We’re traveling to Animal Kingdom’s Asia to show off a couple new items on the Yak & Yeti (Anandapur) Local Food Cafes menu!
Not to be confused with the Yak & Yeti Table Service restaurant next door, Yak & Yeti Local Food Cafes is a Quick Service option for adventurers on the go! Some items — though not the ones we’re checking out today — are even served in the most adorable Chinese food carry-out boxes.
As expected with Animal Kingdom, the restaurant is beautifully themed. This Indian market blends in perfectly next to the Maharajah Jungle Trek with advertisements for “local” companies, fruit stands, and a cool assortment of seating options.
The first thing you’ll likely see are the long lines, but as the arrow on the sign suggests, there’s plenty of room around the corner!
Local Food Cafes sign
So don’t let this deter you…
Lines at Local Food Cafes
Atmosphere
After receiving your food, just follow that arrow and you’ll find A LOT of different seating options, from tables under cover (roof or umbrella) to those out in the open — for days when you want to take in plenty of sunshine.
Pretty, detailed covered seating
This little guy found a seat at my favorite spot near the water fountain!
Please do not feed the birds
With the restaurant being a few steps from away from the Kali River Rapids attraction, the uncovered seating could be a great place to have a snack and dry off after getting completely soaked.
Uncovered patio seating
Now that you’ve found your seat, let’s talk about what’s new to EAT!
Eats
Yak and Yeti Local Food Cafes is known for having unique food in a great location. The Honey Chicken remains a fan favorite and the Roasted Vegetable Couscous Wrap was a rather nice surprise when it showed up on the menu. I also love that you can get Egg Rolls and Chicken Fried Rice as DDP snack credits here.
Menu (click to enlarge)
So here’s what’s weird: Yak & Yeti Local Food Cafes has always been a spot to visit if you’re craving something outside of your typical burgers and fries. And…alas…the two new entree additions to the menu on my last visit were a Cheeseburger and Hot Dog — both served with fries! Hmmmm.
There is, however, a bit of a twist with the focus on Kobe beef for the new American Kobe Beef Cheeseburger and American Kobe Beef Hot Dog. Let’s start with the Cheeseburger.
American Kobe Beef Cheeseburger
Served with thick-cut, well-seasoned fries (that I loved!), the burger is topped with cheese, lettuce, tomato, and Asian pickles. The pickles were VERY thinly sliced – so thin that they don’t really add much flavor, but they do add a nice crunch and slight vinegary taste. The dipping sauce on the side is a sesame soy mayo, which I thought was great! It was more salty than sweet, but still had a mayo-like consistency. I thought the mayo and Asian pickles lent a unique flavor to the burger, so it still falls a leeeeeetle bit outside the norm…I guess.
Of course I was most curious about the Kobe beef patty, which I found to be thicker than the typical Counter Service park burgers, and of better quality. Plus, it was very juicy and flavorful!
American Kobe Beef Cheeseburger cross-section
This particular burger is pricey at $14.99, but fortunately the meat is noticeably bigger and definitely better. I just wish they wouldn’t cook it to medium-well.
Next up is the American Kobe Beef Hot Dog. It’s served on a fluffy brioche bun and has some customizable options beyond the normal condiment bar.
American Kobe Beef Hot Dog Banh Mi style
It’s a bit difficult to read on the menu (even in person), but you have three options for toppings: plain, Banh Mi, or Kimchi. I opted for the Banh Mi! The Kimchi dog is served with Asian Slaw and Korean barbecue sauce. The Banh Mi dog has the same Asian slaw, but also features the Asian pickles that are found on the burger and a chipotle mayo.
American Kobe Beef Hot Dog Banh Mi style cross-section
Like the burger, I thought the quality of the Kobe hot dog was noticeably better than your run-of-the-mill hot dog – it had a very natural taste and it was less salty than a regular hot dog, too. They didn’t go overboard with the chipotle mayo, so it added just enough spice, flavor, and creamy texture to the meal.
This one is also pretty pricey at $13.99, but you do get a bit of extra quality. The price seems more justified when I think about those delicious fries that come with it.
Closeup of delicious fries!
