food IS a theme park
Thanks to Cody over at the Global Disney Pinvestigation blog for the news about this exclusive pin, which will be made available to Annual Passholders at the 14th Annual Epcot International Food and Wine Festival.
Exclusive Annual Passholder Pin for Epcot Food and Wine Festival 2009
These are low-cost (or FREE!) with Epcot Admission. Again, from Disneyworld.com:
Book the $8 events in advance at the Disney F&W Festival Registration Page
Authentic Taste Seminars
Each of these 30-minute seminars celebrates the origins, properties and history of some of the world’s purest ingredients. Enjoy a lively and informative presentation by subject authorities.
Friday — Sunday at 2:00 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.
Price: Included with Epcot admission.
Authors without Borders
Listen to renowned authors from the food and wine industries speak about popular topics in these informative and enlightening 30-minute conversations.
Friday — Sunday at 12:00 p.m. and 3:45 p.m.
Price: Included with Epcot admission.
Details are trickling out about the Epcot International Food and Wine Festival!
To book any and all activities and events, reservations open on August 11 at 7:00AM. Call 407-WDW-FEST (939-3378). Theme park admission is usually required, along with a reservation and extra payment for the event.
Check out the Disney Food and Wine Festival Page for info and more updates.
Culinary Adventures — Signature Dining Experiences
Celebrity chefs pair up with Walt Disney World restaurant big cheeses to develop a 5-course meal. Schedule and celebrity chefs include:
10/1 6:30 p.m. Jiko–The Cooking Place — Suvir Saran
10/1 7:00 p.m. Portobello Italian Trattoria — Tony Mantuano
10/13 6:15 p.m. Ragland Road — Kevin Dundon
10/15 5:30 p.m. Flying Fish Café — Tim Keating
10/16 6:30 p.m. bluezoo — Todd English
10/22 6:30 p.m. The Wave — Frank Brough
10/25 6:30 p.m. Victoria & Albert’s — Scott Hunnel
10/29 6:30 p.m. California Grill — Brian Piasecki
10/30 6:30 p.m. Wonders Retreat — Jean Claude Boisset vs. Jean Charles Boisset Wines
11/5 6:30 p.m. Cítricos — Phillip Ponticelli
Price: $100.00-$375.00 per person, plus tax. Gratuity included. Theme park admission is not required.
Food and Wine Pairing Meals
An old favorite returns.
Saturdays, 2:30–4:00 p.m. — Tutto Italia Ristorante
Mondays, 3:30–5:00 p.m. — Tokyo Dining
Tuesdays, 3:30–5:00 p.m. — Restaurant Marrakesh
Price: $55.00 per person, plus tax. Gratuity included. Theme park admission is required.
Mexico Tequila Tastings
A NEW addition!
La Cava del Tequila, Mexico Pavilion
Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays at 3:00 p.m.
Price: $35.00 per person, plus tax. Gratuity included. Theme park admission is required.
Love the magnificent nighttime display of fireworks and lasers at Epcot during Illuminations? Here’s your guide to the best restaurants from which to watch Illuminations!
World Showcase
This is the second in our series of Best Disney World Restaurants for Fireworks Viewing! Today, we’ll discuss the restaurants with the best views for Illuminations fireworks viewing. (The previous blog post, Part I, has information about Happily Ever After fireworks viewing.)
Illuminations, Reflections of Earth, is shown at Epcot at 9:00PM every night, Saturday-Thursday. Friday nights vary between 9:00PM and 8:00PM depending on Epcot’s schedule.
Rose and Crown Pub and Dining Room, patio table
Rose and Crown in Epcot’s United Kingdom pavilion is the quintessential dining and viewing spot for Illuminations. If you’re lucky enough to get one of the coveted tables out on the covered patio, Rose and Crown’s view of Illuminations will offer you one of best experiences in Walt Disney World. There’s simply nothing like it.
Rose and Crown Pub and Dining Room
That said, the fierce competition for these tables has made me forego even making a reservation for dinner at Rose and Crown over the past few visits to Disney World. While Rose and Crown cannot guarantee their ability to grant requests for patio tables, hopefuls begin crowding the podium before 7:00PM each night, willing to wait as long as it takes. The line of patrons waiting to check in can stretch all the way to Tudor Lane. As a result, Rose and Crown has instituted a policy (in my experience) that those checking in at the podium may wait only one hour for a table request; after an hour, they must take the table offered, or choose not to dine at Rose and Crown.
