Every spring, Epcot at Walt Disney World Resort hosts the International Flower & Garden Festival. This event spotlights Disney character-themed topiaries, butterfly garden, blooms, blossoms and even concerts. This year the dates are March 4 – May 17 and for the third year in a row, the festival will feature Outdoor Kitchens (similar to the Food & Wine Festival Marketplace food booths) that focus on fresh-from-the-garden flavors. And similar to the Food & Wine Festival, there is a complimentary Garden Passport that guests can have stamped as they make their way around the world.
During my daughter’s spring break from college, which was early this year, we decided to spend a day at the festival and what better than the first day? We succeeded in sampling at least one menu item from each booth. So come along with us on a mini virtual tour of the 11 Outdoor Kitchens, starting at Mexico and working clockwise around the World Showcase Lagoon:
Most venues offer Dasani Water, Dasani Lemon Sparkling Water and/or Minute Maid Light Lemonade which are included as a snack item on the Disney Dining Plan.
Jardin de Fiestas
Mexico Pavilion
Menu
- Taco al Pastor – a corn tortilla filled with achiote marinated pork, garnished with grilled diced pineapple, onions, cilantro, and sals verde – $5.75
- Veggie Quesadilla – flour tortilla filled with monterrey jack cheese and mixed veggies – $5.50
- Flan de Queso con Chocolate Abuelita – Mexican chocolate custard – $4.20
Beverages
- Blueberry/Pomegranate Margarita on the Rocks – $8.75
- Tecate Draft Beer with a Patrón Citrónge Floater – $4.75
- Mexican Sangria – $8.50
- Tequila Liquor Flight of Flavored Tequilas – $13.50
The star here was the Flan. It was full of chocolatey goodness with a hint of cinnamon. The pork on the taco was a bit dry and the taco really needed a hit of spice to wake up the flavors. The margarita tasted a bit watered down and did not have enough of a blueberry umph for me.
Lotus House
China Pavilion
Menu
- Kung Pao Chicken Bun – $5.75
- Beijing Style Candied Strawberries – $4.95
- Vegetable Spring Roll – $4.50
Beverages
- Oolong Peach Bubble Tea – $6.50
- Kung Fu Punch – vodka and triple sec with mango and orange juice – $8.50
- South Sea Storm – guava with light and dark rum – $8.50
- Honey Mango Wine Cooler – $8.50
- Tsingtao Beer – $3.50
- Plum Wine – $5.00
This was my daughter’s first time trying Bubble Tea and she did not care for it, but that was mostly because she was not prepared for it to be a milky tea. She liked popping the bubbles in her mouth though. The Chicken Bun was yummy – especially the sauce. I wanted to ask for a vat of it to bathe in. Wow!
Florida Fresh
Germany Pavilion
Menu
- Watermelon Salad – with pickled onions, B&W Farm baby arugula, feta cheese and balsamic reduction – $3.50
- Shrimp and Stone Ground Grits – with Andouille sausage, sweet corn, tomatoes and cilantro – $6.00
- Florida Blueberry and Lemon Curd Tart – $3.75
Beverages
- Watermelon Passion Fruit Slush – non alcoholic – $3.00
- Watermelon Passion Fruit Slush with Tamiami Florida Gin – $9.75
- Key Lime Sparkling Wine – Florida orange groves, St. Petersburg FL – $7.25
- Blonde Ale – Orlando Brewing Company, Orlando FL – $3.75
- Channel Marker Red Ale – 3 Daughters Brewing Company, St. Petersburg FL – $3.75
- Feast of Flowers Farmhouse Ale (festival exclusive) – Florida Beer Company, Cape Canaveral FL – $3.75
- Jai Alai® – Cigar City Brewing, Tampa FL – $3.75
- Beer Flight: Blonde Ale, Channel Marker Red Ale, Feast of Flowers Farmhouse Ale, Jai Alai® – $10.50
The Channel Marker Red Ale was not bad. I am pretty familiar with 3 Daughters Brewery since it is a few miles from my house. This is not my favorite brew of their’s nor my favorite red ale but it was solid. They were out of the gin to make the high-octane version of the Watermelon Passion fruit slush so we tried the non-alcoholic one. Boy am I glad we did. It was bursting with fresh fruit flavor and was very refreshing on such a hot day (yes, while the rest of the country was in deep fresh snow, we suddenly had a heat wave and the temperature was 86 degrees the day we visited Epcot). La kiddo and I had differing opinions on the tart. She thought it was delicious and amazing with just the right amount of sweet and tart. I thought it needed to be sweeter, not that it was too tart – it just was not sweet to me. I thought it was ok but not amazing.
