Remy: Disney Cruise Line’s upscale adults-only French restaurant (with menu)

3 weeks ago 12

What could be better than an upscale dining experience where the food is complemented by impeccable service and only slightly outshined by 180-degree views of the sun setting over the ocean? Take the same restaurant, make it adults-only and put it on a cruise ship full of kids. If that sounds like an ideal date night and you like French food, then the Remy restaurant on Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy should be on your splurge list.

Disney Cruise Line is known for its rotational dining system, where each night you try a different complimentary restaurant, each with its own theme and often some dinner entertainment. A meal at Remy provides a break from the rotation, but if you don't want to skip dinner at any of the three rotational dining restaurants, you don't have to miss out on French cuisine. That's because Remy also serves brunch and a dessert service on cruises that are four nights or longer.

After trying out Remy for myself on Disney Dream, I'm confident this is a meal worth splurging on if you're looking for an adults-only dinner on a ship filled with kids.

What is Disney Cruise Line's Remy?

Remy is the French restaurant nestled on Deck 12 of Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy. It offers an upscale atmosphere with plush seating, tables draped with white tablecloths, dark wood furnishings and warm lighting. Be sure to look for a small glass statue of Remy, the character from the Disney and Pixar movie "Ratatouille," near the restaurant's entrance. The two bottles of wine on display as you walk into the restaurant were featured in the movie, too.

The restaurant is open for dinner every evening. Brunch and a dessert experience can be booked on sailings that are four nights or longer. Reservations for each meal service are highly recommended and can be made before your cruise on the Disney Cruise Line Navigator app or once you're on board the ship.

The restaurant has three distinct rooms where guests can dine. The first is the main area, where sweeping ocean views are on full display throughout your meal. The second is a private dining space called the Wine Room, where more than 900 bottles of wine are showcased in a glass-enclosed room.

The last room is the Gusteau Room, another private dining room with scenes of Paris from "Ratatouille" on the walls. Here, foodies can opt for one of two distinct experiences: a dinner for two with the regular Remy menu or a set chef's menu for groups of eight or more. Whichever you choose, expect the head chef to stop by to talk about the dishes you're enjoying.

To dine in this room, you must request a reservation via a form that can be downloaded from the Disney Cruise Line website, attached to an email and sent to DCL.Cruise.Activities@disney.com. The earlier you submit your reservation, the better your chance of dining in the exclusive space. You can also attempt to book the Gusteau Room on board if space is still available.

Remy's menus are created in partnership with chef Scott Hunnel, from the one-Michelin-starred Victoria & Albert's at Walt Disney World, and chef Arnaud Lallement, who is at the helm of the three-Michelin-starred L'Assiette Champenoise near Reims, France. Unsurprisingly, the food quality is superb.

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Dinner menu for Remy

Dinner begins with a complimentary Champagne cocktail that's prepared tableside. The drink is aptly named "Collette" after the female chef in "Ratatouille."

The Remy restaurant menu features two seasonal prix fixe tasting menus, one created by Hunnel (Gout), which leans more into American fine dining with French techniques, and one by Lallement (Saveur), which is distinctly French cuisine. If you want more choice over your courses, you can order off an a la carte menu, as well.

The menu at Remy changes three times a year, though the chefs can change individual dishes as they see fit between the larger menu overhauls.

When I dined at Remy on a recent Disney Dream cruise, my family and I chose the prix fixe menu. We decided early that at least one of us would order the opposite menu, so we could try most of the dishes from Remy's dinner service.

Our meal featured everything from perfectly seared scallops and toothfish to incredible wagyu beef. While the main courses were delectable, they didn't feel heavy, so I could continue with my meal and still have room for dessert. While I'm not a huge fan of fine French cuisine, I found that each prix fixe menu was approachable for American diners who have a sense of adventure and curiosity about different types of dishes.

Toothfish dish at Remy. MEGAN DUBOIS/THE POINTS GUY

The accompaniments are also a work of culinary genius at Remy. Before your selected courses arrive, an amuse-bouche is sent to the table. The single-bite dish changes frequently and is meant to get you ready for the meal ahead. I was also served a light truffle foam layered over caramel in a martini glass to enjoy before the first courses of my prix fixe menu arrived.

