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olegc
03-10-2017, 10:20 AM
I thought I would start a general thread for the beginning of the DCA Food and Wine 2017. I won't be able to go opening day today but plan many visits.

I know MP will publish a big overview with updated prices - but I thought I would relay that I read the Sip and Savor pass is $45 for 8 tabs. I think its still an AP thing. Also apparently you get a button for each tab used (I guess that's the common thing now - give AP holders buttons).

Berry Princess
03-10-2017, 11:50 AM
Taking the kids tomorrow and have a list of things I do want to try so will end up making a few trips as well to try things out. From what the AP page on the DL site says, its a weekly button. I don't see anything on a Sip and Savor pass on there though. Anyway, can't wait to read all the reviews.

BTW, Good Day LA was there this morning and showing a bunch of different options. Many looked pretty tasty.

Shortpix77
03-10-2017, 02:54 PM
I CAN'T WAIT. I'm going on March 31, but may have to try to squeeze in another trip before that. We'll see. If anyone goes to the bottle shop (I think Stage 17?) and can report back as to whether they're selling the Fairy Tale champagne, I would greatly appreciate it :-)

PhiSigDuchessCV
03-10-2017, 04:00 PM
Went to the soft opening yesterday and had the Ham and Swiss Cheese Croque Monsieur with Pistachios from the Nut booth. OMG, so delicious. I would love to have had a whole sandwich of that

Berry Princess
03-10-2017, 04:10 PM
Went to the soft opening yesterday and had the Ham and Swiss Cheese Croque Monsieur with Pistachios from the Nut booth. OMG, so delicious. I would love to have had a whole sandwich of that

I'm not a big nut person but I love Pistachios. This is on my list of things to try. Did you take a picture of it? LOL

AVP
03-10-2017, 05:36 PM
I thought I would start a general thread for the beginning of the DCA Food and Wine 2017. I won't be able to go opening day today but plan many visits.

I know MP will publish a big overview with updated prices - but I thought I would relay that I read the Sip and Savor pass is $45 for 8 tabs. I think its still an AP thing. Also apparently you get a button for each tab used (I guess that's the common thing now - give AP holders buttons).

We have a full update, with prices and details of the Sip and Savor pass:

https://www.mouseplanet.com/11713/Food__Wine_Festival_Weekend_Guide_for_March_1016

Gone2Disneyland
03-10-2017, 06:22 PM
^ Thanks for that, AVP. I may get a lanyard this time around.

I was there today and tried the two entrees from the Off the Cob booth, the Sweet Corn Nuggets and the Jackfruit Carnitas Banh Mi Nachos. Loved them both and together, they actually filled me up just fine. I'd warn folks who don't like food spiced with chili flavor to avoid the Nachos. I think the pickled de gallo carrots are seasoned with some chili, it's potently spicy. Fortunately I enjoy spicy.

Here's both of them on my Instagram.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BRepOVcDx4S/

Here's a close up of what the inside of the Sweet Corn Nuggets look like.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BRepnIzj0I6/

olegc
03-10-2017, 06:28 PM
we have a full update, with prices and details of the sip and savor pass:

https://www.mouseplanet.com/11713/food__wine_festival_weekend_guide_for_march_1016

thanks!

disney808
03-10-2017, 10:20 PM
Appreciate the information and pictures. Heading out there soon... Celebrating our wedding anniversary with Graham Elliott.. Crossing fingers we will be able to get in to do Jr Chef;) too. Super Excited for this trip!!!

Berry Princess
03-12-2017, 12:23 PM
Tried 3 different items yesterday. First one was the White Cheddar Lager Soup served in a Mini Boudin Sourdough Boule. It wasn't to bad.
9054


Next thing I tried was the Vanilla bean crème fraîche panna cotta with Amarena cherry jus and EVOO madeleine (sorry broke a piece of the madeleine off for daughter to try before I took a picture). Now this is something I think might have to have again. I thought it was really yummy!
9055


Then my oldest son and I split the Milk Chocolate Sourdough Bread Pudding with vanilla bean sauce. Which was yummy as well.
9056

Still a bunch more things I want to try though but will get there over time. I have to say that this time around more of the food works for this super picky eater. LOL

cstephens
03-12-2017, 06:50 PM
Stuff we had yesterday with links to pictures:

White cheddar lager soup in a mini bread bowl. (https://twitter.com/cstephens2/status/841007654231134209) ($6) This is always a favorite. I just wish they'd actually put it on a menu somewhere rather than just letting us have it once a year.

