Carthay Circle Lounge in Disney’s California Adventure Review
A premium dining location with plenty to offer
Carthay Circle is the crowning jewel of Buena Vista Street in Disney’s California Adventure Park at the Disneyland Resort. Once you enter the front gates, the street beckons you forward to the restaurant that has a great deal of verticality that towers over the rest of the street, and which is impossible to miss while passing it to venture off to various lands around DCA. The restaurant is easily the most expensive restaurant in the park, and even features a private lounge for Club 33 members. It is certainly worth its price point due to its innovative seasonal menu that includes an impressive array of dishes. During a trip of mine to DCA in November of 2020, I tried a few items that were nothing short of exquisite.
Starter
The starter to my meal was Carthay Circle’s artisanal cheese board. The board featured:
Homboldt Fog: Made from goats milk. A semi soft cheese aged for 4 months. From California.
Mahon: Made from cows milk. A semi hard cheese aged for 9 months. From Spain
Fiscalini Bandage Wrapped Cheddar: Made from cows milk. A hard cheese aged for 18 months. From California
Mine Shaft Blue: Made from cows milk. Aged for one year. From California
There are small wafer crackers which have very little flavor of their own and are mere vessels for the array of elements. Dried apricots, walnuts, and dried cranberries accompanied the cheeses; as well as an apricot chutney which was a wonderful accompaniment to the board.
The Mine Shaft Blue cheese was by far my favorite cheese on the board, it was luscious and creamy with a rich, pungent flavor that announced itself with boldness, yet contained a great deal of complexity that was accented by the dried fruit which added additional layers of flavor that played a harmonious symphony of flavor that cascaded over your taste buds like a rushing waterfall. Each bite, each additional component that was added brought forth different nodes of flavor that created a new experience with each new combination. That very sense of discovery is what makes charcuterie boards so appealing; they allow us to create our very own experiences of various flavors, in the pursuit of a combination which simply stimulates all of our senses and provides a feeling of happiness that can be enjoyed with the people we love most.
Entree
As I looked over the menu, one item in particular truly stood out to me: the Sesame soy-glazed Salmon with Soba noodles, cucumber, edamame, and ginger vinaigrette.
The smell of the dish was nothing short of breathtaking. Elements of soy and garlic emanated from the plate with a hint of ginger. The various colors were quite appealing and made for a lovely presentation.
The salmon was cooked perfectly, it was flaky yet firm enough that it did not crumble apart when trying to grab it with a fork. The soba noodles were truly the most surprising aspect of the dish, chiefly due to the fact that they are chilled. At first, this slightly upset me, yet as I ate the dish I could see why it was done. The chilled noodles provided a stark contrast to the warm salmon; thereby creating a refreshing component to the dish that helped the dish feel far lighter. The ginger vinaigrette was well balanced, with the ginger acting as an accent to the other flavors in the dish. The additional vegetables provided a textural contrast which made each bite unique.
Each bite of salmon featured soy at the forefront of the flavor profile, followed by the salmon with a hint of ginger from the vinaigrette with just the right amount of acidity to accent the flavors of the salmon without overpowering it. Ultimately, this is currently the best salmon dish at the Disneyland Resort; though the Skuna Bay Salmon with Cajun-style Brown Butter, Heirloom Carrots and Wilted Greens, Jasmine Rice, and Huckleberry Vinaigrette from Blue Bayou sounds quite tantalizing.
Drinks
During this visit, I paired the dish with The Carthay Mai Tai which is filled with a plethora of ingredients:
Surfrider Rum, Luxardo Maraschino and Orgeat (Almond) Syrups, Pineapple and fresh Citrus Juice, tapped with Myer’s Original Dark Rum, garnished with an Orange Wedge and Luxardo Cherry
This is by far the greatest mai tai I have ever had. It is incredibly well balanced, with a perfect ratio of alcohol and citrus which creates quite a refreshing beverage that paired wonderfully with the salmon.
Final Impressions
Overall, Carthay Circle Alfresco Dining features an intriguing menu with truly spectacular dishes and cocktails. Though it is by far the most expensive dining location within DCA, it is worth every penny for the quality of food and beverages that Carthay serves. With a decor that is reminiscent of the 1920’s, a friendly staff, and a beautiful view of Buena Vista Street; this is truly a restaurant experience that should be enjoyed on your next trip to DCA.
