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Disney,  Foodie,  Reviews,  Wine

Adulting at Disney: Wine Bar George

August 12, 2018 / 29 Comments

I have quite a few loves in my life.  A lot of my ardor is devoted to people and puppies.  Some of it applies to food, drink and…Disney.

I’ve written about Disney Springs and some of the restaurants, shops, and activities available to travelers and locals (like me!) to experience.  If you haven’t read that yet, you can check out that post here.

Lately, I’ve been exploring a little more of what Disney has to offer from an adult perspective – a.k.a. “Adulting at Disney.”  And guess what?!  Being a grown-up in and around the parks is MAGNIFICENT.  I think even Maleficent would approve.

Jared and I recently had a date night at Disney Springs to see Mission Impossible:  Fallout (don’t worry…this blog post won’t self-destruct in five seconds).  We wanted to try out a new-to-us restaurant on-site before heading in to see Tom Cruise do the impossible.  I’d been following Wine Bar George on Twitter for a while, and the food and wine images were like a siren song.  So…I answered the #siren with a reservation.

Tip. A lot of restaurants in the Walt Disney World area are available to reserve on OpenTable.  I prefer making reservations this way as I find making cancellations or modifications via the OpenTable app super simple.  And OpenTable has a rewards program that allows you to accrue points for Amazon gift cards.  I find this very, very rewarding.

From start to finish, our experience at Wine Bar George was masterful (Owner Greg Milliotes IS a Master Sommelier, after all).  The host staff was pleasant and accommodating when we requested to change tables.  And our server, Eamon, was top-notch.  He was informative, personable and magically appeared at all of the right moments (meaning he never caught me mid-chew).

Wine Bar George
The rain kept us from sitting outside.  Wine Bar George has two bar areas. This is the one located upstairs.

When it comes to going out for dinner, I have a few idiosyncracies.  I embrace my inner, future retiree and prefer to go out for “supper” (as my parents call it) around 5pm.  I also prefer to share a few appetizers versus having one large meal.

Wine Bar George 2
How cute are the tables made from wine barrels?  Don’t let the empty seats fool you.  It was quiet at 5pm, but by 6pm this place was FULL of wine-os.  And Disney-os.

What separates Wine Bar George from most wine-focused establishments is that every single wine offered on the menu is available by the glass.  You can choose wine by the ounce (1, 3 or 6) or, of course, get a bottle.  The restaurant’s Twitter account kept showing me glasses of rosé, so my choice was simple.  And delicious.

Wine Bar George Wine
I didn’t #RoséAllDay.  That would have been Mission Impossible:  The Hangover.

The size of the menu is as Goldilocks would say is “just right.”  All items are meant to be shared and labeled as Small Plates or Family Style Plates.  We ordered a few options from the Small Plates section.  And in traditional Tapas fashion, the plates arrived as they were ready versus all at once.

Burrata
The creamy burrata with grilled bread and juicy tomatoes was my absolute favorite.  I didn’t lick the plate in public but did so in my mind.  The burrata is my Boo-rata.
Grilled Romaine
The grilled romaine salad was the right way to “eat the rainbow.”  I need more grilled salads in my life.
Meatballs
Housemade meatballs with red sauce and creamy polenta.  This was Jared’s favorite dish of the night.  I think he may have been saying “polenta” in his sleep.
Pork cheeks
The Porchetta pork cheeks served over polenta was beyond delish.  The cheeks reminded me of braised short ribs.  The meat just melted in my mouth.  I want to pinch those cheeks lovingly.  Mmm…

There are still a couple more things I want to try at Wine Bar George.  The restaurant has a shop called The Basket where you can pick up individual provisions, wine or what I want…what I really, really want…a picnic basket for two.  The baskets come with cheese, charcuterie, bread, olives, and wine. Yes, please!

Eamon also suggested that we come back in to enjoy a cheese or charcuterie board with a flight of wine.  There are couches in the upstairs dining area that he recommended as the perfect spot to sip and savor at our leisure.  I wonder if OpenTable would allow me to reserve a couch?  Hmm…

What restaurants have you been to lately?  Are you into #RoséAllDay?  Are there any dishes that you just can’t get out of your head or talk about in your sleep?  Do you talk in your sleep?  I do.

Work Hard.  Play Hard.  Drink Chard.

Laurie

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