Patio View
How can you improve your chances? Visit Disney World during a slow season (e.g. Winter or early Fall), book your reservation for around 7:30-7:45pm (it’s simply not fair to the servers to book earlier; unless, of course, you’re willing to pay three times the tip!), and tell the cast members when you check in that you’re willing to wait the hour for a fireworks-view, patio table.
Back Patio
Note that the Rose and Crown patio stretches around the Rose and Crown, meaning you might be seated at the side of the restaurant. You can still see the fireworks here, but the view will not be as good as from the back patio, directly next to the lagoon. You can specify that you’re requesting a back-patio, fireworks-view table, but patio is patio…
Side Patio
Rose and Crown is a casual restaurant; park-wear is acceptable. No reason to dress up. By the way, the potato and leek soup is to die for!
La Hacienda de San Angel
One of the restaurants in Epcot’s Mexico Pavilion, La Hacienda de San Angel, offers — for the first time in Epcot history — an Illuminations view rivaling that at Rose & Crown! While many of the tables offer excellent views (the windows are expansive), those that are right up against the windows will be highly prized.
View from Our La Hacienda de San Angel Window Table
One of the Main Dining Rooms at La Hacienda
Monsieur Paul
This high-end restaurant located on the second floor of the building housing Les Chefs de France in Epcot’s France pavilion has excellent Illuminations viewing. Again, you’ll want to arrive early and request a window table, but a steep price and nearly hidden entrance (the entrance to Monsieur Paul is hidden around the back of the Le Chefs de France building) mean that competition for seating is limited compared to Rose and Crown.
Fireworks from Bistro de Paris Window
The dining here is top-notch, but the view from the second story windows can’t be beat. Dress up for this one, and make it a celebration.
Cantina de San Angel
The Mexico pavilion’s counter service dining option has been touted by some, panned by others, but everyone agrees that it’s a good option for watching Illuminations…assuming you can commandeer a table and stand your ground!
Cantina de San Angel
Because the tables are lined up along the World Showcase Lagoon, patrons have complained about kiddos squeezing themselves between tables and fence to get a better view. Also, folks who might not have as much need for personal space as you do may invite themselves to infringe upon yours by “sharing” your table.
This spot might be more hassle than it’s worth, but it’s an inexpensive way to get one of the best views in the park. And the food’s tasty, too!
Tokyo Dining
Tokyo Dining, in Epcot’s Japan pavilion specializes in sushi and tempura, and the restaurant shares the second floor of the Mitsukoshi Department Store building with Japan’s other table-service restaurant, Teppan Edo.
This might be your best bet for getting an advanced dining reservation fewer than 90 days out, as many folks don’t yet know about Tokyo Dining, aren’t sure where it is, or simply don’t want to try the food. Luckily, this means that the floor-to-ceiling window views are up for grabs!
Dining Room
As with the other restaurants, make a reservation for an hour or so before Illuminations and arrive early. Request a window table (tell them you’ll wait if necessary). Once seated, enjoy your meal leisurely until the show begins.
View of World Showcase Lagoon
Note that there is an outdoor, public walkway along the windows at Tokyo Dining. If people notice it’s there, they may crowd it before the show. You’ll still be able to see the fireworks, but this could possibly block the view a bit.
Outdoor Walkway
Tokyo Dining is a more casual restaurant; park-wear is acceptable.
Other Potential Viewing Spots With Dining
While I wouldn’t necessarily recommend either of these spots for Illuminations viewing, Tangierine Cafe in Morocco and Liberty Inn at the American Adventure might offer a decent place to sit to see the higher-up fireworks. At Tangierine Cafe, even if you’re sitting outside (the windows are too opaque to see from the inside), the crowds will likely mar your view of the action on the water. At Liberty Inn, the American Gardens Theater tends to block out the lagoon view. But both offer spots to sit, take a load off, and nosh a bit while you listen to the music and enjoy at least some of the show.
If you have other ideas and options, be sure to let me know in the comments section below!
Check out the other “Best Disney World Restaurants” in our series!