Bay shrimp louie salad in a mini bread bowl. (https://twitter.com/cstephens2/status/841008332945014784) ($6.75) For being in such a small bread bowl, there's actually quite a bit packed into it. There are four decent sized shrimp in the salad. Kudos to the chefs who have to assemble these. Really good value for what you get.

Korean BBQ beef short rib tacos with kimchi slaw. (https://twitter.com/cstephens2/status/841008743848460288) ($7) This was my favorite for the day. The flavor of the short rib was wonderful, and the kimchi was a perfect proportion to balance the sweetness of the short rib.

Chicken teriyaki slider with spicy Dole pineapple jam. (https://twitter.com/cstephens2/status/841009330451234816) ($6.50) This was ok, but nothing special. The combination of everything was sweeter than I prefer. I didn't find the pineapple to be spicy at all. If the pineapple had been more sour and spicy, it would have been a better balance to the sweetness of the teriyaki sauce and roll.

Strawberry compote, lemon verbena and vanilla bean shortcake parfait. (https://twitter.com/cstephens2/status/841009822292107264) ($4.50) This was pretty tasty but nothing that knocked my socks off.

We were alerted by a friend that we ran into that the Paradise Gardens Grill (where they normally have the Mediterranean skewers and such) also had special food offerings, so we went to check it out.

Sausage trio platter with braised red cabbage and warm potato salad, from Paradise Gardens Grill. (https://twitter.com/cstephens2/status/841010666882252800) ($13.99) The husband really enjoyed this. I might need to have this sometime.

Large soft pretzel with beer mustard dipping sauce (https://twitter.com/cstephens2/status/841011010848808960), from Paradise Gardens Grill. ($5.29) They're not kidding about large. I put the plastic fork in the picture for size perspective. It's not like you can't get a pretzel on property, but this was more solid. I had some and really enjoyed it. I did like the mustard from the sausage trio more than the one that came with this.

Menu from Paradise Gardens Grill. (https://twitter.com/cstephens2/status/841011242013671424) Two of our friends had the beer-battered cod, though they said it was quite a wait to get their food after putting in their order. That didn't seem to be a problem with the other dishes. We were thinking that the other dishes are already cooked and just need to be assembled, whereas they might not cook the cod until it's ordered, for it to be still crispy when it's served, which could account for the wait time.

olegc
03-12-2017, 07:13 PM
Thanks for the pics. I believe they have served that pretzel before at the beer stand on Paradise Pier during Oktoberfest. Darker and more sturdy as you said like a real German pretzel.

LoveCats
03-13-2017, 07:59 AM
I went on opening day and it was a lot of fun! In many ways my husband and I preferred it to the EPCOT one. You can easily hit every booth in a single day. The downside of course is there are less options, but what is at DCA is plentiful.

We didn't try everything but here is the list of what we did end up getting:

Nuts About Cheese - LOVED EVERYTHING, the brie and chèvre were my favorite
Brie Toast with Fig and Mint
Baked Ham and Swiss Cheese Croque Monsieur Roll - it does run a little dry
Chèvre Fromage Blanc Tartine
Hazelnut Cherry Port Clusters - these come in a little plastic package so you can take them home for later
Almond Milk Tea

I Heart Artichokes
Fried Artichokes Carbonara - very nice, would of gotten seconds if not so stuffed
Creamy Artichoke and Dark Chocolate Cake Pop - surprisingly delicious, VERY creamy where it almost seems undercooked

Garlic Kissed
Black Garlic and Soy-braised Pork Belly Bao - one of my favorites
Garlic-Rosemary and Avocado Oil Ice Cream Pop - this was the dud of the trip for us, my husband described it best as ice cream that was left without a lid in the freezer and took on the flavors of all the other food in the fridge

Olive Us
Warm Olive Focaccia - too salty with little flavor
Vanilla Bean Crème Fraîche Panna Cotta - indifferent, it's fine but nothing special

