Emeril's Orlando (USO - Citywalk)

This is a review from Memorial Day Weekend, 2006; originally posted on the DIS Universal Studios / Island of Adventures boards. You know, the boards that very few people ever visit, which is a shame because there are some great people over there and USO / IoA is a ton of fun! This was one of our first attempts at a food review ... not bad, but not as good as those to follow. Everybody needs practice!

So, without further ado ...

Emeril's Orlando - Citywalk, USO, May 2006

Greetings, all! The hubby and I are recently returned from our Memorial Day anniversary trip to USO / IOA where our many indulgences included two anniversary dinners (that's right, I said two!) - one at Emeril's in CityWalk on our first night at the resort and the other at Tchoup Chop on our last night in Orlando.

I've noticed a lot of threads asking for information about, and comparisons between, Emeril's two culinary offerings at USO - I've probably started one or two of them myself, but it seemed like I could never find a review of either restaurant or a detailed explanation of the reason why someone liked one spot more than the other. It is my goal to do just that for you my dear, hungry reader. I'll be happy to answer any questions you may have and would love to know which of Emeril's two joints you like best.

Now, get out your drool cups and let the vicarious feasting begin!!!

Thursday, May 25, 2006 - After spending the afternoon working up a hearty appetite at the Mandara Spa, Jason and I spruced up and caught the ferry to CityWalk. Our dinner reservation was for 8PM but we arrived early on purpose in order to sample the offerings at the bar. As an aside for those of you who have never been to this restaurant, it is a large, two-story, glass structure; the decor is modern / contemporary and it is chock-full of tables in the ground floor dining room - the better to squeeze you in, my dear. We were seated in an upstairs dining room on this visit and we think it is much quieter and more intimate on the second level.

Anyhoo...back to the bar - remember what I said about the decor and the plethora of tables? Well for one thing there are tables crammed into the bar, which is a pretty small space to begin with. And then there is the bar itself - a long cold metal surface with the most uncomfortable chairs I've ever had the misfortune to sit on - I'm still trying to work out the ass groove from this contraption. I was also a little disappointed in the martini menu - everything was a little too weird for my taste so I defaulted to a Cosmo (good, but not great). Jason opted for the Canteloupe martini which he really liked and which a co-worker of his had suggested (too sweet for me). I wish I could better explain the martini options so that you could understand why I didn't like the choices...maybe I should have used the word unappealing instead of weird. Guess I should have warned you that I'm a picky drinker, too! One thing I did like about the bar was that the bartender asked us what type of vodka we wanted in our martinis. They don't carry Cirroc (which we adore) but they did have several choices including Grey Goose. Incidentally, we both chose the Goose for our drinks.

Our impression: Emeril does not want you to hang out in his bar. It is not cozy or physically welcoming like the bars / lounges of many of the more upscale establishments that we've dined at in the past...it does not seem designed to be a part of the overall dining experience. We wanted to relax in the bar before dinner and have a leisurely drink while making goo-goo eyes at each other...not really possible when some stranger's elbow is jabbing your left kidney and your high heeled sandals keep falling off your feet because the only place to sit is a draconian bar-stool while you're surrounded by happily masticating families of four.

We were rescued from lengthy bar design disappointment by a member of the wait staff who informed us that our table was ready (even though we were 30 minutes early) and then led us upstairs to a dim, cozy room. We were seated at a lovely table for two next to one of the glass-enclosed wine cellars and we felt like this provided us with some additional privacy during the evening. And a very nice touch - the staff member who seated us carried our drinks upstairs for us, too. Thank goodness for exceptional service because I was wondering how I was going to get upstairs without tripping on a step and spilling Cosmo all over the place...grace is not my middle name (I'm one of those people who trip on painted lines in parking lots).

Our serving team was incredible - they knew we were celebrating our anniversary and did everything they could to help make us feel extra special. Jay and I knew before we even got to the restaurant that we were going to have the Degustation Menu (the Chef's daily tasting menu - six courses for $75 per person; wine pairings an additional...an additional...well, the wine pairings cost extra but apparently we weren't concerned enough to ask how much and it's not on our copy of the menu - D'oh!) Before I start on the evening's menu let me just ask a rhetorical question: why do Jay and I continue to drink before these types of dining experiences and then opt for the wine pairings? We know the rule about mixing alcohol...we know that with encroaching age our ability to absorb the booze decreases exponentially...we know that while it may be acceptable to stagger out of Commander's Palace in a fit of drunken giggles, outside of New Orleans that type of behavior is typically frowned upon. And yet we persist...perhaps some day we'll have an answer for this puzzling behavior.

Now to the good stuff....

