Pixar Fest is here at Disney California Adventure, and with it is a wide selection of new, themed food and beverage options. We reviewed them all, with the exception of Lamplight Lounge.
Pixar Fest Food at Disney California Adventure
Boardwalk Pizza & Pasta
Food:
Birria Pizza – $9.49
*NEW* Birria Pizza inspired by “Coco” – $9.49
Birria with mozzarella cheese, onions & cilantro, tomatillo salsa, radishes, limes, and consomé
Rating out of 7: 2
This is the saltiest slice of pizza we’ve ever had. To add to the insult, the cheese is very low quality. The beef is phenomenal, moist, and tender with a smoky flavor. The problem is that the pizza is terrible. The crust and cheese are both too thick and it tastes like we dumped a salt shaker into our mouths.
Cozy Cone Motel
Food:
- Junkyard Jamboree Churro – $6.79
- Luigi & Guido Cone – $10.99
*NEW* Junkyard Jamboree Churro – $6.79 (Cozy Cone #1)
Chocolate-Espresso Sugar-dusted Churro with Chocolate Engine Oil Sauce, topped with Assorted Candy Parts
Rating out of 7: 2
We’re unsure why they chose to top it with only yellow M&Ms. We don’t think this is good and find it to be a weird combination overall. It tastes like coffee grounds on a churro, and the gummy worms don’t work at all here. For a resort known for its churros, this is super disappointing. The “oil” sauce is supposed to be chocolate, but it looks and tastes like oil.
*NEW* Luigi & Guido Cone – $9.99 (Cozy Cone #3)
Cheese tortellini, pomodoro sauce, and mozzarella topped with basil panko and served in a bread cone
Rating out of 7: 1
The smell of this cone reminds us of a Sbarro. The pasta isn’t horrendous, but we don’t recommend it. However, it could be worse. It’s edible but very low quality. It’s a shame because the regular cone offered here is fantastic. The cone itself is somewhat chemical in taste. This dish deserves a single point because it’s edible, but we insist you avoid this.
Clarabelle’s Hand-Scooped Ice Cream
Food:
- Adventure is Out There! Sundae – $9.29
*NEW* Adventure is Out There! Sundae inspired by “Up” – $9.29
Vanilla Ice Cream, Hot Fudge, Whipped Cream, and a Candied Balloon in a Waffle Cup
Rating out of 7: 3
The candied balloons on our sundae were too heavy and fell off. They, and the bowties, are just made of sugar. It takes a cute-ish picture, but it’s just vanilla ice cream, hot fudge, and whipped cream. It’s nothing special.
Flo’s V8 Cafe
Food:
- Dinoco Blue Cheeseburger – $15.99
- Racing Radial Cake – $7.29
*NEW* Dinoco Blue Cheeseburger – $15.99
Angus Beef & Mushroom Patty with Blueberry Compote, Blue Cheese Crumbles, Red Onion, Bacon, Tomato, Arugula, and Lemon Aioli, served with Cuties® Mandarin Oranges or Steak Fries
Rating out of 7: 7
This is phenomenal. You absolutely taste the mushroom coming through with the beef in the patty. There’s so much going on, but it’s a perfect mix. It’s pretty complex for a theme park hamburger. The blueberry compote has a balsamic flavor, and the bun is soft and buttery. Flo’s steak fries are always great, too.
*NEW* Racing Radial Cake – $7.29
Chocolate Cake filled with Red Cheesecake, covered in Dark Chocolate Glaze with a Silver Stripe
Rating out of 7: 6
This is served cold. It’s a ring-shaped cake, and the cheesecake fills the center. It’s very rich, and the small amount is just right to distribute with the moist, chocolatey cake. Some might find this a bit basic, but its cute presentation gets a lot of points from us.
Hollywood Lounge
Food:
- Ramone Nachos – $12.99
Beverages:
- Motorama Girl – $18
*NEW* Ramone Nachos inspired by “Cars” – $12.99
Tortilla Chips topped with Grilled Chicken, Queso Blanco, Refried Beans, Pico de Gallo, Salsa Verde, Cotija, Serrano Peppers and Radishes
Rating out of 7: 5
These nachos are good. The chicken has a smoky flavor, and they’re tender and juicy. The chips are nice and thick and not oversalted, with a nice crunch. The cheese is perfect, but we wish there had been more. The salsa verde is thicker and greener than what we’ve had elsewhere. This is what we would want to be served with a beer or cocktails.
