Universal’s Islands of Adventure has some of my favorite theme park food in all of Orlando, and now the Confisco Grille, located at the far end of the Port of Entry, has announced that they have a new menu with dishes inspired by global flavors.
The park has a new Executive Chef, Jason Glus, and he and his team have created the new menu by re-visiting the story behind the venue.
The Discover Universal Blog shared a closer look at how Chef Gus developed the menu for the Confisco Grille.
This hidden gem has been hiding out in plain sight since Islands of Adventure opened in 1999. This restaurant has served as a resting spot for all explorers coming through Port of Entry. Their worldwide travels have served as the main inspiration for the menu.
“The story behind Confisco connects to Port of Entry, which is exciting because it gives us a mixture of global cuisines to work with,” says Chef Glus. “There’s Asian influence, Turkish, Mediterranean, Greek, Russian, Polish and more.”
It’s no cakewalk to bring these dishes to life. It takes time for the team to research and bring the concepts to life.
“It took us months of researching all these different flavors and spices,” Chef Glus explains. “Even looking back to the 17th and 18th centuries and seeing how dishes were cooked then — in wood ovens and cazuela pots, which we use to cook here in the restaurant.”
Enough talking about these new dishes…let’s take a look at four of the new dishes!
Pork Belly Banh-Mi Sandwich
Roasted pork belly, pickled carrots, daikon radish and cucumber topped with a chile aioli on a French baguette
Chilled Tuna Noodle Bowl
Sesame seared yellowfin tuna, soba noodles, green onion, avocado, edamame, cucumber and a wasabi-ponzu dressing
Grilled Lamb Meatballs
Grilled spiced lamb meatballs with tzatziki sauce, tomato-cucumber relish, feta cheese and mint chimichurri
Sweet and Sour Sticky Ribs
Philippine-inspired smoked pork ribs tossed in a sweet and sour sauce, served over goat cheese polenta and topped with toasted sesame seeds
But even the dishes that you’ve seen before have a new twist, Chef Glus explains. “The menu items we did keep, we changed up the presentation. If you’re going to elevate the food, you need to elevate the overall experience.”
I can’t wait to head over to Confisco Grille at Universal’s Islands of Adventure to check it out for myself!
The restaurant currently serves lunch and dinner from 11 a.m. until park close, and you can find the menu online.
Reservations are recommended, and if you have any dietary needs you can contact the Universal Orlando Resort by calling (407) 224-FOOD (3663).
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