In this article, we provide a review of Enchanté on the Disney Wish. Additionally, we’ll discuss whether or not securing reservations for this exclusive restaurant is worth it.
It’s no secret that the Disney Wish is Disney Cruise Line’s newest ship. Like most new ships, the Wish debuted with a few things you won’t find on the other ships in the fleet.
Among those newer items is Enchante, an adult exclusive fine dining restaurant. As you might have guessed, Enchante is a formal French word commonly used when meeting someone.
It’s also synonymous with Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. You might remember Lumiere as he greets Belle for the first time. He bows and says, “Enchante, cherie.”
Enchanté by Chef Arnaud Lallement, a three-star Michelin Chef, is said to be an illuminating experience. During brunch or early dinner, you can take in stunning views of the ocean. However, as the day turns to dusk, the restaurant’s ambience changes to a warm golden glow provided by stunning chandeliers and light fixtures.
Enchante is located on deck 12, aft-side of the Wish. To access the restaurant, you’ll walk through The Rose, a Beauty and the Beast-themed lounge that sits between Palo and Enchante. Palo is the other signature dining location on the Disney Wish.
Both Palo and Enchante require advanced reservations. Reservations for these experiences can be made in advance of your cruise based on your sailing status.
It wasn’t long before a hostess escorted us to our seats. Along the way, she pointed out Lumiere.
We walked past a refrigerated wine case and I couldn’t help but notice the display of candelabras.
From the marble floors to the chandelier sculpture that greets you upon entering, Enchante’s dining room is exquisite.
There were a handful of tables that sat larger parties.
However, most of the tables sat two guests and faced out to the horizon.
Behind the window seats, there were raised banquettes that shared the same view from a few feet away.
Since Enchante is adults-only, children will need to participate in one of the various kids’ clubs on the Wish during your dining experience. Don’t worry parents, they’ll probably want to do this every night. Disney Cruise Line does an excellent job of supervising and entertaining children.
We were seated in the chef’s private dining room. Our party consisted of five adults. Each of us, with one exception, ordered the tasting menu.
Our other dear friend ordered an a la carte item, the Maine lobster. So we’ll preview that dish, too.
Most of our party went with the Passion tasting menu, which comes in at $125.00 per person. This dinner is a series of five courses with a few extras thrown in the mix.
Per our tasting menu we would receive the following:
- Soil Grown Tomatoes
- Caviar
- Wild Halibut
- Grilled Beef
- Dessert
Our first course was an assortment of canapés, which is basically a small bite. We received a few pieces of falafel and two cheese tarts. Unfortunately, I didn’t try the falafel, but the cheese tarts were okay.
While this first course wasn’t listed on the menu, it almost felt like an afterthought. My tart tasted like cheese and crackers, which was fine. But it wasn’t an admirable first impression.
Soon after, we were brought bread service that was accompanied by butter and coarse salt. Our bread was delicious.
This next dish, also off the menu, was served as an amuse bouche, a gift from the kitchen.
Normally, when I think of an amuse bouche, I imagine the chef busy in the kitchen executing a meal. He asks the front of the house manager how things are progressing in the dining room. Meanwhile, the chef leans over and combines a random bite of flavors off the top of his head. He then directs the server to deliver his creation to delight waiting guests.
Perhaps, this course we were served should be called the Le Potage, or soup course. Our amuse bouche was a foam soup topped with edible flowers. It had a hint of lemon and was served with honey comb on the side. It was a nice bite, however, not memorable.
Our first formal course was the soil grown tomato. This dish consisted of an heirloom tomato cooked confit style for over 12 hours. Unfortunately, due to food sensitivity I didn’t try this dish. However, it was well-received at our table. It was served with a side of tomato water.
Since I couldn’t eat the tomato confit, the chef sent out a serving of gnocchi which was surprisingly one of my favorite bites of the meal. This felt like a refined version of a classic dish and was more on course with what I had anticipated going into this experience.
Our next course was the caviar. It’s hard to go wrong with caviar and the chef excelled with this dish. This was a serving of caviar, with what I believe were thin wafts of parmesan, served on bed of smoked haddock and fondant potato mousse.
When it was time for our entrees, our friend who had elected to dine a la carte, received her lobster. Its refined presentation would make one more than envious of the dish. She was happy with her choice and ate every bite.
At this time, the rest of our group received our first entree, the wild Halibut. This was my favorite course of the evening. Our fish was expertly executed and served with a side of onion confit.
Next, a sliver of American Wagyu was brought to the table. This dish comes with artichoke au poivre (a sauce) and an au jus (a gravy). In all fairness, this was a more than adequate serving.
Also, I appreciated the French-ness of small portion sizes much more than you know. But this dish lacked on flavor and that melt-in-your-mouth effect that Wagyu is supposed to deliver.
After several years of reviewing food, I’ve developed a standard of some sorts. When I go to tell a friend about a place they have to eat, it has to have one word that can sum up the entire experience. That word is memorable.
Since Enchante is a French restaurant, I felt we would receive a salad or a palate cleanser after the entree and before the cheese. It is, after all, a very French thing to do.
However, that course never came but our “haute cuisine” did include a cheese cart and it was glorious. Our maître d was well-versed as he described each of the French cheese selections and their origins.
Since our sailing, when asked about the food, I often mention this cheese course. It was memorable.
As if we hadn’t indulged in enough, it was time for another course. However, this was not our formal dessert, it was another “entremet.”
We were brought apricot jelly rolls, three different flavors of truffles, and a lemon tart. For most of us, the apricot jelly rolls and truffles stood out. I think we were all in agreement that the tart was a miss.
Our final course was dessert. This was a bar of chocolate made from Valrhona, a premium French chocolate often used in fine dining. We also received a few chocolate wafers with a foam in a bowl to the side. I’m still unsure of their intent.
As for the chocolate bar, it was a rich dessert, worthy of being enjoyed. But at the same time it was difficult to enjoy, especially since we had only just had dessert.
I would have preferred that our chocolate bar been served first and the chocolates and jelly rolls been brought out last. It would have been nice if they had been brought out in a parcel where we could have enjoyed one before bed while reminiscing about our lovely meal.
Overall, our dinner at Enchante was memorable. Unfortunately, all of the food items were not.
But at $125.00 per person plus tax and gratuity, the meal felt reasonable. We spent approximately two hours at the restaurant, received excellent service, and left happy.
Additionally, we all left beyond the point of being full and were off to see Aladdin in the theater. It was a fun evening amongst friends.
For couples, Enchante is an intimate dining experience, worthy of a visit at least once.
For more information about cruising, we have an upcoming review of our experience on the Disney Wish.
Additionally, we recently set sail on Royal Caribbean from Los Angles to Cabo San Lucas.
- Royal Caribbean Cruise Review (Set Sail to Cabo on the Navigator of the Seas)
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What do you think of this dinner review of Enchante? Would you like to enjoy a fine dining experience aboard the Disney Wish?