Amuse Bouche - Crab and Rock Shrimp on toast with a yummy green mustard sauce. Not the most eloquent description, I know, but this item wasn't on the menu. The chef brought it out as a happy anniversary offering with some champagne...fabulous!! I love crab and I love shrimp so I was already happy - the mustard sauce was not overly spicy but had a nice kick...sort of a mellow afterburn. I also love a good champagne - I don't recall what it was and I'm sure they didn't crack open a bottle of Perrier Jouet or Moet Chandon for us but it was tasty - not too sweet and not too dry. Amuse Bouche, by they way, basically means "happy mouth" and it is something of a pre-appetizer that sets the tone for the rest of the meal.

Appetizer - Oyster on the Half Shell and Citrus Lobster Salad with Meyer Lemon-Herb Mignonette, Bibb Lettuce, and Haas Avocado. Paired with: 1998 Cava Gran Reserva 'Imperial,' Gramona (Penedes, Spain). Where do I start? How about with the oyster? I think oysters are absolutely disgusting and I refuse to try them - I'm not eating anything that looks like the busboy ladled a spoonful of dishwater into a dirty shell and then spit on it for good measure. I know you oyster lovers out there will probably say that my irrational prejudice against oysters is completely unfounded but I draw the line here...I cannot possibly eay anything this aesthetically displeasing. Jason got my oyster and was well pleased. As for the lobster I was pleasantly surprised - I'm not a big fan of lobster, either, but this was light and sweet and the lemon-herb migonette was a very subtle flavor enhancer. I can't eat much lettuce due to the Crohns but Jason gave this entire dish two thumbs up for both taste and presentation. The wine was lovely - light and crisp, it really complemented the lobster well.

Fish Course - Pan Roasted Alaskan Halibut with Creamy Polenta, Confit Baby Artichokes, and an Apple Smoked Bacon-Sherry Vinaigrette. Paired with: 2003 Bourgogne, Guy Amiot (Burgundy, France). Wowser!!! I mean, BAM!! (Forgot where we were for a minute ). This may very well have been the best offering of the entire evening. I like a lot of seafood (not all, obviously, judging by the above entry) but I had never tried halibut before - a mistake I plan to rectify the next time we end up at a restaurant with decent seafood. This was an incredible piece of fish -light, flaky, a hint of sweetness and serving it on a bed of the best polenta I've ever eaten was a stroke of genius. And the wine...I love white burgundys...and this was another perfect choice...it really drew out the flavor of the fish and the bacon, oddly enough.

I should also mention that they kept plying us with bread - sourdough rolls and some kind of herby-garlicky bread chunks. The herby-garlicky bread chunks had a name that I can't remember but they were very light and ever-so-yummy - I think they helped soak up some excess alcohol!

Main Course I - Pane'ed Milk Fed Veal with Truffled-Red Pepper Butter Sauce, Asparagus, and Gaufrette Potatoes. Paired with: Santenay Ier Cru Les Gravieres Prosper Maufoux (Burgundy, France). This was the least enjoyable offering of the evening as far as I was concerned (even Jay thought it was sub-par). I'm not crazy about veal (surprise, surprise) but I was willing to give it a try. Well, I tried and the veal failed...the lesson is never try veal again. The asparagus and the potatoes were very good, but I chose to bypass most of this course altogether. By the way - this wine was a red burgundy, which I'm not as fond of. The serving team was very concerned when they saw that my plate had not been licked clean, but I explained that veal was not my meat of choice and that I was holding out for the next course as well as for dessert.

I must commend them again for their level of service and attention to detail - I had even mentioned that I am not a huge fan of red wines, especially really strong, heavy ones and they brought the restaurant sommalier over to the table to have a brief discussion with me about my wine preferences. The result...extra wine pairings for me to try, both of which were excellent - one additional white burgundy and a different white that was similar to a pinot grigio (my all-time favorite wine). The second white was so good I asked Jay, who was pretty pleasantly squiffed by this time, to remind me of the name when we got home so we could buy some. Now, I know what you're probably thinking: if he was so buzzed why'd you ask him to remember a wine he didn't drink? Fair enough...the answer is that lately I can't remember what I did five minutes ago (hormones and multiple medications can really mess with your brain, my friends) so unless Jay helps me out or we set up a memory trigger there's no way I'm going to recall this wine.

We decided on a trigger: Macbeth. OK. Macbeth....Macbeth... what does that have to do with wine?

Yeah, that's exactly what we said to each other once we got home and tried to remember what the hell this wine was called.

And then there was a light-bulb moment...

Wait...Got it!!!!

Burnham... (you know - Burhman Wood?) it was called Burnham and it was a fabulous white wine just like a really smooth Pinot Grigio and I wish I was drinking it right now!

At this juncture I should mention that Jason gave me wrong directions to the restrooms (he really did have too much to drink) and if I had followed his suggested route I would have walked a full circle around the upstairs and ended right back in the dining room coming back in through a different doorway without ever actually finding the facilities. Have I mentioned how good the service was? Because our server...Christian...actually offered me his arm and escorted me to the restroom (no one's offered to do that since we were at Commander's Palace last year). Of course, it's entirely possible that he thought I was too tipsy to find it on my own!! He was probably right.


