Pooped at the park? Go to your grownup place

What are the top three phrases you’ll hear most often from parents at Disneyland? According to my scientific, in-depth research (eavesdropping and finding things on Wikipedia) they are:

1) “I’m telling you, there are no bathrooms in the Matterhorn line”

2) “No you can’t just have a churro for dinner”

3) “How soon can I get to the winery?”

Of course, that winery would be the Wine Country Trattoria in Disney’s California Adventure; an oasis for weary parents looking for relief in the form of a soothing beverage. Here you can kick back, have a glass of wine and take a break from standing in line and yelling at your kids. You’ll emerge more relaxed, more pleasant to be around and ready to ride Dumbo for the fifteenth time. It’s a win-win situation for everyone.

On my last visit to the Magic Kingdom I was in the company of three 13-year-olds who weren’t too thrilled to have me following them around, so once we got to California Adventure I let them loose to ride a few rides while I headed to the Wine Country Trattoria. The dining area was already booked for the entire night, which made me sad because I was so looking forward to having their excellent Lasagna Rustico that I’d had there before. So instead, I headed to the upstairs bar area to rest my feet, check my emails and yes – have that glass of wine.

When I got upstairs, I looked around and noticed there were a few people who appeared to be in the same boat as me – weary, tired looking adults taking a break from the buzz of activity outside (and perhaps giving their kids a break from their parents.) By this time I was starving and from their very small bar menu I decided on the Fritto Misto – a mixture of calamari, mussels, green beans and artichoke hearts lightly breaded and fried and served with a pepperoncini aioli – and a glass of their house Cabernet Sauvignon.

The wine was good – and at $14.50 a glass I expected it to be – although it came out slightly chilled which was disappointing since I was looking for something to warm me up on that cold and blustery night. The Fritto Misto turned out to be a very generous portion, and while the calamari part of the dish was very average the mussels and artichoke hearts were delicious and perfectly cooked. Overall the dish was a little too salty for my taste, but I kept thinking that if the 13-year-olds were there they would have devoured the whole thing in a heartbeat.

Next time I’ll get there early so I can snag a table in the dining area and have my choice of their larger dinner menu. And of course there will be a next time, as long as there are trips to Disneyland. Parents – I’ll see you at the winery.

Wine Country Trattoria at the Golden Vine Winery
Disney’s California Adventure
1313 S. Disneyland Drive
Anaheim, CA 92802
(714) 781-DINE or (714) 781-3463

When she isn’t discreetly following her kids around Disneyland, Marsha can be found at Sweatpantsmom.com

Post and Photos: Marsha Takeda-Morrison