REVIEW: This EPCOT Restaurant Only Serves SMALL Plates But Left Us With a Hefty Bill
Maybe you blew your whole budget for that trip to the Mediterranean on a trip to Disney World instead, but you can come close to getting that Moroccan seaside outdoor cafe experience in EPCOT! (We really will do anything to convince our family that the money was better spent at Disney World, right?!)
Spice Road Table
We’re talking about a SERIOUSLY underrated and overlooked restaurant — Spice Road Table! You’ll find this quaint and cozy restaurant on the shores of World Showcase Lagoon in the Morocco Pavilion and almost everyone is just walking right by this hidden gem (that’s relatively easy to get into!). It’s been a little while since we last enjoyed a full meal here and a lot has changed, so let’s find out what we’ve been missing!
Atmosphere
Spice Road Table’s design, as Disney describes it, is “inspired by outdoor cafés from the Moroccan seaside” and is meant to be a place where you can “Cozy up to the cuisine and drink in the unforgettable sights provided by this quaint locale’s scenic dining area.” And, it sure does live up to that! It all starts with the exterior building, where you’ll feel like you’re walking up to a local cafe.
Spice Road Table Entrance
At the entrance, you’ll find that the lobby area is split up into a few different areas — on one side of the rope you can walk up to the host stand to check-in, and on the other, you can head to the to-go beverage ordering desk. Depending on the time of year, you’ll also find details about dining packages that are being offered at the time.
When we visited, the EPCOT Flower & Garden Festival was taking place so there were details about the Garden Rocks Concert Series Dining Packages. These packages offer exclusive seating during the concert in addition to your meal.
Feels like you’re dining local!
In the lobby area, you’ll find some unique Moroccan artwork…
Lobby Artwork
…and a wall of spices! While the lobby is small, there’s plenty of room to hang out while you wait for your table to be ready.
To-Go Beverage Ordering
And, before we get into all the details about dining here, we have to talk about something that most people don’t know is offered here — a to-go bar! Just past the host stand is an elegant Moroccan-themed bar where you can head to and order up a Pomegranate Mimosa, incredible Sangria, a Moroccan Mule, or anything else on the menu to-go. No reservation necessary! So you can skip the long lines at La Cava del Tequila, or Block and Hans and still enjoy a killer cocktail.
Spice Road Table Bar
If you are choosing to sit down and dine here, you’ll want to first know that advanced dining reservations are no longer accepted here. The only way to eat here is to either opt for a dining package (of which there are several) or walk up and see if there’s a table!
At the restaurant there are two main dining areas, one that is outdoors in a patio-like environment…
Outdoor patio
…and another that is indoors and has booth seating along the wall…
Indoor seating
…and table seating along the windows. This is where you’ll find the best views of World Showcase Lagoon making it a great spot to dine when Harmonious (EPCOT’s nighttime show) is taking place.
If you want even better views of the fireworks, you can reserve the Spice Road Table Fireworks Dining Package which is offered most nights and provides guests with a table near the water in the outdoor patio during Harmonious and comes with a prix fixe menu where you can choose two small plates, a dessert platter, and enjoy unlimited beverages.
Choose to sit at a table if you want the best views of the water!
If you are choosing to dine without a dining package, you’ll need to join the Walk-Up List when you arrive in EPCOT through the My Disney Experience app. The app will note an estimated wait time (that can vary based on your party size), so be sure that you’re joining the wait list around the time that you want to dine.
©Disney
After you’ve joined the Walk-Up List, you’ll receive text messages (or push notifications) to your phone letting you know when your table is ready. We chose to dine around lunchtime and only experienced a 10-minute wait.
You’ll receive text updates on your table!
And, then it was time to find our seat! We asked for a table near the window indoors (which isn’t guaranteed) and luckily there was a spot for us!
Our table!
And, what exactly will you find when you’re first seated? A small plate, fork, knife, napkin, and the QR code for the menu.
Table Setting
Now, let’s get to the food!
Eats
The restaurant isn’t currently offering a paper menu, so you’ll need to scan the QR code on the table to access it.
This is the menu!
One important thing to note if you haven’t eaten here in a while is that, when Spice Road Table reopened in 2020, the menu completely changed. Rather than being considered a Table Service Restaurant by Disney, it was reclassified as a “Lounge” which resulted in the removal of all the entrees and desserts from the menu. Instead, everything that was previously under the small bites section (and a few desserts), was converted into the main “Mediterranean Small Plates” lounge menu.
But, the menu is still pretty extensive when it comes to food! You’ll find things like Tiropitakia, Spiced Chicken, and a Dessert Platter that includes an Almond Marzipan Cookie, Baklava, and a spiced cake called Karydopita.
