food IS a theme park
March is in full swing, which means St. Patrick’s Day is coming up! We can’t wait to be decked out in green and pinch ourselves from all the fun events and delicious eats available around Disney World.
Raglan Road
Eating green doesn’t mean you have to just stick to broccoli and asparagus! We’ve already talked about the BIG Raglan Road celebration happening for St. Patrick’s Day, and now another Disney Springs restaurant is joining in on the fun with some limited-time Irish eats!
If you’re anything like us, you’re already thinking ahead to your next Walt Disney World vacation. If you’re planning to enjoy the parks during the holiday season, you might be wondering what it’s like to celebrate Thanksgiving or Christmas in the World.
Christmas Krispie
First of all: Lucky you! What a fun way to spend the holiday season — with so much to be thankful for in such a cool place!
As you can imagine, the crowds tend to swell at Disney during holiday weeks like Thanksgiving and Christmas as lots of Disney fans choose to celebrate their holidays in the parks. And Disney answers the call with tons of Thanksgiving spirit throughout many of their restaurants. In fact, most table service restaurants in the World will mark the holiday with special holiday menu items!
So whether you’re looking for a traditional meal, a gourmet twist on familiar favorites, or something that’s a complete departure from established customs, you’ll find lots of options for celebrating these special food days. Let’s check out a few of our favorites.
With so many new spots to check out at Disney Springs, I was anxious to get back to a few of our longstanding favorites.
So on a recent visit to Walt Disney World, I took the opportunity to meet friends at Raglan Road Irish Pub and Restaurant.
If you’re familiar with the former Downtown Disney and Pleasure Island, then you know that Raglan Road used to front the Pleasure Island District, right next to the expansive parking lots.
Well, with the redesign of the entire area and the birth of Disney Springs, Raglan Road seems to have moved! Actually, it’s in exactly the same place…it’s just that Disney Springs has bubbled up right out front of the spot. 🙂
New Disney Springs Map — Key
New Disney Springs Map — Raglan Road is #36
So to get your bearings, you need to think of what’s around the restaurant now. You’ll find it across the bridge from Sprinkles. And of course, Morimoto Asia is right next door. [Read more…]
Ladies and Gentlemen, we’re back at Beaches and Cream Soda Shop for TWO reasons.
One: We can never stay away from the home of amazing ice cream creations like the No Way Jose, Frozen Sunshine, Brownie a la Mode, and the always epic Kitchen Sink for too terribly long and…
Two: We just HAD to check out the new ADULT BEVERAGES MENU featuring Hard Floats and Milkshakes!!!
WHA?!?!??!…you’re probably saying? That’s right… if you’re ready to enjoy some ice cream concoctions with an adult twist, it turns out that Beaches & Cream should be your next stop. Like, PRONTO.
My great pal @danielwanderman alerted us to this wonderful development at our favorite old-fashioned ice cream parlor in Disney’s Beach Club Resort, and it is a DOOZY.
Beaches and Cream at Disney’s Beach Club Resort
Just take a gander… [Read more…]
Alrighty, Guys — it’s time for another fun Disney Food Blog Challenge. And this one is definitely for the grown ups! Everyone’s aware that craft beer has become increasingly popular. Sure, through the years, you always had the garden variety options…
Honey Bee Citrus Blonde Ale at Disney’s Animal Kingdom
…but these days, Craft Beers and International Selections are where it’s at. So we thought that it was high time we take a closer look at some of the interesting beer that you can get throughout Walt Disney World. In the interest of interactive fun, we decided to come up with another DFB Food — er, Beverage — Crawl, dedicated to the world of beer, and all that it encompasses!
St. Patrick’s Day
is TODAY! (Are you wearing green??) And if you’re looking to join in the celebration of all things Irish, we have some great suggestions for observing the holiday at Disneyland’s Downtown Disney District!
Say Cheers with Green Beer!
Whether you’re after delicious St. Paddy’s Day-inspired dishes, or entertainment to stoke the festive spirit, here’s what you need to know to celebrate the Luck o’ the Irish at the popular spot!
Catal Restaurant and Uva Bar started the party earlier! During the entire month of March, guests can enjoy their homestyle Corned Beef Reuben served on a rustic Marble Rye Roll. The sandwich comes with Uva’s Garlic Shoestring French Fries. Pair the platter with Red Trolley Irish Red Ale by Karl Strauss.
Shaved Corned Beef Reuben and Trolley Irish Red Ale at Catal Restaurant and Uva Bar
Crossroads Restaurant at House of Blues will offer lots of options for hungry guests in search of a hearty Irish feast. Look for menu additions such as Corned Beef Sliders, Cheese Soup featuring Guinness, Fish and Chips, and a Reuben Sandwich made in the traditional style with Corned Beef. Add [Read more…]
Join us in welcoming back our friend @mealtrip with a review of Epcot’s new “After Hours Wind Down“. Earlier, we reviewed our after-hours experience at La Cava del Tequila. Today, @mealtrip takes us to the Rose & Crown Pub for a sampling of food and beverages!
