ORLANDO, Fla. — The menu expansion plan for SeaWorld Orlando’s Seven Seas Food Festival included something for everyone in 2021, says chef Heberto Segura.
“You’ve got to look at the numbers and see what did well before. One of the things we saw is a combination of people wanting a lot of comfort, but at the same time, a lot of people wanting to venture out and kind of do a little bit of exploration,” he said.
“We wanted to make sure that everyone felt taken care of,” he said. “We wanted to have things that people will recognize like your nice tempura shrimp, but we wanted to make sure that we kind of brought something new to the table and that’s why we made a nice uni sea urchin aioli to go with that.”
Some menu items are comforting, but with a twist, Segura said. Two choices are white chocolate raspberry cheesecake that’s served in a waffle cone and macaroni and cheese with lobster.
“It’s available in a very relaxed environment. It’s one of those items that you’re probably going to find in a very high-end restaurant,” he said.
SeaWorld says there are more than 200 food and drink items available during the festival, and more than 60 of those marked as new in the event guide. “The jackfruit slider is delicious,” Segura said. “The goat cheese croquettes are one of the biggest hits … and I will say the pork belly is definitely a must.”
Among the other new eats at the festival are crispy Florida cracked conch, brisket totchos, Korean BBQ lamb ribs, cheddar hush puppies and drunken shrimp tostadas.
New drinks include five specialty cocktails sold at the Fintastic Cocktails stand. They are served in pouches that fit on lanyards. There’s an animal theme in the naming, including puffin punch, monkey around and manta margarita. More than one person said, “It’s like Capri Sun … for adults.”
Other fest notes
For the first time, Seven Seas is running all Fridays along with the Saturday-Sunday schedule.
—SeaWorld has added Mardi Gras elements — including a pop-up parade, jazz band and street party — into the mix for a limited time. That will end Sunday.
—The food stands are sprinkled across the theme park, but not along the Bayside Stadium pathway, where many holiday events are held.
—The concert schedule leans more into tribute artists than before, but country stars are included. Music is planned for every event night, but there are still slots to be announced. Check seaworldorlando.com for the latest info.
—Some park visitors may see test runs of the Ice Breaker roller coaster, which is scheduled to open this year. The orange-railed ride is set on the edge of the lagoon between Bayside Stadium and Shamu Stadium.
—Entertainment is included in regular admission to SeaWorld. Food and drink can be purchased individually or via a sampling lanyard that allows multiple eats. The kiosks open at 11:30 a.m.
—SeaWorld continues to require date-specific reservations, which can be made at seaworldorlando.com. Face coverings and temperature screenings also are required.
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