Primavera Kitchen
Italy Pavilion
Menu
- Fior di Latte, Proscuitto e Pane di Casa – pinwheel of mozzarella, prosciutto, oio Tuscano, ciabatta bread – $5.75
- Cheese Manicotti – egg pasta stuffed with mozzarella, ricotta, parmesan, tomato sauce, béchamel – $5.75
- Limoncello Panna Cotta – lemon custard, limoncello liqueur and raspberries – $5.00
Beverages
- Pinot Grigio, Placido – fruity with a crisp taste, light body – $8.00
- Chianti, Placido – garnet color with soft spice and berry flavors, light body – $8.00
- Prosecco, Bosco del Merlo – sparkling and refreshing, light body – $9.00
- Corbinello – a sweet and sparkling spumante – $8.00
- Moscato Fior d’Arancio, Montegrande – pleasantly sweet and fresh – $8.00
- Bellini – sparkling wine and peach purée – $10.00
- Rossini – sparkling wine with marinated strawberries – $10.00
- Frozen Italian Primavera – assorted fruit slush, Limoncello, vodka – $11.00
- Assorted Fruit Slushy, Limoncello, Vodka
- Moretti Lager – 6 ounces – $5.00
- Moretti La Rossa – 6 ounces – $5.00
The child unit and I are in complete agreement on this one. Neither of us cared for the Limoncello Panna Cotta. While I am a fan of panna cotta, this one was lacking Limoncello flavor and the consistency was as if it had not set properly.
THE SMOKEHOUSE: Barbecue and Brews
America Pavilion
Menu
- Pulled Pig Slider – with cole slaw – $6.00
- Beef Brisket Burnt Ends Hash – with white cheddar fondue and pickled jalapeños – $5.25
- Smoked Debreziner Sausage – with house made kraut and mustard – $4.25
- “Piggylicious” Bacon Cupcake – with maple frosting and pretzel crunch – $4.00
Beverages
- Floridian Hefeweizen – Funky Buddah Brewery, Oaklnad Park FL – $3.75
- Category 3 IPA – Due South Brewing Company, Boynton Beach FL – $3.75
- Maple Bacon Stout – Shipyard Brewing Company, Clearwater FL – $3.75
- Billy’s Chilies – Twisted Pine Brewing Company, Boulder CO – $3.75
- Beer Flight: Floridian Hefeweizen, Category 3 IPA, Maple Bacon Stout, Billy’s Chilies – $10.50
- The Original Rib Shack Red Wine – $3.00
- Frozen Lemonade – non alchololic – $3.00
- Frozen Lemonade with Palm Ridge Reserve Whiskey, Umatilla FL – $11.50
- R.C. Sweet Tea made with Twinings Cold-Brewed English Classic Tea – $2.00
Let’s start with the pulled pig slider, which was actually a decent size – larger than a typical slider but smaller than a regular burger. The bun though was part of the problem. Although the pork had good flavor it was a bit on the dry side, and the floured bun added to the dryness. The slider could have used a sauce or aioli of some sort but all-in-all it was good. The hash was probably the front runner as the brisket was tender, moist and smoky. The cheddar fondue could have been thicker though in order to stand up to the other flavors.
We are both bacon lovers, as in it should be its own food group, so we had to try the Maple Bacon Stout and the Bacon Cupcake. Well the stout was a solid stout with a maple finish and very slight bacon hint here and there which was good to my way of thinking. Now on to the cupcake … how to describe the cupcake? It reminded both of us of pancakes and bacon rolled into one. The problem with that is the bacon had an intense smoke flavor which overpowered the cupcake. The maple frosting was very sweet and the pretzels were not needed. We enjoyed the first few bites as our taste buds judged the cupcake but the final verdict was a pass.
