The 2012 Epcot Food and Wine Festival is underway and I got to experience it for myself. This festival has been a smash hit since its opening in 1995, expanding several times over the years in terms of length, size, and content. Now its become more than just a way to get more international cuisine, it has become a haven for chef wannabes and for those that want to improve their cooking, drinking, mixing, and health skills. As for me I have done it for around 4-5 years, with minimal complaints. With this year pretty much most of the classics have returned, with only a few new bands and a couple new kiosks entering in the mix. Here is my story.
I started off entering the World Showcase towards Mexico. The very first spot I decided to hit is the obscure and unique Caribbean kiosk. Why is it unique? Because there is absolutely, positively no way you can sum up the Caribbean in just a couple items. While you can argue the same towards ALL the nations involved, the Caribbean is more of an insult because Dominican cooking differs greatly from Jamaican cooking, Cuban cooking, Puerto Rican cooking, etc. There are way too many islands and countries involved to wrap it up in one kiosk. Either way, I went with the ropa vieja with cilantro rice. Ropa vieja is a popular Cuban dish that consists of shredded leftover meat mixing in with spices and vegetables. Now, since ropa vieja requires LEFTOVER food, you won’t see Disney 100% going with the normal formula, so instead we have ourselves a fresh tasting medley of meat that blended well with the rice—which had a nice salt and spice kick. Cilantro is a very underused spice that really improves all sorts of foods.
A little further ahead we see two countries that in the future I would love to see represented as pavilions at Epcot: Australia and Argentina. Argentina became my next choice easily because in my years doing the Food and Wine, Argentina stands tall as one of the best kiosks for dining. Their beef skewer with chimichurri sauce stands as one of my absolute favorites. This year is no different. Basically its meat and potatoes with a South American twist. The chimichurri spice here is among the best I’ve ever had, and the variations in the supermarkets across Orlando don’t hold a candle to the one here at Epcot. Its essentially a steak sauce that is heavy on the lime and peppers, but delivers a really sweet kick to the meat. The sweet potato puree just delivers the dish to a brand new level. Of all the meals in Food and Wine, this is one of the few I could repeat over and over again.
Now, the Food and Wine has sometimes resulted in certain food kiosks making so much money they become permanent staples in the pavilion. Mexico, hands-down the food-friendliest pavilion with two quick-service and two table-service restaurants (as well as a margarita stand and a tequila bar), became one of these examples with the small kiosk that greets guests at the very entrance of Mexico. I went with their shrimp taco, still fresh off a Mexican food dream I had experienced during a second visit to
El Tenampa in Kissimmee. The shrimp taco was simple, consisting of a few shrimps, cabbage, and lime mayo. In case you are wondering if this sounds familiar, it’s actually
extremely similar to the tacos I had at La Hacienda months ago. Nothing wrong here, although its price was a bit high.
Unfortunately for me, Florida was being Florida-like and started delivering on the rain. I decided to hide inside the building housing the Mexican pavilion. I went on the ride (Boy that ride needs help, and I need to know if there ever was a Selena memorial in there, I swear there was) and then got to see the mariachi perform. Let me tell you something, Walt Disney doesn’t get enough credit for being culturally diverse---with the Three Caballeros animated classic being among the first (if not the first) film to truly embrace and celebrate multiple cultures being my favorite example. That mariachi was sung and performed so beautifully, you can sense the beauty of the Mexican culture that most people don’t seem to comprehend. Mexico is just as diverse as the United States, and this pavilion showcases this. I just wish the idea of Epcot has expanded more than what it currently is. Moving on.
Skipping Norway (Under my power, Australia would replace Norway…seriously) I found myself being suckered into buying pork potstickers. I know, I know, they are always available in the quick-service spot in the pavilion. I can’t help it, these things are addicting from the first bite to the last. The outside is soft and tender while concealing a good portion of pork that satisfies the taste buds while barely filling the stomach. South Korea was right before the bridge and featured an item that seemed to interesting to skip: a lettuce wrap filled with slaw and roasted pork. Well, I got exactly that---lettuce posing as like bread engulfing a mix of slaw and meat. I must say though, it was quite an interesting result. The lettuce balanced the meat attack and provided a leafy crunch to the entire small meal. I think I might have to find ways to use lettuce as a substitute for tortilla shells when money gets sparse.
I really wanted the cheese fondue with sourdough bread (since it’s my all-time favorite bread) but with all the money I have already spent, cutbacks were going to have to be made. Instead, I found way into Germany wondering what their bratwurst and pretzel roll combination was going to look like. What I got was a footlong essentially trapped in a pretzel bun a quarter of the size. With the mustard on the side, I tackled this thing with a slight regret. It was good to be honest, but lacked the variety and kick of the other items. Side-note, if you have not been to the caramel spot in the German pavilion, you are missing out. They make the caramel popcorn right there on the spot. Re-read that last sentence. Now, convince me that this revelation isn’t awesome.
