California Grill
After some relaxing and a short nap (I like my Disney Naps!) we headed over to the Contemporary by the monorail and checked in for dinner right on time. We had been able to snag a reservation two days before when the plans for the trip were coming together. We sat by the window and had a very friendly server, making for my last time there the year before where service was terrible!
I got an Old Fashioned as with the amount of liquor I had been drinking today, I didn’t want to switch it up for wine. My husband judged me on that when I told him I didn’t get wine at California Grill.
Sonoma Maple Bourbon Old Fashioned - Sonoma Brothers Bourbon, Vanilla Maple Syrup, Angostura Bitters, and Luxardo Cherries with an Orange Twist
I ordered a few appetizers as my meal and my mother did the same. To start, I had the sashimi tuna dish. The tuna was excellent as were the elements of the dish it was presented with. Nice variety in flavors and textures with them! (&
@TCB in FLA - not all Tuna & Bourbon is a meal gone wrong!)
Shiso-Glazed Tuna - Ahi Tuna, Pineapple-Brown Butter, Shishito Vinaigrette, Sweet and Salty Cashews, Avocado, Sea Cress
I also got beer & cheese soup. This probably wasn’t the wisest choice as it didn’t go with the other dishes I was having. It also ate better as a dip for the pretzel or the sourdough bread than it did a soup. My mom and I ended up splitting this for those reasons and due to the amount of richness the dish had. Between both of us, we still didn’t clean the plate!
Beer & Cheese Soup - Potato-Celery Root Foam, Hand-braided Pretzel, Garlic Butter, Heirloom Apple
My mother’s first appetizer was a salad. She was happy enough with it and loved the dressing so much she asked for extra.
Hearts of Romaine - Avocado Dressing, Point Reyes Blue Cheese, Miso-Honey Bacon, Yuzu Kosho-Sourdough Croutons
My third appetizer was the short rib wontons which were wonderful. Just the right amount of food to fill me up!
Braised Beef Short Rib Wontons - Doenjang Miso-Cola-Onion Sauce, Crispy Garlic-Chili Oil, Radish, Pickled Lotus Root
My mother got her favorite California Grill dish for her meal. She has always loved that ravioli and will continue to do so. If it ever gets removed, she will protest loudly!
Sonoma Goat Cheese Ravioli - Tomato-Fennel Broth, Crispy Mushrooms, Tiny Basil, Arbequina Organic Olive Oil
An excellent meal! We headed back to the hotel for the night. I watched tv on my phone before bed.
The next morning, my mother was up early and left by 6:30AM to head home. I waited a bit as I would be picking up Qi’ra at 9:30AM from the dog show grounds in Ocala and got to see the wonderful sunrise off the lake.
Sunrise
Qi’ra was super happy to see me and was very happy to be on her way home!
Qi’ra
And so concludes this bonus feature!
