DCA Food & Wine Festival 2022 Superthread - Read First Post for Updates - Now Updated with Full Menus

[MikeRx]

Thanks ej119 for the insight into a vendor that is participating, sounds like Strong Water is a perfect vendor for the festival and right up our alley or river...

I hope tomorrow is the day for the announcements as it will be a month out. We don't go until the last weekend of the event (April 22-25), but know that the seminars and events can book up really fast!

 

[gottalovepluto]

…Don't they eat Meat & Potatoes in CA?…

Lol. No.*

What you said makes sense though. The festival in DLR is to showcase California cuisine. The festival in WDW is to showcase international cuisine. They’re just straight up different festivals.

ETA: *omg I have to take that back. We eat In-N-Out! Meat and potatoes (and veggies and sauce), but still

 

[taaren]

I attended a special D23 event where the DL festival organizers explained that they prefer to tailor their offerings to their more local clientele (what they called California Inspired) as opposed to WDW where they offer foods that appeal to a worldwide (International) audience. Not very good for the tourists who don't care for the mostly vegan, asian, mexican & latin inspired foods.

This makes so much sense that they're catering to the APs. I like the seasonality of the various food booths, and that the holiday food festivals have items that are different from F&W and Lunar New Year, etc. I liked the WDW F&W but its much more logical that the Florida parks are catering to the once-per-year or once-every-other-year visitor instead of the AP crowd that will make a special trip just for F&W at DL (I'll be flying down from NorCal with my party for a Sunday dedicated solely to eating at this F&W since our Keys are blocked out Saturdays, would not have gone during any weekend in March/April if it wasn't for the Festival).

Don't they eat Meat & Potatoes in CA?

Sure, we eat meat and potatoes ... but mostly in our California burritos!!

 

[DLgal]

Lol. No.*

What you said makes sense though. The festival in DLR is to showcase California cuisine. The festival in WDW is to showcase international cuisine. They’re just straight up different festivals.

ETA: *omg I have to take that back. We eat In-N-Out! Meat and potatoes (and veggies and sauce), but still

LOL. I was going to say the same thing! Meat and potatoes is a decidedly midwestern America thing, and its definitely only showcased in CA in two instances: In N Out and California Burritos (carne asada with fries inside).

 

[DharmaLou]

If you have the Disney Rewards Visa, in this month's mailer they showcased 6 of the items that will be on F&W menus

 

[EPCOT-O.G.]

If you have the Disney Rewards Visa, in this month's mailer they showcased 6 of the items that will be on F&W menus

Can you share a photo of it?

 

[DharmaLou]

I'll have to see if it's gone in the recycle or not. I remember guacamole ice cream and PB&J mac and cheese for sure.

 

[DharmaLou]

https://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2022...d-wine-festival-booths-menus-and-food-photos/

 

[Cassamenia]

 

[Cassamenia]

Was excited to finally be able to help and it is sideways...

 

[MikeRx]

Thank you for the Visa newsletter tip. I hope they are finalizing the mixology and wine classes and will have the links to book open soon. Seems like they are very late this year, while understandable, it’s none the less frustrating for a consummate planer.

 

[DLgal]

View attachment 646270

Yum on that Cubano slider and Macaron. Hard pass on the rest.

 

[ej119]

Thanks @Cassamenia! I will add the info to the first post.

I just joined the Disney Rewards Visa, so I probably missed it.

I asked members of a Magic Keyholders group if anyone knows why there is such a delay in info, and the most popular theory is that there are ongoing staffing issues that are affecting the number of marketplaces that will be available.

 

[LovesTimone]

WDW AP holder and Fl resident... We love food and wine, its DH's favorite festival we go several times during the festival to try all the dishes..

We meaning DH, DD, DGS and me will at Disneyland during this festival at California Adventure, and were thinking about trying out things att he booths for a roaming dinner...

I have read up somewhat on the California Food and Wine at California adventure... and talked with people here and there about their experience's, and looked at past menu's...and really I'm not seeing anything much in the line with how we normally would approach the F&W festival, or really much that we would eat.

My DH, DD and our Grandson will not eat what they call fake food... What we do eat is, Meat, Rice and potatoes, and we do eat a ton of veggies... and fruit... and we are adventurous eater... I will say I like a good black bean burger, or some parsnip or beet fries... but that's about it...

I have a food allergy I'm allergic to coconut and my friends who one is a pescetarian, and her sister who is totally vegan both were in agreement and said that alot of fake food, or imposter food has coconut by-products in them, flour, oil, milk, water and is used for a sweetener, and as filler's.... and that I need to be careful.

As well.... No.. hot or spicy or heat related food, sauces... no pepper's, including bell peppers, due to stomach issues...

So what does that leave for us to try at the booths... My other friends that just came back from Disneyland, said that the carts, and QS offer really good options... So maybe I should just kind of plan on going this route...

Thoughts anyone?

Another couple of questions for my DH... Are there beers offered at the booths? and if so are they all what he call's fruit beers, you know the ones that have citrus or apples or whatever in them? He likes his beer fruit free... LOL
He's basic beer guy... he loves Japanese beer - Kirin or Sapporo, French - Kronenbourg, Italian beers Peroni or Moretti...

Thanks in advance...

