We were lucky enough to be among the first to experience the brand new Enchanted Rose bar and lounge at the Grand Floridian when they soft opened early today.
The beautiful and detailed rooms are themed to Beauty and the Beast, with a menu that offers a variety of food and drinks. The menu offers a wide selection of drinks, including two signature tableside cocktails.
A Tale of Tableside Cocktails
There are two “tableside” cocktails on the menu. Each one is presented with a story behind it, and mixed for you with great care by the bar tenders. The presentation plays a major part of these two drinks, which might explain the $21 price. They are both delicious, and it is a fun experience to interact with the Cast Member preparing your drink. It will be interesting to see how this plays out when they get busier. We were seated at the bar, so it might be a little easier presentation at one of the many tables throughout the room.
Love – $21
The primary expression of Love is to give. Our cocktail will show you how diversity of ingredients can transpire love. The three ingredients are given names. “Gift with Thought” is lemon juice and agave. “Truly Seeing Someone” is Twining of London camomile tea and pear. “No Strings Attached” is Grey Goose vodka and Pavan Liqueur de France. It’s even garnished with rose petals.
This drink is delicious, and very sweet. The pear flavor is noticeable, and it goes down easily. This was delicious, and we even considered ordering a second round, but they ran out of some of the ingredients. This is a soft opening, so problems are expected, but it’s unfortunate to run out of ingredients for your signature drink so early in the day. The price is really high for this drink, but it’s delicious and the presentation was fun.
Envy – $21
Envy is pain at the sight of another’s good fortune, stirred by those who have what we ought to have. Let’s stir up a twist on an Old Fashioned as Envy is as old fashioned as it gets. This is another drink that is mixed in front of you, with more themed presentation and story to it. This drink consists of “Green with Envy” green chartreuse and green apple puree, “Strong” Busnel Calvados du Pays d’Auge, and “Bitter” Angostura bitters. It’s mixed up for you and garnished by a crisp apple chip.
This is a good drink, but has a bolder taste than the Love cocktail. This one was good for sipping and had a stronger alcohol taste than the previous cocktail. It’s good, but the price is just too high to justify.
Food
The food is even brought out on fun little carts! Anybody else singing “Be Our Guest” right now?
Check out the silverware!
Mini Smoked Short Rib Sliders – $16
This was a huge favorite of everyone at the bar! This might be a frequent stop before Magic Kingdom just to get these short rib sliders. They’re served on bread that has been grilled, so it’s just slightly crispy. The meat was amazing, too. The bleu cheese and onion marmalade packed such a flavor, the first bite really brings you back for more. This was probably the most popular item we tried and can’t be missed.
Crab and Gnocchetti Gratin – $16
This looks like it would taste like macaroni and cheese, but it has a very strong crab taste. There is a lot of crab meat mixed in with the pasta, with a heavier, creamier taste. We’d pass on this one next time, unless you’re a big fan of seafood. The pasta just doesn’t stand out, but the crab is pretty good.
Truffle Fries – $14
These are the kind of truffle fries that dreams are made of. This order of fries is flavorful and delicious, and the garlic aioli just enhances everything. They’re perfect for sharing, too!
Overall, the bar and lounge has a great new atmosphere, tasty food, and creative drinks. The only downside was the prices on the signature drinks, but we definitely will be back for more sliders and truffle fries.