View from Nine Dragons
According to most accounts, Nine Dragons in Epcot doesn’t really require an advanced reservation. It’s also considered a very disappointing restaurant for many. This characterization might be somewhat accurate — it’s not a “Wow!” restaurant — but I’ve had a few good experiences there and wanted to share that perspective as well.
Nine Dragons was recently overhauled, and, I think, offers a decent dining experience. While most people are forced into this restaurant by sudden rainstorms and bad planning (i.e. all the other restaurants are full and they couldn’t find Marrakesh), the food is more than edible (sometimes even good!) and the atmosphere is rich. Yes, it’s a bit too expensive for what you actually get, but the service hasn’t been bad in our experience, and we do enjoy the food.
Decorative Glass Wall
Renovated Light Fixtures
The restaurant renovation was immediately apparent on our last visit. Gone was the garish, too-opulent decor of the old Nine Dragons. The warm dark woods and interesting colors worked well with the stark, clean table settings. I find atmosphere to be almost as important as food, so being seated in a room that was pleasing to the eye already had the restaurant ranking higher in my mind than previously. Plus, the fun “history of writing” on the place mats was interesting, and any Epcot restaurant gets extra points if I learn something while I’m there.
Dark Wood Decorative Screens
History of Writing Place Mats
We ordered the Chicken Consomme with Pork Dumplings, the Spit Roasted Beijing Chicken with Mashed Taro, and the Canton Pepper Beef with rice. Although the food wasn’t “signature restaurant” quality, it was as good as most neighborhood Chinese restaurants and a bit better than some.
Chicken Consomme with Pork Dumplings
Beijing Chicken with Mashed Taro
Canton Pepper Beef with Rice
Overall, we enjoyed a relaxing dinner, had decent service, and were pleased with the atmosphere (even if the tables were a bit too close together for our liking). There’s nothing wrong with this place, but if you don’t believe me, Marrakesh is at the back of the Morocco pavilion… . 😉
We recently had the opportunity to again dine at Teppan Edo, a teppanyaki-style restaurant in Epcot’s Japan pavilion. We always have a great time here, as CMs are friendly and engaging, and sitting family style with 6 other people is usually an interesting experience. We also love the food!
Hibachi-embedded Dining Tables
Most everything is cooked teppanyaki-style, meaning foods, usually steak, other meats, and vegetables in the Western version of teppanyaki, are grilled using a hot plate in the middle of the table.
Japanese restaurant chain, Misono, was the first to introduce Western-influenced teppanyaki-style dining in Japan back in 1945. Since then, the “Japanese Steakhouse” genre has been more popular with tourists than locals in Japan; locals tend to prefer fish, noodle dishes (like Yakisoba), and flour- and vegetable-based dishes for their teppanyaki.
Staff Greeting Ceremony as Restaurant Opens
Long Hallway of Dining Rooms
At Teppan Edo, you and your table mates are brought to and seated at your table, soon to be welcomed by a CM taking drink and food orders. You’re then welcomed by your table’s chef, who explains the process of teppanyaki and confirms the orders.
Me? I had to try a Sake-rita! It came highly recommended by our waiter, and who am I to turn down an opportunity to imbibe a sake-based margarita?
Sake-rita
And then, the show begins! Our chef expertly delivered on the standard teppan chef tricks–the onion volcano, the shrimp tail throw-and-catch, the knife tricks. She did a great job.
Our Talented and Funny Chef
onion volcano
The appetizers we’d ordered soon came out of the kitchen (these aren’t the table chef’s job, luckily!), and we enjoyed a tempura selection, miso soup, and a salad while watching the show.
Tempura Selection with Dipping Sauce
Miso Soup and Garden Salad
Chef Action!
Wondering about the name, Teppan Edo, I did a bit of reasearch and found the following:
According to Wikipedia: The Edo period (江戸時代, Edo jidai?), or Tokugawa period (徳川時代, Tokugawa jidai?), is a division of Japanese history running from 1603 to 1868 and is the premodern era. The period marks the governance of the Edo or Tokugawa shogunate, which was officially established in 1603 by the first Edo shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu. The Edo period is also known as the beginning of the early modern period of Japan.
