By: Nick the Disney Devo
Back on March 2nd, my wife Barbie and I took a day excursion from a family cruise to visit Epcot. We decided on Epcot instead of the other parks primarily to photograph the topiaries for the International Flower and Garden show. We decided to have lunch at a restaurant we hadn’t visited in a while, Le Cellier Steakhouse, located below the Chateau in the Canada Pavilion in Epcot. We lucked out, and were able to get a Advanced Dining Reservation 2 months out, though a little later than we would normally eat, at 1:25 pm.
TIP: I suggest making your ADR as far out as possible, as this is a arguably one of the most popular restaurants in all of Walt Disney World
Le Cellier translates into “The Cellar”, and that is what the stone arches, windowless walls, and intimate lighting make this restaurant feel like, the wine cellars of 2 of Canada’s grandest château-style hotels: Fairmont Château Laurier and Fairmont Le Château Frontenac.
Wine bottles are displayed behind beautiful wood and glass showcases further adding to the ambiance.
Our friends Laurie and Angelo joined us.
Left to Right: Laurie, Barbie, Nick and Angelo
TIP: Arrive on time for your ADR. Our neighboring table was 15 minutes late, and they had to wait 30 more to get a table
I’ve always found the service at Le Cellier to be very friendly and this visit was no exception.
We started with bread. Specifically, perhaps my favorite bread in all the World, the Pretzel Bread.
There are other breads, each representing a different area of Canada, and there is a story behind them. I’m not proud to admit it, but I really never hear this explanation, as I’m too busy drooling over the Pretzel Bread. And the butter comes with salt and a hint of Maple sugar! Excellent!
This is wonderful to enjoy while perusing the menu. And that little bit of sugar on the butter may help the medicine that is the appetizer and entree prices go down easier!
Let’s address the elephant in the dining room now. This is not an inexpensive meal. At one time lunch was only 1 credit on the Disney Dining Plan, now it is 2, and to justify this, prices have gone up accordingly. It has been several years since I’ve eaten here, but I am pretty sure I didn’t pay $10 for a bowl of one of Le Cellier’s signature dishes, the Canadian Cheddar Cheese Soup, made with Moosehead Beer and Smoked Bacon.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s delicious, though my wife remembers it as being better, but I still love it, and it is very hearty. Laurie describes the soup as divine.
TIP: The Cheddar Cheese soup is very filling. Some people make a full meal out of the Pretzel Bread and soup.
I tried a bite of Laurie and Angelo’s Kurobuta Pork Belly, Braised Pork Belly, Apple Butter, Jicama, Lucky Sorrel, Maple Gastrique, and it was absolutely amazing. Moist and juicy, and what I had hoped the pork belly at Citricos would taste like, but didn’t. This appetizer is $14.
For his entree, Angelo had the Five Spiced “Maple Leaf Farms” Duck: Roasted Duck Breast, Confit of Leg, Blended Rice, Edamame, Grilled Baby Bok Choy, Roasted Duck Jus, for $42, and he was very satisfied with his choice, saying he would absolutely get it again.
Please note, certain menu items, such as the duck, rotate in and out seasonally, and may not be available when you visit.
My Angus New York Strip, a 12-oz Strip Steak with Potato Pavé, Wilted Spinach, and Vin Rouge Reduction – $44 was tasty, a good solid choice. But I’d ordered it medium rare, and it was delivered more medium than I was happy with, which in my opinion makes it much less juicy and takes away from the flavor. I’m sure they’d have cooked me another. But seeing as I wanted to eat with my dining companions, and Barbie and I only had a few hours to enjoy Epcot, I didn’t send it back.
Barbie and Laurie both had the other signature dish, the “Le Cellier” Mushroom Filet Mignon – 8-oz AAA Canadian Beef Tenderloin with Wild Mushroom Risotto, White Truffle-Butter Sauce, and Micro Chervil, for $44.
Both described it as tender, juicy, and flavorful, Barbie adding it was cooked to perfection.
We were all too full for desert.
Overall, Le Cellier’s food is still very good, but, as previously mentioned, very pricey. Each couple paid over $120 for lunch, and that was with a 20% Tables in Wonderland discount, which, to be fair, does include an automatic 18% gratuity.
Would we eat here again? Absolutely! But I’d order the soup and pork belly, rather than an entree, and Barbie said she would forgo an appetizer and just get the filet.
Portions of this article were originally posted on the Disney Musings Blog, which Nick co-writes with his wife and friends.
