The 2014 Epcot Food and Wine Festival Rendezvous

It is indeed that time again. Despite the controversy, despite the closings of certain fan favorites, despite my recent resentment of recent Disney decisions, here I am yet again engaging myself in the best time of year to be living close to Disney World: the Food and Wine Festival. Nothing too drastic this year, as there are some additions, some subtractions and some (quiet) changes. And even though there were examples of the decisions that upset me present in the Festival, it’s still an enjoyable romp and as long as you are willing to spend the money you will have an amazing time.

I set the budget at $65. There was an extremely good chance I was going to surpass this by the end of the day but hey I can try, right? The Food and Wine Festival Center hasn’t exactly skipped a beat or added anything, but I firmly believe that in the future it would be better suited to be closer to the World Showcase---like potentially the Odyssey building despite being smaller. The Festival Center was quite empty when I arrived, and it’s understandable since the World Showcase and this Center are on opposite sides. Inside there’s some merchandise, a wine movie, a few culinary demonstration spots, and a chocolate section. Nothing more, nothing less. I am still very much surprised that Disney doesn’t attempt to film one or two episodes of The Chew in this building. It only makes too much sense.

The Food and Wine Festival’s lineup remains mostly intact with a few changes here and there, and a few destination changes. My two laps was going to consist of lunch being my first lap, and then drinks/dessert being the second lap. I started my adventure over in Scotland, to the right of the World Showcase entrance. Word to the wise, never start in Mexico, always end it---the margarita/tequila combination of Mexico would add too much weight to your day and you won’t survive the rest of the Showcase. End on a strong note, always.

I went with their fresh potato pancake that contained sour cream and fresh salmon. Now these kiosks have definitely improved in their kitchen ware, as each kiosk has massive ovens, grills that are not only well-placed in the building to maintain plenty of space, but also allow for lots of food to be made in short spurts of time whenever the crowd becomes a bit on the heavier side. This potato pancake reminds me a lot of Polish food to be honest, but it works as the cold salmon and sour cream blended nicely with the light but enjoyable pancake.

Puerto Rico is one of two locations having its own section essentially, with a live band performing, a special garden, and its very own share of tables. This has layers of intent, as Brazil and Puerto Rico represent two cultures that have been making a heavier impact on Disney attendance in recent years. Hispanics have definitely been on the upswing for Disney, as Hispanic culture has already conquered South Florida and is making waves in Central. That being said, how can you possibly try to go up against the Central Florida Food Trucks, South Florida Food Scene, and your Hispanic dining options in Kissimmee and Orlando? Its not like you can find Scottish or Hawaiian food anywhere in Florida, you have a lot to choose from outside Tourist Country borders. Their beef and rice was decent, but loses points because of the overwhelming competition. On the positive note however, all the wonderful Salsa music playing in the background and added space still warrants a visit.

P.S. Mango rum--7.50 and its just a shot. Not a mixed drink. You've been warned.

The popular Greece became my next stop, and I went after their popular chicken gyro. This one didn’t impress me too much, as it became like a chicken taco on a thicker, softer tortilla. Not much going on here to tell you the truth. The Griddled cheese would be my next pick if I were to go back. However, the classic Canadian section did not disappoint in the least bit this year. Their cheddar cheese soup is always a gem, always thick, creamy, hearty, and an overall work of art. Le Cellier is hands-down one of the top spots in all of Disney World, and that soup is definitely one of the main reasons. Also adding to the Canadian fun is the trout with bacon and vinegar---which was a great blend of crunchy pork and savory seafood.

I also noticed that there was a lack of available tables this year. And then I noticed that in several different locations within the World Showcase there are these areas reserved for those that paid extra for some sort of dining package. And once again, Disney’s class system approach to providing service is in full play here, as the regulars are punished and those with more money to spare get VIP treatment with their own tables, their own cast members to serve them, and they don’t have to engage in the crowded space of the Showcase. Whatever your opinion on this might be (And I am royally, royally against it) this is the first year of this potential VIP treatment.





*sigh*





Once you dwell into the World Showcase your food options become a little less frequent. The U.K. and France pavilions offer one spot each, and neither really have anything that can top what’s already available. The U.K. has their awesome fish and chips, while France has their classic orange slush, fresh ice cream, and popular bakery.







In between France and Morocco however we see the other major food kiosk addition, Brazil and their added space. I guess this is the closest we will ever get to see a brand new full-time pavilion: Brazil and the guitarist and added tables. I had their crispy pork belly last year but this year we have a new item: cheese bread. Yes, it doesn’t look like much and doesn’t sound like much. However these bread bites are fantastic as they are crispy on the outside, and a warm mix of cheesy and gooey on the inside. Easily one of my favorite new items in the Festival.

