Join me in welcoming Amanda Allen (a WDW Moms Panelist) with a decadent review of the new Champagne Lunch at Remy aboard Disney Cruise Line’s Disney Fantasy.

Psssst! Wanna know a secret? Remy, one of the adults-only restaurants on the Disney Fantasy and Disney Dream Cruise Ships, serves a Champagne Lunch once during select cruises that have sea days.

You can’t reserve a table for this meal online, and you won’t find it mentioned in the Daily Navigator. Since a mere 40 spots are available for this special lunch, it’s advertised only to concierge guests and those who have dinner at Remy, but anyone is welcome to reserve a table.

Atmosphere

I’d read rumors online of this new meal at Remy so when I boarded the Fantasy for a Western Caribbean cruise in June, I stopped by the restaurant to ask if the champagne lunch would be served during my voyage.

I learned that Remy began serving the lunch in May, and on the Western cruises, it is held only on the second sea day. Dress at lunch is more relaxed than dinner at Remy: men are not required to wear jackets or ties; shorts and flip flops are prohibited, but anything else seemed permissible.

(Editor’s Note: See more photos of Remy here!)

Eats

At the start of the lunch, groups of guests were escorted into the wine room where the chef awaited with a table of small plates of Pata Negra and glasses of champagne.

The chef described how this ham came from a specially-raised pig and demonstrated how they used a hand-cranked machine to slice it paper-thin.

I’ve spent most of my adult life as a vegetarian so I have to admit that a mound of meat on a plate did not look appetizing, but I’d decided to try each of these courses, and I’m so glad I did. The Pata Negra was one of the most delicious foods I’ve ever eaten, and my dining companions and I are still talking about it weeks later.

It was soft and buttery with a flavor reminiscent of bacon, and we all ate every single bite! The crisp Cremant d’Alsace Blanc de Blancs perfectly complemented the rich Pata Negra.

Our server then escorted us to our table, and we enjoyed a delicious bread accompanied by small bowls of butter and coarse salt.

Each place setting had a small menu listing the courses.

I’ve heard that a dinner at Remy can last several hours, but because the lunch is a set menu, the food service began immediately and courses were presented within quick succession of each other. The entire meal took about an hour and a half.

If you’re a vegetarian or have special dietary requests, I recommend that you mention your food preferences when you make your reservation. Our server assured me that those with special dietary needs could be accommodated at this champagne lunch.

Our first course was a Gnocchi Chili with a Tattinger Prestige Rose, Disney’s signature pink champagne.

Gnocchi can sometimes be heavy and dense, but this one was so light and pillowy, and it was topped with a lovely, foamy sauce. The rich flavor of the gnocchi paired perfectly with the slightly sweet champagne, and this course was one of my favorites.

Next, the server brought Lobster Cannelloni paired with a Saumur Veuve Amiot.

The cannelloni was presented with a small chunk of lobster topped with a tiny dollop of caviar and a petite radish.

The portion size of these first two courses was quite tiny, and the men at the table started wondering if they would need to head to the Cabanas buffet after our meal at Remy. However, the next three courses were more ample, and no one left Remy hungry.

Our third course was Sea Bass served with Pommery Gold 2004.

The fish was perched over an egg mixture and was topped with leeks. Everyone at the table seemed to agree that while this course was good, it was our least favorite of the meal. This dish lacked the flavor of the prior courses, and I didn’t care for the texture of egg mixture under the fish.

The Sea Bass was followed by a Gascogne Pork Loin with Turnips and Tattinger La Francaise NV, the Disney signature brut champagne.

The pork was from the same type of pig as the Pata Negra, and it had the same richness, which was enhanced by the slightly sweet, dark sauce the server poured over our dishes.

Turnips are not a vegetable I eat often, but the cute cylinder presentation of these turnips led me to taste one of them even before trying the pork, and they were delicious – sweet with a mild earthy flavor. The dry champagne complemented the mild sweetness of this dish.

Last, but definitely not least, was dessert: a Duo Chocolate paired with Moet & Chandon Ice.

This course was divine! A log of soft chocolate mousse encased a cold, rich dark chocolate center, and the server poured a chocolate sauce that contained Tabasco around the cold chocolate log.

The champagne was served over ice, and the cold champagne was such a wonderful contrast to the spicy heat of the chocolate sauce. Ms. Manners wouldn’t approve, but I had to tilt my bowl and scrape up every bit of that sauce with my spoon – it was that good!

Overall

At $50 per person including the champagne pairings, I thought lunch at Remy’s was a bargain! You’d pay much more than that just for the champagne alone on board the ship. This meal was a highlight of our Fantasy cruise and definitely convinced us to return to Remy for dinner on our next cruise.

Does this sound like a good option for you on your next cruise? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!