Food and Wine FEAST 2017 updated 9/22: more booths

We both really liked this, and I think it ended up becoming one of R's favorite dishes from the festival.

Josh really liked this last year.

If the answer is no, get yourself there IMMEDIATELY on your next trip.

I can't wait to go! :hyper: We were supposed to go on this trip, but I think we'll end up going in December.

Of course we did the flight.

I want to do this too! I think December will be even better for this because it won't melt so fast :rotfl: The ooey gooey butter cake sounds amazing!

Hello heaven! Let me just get two of these and call it a meal. This was so flavorful and creamy. I loved this dish... yes, I know it is about as "safe" as you can get with Indian food but sometimes you just want a hearty comfort food and this is perfect in so many ways. T

Ooo I can't wait to try that one.
 
You look beautiful in both the photos you posted of yourself. Blue is def your color.

Il Mulino looks fantastic, and we'll be at the Swan soon ourselves. Nice that you could bring your wine to your room.

Love your descriptions and photos of the Food & Wine offerings. I can hardly wait to get a LePassion slushie.
 
Yay! Glad to see a report on this trip! I'm heading down tomorrow and can't wait. I need that slushie asap.
 
But for folks on the dining plan, the value is good for the spicy hummus fries as a snack credit and they were my favorite item at this years F&W.
 


We've highly recommended both Morimoto and Il Mulino for awhile now. I'm more of a wine person, so my go to wine at Morimoto is the inexpensive Torrontes they have (winery name escapes me). It's floral notes pair well with the sushi and what is our favorite dish--the buri bop. That coconut drink does look interesting, however. As for Il Mulino, we love the small plates aspect of it, much less that we've always found very nice flavors there in most of the dishes we've tried. The con funghi dish is very unctuous and I'll bet it went well with the Super Tuscan, and the eggplant appetizer is among the best appetizers around the World. Very hard not to eat all the bread when that comes out with the traditional olive oil. Looking forward to more!
 
Yummy reviews, I can't believe the Hummus fries, we got three last year! I love the way you described the corned beef with the cheese and potato chips. I so agree, I tried because of reviews from the event you went to and I was disappointed because of temp and clumped together and very few pickled onions on mine! The flavor was good so that was a plus! My daughter thought it was gross lol!
 
Just getting caught up with your trip and all your food pictures look amazing! I'm trying to fit the food and wine festival into one of my trips, I really enjoyed it last year, which was my first time going. I had had the filet from Canada and had loved it. It really is cooked perfectly, which is impressive when they are mass producing it like that. I'll have to stop by there again. I always want to try all the alcoholic drinks when going around to the other countries, but the heat usually makes me wanting only water. Your Morimoto food looked great too, I'm going there for the first time on my next trip and think the ribs will be added to our order of food. We were there the same time too over Labor Day :)
 


Thanks for your booth reviews. I'm taking notes.
Glad to be of assistance... haha! :P I love your reports so it's nice to "pay it forward"!

I'm with you. Love those hummus fries but two for $5 - that's a big ol nope.
Yeah I was honestly shocked. What's pretty funny is I used some of my "hurricane time" to read the easywdw food booth reviews and he might as well have written most of mine so I'm not alone!

That sucks that India and Morocco was such a let down. I ordered the "Sangria" once from Morocco and it was this dixie cup full of warm sweet peach wine. LOL I was sooooo mad.

The korma and naan look to die for!
Uh yeah I think I have read several horror stories about that sangria. Seems like most WDW sangria is that "beso del sol" stuff which i saw dispensed from a box behind the bar once and have always given it a pass since then. I hear morimoto has a nice sangria though... oh and I did like the one from the boathouse! The food (well, savory food) in India really was some of the best we had!!

I have been dreaming about ample hills ever since i heard about it. can't wait to get my hands on that ooey gooey!
You and me both! Is it bad I've been trying to justify having some shipped from the Ample hills website? :D

Josh really liked this last year.



I can't wait to go! :hyper: We were supposed to go on this trip, but I think we'll end up going in December.



I want to do this too! I think December will be even better for this because it won't melt so fast :rotfl: The ooey gooey butter cake sounds amazing!



