Review: Bauernmarkt 2017 Epcot Flower and Garden Festival Outdoor Kitchen

Bauernmarkt returns on the left side of the Germany Pavilion next to the Snow White Meet and Greet.

On the food front, only the Currywurst returns. Drink-wise, the Zitrone Weizen-Mix replaces the usual Schofferhofer grapefruit option while we lose last year’s Warsteiner entry.

$3.75 Potato Pancakes

Served with House-made Apple Sauce. These return after a hiatus of a couple of years looking far better than before for a dollar more money.

This is what the potato pancake looked like circa 2k13. Not so appetizing. The house-made apple sauce is otherwise a significant improvement over the jarred stuff – naturally sweet and crunchy against the fluffy potato pancakes that have a nice crispiness to the exterior. The portion size is pretty good and while this may not offer unfamiliar flavors, it’s executed quite well and I’m always happy to see something offered under four bucks.

Taste: 8/10

Value: 7/10

$4.25 Potato Pancake

Served with Caramelized Ham, Onions, and Herb Sour Cream.

For 50 cents more money, we lose one of the two potato pancakes but add a hefty serving of meaty ham, a generous portion of expertly grilled, slightly sweet onions, and a cool, herb-y sour cream. I preferred the flavor profile of this heartier option over the sweeter apple and the pancake held up well against all of the toppings. A real winner and a couple dollars less than a lot of other options.

Taste: 8/10

Value: 8/10

$5.25 Currywurst with Paprika Chips

Roasted Bratwurst with Curry Ketchup and Paprika-spiced Chips. This is a picture of last year’s as I have not yet had an opportunity to order the current version (I KNOW, I KNOW), which should be a smaller portion on the pork. Hopefully the main issues, which were too much sauce and too much curry powder, have been addressed. The website will update. I would say that I have enjoyed the spiciness of the pork in the past.

Taste: ?/10

Value: ?/10

I’m expecting a “7” on taste and value.

$4 Warm Cheese Strudel

Served with Mixed Berries. This surprised on portion size and flavor – it was restaurant quality – stuffed with a sweet, creamy, rich cheese filling that was complemented nicely by the burst of berry compote on top and a dash of powdered sugar to bring everything together. The crust was light and flaky and did a good job of adding a crispy texture without getting in the way of the main event. A favorite.

Taste: 9/10

Value: 9/10

$9.50 Beer Flight

With Paulaner Original Munich Lager, Schöfferhofer Zitrone Weizen-Mix, and Köstritzer Schwarzbier Black Lager.

The Paulaner is a very good Munich Helles Lager that you’ll also find on draft over at Jock Lindsey’s at a better price per-ounce, but that doesn’t do you a whole lot of good if you’re standing outside the Germany Pavilion. It’s very mild, light, and easy drinking – perfect for the spring climate with a sweet malty quality with just a little bit of hoppy bitterness.

While the Schofferhofer selections are not typically to my tastes – I am a high ABV IPA guy – it’s nice to see that Disney has added something different than the typical grapefruit variety that’s available all year at the various kiosks. Anyway, this is another 2.5% ABV shandy that’s very fruit forward and ideal for someone that “doesn’t really like beer” as it’s basically half lemonade, half beer. It’s quite refreshing but you’d have to drink about 40 of them to feel tipsy. Or at least I would.

The Köstritzer Schwarzbier Black Lager was pictured along with the currywurst above and is easily the most interesting choice available. It’s a 4.8% ABV black lager served on draft – very smooth with the usual coffee, caramel, and roasty malts present. It’s lighter and crisper than a lot of similarly tasting beers that would fall closer to the porter or stout varieties.

Like most of the other options here, the beers aren’t particularly good “values” but these are far more interesting than the Italian entries and would decimate the Tsingtao that’s coming up at China next.

Overall, this is a good stop with several favorite food items and a decent beer selection. It’s particularly pleasant when the live music next door is going.