More 2014 Epcot Food and Wine Festival Menu Items (Puerto Rico is BACK!)

We’ve got a few more updates for you about the booths and menus at the 2014 Epcot Food and Wine Festival! Ya-hoo!!

This year’s Food and Wine Festival will start on September 19th and run for an epic 53 days!! The newest booth to be introduced will be Patagonia, featuring dishes from Argentina and Chile.

Also returning this year will be the Africa Booth, Scotland Booth, Puerto Rico Booth (YAY!! This one’s back after a hiatus), Terra Booth, Hawai’i Booth, Hops and Barley Booth, Bean to Bar experience, and more!

We’ve already reported on some of the dishes from the Patagonia Booth, Farm Fresh Booth, and Brazil Booth. Let’s take a peek at a few more menu items!

Patagonia Booth — 2014 Epcot Food and Wine Festival

This mish-mosh of a booth will treat guests to a variety of South American goodies! Be sure to head here to try Roasted Verlasso Salmon with Quinoa Salad and Arugula Chimichurri, paired with Cono Sur Bicicleta Viognier.

Puerto Rico Booth — 2014 Epcot Food and Wine Festival

We’re SO excited to see the Puerto Rico booth back in action after a hiatus last year. This was one booth that was sorely missed, and I can’t wait to see what the full menu looks like.

In the meantime, here are a few menu items we know will be available:
— “Papa Rellena” — Crispy Fried Potato Balls stuffed with Pork and Beef (YUM!)
— “Carne Guisada con Arroz Blanco” — Slow Braised Beef with Puerto Rican Grown Rice
— Medalla Light

Africa Booth — 2014 Epcot Food and Wine Festival

The Africa Booth returns yet again in [Read more…]

Disney Recipe: Cheesy Enchilada Soup from Disneyland’s Jolly Holiday Bakery

By Brooke 6 Comments

We’ve got the recipe for this fancy Cheesy Enchilada Soup at Jolly Holiday Bakery and had to share it with you guys!

The flavorful soup is full of veggies, but the creamy base is hearty and will definitely satisfy! Add some crusty bread and a salad, and you’re all set with a delicious meal.

Cheesy Enchilada Soup is a Seasonal Favorite at Disneyland’s Jolly Holiday Bakery

If you can’t wait to get going on this one, here’s the recipe!

Cheesy Enchilada Soup

Disneyland’s Jolly Holiday Bakery
Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients: [Read more…]

Review: Seafood Macaroni & Cheese and Chicken Pot Pie at Columbia Harbour House

By Wendy 33 Comments

There are two new menu items at Magic Kingdom’s Columbia Harbour House that I knew I had to check out the minute I heard about them.

Learn About:Columbia Harbour House

Magic Kingdom
Disney World Restaurants

Available for dinner only, Seafood Macaroni and Cheese and Chicken Pot Pie are currently available for guests starting at 4:00 p.m. (We know this because we went at 11 to get them, and, alas.)

While Resort Counter Service and Table Service Restaurants often have varying menus for lunch and dinner, it’s pretty rare for Counter Service locations in the parks; so it’s always interesting to see the menu options expand later in the day.

While Columbia Harbour House remains home to many favorites, including the Anchors Aweigh and Lighthouse sandwiches, Vegetarian Chili, and good ol’ Chicken and Fish Platters, it’s great to see these menu additions.

Columbia Harbour House dinner menu

Fans of the Lobster Roll should know that it remains on the Lunch Menu.

Atmosphere

My favorite thing to do after receiving my order at Columbia Harbour House is to check out the upstairs seating situation, because it’s usually pretty awesome. While most guests grab a spot downstairs, the upstairs seating is often a haven of sorts. This day was no exception. Check it out…

Columbia Harbour House upstairs

I love everything from the cozy wood to the soft lighting, to the windows all around the outer edges looking out over the people below.

Columbia Harbour House upstairs

You can see lots of photos of the Columbia Harbour House atmosphere, ordering areas, and more in this post!

Eats

But there was new food in front of me, and you know the drill… so here we go!

The Seafood Macaroni and Cheese, is a generous portion topped with shrimp and lobster, and sprinkled with panko crumbs.

