Chef's Counter at Napa Rose - Anaheim

It was a birthday dinner to top all birthday dinners--something my lovely partner (a.k.a. Cookiemonster) gave me as part of her gift--a 4-course meal at Napa Rose Chef's Counter.

But it was also our lucky night. Though we'd booked the last available counter seats of the evening, which was at the dessert station, someone had cancelled at the main area.

So, when the Napa Rose representative called to confirm our reservation that afternoon, she offered the newly available seats, effectively bumping up us to first class.



And my friends, it was!

Unlike our first Chef's Counter dinner (which was in front of the dessert chefs), this was a whole new show, an entirely different experience with a front row view of the action.

The chef at the blazing sauté station was practically acrobatic. I watched in amazement at how he fluidly moved his arms, legs, feet as he juggled multiple burners and ovens. It was worthy of Cirque du Soleil.



And you should've seen how meticulously the garde manger sculpted his lettuce into perfect little pyramids on his plates.

But the star was the commander-in-chief, chef de cuisine Gloria Tae, who directed her army of cooks like a culinary George Patton.

Her commands of "Fire scallops!" or "Fire tiger!" would be answered and repeated in the affirmative by the kitchen soldier responsible for the dish, no matter where they were.



Amid the controlled chaos and non-stop whirlwind of activity, there was the constant aroma of brown butter and searing steaks.

And of course, we ate well--one of the best meals I've had in OC, and certainly at the Disney resort.

There was an amuse of sweet corn fritter with wasabi aioli; grilled opah; seared ahi tuna; a sautéed apple salad with cheddar; a so-called "Tiger" salad with lobster fritters; perfectly cooked duck breast; milky sweetbreads with mushrooms and pasta; a pot roast with seasonal vegetables; an enormous porterhouse of lamb; a dessert of apple confit with ginger ice cream; and a chocolate torte plate on which they stuck a candle and wrote Happy Birthday in chocolate.

I blew out that candle, but I think my wish was already fulfilled.

Napa Rose
Disneyland Resort
1313 Disneyland Dr.
Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa
Anaheim, CA 92802
(714) 635-2300

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