The Hollywood Brown Derby, Disney's Hollywood Studios

They're Gonna Put Us in the Movies; They're Gonna Make a Big Star Out of Wheeeee ... And All We Gotta do is Act Naturally!!!

For years Jay and I have been methodically ticking Disney's signature restaurants off of our dining "to-do" list; yet somehow we've always managed to overlook the Brown Derby, in part because of its location at Hollywood Studios which is not a park where we spend a lot of time and which is not known for the overall quality of its food. But many friends kept telling us during the last year or so that the Brown Derby was different - great food, great service, and a great bar - give it a try, they urged; you won't regret it! And so, on this most recent trip, we ventured forth with our dear friends Chelsi & Jason to have lunch at the Derby where one of the most amazing meals and experiences was waiting for us.

First up, a little background on the restaurant - as I previously mentioned it's located in Disney's Hollywood Studios and is considered an authentic reproduction of the original Brown Derby restaurant that graced Hollywood for so many years. The Brown Derby was the meeting place for the silver screen's most famous and infamous personalities and it was the goal of every one them to end up with their caricature hanging from the restaurant's walls. Disney has incorporated that design element into their version of the restaurant with great success, along with dark wood accents, sumptuous leather booths, crisp table linens, and a very professional wait staff accustomed to catering to the whims of all their stars.

Our lunch reservation was early - right at restaurant opening - and when Chelsi checked in with the hostess she asked if we wanted to be the Brown Derby celebrities of the day. None of us had any idea what that entailed, but we all know that when someone asks you that kind of question at WDW, the correct answer is always "YES!"

Now, I don't know if this is something the Brown Derby does every day or if they just thought Chelsi was so darn cute she needed a photo shoot, but it was loads of fun. Our "handler" took us outside the restaurant for some paparazzi shots and then we were brought back inside for a ribbon cutting ceremony to officially "open" the restaurant, all the while with cameras flashing and applause ringing through the lobby. We were then led through the restaurant, showered with Mickey confetti, and seated in a lovely booth away from the other guests in order to better maintain our privacy. Our waiter played along with the game the entire time we were there and he really helped make the whole experience that much more memorable and enjoyable. Shortly before we left, the manager brought us commemorative programs with all of our photo shoot pictures and the story of our arrival and how, just by making an appearance, we made the Derby famous that day.

Dining room before the celebrities enter


Dining room once more


Celebrities of the day ... couldn't have chosen better myself!


Ya know, being a celebrity is hard work and the only thing we could think of to really help us relax was a nice drink ... or six. I started the meal off with a champagne flight that included a glass of Iron Horse Fairy Tale Cuvee, Banfi Rosa Regale, and Mumm Cordon Rouge Brut. I actually ended up with a second glass of Fairy Tale Cuvee because the first glass poured was rather flat and sad; our waiter said it best, "It just won't do for a celebrity to have non-bubbling bubbly."

Champagne Flight


Jason ordered a Jack Diamond, aka Manhattan, which was the other drink choice that I considered for myself; it was made with Maker's Mark Bourbon, Sweet Vermouth, Bitters, and a drunken, drowning cherry. For anyone out there who enjoys a good Manhattan ... try this drink the next time you want to go uptown - it was awesomely tasty!

Jack Diamond


Full drink honors, however, must be awarded to Chelsi, who selected the Martini Flight of the Stars: Shelby Mayor - Grey Goose Vodka and Dry Vermouth; Honey Darling - Bombay Sapphire Gin and Dry Vermouth; and Dorma Nesmond - Ketel One Citron, Pomegranate Liqueur, and Cranberry Juice. I was lucky enough to have a taste of each of these and they were all good but the standout in my opinion was the Honey Darling. I'm not usually a fan of Gin martinis but this was flavorful and smooth and really refreshing.

Martinis of the stars ... for a star!


Coolest drink presentation of the trip!


We decided to share a few appetizers because none of us could choose just one; we started with the Spicy Sashimi Tuna Tartar with Cucumber, Daikon, and Pepper Salad, Avocado Wasabi Sauce, and Crisp Lotus Root Chips. The presentation was the first thing to grab our attention and then the taste of the tuna took over - it was a wonderful mix of sweet, spicy, and tender tuna bits with over-sized wagon wheel chips for texture. I also enjoyed the avocado-wasabi sauce - the cool creaminess of the avocado paired really well with the spicy wasabi and made the tuna sing, sing, sing!

Aerial Tuna


Tuna Profile


And because we were lunching at the Derby we had to try their "famous" Cobb Salad which includes finely chopped Greens, Turkey Breast, Bacon, Egg, Tomatoes, Crumbled Bleu Cheese, Avocado, Chives, and Cobb Dressing. This was mixed table side and then plated individually - I went light on the dressing and the bleu cheese, and was very pleasantly surprised by how much I liked this salad. Normally I don't care for a lot of stuff in my rabbit food when I do manage to eat leafy greens but this was mixed together really well and had tremendous flavor. I'm so glad Chelsi & Jason suggested that we try it!

