REVIEW: Is the Gorgeous New Citricos Worth the Huge Price Tag in Disney World?
Citricos has officially reopened at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort!
Citricos
Citricos closed last year to undergo refurbishments, including updates to give it a Mary Poppins Returns theme! The menu was also updated with several new dishes ahead of its reopening. We stopped by to check out the new menu and decor — we constantly enjoy meals at Citricos, so the new menu is something we were looking forward to! We adored the ambience in the past, so let’s see how the re-theme impacted our experience.
Atmosphere
First of all, we think the newly updated Citricos is gorgeous! The makeover gave the restaurant a lighter, more playful feel that goes well with its Mary Poppins Returns theme. And there are so many little touches that point to Mary Poppins throughout the dining room, bar area, and wine room.
When we first arrived, we checked in at the desk outside the entrance.
Time to check in!
We were led through these gorgeous gates inside the restaurant.
Entrance to Citricos
The restaurant has a main dining room, a walk-up bar area, a smaller dining room, and a private wine room.
Citricos
In the main dining room, we got to see the updates to the tables and chairs, as well as the delicate lighting fixtures.
A peek Inside the Reopened Citricos
Here’s a closer look at the bar…
Citricos Bar Area
…and the new seating there! The floral pattern on the chairs is a common theme in the dining area.
Bar Seating
The dining room has standard tables and chairs as well as booth options.
Citricos Dining Room
One Mary Poppins Returns detail is the leaves in the gate that separate the rooms. This is a subtle reference to the scene in the movie when the winds blow the leaves on the street as Mary Poppins is blown in!
Citricos Leaves Wall
The robins and butterflies on the light fixtures also point to Mary Poppins Returns.
Citricos Robin Lamp
All the light fixtures are delicate and pretty, with floral patterns that match the chairs. Cherry blossom chandeliers point to Mary Poppins Returns as well!
Citricos Lighting
The private Sommelier Room isn’t open yet. Our server thinks it will be open this September, though! Inside, guests get an elevated food and wine experience that features boutique wines paired with several dishes by Chef Andres Mendoza. The menu and prices haven’t been released just yet.
The Sommelier Room!
The chandeliers in the wine room look like upside-down umbrellas — a very classy representation of a classic Mary Poppins symbol!
Umbrella Lighting
Also in the wine room, you can see Mary Poppins’ carpet bag and her parrot-topped umbrella!
Mary Poppins Details
We thought the dining room was so beautiful!
Citricos Dining Room
Here’s a look at the smaller lounge area for drinks.
Floral Chairs in Dining Room
The chairs throughout the restaurant were all so beautiful with a mix of velvet fabric and floral patterns.
Table in Dining Room
Our server told us these chairs had CHAIR-y blossoms fabric! Get it?
Chair-y Blossom Chairs
The restaurant has an open kitchen, so you can see the chefs as they create your food!
Open Kitchen
At our table, we had pretty colored glass water cups and a cloth napkin with utensils.
Table Setting
The rooms are gorgeous, but we know what you’re really looking for — let’s look at the food!
Eats
As we said before, Citricos got a menu revamp ahead of its reopening. The restaurant is known for its flavors of Provence, Tuscany, and the Spanish Riviera, and even though the menu is different, Disney stuck with that same idea.
The menus were QR codes like we’ve seen at nearly every restaurant in Disney World…
The QR code Menu
…but you can also ask for a paper menu if you’d prefer that. Here’s the cocktails menu…
Drinks Menu
…the extensive champagne and wines menu…
Champagne and Wines Menu
…and the appetizers, entrees, and enhancements.
Entrees Menu
Upon request, you can also get an allergy-friendly menu.
The Allergy-friendly Menu
We started out with the bread service, which was Ciabatta bread and Rye with olives.
Bread Service
The Rye bread with olives had a crispy crust and soft inside.
Rye Bread
And the Ciabatta was good as well!
Bread
The bread came with a citrus salted butter.
Butter
The bread was really good, but it wasn’t super exciting or overwhelmingly special.
Breads
We ordered a few drinks as well — how could you not with so many options on the menu? We had water in those beautiful colored glass cups…
Water
…and also ordered an Amaro Grapefruit Spritz and 212 Manhattan.
Drinks
The Amaro Grapefruit Spritz is made with Amaro Nonino, Antica Vermouth, Tanqueray Gin, House Grapefruit, Florida Honey, and House seltzer. It was really refreshing! The Vermouth was very strong, so you’ll need to like it if you order this drink! We loved the bubbles in this drink, and it reminded us of a Negroni! It cost $16.
The 212 Manhattan
The 212 Manhattan was also $16 and is made with Angels Envy Bourbon, Bertrand Banyul’s, and Chocolate Bitters. You can certainly taste the chocolate bitters in this drink! It had a fabulous flavor and really strong bourbon taste.
The Amaro Grapefruit Spritz
Finally, we had the non-alcoholic Old Fashioned Orange Soda Float, which is made with Handcrafted orange syrup, House-made seltzer and Vanilla Bean Ice cream. It tasted just like a creamsicle! You can tell the juice is really fresh, and it had fun bubbles as well! Our server recommended letting the ice cream melt so that you can swirl it together and get a creamier taste. This drink is $9.
The Old Fashioned Orange Soda Float!
