Welcome to a marketplace review for the Epcot International Food and Wine Festival 2017, taking place in the park from August 31st through November 13th, 2017. This review will cover a brand new booth called “Active Eats”, which is located in Future World West, in the “Next Eats” cluster behind Club Cool.
Active Eats
Food:
- Loaded Mac ‘n’ Cheese with Nueske’s Pepper Bacon, Cheddar Cheese, Peppers, and Green Onions – $4.75
- Roasted Verlasso Salmon with Quinoa Salad and Arugula Chimichurri – $5.50
- Sweet Avocado Crema with Strawberries, Yellow Cake, and Tortilla Streusel – $3.75
Beverages:
- M.I.A. Beer Company HRD WTR Cucumber & Lemon Lime Hard Sparkling Wine, Doral, FL – $4.00
- Chateau Ste. Michelle Cold Creek Riesling, Columbia Valley, WA – $6.00
- Evolution by Sokol Blosser Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, OR – $6.00
Loaded Mac ‘n’ Cheese with Nueske’s Pepper Bacon, Cheddar Cheese, Peppers, and Green Onions – $4.75
Yes, the Loaded Mac and Cheese is still a fantastic blend of bacon, peppers, green onion, and cheese, and yes, the portion size can be small. We had two fantastic servings of this already, and while it may be on the tiny side, I think it is still worth buying if you enjoy dishes with a lot of spice.
Roasted Verlasso Salmon with Quinoa Salad and Arugula Chimichurri – $5.50
The Verlasso Salmon is well prepared and quite flavorful, and the quinoa salad is good enough. I wouldn’t tell you not to order this, but it also isn’t a dish that would come to mind when you ask me for the better dishes at the Festival.
Sweet Avocado Crema with Strawberries, Yellow Cake, and Tortilla Streusel – $3.75
Hands down the best new item of 2017, the avocado crema steals the show. I’ve had this twice now, and both times it was absolutely off the charts. The softness of the yellow cake, the sweet flavor of the strawberries and avocado crema, and the sugary crunch of the toppings make for a surprisingly good dessert. While you may be drooling over the return of your favorite chocolate snack this year, I think you may have a new favorite once you try this.
M.I.A. Beer Company HRD WTR Cucumber & Lemon Lime Hard Sparkling Wine, Doral, FL – $4.00
I can’t say that I’ve ever had “Hard Water”, but I can’t say it wasn’t refreshing or enjoyable either. Given that the event has started in August, an alcoholic drink closest in substance to water is a nice touch, even if it is a fad that never really caught on. Likely the most refreshing alcoholic drink at the event, I say give this a try.