Epcot’s After-Hours Wind-Down is an opportunity for guests to head to one of four Epcot bars/lounges to enjoy a relaxing evening after the IllumiNations fireworks are through and the rest of the guests have headed out of the park.
Rose and Crown is one of the more popular choices available!
The food items were quite good. It was a three part sampler with the Pork and Apple Sausage Roll with House-made Piccalilli (same as at the Flower and Garden booth, but a notch better — probably because it was fresher and the Piccalilli wasn’t over-vinegared; you could still see color in the vegetables), Cotswolds Cheddar with honey and onion jam, and a Scotch Egg with mustard.
Food Sampler
The beers were [Read more…]
In the mood for comfort food with a twist? Then we have just the lunch review for you today — Raglan Road at Walt Disney World’s Downtown Disney!
Even though there’s no live entertainment during the day, stopping by the Irish pub for a bite of lunch is a great idea if you really want to take in the beautiful decor and have a truly relaxing meal.
If you’d like to see more about our most recent visit, read on.
When we say that Raglan Road is an Irish pub, we mean it. Like, parts-of-it-were-brought-from-Ireland authentic. There’s more than just fancy Disney Imagineering going on here.
Raglan Road — Outside
Once you enter through the front doors, the hostess podium is forward and to your left. Head out the left-hand door just before it, and you’ll be seated on the outdoor patio, which boasts its own bar and often, its own entertainment.
Entrance Foyer
To your right is a charming gift shop that stocks a host of Raglan Road-themed products. You’ll also find goods from Ireland, all manner of merch bearing the logo of Guinness beer. There’s beautiful jewelry, pantry items, cookbooks, and more. It’s a wonderful spot to browse.
Gift Shop
The Master Chef here at Raglan is Kevin Dundon, and you’ll find his cookbooks — including the brand new one — at the gift shop. On my last visit, Chef Dundon was in town and came out to chat with my family! So fun! What an honor. 🙂
Kevin Dundon’s in the House!
Bar seating in this pub is extensive. With two bars, your chances of finding an empty seat are decent at night (and great during the day). And the bar is fully part of the pub — there’s no separate bar area — so you can enjoy the entertainment from tables or bars, whichever you prefer.
The bars themselves are 130 years old, and were brought to the US from Ireland!
One of the Two Bars
Other materials were either salvaged in Ireland, or were crafted there. The sense of antiquity is enhanced by plenty of rich, dark wood and brass trim.
Bar Number Two
And this is a pub! So you can expect a wide range of beer, whiskey, and other spirits available for your enjoyment. Lots of the beer options are available on tap, but selections change up regularly, so be sure to ask about the current options.
Draught Beers
The dancing podium stands in the center of the circular dining space, and solo dances by different members of the Irish step dancing troupe are performed here to live music. You can also catch dance performances on the stage in front of the fireplace, which has been enlarged since I took this photo.
Leaded glass above lets in plenty of light, and tints it in rosy, cool colors during the day.
Dancing Podium and Live Music Stage at Raglan Road
The cupola soars, letting in even more light. The high ceilings, bare wood, and tile floors also ensure that [Read more…]
We are looking forward to the 2013 Epcot Food and Wine Festival! Mark your calendars, as the festival kicks off on September 27 and will run through November 11.
And we know that you are just as anxious as we are to hit the ground at this year’s festival and try old favorites as well as new dishes!
Today, we’re offering a preview of two of the most popular Marketplace Booths — Canada and Ireland. While some cult classic dishes return, both locations are offering a few new things as well.
The Canada booth returns in 2013, and the classic Cheddar Cheese Soup remains on the menu, thank goodness!
The Canada Booth is a Consistent Favorite at Epcot's Food and Wine Festival
Seriously, there would probably be demonstrations and boycotts if the soup didn’t make the cut!
Canadian Cheddar Cheese Soup
But last year, the “Le Cellier” Wild Mushroom Beef Filet Mignon with Truffle Butter Sauce joined the lineup. The dish — which just happens to be one of my all-time favorites — ended up being THE most popular festival dish of 2012!
“Le Cellier” Wild Mushroom Beef Filet Mignon with Truffle Butter Sauce
While I’m a little sad that the amazing [Read more…]
As we all gear up for the 2012 Food and Wine Festival, welcome Heather Jones with a fun exploration through last year’s events!
I was so excited to experience the Epcot Food and Wine Festival for the first time. But I was thinking that Disney might be doing the festival a disservice by calling it “Food and Wine,” because there are so many more drink choices than just wine.
Don’t get me wrong I love a nice chilled Chardonnay or a spicy Shiraz. But there’s also a huge variety of beer, cocktails, and sake to be had as well. I guess they can’t call it the “Food and Booze Festival.” That wouldn’t sound very Disney!
Epcot Food and Wine Festival Signage
Let’s start with some beer, shall we? Our first stop was the brand new Hawaii booth for the Kalua Pork Slider and the Tuna Poke along with a Kona Longboard and a Pipeline beer.
Kalua Pork Slider
Tuna Poke
The Pipeline is dark and flavorful porter (I just love a dark beer!) and the Longboard is a tasty, light lager that paired well with the Poke.
Kona Long board and Pipeline Beer
Another favorite beer for me was the [Read more…]
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