Lamb Slider with Tomato Chutney (New Zealand):
I am a big fan of lamb and when I noticed it on the New Zealand menu I jumped at the opportunity to try it, especially because lamb is something that I do not cook at home. The lamb was fairly mild in flavor and not spicy at all. It was also cooked perfectly so that it was very moist and tender. The slider came topped with a generous amount of tomato chutney that had a slight sweetness that paired well with the mild-flavored lamb. The bread was soft, but was made a little soggy by the chutney; I would have liked it even more if the bread had been toasted. While the slider may not be the best value at the festival for $4.75, I still felt as though it was big enough so that I got my money’s worth.
Lobster and Scallop Fisherman’s Pie (Ireland):
Having grown up in New England I love every kind of seafood, but this has also made me a little picky when it comes to seafood dishes. I was definitely intrigued when I saw the Lobster and Scallop Pie on the menu in Ireland and I was certainly not disappointed. I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of seafood in the pie and the fact that there were good-sized chunks of lobster and scallops rather than small pieces. The pie was topped with mashed potatoes that were very smooth and made it like a seafood version of shepherd’s pie. Although it is a combination I would not normally expect, I found the flavor of the seafood blended very well with that of the potatoes. This dish was both creamy and filling and although it is one of the festival’s more expensive items at $5.50 it is a very high-quality dish and a good sized-portion that made it worth the money.
Warm Chocolate Lava Cake (Ireland):
This was one of my favorite dishes from last year’s festival and I was extremely happy to see it return this year. This is definitely a rich and decadent dessert, and although it is small it is filling as well. The chocolate cake is served warm and is very moist. The cake comes topped with a Bailey’s chocolate sauce. It has a very strong Bailey’s flavor, but I did not find it to be too overpowering; there was just enough Bailey’s to give the dessert a little bit of a kick. This was is my absolute favorite dessert at the Food and Wine Festival and I wish they served it all year long. For $2.75 it is a good value, but I just wish the portion size was a little bigger.
Seared Albacore Tuna with Romesco Sauce (Spain):
Tuna is a fish that I do not eat very often, but after having this dish I might want to start having more frequently. I found the tuna to actually be mild in taste and it was also very tender. The sauce was very spicy, but it proved to be the perfect accompaniment for the tuna, the spiciness of the sauce providing a contrast to the milder tuna. The sauce had a little bit of a cheese flavor, but it was not overpowering. My only complaint about the dish was that the portion size was a little small for the $4.00 price, but what you are not getting in size you are getting in terms of quality and taste.
Freshly Baked Waffle with Berry Compote (Belgium):
Belgium is a new addition to the Food and Wine Festival this year and it has been getting many positive reviews from guests. One of the most hyped items at the festival this year has been the Belgium waffle, so I decided to go and try it for myself. The waffle was made fresh and was very light and fluffy. I found the waffle to be a little too soft and not even crispy on the outside; it would have been even better if it had been cooked just a little longer. The waffle was topped with a generous helping of berries and whipped cream which added a nice sweetness that complimented the waffle well. I was pleasantly surprised by the portion size, which was bigger than I was expecting, and for $2.75 would consider this one of the better values at this year’s festival.
New England Lobster Roll (Hops & Barley):
I have had many lobster rolls before back home and I went to the Hops & Barley stand with high expectations, especially because the lobster roll is the festival’s most expensive item at $7.25. This was the one item I sampled at this year’s festival that I felt I was not getting my money’s worth. I know lobster can be expensive, but the sandwich was not very big at all; it would have been a good value for $5.25, but certainly not for $7.25. It was very tasty, but nothing made it really stand out from other lobster rolls I have had in the past. There were good-sized chunks of lobster and they came mixed with onions that added a little bit of extra flavor without being too overpowering. One thing I liked was that there was not too much of a mayonnaise flavor, which really highlighted the flavor of the lobster. The bread was soft and just slightly toasted; it would have been even better if toasted just a little more. While it may not be a good value if paying out-of-pocket, it is definitely worth it if you are on the dining plan as it is counted as a snack credit.