Ooo I can't wait to try that one.
Yes, get yourself there! Both to the ice cream and to the India booth. Soooo yummy. Can't wait to go back!

You look beautiful in both the photos you posted of yourself. Blue is def your color.

Il Mulino looks fantastic, and we'll be at the Swan soon ourselves. Nice that you could bring your wine to your room.

Love your descriptions and photos of the Food & Wine offerings. I can hardly wait to get a LePassion slushie.
Oh gawrsh, now I'm blushing!

I really love the Swan but couldn't pass up the rate at the Dolphin. We were not keen on the double bed at the Dolphin but otherwise those resorts are looking really fresh and spruced up!

Yay! Glad to see a report on this trip! I'm heading down tomorrow and can't wait. I need that slushie asap.
I hope you are having the most amazing time already!!!

But for folks on the dining plan, the value is good for the spicy hummus fries as a snack credit and they were my favorite item at this years F&W.
I don't disagree that these are tasty but last year was literally twice the portion for the exact same price, so I don't consider this an acceptable value this year. Maybe dollar-wise it seems like a good snack credit value but there are just so many things that are a BETTER value!

Last year's portion, also $5.00:

IMG_7129.JPG


We've highly recommended both Morimoto and Il Mulino for awhile now. I'm more of a wine person, so my go to wine at Morimoto is the inexpensive Torrontes they have (winery name escapes me). It's floral notes pair well with the sushi and what is our favorite dish--the buri bop. That coconut drink does look interesting, however. As for Il Mulino, we love the small plates aspect of it, much less that we've always found very nice flavors there in most of the dishes we've tried. The con funghi dish is very unctuous and I'll bet it went well with the Super Tuscan, and the eggplant appetizer is among the best appetizers around the World. Very hard not to eat all the bread when that comes out with the traditional olive oil. Looking forward to more!

Oh hey thanks for stopping by! I have not tried the buri bop yet but I saw it come to a nearby table on a previous visit and it certainly looked intriguing! I love all your reviews since you and Luv seem to enjoy trying (and writing about) different types of wines. We are novices but still have fun tasting!

Il Mulino proved to be a real winner and has definitely made it to the repeat-worthy column. Thanks for reading along!

Yummy reviews, I can't believe the Hummus fries, we got three last year! I love the way you described the corned beef with the cheese and potato chips. I so agree, I tried because of reviews from the event you went to and I was disappointed because of temp and clumped together and very few pickled onions on mine! The flavor was good so that was a plus! My daughter thought it was gross lol!

I got FOUR last year (multiple times) - see above photo! How rude of them to decrease the portion like that :rotfl:

The corned beef chips did look pretty pathetic when we got them but they were still yummy. Sadly I think I will probably get them again, ugly or no! I'm such a sucker for anything resembling a nacho...

Just getting caught up with your trip and all your food pictures look amazing! I'm trying to fit the food and wine festival into one of my trips, I really enjoyed it last year, which was my first time going. I had had the filet from Canada and had loved it. It really is cooked perfectly, which is impressive when they are mass producing it like that. I'll have to stop by there again. I always want to try all the alcoholic drinks when going around to the other countries, but the heat usually makes me wanting only water. Your Morimoto food looked great too, I'm going there for the first time on my next trip and think the ribs will be added to our order of food. We were there the same time too over Labor Day :)
Yay! Glad you are catching up. I wish the heat in Orlando made me only want water! Ha. We did really focus on hydration this trip. That humidity + walking so much can really do a number on you.

Aren't you going again later this month? You should totally squeeze in some f&w time... especially since I love reading your reviews. I mean, that's not selfish or anything is it :rotfl2: we will be back at the beginning of October when R has fall break (he is a teacher so we can only travel certain times)
 
Sunday, September 3rd: continued

After a couple of hours spent relaxing at the pool, I had one particular request, since the rain had precluded my enjoying this activity on our previous day. We got cleaned up and dressed for dinner, and boarded a bus to Animal Kingdom. Upon arrival we beelined over to Africa for my favorite Walt Disney World entertainment...

zy1LrUvl.png


Burudika!

0F6cIDNl.png


I am a big Burudika fan. I have their CD and I listen to it in the car when I'm missing Disney World. But you can also find them on Spotify - their "real world" band name is Wassalou.