Morocco…..you disappointed me again. Your shrimp roll sucked. I was fooled last year, and this year, but it won’t happen again. Pretty sure I will skip Morocco (as well as Belgium) for the next several years. Its honestly that bad.

Of all the pavilions in Epcot, I firmly believe that Japan is the best one of them all in terms of service, in terms of food options, merchandise options, and amount of entertainment. Their sushi this year that was the hit was their spicy hand roll which is prominently featured in their Tokyo Dining restaurant (Underrated gem). Tuna, salmon, rice mixed together with some heat? Count me in. The sushi wasn’t at all as spicy as you’ll find in legitimate sushi restaurants in Japan and even in Central Florida, but it still packs some heat and it works well with all the seafood contained within the roll. It is quite a good value for its price.

The weather however had this idea that I should linger in the Japanese pavilion for an extra period of time by unleashing a hellish rainstorm that rendered me stuck inside a small drink location with this delightful Japanese woman. After talking to her for a good 10 minutes, I decided to break the trend and tried their Tokyo Sunset: coconut rum, peach schnapps, banana liquor and pineapple juice. In short, this was purely spectacular, refreshing, but dangerous since it does have alcohol but you hardly taste it. The price tag is quite nasty, but it might be also because I can probably down 3-4 of these in one sitting. The Sunset is refreshing, full of sweet flavor, and that slight required rum tang that completes the drink.

I avoided the American Adventure as well as Italy because both have dishes that are amongst the most filling in the Festival. There’s lobster alfredo coming from America (Thank goodness they dipped some of their crazy prices from previous years), and then baked ravioli coming from Italy. Singapore was next. I got their seared mahi-mahi and rice, which was nothing too spectacular or different from the norm. Luckily around the corner there was South Korea’s awesome yet undeniably spicy kimchi dog to deliver. The kimchi dog is one of the top foods in the Festival, as it’s hearty, full of heat, and bursting with flavor. That being said, turns out its not as authentic as I am led to believe. A friend from Vietnam is borderline-offended at the offering of the dog, saying this food doesn't even exist on that area.

Australia once again has their grilled lamb chop with potato chips and mint paste, which is a unique yet satisfying blend of cool flavor, salty crunch, and nice chunk of lamb meat. That being said, it is a bit on the expensive side especially when on the other side you can find chimichurri steak combined with potato puree for a cheaper price.


My lunch is over. A few gems, a few disappointments, a few classics, and I still have money left over from the original $65. So now it is time for lap 2 and dessert.








*sigh*

The desserts and champagne section had one item that held my attention: frozen s’mores. And yes, it was great as it sounded. Topped with a graham cracker, marshmallows, and chocolate chunks, the overall dessert is very light, to a near pudding texture, but was quite delicious. Other options to pursue on your dessert: the dulce de leche frozen yogurt on Coolpost (although a few dropped opportunities by not attempting to enhance this) and the croissant donut at Refreshment Port (which could go great with the dulce de leche yogurt on the other side----or even the Dole Whip within the same location).





P.S. The Odyssey Building has become an entire section dedicated to different types of craft beers. I recommend visiting here not only because of the entourage of options, but also because it’s a nice place to relax whenever the crowds get too hectic or the weather becomes too unbearable.

Look, this Food and Wine is not exactly an improvement, but not exactly going backwards either. Disney and Epcot have done a great job maintaining the integrity, reputation, and quality of this festival as its one of the main reasons why Epcot despite an utter lack of change from the 2000s and even the 90s remains the third-busiest park in the United States. But here is where Food and Wine’s age and reluctance to truly grow: you can read my 2013 review and pretty much get 75% of the gist of how the festival is. Even though I did try other items and some new ones, the types of food and the food options themselves don’t change too much. And although technically Epcot and Disney’s percentage of repeat visitors versus first/second-time visits is definitely skewered towards the former----Epcot’s biggest contribution of repeat visitors comes from this Festival as we get the rich, the retired, and the South Floridians during these fall months.

Food and Wine should be bigger, and should be more bizarre, more unique, and much more daring. Test the limits of your foodies that come over to visit. Club Cool should offer and sell more types of sodas from around the world. Caribbean flavored soda is the best soda in the planet, I can guarantee you this. The Starbucks should try to offer coffees from around the world. Innoventions should try to invent “food of the future” similar to when Epcot was one of the first spots to offer dippin’ dots. Molecular gastronomy should have a far stronger presence in the Festival, so Floridians can see the crazy food experiments and ideas that are being unveiled in the Northeastern, European, and French food scene. That being said, is the Tourist World ready to try dishes like egg and bacon ice cream?

