Good evening and thank you for tuning in again. Today has been a very hectic day so I am only just now, at this late hour, getting to my blog creation. For today's blog, I figured it would be fun to write on the ranking of food that I ate during my travels to Walt Disney World's EPCOT™. Of course, stay tuned at the end for my deca-daily stoic quote of the day.
When we arrived at EPCOT I had only a few things in my head that I was looking forward to eating. This all changed, however, when I realized that the EPCOT International Festival of the Arts was happening. During this event they offer fun, smaller portion, menu items that are not normally found at the park. Due to this, I not only got the classics, but was able to branch out and enjoy a variety of new flavors.
Before we start, I want to lay out the format of today's ranking. As you read on you will see 11 different food items that I consumed during my mini day vacation. The order of these foods does NOT correlate to the ranking itself, you must read each number ranking from 0-10 to see what was best. I also want to note that the 0-10 ranking scale is not based on all foods I have had, but ONLY to foods that I have eaten within the park. Finally, if you see a little ❤ symbol next to a food, it means that it was part of the event and may no longer be available. Now that we have that covered, let's get right into it.
Disclaimer: This ranking is based solely on my personal opinions and experiences. It is not a professional review and should be viewed as a subjective take on the food offerings at Epcot. Your tastes and preferences may vary, so please take this ranking with a grain of salt.
The first food item we got as a group as we walked around waiting for the virtual queue for the rides we had planned.
Food Item One: Lefse
Location: Norway
Rank: 4/10
Description: Soft Flatbread rolled with cinnamon, sugar, and butter
I stumbled upon the next few food items that I ate when I was walking around the park without my group. You see that particular day my head was absolutely killing me due to ear issues I have been having so I (very sadly) had to skip out on the Guardians of the Galaxy ride. Although I was upset, this gave me time to truly start my food journey.
Food Item Two: Carne Asada ❤
Location: Mexico
Rank: 9/10
Description: Ancho-marinates beef sirloins with pasilla chile sauce, grilled queso fresco, nopales salad, and chicharron dust
Food Item Three: Croqueta ❤
Location: Mexico
Rank: 6.5/10
Description: Chipotle chicken and chorizo croquette in chipotle salsa with chipotle aioli, avocado mousse, and truffle oil.
**AUTHORS NOTE** I absolutely love croquetas and grew up with them, but this one had a dry and bland interior. The only reason it was not a 5/10 is because the amount of meat it was stuffed with.
Food Item Four: Beef Wellington ❤
Location: Canada
Rank: 9.5/10
Description: Beef Wellington-inspired Croissant Supreme with creamed spinach croissant pinwheel, mushroom-gorgonzola ragout, mustard-grilled flank steak, red wine sauce, and pickled mustard seeds
**AUTHORS NOTE** The only reason this was not a 10/10 was due to the steak being a bit chewy. Everything else absolutely made up for it though.
At this point I was able to reconnect with my group. The rest of the foods were enjoyed in great company.
Food Item Five: Deconstructed Key Lime Pie ❤
Location: Near Refreshment Station Hosted by Coca Cola
Rank: 10/10
Description: Flexible key lime curd, "Key Lime" mousse, graham cracker cake, and meringues
**AUTHOR NOTE** This was truly one of the most fun things I have ever eaten. I am all for unique and weird foods and this did it while tasting amazing.
Food Item Six: Egg Rolls
Location: China
Rank: 10/10
Description: Eggroll (2x).
**AUTHORS NOTE** never misses
Food Item Seven: General Tso's Chicken Shumai ❤
Location: China
Rank: 7/10
Description: Dumplings filled with chicken, potato, onion, and water chestnut topped with General Tso's sauce
Food Item Eight: Beef Short Rib ❤
Location: Germany
Rank: 10/10
Description: Red wine-braised beef short rib with parsnip puree, broccolini, baby tomatoes, and balsamic glaze
**AUTHORS NOTE** Genuinely phenomenal. Short rib was perfect and who doesn't love a veg.
Food Item Nine: Pretzel
Location: Germany
Rank: 3/10
Description: Jumbo salted soft pretzel
Food Item Ten: Lemon Gelato
Location: Italy
Rank: 7/10
Description: Lemon flavored gelato
**AUTHORS NOTE** I have had better gelato, but lemon is my favorite flavor of all time so I gotta show love.
Food Item Eleven: Wagyu Bun ❤
Location: Japan
Rank: 7.7/10
Description: Steamed bun filled with American wagyu beef served with Japanese karashi mustard sauce and violet shiso sauce
Food Item Twelve: Brioche Ice Cream Sandwich
Location: France
Rank: 10/10
Description: Ice cream of your choice topped with caramel, strawberry, or chocolate sauce and pressed into a warm brioche bun
Food Item Thirteen: Caprese Poutine ❤
Location: Canada
Rank: 7/10
Description: Caprese Poutine with Tuscan-Spiced French fries, confit tomatoes, slivered garlic, mozzarella pearls, basil pesto, shaved pecorino, and balsamic glaze
**AUTHORS NOTE** Very good but the spice on the fries was over the top. I enjoy a spice, but it was all you could taste.
HONORABLE MENTION
I want to give a shout out to two particular sodas at Club Cool. We went back to visit more than once, and it was amazing each time.
Soda 1: Sprite Cucumber from Russia - 10/10
Soda 2: Bon Bon Anglais from Madagascar - 10/10
Thank you all for reading! Now on the stoic quite of the (deca) day!
(Deca)Daily Stoic: Wisdom for Every (10) Day(s)
March 11th, 2025
LIVING WITHOUT RESTRICITON
“The unrestricted person, who has in hand what they will in all events, is free. But anyone who can be restricted, coerced, or pushed into something against what they will is a slave”
What is means: "Take a look at some of the most powerful, rich, and famous people in the world. Ignore the trapping of their success and what they're able to buy. Look instead at what they're forced to trade in return - look at what success has cost them. Mostly? Freedom. Their work demands they wear a suit. Their success depends on attending certain parties, kissing up to people they don't like. It will require - inevitably - realizing they are unable to say what they actually think. Worse, it demands they become a different type of person or do bad things. Sure, it might pay well - but they haven't truly examined the transaction. As Seneca put it, "Slavery resides under marble and gold." Too many successful people are prisoners in jails of their own making. Is that what you want? Is that what you're working hard toward? Let's hope not."
Your Authors Take: Success can come at a deeper cost of losing yourself and your virtue. This is never good. No matter how much you make or how far you've gone if you lose yourself then you have lost the plot. It can be easier to take a bad path that might make you more successful, but this should be avoided at all costs. It does not matter how famous or rich you get if you give up the freedom of choice or your virtue to get there. The path to success is paved in failure and hardship, and it is better to have failed with virtue than to have won and lost it.
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