Seasonal and Plant-Based Items Added to Menu at California Grill
I have some very exciting foodie news to report this morning! California Grill has just added some new seasonal and plant-based menu items that are sure to delight the tasted buds of all Guests dining at this upscale restaurant located on the 15th floor of Disney’s Contemporary Resort in Walt Disney World.
While many dine at California Grill for the views of the fireworks at the Magic Kingdom and the Seven Seas Lagoon, you’ll definitely want to stay for the food with these new menu items Chefs Daniel Sicilia and Matthew Birch and their team cooked up!
Per Disney, “With inspirations from their backgrounds with fresh ingredients and farm-to-table menus, these chefs have embraced and encouraged creativity, innovation, and the rich history of this restaurant to create a true culinay experience that can’t be missed.”
New Plant-Based Selections
Let’s take a look at the new plant-based menu items that will debut on the menu at California Grill starting May 26, 2022:
Florida Peach and Raspberry Salad
The Florida Peach and Raspberry Salad puts the spotlight on fresh, bright, and flavorful ingredients that Florida is known for including grilled and fresh peaches, raspberry variations, steel-cut oat granola tart, red onion, and a whipped raspberry vinaigrette.
Vegetable Dumplings
The Vegetable Dumplings are made in house and consist of a Doenjang miso-cola onion sauce, radish, crispy garlic-chili oil, and pickled lotus root. The sauces included with this plant-based dish “touch on various parts of the palette, like sweet, salty, sour, bitter, umami, and embrace inspirations from both Asian culture and Californian cuisine.
Chef Assistant Huong Lee, knows as “Mother” by the culinary team at California Grill, worked closely with Chef Daniel to bring this dish to life and perfect this crystal dumpling dough.
Bucanti Cacio e Pepe
A new entree on the menu at California Grill is the Bucanti Cacio e Pepe that offers a fresh take on springtime with sunflower, allium, crispy sunchokes, charred green onions, toasted onions, and a sunflower seed-ramp pistou. It is served along with house-made made bucatini pasta and all topped with a mouth-watering cashew cream sauce.
Peas and Carrots Risotto
The next new plant-based menu item that has been added to the menu at California Grill is the Peas and Carrots Risotto. It features heirloom carrots, English peas, green garlic, confit onion, and sweet carrot foam.
Chef Matthew took the presentation of this dish to the next level by making it look like everything is sprouting form the ground when served!
Peanut and Banana Torte
California Grill has added not one but two new plant-based dessert items to their menu!
The first is the Peanut and Banana Torte that take a classic PB&J and turns it up a notch!
The tasty, plant-based dessert features shortbread, peanut ganache, miso-caramel, nut crumbles, and caramelized bananas.
Lavender Sugar Donuts
The Lavender Sugar Donuts are a spin on the popular “Banana Fritters” item that was featured on the menu at California Grill back in 2013 and brought back for the 50th Anniversary!
With a few updates, the Lavender Sugar Donuts are now plant-based featuring a coconut frozen dessert, blueberry gin jam, and a pistachio crumble. Yum-my!
New Seasonal Items on the Menu at The California Grill
In addition to the new plant-based items, California Grill has also added two new seasonal items to its menu:
Florida Rock Shrimp Salad
The Florida Rock Shrimp Salad pays homage to a former California Grill Chef, Brian Piasecki. It has been brought back with a little different but still delicious vibe featuring hearts of palm, petite lettuce, yuzu, avocado, jicama, and crisp rice crackers topped with a ginger vinaigrette.
EARidescent Crème Brûlée
Added to California Grill’s menu for Walt Disney World’s 50th Anniversary celebrations, the EARidescent Crème Brûlée created by Pastry Sous Chef, Amber Vega, has received much praise!
To get it ready for the Spring and Summer months at Walt Disney World, Chef Amber has drawn inspiration from California with a gorgeous hibiscus flower adornment and added some delicious flavors inspired by the tropics.
Wow! I don’t know about you but my mouth is now watering! What new plant-based and/or menu item at California Grill are you most excited to try? Let us know in the comments below!
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Image/Source Credit: Disney