Buuuuuut….it’s still a pretty freaking expensive hot dog. So expensive that you could actually get a few table service entrees for less. So think hard before you indulge.
Overall
Even though these new options aren’t super exciting, it was fun to have a few different ways to customize two American staples. If you’ve spent years shying away from this beautiful spot if you’re not particularly into the Asian fare it typically serves, now might be your chance to stop by Local Food Cafes and experience it for yourself.
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Would you go for a burger or hot dog in Animal Kingdom? Or do you prefer a more wild meal?! Let us know in the comments!
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I had the burger just a couple weeks back and agree fully with your description.
Very tasty, juicy but could be cooked a little less to really appreciate the taste.
Love how Disney continues to throw out alternate options for those who are willing to try something different.
I just hope it’s still around next year when I return.
I think it’s worth noting that “America Kobe” is a marketing gimmick. There is no legal definition of that term whatsoever. Literally any grade of beef could be called that without issue as far as the USDA goes. The Wall Street Journal and other papers have widely documented this scam. Glad to hear the burger is good but readers should know that they are paying extra for a marketing term.
Is the hot dog with kimchi, like a less spicy version of the spicy kimchi dog served during Food & Wine?
Funny! My first thought when I saw the cross-section of the hamburger was “gosh, put that thing back on the grill and finish cooking it!
Thanks for sharing the pictures and descriptions. I agree they are both on the expensive side, but for a one-time treat I would be tempted to try either one.
I guess since it’s a QS, you don’t get to choose how you want your burger cooked. You’d have to eat at the Yak and Yeti for that. I wish the QS served sold the mango pie!
Heh, in a way, it’s sort of “authentic” to have western foods. In Nepal, they really do have everything in the hopes of appealing to a western clientele of trekkers whose tastes might not be as adventurous as their travel plans. :p Still sticking with the honey chicken here, even if it makes me want to nap!
$14 for a hot dog that could be any grade of Beef? What do you know P.T. Barnum is alive and well.
My only question is, how do you know Kobe is not fake? Too many fraudulent meats right now, I would not want to pay high dollar for fake.
Brenda – there are very strict laws governing terms like “kobe.”
As many know technically, like French bordeaux and champagne, it truly isn’t kobe because it is not from Japan.
So back to your question, I am sure if Disney is throwing the term “kobe” out there it has the documents to show that there is some trace back to the Japan kobe. Not saying these are from Japan, just saying some ancestery lines of the MOOOOOOO have to trace back to one from Japan.
The burger looks and sounds really good but since we only spend half a day at Animal Kingdom, I would have a hard time deciding between that and giving up the Honey Chicken or the BBQ from Flametree.
Kobe beef in Japan is a registered trademark of the Kobe Beef Marketing and Distribution Promotion Association. It must fulfill all the following conditions:
Tajima cattle born in Hyōgo Prefecture
Farm feeding in Hyōgo Prefecture
Bullock (steer or castrated bull)
Processed at slaughterhouses in Kobe, Nishinomiya, Sanda, Kakogawa, or Himeji in Hyōgo Prefecture
Marbling ratio, called BMS, of level 6 and above[11]
Meat quality score of 4 or 5[11]
Gross weight of beef from one animal is 470 kg or less
Part of the high price is because only about 3,000 head of cattle may qualify as Kobe.
There is no such thing as American Kobe except in some fevered marketing agents mind whether Disney or other.
In a similar vein, “Farm To Table” usually isn’t. This investigative article from The Tampa Bay Times is a good read for those interested in food:
http://www.tampabay.com/projects/2016/food/farm-to-fable/restaurants/
Kobe, not Kobe, doesn’t matter to me because I’m not coming down to Disney for burgers anyway… Too many other tasty things to have. I’m just excited to see they still have the chicken fried rice for a snack – it’s huge! My BF and I had it on our last visit and split it – mind you, we are both big eaters! It was delicious.
Does it taste different enough from other burgers to justify the $14.99 price? I had Chief Mwumba’s African spice-rubbed ribs at Harambe Market. They tasted just like the ribs at Flame Tree Barbeque!
I usually like some pork in my dog, but the banh mi hotdog sounds tasty.