 

[EPCOT-O.G.]

Not an official announcement, but on Instagram, Strong Water (tiki bar in Anaheim) confirmed they will be participating in the F&W Festival this year.

I looked on the AllEars.net posting and didn't see Strong Water on there?

 

[Not Your Mom]

That's some pretty weird food (and I like weird food). Frozen guac?!

 

[Aladora]

n, and her sister who is totally vegan both were in agreement and said that alot of fake food, or imposter food has coconut by-products in them, flour, oil, milk, water and is used for a sweetener, and as filler's.... and that I need to be careful.

I'm allergic to bell peppers and because of my history of breast cancer plus being BRCA+, I avoid soy products as much as possible.

Try and find meat alternatives without one or both of those!

I'm really excited about the F&W, ADRs have been challenging to come by so instead we will just swing by the booths for food...and wine!

 

[DLgal]

WDW AP holder and Fl resident... We love food and wine, its DH's favorite festival we go several times during the festival to try all the dishes..

We meaning DH, DD, DGS and me will at Disneyland during this festival at California Adventure, and were thinking about trying out things att he booths for a roaming dinner...

I have read up somewhat on the California Food and Wine at California adventure... and talked with people here and there about their experience's, and looked at past menu's...and really I'm not seeing anything much in the line with how we normally would approach the F&W festival, or really much that we would eat.

My DH, DD and our Grandson will not eat what they call fake food... What we do eat is, Meat, Rice and potatoes, and we do eat a ton of veggies... and fruit... and we are adventurous eater... I will say I like a good black bean burger, or some parsnip or beet fries... but that's about it...

I have a food allergy I'm allergic to coconut and my friends who one is a pescetarian, and her sister who is totally vegan both were in agreement and said that alot of fake food, or imposter food has coconut by-products in them, flour, oil, milk, water and is used for a sweetener, and as filler's.... and that I need to be careful.

As well.... No.. hot or spicy or heat related food, sauces... no pepper's, including bell peppers, due to stomach issues...

So what does that leave for us to try at the booths... My other friends that just came back from Disneyland, said that the carts, and QS offer really good options... So maybe I should just kind of plan on going this route...

Thoughts anyone?

Another couple of questions for my DH... Are there beers offered at the booths? and if so are they all what he call's fruit beers, you know the ones that have citrus or apples or whatever in them? He likes his beer fruit free... LOL
He's basic beer guy... he loves Japanese beer - Kirin or Sapporo, French - Kronenbourg, Italian beers Peroni or Moretti...

Thanks in advance...

So, because of your allergies, you'd probably be best advised to avoid the food booths. As of late, they have taken a hard line on modifying food items in ANY way and have told me flat out "if you have any food allergies, we don't advise purchasing any of the items offered if you can't make a determination that they are safe from the menu description." This issue came up over the holiday festival when my son wanted the hot cocoa macaron and I asked for them to simply NOT sprinkle the crushed peppermint on top. He has a sensitivity to mint (not an allergy, it just causes a burning sensation in his mouth that is unpleasant). It was a WHOLE THING, and required asking 2 people and them "making an exception this ONE time." Their line was "the chefs will not allow us to make any modifications to how the food is presented." It honestly rubbed me the wrong way and I wrote in to share my thoughts on how unreasonable this new policy was. I received a response that they would share my feedback with management. It costs them NOTHING to leave off an ingredient while prepping a dish.

The point is, if there is an item that you think is safe, but it has something as minor as a pepper on top, they will literally not just leave off the pepper for you to make the item safe (and I'm talking about things they add before handing you the item, not stuff "cooked in."). They like to put jalapenos on a lot of food items.

As for the beer question, the answer is absolutely YES! There is sometimes more beer than wine options. There is usually an entire beer garden near Paradise Garden Grill. Beer is extremely popular in California, in particular local breweries. Several booths will have beer tasting flights as well. It sounds like your husband likes lagers and pilsners. Unfortunately for him, IPAs, Ales and Stouts rule in the local brewery scene. The majority of beer selections will be these varieties. There will be some lighter options like pilsners and lagers, but they won't be prominent at the booths. They use those to showcase the signature offerings from CA brewhouse. I expect to see a fair amount of hard seltzers on offer this year due to the popularity of those. Brewery X should also feature prominently, as a rising Anaheim brewery and they DO offer lighter lagers and pilsners in addition to EXCELLENT hard seltzers. I know you said your husband doesn't like "fruity" beers, and by that I suspect you mean beers like Blue Moon (wheat beers, which tend to have citrus profiles). However, I HIGHLY recommend he try some of the seltzers offered by Brewery X. They are NOT sweet or overly fruity and are honestly the only hard seltzers that my beer loving husband will drink. They are fantastic! Brewery X is a newcomer to DLR but they have had offerings at the parks both on a permanent basis (Sonoma Terrace and Hollywood Lounge) as well as have been featured in all the recent festivals.

 

[DharmaLou]

Thanks for posting the pic. Ours went to recycle too fast

 

[Astylla]

That's some pretty weird food (and I like weird food). Frozen guac?!

So years ago at a wine event in Calistoga, CA wine country area had a fois Gras "popsicle" with edible flowers and pomegranate pearls and it was so so so good ! So definitely can't hurt to try