I won't be missing on the delicacy I was expecting! My grandma made a amazing Cioppino, probably one of the reasons I was so excited when I saw it on the menu. Any advice on the other fish plates available?

OK - let's look at the real Grill menu... Now this is TODAY, 7-16-2018. Part of what the Grill DOES is to change the menu on a regular basis...
Looking at ALLEARS - because any WDW published menu tends to be a good YEAR out of date . THIS Menu is from July 2018....

http://allears.net/dining/menu/california-grill/dinner

You will see Black Grouper,Ramp Spaghetti,Wild Alaskan Halibut,Atlantic Yellowfin Tuna.... SEVERAL fish based offerings. Sushi offerings are GREAT. All salads stunning....
...and this is a REAL SIG. Suppose you want an "app" expanded into an entree? ASK. These folks are proper PROS.... If the ingredients exist in the Restaurant? Like ANY fine Restaurant: "the menu is a suggestion" .

 

[Tksolomom]

WDW menus are getting updated much more recently now. I have noticed that a menu changes there, and then there is an announcement. In the past this wasn’t the case. Jiko’s menu has been updated twice in the last month (the macaroni is no longer bobotie macaroni and the wild boar appetizer was changed to Berkshire
Pork).