Story by staff writer Ann McElfresh. Photos Copyright © Ann McElfresh.

In August our resident foodie, Ann McElfresh, and her friend and fellow Milliver’s Travels staff member, Betsy Villanella, were the lucky ducks who got to cruise on board the Disney Dream. This series—presented in three posts to cover an amazing ten-course meal—is the follow-up to Ann’s story, Enchanted Dining on the Disney Dream.

Read Part 1 here: 10 Courses at Remy on the High Seas: Wine and Starters

THE FAVORITE

The first course was a two-dish wonder. It was, by far, my favorite dish of the night.

Placed in front of you simultaneously: tomato confit with a Parmesan foam and five tiny oregano leaves, served upside-down with a mere drop of peppery olive oil in each leaf.

Then, served in stunning stemware, tomato essence with a small, round piece of tomato floating on top.

A sip, a bite, a sip, a bite and you were transported to summer. Tomato summer!

When our sommelier, Rei, arrived with a bottle of pink champagne to accompany, I’ll admit, skepticism reigned again. However, it not only complemented the dish, the pink champagne completed it. Genius!

This dish was light, beautifully prepared and packed a flavor punch that knocked me out! The price of admission was worth this dish alone.

CLOUDS OF WONDER

Try not to be jealous, but I know what a cloud tastes like. Next I had the lightest, fluffiest, tastiest gnocchi on the Seven Seas—or anywhere else on the planet.

Made with Yukon Gold potatoes, with only a hint of flour to hold it together, it was served with a wine foam and a nutty, sweet herb that I cannot recall a name for. Golden, delicious and brilliant! Admirably paired with a crisp white wine that didn’t overwhelm the flavors.

Note: This dish was prepared especially for me. The original course was a langoustine tartare that I couldn’t enjoy due to my seafood allergies.

MANICOTTI IN MINIATURE

Next came beautifully-prepared, beautifully-presented miniature manicotti. This was a smooth pasta filled with acidic, pungent tomatoes over Romesco (a nut and red pepper-based sauce from Tarragona, Catalonia, Spain). Balsamic drops decorated the plate and sweetened each bite.

I was surprised at the strong flavors and it was delightful after the lighter fare. The wine was paired perfectly with this acidic dish. Sweet and heavy with pear, this was easily my favorite wine of the evening.

Note: This dish was also prepared especially for me, due to my seafood allergies, as the original course was halibut.

SOMETHING I WAS ALWAYS TOO AFRAID TO TRY

Lamb. Most folks love it or hate it, but everyone seems to have a strong opinion. I was in the third category of “never tried it.” For some reason—and I have an adventurous palate—I’ve always been afraid of lamb. As my next course, I knew it was the perfect opportunity to figure out if I was a lover or a hater . . .

. . . I’m a lover!

This lamb was herb- and Panko-crusted, perfectly pink on the inside. I expected gamey, I got delicious. I don’t know if I could describe the flavor except “YUM!”

Served on a bed of English peas with tiny carrots, the lamb was surrounded by dollops of what I guessed was a light mint sauce and a carrot puree. Whatever it was, it was perfect with the lamb.

The herb salad on top gave you that hearty green taste that helped break through the richness of the dish. Paired with this was a delightful red wine that was bold enough to stand up to the flavor of the lamb.

I checked LAMB off my bucket list!

PAMPERED BEEF

I’ve always wanted to try Kobe beef. Kobe is a beef made from cows that have been beer-fed, pampered, spoiled and MASSAGED their entire life! Needless to say, my expectations were high on this one . . . and once again, my expectations were exceeded.

This course came in a plate with four sections. First were the beautiful miniature vegetables with black garlic (another bucket list try) and chervil on top, and a radish smaller than a pencil eraser that tasted like ten sweet radishes at once!

The next section was an oxtail reduction to enjoy any way I pleased (I dipped . . . A LOT). Then there were angel-soft, smooth mashed potatoes with barbecued pork on top that was WOW!

**Sigh** Then the Kobe Beef. Seared to perfection, medium-rare and fork-tender. The finest steak I’ve ever had!

Everything complemented everything else. And when I mentioned that I was excited to try the black fermented garlic, they brought me more as I was enjoying this course. (I should have mentioned the beef, too, dang it!)

This was served with a rich burgundy that was its own treat. Such a beautiful glass of wine—and its big bold flavors were perfect for this big, bold dish.

The sun was setting and my meal was progressing to its final act.

Coming next . . . Cheese, Please!, Desserts in the Plural!, “An Unexpected Visitor and a Parting Gift” and more

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SEE ALSO:

10 Courses at Remy on the High Seas: Part 1 – Wine and Starters

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Ann McElfresh has had the opportunity to travel and live overseas during the course of her husband’s career in the military and they didn’t stop after he retired! An enthusiastic home cook, she has an extensive “bucket list” of places to see, foods to eat and dishes to cook. A former popular food blogger at Cooking Healthy for Me, Ann is now enjoying retirement with her Honey Bunny.