It’s that time of year when Fall hits Central Florida and the Food & Wine Weekends begin! It may still be 90 degrees outside but everyone loves Epcot International Food and Wine Festival and to add even more culinary experiences to your delight is the fabulous Food & Wine Weekends at Waldorf Astoria Orlando and Hilton Bonnet Creek. Happening every weekend until November 24th.
The great thing about these amazing weekends is that you can come out for an evening or completely immerse yourself in a weekend retreat. They also have complimentary transportation to the Disney Theme Parks if you are a resort guest as well as Extra Magical Hours. It is one of my favorite resorts to stay and the service I receive always feels like home.
I attended a media preview featuring tastings from their fantastic Chefs of both resorts. Let me walk you through the dishes I got to try.
You can listen to our podcast below about the full experience of Food & Wine Weekends Tasting on Magic 24.7 or the vidcast version here.
The Taste of Bull & Bear
Fridays & Saturdays, 6pm-10pm
Experience an exclusive four-course tasting menu comprised of exquisite food and wine pairings- prepared by the illustrious chefs of Waldorf Astoria Orlando. Speciality MENU for Food & Wine Weekends.
Oyster Rockefeller Peak Season Boutique Oyster, Pernod, Fresh Spinach, Cheesecrumb
Taste of La Luce
Fridays & Saturdays, 6pm-11pm
Exclusive four-course menu with recommended wines featuring the best of La Luce. I love La Luce. Their menu has something for everyone and is made with comfort ingredients that make you want to order one of everything. The Olives are AMAZING, try them you won’t regret it. Specialty MENU for Food & Wine Weekends.
Lasagna Ai Funghi
Wild Mushroom, Spinach, Truffle Cheese
Arancini Alla Milanese
Risotto Fritters, Saffron, Veal Shanks, Aged Provolone
Cauliflower Salad (Vegan)
Taste of Zeta Asia
Fridays & Saturdays, 5pm-10pm
An exciting epicurean journey awaits as you explore perfect pairings of their favorite Asian-inspired dishes with sake or beer. Zeta also has a great happy hour if you are looking to meet up with friends earlier in the evening or a start to a date night.
Specialty MENU for Food & Wine Weekends.
Sushi
Bonsai Roll: Spicy Ahi Tuna, Cucumber, BBQ Eel, Avocado, Tempera Crunch.
Kanji Roll: Spicy Spicy Salmon, Cucumber, Avocado, Tobiko, Sriacha, Micro Cilantro.
Pork Bao Buns
Slow-roasted Pork Belly, Tangy Asian BBQ Sauce, Pickled Cucumber & Bao Bun.
Beyond Beef Bibimbap
Spinach, Cucumber, Mushrooms, Bean Sprouts with Japanese Rice. (Vegan)
Sip, Swirl & Savor – A Wine Tasting Experience
Fridays & Saturdays, 5:30pm-7pm
Right outside of La Luce come sample an array of wines which as a compliment to the Taste of La Luce dinner menu. It’s a great opportunity to learn about wine from an experienced sommelier.
Bar du Chocolat and Champagne Tasting
Peacock Alley
Saturdays, 6:30pm-10:30pm
THIS table is what sweet dreams are made of! I am telling you if you love treats then this experience is not to be missed! A decadent selection of a la carte chocolate treats hand-crafted by Waldorf’s world-class pastry team. A selection of champagnes are also available.
Pop Culture Food & Wine Weekends
Myth Bar at Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek
Fridays & Saturdays, 8pm-10pm
Assortment flavors of fresh, fruit popsicles, creamy organic ice pops and adult poptails. Choose from various toppings as well.
Cocktail Creations Food & Wine Weekends
Saturdays, 4:30pm-5:30pm
Peacock Alley
Muddle, mix and sample! Partake in an interactive experience creating your very own specialty cocktails.
Silk and Candy Cocktail
Which is a spin off of the classic Bee’s Knees. Gin, Lemon, honey/green tea and sheep’s milk yogurt garnished with edible flowers.
Royal Tea
Peacock Alley
Sundays, 2pm-4pm
This Royal Tea is the best one that I have been to in Central Florida. If you would like to read about my experience HERE. I could sit there all day in the glory of finely-prepared tea sandwiches and house-made pastries while sipping premium hot tea and listening to live piano music. They do require reservations 24 hours in advance.
Hilton Bonnet Creek and the Waldorf Astoria Orlando is one the best resorts to stay if you are on a vacation in Central Florida or even as option for a business trip. You will receive plush amenities and amazing service. I hope you will venture out on your next trip to visit these resorts or stop by for a superb dining experience.
For more info on Food & Wine Weekends click here for a pdf guide.
Come follow along on Instagram @acupofcharming for all my culinary adventures as they transpire. I have a highlight of videos of Food & Wine Weekends on my profile page for you to check out.
I was a guest of the Waldorf Astoria for this tasting. As always, all opinions are my own.