Main Course II - Petite Filet Mignon Served with Brown Sugar Whipped Sweet Potatoes, Lacinato Kale, Green Peppercorn Reduction Sauce, and Roasted Oyster Mushrooms. Served with: 2004 Malbec, Achaval-Ferrer (Mendoza, Argentina). I'd say the chef kicked it back up a notch with this course!! The fillet was so tender it practically melted in my mouth and those whipped sweet potatoes...so light and just the right mixture of sweet and salt. The best part? No mushrooms on my meat!! I don't like 'shrooms, and don't you pretend to be surprised about that! Jason raved about the wine, which was so dark and heavy it looked like a headache in a bottle to me (beware the sulfites!). I got another glass of Burnham Wood, thank you very much, and anyone who claims that white wine doesn't work with red meat just isn't trying very hard. I concede that red probably does complement steak better than white in most cases, but wine should also be about drinking what you enjoy - I am a firm believer in the idea that the best wine you can have with your dinner is the one that you like best.

I tried not to eat all of this course because I was really looking forward to dessert, but this offering was just so good I couldn't seem to stop my fully loaded fork from finding my mouth. The result: when they take away the dinner plates and clear the table Jason and I are replete to the point of satiety (heh heh heh...it's a long-standing joke of ours). And we have two different desserts coming...the one that was included with the tasting menu, and the souffle that I just had to order. What are we to do? We do what any rational diners would do at this juncture - ask for cafe au lait to aid in the digestive process.

Now, I have to comment on this. Emeril has a number of restaurants in New Orleans...he worked at Commander's Palace for a number of years...if any establishment outside of the Crescent City should be expected to offer cafe au lait on its menu and serve it properly it should be one affiliated with Bam Bam. I'm not asking for chicory coffee cafe au lait (although that would be nice), but surely an establishment affiliated with Emeril should know how to serve this beverage properly...half coffee, half hot milk, leave a bag of sugar on the table - thank you very much. Well, we ended up with some sort of frothy concoction that resembled a very tall cappuccino. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't really what we wanted, and frankly I remain puzzled by the seeming inability of anyone but the French to serve proper cafe au lait outisde of New Orleans.

Dessert I - Mango Cheesecake Served with Raspberry Coulis, Chantilly Cream, and Toasted Coconut. This was the dessert that was included with the tasting menu - Jason stuck with this selection and he liked it very much, but he liked mine better. I did not try this, but it looked very pretty. I don't care for mango (unless it's in a margarita) and I don't like coconut, and I have issues with fruit that needs a shave ... raspberry whiskers gross me out.

Dessert II - Chocolate Grand Marnier Souffle. For a small fee I was able to substitue this for the cheesecake...heads up - if you want the souffle for dessert you need to let your server know when you place your order as this is made fresh while you enjoy your meal. It was very good, but was not exactly what I wanted. When we ate here in October 2005, the souffle was simply a Grand Marnier Souffle and it was to die for! This souffle was not nearly as light as that one and I don't think it cooked properly because it was a bit chewy. These small imperfections, however, did not stop either one of us from eating every crumb in the souffle dish and licking every drop of sauce from our spoons.

So, after 3+ hours of hanging with Emeril's crew Jason and I were stuffed. We waddled down to the dock and waited for an interminable amount of time until a boat showed up for Portofino Bay. By the time we got back to the room it was 11:30PM - what a night!

Our overall thoughts and impressions: The food and service were excellent - no real disappointments and we would definitely eat here again. We're not huge fans of contemporary decor and we do think the dining rooms, especially the main one downstairs, are a bit too crowded. We also think the bar is too small and too geared towards eating as opposed to relaxation and conversation over a cocktail or two (or three or four...). The regular menu offers some nice choices - appetizers range between $10 - $15; soups & salads between $6 - $9; entrees between $25 - $42 (unless you opt for lobster...then it's $75); and desserts between $7 - $10. The restaurant also offers a childrens menu.

One minor thing we noticed with the tasting menu....in many ways it had not changed much from the tasting menu we tried in October 2005. Perhaps this is common but the veal, fillet, and dessert offerings were pretty much the same on this evening as they were seven months ago, aside from a few tweaks in presentation and sauce. Not a big deal, but enough of a lack of originality that if we go back any time soon and don't see any substantial changes we probably will order from the main menu instead. But if you've never tried the chef's menu and you have the time and some extra money to spend we strongly suggest you give it a go - it will really give you an opportunity to sample a wide variety of items. The servers really have a lot of fun with it and apparently so does the kitchen. The chef told us he wished more people would order the tasting menu because they enjoying putting it together so much.

Jay and Brenda's rating: 4 gatropods out of a possible 5