©Disney
There are also a ton of different drinks to choose from (it is a lounge after all) including a selection of beer, cider, wine, and sangria…
©Disney
…along with a signature beverages section with cocktails that are unique to Spice Road Table.
©Disney
And, if you’d prefer to dine here without opting for something boozy, there is a non-alcoholic beverage section of the menu that still includes some Moroccan-inspired offerings like Iced Mint Tea and a Moroccan Hot Tea Service.
©Disney
Plus, those with allergies can identify which dishes they can enjoy safely thanks to the Allergy-Friendly menu. If a dish says “for egg, peanut/tree nut, and soy allergies, etc.” that means that it is safe for people with those allergies to enjoy!
©Disney
Well, let’s dig in! We started our meal off with the Medina Mixer cocktail. This costs $15 and is made with Starr African Rum, Van der Hum Tangerine Liqueur, and Cranberry Juice. As the ingredients suggest, this is a sweet, fruity drink with tangerine being the main flavor that comes through. We could definitely still taste the alcohol in this one though.
Overall, we enjoyed this drink but if you’d prefer something that is a bit more specific and authentic to Morocco, we’d suggest opting for the Iced Mint Tea which is made with Bombay Sapphire Gin and costs $14.
Medina Mixer
Because the menu is now more focused on small bites, we ordered a few to make it a full meal!
Check out our spread!
First up is the Pomegranate-Chili Crispy Cauliflower. This is a plant-based dish that is pretty much exactly what it sounds like — pomegranate-chili cauliflower! It comes served on top of a Red Pepper Aleppo Sauce for dipping and costs $11.
Pomegranate-Chili Crispy Cauliflower
And, though it may be sitting in a boat of sauce, these cauliflower pieces are CRISP! The dipping sauce itself tastes very similar to a sweet chili sauce and the fresh pomegranate seeds on top add a fruity and refreshing flavor to the dish. We thought that this was a delicious option for those who are looking for something plant-based (or even if you’re not!) and won’t turn off those who don’t like spice (as it’s not very spicy).
Our only grievance with this dish is the size. It’s VERY small so you’ll need to order up something else on the menu if you’re even the slightest bit hungry.
Pomegranate-Chili Crispy Cauliflower Bite
Next up is the Naan Spreads! This classic Moroccan dish comes with Hummus, Chermoula, Marinated Olives, Za’atar all for the price of $10.
Naan Spreads
Now, normally we tell you not to buy anything in Disney World that you can get at your local grocery store, but we’re going to make an exception for this spread because it is seriously good! The hummus itself is topped with fresh olive oil and a few pomegranate seeds that really elevate the flavor. And, folks this is NOT any average hummus that you’ll find in the frozen aisle — you can really taste the flavor of the chickpeas and the Moroccan spices give it a unique (and delicious) taste.
Hummus!
In the middle are the marinated olives and Chermoula (which is a traditional North African sauce that is made with fresh herbs) which add a nice punch of acidity and earthy taste to the dish when combined with the hummus and naan.
More dipping!
Oh, and we have to talk about that naan! It’s served fresh and warmed up making it the perfect dipping vessel. But, there’s really not much of it so we found that we had quite a bit of hummus left over after we plowed through the naan (because, yes, it was that good).
Nice and warm!
And, we’re not done yet! We also got the Spice Road Table Sampler which comes with Lamb Kefta, Spiced Chicken, and Tiropitakia making it one of the best ways to try small bites of multiple things on the menu! Note that it is the priciest small plate on the menu though coming in at $15.
Spice Road Table Sampler
If you’re not familiar, Tiropitkakia is basically a miniature cheese pie (or Cheese-filled Phyllo) and the ones at Spice Road Table come with a side of Cucumber-Tomato Relish. The buttery phyllo here is cooked just right to make it super flakey (and also a little messy), but, the real winner lies in how it pairs with the relish. The cheese in the phyllo offers a nice salty balance to the fresh cucumbers and tomato, though it’s important to note that there are some raw onions in the relish, so you’ll get a bit of flavor from that as well.
Tiropitakia
When it comes to the Lamb Kefta, our reporter (who is generally not a big fan of lamb) was surprised to find that they really enjoyed the flavor. The lamb is seasoned very well and the texture is very similar to impossible meat. The small portion comes with Tzatziki sauce on the bottom, which we felt cut through the gamey flavor that often is associated with lamb.