The Teppan Edo menu also sports a map of Japan during the Edo period, and the main dishes are named after cities in the country. We orderded the Nihonbashi, which included both steak and chicken, with noodles.
Nihonbashi--Steak and Chicken
The meal was delicious, as usual, and I’m always amazed by the relative healthiness of these dishes. Soybean oil is used to grill, so although there is some fat, it’s not exactly artery-clogging stuff. Don’t be fooled, however–the portions are large!
You can find Teppan Edo in the large building on the right-hand side of the Japan pavilion in Epcot–just head up the stairs and you’ll come across the entry for both Teppan Edo and Tokyo Dining.
To make a reservation, call 407-WDW-Dine, or book online by clicking this link.
Tea Tour Times
I’ve long wanted to take part in the Twining’s Tea Tour in Epcot, and I finally got the chance over Memorial Day weekend. This tour seems to pop up during the Flower and Garden Festival in the Spring and during the Food and Wine Festival in the Fall, and takes place several times per day (Friday/Saturday/Sunday while I was there) in the garden of the United Kingdom pavilion in Epcot. If you’re lucky enough to have the time, stop by the UK pavilion, and get your name on the list for the tour time of your choice.
Our guide, a CM from the UK pavilion who’s been “tea-trained,” led us through a shockingly informative and enjoyable tour of the tea (and, mostly, tea-flavoring) plants in the UK garden’s many teacup planters. I mentioned that I’d wanted to take the tour for a couple of years, but I never expected that a no-cost experience could be so well-done. The guide was quite knowledgeable about the history and art of tea-making and answered each question very well (including a few toughies); I left feeling like I’d really learned quite a bit.
Tour Guide Discusses Camellia Sinensis
Twinings of London
The guide began by tell the group a bit about the exhibit’s sponsor, Twinings of London. The original Store, which can be found on the Strand in London near The City (the eastern financial district of London), was actually a coffee shop bought by Thomas Twining in 1706. Twining was the first to sell the newly-imported tea in his coffee shop, giving him a competitive advantage against the city’s coffeehouses. 40 years later, tea became one of England’s significant exports to the American colonies. Today, Twinings offers 300 varieties of tea and exports around the world.
Camellia Sinensis Info
The Tea
The guide spoke first about the Camellia plant, of which there are two versions: one from China and one from India. This is the plant from which all teas, excepting herbal teas, is made. Whether you’re drining green tea, oolong tea, black tea, or white tea, it all comes from the Camellia plant. So how do you make it different? Leaf picking, oxidization, and infusions:
–Black tea, which is what we western hemisphere residents largely consider “regular tea,” gets its name and dark brown color because it’s been fully oxidized. These teas have a deeper flavor, often described as “burnt caramel.” These teas have the fewest antioxidants, though there is still a larger concentration than in a large serving of carrots.
Tour Guide Discusses Tea Making
–Oolong tea, made from leaves that have been only partially-oxidized (usually only the edges of the leaf are oxidized), has a medium flavor that varies between those of black and green tea; it can be made to carry both lighter and bolder flavors depending on leaf treatment.
–Green tea, which is consumed most often in eastern cultures, has been picked early and is steamed or pan-fired to stop oxidation, leaving its green color and lighter flavor.
–White tea is harvested only once per year, as it takes the first bud and top leaf of the plant. These are withered and dried, with no oxidation. These teas have the most antioxidants of all.
Oolong Tea
Our guide went on to explain how teas are flavored with leaves and blossoms of other plants as well as herbal infusions; Twinings’ 300 tea varieties are the work of master blenders who undergo 5 years of training. He also briefly discussed herbal teas, which are made solely from herbs with no inclusion of the Camellia plants.
And a Few Other Fun Facts
The tour was rounded out with some great tips and facts about tea blending and brewing, including how to make DIY decaffeinated tea; the history behind America’s best-loved tea, Earl Grey; and why Irish Breakfast tea is so much stronger than English Breakfast tea.
All in all, it was a highly enjoyable half-hour. Hopefully you’ll get a chance to stop by the next time you’re in Epcot while the tea tours are offered!
The Tea Walk
Hey guys–just had a chance to chow down at Chefs de France recently and wanted to post a few food pics for ya! (Haven’t had a good “food pic extravaganza” for a while!) Here’s a “photo review” with few words thrown in for good measure!
