Canada

Extinct Disney Food: Remembering Beaver Tails at Epcot’s Canada Pavilion

Since we’re celebrating Epcot’s 30th Anniversary TODAY, let’s take a quick look at an old World Showcase favorite!

A while back we asked you what your favorite extinct Disney foods were, and many of you responded on the blog and on facebook mourning the Canada Beaver Tails!

Beaver Tail

Today, thanks to DFB reader Mike MacDonald, we have some great Beaver Tail pics and a fun backstory from the same company that used to sell them in Epcot!

And while photos don’t fill the void completely, at least we can [Read more…]

Review: Le Cellier Steakhouse Signature Dinner

By AJ 47 Comments

Learn About:Le Cellier Steakhouse

Epcot Restaurants
Disney World Restaurants

Time to revisit a fan and Disney Food Blog Favorite: Le Cellier Steakhouse in Epcot’s Canada Pavilion!

Signature Dinner, One Year Later

You’ll remember that we visited Le Cellier last March for dinner, just after Le Cellier dinner became a signature meal on the Disney Dining Plan (meaning it now will cost you two table service credits to dine there, rather than one).

At that time, we were focused on whether the menu could really deliver an experience that was significantly different than it had been before, and whether dinner would be worth the much higher prices than you’ll find at lunch. We walked away somewhat let down by the meal — especially disappointing was the ribeye with maple butter, a flavor combo that just seemed all wrong — but we were confident that they would pull it together. We also wondered right along with you if lunch would also become a signature meal, and if dinner would continue to be a signature meal.

Fast forward a year from that first signature dinner! It’s time to see what, if any, evolution has taken place!

Atmosphere

In the year since we last visited, only two real changes have taken place in the dining room during the Signature dinner meal. Remember those snazzy little maple leaf napkin rings that I told you about last year? Those are gone from the tables, as are the table votive candles and their pretty little holders.

If I had to guess why, I would figure that they were so cute, they proved to be irresistible to snag as a souvenir. 😉 But that same upscale, wine cellar feeling with arches, candlelight sconces, deep reds, and dark woods throughout still signal that you are someplace lovely, cozy, and probably surrounded by snow.

Dining Room

As you can see, the lack of table candles and napkin rings makes dinner pretty indistinguishable from the lunch setting.

Seating

Eats

After we were seated, our server, Gabby, greeted us cheerfully. She was wonderful from the get go! We learned that she was on her second Le Cellier tour with the International Program, and she proved to be helpful and knowledgeable as we made our choices. Of course, we started with a few drinks.

Beer Menu - click image for larger version

First up: the [Read more…]

Menu Changes: Epcot’s Le Cellier Steakhouse Lunch Menu

By Kim LaPaglia 29 Comments

Learn About:Le Cellier Steakhouse

Epcot Restaurants
Disney World Restaurants

Epcot’s Le Cellier Steakhouse in the Canada pavilion has changed up their lunch and dinner menus yet again. We’ve got the lunch menu for you here, but I’ve got a full review coming up for dinner very soon!

In fall of 2011, we reviewed the eats during the last menu change.

Let’s take a look at the most recent alterations! No worries — many fan favorites remain, like the Canadian Cheddar Cheese Soup, Mushroom Filet, and Maple Creme Brulee!

Le Cellier Dining Room

Menu Items No Longer Offered [Read more…]

Disney World Free Dining Available Through September 2012 For International Guests

By AJ 10 Comments

Thanks to Laura for the fun tip that guests booking from Latin America now have the option to choose a Disney World Free Dining package through September 2012!

Info About Free Dining From the Canadian DisneyWorld.com page

USA residents are still only allowed to book Free Dining through March 2012. But Disney long ago released Free Dining through November 2012 for UK guests and now offers Free Dining from August 19-September 29, 2012, in addition to the dates listed here, for guests from Canada and Latin America.

Canada Free Dining Dates Now Show Aug-Sep 2012 Dates

Latin American DisneyWorld.com website mentions Aug-Sep 2012 Free Dining Dates

Is this a harbinger for Free Dining in the Fall of 2012 for USA residents? What do you think?

Review: Le Cellier’s New Lunch Menu

By AJ 28 Comments

Learn About:Le Cellier Steakhouse

Epcot Restaurants
Disney World Restaurants

We stopped by Le Cellier in Canada last week to sample the lunch menu, which has been tweaked yet again!

