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EPCOT Food & Wine Festival

Tag: pasta

New Menu Details! Landscape of Flavors at Disney’s Art of Animation Resort

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Thanks to Pam Brandon over at the Disney Parks Blog, we have even more details on the new Landscape of Flavors food court (which seems to have undergone a name change since we last reported!) opening this summer with Disney’s Art of Animation Resort!

Landscape of Flavors Concept Art -- Disneys Art of Animation Resort

Dining Concept

According to Disney Parks and Resorts Director of Food & Beverage Concept Development, Chef Ed Wronski, the focus of this new type of food court is customization. Guests will be able to “make your own” and choose from a variety of options more often in this spot.

Start planning now how you want to create your gelato sundae, smoothies, omelet, pasta, salad, sandwich, and more! There will also be a focus on “better-for-you” options in this location, so perhaps going of your diet won’t be as much of a temptation here! (Wait a minute…who are we kidding? They’ll still have Mickey Bars won’t they?)

Individual Menu Items

Like the other value and moderate resorts, this food court will still be a regular old food court in that it will have five “shops,” each themed to a particular type of food.

Soup-Salad-Sandwich Shop

Guest Review: Akershus Royal Banquet Hall Dinner

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Learn About:Akershus Royal Banquet Hall — Princess Storybook Restaurant
Epcot Restaurants
Disney World Restaurants

Welcome James Hummel with a review of the Storybook dinner at Akershus Royal Banquet Hall in Epcot’s Norway!

Having now traveled to Walt Disney World twice with our 4-year-old niece, we decided that it was time she experience dining with her favorite princess characters. We wanted to experience a new restaurant at the same time, and Akershus Royal Banquet Hall (a.k.a. Princess Nirvana) was the hands-down winner.

Atmosphere

Akershus is located in the Norway pavilion in EPCOT. The design of the restaurant reminded me of a European castle banquet hall. The entrance room is decorated with medieval style wooden chairs fit for Princes and Princesses.

Entrance Hall

Upon entering Akershus, you are welcomed by a Princess; our hostess for our meal was Belle. All guests had the chance to take a picture with Belle. Later in the meal, a Cast Member presents you with a package of your picture with the princess AT NO EXTRA COST! This was a pleasant surprise, as with most other character dining restaurants the pictures are an extra charge.

Belle and her fan

During the meal, there is a princess and prince parade. The Host Princesses ask the little princesses and princes to get up and walk around the room. Since many of the little princesses are dressed in their finest, this gives them the opportunity to show of their dresses.

Our niece loved the experience. She was able to meet [Read more…]

Review: Disneyland’s Plaza Inn (Fried Chicken!)

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One of Disneyland’s most coveted meals is the fantastic fried chicken at the Plaza Inn on the corner of Main Street and Tomorrowland!

Atmosphere

While this location is a table-service character buffet (serving Breakfast With Minnie and Friends) in the morning, it switches to a counter service buffet in the afternoon and evening.

entrance sign

Plaza Inn entrance

Guests are greeted at the door by a large buffet and an ornate dining room full of velvet curtains, crystal chandeliers, and the kind of opulence you’re not used to seeing at a [Read more…]

Guest Review: Coronado Springs Resort’s Pepper Market

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Learn About:Pepper Market Food Court
Disney World Restaurants

Bill Iadonisi returns with a colorful and impressive review of the Pepper Market at the Coronado Springs Resort. Take it away, Bill!

When guests vacation to Walt Disney World, they are looking forward to going on their favorite attractions, seeing World-Class shows and entertainment, and of course meeting the Disney Characters. A trip to Disney is an exciting adventure for all. But for many, the rides and attractions are just the tip of the iceberg.

I know that for myself, dining at Disney is a whole world of fun! With menu options from around the world and a huge diversity of food choices, the dining scene is a theme park unto itself.

Welcome!

While most guests hanker to dine in the parks, the resort venues are just as impressive. We know the classic restaurants such as Citricos, the California Grill and Jiko, but the resorts are also home to some of Walt Disney World’s “sleeper” restaurants.

These eateries are hidden gems with mostly low crowds, fantastic menus and easy access. Many times when the parks are booked, you can usually walk right in or have just a short wait before dining. Some of my favorites are the Kona Café and the Captain’s Grille. And here we will review; Coronado Springs Resort’s Pepper Market restaurant.

Atmosphere and Ordering Process

Pepper Market is an open food court located in the main building area of Coronado Springs Resort, called “El Centro.” It is a counter-service restaurant, although your drinks are brought to the table by a server.

But what makes this eatery special is its extensive menu and expansive dining area. Even during crowded times, you can usually find a table. It is themed after a south of the border-feel marketplace. Huge and airy, it is also very colorful, bright and gives the feeling of space versus claustrophobia — something we love in Disney restaurants.

Dining Area

As you make your way to the entrance, (next to Coronado’s table-service restaurant, the Maya Grill) you walk on terracotta tiles and past wrought iron fences adorned with green plants. Everything is vibrant and very colorful. It puts a smile on your face before you are even seated. At the entrance is a [Read more…]

Disney California Adventure Opens Two New Restaurants July 1st!