We ordered a couple of appetizers as well. We tried the Smoked Duck Breast and the Strawberry Salad.
Appetizers
The Strawberry Salad was amazing! It’s made with Chamomile Infused Goat Cheese, Frisée Lettuce, Bacon Vinaigrette and Spiced Sunflower Seeds. The produce was crisp and fresh, and we really loved the whipped goat cheese.
The Strawberry Salad!
We didn’t get a lot of spice from nuts, but they added a nice crunch to the textures. The salad cost $16.
Strawberry Salad
We were also seriously impressed by the Smoked Duck Breast, which had Fresh Tagliatelle Pasta, Celeriac Purée, and Duck Confit.
The Smoked Duck Breast!
Wow! It was so smoky and delicious! The meat was tender and delicious. We loved the creamy pasta as well. The Duck appetizer was $18.
Duck Breast
Next we moved on to the entrees. We tried the Domestic Golden Tilefish, the Guava Barbecued Short Ribs, and the Truffle Macaroni and Cheese, which was an enhancement (aka add-on).
Entrees
The Guava Barbecued Short Ribs came with Aged Cheddar Creamy Grits, Roasted Poblano, Curtido Slaw, and Brussels Sprouts.
The Short Ribs!
These ribs were so tender! They just fell off the bone. We loved the sweet sauce on top!
Shortribs cut
The slaw added an unexpected crunch that went well with the creamy grits.
Short ribs Slaw
We were obsessed with these grits! And the Brussel sprouts were perfectly crispy on the outside. All in all, this dish was a winner! This plate costs $50.
Short Ribs with Grits
Next we tried the Domestic Golden Tilefish, which came with Jupiter Rice Chorizo “Risotto”, Key West Pink Shrimp, and Confit Tomatoes.
The Tilefish!
We think even people who don’t love fish would fall for this dish! The fish was flaky and cooked perfectly. It wasn’t quite as mild as Mahi fish, but it didn’t have a super “fishy” taste.
Tilefish
We loved the Chorizo Risotto. It had a smoky, spicy flavor that tasted great with the barbecued shrimp! There were plenty of shrimp on this dish. It cost $46.Last but certainly not least was the Truffle Macaroni and Cheese.
The Mac and Cheese!
This was unlike any mac and cheese we’ve ever had! It’s made with House-made Gnocchetti, Summer Black Truffles, Sottocenere al Tartufo and Tarragon. So really, it’s like a Gnocci and cheese! There were a lot of mushrooms and a very strong truffle flavor. The truffle they used was infused into sheep’s cheese for this dish. If you’re expecting a classic macaroni and cheese, this is really not it! It might not be for everyone, but we enjoyed the strong, unique flavors. This was an optional add-on for $21.
Mac and Cheese
And finally, onto the desserts! We tried the Orange Blossom Flan and the Blackberry Tartelette.
Desserts
The Orange Blossom Flan is made with Blood Orange Gelée, Orange-scented Shortbread, and Orange Blossom Honey-drizzled Fruit.
The Orange Blossom Flan!
It had a very strong orange flavor that’s pretty in-your-face but also very refreshing. We loved the mix of textures with the crunchy shortbread and very creamy flan.
Orange Blossom Flan
It’s not something we’d really crave, but it was light and tasty, and we think it was the perfect ending note to the meal. The flan was $13. Since we’re a sucker for desserts, we had to try one more! We went with the Blackberry Tartelette.
Blackberry Tartelette
This dessert is made with Lemon Bavarian and Blackberry Mousse enrobed in Glacage with Candied Violet. We preferred the Lemon Bavarian to the Blackberry Mousse, mainly because the Bavarian was a bit creamier. We also loved the whipped meringue on top!
Blackberry Tartelette
Again, it was a light and tasty dessert that we enjoyed, but probably won’t dream about.
Blackberry Tartelette
The Blackberry Tartelette was $12.
Nosh or Not
You’ll want to dine at Citricos if:
- You’re an avid foodie who enjoys unique and surprising flavors. We were impressed with the unique flavors on this menu!
- You’re an adult who wants a classy meal as a celebration or date night. There is a dress code at this restaurant, so it’s a place to get dressed up!
- You enjoy signature dining experiences with pretty decor and luxurious meals.
You might want to skip Citricos if:
- You’re dining with a lot of kids
- You or someone in your party is a picky eater (or just wants to have familiar flavors). There aren’t very many “plain” items on the menu.
- You’re trying to stay on a strict budget — this place wasn’t cheap! Be ready to drop around $50 just for one entree.
Overall
We really had a wonderful experience at Citricos, but it didn’t make our very top list of restaurants. The inside was amazing (and worth seeing once!), and the food was really pretty and exciting. It seems to have a very specific audience in mind, catering to adults and especially foodies wanting to try something different! It’s also very expensive! It’s a signature dining location, so we were expecting that, but the two entrees together were $96 already, plus drinks and desserts…it adds up for sure. If the experience isn’t worth it to you, you may want to pick another spot. The service was great — our server was very helpful and gave us great suggestions! We prefer the food over at the Enchanted Rose Lounge, and the food comes from the same kitchen — give it a try if Citricos doesn’t seem like a good fit for your party.
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The post REVIEW: Is the Gorgeous New Citricos Worth the Huge Price Tag in Disney World? first appeared on the disney food blog.
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