Cobb Salad


You can toss my salad any day!


Our final appetizer - yes, we had three ... big egos require big eats - was the Blue Lump Crab Cake with Potato Crust, Green Cabbage Slaw, Cognac Mustard Sauce, and Remoulade. This was tasty and the potato crust and cognac mustard were nice touches, but I liked the tuna sashimi and the cobb salad better. Still, for anyone out there who really likes a crabby patty, Brown Derby's take on this classic dish was a good one.

C'mere, you sweet crabby patty!


Jason and I split a lunch entree, choosing a fairly new menu item that our server had high praise for: the Sam Adams Seasonal Brew Braised Short Rib with a Parsnip-Butternut Squash Puree, Crispy Rainbow Swiss Chard, and Rosemary Jus Lie. The kitchen split the dish into two serving portions for us and the size was perfect and still quite generous for only being half of one entree. As for the taste, our server was on the money - the short rib was oh-so-tender, the puree was creamy and smooth, and the Sam Adams sauce added a nice hint of Fall spice with a beery undertone. This would be a wonderful late Fall or Winter dish to serve at home - great flavors and a whole lotta comfort!

Sam Adams Short Rib


Chelsi and her Jason shared the Brown Butter Almond-Crusted Black Grouper with Golden Beets, Roasted Celery Root, Leeks, and a Lobster Beurre Blanc. The kitchen divided their dish into two serving portions as well - I have to say that the Derby's staff was exceptionally accommodating throughout our lunch and their serving sizes, even on split entrees, were very generous. Our friends shared a piece of their fishie with us and was it ever good! Flaky, mild, and tender with hints of lobster and sweet butter ... it was very tasty!!

Brown Butter Grouper


Celebrity is as celebrity does!


It was about this time, before the next round of drinks, that we decided some coffee might be in order. Two of our party ordered plain old cappuccinos which were warm and creamy and really hit the spot, while the other two ordered Cafe' Henry III - Brandy, Kahlua, Grand Marnier, and Galliano with a Cinnamon Sugar Rim. Apart from wondering which Henry III this drink was supposed to be in honor of, I can only say that this is the kind of coffee drink I'd like to start pouring into my thermos every morning before heading into the office. Damn was it ever good - strong and boozy, just the way we like our coffee drinks!

Cappuccino!


To which Henry do we pay homage with this beverage???


As if this weren't enough, we moved forward with after-dinner drink flights. One of the things on the Derby's menu that caught my attention over the summer was their Grand Marnier and Cognac flights. The price wasn't bad considering what they were pouring, and with four of us to sample the wares it seemed like the perfect time to try some new beverages! Jason and I selected the Cognac Flight which included the following for $20: Courvoisier VS, Courvoisier VSOP, and Courvoisier XO. This reminded us a little of the Remy Martin tasting we did last year at the F&W Festival - it was very good but we definitely prefer the older, more expensive cognacs, which tend to be much more smooth on the palate.

Cognac Flight ...


So shimmery and drinkable!


Chelsi and her Jason opted for the Grand Marnier Flight, which for $28 included the following: Grand Marnier, Grand Marnier 100 Year, and Grand Marnier 150 Year. It was nice to be able to try the fancy-schmancy aged Grand Marnier, but none of us are big orange fans so this was hard to choke down. And the 150 year ... good gawd, it was like sucking on an alcoholic orange fireball. Bleh ... no more for me, thanks anyway!

Grand Marnier Flight ...


Even though we didn't need it, and probably weren't even hungry, we finished off the afternoon with dessert and shared the Chocolate Three Ways: Dark Almond Buttermilk Cake Layered with Milk Chocolate Truffle Creme and White Chocolate Chambord. This was acceptable - nothing that really knocked our socks off but it paired well with the cognac. I was actually a little disappointed in the dessert selections and think that this is the one area where the Derby could use some work going forward.

Chocolate Three Ways


Chelsi & Jason went with the Brown Derby's signature dessert - Grapefruit Cake. This was made with light layers of yellow cake with fresh Grapefruit-Cream Cheese Icing. It was very pretty to look at but I don't like grapefruit at all and just couldn't appreciate the flavor. Everyone else seemed to really enjoy it, though, so that's a good thing and I guess that means it lived up to the hype!

Grapefruit Cake


We finally reached the end of our luncheon odyssey and couldn't have been more pleased with our decision to join Chelsi and Jason at the Brown Derby. Celebrity frou-frou aside, the Brown Derby provided one of the best overall meals Jason and I had during our vacation - the food, service, and atmosphere were stellar. We were really impressed with their food and beverage variety and look forward to paying them another visit the next time we make it to Disney World. Bravo, Brown Derby - you just joined Bistro Paris at the top of our WDW restaurant list!!