Motorama Girl inspired by “Cars” – $18
Vodka, Rum, Blue Curacao and Pineapple Cocktail
Rating out of 7: 6
Named for the group that Flo was once a part of, the Motorama Girl is a good frozen cocktail and is exactly what you think it is. We think it’s much more drinkable and a better value than the Blue Raspberry Lemonade Cocktail from Smokejumpers Grill. This is still a little expensive, but if you want a refreshing alcoholic beverage for the summer and you’re willing to spend the money, this is a good option.
Magic Key Terrace
Food:
- Luca Seafood Pasta – $32
*NEW* Luca Seafood Pasta – $32
Grilled prawns, clams, Spanish chorizo, spicy white wine tomato sauce, pappardelle pasta, mustard frills, and charred lemon half
Rating out of 7: 7
The sauce is excellent, really rich and creamy, and nicely seasoned. The pasta is cooked perfectly, really soft, and soaks up the sauce beautifully. The shrimp is also perfect — not fishy, nice and tender, juicy. You’re really going to need to like seafood for this, but we highly recommend it.
Recuerdame at Paradise Garden Grill
Food:
- Carnitas Wet Burrito – $13.99
- Al Pastor Tacos – $13.99
- Huarache – $12.99
- Street-style Watermelon – $6.99
- Chile Verde Chicken Flautas – $13.99
- Red Velvet Tres Leches Parfait – $7.49
Beverages:
- Watermelon Candy Cocktail – $18
*NEW* Carnitas Wet Burrito – $13.99
House-made Pork Carnitas, Spanish Rice, Refried Beans, Cilantro, Onions, Salsa Verde, and Salsa Roja, served with House-made Tortilla Chips
Rating out of 7: 1
These are giant, heavy entrees, definitely not for snacking. The salsa roja is spicy. Quality-wise, it’s not a great burrito. The tortilla is overly doughy and there’s not a lot going on inside. All we get from this dish is dough and refried beans. The salsa verde also offers a nice spice and flavor. The included tortilla chips are quite basic.
Others in our group enjoyed the burrito and rated it a 2 or 3. After a second try, the pork inside is decent. It goes a long way but we really did not like the refried beans.
*NEW* Al Pastor Tacos – $13.99
Pineapple-Achiote-marinated Pork Tacos with Avocado Spread, Tomatillo Salsa, served with Spanish Rice and Refried Beans
Rating out of 7: 3
These looked very good. The pineapple-achiote marinade gives this a nice citrusy kick on the back end. The pork is excellent. The tortillas are a little chalky. We wish there was more going on with this dish, but the tomatillo salsa helps a lot. Overall, these are just okay.
*NEW* Huarache – $12.99
with Soy-based Chorizo Beans and Seasoned Steak Tips, topped with Lettuce, Cheese, Avocado Crema, and Tomatillo Salsa, served with Spanish Rice and Refried Beans topped with Nopales Pico de Gallo
Rating out of 7: 2
This is so dense and chewy; not the consistency you want underneath all of the toppings. It’s all incohesive. The different elements don’t work together here; we can’t taste the mushrooms at all. The avocado crema is overwhelming, and you get just a hint of spice from the tomatillo salsa.
Street-style Watermelon – $6.99
with Lime Juice, Chile-Lime Seasoning and Chamoy
Rating out of 7: 5
This is good. Nothing crazy, and we think you could make this at home (or on the street). This is a large portion for the cost. It’s well-seasoned, the citrus of the lime is nice, and the seasoning adds a nice spice. The watermelon is also fresh. This will be a refreshing snack in the summer months. However, it’s pretty basic overall.
Chile Verde Chicken Flautas – $13.99
topped with Avocado Spread, Shredded Lettuce, Crema, Queso Fresco, Tomatillo Salsa, and Pickled Onions, served with Spanish Rice and Refried Beans
Rating out of 7: 6
This is very good. The chicken is moist, tender, perfectly cooked, and nicely seasoned. The creaminess of the avocado with the crunch of the deep-fried tortilla and the lettuce. It’s really well done. Our one note would be that it feels like it’s missing something, though we’re unsure of exactly what. The rice and refried beans are pretty standard.
