REVIEW: New Pineapple Tres Leches Roulade Joins Returning Favorites at Paradise Garden Grill for Festival of Holidays 2021 at Disney California Adventure

Katie Francis

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REVIEW: New Pineapple Tres Leches Roulade Joins Returning Favorites at Paradise Garden Grill for Festival of Holidays 2021 at Disney California Adventure

Paradise Garden Grill is getting in on the Viva Navidad celebrations for the Festival of Holidays at Disney California Adventure. Many favorite dishes have returned, plus a new sweet dessert and tart cocktail.

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Menu for Paradise Garden Grill at Disney California Adventure Festival of Holidays/Viva Navidad 2021

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Food

  • Torta al Pastor – $12.49
  • Street-style Tacos – $13.99
  • Chile Relleno Plate – $12.49
  • 🆕 Pineapple Tres Leches Roulade – $5.99

Beverages

  • 🆕 Mescal Sour – $15
  • Red Sangria – $7.50
  • Dos Equis Lager – $9.75
  • Dos Equis Ambar – $9.75

Photos of Menu Items from Paradise Garden Grill at Disney California Adventure Festival of Holidays/Viva Navidad 2021

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Torta al Pastor – $12.49

Chorizo Beans, Pork Al Pastor, Cabbage, Guacamole, and Crema on a soft Telera Roll, served with Tortilla Chips and Molcajete Salsa

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This was the “best in show” for the restaurant. With so many flavors, it was almost hard to describe. The pork al pastor brings hearty chunks of meat, the guacamole and crema cool it, the crunchy cabbage surprises, and the perfectly toasted roll holds it all together. But the surprise star is the chorizo beans, which brought a very unexpected burst of flavor without being so overpowering that it upstages the other ingredients. A very well-balanced, unique sandwich. This is one of the better sandwiches in either park at any time, so it’s definitely one to get before the festival ends.

House-made Pozole – $11.99

Mild Red Chile and Pork Stew with Hominy, topped with Shredded Cabbage, Onions, Radish, Lime, and Oregano served with Tortilla Chips

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The pozole is a hearty dish to warm you on a winter’s day. The rich spiced broth isn’t too oily, a common problem with this dish at many restaurants. The cabbage is fresh and slightly crunchy, bringing an earthy bite to the soup. And the pork is tender and flavorful but not overly abundant. This is a solid option for any lunchtime stopover.

Street-style Tacos – $13.99

three Corn Tortilla Tacos filled with Carne Asada, Carnitas and Chicken with White Onion and fresh Cilantro, served with Spanish Rice and Black Beans topped with Queso Blanco

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You get three tacos: one each of chicken, carnitas, and carne asada. The carnitas has been great at the rest of the festival, but it pales in comparison when put next to this chicken and carne asada. The carne asada is slightly spicy and very flavorful. But the chicken is the biggest standout of the three. It was simply delicious, with a slight citrus twang that is hard to put one’s finger on. As they are street-style tacos, they are small, without much meat is in each one. With how good these were, we wished for a few more tacos. The frijoles and rice are pretty standard fare, and as always, pair well with the tacos.

Chile Relleno Plate (Plant-based) – $12.49

Roasted Poblano, stuffed with Vegetable Stew, topped with Roasted Tomato Sauce and Tofu Crema served with Spanish Rice and Black Beans

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Seeing as Chile Rellenos are usually stuffed with cheese, this one is slightly different than normal. It is stuffed with vegetable stew and drizzled with a tofu crema, with dairy-free cheese on top of the beans. The flavor is amazing, but it does devolve into a bit of a mess. The roasted tomato salsa hits the high note, giving the veggie-heavy dish a charred and acidic flair. The vegetable stew is okay, probably not bad on its own, but it doesn’t go well with the dish. The zucchini is a bit mushy, but the corn and beans are a welcome pop of color and sweetness. The side of beans is topped with dairy-free cheese, which tastes like what an alien might come up with if we described cheese to them. It’s is off-putting, and the beans would be better without it. All in all, not a bad dish but not the best thing on the menu.

*NEW* Pineapple Tres Leches Roulade – $5.99

Vanilla Sponge Cake with layers of Pineapple Filling with Cinnamon Buttercream, finished with White Chocolate Mousse and Tres Leches Soak

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This is really good, maybe the best of the fest. Super sweet, very pineapple forward, and moist. The leches sauce that the cake is floating in soaks up into the cake bread and makes for a creamy and delicious treat. This is a treat that we’ll be getting again.

*NEW* Mezcal Sour – $15

Mezcal with Pineapple and Lime Juices garnished with a Chili-Lime Pineapple Spear

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The smoky mezcal and salty Tajin dominate this drink. The pineapple juice is almost lost among the other flavors. But somehow, the drink feels like it’s not packing as much of a punch as one might expect. The flavors dissipate on the tongue rather quickly. Not a bad drink by any means, but a splash of Pisco or maybe fresh lime juice would do this a world of good.

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