They are really talented and I just love grabbing a drink at the Dawa Bar and grooving to the music.
ilE8QhUl.png


They acquired more fans throughout the performance, and since Animal Kingdom has been open longer into the evening hours, Disney has also scheduled dancers to accompany Burudika and engage the crowd. They do a great job, but I'm not here for the dancers. I'm here for the music!

After I had my fill (yeah, yeah, okay, their set ended), we grabbed a couple of "to go" beverages in the Nomad Lounge (sorry, I forgot my photo manners, but it would be a re-review anyway) and headed over to Pandora to see what the fuss was about at night.

dlQUY8Xl.png


My photos came out awful but Pandora is really beautiful at night! The noises take on a more ominous tone and there really is an aura of adventure. We didn't have fastpasses or anything so we just wandered around for a few minutes taking in the sights. In short order we were back at the bus stop and on a bus to the Animal Kingdom Lodge. Our destination was a favorite we'd be returning to, not only because it is always fantastic but also they were offering 30% off after 8:30 to Tables in Wonderland members.

We had a bit of a weird interaction checking in, but after just a few moments we were seated. We sat in the portion "upstairs" at the far end of the restaurant, which was new to me. The lighting did not change to sunset while we were there but otherwise this was a fine place to sit.

Am56cSFl.png


We started with the Chef's Heirloom Garden Tomatoes - Jumbo Lump Crab, Roquette, Fried Green Tomatoes, Goat Cheese Rémoulade ($15). I had seen this item on the online menu and was glad to see it still available, as I knew we'd want this and be very likely to enjoy it. This dish is not described on the menu as a salad, but it is more or less a salad and reflected as much on our receipt. This was extremely delicious and light and the perfectly fried green tomato underneath the greens was just what I had in mind! Goat cheese and fried green tomatoes work well together and the whole dish just clicked. (Also, for those of you who, like me, don't speak "bourgeois menu description" language, "roquette" is the same thing as rocket. A/k/a arugula :snooty::laughing:)

4Xvwogkl.png


I paired the starters we'd ordered with a glass of The Goose Sauvignon Blanc, which I must like as I also had it last time! This is a nice clean Sauvignon Blanc that is fruity but still dry and very crisp. It was great with the appetizers. R chose the Stark-Conde Syrah there in the background and quite liked it also.

C8FmgKYl.png


Next up was the Mushroom-Leek Flatbread ($13) which is described on he menu as Portobello Mushrooms, spiced Leek Fondue, Sweet Peppers, Aged Goat Cheese. We liked this and it had a very rich flavor without being heavy at all. We knew we were overordering but still managed to finish this... that's how good it was. Really, what does Jiko not do well? The flatbread crust itself was crisp and tasty, having come from the cooking place, and had a nice buttery flavor.

YDH7PJKl.png


Jiko Salad. ZZZZzzzz. EPCOT Land Pavilion Greens, Stone Fruit, Pistachio Halva, Grilled Halloumi Cheese, Apricot-Ginger Dressing ($15). Yeah yeah yeah, it was salad, it was good, let's move on from the rabbit food. (And yes, this was an incredibly small portion, we did not dig in before the photo was taken.)

The real showstopper:

m964rN2l.png


Oak Grilled Filet Mignon, the only dish I've been dying to have since I last had this one! :cloud9: Bobotie Macaroni and Cheese, Grilled Asparagus, Kachumbari, South African Red Wine Sauce ($49). Our server was excellent and had the kitchen split this for us. You can see how perfectly it was cooked. We like our steak cooked to medium rare and this cut was just buttery and super tender. We got hooked up with the sides as we each received what seemed like more than a half portion of the sides.

nlxSOPCl.png


Had we known how well they would take care of us with the split dish, we would not have ordered the extra side of bobotie mac n cheese! ($12) I know I say this about a lot of things but this has got to be top three for ways to spend $12 at Disney World. Holy baloney this is amazing stuff. I just love the mild curry flavor on the meat in this dish, and we had to ask our server to identify some of the other elements for us - the nice crunch in the mac n cheese is lent by almonds. Decadent, cheesy, spicy perfection. We ate the leftovers cold for breakfast one morning in our hotel room and it was still amazing. How they could improve upon the perfection of the "standard" mac n cheese from years ago is anyone's guess, but improve they did! Ugh I want some right now!