Hanami
Japan Pavilion
Menu
- Frushi – fresh pineapple, strawberries and melon, rolled with coconut rice, topped with raspberry sauce, sprinkled with toasted coconut and served with whipped cream on the side – $4.95
- Teriyaki Curry Bun – steamed bun filled with chicken, vegetables, curry and sweet sauce – $4.95
- Osaka Salmon Sushi – “Hako-sushi” box-style sushi with salmon and rice, topped with dynamite, volcano and eel sauce – $5.50
Beverages
- Kirin Draft – $3.95
- Yuzu Plum Wine Slush – sweet refreshing taste infused with the tangy flavor of citrus – $6.50
- Strawberry Nigori – mild creamy sake infused with sweet-tangy strawberry – $6.95
- Karat Sake – Honjoza style, sharp, dry taste – $6.95
We tried the Frushi which was yummy. My daughter does not like coconut in any form and avoids it like the plague but she did not mind either the coconut rice and the toasted coconut in this dish as it combined with the fresh fruit. We even had fun using chopsticks to eat them. The Curry Bun was a different story altogether. I usually like curry flavors but something about this just did not work. It did not help that is was a soft steamed bun with soft chicken and soft sautéed veggies inside … the soft on soft on soft was not appealing to us.
Taste of Marrakesh
Morocco Pavilion
Menu
- Harissa Chicken Kebab with Sweet Couscous Salad – $5.00
- Falafel Pocket – with cucumber tomato salad and Tahini Sauce – $5.00
- Pistachio Baklava – $3.00
Beverages
- Desert Rose – sparkling wine topped with pomegranate liqueur – $7.00
- White Sangria – $5.00
- Casa Beer – $4.00
- Guerrouane Red – $4.00
- Mint Iced Tea – $3.00
The Pistachio Baklava was well … pistachio baklava. Pistachios are my favorite nut but this was still just baklava. My daughter thought it was a touch too sweet. Falafel is something I usually enjoy whenever I can get it. This was the exception. The serving we got was very dry and hard like hockey pucks. Not even the cucumber salad and Tahini could save it.
Botanas Botanico
Between the France and Morocco Pavilions
Menu
- Seafood Ceviche – shrimp, scallops and grouper with mango and avocado – $5.25
- Cachapa con Queso – Venezuelan sweet yellow corn pancake – $3.25
- White Corn Arepa – with braised beef and Chayote slaw – $4.25
- Coconut Tres Leches – $3.75
Beverages
- Polar Beer – Caracas, Venezuela – $3.75
- La Tizana – non alcoholic Venezuelan fruit drink – $2.75
- La Tizana with Santa Teresa RHUM Orange Liqueur – $9.75
- Monte Paschoal Reserve Tannat – $3.75
- Monte Paschoal Natural Brut White Sparkling Wine – $5.25
Here we tried 2 items: Cachapa con Queso and White Corn Arepa with Braised Beef. The Arepa won hands down. The Cachapa is a heavy corn pancake with corn in the batter but we spent our time picking corn kernels out of our teeth like when you eat popcorn. The Arepa was very good with tender braised beef and crunchy slaw.
Fleur de Lys
France Pavilion
Menu
- Gnocchi Parisian a la Provencal – Parisian-style dumpling with vegetables and mushrooms – $4.75
- Confit de Canard, Pommes de Terre Sarladaise – pulled duck confit with garlic and parsley potatoes – $5.50
- Macaron Guimauve a la Fraise – large strawberry marshmallow macaron – $4.50
Beverages
- Ice Pop – Grand Marnier Peach Raspberry, vodka and iced tea – $6.75
- La Vie en Rose Frozen Slush – Grey Goose vodka orange, St-Germain liqueur, white and red cranberry juice – $9.95
- Kir Imperial – sparkling wine and Chambord Black Raspberry Liquor – $7.95
- Kronenbourg Blanc 1664 – fruity white beer with citrus notes – $3.95
My daughter was excited to try the duck confit as it is a dish she usually likes, but she was a bit disappointed. She said that while the potatoes were tasty the duck was under-seasoned and bland. The frozen slush was divine in the blazing sun and had a slight grapefruit taste to it. The best part of this kitchen was the macaron. We are both macaron aficionados and the Strawberry Marshmallow one offered here ranks in our top 5 macarons. We usually shared items but when it came to this, we each got our own and ended up getting an additional one to enjoy later!
