A Review: Chefs de France

I know that not everyone that visits the Walt Disney World Resort will want to be adventurous with their food. For many years that was my family. We stuck with restaurants that served food that we were familiar with. And it was great. We never went hungry and were happy. But, then Disney came out with their dinning plan. After talking with some people at the parks that had been using it my parents decided to try it on our next trip.

I know that not everyone likes the dining plan. And I know that there are now several different options for the Disney dinning plans. But, I will say that I am a fan of the dinning plan. It is because of the dinning plan that we have been able to try food that we never would have tried before. As a result my entire family has become more adventurous when trying new foods. We have tried African, French, Chinese, Mexican, German, and Polynesian. (I feel like I should explain that the food served at the Word Showcase is authentic and not like the Americanized foods you would like at home.) We also have been able to eat at restaurants that normally would have been too expensive to eat at regularly. But that is another post entirely.

Specially, my brother wanted to try French food. He was taking French at school and wanted to be able to experience the food for himself. Chefs de France is a little pricey and serves food that we are not familiar with. Since we were using the dining plan we figured we would give it a try.

The first time we ate at Chefs de France I remember feeling like I was underdressed. We were wearing shorts, sneakers, and t-shirts and here the waitstaff is very smartly dressed. The dinning area was very clean, bright, and overall felt French. I will say that this last time I have felt more comfortable. Everyone dinning is wearing shorts and t-shirts. Its Florida and its hot outside. I don't think I can remember seeing one table where people had changed before coming to dinner. The decor inside didn't change and the waitstaff is still smartly dressed. I just knew what to expect and so I didn't feel out of place.

There are three dinning areas. One is in the middle and is set up like a typical restaurant and does not have any windows. The second is off the the right after entering. It gives a view of the shopping square of the France Pavillon. The third is left of the main entrance offered a view of the world showcase. I have dined in all three areas and have found that I like them all equally. The restaurant is elegant and feels like an upscale restaurant in France.

I will admit it and come clean. I have ordered the same appetizer and entree each time I have been. I have, however, made an effort to sample different desserts. I just love the loser bisque and the macaroni and cheese. I am rather proud of the fact that I have gotten a different dessert each time I have gone. I have been pleased with all of them.

If you are on one of the table service dinning plans offered by Disney you will have a few options for your meal. You can either choose from their three course choices or you can choose and entree and a dessert. I would recommend looking at their menu on line (here) before you leave for your trip. That way you can be prepared when it comes time to order. A good deal of the menu is in French and if you are like me you might need to google some of these dishes to see if they would be something you would enjoy. I have great faith that even your pickiest eater will find something.

If you have a larger group and you are having a hard time making up your mind I would recommend everyone getting a different dish. That way you are able to sample as many as possible.

The first time we dinned here there was additional entertainment. Before we got our entree a couple of men, clearly intoxicated, decided that jumping into the fountain in the middle of the square was a good idea. I guess I can't really blame them, it was well into the 90's with a stifling humidity. I think it is safe to say they had been participating in the ever popular drinking game: drinking around the world. (If you are familiar with the layout of the World Showcase then you would know that they either started in Mexico and were really drunk, or they started in Canada and are complete lightweights.) Park security was on the scene before we even fully grasped what was going on. We still talk about it to this day.

Overall, aside from the excitement above, all of our visits have been mostly the same. My mom eats her steak well done and the waiters typically give her a hard time. Though, the waiter for our last visit was just amazing! Harry was just great. He was able to recommend wine to go with my boyfriend and my meals. He was very familiar with the menu and was able to suggest items based upon what we liked.

If you are on the dinning plan be prepared for a lot of food. it might be a little too much food if it is a rather hot day. I would recommend planning the rest of your day's dinning accordingly as you will want to be hungry when you get here. Trust me.

I wouldn't list this ressturanat as a 'must do' for a Disney vacation. It is pricey, but if you are on the dinning plan it is a good value. Not everyone is adventurous with their food and this might not be the place for them. The menu can be a little intimidating since it is in French, but the wait staff is able to explain the dishes and help with recommendations. I say that it is well worth a try. I highly recommend the lobster bisque!

Enjoy!