bWaf1yfl.png


The Kilimanjaro - Tanzanian Chocolate Mousse, Pistachio Financier, Pink Peppercorn Meringue, Cacao Nib Crunch, Ras el Hanout Pineapples ($11). I don't remember much about this dessert even though I am the one who was dying to have it based on @kastoney's recommendation from a previous report. I remember liking that it was properly chocolatey. You know you're stuffed with mac n cheese when you can't even recall the finer elements of your dessert! I had a glass of red wine and R had a pot of tea with this course as well.

Jiko delivered another amazing meal, and at 30% off we came to the grand total of $115.84 before tax and tip, which included three starters, three glasses of wine, an entree, a pot of tea, and a dessert. That's pretty dang impressive considering this may be the best meal outside of Victoria & Albert's at WDW.

Up next: this trip reaches its conclusion after we sample more Food and Wine booth offerings.
 
Aren't you going again later this month? You should totally squeeze in some f&w time... especially since I love reading your reviews. I mean, that's not selfish or anything is it :rotfl2: we will be back at the beginning of October when R has fall break (he is a teacher so we can only travel certain times)
Yes I'll be there on September 28 :) As of right now I have that Saturday planned for Epcot, but that day I'm thinking we will play by ear because the party ends at midnight the night before we might end up sleeping in and not wanting to spend the whole day at a park. But I do have three fast passes for Epcot at the moment and my boyfriend loves the Soarin' ride so I think we'll make it over. I'm happy to try food to review for my readers ::yes::

Edit: I realized after responding that you had posted a review I missed. Jiko looks amazing, I really need to get there. I would definitely be ordering that mac n cheese and my go to dish at the fancy restaurants is usually the filet so it's great to see what it looks like.
 
Oh hey thanks for stopping by! I have not tried the buri bop yet but I saw it come to a nearby table on a previous visit and it certainly looked intriguing! I love all your reviews since you and Luv seem to enjoy trying (and writing about) different types of wines. We are novices but still have fun tasting!

Il Mulino proved to be a real winner and has definitely made it to the repeat-worthy column. Thanks for reading along!
Not only does the buri bop seem intriguing, but it has one of the best flavor profiles of any dish we've had at the World--the aromatic rice, bright spices, unctuous egg, and melt-in-your-mouth yellowtail perfectly meld. Thanks for the kind words, and if you enjoy a crisp Sauvignon Blanc, I'd say you're no longer a novice when it comes to wine. (For the record, we love SBs.) As for Il Mulino, it's a definite repeat venue for us, as well, though we found another spot down the road a bit that has won us over.

Love Jiko! Haven't been there in a couple of years, but we plan to do so on our next trip. Thanks for the reviews and pics. Keep up the good work!
 
Hold on, you can order ooey gooey online?! you just opened up a can of worms. shut up and take my money Ample hills.

Jiko looks very yummy! glad you enjoyed your meal.
 
So, Irma is presently rolling through Georgia and for that reason I am enjoying an inclement weather day away from the office.
I know she's rolled out of there now :car: and I assume you guys suffered no damage (I hope) ? My sister over in Alpharetta was fine, but her office in Atlanta closed Monday and Tuesday and her boys had no school until Thursday. As of today it looks like we may get a little of Jose next week; they're saying cat. 1 but we all know how quickly hurricanes change so I'm not really concerned. We rarely get hurricanes.

had the Kunsei smoked coconut - tequila, rum, almond syrup, lemon and honey syrup with coconut flakes on top ($14) This is absolutely my new favorite beverage on property.
Mmm, this sounds delicious! We have yet to eat here but I assume at some point we will so hopefully I'll remember this

It was great dipped in the tasty eggplant! The eggplant absolutely sang with its nice tanginess.
I got giddy when I read that you went to Il Mulino :bitelip: :dancer: That eggplant is fabulous; I'm not a huge eggplant fan; normally it's ok but both times we've been to Il Mulino I've pretty much eaten all of it. It's delicious AND a great touch!

