Another Milestone at Walt Disney World

Seared Columbia River salmon on English pea risotto

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It seems like just yesterday that I was celebrating the 10^th anniversary of Disney World’s California Grill, the 15^th-floor restaurant in the Contemporary Resort where the entertainment giant’s climb up the gourmet ladder began. Today we gathered to toast the restaurant’s 15^th anniversary with a lunch prepared by chef Brian Piasecki and complemented with California wines selected by sommelier Bridget Sherren. “It’s always been about the food and a market-driven menu--and that hasn’t changed,” Piasecki told us as he picked up a huge stalk of rhubarb with an even larger leaf from a table laden with lavender flowering chives, Zellwood sweet corn, Florida oranges and two fat Columbia River salmons along with other regional produce that arrived at the restaurant in the last 24 hours.

We started with his tempura soft shell crabs with crystal ice lettuce, followed by a bouquet of veggies in colors from magenta chive to orange baby carrot to yellow corn emulsion. His seared salmon on a bed of English pea risotto was followed by the pork medallions with polenta that’s been a staple on the menu since opening day. Wrapping the lunch was the second harvest of Florida peaches served as a Tatin, homemade ice cream, champagne jelly and pure nectar. (You probably never heard of a Florida peach, well neither did I. Seems the University of Florida took 10 years to perfect the fruit for market.) Congratulations to the team at Disney’s California Grill and thanks for 15 years of farm-fresh eating. www.disney.com

Tags: California Grill | Contemporary Resort | Disney | food | orlando | tastes