Bacon Twist
Maple-Bacon Whoopie Pie - very nice flavor

Lemon Grove
Roasted Cauliflower and Meyer Lemon-infused Oikos® Greek Nonfat Yogurt Cauliflower Purée - oooh this was bad, bitter and very weird textures where the yogurt was cold and the roasted cauliflower warm
Duck Confit on Potato Smash - delightful
Meyer Lemon Macaron - perfection EXCEPT they refrigerate their macarons so they loose their fluffy quality

Seafood...Sustained
Passion Fruit Posset and Coconut Chia - THE BEST, we went back for a second one at 7 and they had sold out! I want to learn how to make this, it was perfection and just amazing flavors all together
Mango Agua Fresca - not too sweet, very refreshing

The Onion Lair
Braised Wagyu Beef on Creamy Polenta - good savory flavor, I'm a sucker for polenta
Chocolate-Hazelnut and Raspberry Feuillete Tart - I thought this was going to be like the one at EPCOT but it is very different, very good as well in that the raspberry and chocolate-hazelnut are blended together very well
Passion Fruit Lemonade - way too sweet for us

Off the Cob - surprise of the trip, everything was delicious and an exceptional ability to balance very different flavors together
Sweet Corn Nuggets
Jackfruit™ Carnitas Banh Mi Nachos
Roasted Sweet Corn Custard Tart

Sweet and Sourdough
Bay Shrimp Louie Salad - fine, nothing special
White Cheddar Lager Soup - delicious, much better than the cheese soup from Canada (for shame! I know!)

Food at LAStyle
Korean Barbecue Beef Short Rib Tacos - I mean... it's fine, I just have an issue with how people represent kimchi, it's always just a little pickled and never has that bite you want with a strong fermentation
Dole® Pineapple-Strawberry Float - unimpressive

olegc
03-13-2017, 11:13 AM
Im attending an event today - so I am going to head down to Garden Grill to see whether the pieorgis make the grade.

Gone2Disneyland
03-13-2017, 06:22 PM
I agree about the cheddar soup needing to be a permanent year-round item!!

And thank you for posting the menu from Paradise Gardens Grill. I couldn't find it when I looked today. Now I know where to go next time, thanks to you.


Stuff we had yesterday with links to pictures:

White cheddar lager soup in a mini bread bowl. (https://twitter.com/cstephens2/status/841007654231134209) ($6) This is always a favorite. I just wish they'd actually put it on a menu somewhere rather than just letting us have it once a year.

Bay shrimp louie salad in a mini bread bowl. (https://twitter.com/cstephens2/status/841008332945014784) ($6.75) For being in such a small bread bowl, there's actually quite a bit packed into it. There are four decent sized shrimp in the salad. Kudos to the chefs who have to assemble these. Really good value for what you get.

Korean BBQ beef short rib tacos with kimchi slaw. (https://twitter.com/cstephens2/status/841008743848460288) ($7) This was my favorite for the day. The flavor of the short rib was wonderful, and the kimchi was a perfect proportion to balance the sweetness of the short rib.

Chicken teriyaki slider with spicy Dole pineapple jam. (https://twitter.com/cstephens2/status/841009330451234816) ($6.50) This was ok, but nothing special. The combination of everything was sweeter than I prefer. I didn't find the pineapple to be spicy at all. If the pineapple had been more sour and spicy, it would have been a better balance to the sweetness of the teriyaki sauce and roll.

Strawberry compote, lemon verbena and vanilla bean shortcake parfait. (https://twitter.com/cstephens2/status/841009822292107264) ($4.50) This was pretty tasty but nothing that knocked my socks off.

We were alerted by a friend that we ran into that the Paradise Gardens Grill (where they normally have the Mediterranean skewers and such) also had special food offerings, so we went to check it out.

Sausage trio platter with braised red cabbage and warm potato salad, from Paradise Gardens Grill. (https://twitter.com/cstephens2/status/841010666882252800) ($13.99) The husband really enjoyed this. I might need to have this sometime.

Large soft pretzel with beer mustard dipping sauce (https://twitter.com/cstephens2/status/841011010848808960), from Paradise Gardens Grill. ($5.29) They're not kidding about large. I put the plastic fork in the picture for size perspective. It's not like you can't get a pretzel on property, but this was more solid. I had some and really enjoyed it. I did like the mustard from the sausage trio more than the one that came with this.

