Adult Time - Dining on Your Disney Cruise

  

Disney does food! Plain and simple, no matter where you eat on board, you can always find something tasty and uniquely designed. However, there may come a time you would like a tranquil dining experience, no crayons on the table or servers dodging little unsupervised cruisers. My friends, let me introduce you to a little slice of heaven on deck 12, Palo & Remy.  These two exclusively adult dining options are the perfect getaway for a little romance and elegant pampering. Both venues are softly lit, colored in earthy tones, and every table has a view of the water, you can even choose to dine al fresco on their private decks. Keeping an atmosphere of elegance, you will not find shorts, jeans or flip flops here. Men must have a jacket and ladies in a dress, skirt or pants suit. Your choice now comes down to your food preference, Italian or French.

Being a big fan of Italian food, dinner at Palo was my choice this past cruise. Upon entering Palo, you must look up at the blown glass chandelier.This was designed to look like spaghetti and meatballs, they wanted to give you a feeling of Italy the moment you walk in.. Once we were seated, our server Michelle began walking us through what to expect for the evening. We were first served a mix of flat bread sticks and parmesan bread wedges. Both hard and crispy, but oh so tasty! After Michelle took our orders, she rolled over a  chilled cart and proceeded to make to large antipasti platters.

My husband was in heaven; Prosciutto, Bresasola, Parmesan Reggiano, marinated olives & sun dried tomatoes, I think he licked the platter clean. The next course was appetizers. I was unadventurous with just an arugula salad while the rest of the group tried the Tuscan White Bean soup. If you are torn between which entree you would like to order, you can choose a smaller portion of one as your appetizer, but that seemed a little too much as we were all trying to save room for the infamous dessert.

Before bringing out the main course, we were all given a small scoop of lemon sorbet to cleanse our palates, then before we knew it, our dinner had appeared. The men enjoyed a beautifully cooked and arrange portion of beef tenderloin with two sauces, one creamy and one red wine. My sister in law and I devoured a bowl of potato gnocchi swimming in a Gorgonzola sauce. I must admit, when I first saw the portion size I thought I should have ordered two, but the sauce is so rich, one was just enough. Once we were finished eating and had a chance to relax we were shown a dessert listing. Each choice sounded more delicious than the next, (costing about about 2 hours in the gym each) but Michelle assured us Palo's chocolate souffle was not to be missed. She was not kidding. These tall, airy cakes were served in individual ramekins with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and two little pitchers of vanilla and chocolate sauce. She demonstrated how to open the souffle and pour the sauces into the middle to get the full effect. Oh my gosh! Now it was my turn to lick the plate clean.

Completely stuffed, Michelle appears again with one more tray. This time there were 4 little shot glasses with a very cold drink in them. She explained they were called Sgroppino, a combination of lemon sorbet, vodka and apple iced wine, to aid in digestion of the meal. Whether they helped or not I do not know, but they were the perfect end to a wonderful meal. We soaked in the atmosphere for a while longer, thanked Michelle for a magical evening and "rolled" out the door.

If French food is more to your liking, then Remy is the place to be. Even though we did not eat there this trip, I did get a chance to take a tour. The dining area is based on the movie Ratatouille and has images of Remy carefully worked into the decor. There is one not so subtle crystal statue of the namesake perched on the main lighting, like he is greeting his guests as they arrive.

Guest dining at Remy will  be invited to do a wine pairing earlier in the day so their choices will be served  at corresponding times during their meal. Speaking of wine, Remy also has an extensive wine list, and if you get a chance to stop in their wine room. You will see a collection of Pixar labeled wine signed by John Lasseter. He has sailed, but has yet to uncork his wine. Also, the two bottles of wine mentioned in the movie are in the wine room, 61 Latour and 47 Cheval Blanc, just in case you have any extra room on your credit card.  :)

Just like the movie, Remy has a section called the Gusteau Room, marked by carpeting with a large G embroidered in the middle, and a Chef's Private Table dining room for you and 15 of your friends. Next trip!

For a complete look at the menus click here for Palo, and here for Remy. Both of these dining options can be found on the Fantasy and the Dream, and Palo is also on the Magic and Wonder. Both places can be reserved ahead of time and do tend to fill quickly. Your status with Disney Cruise Lines determines how far out you can book, starting at 120 days out for Concierge level and Platinum guests to 75 days for first time cruisers. Keep in mind that there is no charge for the food, but there is a cover charge of $20 per person to dine at Palo or $75 per person for Remy, and gratuity is not included. 

If you get a chance, take advantage of the tranquility offered at either place, and of course,  Bon appetit!