Chefs de France seating
The restaurant is just beautiful. It looks best, I think, from the outside, after dark. I can remember several years ago stopping into a bistro in Paris with a friend after arriving in the city on a late train; it was winter and the bistro looked so warm and inviting. The lighting and walls of windows were identical to those at Chefs…it’s a great memory that the Epcot restaurant always brings back to me.
Chefs de France Seating
Chef Remy
Another photo of the newest chef at Chefs de France–Monsieur Remy! I can’t get over how he moves his little hands!
Pasta and Gruyere Cheese
If you’re a fan of Gruyere, mac and cheese, or bubbly yumminess in any way, you probably need to treat yourself to this dish. Yes, it gets to be too rich after a few bites, but hopefully you’ve trained hard prior to your vacation to endure massive amounts of cheese and heavy cream (isn’t that standard for everyone before a Disney trip?). We got it as part of the set menu for lunch.
Quiche
Another great dish. Probably not as spectacularly bad for us as the mac and cheese, but lovely all the same! (This’ll give you a little protein for the rest of your day as well…)
Orifuteroles au chocolat
Never been a great fan of profiteroles, but these were amazing! I couldn’t get enough. The chocolate was the best part, so lucky us that they drowned the pastry with it.
Creme Brulee with Madeleine
A decent creme brulee; in my book, Jiko’s pistachio version and Le Cellier’s maple version beat it out, however. Would love to hear from readers how it stacks up to other WDW creme brulees.
Epcot Food and Wine Festival
Thanks to Tim Weston over at The Daily Mickey blog for the tip that Disney’s finalized its Eat to the Beat concert series line-up!
These folks are set to light up the stage at this year’s Epcot Food and Wine Festival. For more information about the festival, click here!.
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – A platinum lineup of popular music acts, including several Grammy-winning bands, will unleash an eclectic mix of classic and current tunes during the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival Sept. 25-Nov. 8 at Walt Disney World Resort.
The Eat to the Beat! concert series will bring 17 acts – showcasing everything from rock to jazz, funk to pop – to the America Gardens Theatre stage during the 45-day festival. The lineup includes five performers playing the festival for the first time: Richard Marx, Better Than Ezra, Vanessa Carlton, John Waite and Billy Ocean.
Concerts, which are included with Epcot admission, begin at 5:15, 6:30 and 7:45 p.m. daily. The lineup (subject to change) includes:
Sept. 25-27
Big Bad Voodoo Daddy (“You & Me & The Bottle Makes 3 Tonight (Baby)”
Sept. 28-29 Richard Marx (“Hold On to the Nights”)
Sept. 30-Oct. 3 Starship starring Mickey Thomas (“We Built This City”)
Oct. 4-6 En Vogue (“Free Your Mind”)
Oct. 7-8 Better Than Ezra (“Good”)
Oct. 9-11 Sister Hazel (“All for You”)
Oct. 12-13 Kool & The Gang (“Celebration”)
Oct. 14-16 Spyro Gyra (“Morning Dance”)
Oct. 17-18 Jon Secada (“Just Another Day”)
Oct. 19-20 Sister Sledge (“We Are Family”)
Oct. 21-22 Vanessa Carlton (“A Thousand Miles”)
Oct. 23-25 Taylor Dayne (“Tell It to My Heart”)
Oct. 26-28 Boyz II Men (“Motownphilly”)
Oct. 29-31 John Waite (“Missing You”)
Nov. 1-2 Night Ranger (“Sister Christian”)
Nov. 3-5 Billy Ocean (“Caribbean Queen”)
Nov. 6-8 Los Lobos (“La Bamba”)
2009 Food and Wine Festival
Click the link for the full details and information about the 14th Annual Epcot International Food and Wine Festival.
And here’s Disney’s Official Press Release on the 2009 Food and Wine Festival:
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – Epcot kitchens turn up the heat for a global tasting experience worthy of every palate Sept. 25-Nov. 8 at the 14th annual Epcot International Food &Wine Festival at Walt Disney World Resort. During the six-week, entertainment-packed event, park guests can taste fine cuisine and wines from the top “foodie” cities of the world.