But more than just the menu, there were a few other surprises in store for us at Le Cellier as well! There’s a new martini flight, the desserts have been changed up a bit, and…believe it or not…the bread has changed!!

Let’s take a look…

Atmosphere

The atmosphere here remains exactly the same. You’re dining in a wine cellar, basically, so there are no windows and there’s very little light.

Le Cellier Dining Room

The feel is cozy, however, rather than [Read more…]

2011 Epcot Food and Wine Festival Brews

By Kim LaPaglia 26 Comments

Can you have a festival without beer? I think not. At the 2011 Epcot Food and Wine Festival, brews will be available in many locations. Get your thirst quenched at the Craft Beer Booth, Brewer’s Collection, and the Hops and Barley Marketplace. Many individual countries will also be serving up their own beer, and there will likely be beer seminars on the docket in the Festival Center.

That said, many beer enthusiasts are less than thrilled with the offerings at this year’s Festival, mentioning the lack of more obscure and unique craft beers. We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments section below!

Craft Beers will have their own booth at the 2011 Food and Wine Festival

Craft Beer Booth Bar Menu

Full Sail IPA
Sierra Nevada
Abita — Purple Haze
Red Hook Pilsner
Blue Moon
Leinenkugal
Key West Sunset Ale
Widmer Hefeweizen

Brewer’s Collection Bar Menu

[Read more…]

More 2011 Epcot Food and Wine Festival Booth Menu Items and New Event

By AJ 11 Comments

Yesterday we became party to a few new menu items that will show up at the new and returning World Showcase Booths at the 2011 Epcot Food and Wine Festival!

New Menu Items

Hawaii Booth

Kalua Pork Slider with Sweet and Sour Dole Pineapple Chutney and Spicy Mayonnaise
Tuna Poke with Seaweed Salad and Lotus Root Chips
Seven Tiki Mai Tai
Kona Longboard
Pipeline beer

Caribbean Islands Booth
Ropa Vieja (Braised Beef) with White Rice
Jerk spiced Chicken Drumstick with Mango Salsa
Frozen Dragon Berry Colada
Frozen Rock Coconut Mojito

Portugal Booth
Calamari Salad with Olives and Smoked Paprika
Portugal Wine Bar

Scandinavia Booth (returning this year)
Swedish Meatballs with Lingon Berries
Xante Sunshine Cocktail made from [Read more…]

Guest Review: Le Cellier…From a Canadian Point-of-View

By AJ 23 Comments

Welcome back James Hummel (@DisneyNorth on Twitter) with a review of Le Cellier. As a Canadian, James offers a unique perspective when reviewing this popular restaurant! He also gives us a glimpse of a proper poutine.

I figured it was high time that a Canadian review one of the most popular restaurants in Walt Disney World. I do want to give a disclaimer first though: these are my opinions only and do not represent all Canadians. And no, I don’t know Jimmy, Sally or Suzy from Canada (the Canadian readers will get that joke).

The entrance to steak heaven

So, as they say in Quebec, Allons-y!

Atmosphere
You’ve seen the pictures, maybe even the outside of the restaurant and, if you are really lucky like me, seen the inside too (multiple times). Le Cellier is a hidden restaurant in EPCOT. No, not hidden gem… I mean really hidden! If you didn’t know where to look, you would literally walk right by it. I mean, there is no giant doorway for this place. You have to go through the wonderful Victoria Gardens to find, what appears to be, a doorway to an underground bunker. But of course, it is all about the story. Enough talk about the outside, let’s get in from the snow…er…I mean oppressive Florida heat.

The inside of Le Cellier is inspired by the large wine cellars of the grand Chateau style hotels in Quebec City and the Rockies. For me, the restaurant reminds me of [Read more…]

Best of the Fest: 2010 Epcot Food and Wine Festival Favorites

By AJ 19 Comments

In honor of the 2010 Epcot Food and Wine Festival‘s final weekend, I’d like to rattle off a few of my favorite dishes from this year’s 15th Anniversary Event World Showcase Promenade! To see menus, pricing, and more food photos from the Festival, check out our Booth Pages!

Puerto Rico: Medianoche Sandwich and Bacardi Frozen Torched Cherry Colada
The Puerto Rico booth packs a punch this year, with just about everything on the menu being crave-worthy! We particularly loved the Medianoche Sandwich, partly for its name and partly for its incredible, savory taste. What a great mix of flavors!