Lamb Kefta
And, while the Spiced Chicken comes with the platter, we also opted to order it! The dish comes with Ras el Hanout (which is a seasoning), Mint Yogurt and Tabbouleh (which is a type of salad that is traditionally made with parsley, tomatoes, mint, onion, and bulgur, and then seasoned with olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and sweet pepper) and costs $11.
Don’t be turned off by the word “spice” being in the name though, we thought that the “spice” was much more of a seasoning that really elevates the chicken. The chicken then combines really well with the mint yogurt to add a bit of freshness to the dish and you’ll get a lot of parsley flavors from the tabbouleh. All in all, there’s a great range of flavors and textures in the dish, though the chicken that we had was a bit dry.
Spiced Chicken
And, lastly, we got the Dolmas which is a plant-based dish that features Grape Leaves filled with Rice and Herbs, Marinated Olives, Charred Lemon.
Dolmas
Now, we tend to think of dolmas as a Greek dish, but that doesn’t mean that there’s no place for it in this Moroccan-inspired restaurant! The topping on the grape leaves gives the dish a flavor profile that is very similar to vinegar or lemon, but it’s still very fresh. The rice on the inside offers a citrus flavor and the marinated olives then offer a nice texture to the dish since the dolmas are on the softer side. We’d say that we’ve definitely had better dolmas outside of Disney, but these still stand on their own.
Dolmas
They are one of the cheapest dishes on the menu, costing $9.
Nosh or Not
Consider dining at Spice Road Table if:
- You really enjoy Mediterranean food and tapas! This is one of the only places in Disney World that offers a Moroccan-inspired menu.
- You want to dine with a view (including a view of fireworks!). Because Spice Road Table is positioned directly on World Showcase Lagoon, you’ll have an AMAZING view to go along with your eats and drinks. Plus, you won’t have to stress about finding a spot to watch Harmonious in the evening if you time your dining window just right.
- You want to try something that’s not your average theme park food. The dishes and drinks here are truly unique and much better than a burger and fries.
You may want to skip Spice Road Table if:
- You have picky eaters in your party. While the eats and drinks here are tasty, these dishes can be on the more adventurous side for those who are used to eating chicken nuggets and hot dogs.
- You want a full meal that will hold you over until your next dining window. With the overhaul of the menu in 2020, the main focus here is small dishes and drinks so you’ll be ordering quite a bit of food to make it a meal.
- You want to plan ahead and dine at a specific time or have a big party. Spice Road Table no longer accepts advanced dining reservations so it’s a bit of a gamble on how long you’ll wait to dine here making it so that you can’t really plan ahead. And, because seating is on more of a first come, first-served basis, you might find that you’ll have a longer wait if you’ve got a bit party.
Overall
While we used to praise this spot up and down when it had a full menu, we weren’t overly impressed by our meal here now that the menu is much more limited. None of the dishes or drinks blew us away and we really had to order a lot to make a meal out of it, resulting in a pretty hefty bill.
That being said, Spice Road Table offers a menu filled with more exotic flavors than you’ll find at most table service spots, which can really be a big draw when you’ve had your limit of pizza and burgers. This can be a great place to stop if you’re looking for something to hold you over to a bigger sit-down meal (we’d suggest checking out Via Napoli, Le Cellier, or Chefs de France if you haven’t already!) or if you want something a bit more substantial between eating and drinking your way around one of EPCOT’s many festivals.
So, overall, we probably wouldn’t make this our first stop around World Showcase, but if you’re a seasoned EPCOT visitor and you’re looking for a unique cultural dining experience that offers you some relief from the Florida sun, this is a great place to check out! And, be sure to stay tuned to DFB for more Disney food reviews and updates!
Have You Been to Any of These Underrated Disney World Restaurants?
Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe!
Don't Miss Out on Any Disney Fun!
Order Your Copy of the 2022 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining Today!
With more than 750 pages, the 2022 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining is full of tips and planning tools developed by Disney World experts over 30+ years of visits. We've done the research for you, so you'll know just which spots will uniquely suit your family's needs!With mini-reviews of every single restaurant, bar, lounge, kiosk and more; an entire chapter on the best snacks in Disney World; full Disney Dining Plan analysis (and how to get FREE dining); and a full chapter on discounts and deals; you'll have everything you need to plan your best vacation yet.
Click here to order your copy of the 2022 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining E-book with code WDW2022 to save 25% off the cover price today!
Use code WDW2022 at check-out for 25% off the cover price today!
Have you eaten at Spice Road Table recently? Let us know in the comments!
The post REVIEW: This EPCOT Restaurant Only Serves SMALL Plates But Left Us With a Hefty Bill first appeared on the disney food blog.
from the disney food blog https://ift.tt/jurdmeJ
Post a Comment