At the Epcot International Festival of the Arts, you can try a wide variety of foods including deconstructed dishes, miniature sandwiches, and now (at Vibrante & Vívido: Encanto Cocina) authentic Columbian fare inspired by the hit Disney movie, Encanto!
About Vibrante & Vívido: Encanto Cocina
Debuting during the 2021 Festival and located between the France and Morocco pavilions, Vibrante & Vívido celebrates South American cuisine with colorful foods and savory tastes. We tried this kitchen soon after it opened last year and were super impressed with the Blue Corn Pupusa stuffed with cheese and topped with shredded pork. If you’d like to read about last year’s menu offerings, check out our review!
For this year’s festival, Vibrante & Vívido features an entirely new menu inspired by the characters and setting of Disney’s newest animated film. We decided to sample the two main course options: the House-Made Chorizo and Potato Empanada and the Spicy Aijaco Soup!
House-Made Chorizo and Potato Empanada
Probably my favorite of the two dishes, the empanada is covered with turmeric and annatto aioli that provide a perfect contrasting compliment for the heavy meat. The crust is flaky and warm and the insides are generously stuffed with ingredients. I really enjoyed this dish!
Spicy Aijaco Soup
Including spiced chicken, avocado, potato, corn, and crème fraiche; I expected to love this soup even more than the empanada. Unfortunately, I didn’t. The broth was not nearly spicy enough for me. The chicken was kind of tough, and the corn was a little bland. I loved the addition of the avocado and crème fraiche, but I was severely disappointed by the lack of spice in the soup.
Unfortunately, the spice content isn’t the only heat missing from this dish. I visited the Festival during a very cold day (for Florida winter) and was looking forward to warming up with a nice hot bowl of soup. Instead I received a lukewarm dish. It was honestly kind of heartbreaking.
Freaky Thoughts: Vibrante & Vívido
While I was disappointed with the Spicy Aijaco Soup, the Chorizo and Potato Empanada more than made up for it with it’s delicious filling, crust, and sauces. Overall, I think Vibrante & Vívido: Encanto Cocina is a colorful and fun addition to the Epcot International Festival of the Arts. What a great way to sample authentic Columbian flavors and get a deeper look at Maribel’s culture and the story of the Family Madrigal!
