We stopped by Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa to check out the new “Mary Poppins” themed at Cítricos and try the new menu designed by Chef Andres Mendoza. Let’s dig in!

Interior

Plenty of elements from before remain, especially in the entry area.

This tile still runs through the restaurant, but new furniture, paint, props and more were installed around it.

The new interior is a huge improvement. The space is much brighter, with more whites and blues than the previous shades of beige, brown, and dark orange.

The theming is subtle and adds a charming touch.

A look around the lounge.

The dining room is elegant and fits well with the Grand Floridian, especially with the brighter color palette.

The “Mary Poppins” touches add a whimsical quality to the restaurant, but aren’t overdone.

The private dining room had the most “Mary Poppins” theming, including her iconic carpetbag and parrot head umbrella.

Pictures of Cherry Tree Lane line the walls.

Menu

Bread Service

The slices are the same olive bread that Cítricos had before; it is beloved.  Really, you could easily eat a whole basket.  The roll was a flaky pastry. It was also good, but it can’t compare to the olive bread.  The sea salt on the butter was also fantastic.

First Course

Wild Mushrooms Arancini – $14

Truffle Aïoli, Watercress and Champagne Vinaigrette (Plant-based)

We typically don’t have great expectations for vegan items, and boy, were we wrong.  This arancini was unbelievable, as good if not better than the arancini on the old menu!  If we didn’t know this was vegan, we never would’ve guessed.  The truffle aioli and champagne vinaigrette added to the richness of the earthy mushroom taste.  A must order.

Citrus-cured Hamachi – $21

Passion Fruit Nuoc Cham, Compressed Star Fruit, Pasilla Oil, and Blood Orange Puffed Tapioca

We were told the chef is proudest of this appetizer, and we can see why!  The proprietor wanted to add citrus items to the menu, and this was a great example. The delicate pieces of hamachi sit in the Nuoc Cham Vietnamese dipping sauce, which has a delicate sweet note of passion fruit.  The pasilla oil lends a richness, but the star is the freshness of the hamachi — definitely sushi-grade.  The blood orange puffed tapioca on top looked like a forgettable garnish but was packed with a salty citrus taste — almost like a potato chip crunch!  If these were potato chips, we could eat a whole bag.

Entrées

Guava Barbecued Short Ribs – $50

Aged Cheddar Creamy Grits, Roasted Poblano, Curtido Slaw, and Brussels Sprouts

These were the most tender and sumptuous short ribs we have had at Walt Disney World.  We didn’t get much guava from the barbecue sauce, but it was sweet nonetheless.  The roasted poblano sauce had a tiny hint of heat, not to overwhelm the typical tourist but still give a hint of kick on the backend for flavor.  This contrasted with the saltiness of the aged cheddar creamy grits, which were so creamy that they were almost like a well-mashed potato.  The Brussel sprouts were crispy and bright, but the Curtido slaw was forgettable.  Overall, an outstanding dish!

Domestic Golden Tilefish – $46

Jupiter Rice Chorizo “Risotto,” Key West Pink Shrimp, and Confit Tomatoes

Keeping with the Florida theme, this is locally sourced fish with a delicate, sweet flavor.  Perfectly seasoned and cooked as well a large portion, this was a standout dish!  The shrimp was also locally sourced and might’ve been the best cooked shrimp we have had in our lives.  The risotto was bursting with flavor. Highly recommended!

Desserts

Orange Blossom Flan – $13

Blood Orange Gelée, Orange-scented Shortbread, and Orange Blossom Honey-drizzled Fruit

We were interested in this one because it kept with the new citrus theme of Cítricos, and this was the least impressive of all the desserts because it was one-note. It was orange, orange, and orange.  It was still delicious, though!  If you love orange, this does the trick, but we would’ve liked a bit of milk chocolate to complement the orange.

Blackberry Tartelette – $12

Lemon Bavarian and Blackberry Mousse enrobed in Glacage with Candied Violet

If we had to pick a favorite dessert, this would be it.  On top is a blackberry mousse that looks familiar to anyone who’s been to Satuli Canteen; it’s a gelatin-based dessert from the infamous Disney Flavor Lab. Together with the other components of this dessert, it was a winning combination.  The soft and tangy lemon Bavarian cream of the tartelette was obviously freshly made in-house and was decadent without being too rich or sweet.  All components of the dessert culminated in a delightful flavor explosion.

Apple Rose – $13

Served Warm with Seasonal Apples, Marzipan, Raspberry Jam, and Frozen Coconut Milk

This is the token vegan dessert on the menu.  If you’re vegan, there might be no better Disney restaurant to get an appetizer and dessert at.  This is a rich and sweet dessert due to the delightful marzipan. However, be warned you need to love marzipan to love this dessert as we tasted more marzipan than apple.  The frozen coconut milk was a good ice cream substitute and tasted better than it looks.  Overall solid and very Instagramable.

Chocolate Torte – $14

Chocolate Financier, Dark Chocolate Ganache, Morello Cherries, and Vanilla Mascarpone Cream

The most impressive looking of all the desserts! The touch of gold leaf on top really set the tone for this dessert service.  The powdered cocoa on the plate is the same pattern as the metal decoration which separates the 2 dining rooms — a thoughtful touch!  This was a decadent indulgence with a thick layer of dark chocolate ganache.  We enjoyed the combination with the morello cherries but could’ve used a tiny bit more cherries.  The best chocolate dessert we’ve had in a long time.

Drinks

Specialty ‘Zero-Proof’ Cocktails

Purple Penguin – $7

Pineapple, Peach, Lemon, Lavender, Grenadine and topped with house-made Seltzer

Apparently, last night they changed from the purple cup you see to a tall Olaf sipper.  However, our server was so sweet and brought it to us in the pretty purple cup after she knew we were interested in a photogenic item.  This drink was very, very forward with the pineapple juice.  In fact, you couldn’t really taste anything other than pineapple and the house-made seltzer.  It was good, but not great.

Paradise Punch – $7.50

Melted Sugar, Caribbean Spices, Scraped Vanilla Bean, Orgeat (contains Tree-nuts) and Citrus

The Paradise Punch was our favorite of the two non-alcoholic cocktails. It had tiki-type flavors without being too sweet.  Very fresh and refined, just as much as a grown-up cocktail would be!

Specialty Cocktails

Orange Blossom Martini – $14

Diplomatico Rum, Orange Blossom Honey, Lemon Juice, and Ginger Foam

This cocktail is part of the new focus on bright Florida flavors, including citrus, throughout the menu.  This drink was a hit!  The orange blossom honey and lemon juice balanced each out very nicely for a pure Florida taste.  Recommended.

212 Manhattan – $16

Angels Envy Bourbon, Bertrand Banyul’s, and Chocolate Bitters

This was the best drink of the bunch.  Perhaps the best Manhattan on Walt Disney World property. Whistle Pig Whiskey, Del Maguey Vida Mezcal, and the star of the show — the chef-made orange reduction — made the most elegant Manhattan on property.  With aromatic orange up front and smooth vanilla notes at the end, we highly recommend this.

Overall

Overall, both the new food and decor exceeded all expectations. We loved Citricos before, but it may be somewhere we recommend more often now. It was “practically perfect in every way,” and we highly recommend visiting.

For the latest Disney Parks news and info, follow WDW News Today on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

Katie Francis