Review: Mexico Epcot Food and Wine Festival

We continue from China.

Mexico returns in the same location. It’s not actually at the top of the pyramid no matter what your friends tell you.

Food:

• Chilaquiles con Chorizo: Crispy Corn Tortillas tossed in Salsa Verde and Monterey Jack Cheese topped with Crema Mexicana, Queso Cotija, Pickled Onions, and Ground Chorizo – $7
• Taco de Ribeye: Shaved Ribeye, Red Onions, and Poblano Peppers on a Corn Tortilla with Ranchera Salsa, Cotija Cheese, and Chives – $7
• Capirotada de Chocolate: Abuelita Chocolate Bread Pudding served with a Chocolate Crème Anglaise – $5.50

Beverages

• Mexican Craft Beer: Tulum Artisanal Lager crafted with Citrus notes and made with Mexican Caribbean Seawater – 6 ounces – $5 / 12 ounces –  $9.50
• El Tigre Margarita: Ojo de Tigre Mezcal with Pomegranate, Prickly Pear, Pineapple, and Ginger Juices served on the rocks with a Hibiscus Salt Rim – $11.50
• La Clásica Reyes Margarita: Centinela Blanco Tequila, Ancho Reyes Chile Liqueur, Abasolo Corn Whiskey, Lime Juice, and Agave Nectar served on the rocks with a Chile Piquín Salt Rim – $11
• White Passion Fruit Sangria: White Wine, Chinola Passion Fruit Liqueur, and a hint of Ilegal Mezcal  – $10

Italy is to Mexico what is pain to my pocketbook, in that they never offer anything a second time, as you’d have to be half way to senility to order anything here at two consecutive Festivals, let alone 40. Remember the golden rule: You have a choice. I don’t. Hey, the menu is only $65.50 worth, or approximately half an individual pizza at Via Napoili with 14 toppings.

Last year’s was $10+ less. And about the same.

This year:

Chilaquiles con Chorizo: Crispy Corn Tortillas tossed in Salsa Verde and Monterey Jack Cheese topped with Crema Mexicana, Queso Cotija, Pickled Onions, and Ground Chorizo – $7

Like our friends at the Italy booth, virtually nothing is made inside the kiosk, which means you’ll be incredibly lucky to get a fresh dish. The salsa isn’t helping the soft, squishy, sogginess of the Chilaquiles, You could do a lot worse, but at seven bucks, you’re paying for a marginal dish. The portion is at least decent if you take little bites.

Taste: 5/10

Value: 3/10

Taco de Ribeye: Shaved Ribeye, Red Onions, and Poblano Peppers on a Corn Tortilla with Ranchera Salsa, Cotija Cheese, and Chives – $7

Mexico’s Festival offerings are reliably small propositions and this one is a tough couple of bites to share unless you particularly like whoever you’re visiting with. I never do, but you might like in the law-ins and/or Corless/Bricker as much(?) as I do, in which case you can just meet in the middle a la The Lady and the Tramp. The Taco is perhaps three inches if you round up. And who doesn’t? The chewy beef that’s sitting in a heater for too long gives Italy’s Fried Juicy Fruit a run for its money. I wouldn’t. But you can. Any of the outdoor quick services, including the La Choza and La Cantina would offer more value for your money and they serve more interesting drinks and fresher food.

Taste: 4/10

Value: 3/10

Capirotada de Chocolate: Chocolate Bread Pudding served with Chocolate Abuelita Crème Anglaise – $5.50

Year in and year out, Mexico does dessert well with predictably delicious results. This year’s Chocolate Bread Pudding is no different and it also benefits from being a significant portion on the plate. The Bread Pudding itself is soft and tastes rich without being overpowering, in part thanks to the cinnamon and powdered sugar. On the downside, ours was a little on the dry side and the sauce underneath had begun to harden by the time we were finishing it. This is another one that you may want to eat quickly. I don’t foresee that as being a problem.

Taste: 6/10

Value: 6/10

Mexican Craft Beer: Tulum Artisanal Lager crafted with Citrus notes and made with Mexican Caribbean Seawater – $5 for six ounces (recommended) or twelve ounces for $9.50

I probably would have keep the seawater thing to myself. Some things are left unsaid. But the brewery does say “made with sea water, chemical-free, pure and alkaline that maintains all its nutrients and minerals to take care of your health.” I’d probably just take a vitamin and leave this 4% ABV  where it stands. Last time I checked, they were down to bottles anyway, so it’s not even on draft. But I had never heard of it before, so it might be worth trying should you have interest in the smaller size, particularly if you’re not a margarita person. Other beers in the area are less expensive, though not by much. The beer is surprisingly very sweet from the artificial orange and I guess the flavors of the sea, though I don’t make a habit of drinking seawater since the incident of 1993. It’s entirely up to you. I’m not sure you’ll see it elsewhere.

El Tigre Margarita: Ojo de Tigre Mezcal with Pomegranate, Prickly Pear, Pineapple, and Ginger Juices served on the rocks with a Hibiscus Salt Rim – $11.50

“El Tigre Margarita” is actually my wrestling moniker, though I remain winless, even when the script calls for my victory. Maybe if I had gone with “Ginger Juices.” That has a ring to it. This is a proficient margarita, sweet and spicy with a solid tequila presence. But don’t feel bad for me even with a record of 0-40. I also love the hibiscus rim, which adds a little tart flavor to the sweetness of the pineapple. It’s well-balanced and my drink of choice here. Note that it is strong up front before cooling down a bit. You might want to get a second margarita to help wash it down. But I don’t need to tell you that. Value is up with the price increases in China.

Taste: 7/10

Value: 8/10

La Clásica Reyes Margarita: Centinela Blanco Tequila, Ancho Reyes Chile Liqueur, Abasolo Corn Whiskey, Lime Juice, and Agave Nectar served on the rocks with a Chile Piquín Salt Rim – $11

Just in case you’re wondering if it’s still me. No further proof than the garbage can pic should be necessary. I like the Corn Whiskey presence to go along with the spiciness of the Chili Liqueur, balanced nicely with the citrus and sugar in the agave. There are two margaritas, so check out this one and the La Choza options on the left of the Pavilion. Here’s that menu on DisneyWorld.com. They’re bigger and a few dollars more over there. But a lot better, typically.

Taste: 6/10

Value: 6/10

White Passion Fruit Sangria: White Wine, Chinola Passion Fruit Liqueur, and a hint of Ilegal Mezcal  – $10

Just use your imagination that this is whiter than it looks. Blame it on Canon. If everyone is ordering margaritas and you’d like a fruitier drink without much bitterness, then this would be a good choice. I’d recommend it at $7.50. Ten bucks is rough.

Taste: 5/10

Value: 4/10

Overall, Mexico brings another solid round of margaritas with the sangria adding a sweeter, sugary drink if that’s the direction you’d prefer to take it. The Chilaquiles is/are an easy skip, but you might not let the fact that the Chilaquiles is/are $2 overpriced deter you from picking one up along with a margarita. When it’s warm and fresh, the Chocolate Bread Pudding is excellent. I’m still looking at La Choza if the line is more reasonable.

The Swanky Saucy Swine or some such is up next.