*NEW* Red Velvet Tres Leches Parfait – $7.49
topped with Churro Crunch and Pink Cinnamon Mousse, finished with Green Pearls, Orange Mousse and Chocolate Skull Decoration
Rating out of 7: 6
This is deadly. We’re not sure if we could eat the whole thing without sharing. The red velvet at the bottom is phenomenal. We love the churro crunch layer; it’s very cinnamon-y. The pink mousse has a hint of cinnamon but mostly tastes like cheesecake. It’s very rich; we recommend you share it.
Watermelon Candy Cocktail – $18
Tequila, Watermelon Schnapps, and Pineapple Juice with a Chamoy and Chile-Lime seasoned Rim
Rating out of 7: 4
This is very sugar-forward with the same artificial watermelon taste as most candies. The alcohol was undetectable, and it quickly became too sweet to enjoy.
Schmoozies!
Food:
- Shake 2319 – $9.79
*NEW* Shake 2319 inspired by “Monsters, Inc.” – $9.79
Vanilla, Orange, Guava, and Pineapple Shake with Shaved Coconut, Whipped Topping, and an Orange Cone
Rating out of 7: 6
Schmoozies! shakes always look beautiful and hold up for a while if you want to take photos. This one is very thick. Pineapple and orange are the most prominent flavors, but you can taste all of the individual advertised flavors as well. It’s very citrusy but not too tart, and nice and creamy. This shake is very very good, and a good value.
Smokejumpers Grill
Beverages:
- Blue Raspberry Lemonade – $12.19
- Blue Raspberry Lemonade Cocktail – $22.50
*NEW* Blue Raspberry Lemonade – $12.19
Blue Raspberry Lemonade in an Orange Sugar-rimmed Cup with a Glow Cube
Rating out of 7: 0
Syrupy, sticky, sweet lemonade for nearly twelve dollars — this is nonsense. Do not waste your money on these.
*NEW* Blue Raspberry Lemonade Cocktail – $22.50
Blue Raspberry Lemonade with Tequila and a Glow Cube
Rating out of 7: 0
It’s sizeable, but the price is absurd. It’s sticky and tart, heavy on the syrup. You can definitely taste the tequila. Not awful but we feel like we can make this at home.
Sonoma Terrace
Food:
- Pesto Chicken Handheld Pie – $10
*NEW* Pesto Chicken Handheld Pie inspired by “Toy Story” – $10
Puff Pastry filled with Grilled Chicken, Pesto Ricotta & Mozzarella Blend, and Caramelized Onions, served with a Spicy Marinara Dipping Sauce
Rating out of 7: 2
This isn’t bad. The pastry itself is quite good — buttery and flaky with a nice crunch. The cheese could be higher quality, but it’s pretty solid. The same goes for the chicken. We didn’t like the marinara sauce. It’s got a nice spice but doesn’t taste very good otherwise. We’re unsure who this is for (or how it’s inspired by Toy Story).
Churros at Hollywood Land
Food:
- Multicolored Churro inspired by “Monsters, Inc.” – $7.25
*NEW* Multicolored Churro inspired by “Monsters, Inc.” – $7.25
Classic churro dusted with multicolored sugar and topped with white cherry drizzle
Rating out of 7: 3
This is pretty simple as far as churros go, and even though it’s called “multicolored,” the colors are limited to blue and white. It’s an interesting flavor combination with the sourness of the glaze and the cinnamon sugar of the churro. If you’re a big white cherry flavor fan, you’ll like this just fine. It wasn’t for us, though.
Churros near Goofy’s Sky School
Food:
- Mr. Potato Head Churro – $7.25
*NEW* Mr. Potato Head Churro – $7.25
topped with crushed potato chips and a chocolate drizzle
Rating out of 7: 7
Based on the name, we were excited about this churro, but presentation-wise, it’s a little disappointing. However, this is really good! The churro is hot and so fresh — crunchy on the outside, soft inside. The chocolate sauce brings just a bit of sweetness that hits just right against the saltiness of the chips.
Outdoor Vending Carts
Food:
- Loaded Carnitas Pretzel Bites – $7.75
Loaded Carnitas Pretzel Bites inspired by “Coco” – $7.75
with cheese sauce, salsa verde, cilantro, and onion
Rating out of 7: 5
The pretzels are doughy and good, but the meat is flavorless. The salsa verde adds a nice kick, but overall, the dish doesn’t quite come together.
Pixar Fest runs now through August 4, 2024 at Disneyland Resort.
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