Fine Dining at Carthay Circle
When I think of fine dining in Disneyland Resort, two restaurants come to mind: Napa Rose and Carthay Circle. I have had the privilege to eat at both in the past several months. Carthay Circle is located in California Adventure on Buena Vista Street.
History
Carthay Circle is steeped in history. The building is based after Carthay Circle Theater in Los Angeles where Walt Disney’s first feature film, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, premiered. The restaurant itself is filled with historical photos of Walt Disney himself and various film actors of his time. Historical artifacts also decorate the restaurant.
Carthay Circle offers both alfresco and indoor dining. When booking reservations for this restaurant, there will be two separate booking categories for indoor and outdoor dining. We were glad we booked indoor dining due to the cold temperature the night of our visit.
Atmosphere
Carthay Circle’s decor is based on the Hollywood era of days old. It’s a beautiful building featuring chandeliers, paintings, and various artwork. The plush seating feature both booths and tables throughout the restaurant. The restaurant is also two floors with lower and upper-level seating.
Food
Carthay Circle features an ever-changing seasonal menu. We dined during the holiday season and received the Holiday Dinner Menu.
Starters on the Holiday Menu includes California Ahi Poke, Cheese Stuffed Arepa, Winter Vegetable Soup, Artichoke-Parmesan Fritters, and Winter Endive and Apple Salad.
The table could also order warm cheddar house rolls with chili-pine nut Romesco. Our table ordered the rolls and it was delicious. Everyone included the children enjoyed the rolls.
The Entrees included ravioli filled short rib, glazed pork chop, shrimp, salad, salmon, and duck breast. We had a table of 12 so each entree on the menu was enjoyed. No one at the table disliked their food.
On the night of dinner, dark chocolate truffle cake and tangerine-orange posset were also served. Being a chocaholic, I had to order the chocolate truffle cake. It was delicious and the presentation was also festive to the holiday season.
Service
The service at Carthay Circle was outstanding. Everyone we interacted with including the host and hostess were amazing. Due to limited holiday availability and a large party, we had to book 3 groups of 4 to accommodate our party of 12. We asked the hostess stand if we could all be seated together and were accommodated. We were not only in the same room but were seated right next to each other so we could enjoy a meal together.
Our server was attentive, polite, and friendly. He even took pictures of our family so we could have some photos of everyone together. The service is comparable to any Disney signature meal in friendliness, attentiveness, and knowledge of the menu.
Carthay Circle is a signature restaurant so the pricing is higher than other dining options but the food and service is exceptional. It is a great place to have a romantic dinner or celebrate a special occasion. As Disney Vacation Club members, we were also able to use a 10% discount on our meal. Next time I visit Disneyland Resort, I will again eat at Carthay Circle.
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