I said it last Sunday, as we unwound from our drive from Atlanta and enjoyed afternoon beverages at the Coronado Springs Resort’s Laguna Bar …
“Next? Pork Belly Nigiri. Spicy Kazan Roll. Dragon Roll. Wishes! California Grill! Let’s go!” And, so, we did!
I’m sure I mentioned this already, but Mrs. All in WDW and I have been joined by our son and his fiancee’ on this trip. You remember them, yes? I talk about them enough.
Well, we have been enticing them with California Grill’s epic sushi ever since our post-refurbishment visit last Fall. But, first, we started with a great bottle of wine. Do you like Zinfandel?
This is a fantastic red wine. A little pricey – as is anything at Cali Grill – but very tasty. A bit of sweetness but not too much. Very enjoyable.
As always, the restaurant and the scenery were beautiful!
Pork Belly Nigiri. Yum. Just like it was the first time Mrs. All in WDW and I tried it, it was phenomenal. The group tagged this one a “winner”.
A bit too big to take in one bite, we ate the piece of pork belly first. Then, we followed with the piece of sushi roll.
Next, we tackled the Spicy Kazan Roll. The spice of the accompanying “fireball sauce” (center of the plate), is just right. Not too spicy but loaded with scallop and very flavorful.
Finally, we sampled the Dragon Roll. This is where the differences between ‘then and now’ came forth. Here is the Dragon Roll from last September. I’ve published this shot before …
Here is what we had this past Sunday …
For my palate, it was a substantial downgrade in quality. In the kids’ minds … they loved it! Well, everybody’s tastes are different!
For entrees, we all went different ways. I had the Oak-fired Filet of Beef.
Maybe I’m very spoiled by Atlanta’s New York Prime, but, at $49, I would have expected a better cut of meat.
Plus, the accompanying Sweet Corn Risotto wasn’t as good as I’ve had at the Yacht Club’s Captain’s Grille. I’ll make another choice next time.
Mrs. All in WDW chose the Spanish Seafood Pilaf. It was good, but, in the end, she would have preferred the Scallops.
Our son, Joseph, enjoyed one of his personal favorites. He ordered the Lamb Porterhouse.
Calling it “earthy” on account of the herbs and spices, he felt it was a bit over-cooked. Of course, he admitted that he’s spoiled by New York Prime, as well.
Finally, his fiancée, Sarah, did pick the Jumbo Scallops. She summed her feelings up with, “Amazing, magnificent, marvelous!”
To cap off the evening, and to celebrate Joseph taking his first round of Medical Board Exams, our server brought us a delicious serving of Creme Brûlée! Fabulous!
This particular visit to California Grill met with mixed success. The sushi – especially the Spicy Kazan Roll – was phenomenal. The entrees, however, were appraised as disappointing when it came to Cali’s cost-to-quality “performance”.
Will we go back? Of course! Sushi! Fireworks! Come on! A few slightly disappointing entrees won’t keep us away. After all, California Grill is still a great spot for a special dinner.
