has a cool, out-of-the-ordinary meal to try when you’re beating the pavement at Hollywood Studios.
This is the spot for Gourmet Hotdogs while visiting the ‘World. We can recommend the yummo Mac & Cheese (and Truffle Oil & Bacon) Hot Dog here.
Also, anyone who enjoys barbecue will want to check out their smoked specialties, like Chicken and Spareribs. Or grab your iconic Smoked Turkey Leg should the craving take hold (and Toluca Legs Turkey Co. isn’t serving, which is often the case). It’s served as a meal at Fairfax Fare, with Baked Beans and Coleslaw on the side.
We recently conducted all kinds of delicious research for the upcoming Grand Launch of the 2015 edition of the DFB Guide to Animal Kingdom and Disney’s Hollywood Studios Snacks. So it was the perfect opportunity to check out a few the menu items here that we haven’t enjoyed yet!
And guess what? We found a delicious salad at Fairfax Fare that’s sure to appeal to the most ardent meat lover out there. Let’s check it out.
The Fairfax Salad at Fairfax Fare
If you’re on the hunt for Fairfax Fare, head down Sunset Boulevard and hang a left before you make it all the way to Tower of Terror. The walk-up window location is part of the Sunset Ranch Market.
This area is home to several counter service options at DHS, like Anaheim Produce, Rosie’s All-American Cafe, Catalina Eddie’s, and Hollywood Scoops.
But during this visit, we were looking for something a little lighter. Well, lighter-ish.
I had my heart set on trying the Fairfax Salad. Now, what I expected and what I got were two very different things. I expected a garden variety Wedge Salad with some stuff piled on top and around a big quantity of humdrum Lettuce. This, however, is what I received.
I’ve eaten many, many wedge salads in all kinds of restaurants. And I would call this less a Wedge and more a Bowl. An Iceberg Bowl Salad. In the bowl, I found a hearty serving of shredded Pork Barbecue, shredded Cheddar Cheese, and Tortilla Strips. According to the menu, there should have also been Bacon, Roasted Corn Tomato Salsa, and Jalapeño Ranch Dressing.
It looked pretty awesome to me. But I was concerned about the distinct lack of Dressing. After all, most wedge salads have a fair amount of dressing poured over the top, and it’s up to you to get in there with a knife and a fork to chop and mix it all up.
I visited the condiment bar to get a couple of dressing packets, just in case, before I dug in.
The shredded Pork Barbecue Meat was saucy and tender, and I loved the combination of the flavors with a bit of the finely shredded Cheddar Cheese.
But when I started to move the barbecue aside to see what else was there, I found the rest of the story. Beneath the hearty helping of meat was Salsa, Dressing, and plenty more of the Tortilla Strips.
It was clear at this point that I’d have no need for the extra dressing that I had snagged. Plenty of toppings were hidden away in the hollowed-out lettuce bowl.
And with plenty of ingredients in every bite, I found this to be a pretty decent entree salad. And while it’s not light, I liked the option of a breadless, mostly un-fried counter service option that didn’t weigh me down as I planned to enjoy the rest of my day in the Park.
If you’re looking for something a little less stereotypical, but you don’t want to sacrifice time to a table service meal, check out the salad at Fairfax Fare.
Will the Fairfax Salad be on your next must-have list? Leave a comment and tell us your impressions of this counter service salad!
quandrea says
That looks really good. I’ve been pleasantly surprised by Disney salads. I was there in June and doing weight watchers. I managed to stay on programme the whole week. And I liked what I ate. This might be something I try in October, even though I’m finished losing the weight.
Kristyn says
This looks so yummy! Do you know if this counts as a meal on the dining plan?
Tricia says
That looks really yummy. The husband and I are trying to change our eating habits and I could get behind this, assuming they would leave off the dressing and salsa for me. 😉
Brooke says
Kristyn — It wasn’t available on the DDP the day I visited, but it never hurts to ask!
Tricia — I think that would be totally possible. It was made to order for me.
Brooke says
Quandrea — Wow, and congratulations! I agree — there are some terrific, better-for-you eats available all over the parks and resorts.
Sandra says
We’ve never had anything but ice cream here, but my husband would definitely eat this salad!
Essie says
I time is more valuable to you than a meal, I think this looks like a very fast , but hardy option for guests to consider; it certainly looks filling.
dana seccombe says
Looks delish!
Adrienne says
Looks yummy! I just hate the fact that they serve salads in those trays now, though. I’ve found that it’s quite difficult to mix up a salad in one of those without having pieces of it falling over the sides. 🙁
Jan Goldfarb says
Thank you for your review of the ‘Fairfax’ Salad! I have recently experienced this salad and it was wonderful! I think it was one of those hidden dishes that is not that popular, but should be!
Heidi says
My boyfriend and I first experienced this salad two years ago when it was still served in a plastic bowl. We had ordered this salad and the half chicken to split and ended up fighting over who got the salad. When I looked this up after our trip I was shocked to find next to nothing about it! Needless to say on our trip this year, the Fairfaxe Faire was our first stop, and we both ordered the salad so there was no fighting this time.
Christine Costello says
Do you know if they still offer the Gourmet Hot Dogs here? They don’t appear on the menu on the Disney site.
Brooke says
Christine — They aren’t. 🙁 You can still get the Footlong Chili Cheese Dog, though.