Seafood Macaroni and Cheese

First off, the portion is GIGANTIC. You can tell this is a hefty dish the minute you pick up your weighty tray – two people could easily make a shared meal out of this.

Though the shrimp appeared a little pallid and underdone, the lobster made up for that for me (I should note, though, that I’m not into shrimp, so the lobster was my main draw).

Closeup of lobster and shrimp

The macaroni and cheese reminded me of the way it’s currently served at Friar’s Nook – it’s as though they’ve [Read more…]

“Trucks on the Town” Food Truck Event Coming to Disney World’s Downtown Disney on June 21st!

By AJ 9 Comments

If you’re going to be in Disney World on Saturday, June 21^st, you may want to make Downtown Disney a part of your evening itinerary…

Trucks on the Town, an all-new event featuring FOURTEEN food trucks, will be happening from 5 – 10 pm on Downtown Disney’s West Side on the lawn next to Cirque du Soleil and House of Blues!

All four Disney Food Trucks will be present: Superstar Catering, Namaste Café, Fantasy Fare, and World Showcase of Flavors (and there’s word of new items to appear alongside current choices such as the Hand-dipped Corn Dogs and pierogies!). Disney’s ESPN Wide World of Sports Truck will be there, too.

Superstar Catering Food Truck

Fantasy Fare Food Truck

So, where are the other nine food trucks coming from? Disney is partnering with TheDailyCity.com Food Truck Bazaar to feature local food trucks, including: [Read more…]

Review: Beef Nachos and Vegetarian Burrito at the Magic Kingdom’s Tortuga Tavern

By Wendy 14 Comments

AAAARRRRRR

ye ready to grab some food with yer fellow Pirates at Tortuga Tavern?!

Learn About:Tortuga Tavern

Magic Kingdom
Disney World Restaurants

If you AAAARRRRRR, you should know that Tortuga Tavern falls under the “open seasonally” category of Quick Service restaurants, so you’ll only catch it during the busiest times of year such as the holidays, spring break, and peak weeks in the summer.

With summer upon us, and especially busy weeks such as the 4th of July holiday week soon approaching, you may have more of a chance to catch it open in the coming months. We thought we’d take a look now in case you should find it open during your vacation, so you can decide if this is a place your inner Pirate needs to visit.

Tortuga Tavern Sign

Tortuga Tavern

Please join us for some Grub and Grog in this ever-elusive spot…

Grub & Grog here!

… if ye be brave enough to enter under the Jolly Roger, that is!

Jolly Roger Flags

Atmosphere

Tortuga Tavern sits directly across from the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction in Adventureland. The thing about the Tavern is that, since it is only open occasionally, there isn’t much in the way of detailing.

Juuuuuust kidding. Thar’ be plenty of treasure here, mateys! (Okay, I’m almost out of Pirate-speak, I promise… almost. 😉 )

Proprietor, A. Smith, welcomes you to this Pirate hangout!

A. Smith, Proprietor

And he offers plenty of fine dinnerware for the crew.

Platters and bottles

Mugs for Grog

Though Blackbeard makes his presence known above the Toppings Bar…

Blackbeard guarding the Toppings Bar Treasure

… Captain Jack Sparrow’s “Black Pearl” has the largest Crew in the Roster, even over Blackbeard’s “Queen Anne’s Revenge.”

Window looking towards the courtyard

Closeup of Crew Rosters

Although, Captain Jack’s Roster also includes [Read more…]

News! La Passion Martini Slush Debuts at the 2014 Epcot Food and Wine Festival!

By AJ 5 Comments

The 2014 Food & Wine Festival is starting one week earlier this year (beginning on September 19 and running through November 10)!

But we keep getting details, and they’re coming faster and faster these days!

So far we’ve gotten the chance to check out the Eat to the Beat Concerts and a few Special Events. We’ve even heard the news that a new Patagonia Booth will be debuting at the 2014 Festival and we’ve got details on the 2014 Wine and Dine Half Marathon!

New La Passion Martini Slush Coming to the Food and Wine Festival Marketplace!

And today, we’ve got the skinny on a new slush being introduced at the France Food and Wine Festival booth this year.

The “La Passion Martini Slush” replaces the Cosmo Slush this year. Ingredients for this newly perfected cocktail include Vodka, Grey Goose Le Citron, Cranberry & Passion Fruit Juice!