The perfect accompaniment: a Frozen Torched Cherry Colada. A creamy, icy, sweet treat, this had a very distinctive flavor and texture — truly a winner.

medianoche sandwich

Bacardi Frozen Torched Cherry Colada

Canada: Chicken Chipotle Sausage with Sweet Corn Polenta and Nanaimo Bar
The Canada booth remains my favorite from the festival. The Chicken Chipotle Sausage (a miniature of [Read more…]

Countdown to Epcot Food and Wine Festival: Australia, Brazil, and Canada

By AJ 9 Comments

The time is upon us again, my friends! The Epcot Food and Wine Festival will begin in just a couple of weeks, and I’ve decided to share my excitement by counting down to the Festival with a look at the International Marketplace booths that will be located around the World Showcase Lagoon!

For those who haven’t had the chance to go to the Festival, one of my favorite parts are the dozens of International Marketplaces — little booths, or kiosks, set up that represent a specific country or region. Each booth offers a short menu of tasting plates and drinks from the country or region represented. These tasting items cost anywhere from $2-$7, so they’re a great way to enjoy the Festival without breaking the bank.

Today, I’m going to highlight the representative menus from Australia, Brazil, and Canada!

Grilled Lamb Chop, Red Wine Sauce, Murray River Sea Salt as served at Food and Wine Fest

Australia

This year, Australia is highlighting a couple of the same items as they did last year, but they’re also bringing in an interesting dessert! Here’s the full menu for Australia:

Seared Barramundi with Blistered Cherry Tomatoes,Arugula, and Lemon Oil
Grilled Lamb Chop with Roasted Potato Salad and Red Wine Reduction (photo below from Tables in Wonderland 2010 Food and Wine Festival Preview)
Lamington (sponge cake dipped in chocolate)
Rosemount Traminer Riesling
Marquis Philips, Shiraz
Penfolds Koonunga Hill Shiraz Cabernet
Nugan Estate Riverina Chardonnay

I can highly recommend the Grilled Lamb Chop — it was one of my favorite festival items last year!

This year, the Australia booth will be located right between Morocco and Japan, right next to the Food and Wine Festival Merchandise tent.

Click here to see our Epcot Food and Wine Festival Australia Booth Page with Photos.

Pork Skewer with Farofa

Brazil

Brazil returned to the Festival in 2009 with an incredible menu, and they’re bringing most of it back this year! Here’s the full 2010 menu:

Grilled Pork Skewer with Farofa
Shrimp Stew with Coconut and Lime
Leblon Frozen Caipirinha

I wasn’t too impressed with the grilled pork skewer last year, but heard great things about the shrimp stew!

This year, the Brazil booth is located right at the entrance to the World Showcase Promenade as coming from Future World, directly across the lagoon from the American Adventure pavilion.

Click here to see our Epcot Food and Wine Festival Brazil Booth page with photos.

Polenta and Sausage Appetizer -- as served in the restaurant

Always a favorite booth among Food and Wine Festival guests, Canada offers some dedicated standards (cheddar cheese soup) as well as new favorites (sausage and corn polenta and nanaimo bars). Here’s the full 2010 menu:

Canadian Cheddar Cheese Soup
Maple-Glazed Salmon with Lentil Salad
Chicken Chipotle Sausage with Sweet Corn Polenta
Nanaimo Bar
Moosehead Beer
Vidal Icewine
Chateau De Charmes Riesling
St. David’s Bench Vineyard Merlot

I am eagerly awaiting a sample of the nanaimo bars! These decadent goodies aren’t very well known in the states, but they are truly outstanding (assuming they don’t give you a heart attack mid-bite!). The sausage and sweet corn polenta is an exciting prospect as well; it’s a dish I adore at Le Cellier, Epcot’s Canadian table-service restaurant.

Click here to see our Epcot Food and Wine Festival Canada Booth page with photos.

Stay tuned for more booth highlights as we continue to count down to the Epcot Food and Wine Festival!

To see the rest of the booths, including full menus and photos when available, check out our Epcot Food and Wine Festival International Marketplace Booth Menus and Photos Guide. For more information on the Epcot Food and Wine Festival, check out our Epcot Food and Wine Festival Index.

What booth are you most excited about visiting at this year’s Festival? Let us know in the comments section below!

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Extinct Disney Food: Remembering Beaver Tails at Epcot’s Canada Pavilion