The menu has been lightened, but it still features many customer favorites like French onion soup, beef bourguignon, and crème brûlée. There is a prix fixe meal called Menu Français available for $ 49.50. With this option, you have the choice between an aperitif, a starter, a dessert, a glass of Chardonnay or Cabernet Sauvignon and a soda, an iced tea, a coffee or a tea.
Chefs de France – Seating
To regular Chefs de France, it may seem like an odd sight to see, but the dining room tables – usually cramped for the ultimate Parisian vibe – have been spaced out for social distancing. As we have now moved to “phase 3”, we noticed that no tables were marked as unavailable. Instead, everyone has plenty of space in between (whereas before, you could probably turn around and steal a wand from the adjacent table.)
However, the restaurant’s rich theme, with its mosaic floors, tiled ceilings and warm light fixtures, still makes it so charming.
The quaint paper placemats are still in use, as are the cloth napkins. We were treated to a delicious sparkling wine as a sweet gesture of “welcome” to celebrate the reopening of the restaurant.
A QR code menu is available for scanning instead of a physical menu. We of course opted for the famous French Menu to try some wine and a bit of the whole menu.
Georges Duboeuf Chardonnay Selection (7,50 $/ glass, included in the French Menu)
Having wine and a drink now included in the French menu is a big selling point for Chefs de France, as you could have a full, all-inclusive meal for just under $ 50 (plus tax and tip, and yes, please tip your servers. since it is not Actually France and us again pandemic.) While this is your staple house wine, it’s still a great pairing for whatever you choose from the menu.
Georges Duboeuf Cabernet Sauvignon Selection (7,50 $/ glass, included in the French Menu)
Depending on what you have, you will want to go for red or white wine. As you’ll see below, we’ve paired the Chardonnay with the salmon dish and the Cabernet with the beef tenderloin.
Baguette (free)
Whether you go for the French menu or a few select items from the menu, everyone who dines at Chefs de France receives a very hot mini baguette in a small parchment bag. It’s a nice touch and comes with a delicious pat of butter.
These are the same baguettes sold at the nearby Halles, and make a perfect starter for any meal, whether you just have a soup or a full meal.
Aperitifs
Casserole of Burgundian snails cooked with parsley and garlic butter
When in France, you must dine on specialties! If you’re not afraid to be more adventurous for your appetizer, the snails here are great. The six delicious pieces come in a ceramic dish, hot from the oven. The snails are buttery, soft, and bulky, and at $ 13.99, one of the best values on the French menu.
Assortment of imported cheeses and cold meats, homemade bread
Whether you’re in the mood for a whole piece of brie or want to share with your table mate, the charcuterie platter is excellent, served with fresh meats, tiny pickles, nuts, black bread and of course, cheese.
Since this is the most expensive appetizer on the menu, it’s probably your best value for money too.
Entrances
Salmon marinated in white wine and lemon, grilled, served with rice, champagne sauce
Next, we move on to the main courses, which aren’t as trendy or as desirable as some of the signature appetizers, but still expertly cooked. Here, we’ve gone for lighter fare: salmon, which is served grilled on a bed of green beans, rice, and buttery champagne sauce.
The salmon didn’t really blew us away here. It tasted good and was cooked well, but tasted slightly under-seasoned.
The rice, while humble, was surprisingly buttery and delicious, with green beans cooked to perfect tenderness.
Grilled beef tenderloin, green pepper sauce, mashed potatoes, green beans
At $ 37, it’s one of the best values on the French menu – you get a big tenderloin with lots of mashed potatoes, green beans, and a puddle of delicious pepper sauce.
As expected, the steak was tender and delicious when dipped in the sauce.
The mashed potatoes were robust and clearly made in-house unlike most of the watery or grainy mash we are used to eating in Walt Disney World. Like in the salmon dish, the green beans were cooked to perfection.
Desserts
Vanilla Crème Brûlée
Between the Halles Patisserie and L’Artisan des Glaces, there is no doubt that the Pavillon de la France makes desserts well, and with the delicious options on the menu, it is difficult to choose one. If you want to go for something classic, however, you have to go for Crème Brûlée.
The Crème Brûlée was excellent, with a layer of expertly roasted sugar on top to crackle with the back of your spoon.
The golden brown sugar cubes really added to every bite of the rich, sweet cream below.
Chocolate pie with Valrhona chocolates and chocolate sauce
As this is the flag of France, no chocolate creation would be complete without the inclusion of the rich and luxurious Valrhona chocolate. A chocolate lover’s dream, this pie contains chocolate syrup, cocoa powder, and even crispy chocolate pearls in a beautiful presentation.
For this review, we have to defer to Tom’s thoughts on dessert – he’s not easily impressed and he thought the pie was delicious.
The richness of the pie has been cut by the sweet cream layer, with a delicious chocolate crust for added texture.
Drinks after dinner
For a very European touch, our waiter offered us an espresso to finish the meal, apparently also included in the French Menu. While the menu lists Café at $ 3.99 and Café Espresso at $ 4.25, it looks like any variety of coffee is allowed on the new prix fixe menu.
It’s a perfect palette cleaner to round off the meal, while giving you the boost of energy you’ll need to end your World Showcase or EPCOT visit after eating a three-course meal.
Global
We have been eagerly awaiting the reopening of Chefs de France at EPCOT, and could not be happier to have table service at the Pavillon de la France, especially as many restaurants are still closed throughout. of the World Showcase. Surprisingly, most of the staff were French which gave the reopening a touch of authenticity and the service was amazing. We were meticulously looked after for the entire meal, from the ‘Welcome Back’ sparkling wine to the last cup of espresso.
With the prix fixe French menu back and better than ever, it presents a great deal, including wine and drinks that you would normally pay extra for anywhere else. (Note, however, that the restaurant is not currently taking discounts.) That being said, that’s a ton of food, so if you’re coming for the set price of three courses, we recommend coming over for dinner to avoid having to do it. take a nap at noon. Still, the airy vibe and watching customers go by during the day is just as great.
We don’t have poetic wax on the entrees here as they weren’t the most memorable, but between the service, the atmosphere, the entrees and the desserts (and of course, the ‘free’ wine), it’s definitely worth it. worth eating here if you are looking for a multi-course meal at EPCOT. The only place that could give the Chefs de France a run for their money right now is Biergarten, with its modified table service and orchestra in the German pavilion, but in this case … we recommend you visit both ! (Ideally not on the same day, however.)