Whether sampling bites of Camarões com Palmito (shrimp with palms) from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, or sipping the trendiest wine from Buenos Aires, Argentina, festival guests can enjoy the flavors of more than 25 international marketplaces dotting the World Showcase promenade. The festival will spotlight tastes from cities on six continents, including Bologna, Italy; Bangkok, Thailand; Wellington, New Zealand; Santiago, Chile; Marrakesh, Morocco; Shanghai, China; and, from the United States – New Orleans.
Tapas-sized portions of regional specialties run $2-to-$7 each, and recommended wines and beers make perfect pairings at each kiosk. Puglia, Italy, returns as a sponsor this year, presenting culinary demonstrations with regional chefs and showcasing “Adventures of Pasta and Olive Oils.” Live regional entertainment is scheduled throughout each day along the promenade.
Daily wine and beer tastings serve up sips from around the world, and culinary demonstrations dish up featured taste treats. A series of special culinary programs features a lineup of renowned winemakers, guest chefs and speakers participating in elegant dinners, luncheons, seminars and wine schools.
Live music kicks the festival up several notches each evening during the Eat to the Beat! concert series featuring acts from many musical genres including classic rock, jazz, R&B, funk and soul. Concerts are performed three times each evening at America Gardens Theatre along the World Showcase lagoon. Scheduled to appear for the first time on the Eat to the Beat! stage are: Richard Marx, Better than Ezra, Vanessa Carlton, John Waite and Billy Ocean. Returning acts scheduled are Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Starship, En Vogue, Sister Hazel, Kool & The Gang, Spyro Gyra, Jon Secada, Sister Sledge, Taylor Dayne, Boyz II Men, Night Ranger and Los Lobos.
Each fall, the festival attracts a diverse audience of more than one million guests ranging from wine connoisseurs and epicures to neophytes wishing to boost their wine IQs. Beer aficionados can raise their steins at several tasting locations, including Germany’s Biergarten, which specialize in brews from light to dark.
Festival highlights include:
The Festival Welcome Center, with a Champagne and Wine Bar, educational wine seminars, celebrity chef book signings, and festival keepsakes including exclusive festival pins and an official festival cookbook.
Some 250 chefs including Disney chefs and guest chefs from across the country conducting culinary demonstrations and hosting elegant dinners and tasting events. Guest chefs who appeared last year included Tory McPhail of Commander’s Palace, Rock Harper of “Hell’s Kitchen,” Robert Irvine from Food Network’s “Dinner Impossible,” plus Jeff Henderson, Todd English, Warren Brown, Mary Meyers, Jamie Deen, Iron Chef Cat Cora and many other culinary stars. This year’s lineup currently is being booked.
New culinary programs to feature Celebration Dinners, Culinary Adventure Signature Dining and Celebrating Family and Friends in the Kitchen. Popular returning events include French Regional Lunches at Bistro de Paris in the France pavilion, Epcot Wine Schools, Food and Wine Pairings and Sweet Sundays. The weekly Party for the Senses grand tasting event with tempting bites from eminent chefs, more than 50 wines and beers and live entertainment.
Festival guests can enjoy free admission on their birthdays as well as fresh Epcot experiences including the re-launched Spaceship Earth attraction in Future World and the high-tech, ultra-interactive Disney’s Kim Possible World Showcase Adventure. Also in World Showcase, several new and updated restaurants welcome guests: at the Italy pavilion, Tutto Italia, with cuisine from different regions of Italy; at the Japan pavilion, Tokyo Dining and Teppan Edo restaurants; and at the China showcase, the redesigned Nine Dragons with a new menu.
Included with Epcot Admission:
Samuel Adams beer seminars, Authentic Taste seminars and Authors without Borders programs with special book signings at the Festival Center, Eat to the Beat! concerts, culinary and cultural adventures, and all attractions and park entertainment are included with regular Epcot admission.
Special Programming by Reservation:
The Party for the Senses grand tasting events, Food and Wine Pairings at select Epcot restaurants, Signature Dining, Epcot Wine Schools, Sweet Sundays, and other special wine and culinary programs require reservations and separate event admission.
Guests can call 407/WDW-FEST (939-3378) for information and to make reservations for special events and programs. Festival details will be available by late July at www.disneyworld.com/foodandwine, and guests can book special events and programs beginning Aug. 11.
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