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As we previously mentioned here, two new restaurants are slated to open in Disneyland.

Mark your calendars for July 1, 2011, when two new counter-service restaurants open at Disney California Adventure. The new eateries will share a 900 seat location in Paradise Pier where they’ll serve lunch and dinner including healthy menu items.

Boardwalk Pizza & Pasta

With an on-stage kitchen, the menu will feature flatbreads, pastas and salads tossed fresh! Flatbread choices will include cheese or pepperoni for less adventurous diners. For guests that want more variety, choose a Portobello mushroom and spinach option.

Pasta lovers can twirl their forks with spaghetti and savor meatballs on the side. Try the pasta mixed with chicken in a sun-dried tomato sauce or sample the ravioli (did we mention it is a five-cheese version?) with pesto and toasted pine nuts.

meatballs

Salads can be hearty too! Choose between

[Read more…]

Dining in Disneyland: Redd Rockett’s Pizza Port

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Another great review from our awesome Dining in Disneyland columnist, Heather Sievers!Atmosphere

Located to left of Space Mountain’s entrance inside Tomorrowland, Redd Rockett’s Pizza Port is a cute space age diner that’s great for families. A self serve line assures you that you get your food in a timely manner and there is seating aplenty. There is a giant indoor dining room as well as a covered outdoor dining area with booths and [Read more…]

Disney Food For Families: The Fab Four of Kid Food — Pizza, Pasta, Hot Dogs and Chicken Nuggets

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Disney Food for Families columnist and Disney World Moms Panelist Erin Foster has more great info about kids’ dining in Disney World!

Casey's Corner Hot Dog, Fries, and Fixins

If your family is like mine, then at some point at least one of your children will go through a picky eater phase — where he or she will ONLY eat a certain type of food, texture of food, color of food, or food prepared in a certain way.

Luckily the chefs at Walt Disney World are well acquainted with the picky eater syndrome. They’ve seen it all before and can accommodate most childhood food idiosyncrasies. That’s one of the reasons WDW became such a frequent destination for us; dining out with our fussy daughter was a breeze compared to other vacation spots.

The Fab Four of Kid Food

Some common variations on the picky eater theme are the kids who will only eat pizza, or pasta, hot dogs, or chicken nuggets. While these favorites are, of course, readily available in the parks, they are not all available at [Read more…]

Guest Review: Tony’s Town Square

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Cody, who writes the fantastic Global Disney Pinvestigation Blog, is back with another guest review! This time, he visited Tony’s Town Square in Disney World’s Magic Kingdom. Take it away, Cody!Atmosphere

Entering from the Turn-Of-The-Century Main Street USA I wondered how the theme of the restaurant would fit with the theme of the surrounding street. As it turns out, my inquiries were quickly put to rest. The restaurant is themed after the restaurant from the 1955 Disney Animated Movie, the Lady and the Tramp, and after researching a bit I realized that Lady and the Tramp takes place in early 1900s. So of course the theme fits nicely with the surrounding area.

Tony's Front Patio

Welcome to Tony's

Upon arriving, we were early (like normal), and we waited for about one minute in the waiting area, which is a small lounge/living area with a small T.V. (which shows Lady and the Tramp non-stop). The waiting area wasn’t themed to Lady and the Tramp, but it [Read more…]

Review: Portobello Restaurant

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Located in Downtown Disney, Portobello (formerly the Portobello Yacht Club) is currently in an upswing. Consulting Chef Tony Mantuano — you’ve seen him on Top Chef Masters — has renovated the menu into a short, but delicious list of rustic, hearty Italian trattoria food.

Atmosphere

While simple, the decor offers a neutral and natural setting for a delicious meal. Unlike the more themed restaurants on Disney property, this one seems to prefer that we [Read more…]

2009 Epcot Food and Wine Festival: Taste of Puglia Seminars

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he 2009 Epcot Food and Wine Festival features a wonderful, free-with-cost-of-admission seminar series called Taste of Puglia. Chefs from this region of Italy (Puglia — the heel of the Italian “boot”) visit the World Showcase outdoor kitchen several times daily to demonstrate cooking techniques and ingredients that make this region of Italy so famous. To see detailed recipes, click here.

Seminar Times for Taste of Puglia

Seminar Times for Taste of Puglia

Kitchen Set Up for Taste of Puglia

Kitchen Set Up for Taste of Puglia

On the day I visited, the chef was demonstrating her pasta-making technique. What I found very “authentic,” though some might find it distracting, was that the chef described the techniques in Italian, which was translated to the audience by an interpreter.

Chef Explains Flour Textures

Chef Explains Flour Textures

The Mirror Mounted Above the Cooking Surface Shows Detail

The Mirror Mounted Above the Cooking Surface Shows Detail

Close-Up View of the Dough

Close-Up View of the Dough

On the day I was there, and every time I’ve walked past the outdoor kitchen since, the seminars have been packed. It’s first-come-first-served, so consider arriving a bit early to ensure a seat.

Here’s a fantastic view of the finished product!

Finished Product

Finished Product

For more information and photos of the 2009 Epcot International Food and Wine Festival, visit our Epcot Food and Wine Festival Index Page.

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