La Passion Martini Slush

This cocktail will — at least for the 53 days of the Festival — find its place in France among the granddaddies of them all: the Grand Marnier Orange Slush and Grey Groose Citron Slush, available all year long at Les Vins de Chefs de France.

Grand Marnier and Grey Goose Slushes in Epcot’s France Pavilion.

Oh, and be sure you stop by the Les Vins de Chefs de France any time of year to check out the “Featured” menu. You may encounter even more [Read more…]

Review: Lunch at Nine Dragons in Epcot’s China

By Wendy 26 Comments

Welcome back to Nine Dragons Restaurant in Epcot’s lovely China Pavilion! We’re visiting this Table Service restaurant for lunch.

Learn About:Nine Dragons Restaurant

Epcot Restaurants
Disney World Restaurants

It’s been a while since we’ve visited Nine Dragons. While we truly enjoy the beauty of this spot (and will provide a few more glimpses for you today), the food has never really elevated it to a “Must Go” spot. In fact, for some it has been a “Must Skip!” So, it’s time for another visit to see how things are faring, and what — if anything — has changed.

You’ll spot Nine Dragons immediately upon approaching the China Pavilion from Norway. I find nearly everything to be eye-catching in the China Pavilion. The outdoor colors of Nine Dragons echo those in the Pavilion’s entrance gate and the replica of the Temple of Heaven.

Nine Dragons Restaurant

Nine Dragons Sign

But we’re more interested by what’s inside, so let’s have a look.

Atmosphere

There is a definite change in the color palette upon entering the space. Dark and ornately carved woods are dominant in the décor, but the restaurant is peppered with fun and colorful lanterns that keep things from feeling too heavy or overwhelming.

Nine Dragons Seating

Lanterns

The large windows also provide natural light along with some great views of World Showcase.

Seating near windows

Even if you aren’t seated near a window, some of the glass in the walls serve to let in some of that light, while also separating dining areas.

Table for Two

While we’re on the subject of seating, I know many people have found this restaurant doesn’t offer much in the way of elbow room in regards to space between tables. We arrived at a rather off-time for lunch (2:00 pm), when much of the noon-time crowds had dispersed. So, feeling overcrowded was not my experience, but the potential for it is something you’ll want to consider when choosing a time.

So, what about the dragons? They’re incorporated into several spots around the restaurant! You’ll find artistic dragons throughout the restaurant, from the beautiful green-glass wall at the check-in…

Glass etching in entrance

… to the ceiling in the same area.

Look up!

And they can be spotted in the dark wood entrance and exit of the dining area.

Check-in area

Beautiful woodwork

You’ll also want to check out the wall nearest to the kitchen in the central dining area. Because seating in Nine Dragons is divided up into separate sections, you may miss it, so be sure to take a stroll at some point during your visit.

This wall is where you’ll find… what else? Nine Dragons 🙂 .

Display of Nine Glass Dragons

All nine of these glass sculpture dragons are truly beautiful; but out of respect for your time, I’ll just give you a glimpse of my top three dragons!

Glass Dragon

Okay, top four… because they are pretty cool!

Dragon Number Four!

All right, enough with the dragon-spotting… It’s time to eat, so grab a cool place mat and join us!

Nine Dragons Place mat

Eats

My friend and I went with the Appetizer Trio for starters (meant to serve two).

Appetizer portion of menu -- click to enlarge

Appetizer and sides portion of menu — click to enlarge

This allowed us to try [Read more…]

Disney Food Post Round-Up: June 15, 2014

By Kim LaPaglia Leave a Comment

We’re celebrating Father’s Day with a DFB sale! Check out our discounted guidebooks now!

Dole Whip Keepsake Box

Looking for a gift for Dad? Stop by the NEW Marketplace Co-Op at Downtown Disney for unique coffee mugs. Want a ceramic Dole Whip? This is the place for you. Accessorize your Disney dream kitchen at this new store!

Check out these news items and more by clicking on the links below!

