Napa Rose: Fine Dining at Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa Review

Jul 28

If you're a fan of fine dining or just love to experience all the different facets of Disney parks culture, Napa Rose might hold a spot on your to-try experience list.

Napa Rose sign on the exterior of the restaurant building

The Venue

Located at Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa in Anaheim's Disneyland Resort location, Napa Rose is inspired by California's wine country. Much like the rest of the hotel, Napa Rose has a very rustic, woodsy feel to it. Upon entering the restaurant, you wouldn't really be able to tell that Disney's California Adventure is literally on the other side of the wall.

There's a large bar-like area right in the center of the restaurant, tables throughout out, and some small enclaves that hold one or two tables that are a bit separate from the hustle and bustle of the rest of the restaurant. We were seated in room with two tables and were the only seated table there for most of the night, which I thought was quite nice. It gave a bit of an intimate feel to it, and we were all able to chat and have fun without the surrounding noise.

Reservations

Reservations are highly recommended and appear to be considerably accessible. We were able to get a reservation for four the day prior to our visit, though of course openings may vary depending on the season.

Same-day reservations might be possible, but reservations are always the safer bet.

One tool I like to use when looking for dining reservations is https://mousedining.com/, where you can set up alerts for locations you're looking for. It can still be a challenge actually securing the reservation though because they can disappear in seconds, so it might still take a bit of effort.

We arrived around 5 minutes or so before our reservation and were seated within 10 minutes of checking in.

The Menu

The menu is structured as a 4-course meal. Guests can order either a la carte or they can order the Vintner's Table which is a prix fixe menu of 4 set courses.

I appreciated that the a la carte menu is structured just like the Vintner's Table so if any guest wanted to set up their own 4-course meal, they could do so and the timing and scheduling of the meal would line up perfectly with anyone opting for the prix fixe menu.

The Vintner's Table comes in at $125 not including the wine addition which has an additional cost. Each a la carte menu item is around $25-$30 for the first and second course, $50-$60 for the main course, and about $20 for the dessert course. The a la carte items, if you're "making your own meal", add up to about around the same price as the Vintner's Table, though the Vintner's Table does have some items not part of the a la carte menu.

So it's a bit of a "choose your own adventure" experience that everyone gets to partake in which I thought was pretty nice!

The Meal

Service

I had a great experience dining here! Our server, Brett, was so courteous, funny, and engaging. He was great to talk to and get some feedback from regarding the menu, and he really made the experience a positive one.

As expected from an upscale establishment such as this one, the service was great. We were mostly left to enjoy our meal together with minimal interruptions, but were checked in on at regular intervals.

The Food

I chose from the a la carte menu, and suffice it to say, every item I had was delicious!

Bread Service - Focaccia Bread with Dipping Sauces

Focaccia bread in a meta pot with a black plate with three dishes of different dipping sauces and teaspoons

Along with our Starter courses we also added on the bread service. This came with a freshly baked focaccia bread with three different dipping sauces (the exact components of which I've already forgotten). The bread was very fresh and coated in olive oil. It had a crunchy crust and bouncy center. I really enjoyed trying the different dipping sauces as well.

The bread service was an additional $18.00. For what it was, I don't know if I'd get it again knowing the price tag, but sometimes you want some fresh bread to go along with your meal, so it might be nice to add on!

Starter Course - Diver Scallop Sautéed with Cashews

One cooked scallop on top of a bed of orange sauce topped with crushed nuts

I absolutely love scallops, and this one was no exception. First, the scallop was huge, and I was so excited to dig into it. The texture was also perfect. It had the right amount of bounciness to it, but wasn't stringy or overly chewing. The sear was really nice and gave it a very subtle charred flavor. The cashews with white nectarine and peach were such great additions to the dish. The cashews were on the softer side but still had a bunch of crunch to them which had a nice texture and the white nectarines and peaches had a tangy but sweet flavor to balance out the savoriness.

This dish was very delicious, and it might have been my favorite of the night.

Second Course - "Smiling Tiger" Salad

Black plate with various green vegetables and sliced carrots with a splatter of white sauce and dollops of red and green sauces on the edges and a shrimp fritter

This salad is apparently famous at Napa Rose and is one of the menu items that has not left in years because guests demanded that it stay on the menu. After hearing about the hype of this salad I most definitely needed to give it a try.

The shrimp fritters were delicious with a tasty shrimp flavor and very crunchy breading. The beef was tender and had a nice amount of heat to it. The coconut vinaigrette was tangy and the cabbage was very refreshing to balance out the spiciness of the beef and the other sauces. The kick from the sauces actually caught me a bit by surprise, but after a bit of recovery I did really enjoy this salad.

Was this the best salad I've ever had? Hmm, not really. It was definitely very good, but as someone who frequently eats Southeast Asian cuisine, I think I've been expose to so many good dishes that this felt as good as some that I've had elsewhere (and paid less for). Major points for presentation and the fanciful air to it, but it was very much like what you would expect a Thai-inspired salad to taste like. I'm still glad I gave it a try though!

Main Course - Dry Aged Duck Breast

Three slices of duck breast with cherries on top of each piece next to a green sauce with mushrooms on top

This dish was very hearty and tasty. The server does ask how you prefer the cook of your meat, and I chose Medium. The duck was very tender, flavorful, and juicy. It was also pretty fatty, but as someone who prefers less fatty meat, I did still enjoy it. The cherry sauce that was paired with it was very delicious and slightly tart, again balancing out the savoriness of the meat.

The duck dish also came with chanterelle mushrooms which also very flavorful and cooked well such that they still had a bit of bite to them.

Dessert Course - Valrhona Manjari Chocolate Cremeux

Chocolate mousse on top of a dark red sauce and topped with chocolate curls

If you're looking for chocolate-y decadence, look no further than this dessert.

The mousse was very smooth and very full of chocolate flavor. The pistachio brittle was crunchy and had a bit of a slight saltiness to it. And the cherries gave the dish some tartness and fruity sweetness. Chocolate and cherries are often paired together, and while it's not my favorite pairing, this dessert was a great way to wrap up the meal.

Napa Rose: Should You Visit?

Overall, I had a great time at Napa Rose. It was a fun and delicious meal with great food and great company. The experience was a positive one from start to finish. I think it's a great environment for anyone looking for a bit of fancifulness to add to their trip. I also think given that this is in a Disney resort hotel, the price point here is not as much as I might have expected it to be. Yes, $125 for dinner is not a small amount, but for what you get and where you are, I'd say that's not too bad. This wouldn't be a place a visit regularly, but for special occasions, I think it's a pretty solid option!

Sharon To