It’s a new year, and that means it’s time for new foods, merchandise, and entertainment from the Taste of EPCOT International Festival of the Arts! We’ve been eating and drinking our way around EPCOT and checking out all the best (and worst) foods this year!

This year, we noticed some new additions to the menu as well as some returning options from the past. We’re hungry, so let’s see what the Refreshment Port has to offer!

Refreshment Port isn’t an official festival food booth at the festival, but it does have some special items on the menu, which typically involve some sort of poutine.

And is there anything NOT to love about fun combinations of french fries, cheese curds (or really any manifestation of cheese…..), and gravy? Sure, it may not the traditional Canadian classic poutine, but we don’t discriminate when it comes to fries and cheese….

Menu

The menu offers the return of the Gnocchi Poutine as well as the Artist Palette Jumbo Chocolate Chip Cookie. And, as a bonus surprise, they have DOLE Whip on the menu!

How does this booth stack up against the others? Let’s find out!

Food

Last year, our tastebuds and our hearts were a little disappointed in the Gnocchi Poutine just not fulfilling its potential. It’s back again this year, made with red wine-braised beef, cheese curds, basil, and burrata. It’s $10, so it’s definitely not the cheapest item you’ll find at the festival.

Last year, we felt like this dish had a TON of potential and only partially delivered. We found our gnocchi to be a bit on the dry side due to the fact that they were fried to resemble french fries. We were excited to see it return to find out if maybe this was the year that it fulfilled its delicious promise.

This year, we thought the gnocchi pieces by themselves weren’t great (again), but when you take a bite with all of the different parts it was tasty. You really can’t go wrong with poutine! The beef was elevated with the red-wine sauce, plus the burrata and cheese curds only added to the flavor profile.

Refreshment Port has the returning Gnocchi Poutine with red wine-braised beef, cheese curds, basil, and burrata 😋 Are you a fan of poutine, or do you prefer to go without it? ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/JsY0Rjnap7

— Disney Food Blog (@DisneyFoodBlog) January 13, 2023

New to Refreshment Port for this festival is the DOLE Whip offering! And what do we love more than fries and cheese than a DOLE Whip? Ok, do we love DOLE Whip MORE than fries and cheese? No, can’t say that — but we love them equally! Just like our shared affection for Spaceship Earth and Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind. Sure, one is a bit flashier, a bit more “Instagrammable,” but they both have a place in our hearts. Now, where were we going with this? Ah, yes, Refreshment Port DOLE Whip!

This year’s DOLE Whip is a Soft-serve Waffle Cone: DOLE Whip Strawberry, DOLE Whip Lemon, or swirl for $6.

We just had to try out the swirl to see how the flavors taste together. This soft serve had a very light and refreshing flavor. The tartness of the lemon cuts down on the sugary flavor of the strawberry. It’s a great option for kids or someone who wants a DOLE Whip but is tired of the same old same old. Try this as an afternoon snack!

Yes, DOLE Whip is a must 👍 and we got the Starwberry & Lemon swirl in a waffle cone from Refreshment Port! 🍓🍦🍋 pic.twitter.com/A8uBxuqeVe

— Disney Food Blog (@DisneyFoodBlog) January 13, 2023

 

Refreshment Port is also one of two spots guests can pick up the Artist Palette Jumbo Chocolate Chip Cookie for $5.50. The cookie has been a returning option at the festivals for the past few years, and you can check out our last review of it here.

It’s fun to be allowed to play with your food (you can draw on this cookie) and it’s sure to be a hit with kids!

Why yes, I’ll have a cookie 🍪 This is the Artist Palette Jumbo Chocolate Chip Cookie 🎨 and it comes with a paint brush, y’all! You can find it at Refreshment Port 👀 pic.twitter.com/vCR0LLiLHn

— Disney Food Blog (@DisneyFoodBlog) January 13, 2023

That’s everything at the Refreshment Port, so what did we think?

Drinks

If you’re looking for a beverage or cocktail to wash down your poutine and DOLE Whip, check out the Blood Orange Cosmo: Boyd & Blair Potato Vodka with blood orange, cranberry, and lime for $11.50, or Boulevard Brewing Co. Quirk Blueberry Lemon & Lavender Hard Seltzer for $11.50.

Overall

If you’re in search of some starch and a fruity citrusy DOLE Whip, this might be your jam! We like the variety of foods here: you’ve got some heavy foods if you’re really hungry, a fresh DOLE Whip to cleanse the palette, and a fun cookie for kids to enjoy.

We would definitely eat here again, but it’s probably not going to be our number one, must-try booth of the fest. But if you’re looking for something unique, Refreshment Port has got you covered!

Stay tuned to DFB for more food reviews and updates from the Festival of the Arts today!

Check out ALL of our reviews from EPCOT’s Festival of the Arts!

Will you try any of the foods on this menu? Let us know in the comments!