Trying Foreign Foods?

[NiarrNDisney]

I just read an article on Buzzfeed called: 24 Foods The World Is Disgusted That Americans Actually Eat and it got me wondering.

What foods have you tried in Walt Disney World that you had never had or maybe heard of and what was your reaction after?

I feel since we are on vacation and it is Disney we are more likely to be a little adventurous and try new things. Also I think the initial trepidation is dampened with the belief that the Mouse tends to dilute things just enough to make something more palatable to the general populous so it kind of takes the fear out of it.

Anyway definitely curious to hear everyone's answers!

 

[Hockey89]

First mistake was reading buzzfeed

 

[zurgandfriend]

I cannot say I have eaten anything that exotic at WDW. Some of the dishes at Sanaa, Jiko etc. were cooked with spices I have not had before.
As to things American’s eat that the disgusted the world, I can tell you that in my 30 years in the Army I have eaten some unusual things. Reindeer, monkey, fermented eggs, black pudding, haggis, and fried scorpion all come to mind. I will take a hot dog over any of those.

 

[DisAl]

I cannot say I have eaten anything that exotic at WDW. Some of the dishes at Sanaa, Jiko etc. are cooked with spices I have not had before.
As to things American’s eat that the disgusted the world, I can tell you that in my 30 years in the Army I have eaten some unusual thing. Reindeer, monkey, fermented eggs, black pudding, haggis, and fried scorpion all come to mind. I will take a hot dog over any of those.

I think it was Mark Twain that said "No man who likes sausage or respects the law should watch either being made."
I have watched hot dogs being made, and I too would still choose a hot dog over all the other things you mentioned.
I have tried haggis. Two experiences in one; my first and last.

 

[jaklgreen]

I grew up with European parents and have consumed many things that Americans consider disgusting. Every culture has some weird foods that others would never touch. I don't think that the article meant that Americans eat food that TASTES disgusting, but that it is extremely unhealthy. At WDW, I have had most of the cuisines there. I really enjoyed most of them. 2 of my favorite places is Boma and the food at Morocco. I also think that Americans have very, very limited palate.

 

[bunnyman]

At Skipper's Canteen in the MK I had the whole Lion Fish once. It was something to look at, however, I kept having thoughts about the fact that in the wild it is venomous. That being said, it was quite tasty.

 

[Master Yoda]

Japan in Epcot was the first place I ever had Sushi and Sashimi

While not very exotic for 2019, it might as well have been fermented monkey brains in 1983.

 

[Hockey89]

Japan in Epcot was the first place I ever had Sushi and Sashimi

While not very exotic for 2019, it might as well have been fermented monkey brains in 1983.

I'm to young..... Was sushi completely non existent in 83?

 

[jaklgreen]

I'm to young..... Was sushi completely non existent in 83?

In America.

 

[Master Yoda]

I'm to young..... Was sushi completely non existent in 83?

No, but unlike now where I can throw a rock in any direction at hit a sushi restaurant, there might have been 2 or 3 places where you could get it in all of North Florida.

 

[BoarderPhreak]

WDW obviously offers international cuisine, but nothing is too radical. I suppose sushi might be, if you've never had it - but c'mon, it's just raw fish. By and large, it's fairly toned down stuff. The danger of anything being too far from mainstream is less people will be ordering it - and more people might return it. Neither of which is good for profits.

 

[larryz]

In America.

Big cities had sushi bars. I had my first sushi in January '84 in Denver of all places...

 

[Phonedave]

At Skipper's Canteen in the MK I had the whole Lion Fish once. It was something to look at, however, I kept having thoughts about the fact that in the wild it is venomous. That being said, it was quite tasty.

Venomous and poisonous are two different things, as you well found out (I assume you didn't die)

They are a horrible menace and I am glad that they are now considered a food fish and people are actually eating them.

 

[Phonedave]

The only thing that I have had in WDW that I did not have somewhere before is I think "The worlds best" which is that sponge cake, custard, meringue dessert in Norway. My paternal grandmother was born in Norway and she cooked a lot of Norwegian dishes, but we never had this.

Apparently it is a thing, Kvæfjordkake and is the national cake of Norway. Who knew?

I guess I was lucky. I grew up in a very culturally diverse area of Northern NJ. There were Greek, Indian, Japanese, Thai, German, Turkish, Korean, and a whole bunch of other stores and restaurants right nearby, and NYC was a short bus ride away.

 

[jaklgreen]

Big cities had sushi bars. I had my first sushi in January '84 in Denver of all places...

Yes, but the majority of America is not big cities. I don't even remember hearing the word sushi until the 90s.

 

[Master Yoda]

Big cities had sushi bars. I had my first sushi in January '84 in Denver of all places...

The very early 80's was quite a different time for sushi pretty much anywhere outside of California. You really did not see sushi outside of Little Tokyo until the late 70's until it exploded in popularity in the early 80's. Even then, any places outside of CA that had it seemed to be high price restaurants that no regular person ever went to. You average southerner referred to it as "bait" well into the 90's.

The only reason I even knew about it at the time was through my parents who had lived in LA since the 60's and my father spent quite a few years in Japan and Okinawa while in the military.

Fast forward to today and there is restaurant on every corner that serves sushi and you can buy it at Sam's wholesale.

 

[Hockey89]

The very early 80's was quite a different time for sushi pretty much anywhere outside of California. You really did not see sushi outside of Little Tokyo until the late 70's until it exploded in popularity in the early 80's. Even then, any places outside of CA that had it seemed to be high price restaurants that no regular person ever went to. You average southerner referred to it as "bait" well into the 90's.

The only reason I even knew about it at the time was through my parents who had lived in LA since the 60's and my father spent quite a few years in Japan and Okinawa while in the military.

Fast forward to today and there is restaurant on every corner that serves sushi and you can buy it at Sam's wholesale.

Starts booking his next meal at O Ya … Man I love Sushi

 

[bunnyman]

Nothing beats the time my father many years ago dined with people from the Saudi Consulate in NYC, and they served sheep eyeballs.

 

[Hockey89]

Nothing beats the time my father many years ago dined with people from the Saudi Consulate in NYC, and they served sheep eyeballs.

 

[thomas998]

WDW obviously offers international cuisine, but nothing is too radical. I suppose sushi might be, if you've never had it - but c'mon, it's just raw fish. By and large, it's fairly toned down stuff. The danger of anything being too far from mainstream is less people will be ordering it - and more people might return it. Neither of which is good for profits.

Actually it's not raw fish its cold fish. Raw fish is sushimi, I'll eat sushi in the US, but I wouldn't trust any place in the US to serve me sushimi because we don't have the same level of regulations on fish here that they do in Japan.

In general when I've had authentic food from say Africa and compare it to what Disney passes off, there is a pretty big difference. It may have the same appearance, but generally the stuff at Disney is watered down on the level of spice, probably because they don't think the typical guest can handle the real thing... which is probably true in most place in the US in general. I used to go with some Asian friends to China town in Boston and if I went to those same places by my self I would get foods that were toned down versus what I would get when the waiters knew they were making things for people that knew what the food was supposed to taste like. So no it shouldn't be a surprise that a place like Disney is going to err on the side of caution in their recipes.