Menu from Paradise Gardens Grill. (https://twitter.com/cstephens2/status/841011242013671424) Two of our friends had the beer-battered cod, though they said it was quite a wait to get their food after putting in their order. That didn't seem to be a problem with the other dishes. We were thinking that the other dishes are already cooked and just need to be assembled, whereas they might not cook the cod until it's ordered, for it to be still crispy when it's served, which could account for the wait time.

Gone2Disneyland
03-13-2017, 06:26 PM
Thanks again, AVP, on the tip to get the Sip and Savor Pass. Did that today to try the Chicken Teriyaki Slider and Korean BBQ Beef Short Rib Street Tacos (https://www.instagram.com/p/BRmeOo3DZ92/) and the Grilled Beef Tenderloin Slider and Black Garlic Soy-Braised Pork Belly Bao (https://www.instagram.com/p/BRmfEDUDWTx/). I enjoyed the chicken slider and street tacos more than the tenderloin and bao.

olegc
03-13-2017, 08:58 PM
Tried the Corn Nuggets with Chili and the Short Rib Street Tacos. The former was OK - I think too much chili was on there so I could not get the good corn flavor. The tacos were great. I also tried one of the Anaheim Brewery beers at the Beer Garden and attended the MacRostie Winery tasting. Wow - nice 2 hour jaunt. More days to come.

I agree - the Sip and Savor is a great deal if you stick with the most expensive options. I was sad to see that the Festival guide with menus they were handing out (as well as the lanyard menu) did not list the beverages available at the booths. Hard to remember what you read was good and which booth it was at.

Tinkmom
03-17-2017, 07:41 AM
Great thread!
Where exactly do APs go to purchase the sip and savor pass? We'll only have 2 days during the food and wine fest so I think mom and I will share one. Quite a few things that sound worth trying so far. We're not going until 4/8. Did merchandise sell out last year? And has anyone done the Chef Jr. thing they have for the kids? I have a 10 and 6 year old and it sounds like something they would enjoy but I haven't seen any first hand reviews of it yet.

olegc
03-17-2017, 08:39 AM
You have to walk down to the space between Garden Grill and Boardwalk Pizza. That the AP corner where they sell the Sip and Stroll lanyard.

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Tinkmom
03-17-2017, 11:10 AM
You have to walk down to the space between Garden Grill and Boardwalk Pizza. That the AP corner where they sell the Sip and Stroll lanyard.

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Thank you!

Niwel
03-17-2017, 11:54 AM
Two questions:
Do any of the stands have a really good/kid friendly pasta dish? (princess Niwel loves pasta)
Where is the "must-eat" dessert? (for me) :)

candles71
03-17-2017, 02:41 PM
Tinkmom, my girls did the Chef Jr. pre-Carsland but reading the description it hasn't changed much. They were just about the age of your kids and my girls loved it. It was in a different place then.

Tinkmom
03-20-2017, 09:59 AM
Tinkmom, my girls did the Chef Jr. pre-Carsland but reading the description it hasn't changed much. They were just about the age of your kids and my girls loved it. It was in a different place then.

Thank you!

olegc
03-20-2017, 02:27 PM
More items
- The creamy polenta with wagyu beef was solid like last year. In last year's dish they included peas. This year its baby green beans. Provides a nice crunch. (at The Onion Lair)
- The duck confit on potato smash was VERY tasty and had a lot of duck meat. The potatoes, though, were tater tots that were partially smashed. Still tasty but it seemed to not be the menu impression. Also includes tiny slices of asparagus and a lemon preserve sauce. (at Lemon Grove)
- The grilled beef tenderloin slider at Garlic Kissed is everything they say it is. Very good portion, perfectly cooked, a must to try.

I was disappointing that the Garlic Mac and Cheese was sold out by 12:30 pm. Oh well, there are more days. I'm down to 3 tabs on my Sip and Stroll. I may need to buy another one ;-).

olegc
03-23-2017, 09:16 PM
The pierogies at Paradise Grill were very good. Just a little more pan frying would have made them perfect. The vegetarian sausage was not so good for me. The texture just seemed off. Oh well - new adventures.

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