I had read many accounts of how delicious and amazing the Rigatoni con Funghi is, so that was one dish we chose:
::yes:: :cloud9: That's what I've gotten on both our trips! I wanted to try something different the second time but I just HAD to have that again, it's delicious isn't it? The flavor combos work perfectly.

The umami flavors from the mushrooms and truffle oil made this dish so rich and hearty, but it wasn'tso heavy that we felt sick after enjoying it.
Yes, that's one reason I love it. I was full enough not to be hungry of course but I didn't feel overly stuffed to the point of feeling gross.

Moosehead Radler: Lager infused with Grapefruit, Grape and Lemon Juices – $4.00. Everyone who likes Schofferhofer from Germany should give this a shot - it was flavorful and citrusy and very refreshing.
OK, noted :thumbsup2

Chocolate Picante: Dark Chocolate Mousse with Cayenne Pepper, Chili Powder and Raspberry Dust – $3.25. We both liked this, and I found that it had a nice amount of heat, unlike the milder version from the preview event. We're both looking forward to getting this again and I would recommend it if you like dark chocolate!
This is on my list. Last night I was watching "The Best Thing I Ever Ate - Hot and Spicy" on the Food Network and someone picked an ice cream that was dark chocolate with chili and cayenne peppers. It made me think of this dessert so I'm glad you enjoyed it :)

I had to drown my sorrows in having been ripped off....
I'm going to drown any sorrows I feel down there with this, celebrate my happiness with this, if I get a headache I may medicate with this....................

I am a big Burudika fan. I have their CD and I listen to it in the car when I'm missing Disney World. But you can also find them on Spotify - their "real world" band name is Wassalou.
Steve and stop and listen to them every time we pass by and they're playing - seriously we could listen to them 10 times a day. I never thought to buy the CD (duh) but may get it now. Thanks for the info. on their "real world" name!

extra side of bobotie mac n cheese! ($12) I know I say this about a lot of things but this has got to be top three for ways to spend $12 at Disney World. Holy baloney this is amazing stuff. I just love the mild curry flavor on the meat in this dish, and we had to ask our server to identify some of the other elements for us - the nice crunch in the mac n cheese is lent by almonds. Decadent, cheesy, spicy perfection.
I'm not a mac and cheese fan but some of the more involved ones interest me. For instance, the truffle mac and cheese at Yachtsman? Yes, please! This looks like another one I'd try since it's SO doesn't look like your every day M&C, if we ever get to Jiko.
 
I have so been looking forward to your thoughts on Jiko!

They are really talented and I just love grabbing a drink at the Dawa Bar and grooving to the music.
I love them to. Great music and so fun to watch, especially with a beverage!

We started with the Chef's Heirloom Garden Tomatoes - Jumbo Lump Crab, Roquette, Fried Green Tomatoes, Goat Cheese Rémoulade ($15).
I was so tempted to order this in August. In fact, I tried to get into Cape Town Lounge the night of the thunderstorm but they were not letting anyone in without an ADR for Jiko.

Next up was the Mushroom-Leek Flatbread ($13) which is described on he menu as Portobello Mushrooms, spiced Leek Fondue, Sweet Peppers, Aged Goat Cheese.
I need the recipe for this. Mmmmm, flatbread perfection!

(And yes, this was an incredibly small portion, we did not dig in before the photo was taken.)
Are you kidding???? This is the smallest salad I have ever seen! The evening I ate at Jiko, I saw chefs at the Cooking Place making salads that were four times this size. And a lot aesthetically pleasing too!

The Kilimanjaro - Tanzanian Chocolate Mousse, Pistachio Financier, Pink Peppercorn Meringue, Cacao Nib Crunch, Ras el Hanout Pineapples ($11).
This looks so yummy! I wanted to order it for dessert but pistachios and I are not friends......stupid allergies!
 
I love the hummus fries, but 2?!?! There is no way i'm paying $5 for that. I believe they server them at the restaurant
 
Following along. Your Jiko meal looks delish. I wish I had a better experience there. The one time we went we were just not impressed. Must have been an off night. Looking forward to more food and wine. -Amanda
 
Thanks for the Kilamanjaro shout out or I would have missed even more of this :-)

Looks like an amazing, food filled trip this time around!!! And even better you can be my own personal F&W preview team. Seeing lots I want to try already. How does the sampler card work? Can you use it on items that cost more than $8, like the champagne?
 
