Dinner at Artist Point

Matt recently had a birthday, so to celebrate, I wanted to take him out to dinner. We researched menus, and one item jumped out at us: Oak-smoked Venison Carpaccio with Washington State Cherries, Oil, Drunken Goat, Fennel, and Shaved Black Truffle at Artist Point. We made our reservation and couldn’t stop thinking about the appetizer. We arrived at Wilderness Lodge early to grab a pre-dinner drink at Territory Lounge just outside of the restaurant. I was starving, so even thought about ordering an appetizer to share. We sat at the bar for at least five minutes, and not one of the three cast members acknowledged us. We got up and went to the podium for Artist Point to see if we could be seated early, and they were easily able to accommodate us.

As with all Disney menus, they are subject to change without notice, and the Venison Carpaccio was no longer on the menu. Slightly disheartened, we weren’t going to let that ruin what was about to be a delicious meal. We’ve dined at the restaurant several times, and we have yet to be disappointed.

 Bread service arrived with slices of sourdough bread, butter with black lava salt, and olive oil with fennel. The bread had a crisp exterior and slightly chewy interior. The butter was fantastic, and I need to get some of that salt for my pantry! The fennel was prominent in the oil, and it too was quite delicious.

Matt ordered a bottle of Anchor Steam and I had a Widmer Hefeweizen draft, served with a lemon.

For his appetizer, Matt chose the Confit Natural Bacon with Crab, Grilled Corn Salad and a Spiced Cider Reduction. The bacon’s exterior was nicely crisped, and the cooking process made the interior seem to melt away. Since the bacon isn’t smoked, the flavor was very mild, and didn’t even have much porkiness to it. The crab was slightly sweet and delicious. I thought the corn salad and reduction was a bit too sweet, but still thought its flavor was nice.

I went with the Smokey Portobello Soup with Roasted Shiitakes, Chive Oil and Sourdough Croutons. This soup was absolutely fantastic. It was thick and creamy without being heavy, had an earthy flavor and had just enough additional shiitakes and miniature croutons to give some texture. I would have happily ordered another bowl as my entrée! Matt, who doesn’t like mushrooms, gave it a taste and thought it was pretty good, too.

It was time for our main courses, and Matt had the Grilled Hand-cut “Black Angus” Filet Mignon. It is served with a Wild Mushroom Ragout, Savory Truffle and a  Hazelnut Crunch Donut filled with Sweet Potato and Red Currant Gastrique. He ordered the steak rare, and it was expertly cooked.

The Savory Truffle butter on top of his steak was a bit overpowering, and I tasted it and it was indeed strong. He had to scrape a good portion of it off.

The star on his plate, however, was the Hazelnut Crunch Donut. He said it was the best donut he’s ever had. The dough was lightly fried and not at all greasy, and I agreed. I’m not a big fan of sweet potato though, so I didn’t care for that part, but that just meant more for Matt!

I had the Slow-roasted 64˚C Buffalo Strip Steak. The dish is served with Truffle Macaroni and Cheese, Rainbow Chard and a Blackberry Pinot Noir Reduction. It was suggested by our waitress that it is best served medium or medium-rare, of which I chose the latter. Once again, the steak was cooked perfectly and was very tender.

The Truffle Macaroni and Cheese had a thick cheese base to it, but the truffle was lost. I didn’t mind this, however, and enjoyed the toasted bread crumbs on top.

Even the Rainbow Chard was delicious. They had a nice crunch and a bright, green flavor.

Here’s a look at the menus:

At this point, we were quite full so skipped dessert. We had a wonderful, leisurely meal and can’t wait to return! I definitely recommend visiting for a nice, sit down meal. It’s a Signature Restaurant, so it will require two dining credits for those on the dining plan. While the restaurant has a romantic feel, there are still going to be families with young children. Unfortunately, we were near a table with 8 adults and 3 kids who found it appropriate to play with an burp app on their phone. After a few not so kindly looks from fellow diners, they got the hint and stopped. It was towards the end of our meal when it happened, but if we had just sat down, I would have said something to the server. The adults at the table should have known better, and it really puts a damper on what should be nice dining experience.

Regardless, our meals were fantastic, service was great, and we will certainly return!

Have you dined at Artist Point? Which are your favorite menu items, or what would you like to order? Let us know!