Disney Dream pleases palates with fine dining at Remy-Gourmet meal is $75 add-on

Who but Disney would name and theme a restaurant after a rat and have people flocking to pay $75 a head to get in?

The restaurant is Remy, named for the rodent who longed to be a chef in the movie “Ratatouille.” But while it is themed after the Pixar feature, the tie-in is rather subtle. You'll see little touches like a chef's hat, round nose and whiskers in a mirror or a little Remy worked into the gold scroll work on the plates. There are even Gs worked into the carpeting in honor of Gusteau, the original chef/restaurant owner in the movie.

But the main star at Remy is the food, which is on a par with the Grand Floridian's premium restaurant, Victoria and Albert's, at Disney World. Unlike its land-based counterpart, Remy does not allow guests under age 18 (V & A's cut-off is 10). That's a smart move, because a meal at Remy is more of a production number, with multiple courses spread out over two and a half to three hours that would leave even the most patient kid fidgeting. For adults, the wait simply means time for one course to settle and your gastronomic anticipation to build before you dive into the next one.

The elegance is apparent from the moment you walk into the restaurant. Seatings are spaced out in increments that allow each table to get the full multi-course presentation. We were seated in the wine room, a lovely, peaceful little three-table nook, where I sat in front of a wine case with bottles that cost more than my car inside (the most expensive is $25,000).

At Victoria and Albert's they have a table hook to hang your purse. At Remy, it gets its own stool. The table settings are lovely, the lighting is low, and French music plays in the background (sorry, no live harp like V & A). It's a great romantic spot where parents sailing with kids can plop them in the clubs and enjoy some adult time.

The meal starts off with a signature champagne drink, the Colette, named after one of the movie's characters. The champagne itself is a special vintage made exclusively for the Disney Dream, and the same bubbly that was used to toast the maiden voyage. Just add some fruit and other ingredients and voila, you have a lovely pre-dinner drink to toast with.

Next there was a very small, fried square (I think it involved tomato) to whet your appetite. It's not actually one of the courses, just a little “snack,” and I suspect it's something that might change/rotate on different nights. You also choose from a selection of three breads; I got stuck on one that tasted like it contained truffle oil, while my husband rotated between the other two. I usually slather my bread in butter, but this was so good that disguising its taste with anything would have been an affront to its flavor.

There are two different menus chef's menus, created by the two who were involved with Remy's development, so my husband and I each chose one to allow us to get a little taste of everything. There are other pre-set menu variations, or you can mix and match items.

First off was ratatouille for both of us (of course), although this was a far cry from the simple French dish in the movie. It featured delicious finely chopped vegetables and olive oil ice cream. I happen to like really odd ice creams, and overall I loved this dish. It was light, fresh, and flavorful so it was a great way to kick off the meal. The ice cream was not sweet. Think of it more as a cold, creamy but solid sauce.

Next up lobster two ways for me and bison for my husband. He pegged the bison as one of his favorite dishes of the entire meal, and I'll admit it was tasty and tender. Myself, out of the two lobster preparations, my favorite was the one in salad, served in a wine glass, which seemed to have almost a smoked taste. The bison meat, served medium rare, was delicious too; very tender and full of flavor without being “rangy.” If you like beef, you would probably enjoy it.

My next course was several different preparations of tomatoes, from small ones on cheese to gazpacho (cold soup) to a glass of champagne-colored essence of tomato. Since I am a huge tomato and cheese lover, this was one of my top courses. My husband had lobster bisque, although it wasn't the traditional soup. Rather, there was lobster meat with the bisque used more like a generously applied sauce, although I could easily have eaten it as a soup as it was exquisite. He pegged that as one of his favorite courses.

Next up, we both had seafood. There was turbot with gnocchi for me and sea bass for hubby, which was another of his favorites. I enjoyed it, too, but I was in love with my own entree, as the sauce was absolutely heavenly. You get extra on the side, and I used every bit. Turbot is a mild fish, but the sauce added a creamy taste and texture that turned it into a delight. The gnocchi were like little balls of heaven. I ate two out of the three and reluctantly left one for my spouse.

At this point, we were getting full and there was still lots of food to go. I've read concerns online that Remy is overpriced for the amount of food you get or that the portions are too small so you won't be full. Anyone who believes that doesn't understand the fine dining concept. The portions have to be small because, with so many courses involved, you'd quickly lose your stamina with typical oversized amounts of food. You get enough to savor with each course and to hopefully leave you with enough appetite to enjoy the entire meal. The portions were actually a little bigger than I thought they would be so it was a struggle to make it to the end.

My husband's next course was wagyu beef, while mine was pigeon pie in puff pastry. The latter might sound a bit scary, but I assure you it's not. The pigeon, in a light, flaky shell, had a lovely smoked flavor, with extra sauce on the side. It was more gastronomically interesting than the beef, which was a very premium cut but still a more standard fare than what I was eating. It was unlike chicken or turkey; the closest thing I can compare it to is duck, but even that isn't fully accurate. Alas, I could only down a few bites because I knew that more was coming and I had to reserve precious stomach space.

Next was my favorite course in any fancy meal: the cheese plate, which is quite fitting for the Remy theme. I always order the chef's cheese selection when we dine at upscale Disney eateries like Jiko and Flying Fish, so I was in heaven when I saw the cheese cart at Remy. It featured a wide variety of options, with two goat cheeses and offerings running from mild to sharp, including one peppery type. You can select a few options or get a sampler with a little bit of everything. Both my husband and I went for the latter option. They were served with honey comb, which makes a nice complement. The cheese was one of my favorite courses, but that's true anytime I run into a truly good cheese array (goat and sheep cheese are my favorites). The most interesting was the peppered cheese, which indeed had a zip to it.

Finally: dessert! My husband had the poached pair, while I had a selection of several chocolate offerings, including pieces with “Remy” embossed on them. And be prepared, as you will also be hit with a special array of creations by the pastry chefs on top of what comes with your meal. As delicious as the final course was (chocolate with real gold on top...mmmm), I was struggling to find room and wondering how I would drag myself back to my stateroom with the extra poundage I had surely gained.

We did not do the wine pairings, which cost an extra $99 per person. That much wine would put me under the table, and my husband decided to get some by the glass. The somollier is more than happy to assist with matching up something that suits your taste, although even the glasses can be a bit pricey. My husband likes sweet wines, so he got a recommendation for a French wine that was sweet enough to drink for dessert, and he ended up having two glasses of that, which came to about $25 per glass with the automatic gratuity.

I also received a rose, and later we received a card and small box of chocolates (as if we needed more food) as a follow-up to our visit.

Should you try Remy? If you have to ask, then it might not be for you. I've found that most people either love or hate that type of food and experience, without a lot of middle ground. My husband and I are foodies, so there was no question that we would try it. If you're not sure, Palo's shorter meal and “safer” menu would probably be more appealing to you.

For us, I would happily eat at Remy on every cruise, but we sail with such frequency that we'll have to keep it as an occasional treat because of the price. We're planning to do it again in April, but creating a mix-and-match menu based on the favorites we identified on this trip. Next time around, I might force myself not to finish every course to leave more room to properly enjoy my dessert.

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