Bizarre Foods should make an appearance, or at least the concept. If people truly want to try foods from around the world they should be willing to expand their horizons and see what is eaten in the outskirts of places like in Indonesia, Mexico, etc. And places like Liberty Inn and Sunshine Season should change up their menu for the Food and Wine Festival season. Outdoor food carts should offer ice cream bars from other parts of the world to add to the fun. Food and Wine is wonderful, but as the world gets smaller the experiences should be bigger. Americans (and especially Floridians) are getting more variety in their food options outside of places like Epcot—so the competition needs to buck the curve and remain a step ahead. Otherwise, well, look at what happened when Disney Quest refused to evolve with the gaming industry…..


Bottom Line: Food and Wine is a blast every year, but with each passing year the potential grows and there are few things here and there that begin to showcase the age of the park and the class system direction Disney has been taking in recent times making for some jarring revelations. Instead of attempting to expand the Festival to allow the guests to disperse more evenly they remove tables and potential places to dine in favor of those that pay extra money. Disney plays is safe, and although the limits are stretched with the Festival concerning the food and alcohol options, more can definitely be done. It will remain the best short-term attraction in Walt Disney World history, but with increasing crowds, increasing prices, and slight increases in options, it might soon be time to attempt to extend the borders to what this Festival offers. Until then, it is still very fun, but it can still be more.



Final Verdict: Strongly Recommend.


P.S. Wound up spending around $75.


Epcot’s Food and Wine Festival
Epcot (Center)
Lake Buena Vista, FL

Louie and Maria's Italian Restaurant: The Italian Gemstone Masterpiece of Central Florida

Listen to me closely.



Very closely.

Forget anything you think I may have said about Italian food in Florida. Honestly, forget it all. Even though I have had some killer Italian food over the years in this blog (My first stop was amazing), none of them compare to the absolute perfection that I have discovered with the help of some good friends. There is a location in Central Florida that has Italian food that matches the best of New York with pizza that matches the best from the north, pasta that could have flown in from Italy, and even seafood that makes Floridians take notice. Unlike most spots in which I visit 1-2 times before writing a review, I have been to this place at least 12 times before finally deciding to type this love letter for the world to see.

Louie and Maria’s Italian Restaurant is a gem and hands-down one of the best restaurants in the entire spectrum of Florida. Pretty much every item I have had on their menu was top-notch, and with the ever-changing dinner (and dessert) menu no two dinners could ever be the same unless you decide to make it that way. Even though there’s definitely cheaper food out there, this spot deserves every penny you spend on them and then some.

The concept isn’t unique: it is a small cozy spot that is lightly-lit, compact in size, and has a slight New York Italian flair that makes Northern Transplants feel right at home. The servers and managers are very accommodating, very friendly, and always with a smile. Of course, the place is also quite busy—especially since it has transitioned to a temporary two-days-a-week stint. This little treasure is very well-known amongst the neighborhoods close by, but to very few outside the radius.

I am not going to review one food item here specifically, because it is all absolutely spectacular. We can start with their pizzas, which are always fresh, always cheesy without being overbearing, and hits the right spot no matter what size you order it in. We can mention their breads and appetizers, which start out the evening in fine form whether its their cheese bread or their cheese sticks. We can mention their calzones, which are infused with so much flavor you couldn’t possibly compliment it with anything else since you’ll run out of room. Their pastas are always light, always fresh, and their sauces are incredible; from the alfredo to the meat sauce.

The seafood is even impressive, with their mahi-mahi cooked in lemon white wine sauce will bring you down to your knees with its thick texture, hearty flavor, and buttery pasta to run alongside it. But of all the amazing dishes, their cheese ravioli/spicy sausage combination is quite possibly the best pasta I’ve ever had, extremely up there with the best of Little Italy in the good ol’ NYC. This dish is a powerhouse punch of hearty, creamy, savory, and that little kick of heat to ensure that you are alive. It is a phenomenal work of cuisine.

Now, we go right to the dessert. Their dessert menu changes pretty much daily. And it doesn’t matter what you get, whether it’s their cheesecake, their chocolate rum cake, their lemon cake, their gelatos, it’s all fantastic and a superb way to round out the evening. The cooks there definitely love their craft, and it shows from the freshness of the product to the final delivery, when you start dancing through the dinner. And yes, you will probably be crying tears of joy too.

Bottom Line: There is nothing unique, nothing really Florida-ish about the place. It is just a piece of perfection that is quietly drawing in new fans on a weekly basis in the East Orlando corner. Everything here is phenomenal, and as long as you are a fan of good food you need to come here and engage in quite a cuisine experience for the ages. And not to insult the past Italian places that also moved me to tears, but this is Legendary status we are talking about (Mazzaros is my only other Italian example of earning this status). There’s good food, great food, and then Louie and Maria’s food. This is hands-down one of the best, if not the best, places to eat in Orlando. It must be visited to truly understand why I praise this place so highly.


Final Verdict: Strongly Recommend


Louie and Maria’s Italian Restaurant
9728 E Colonial Dr.
Orlando, FL 32817
(407) 277-7755