REVIEW: We Just Spent $51 on ONE Dish from This Popular Disney World Restaurant’s NEW Menu (And We’re Not Even Mad About It)

While there aren’t an insane amount of sit down restaruants in Hollywood Studios, the ones that are there are heavy hitters. We visited the Hollywood Brown Derby to check out some of their new menu items.

Located in Hollywood Studios, we ate at the restaurant recently, only to find that shortly after, the menu changed! Ah! Obviously, we had to head back and see what this new menu was all about.

First up, we tried two new appetizers. We started with the Hamachi a la Newburg for $17, which is citrus-cured hamachi, creamy Newburg sauce, and fruit tartare.

It’s just so gorgeous! We almost didn’t want to mess it up, but it was so worth it for the taste. The hamachi was sliced so it almost melted in your mouth and wasn’t overly fishy, which we appreciated. There were layers of different creams and fish with toppings, and it all came together perfectly for one bite, which was acidic, fresh, and bright. The acid wasn’t overwhelming, and everything stayed together easily on our fork. The fruit tartare tasted like mango and was diced very finely, and the roe on top added a unique, almost grainy texture, which paired well with the soft fish and sauces. This is a dish we will definitely be ordering again, and it felt special to find in a theme park.

We also had the Beet and Kale Salad for $13, which is made with spinach, warm bacon vinaigrette, goat cheese cream, beet puree, and candied walnuts.

Hey, hey beet lovers! We found your new favorite dish! The beet puree and whole chunks of beets provided an earthy flavor, and we loved tasting the creamy goatcheese with its tanginess. There were also huge pieces of kale and spinach to make it a salad, which were bitter and strong. We thought the meal was difficult to eat because of all the big pieces, and it took quite a bit of effort ot cut through the large beets. There was a great mix of flavors from bitter and sweet, with different textures like the crunch from the walnuts and the bite from the beets. If you’re looking for something more unique, this might be the dish for you. Not a beet lover? You might want to look the other way, but if you want something earthy and beautiful, this is a great option.

For our entree, we had the Seafood Fregola for $51, which included steamed clams and mussels, poached scallops, fregola pasta, spring greens, and crab-saffron cream.

Look at this big serving! While it is a whopping $51, there were three different types of seafood and a huge serving to enjoy. You even get a tiny fork and bowl to add your empty shells, which made us feel pretty fancy. This had great flavor: it tasted salty without a strong fishy taste and was very fresh. We didn’t notice any graininess, and the meat came out of the shell easily. The pasta was cooked well with a bit of a bite and had some broth, which made it feel more filling. There was even a dark sauce paired with it, and while we initially thought it would be too dark for the bright dish, but it provided a richer, deeper flavor that was a great juxtaposition with the seafood. Overall, it was very enjoyable, and if you just need to get your seafood fix, this is a great way to do it.

We also added a side of Glazed Carrots for $10, replacing our beloved Crispy Green Beans—seriously, we were obsessed with these. The carrots were served with mint yogurt, pickled onion, and dukkah spice, and were also plant-based.

These were an easy side to add on and share with the table. The carrots were cooked well, and the smaller ones were fork-split, but you’ll need to use a knife for the thicker ones. The yogurt sauce on the bottom was a bit tangy but did not taste overwhelmingly of yogurt, and it paired well with the carrots’ sweetness and the crispy topping. We wish there were more sauce to swipe our carrots through, and we wish there were either more pickled onions or thicker slices, so we could taste a bit more of the acid. That being said, if you’re starting to crave a vegetable during your Disney World trip (hey, we get it! There’s so much ice cream to try), these are a nice addition to entrees.

Overall, we enjoyed the new items added to the menu! While we’re crushed, our Crispy Green Beans are gone, the carrots were cooked well with great flavor, and the rest of the meal was fresh and bright, allowing the ingredients to stand out like true California cuisine.

We’re still stuffed from our meal, but in the meantime, make sure you keep following AllEars for more of the best restaurant reviews so you know where to stop on your next Disney World trip.

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Have you eaten at Hollywood Brown Derby? Tell us your favorite dish in the comments!

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