Hipster Mom's Guide to Signature Disney Dining: Artist Point

Artist Point is the signature restaurant at Disney's Wilderness Lodge.  It is nestled among knotty timbers that seem to reach the sky in the grand lobby of the hotel.  It is quite breath-taking to wander into, especially if it is your first time experiencing the resort. (Which it was for our family on this particular visit.)

This resort is beautifully themed around a turn-of-the-last century, north-western lodge motif, like Yellowstone's Old Faithful Inn.   It has colorfully carved Totem Poles, tee-pee chandeliers, and a creek that runs through the lobby complete with quaint footbridge.

Artist Point is one of the most architecturally stunning restaurants on the property.  It's aestethic lies somewhere between north-western park lodge and art deco, with vibrant murals and muted stained glass.  Where Jiko, at Animal Kingdom Lodge is cool and hip, Artist Point is grand and elegant. 

The cuisine is, of course, inspired by the Pacific Northwest, of where it takes its inspiration, with such mainstays as Bison strip loin, and cedar-plank salmon, the smoked portobello soup, and the berry cobbler, along with an extensive Oregon and Washington state wine list.  My family, which is my husband, our 3 year old daughter, and myself, dined there in the fall, so there were autumnal seasonal-inspired menu items, as well.  The service was very attentive and our waitress was very nice, on top of that.  It certainly wasn't bustling on that particular evening, but we also were eating a bit later, about 8:15, as we tend to be nighthawks.  We started out with the smoked portobello soup, which was delicious, and quite a large portion.  My husband and I split that for our appetizer with minimal squabbling over the last delicious bite.

  Also, I would like to note that most of the signature restaurants at Disney World, serve some kind of complimentary bread basket, which is good for us, because our daughter is some kind of toddler bread fiend, who feels the need to take at least one bite of every slice.  But whatever keeps her quiet!
For my entree I ordered the Seared Diver Scallops with fregola pasta, lobster mushrooms, blistered tomatoes, Swiss chard, and tomato nage (which is like a broth or jus.)

 The entire dish was fantastic, the scallops were perfectly cooked, but to me, the star of the dish was the creamy fregola pasta.  It's a pasta from Sardinia, which is much like pearled couscous.  I actually love the entree so much I wrote them for the recipe to no avail.

My husband had the filet mignon with horseradish cream, butternut squash puree, wilted shard, and pearl onions, which was also excellent.  We were fighting over that squash puree.  It took every ounce of restraint not to lick the plate.

For dessert, we got the Seasonal Berry Cobbler with blackberry ice cream, and the Vanilla Bean Creme Brulee.  While both satisfying, we both agree the cobbler was better.  Maybe it was just because it was fall, and that dish was more comforting on that particularly chilly night, but it really hit the spot.

Artist Point is a beautiful restaurant, in a gorgeous setting, with imaginative dishes, yet remains sort of a hidden gem.  I highly recommend giving this romantic spot a try.