It’s that magical time of year once again when the Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival returns. I Heart Artichokes is back once again, but with an entirely different menu.

I Heart Artichokes

Fried Artichokes with Blue Diamond Almond Lemon Aioli – $7.00

This item looks similar to last years Fried Artichoke Carbonara, but it’s different. And unfortunately, it’s also not as good. We did not like this dish at all. The texture of the fried artichokes was weird and they tasted very bland. We’re huge fans of artichokes, so this dish was a disappoint for us. Even the tasty lemon aioli couldn’t save this dish. We would not buy this again.

Artichoke Toast with California Olive Tapenade – $6.50

However, this is a dish that we loved and would probably eat again! The toast is a great portion size and we were pleasantly surprised by this. It’s one of the biggest portions for the price throughout the entire festival. The toast was crisp and crunchy on the outside, while still being soft on the inside. The only complaint we have is that there was too much olive tapenade on top. We ended up pushing most of it off, which made it very enjoyable.

Blue Diamond Almond Cake – $5.00

This dessert was also a winner in our book. The almond cake itself was amazing in texture and taste. It was sweet, but not unbearable. And the apricot compote was a wonderful addition. We’re not huge fans of apricots, and we still founds ourselves wanting to eat more of it. This dessert was light and hit the perfect sweet spot for us. We highly recommend it, especially to almond lovers.

Chihuahua Cerveza, Rico, Premium Lager, Newport Beach (6.5% ABV) – $9.25

As you make your way through the food items, don’t forget to wash it all down with a beer. This particular Lager from Newport Beach is sure to be a hit among guests who like to savor their craft beers.