Additionally, the bread service is complemented with three different compound butters and a salt selection. The bread was the best I've tried on any cruise ship. The outside was delightfully crusty, while the inside was chewy and light at the same time.

Dessert is also a glittering affair. The evening sweets start with a cheese plate that you custom-create by choosing cheeses from all over France, presented to you via a cheese cart. Then, the real show begins.

The pastries on the prix fixe menu were works of art, including a decadent chocolate tart that was almost too pretty to eat. Once I dove in, I was delighted by how the textures of the silky soft filling and the perfectly tempered chocolate base worked with each other. Our waiter also brought over a small tray of house-made jelly candies and bonbons for us to enjoy.

Chocolate dessert at Remy. MEGAN DUBOIS/THE POINTS GUY

Remy also offers wine or Champagne pairings to go with your meal for an additional fee. You can also order a glass of wine or cocktail a la carte.

A meal at Remy for dinner typically lasts about two and a half to three hours. If you get an early dining time, you might still be able to make it to the Walt Disney Theater for showtime, but don't try to rush through dinner to see a show. Alternatively, you can book a later dinner and see the early show.

Champagne brunch at Remy

Champagne brunch at Remy is a real treat since it doesn't happen on every sailing. The adults-only service features a prix fixe menu of six courses and a glass of bubbly. The menu does change every so often, like the dinner service, but you can expect the same level of service and attention to detail during the midmorning meal.

The current brunch menu at Remy features dishes like pea tart, tortellini and cauliflower panna cotta. If you're looking for a brunch that leans more toward breakfast dishes, you'll want to book a late-morning meal at sister restaurant Palo.

Guests who want an even more lavish brunch with additional drinks can choose to add a Champagne pairing to accompany their meal.

The Dessert Experience at Remy

For the ultimate sugar rush, book the adults-only Dessert Experience at Remy. The sweet service features a five-course dessert menu that's served with coffee. Between bites, you can chat with Remy's executive chef and pastry chef, who will explain each dish plus its history and how it's made on board.

What is the cost of dining at Remy?

Prices can change, but at press time, dinner at Remy costs $125 per person, brunch is $75, and the Dessert Experience is $65. An 18% gratuity is included with your meal, but you can leave additional tips as you see fit.

Wine or Champagne pairings at dinner cost an additional $115 or $140, respectively. The Champagne pairing at brunch costs an additional $33 per person.

Does Remy have a dress code?

Yes, Remy does have a dress code. Although it's more sophisticated than what's expected throughout the rest of the ship, I always think it's fun to dress up for a night out.

The Remy restaurant dress code requests that guests wear formal or semiformal attire. If you don't want to pack your tux or sparkly gown, dressy-casual attire is also permitted, including dress pants and jeans in good condition, collared shirts, dressy tops and lifestyle shoes — as long as you look sharp and ready for a night out.

You cannot wear T-shirts or sports attire to the restaurant.

Does Remy have an adjoining lounge?

Between Remy and its sister restaurant, Palo, you'll find Meridian, an adults-only bar that overlooks the ocean. Even though the bar splits the two adults-only restaurants, it's not exclusive to those with dining reservations.

Meridian has indoor and outdoor seating. Its outer deck is an ideal spot to take photos before dinner. After checking in for your Remy reservation, a crew member will lead you into Meridian to wait while your table inside the restaurant gets its finishing touches. While waiting, you can order a drink from the bar or enjoy the view. When your table is ready, a server from Remy will come to get you.

Which Disney Cruise Line ships have Remy?

Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy both have Remy on board. The cruise line's older and newer ships do not offer this restaurant.

Bottom line

Even though cruisers can find great options across Disney Cruise Line's included dining venues, Remy is a splurge worth every penny.

Not only is Remy an adults-only restaurant with an upscale menu created by chefs who have helmed Michelin-starred restaurants, but also it has some of the best views of any restaurant on the ship.

I can assure you that the $125-per-person dinner is well worth the cost for a refined meal that goes beyond most restaurants at sea — or on land, for that matter. After trying dinner, I now have brunch and dessert on my Disney Cruise Line wish list, too.

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Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

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