You can find all of the F&W menu boards as well as links to the ones I’ve reviewed so far right HERE.
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Almost every booth at this year’s Epcot International Food and Wine Festival has been excellent. A few have been lackluster. But none have been really terrible.
Until now.
Cue: India.
You guys. I love Indian food. Like: LOVE. Warm naan with mango chutney and a heaping plate of basmati rice and tikka masala is one of my favorite comfort meals. So what went so wrong here??
The India booth at Food & Wine 2019 has three food items. All savory. And a few drinks that redeem it.
- Warm Indian Bread with Pickled Garlic, Mango Salsa, and Coriander Pesto Dips (vegetarian, kid-approved, DDP snack credit eligible) ($4.75)
No. No. No. The coriander is lovely but it stops there. The mango salsa is sour and makes me long for good chutney. The pickled garlic is watery. And the bread is dry and room temperature. I thought last year might have been a fluke but it’s just the same this time around. And the saddest thing is this might be the best thing here.
- Madras Red Curry with Roasted Cauliflower, Baby Carrots, Chickpeas and Uncle Ben’s® Basmati Rice (vegetarian, gluten/wheat-friendly, DDP snack credit eligible) ($5.00)
If you need a vegetarian dish, there are so many better options at Food and Wine 2019. This is so tasteless and blah. And believe me – I understand the need for sponsors – but Uncle Ben’s® has no place here. Just ick all around.
- Korma Chicken with Cucumber Tomato Salad, Almonds, Cashews and Warm Naan Bread (DDP snack credit eligible) ($5.25)
And while the madras was bland…this one just tastes bad. It’s sour and mushy and just a terrible excuse for korma, which I usually love. And it’s served with a side of that same dry naan. Dry and naan should never be in the same sentence.
- Mango Lassi (non-alcoholic) (kid-approved, DDP snack credit eligible) ($5.00)
All of that being said…THIS IS SO GOOD!!! If you get on thing at this booth, make it this – or the alcoholic version below. It has chunks of mango and a lovely cardamom flavor and I love it so, so much. It totally redeems this booth. As does…
- Mango Lassi with Sōmrus Chai Cream Liqueur ($11.00)
The same thing – but with chai liqueur!! This was on my top drinks of Food and Wine 2018 and it will be again this year.
I’ll be back for the drinks. But not the food. But for now??
India? Check!
