Freshly grilled and smoked items are again on the menu at Flavors from Fire, including the perennially popular corned beef chips. Surprisingly, the chips weren't part of Emile's Fromage Montage this year, but they're still worth the stop even though you can't get a stamp in your passport.
😐 Steakhouse Blended Burger: Beef and wild mushroom slider with truffle brie cheese fondue, arugula, and truffle potato chips on a sesame seed bun
One look at our photo reveals the real star of this burger – it's that truffle brie cheese fondue. If they sold this on its own, it would be a festival favorite. In this case, it's saving the bacon of an otherwise underwhelming burger. Not that there's bacon here - that crispy piece you see peaking out is actually a wild mushroom, which we also liked better than the burger. The trouble is that the burger itself was very dry and a bit on the gristly side, which is unfortunate because it is surrounded by quite tasty things like a fresh sesame seed bun and truffle potato chips for extra crunch. As much as we liked all the things added to this burger, it's hard to give a rave review when the burger itself is sub-par.
👍 IMPOSSIBLE Montreal Style Burger Slider with cheddar cheese, and tomato jam on a sesame seed bun (NEW)
The IMPOSSIBLE plant-based burger is served on the same bun as the steakhouse version, but it boasts a lot more flavor and even a better texture. While the patty was very salty, we still loved it. The tomato jam brought some sweetness to balance out the saltiness of the burger and was a delicious upgrade to boring old ketchup. We weren't sure what Montreal style was supposed to be, so we asked Uncle Google and it apparently involves the addition of a steak sauce when grilling. In this case, it seems the steak sauce was super salty, so those who are sensitive to sodium may need to steer clear. Otherwise, it's a tasty vegan treat.
👍 Smoked Corned Beef with house-made potato chips, cheese curds, pickled onions, and beer-cheese fondue
When we saw this dish was missing from Emile's Fromage Montage, we were scared that our favorite cheesy treat from previous years was a goner. Thankfully, it's still here and we're guessing Disney knows it's so good that they don't need a passport stamp to entice you to buy it. Our only note we made as we ate this was "same as always – DELICIOUS!" I'm guessing we were too busy fighting over the last bits of fondue to bother with note-taking. What makes this dish so magical is the fondue – it's rich, cheesy and a little sweet from the beer. The pickled onions add another layer of sweetness and a bit of acid. The meat is smoky, juicy and not overly fatty while the chips complete the dish with a salty crunch. It's a perfect festival treat and we're so glad it's back.
Thanks for reviewing the plant based options!! I'm very excited to try all of them soon, especially this slider and the impossible chili mac & cheese.
Great to see that the plant-based option is a winner!