We haven't been to Jiko in a while - I think I need to add that in on one of my upcoming trips. Your meal looks lovely!

Sorry your potato nachos weren't that good - we had better luck on our visit to that booth! Isn't consistency great? The coriander pesto was my favorite too!

This weekend was oddly uncrowded but I loved that! Made it easier to enjoy everything!

Didn't realize you were so close to me at the Dolphin! That hotel is great for F&W without paying for the price of Boardwalk/Beach/Yacht Club!
 
Yes I'll be there on September 28 :) As of right now I have that Saturday planned for Epcot, but that day I'm thinking we will play by ear because the party ends at midnight the night before we might end up sleeping in and not wanting to spend the whole day at a park. But I do have three fast passes for Epcot at the moment and my boyfriend loves the Soarin' ride so I think we'll make it over. I'm happy to try food to review for my readers ::yes::

Edit: I realized after responding that you had posted a review I missed. Jiko looks amazing, I really need to get there. I would definitely be ordering that mac n cheese and my go to dish at the fancy restaurants is usually the filet so it's great to see what it looks like.
You're so close to another trip! Yay!! The Jiko filet + bobotie mac n cheese is probably my favorite meal right now. Which means of course it is time for more research!

Not only does the buri bop seem intriguing, but it has one of the best flavor profiles of any dish we've had at the World--the aromatic rice, bright spices, unctuous egg, and melt-in-your-mouth yellowtail perfectly meld. Thanks for the kind words, and if you enjoy a crisp Sauvignon Blanc, I'd say you're no longer a novice when it comes to wine. (For the record, we love SBs.) As for Il Mulino, it's a definite repeat venue for us, as well, though we found another spot down the road a bit that has won us over.

Love Jiko! Haven't been there in a couple of years, but we plan to do so on our next trip. Thanks for the reviews and pics. Keep up the good work!
Well you certainly sold me on the buri bop! I'll give it a try. More reviews coming soon!

Hold on, you can order ooey gooey online?! you just opened up a can of worms. shut up and take my money Ample hills.

Jiko looks very yummy! glad you enjoyed your meal.

I sort of wish I hadn't found that out myself... a friend told me about Halo Top recently so I may try to get some this weekend. I would love some ice cream right now!

I got giddy when I read that you went to Il Mulino :bitelip: :dancer: That eggplant is fabulous; I'm not a huge eggplant fan; normally it's ok but both times we've been to Il Mulino I've pretty much eaten all of it. It's delicious AND a great touch!
It's so funny because I would never order something eggplant and then this free eggplant knocks my socks off! Your reviews definitely helped nudge me in the right direction for Il Mulino!

::yes:: :cloud9: That's what I've gotten on both our trips! I wanted to try something different the second time but I just HAD to have that again, it's delicious isn't it? The flavor combos work perfectly.
Again, thank you to my Il Mulino inspiration for selling me on this scrumptious dish! I found truffle dust at my local Kroger last week so I am going to have to experiment to see if I can get that yummy rich flavor at home.

I'm going to drown any sorrows I feel down there with this, celebrate my happiness with this, if I get a headache I may medicate with this....................
You're not wrong for that! I have five more tabs for this next trip and already dreaming of how I'll use them...

teve and stop and listen to them every time we pass by and they're playing - seriously we could listen to them 10 times a day. I never thought to buy the CD (duh) but may get it now. Thanks for the info. on their "real world" name!

I could too! People think I am crazy when they find out how much I go to Disney. I can't admit to many of my real world friends that we went into Animal Kingdom literally for the sole purpose of listening to Burudika... at least here I am with my crazy brethren!!! :flower3: And thank you for asking about us and Irma. Fortunately we live in a condo and we didn't even lose power. The internet/cable flickered on us a few times :charac2: I had to RESTART AVATAR (yes, watching again after that amazing land blew me away) several times... hahaha
 

GET A DISNEY VACATION QUOTE

Dreams Unlimited Travel is committed to providing you with the very best vacation planning experience possible. Our Vacation Planners are experts and will share their honest advice to help you have a magical vacation.

Let us help you with your next Disney Vacation!





Top