Grand Floridian Café
Located at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
Dinner

Not taking the time to admire the gorgeous lobby of this wonderful Disney resort or pay any real attention to the orchestra that was playing we made a beeline for this restaurant, which is located just off the main lobby. Nearing the entrance I crossed my fingers knowing that just beyond the podium and the cast member standing behind it was the opportunity to both satisfy our increasing hunger and enjoy the quite and relaxing atmosphere of this café.

With a disarming smile the young attractive cast member asked, “Can I help you?” “A table for two please.” I answered. “Certainly, follow me” was her response. Just like that we were in. No long stories about how tired and hungry we were. No apologies about checking in late. We simply followed her to a comfortable booth and accepted the menus she offered.

Having eaten lunch here on many occasions but never dinner I took the time to read over the menu trying to narrow my choices done to manageable two or three options. I wasn’t looking for anything special or fancy just some comfort food that would help me transition into a vacation mode. Our server found us quickly and before heading off to retrieve our drink order he left us with the soup of the day selection. I was intrigued by the soup which today was one of my favorites black bean. Leaning toward the soup I quickly eliminated any completed meals and focused on the sandwich offerings.

We surrendered our order to our server, which consisted of the Cafe Signature Sandwich with Mojo marinated turkey with brown sugar bacon, and oven dried tomatoes that I selected. I also requested the black bean soup to be served with my sandwich. The table would also see the Caesar Salad with Romaine lettuce tossed in our Caesar dressing and served with grilled chicken breast.

As we waited for our food we enjoyed some simple conversation and the relaxing atmosphere of this low profile restaurant. The dining area affords guests a wonderful view of the resorts beautifully landscaped gardens. The view is enhanced by the tall windows that extend the entire length of the dining room.

After our order arrive at our table and the various plates and dishes were placed in front of us I made an odd discovery. I noticed that the beans in my black bean soup were not black. Undeterred I dove straight in spoon first and found that the soup was both hearty and tasty. With the soup gone I turned my attention to the Cafe Signature Sandwich that was both moist and delicious. I particularly enjoyed the tomatoes which complemented the marinated turkey. The chicken Caesar salad was large by any standard and was served with a generous serving of moist grilled chicken breasts.

At the conclusion of our meal our server asked if we had enjoyed everything. I wanted to ask him about the apparent mistake with my soup order. Despite the fact that I had devoured the evidence I still went ahead and mentioned that I did not think I had been served the black bean soup I had ordered, The reason for my cynicism was that the beans were not , well they weren’t black. He assured me that I had indeed been served the chef’s black bean soup. I believe he sensed my skepticism, because in a just a moment the chef appeared at out table and he said he was sorry that I was disappointed with my soup order. I said that I had enjoyed it immensely, which was obvious considering I had eaten everything except the bowl, but was just curious about the ingredients. The chef then offered me a copy of the recipe for his black bean soup, which I accepted and kept as a souvenir of this our first day at Disney.