*This post has been updated to indicate dishes available during the EPCOT International Food Festival 2020*
Food, wine, Mickey Mouse, the blazing Florida sun. What’s not to love about EPCOT Food and Wine Festival? The 2019 Food and Wine Festival is in full swing and I had the pleasure of going this year! The food in EPCOT is always amazing, so it’s no surprise that the International Food and Wine Festival exclusive items and experiences were incredible! Here’s what we sampled!
THE ISLANDS OF THE CARIBBEAN
We started with the Islands of the Caribbean where we ordered the Jerk Spiced Chicken with Roasted Sweet Plantain Salad and Mango Chutney Yogurt. (On the 2020 Menu)
The Jerk Spiced Chicken was full of flavor and the perfect portion for a taste of the Caribbean Islands. I’m not familiar with yogurt chutneys so I was a little leery about whether I would like it, but it went surprisingly well with the sweet plantains and jerk spiced chicken.
MEXICO
We stopped in Mexico for the Clásica Reyes Margarita made with 100% Agave Tequila, Ancho Reyes Liqueur, Lime Juice, and Agave Nectar. It was served on the rocks with a Tajín Chile-Lime Powder Rim.
The Chile-Lime powder rim really made the drink for me. I loved the mix of sweet and spicy!
CANADA
I was so excited to see a Le Cellier dish on the menu at the Canada Showcase. I’ve wanted to eat at Le Cellier, but haven’t gotten around to it yet. We sampled the “Le Cellier” Wild Mushroom Beef Filet Mignon with Truffle-Butter Sauce. (On the 2020 Menu)
The filet mignon was cooked perfectly and it tasted as good as it looked presented on the plate. It’s too bad that it was only enough for four bites.
BELGIUM
I love that there are countries represented at the Food and Wine Festival that are not included in the permanent World Showcase. It was closer to lunchtime when we got to the Belgium booth just before the Morocco Pavilion.
We tried the Beer-braised Beef with Smoked Gouda and Mashed Potatoes definitely hit the spot. The beef was tender and the mashed potatoes were packed with flavor, but not not overpowering. I would have definitely eaten a full meal of this dish if I could!
MOROCCO
The Morocco Pavilion is by far my favorite in EPCOT! I think it has the some of the most beautiful architecture and it makes me want to book the next flight out to Marrakesh! The food is always amazing at the permanent Morocco restaurants.
We were in the mood for dessert so we ordered Chocolate Baklava, described as “Rolled Phyllo Dough with Toasted Almonds and Dark Chocolate Sauce.” I love all kinds of baklava and this one was no exception. It was the perfect dessert break before continuing our tour of the world. (On the 2020 Menu)
JAPAN
When we got to the Japan Pavilion, we couldn’t decide between the Teriyaki Chicken Bun and the Frothy Ramen, so we got both!(Frothy Ramen is on the 2020 Menu)
The Teriyaki Chicken Bun was described as a “Steamed Bun filled with Chicken, Vegetables, and a Sweet Teriyaki Sauce.” It was warm, flavorful, and the perfect mix of savory and sweet. The Frothy Ramen was described as “Chilled Noodles and Dashi Broth with Volcano Sauce.” The presentation alone was absolutely adorable! It came in a little cup with the Volcano Sauce in a Mickey Mouse shape over the foam. The noodles were great and even though it’s called Volcano Sauce, I didn’t find it super spicy at all. There was a nice balance of flavors and the perfect amount of noodles and broth to sample.
ITALY
I made a b-line for the gelato stand as soon as we hit Italy. In retrospect, I probably should’ve gone for one of the exclusive dishes, but this Espresso Gelato “Affogato” was worth it! From the not so hidden Mickey presentation to the perfect mix of hot, cold, creamy, and crunchy, this dessert had it all.
The Espresso Gelato “Affogato” is described as “Italian Espresso poured over Fior Di Latte Gelato, topped with chocolate coffee beans.” What they don’t mention is the two almond cookies and wafer straw that come with it as well. This dessert is by far my absolute favorite in the park. The mix of espresso, gelato, almond cookies, and chocolate come together to create the perfect dessert that’s over too soon.
AFRICA
Our last stop was in Africa for the Kenyan Coffee Barbecue Beef Tenderloin with Sweet Potato and Corn Mealie Pap and Kachumbari Slaw.
With the exception of Beef Tenderloin and Sweet Potato, I drew a blank on the rest of the ingredients and how they were supposed to come together, but Africa did not disappoint! The dish was incredible and had different flavors than what we had experienced before. I totally recommend checking it out if you have the chance.
Wow that was a lot of food! Can you believe that we then made our way back to France for our dinner reservations at Monsieur Paul? We had great time walking through the world showcase sampling food from different cultures. I’m happy to say that the 2019 EPCOT Food and Wine Festival was a major success!
Thanks for joining me on my journey around the world. If you’re ready for more Disney World fun, check out my review of the Marceline to Magic Kingdom walking tour here.
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