Disney Food News

DFB celebrates Father’s Day with a sale on guidebooks!
The Intermission Food Court at All-Star Music will be closing for a lengthy refurbishment.
The BoardWalk Bakery has a Red (Velvet) White and Blue Cupcake available for a limited time!
Harambe Nights at Disney’s Animal Kingdom is now open to the public. Check out our Harambe Nights review!
Downtown Disney’s NEW Marketplace Co-Op has Disney kitchen accessories for sale!
The Banana Split Gourmet Caramel Apple is available for a limited time in Disneyland!

Of course, there’s more! Check out all the latest Disney Food News — even the stuff we don’t mention in posts on the blog! — on our Disney Food News Pin Board, including restaurant closures, Free Dining Pin Codes, and more!

DFB Reader Finds

If you find a fun new food — or other edible awesomeness — in or from Disney, share a photo with us on facebook or twitter so we can add it to our DFB Reader Finds each Sunday!

We love cake; especially when they’re created for special celebrations. Here’s two Disney themed birthday cakes!

DFB Reader Jenifer shared this first birthday cake. Impressive! Love the Disney font on the side!

Happy Birthday Dexter!

This beautiful Frozen cake was tweeted by DFB Reader Jeff. What a lucky little girl Ella is!

Happy Birthday Ella!

Thanks for sharing your celebration cakes with us!

The DFB Guide to Magic Kingdom Snacks e-Book Deal

We’ve got more snacks! The 2014 Edition of The DFB Guide to Magic Kingdom Snacks e-Book is now available!

It’s time to snag your copy! The DFB Guide to Magic Kingdom Snacks e-Book is one of the many fun and informative Disney Dining e-Books offered by Disney Food Blog! Now we’ve updated our best-selling DFB Guide to Magic Kingdom Snacks e-Book for 2014 with even more great information, photos, and…yep!…snacks!

We’ve made this guide instantly downloadable. It’s a PDF guide with photos, information, and advice on well over 150 delicious snacks (over 50 more than in our previous edition!) that you can savor in Disney World’s Magic Kingdom. This guide is guaranteed to help you find the best snacks and treats for your family while visiting the Magic Kingdom, or your money back — we all know that treats at the Magic Kingdom are just as nostalgic as our first flight on Dumbo! With a 100% money-back guarantee, you have nothing to lose! 🙂

The DFB Guide to Magic Kingdom Snacks e-Book includes:

Full-color photos of over 150 of our favorite snacks
Current prices and Disney Dining Plan snack credit status
Snack locations
“Hidden treats” and add-ons that aren’t published on menus or that aren’t widely known
Disney Food Blog reviews of all snacks
Tips and tricks from experienced snack eaters
Special Bonus items you’re going to love! (Of course…how could we not include these?)

Know what you’re getting BEFORE using a precious snack credit or spending limited vacation dollars.

Whether you want sweet, salty, crunchy, healthy, or something in between, The DFB Guide to Magic Kingdom Snacks e-Book tells you where to find a snack to match your craving!

To thank you for your support of the blog, we’ll be offering the Guide for $2 off its already discounted purchase price for a limited time! Order your copy now for only $8.95 (regularly $10.95). The price will go up this week, so grab your copy now! To secure the discount, use code MAGIC14 at the check-out.

For more detailed information and screen shots from the e-Book, head over to DFBGuide.com! With a 100% money-back guarantee, you have nothing to lose! 🙂

Want Even Greater Savings? Here’s How!

Great three awesome e-Books bundled for over 30% off! Limited time only…

Bundle for greater savings!

Our DFB Guide & Snacks Bundle offers:

The DFB Guide to Walt Disney World® Dining 2014, PLUS
The DFB Guide to Magic Kingdom Snacks,
The DFB Guide to Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom Snacks, AND
The DFB Guide to Epcot Snacks

All three are being sold together for the first time –and for a massively discounted price. Just $35.95 instead of the regular price of nearly $60.00.

Our Snack Guides vibrantly display and review over 500 Disney World snacks (!!), but also showcase some of our favorite under-the-radar treats and eats in the parks. Get your DFB Guide & Snacks Bundle — including the DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining 2014, the DFB Guide to Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom Snacks, the DFB Guide to Epcot Snacks, and the DFB Guide to Magic Kingdom Snacks — for over 40% off here.

Find out more about the DFB Guide & Snack Bundle here!

Thanks for your support of the DFB!

It’s Tiki Time!