Urban Farm Eats
Between Canada and World Showcase entrance/exit
Menu
- Kale Salad – dried cherries, almonds and goat cheese with white balsamic vinaigrette – $3.50
- Quinoa Vegetable “Naanwich” – with arugula pesto and oven dried tomatoes – $4.25
- Ghost Pepper dusted Tilapia – with crisp winter melon slaw and mint oil featuring The Original Sauce Man’s Kick It Up rub – $4.75
Beverages
- Cucumber Lemon Spa Water – with a sprig of fresh mint – $2.00
- Hess Shirtail Creek Vineyard, Chardonnay – $3.50
- King Estate Acrobat Pinot Noir – $4.75
- Urban Mary – with Smirnoff Vodka and pickled green beans – $7.75
- Crispin Blackberry Pear Cider – $3.75
This was our last stop as it is on the side pathway between Future World and World Showcase on the Canada side of the Showcase. By this point we were both tired, sweaty and full. But I wanted to try something from every booth and the Crsipin Blackberry Cider was calling me. It had a nice crisp taste with obvious pear notes. The Blackberry could have been bolder but all-in-all not a bad cider.
Pineapple Promenade
To the left just after entry to World Showcase
Menu
- Spicy Hot Dog – with pineapple chutney and sriracha mayo – $4.00
- Pineapple Soft-Serve – $4.25
- Pineapple Soft-Serve – with Sammy’s Beach Bar Red Head Macadamia Nut Flavored Rum or Parrot Bay Coconut Rum – $8.75
Beverages
- Frozen Desert Violet Lemonade – non-alcoholic – $3.00
- Berry Tea Cocktail – with Twinings Cold-Brewed Mixed Berry Tea with Plant City strawberry flavored Florida cane vodka, with raspberry and açai syrups – $9.75
- Sparkling Pineapple Wine – Florida Orange Groves Winery, St. Petersburg FL – $6.25
- Ace Pineapple Hard Cider – Sacramento CA – $3.75
This ended up being our mother ship. We selected the most items from this location and loved most of them. First up, the Pineapple Hard Cider, which I forgot to take a picture of … sorry about that! It was definitely pineapple flavored. Not sure I could drink several of them but it made a nice change from typical ciders. It is a toss-up for me if I liked this one or the Blackberry Pear one from Urban Farm more. Next would be the Violet Lemonade. It is purple, my daughter’s favorite color so she was sold. But once she tasted it, the color went out the window. For a frozen drink it still had a light and delicate flavor that we both enjoyed – enough tartness to remind you it was lemonade but not so much that it was unpleasant. She actually had 2 of these (one when we got there and another on the way out) and I sneaked sips of both. The hot dog was the savory champ of the whole day. Just enough sriracha so you feel the burn, pineapple chutney to cool it down and crispies sprinkled on top for texture … WINNER! Anyone who has been to Disney with me knows it is an unspoken rule, if we go anywhere near Magic Kingdom or Polynesian Resort, I must stop for a Dole Whip. I have even been known to make a special detour to get one. So when I saw it on the menu here, Pineapple Soft-Serve – you can’t hide from me, Dole Whip! – AND they offered an adult version! Well, let’s just say they had me at rum. And what a rum – Macadamia Nut Flavored Rum. Who knew such a thing existed? The first few tastes were to sample and decide if they had ruined a perfectly good confection. Once I decided they had actually found a way to enhance it, it was on! I devoured it and looked around for another. Come on Pineapple and Macadamia Nut? How much more Hawaiian frosty yumminess can you get?
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