From now until February 21, you can enjoy the Epcot International Festival of the Arts – featuring visual art displays, interactive activities, live performances, and specialty food booths! Among the delicious refreshment offerings this year is a BRAND NEW kitchen: The Craftsman’s Courtyard!
About The Craftsman’s Courtyard
Located near Disney Traders at the entrance to the World Showcase, The Craftsman’s Courtyard offers cuisine “constructed with the natural aesthetics of the Arts and Crafts movement.” The menu includes two cast-iron cooked seafood dishes and a country pork paté with pistachios, truffles and toasted ciabatta; a truly unique addition to the Epcot International Festival of the Arts’ food selection.
Since I’m not a huge fan of pork or pistachios, I decided to try the Cast-Iron Roasted P.E.I. Mussels and Cast-Iron Seared Steelhead Trout.
Cast-Iron Roasted P.E.I. Mussels
The Cast-Iron Roasted P.E.I. Mussels are served in a buttery sauce with sautéed tomatoes, garlic, and fresh herbs. It’s a sizable portion, including several mussels and two pieces of crunchy bread for dipping and munching. The entire bowl is delicious, and well worth the $7.50 price tag! However, you should be aware that this isn’t the most filling dish. I was still very hungry after finishing the plate.
Cast-Iron Seared Steelhead Trout
Next I tried the Cast-Iron Seared Steelhead Trout. Served beneath a parsley salad with grape tomatoes, Kalamata olives, capers, and lemon aioli; this was my favorite of the two dishes. The fish had a lovely flavor, even without much seasoning, and the salad was a perfect compliment. My husband and I eat a lot of salmon, but we have discussed adding more trout into our diet specifically because we were so impressed with the Steelhead.
It’s also not particularly filling, but for $6.75 – it’s well worth the price!
A quick warning: the Cast-Iron Seared Steelhead is served with the skin in tact. Personally, I LOVE the taste of fish skin, but I know others do not. Keep this in mind when ordering.
Freaky Thoughts: Craftsman’s Courtyard
The Craftsman’s Courtyard is a delicious addition to the Epcot International Festival of the Arts. The seafood is incredible and priced at a reasonable value. If you enjoy shellfish or skin-on fish fillets, I highly recommend checking out this new food kitchen at Epcot!