Now, Italy was going to become my weakness since pasta has always gotten my number. But before we get to that I must say that the Italian pavilion is starting to resemble the Mexican pavilion with its rising amount of options for food. Not only is there a small kiosk outside available year-round, but in recent years they developed a second restaurant, and a wine cellar that also offers food. Three eateries, one dessert spot, many options. The best deal of the Festival is here: their ravioli. Of all the foods in the Festival, this one is the heaviest portion not only because of the pasta but because the amount if a bit bigger than your usual sample sizes. This ravioli is baked underneath a layer of cheese and marinara sauce. It is a simple dish, but boy is it still delicious.
My stomach was reaching its breaking point by this time and I needed to relax. Luckily, Sugar Ray was there to help me relax. The American Pavilion’s offerings have always left little to be desired so I skipped it, instead hoping to survive the continuing the rainstorm to watch the 90s staple band perform. Amazing how this band started out as a heavy punk-rock underground hit before winding up at a Disney park a decade and a half later. They probably had no idea back in 1997 that they would become a Food and Wine staple alongside Boys II Men.
Sugar Ray knocked it out of the park. Although the guitarist and Mark McGrath are the only remaining original members, they still did a fantastic job singing all their greatest hits, and for my listening pleasure going back to an old-school classic before they became adult contemporary with Mean Machine. The crowd, despite being drenched was treated to Mark running from row to row in the front of the concert area to greet all the fans that fought the weather to see them. He really had the energy and drive to keep everyone greatly entertained. Wait, this is a food blog. What am I doing? Back to eating.
I skipped Japan (The best of the pavilions by the way) because their kiosk offerings aren’t that great from my experience last year. My next stop was France because every single year they have been serving escargot, and every year I have wimped out on trying it. The idea of consuming snails still hasn’t reached my psyche. I almost bought them, I honestly did. I ran out again. Maybe next time, there’s still a few weeks left. I am just not ready.
Ireland became my next stop because of the lava cake that has been boasted as one of the best items in the park. Surely enough this stands true. After almost getting the fisherman’s pie with it, I stuck with just the lava cake. This small delicacy is surrounded by a chocolate sauce that clearly has some alcoholic influence. The experience is sweet, immense, and very short-lived. I wish the stupid thing was bigger. Alright, it’s not stupid, but too good to be so darn small. It’s funny because I can’t rag on the Food and Wine Festival for delivering small portions because then there’s no way you can truly experience it all unless you make 4-5 visits. And 97% of America just doesn’t have this privilege or opportunity. So Disney gets away with their small portions—at least they mix up the concert lineups and special visits.
Last but not least, is the one item that first drew me into the concept of the Food and Wine Festival and first started my obsession
with finding a seat at Le Cellier: the cheddar cheese soup. This darn thing has always been fantastic, always been thick, and always been addicting to the core. Canada also features this fantastic salmon dish, but its all about the soup. I am not even a fan of soup but this particular item just tickles the soul. Full of meat, full of veggies, and packing a punch of great Canadian cheese, this soup is what started the Legend of Le Cellier that is most appreciated by the Disney dining diehards. However, this year, the dish of the festival belongs to Argentina by improving what was already amazing. The soup didn’t improve—nor did they fix the still-rather-small portion. Less than 4 ounces is still a crime.
9 items in one day was a pretty good run for me, although I have a lot to go. I still have to try Greece, still have to take on the Cheese kiosk, and lastly suck it up and try some snail at France. Overall, the Food and Wine Festival this year once again does not disappoint as it offers so much food, so much alcohol, that to truly embellish yourself and get the full experience you need at least a 5-day Epcot stay to absorb it all---and that will definitely cost you. Perhaps by the end of this Festival I will have an entry dedicated to the alcohol portion of the event, but for now I will give the pure thumbs up for the food. Epcot already has the best variety of food in all of Florida, and with Food and Wine it amps up the variety to 11. There is physically no way you can walk the Showcase and NOT be interested in anything the place if offering.
So if you ever have an opportunity, you must do this. From the simple classics from other nations like the bratwurst to more unique fare like the lettuce wrap, Epcot truly becomes even more special in the Fall with this excellent event that takes people on a very interesting culinary journey that is not only tasty, but can be educational if you are up for it. I recommend this to the ultimate degree as its fun for everyone.
And even more evidence towards why despite my
grumblings and begging for improvement, Epcot remains the best of every single theme park in Tourist Country.
Final Verdict: Strongly, Strongly Recommend
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