It is set apart from other more "family-friendly" restaurants on Disney property, by their wine list and their menu. Though there are food items for the shorter folks, this is clearly a restaurant for the adults.
The Portobello's staff was a little short-handed the night some friends and I stopped by, so the service was slightly slow and surly. The food was worth the wait! We started with fresh Italian bread served with a roasted garlic bulb and olive oil. I ordered a Raymond Cabernet, 2007 vintage from Raymond Vineyards in Napa Valley. (Actually I ordered it from the waiter, but at some point it came from the Raymond Vineyards.) Earlier vintages of their Cabernet range in price from $85 - $180 per bottle. For a mid-range priced "house wine", I found this Cabernet to have a nice balance of powerful Cabernet juiciness and spicy complexity. It would make a lovely gift for someone who appreciates a hearty, yet delicate red. The Portobello house salad is a simple plate of locally grown mixed greens and a typical vinaigrette dressing. Garlic slightly overpowered the overall flavor.
Tonight's entree was an enticing skewer of shrimp, keeping company with a plate of polenta and a buttery white wine sauce. A light hint of lemon ran through the wine sauce. In a nod to the wintery weather, the chef included squash in the polenta. It was the perfect combination for a chilly evening in Orlando.
I can almost smell the garlic. But I'm not protesting for I love garlic. And it's good for you. So what's not to like? Did someone rummage around in the salad before you took the photo? It looks... uhm... very rustic ;-)
ReplyDeleteI hope the food was good cause the presentation certainly wasn't...looks like someone just slapped the food on a plate...must be Disney
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