On to the Round-Up!

Mickey Fix

highlights Tiki Torch Party Candles. Great for fans of the Polynesian!

WildernessLodgeSite.com visits the Trout Pass Pool Bar!

DisZine announces special waffle sandwiches available at Typhoon Lagoon. Happy 25th to this fun water park!

Cake Wrecks makes us chuckle with these hilarious Disney themed cakes. Warning: Scary Mickey!

Disney Parks Blog features new tastes at Disneyland’s Jolly Holiday Bakery.

The Daily Meal showcases six Disney characters and their love for food.

Father’s Day Sale! DFB Disney World Dining Guidebook Discounts — Limited Time!

By AJ Leave a Comment

This weekend, it’s all about Dad, and we have a terrific way for you to show him just how awesome you think he is! And — even better — it’s a great deal for you and it will save him money! How can you beat that??

For a limited time, you can enjoy $4 off of our DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining 2014 by using code DadDay!

And scroll to the bottom of this post for details on additional ways to save!

The DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining 2014

Our comprehensive e-Book offers and incredible value! With 450 full-color pages to help you plan your very best Disney World vacation yet, you’ll also enjoy peace of mind knowing that it’s fully guaranteed. Not happy? Just let us know and you’ll get your money back!

Our handy e-Book format has been completely updated for your 2014-15 Disney World vacation. And with reviews, tips, expert advice, and hundreds of color photographs, we know that you’ll enjoy savings of both time and money — much needed on a Disney World vacation!

Inside the DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining 2014, you’ll find plenty of must-know information, reviews of every restaurant and kiosk on property, and more; including:

Seven sample one-day dining itineraries to help you start the planning process. There are hundreds of dining options in Disney World. These examples, which highlight particular theme parks, touring styles, and dietary needs, will help you get an idea of what a perfect dining day might look like for you and your family.

Four free, downloadable worksheets for planning your trip. These worksheets are designed to help you execute all the steps of planning the perfect Disney dining experience. And they’re reusable for all of your future trips!

Details about how the My Magic+ Planning System and FastPass+ affect your vacation planning. These brand new tools make planning every aspect of your vacation easier than ever before. We’ll walk you through some of the

A comprehensive index of bars and lounges. Disney Food Blog readers asked for this feature, and we were happy to make it happen! An often under-appreciated option for both dining and entertainment, we devote a whole index to the topic. Every single bar and lounge in Disney World is covered — and includes a review!

Tables that help you understand if the Disney Dining Plan will save you money. It’s a question we get all the time: is the Disney Dining Plan really a good deal? We walk you through comparisons to determine if the Disney Dining Plan is a good fit for you!

Sample Page from the 2014 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining

Sample Page from the DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining 2014

Fun activities, like Trivia and Scavenger Hunts to pass the time while you’re waiting in line or for FastPasses!

Disney Food Bingo Cards — because we know you love to play with your food just like us!

Plus SO much more!

And the best part is [Read more…]

News: Intermission Food Court at Disney’s All Star Music Resort to Close for Renovations Starting August 1

By AJ 11 Comments

From August 1 – December 20, 2014, the Intermission Food Court at the All-Star Music Resort in Walt Disney World will be closed for refurbishments.

Intermission Food Court Entrance

During these dates, All Star Music guests will have access to grab ‘n go selections at the Melody Hall Arcade space. Transportation will also be available to the neighboring All Star Sports Resort for guests who wish to enjoy the End Zone Food Court, which was completely refurbished in 2013.

Current Intermission Food Court Seating Area

These dates (along with the grab ‘n go scenario) echo those of the refurbishment that End Zone Food Court at All Star Sports underwent last year (from August 5 – December 20, 2013).

As we now know, when End Zone Food Court reopened last December, the result of the renovation was a cleaner look than it had previously showcased, with earthy hues replacing primary colors – all while maintaining the sports-centered theme of the Resort.

End Zone Food Court at All Star Sports, post-renovation

Some of the offerings that have been a hit at the Art of Animation Resort’s Landscape of Flavors Food Court (such as a Create-Your-Own Pasta Station and Gelato Bar) were incorporated into the menu along with standard Disney food court favorites. Additionally, it received an all-new option [Read more…]

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