3. Shiriki Noodle Salad at Jungle Navigation Co. Skipper Canteen (Magic Kingdom)

Image: Jett Farrell-Vega (@mykingdomforamouse Instagram)

It’s no secret that we have a soft spot for Magic Kingdom’s quirky Adventureland restaurant, Jungle Navigation Co. Skipper Canteen. While a large part of the charm of this truly unique mess hall remains its hilarious wait staff (many of whom are off duty Jungle Cruise skippers), the food is a serious contender for Magic Kingdom table service dining. In proper form for Adventureland, Jungle Navigation offers a wide range of off-kilter choices on its menu, but one of our frequent favorites remains the Shiriki Noodle Salad.

The concept for the salad is simple enough: chilled rice noodles, mushrooms, edamame, cucumber, and green mango tossed in sweet chili sauce. Trivia fans might catch the clever reference to Tokyo DisneySea’s Hotel Hightower (aka The Tower of Terror) in the menu description. I’m not certain if it’s the sauce or the blend of ingredients, but the resulting dish is flavorful and wonderfully refreshing on a hot Florida day. The rice noodles may not be to the liking of all diners, but if you enjoy healthy eats on the adventurous side, definitely give the Shiriki Noodle Salad a try. You might even get to enjoy the restaurant’s majestic views of the backside of water and the Great Wall of China.

It never gets old… (Image: Jett Farrell-Vega)

4. Curry Pods at Satul’i Canteen (Disney’s Animal Kingdom, World of Pandora)

Image: Jett Farrell-Vega

Satul’i Canteen (yeah, Disney’s Imagineers have a thing for “canteens” lately) has quickly become one of our favorite counter service locations in Disney’s Animal Kingdom. This delightfully geeky restaurant takes a fun sci-fi twist on the same concept as your neighborhood noodle/rice bowl stop, giving all the dishes an immersive, alien feel that allows viewers to taste some of the famed cuisine of Pandora. While most of the attention goes to the restaurant’s delicious bowls and wacky-looking desserts, you’ll be missing out if you don’t try the canteen’s savory steamed “pod” bao buns.

Satul’i Canteen offers two varieties. Most guests seem to lean towards the Cheeseburger Steamed Pods, which many visitors say taste astonishingly close to a McDonalds cheeseburger. If you’re looking for something zestier, I recommend the Vegetable Curry Steamed Pods. Spicy and flavorful, the curry pods take the best parts of a vegetable samosa and put them in a soft, tasty package that just screams the-Navi-would-approve. Visitors can either get the pods as a smaller side portion or as a full meal. If you like spices and curry, don’t miss them.

5. Liquid Nitro Almond Truffle from The Chocolate Studio (Epcot Food and Wine Festival)

Image: Jett Farrell-Vega

With an ever-changing menu, it is difficult to predict what dishes will be available each year at Epcot’s Annual Food and Wine Festival. However, Disney has shown a pattern of bringing back certain visitor favorites year after year. With the festival now lasting longer than ever (throughout nearly the entirety of fall), we felt confident to include one of our favorite desserts from the festival the last few years: the Liquid Nitro Almond Truffle with Warm Whiskey Caramel from The Chocolate Studio (and oh what a tasty mouthful it is).

I will admit, the Liquid Nitro Truffle is not one of Disney’s prettiest desserts. Actually, in most honest photos, it looks downright awful. If aesthetics are important to you, you might be a little upset when they hand you yours. Don’t panic. The Nitro Truffle might be the ugliest-yet-most-delicious dessert in all of Walt Disney World.

The consistency is vaguely similar to a cross between ice cream and merengue. The chocolate flavor is rich and the texture pleasantly complex, making each bite something of a surprise. Don’t get too excited about the whiskey part, but the caramel and almonds still add a nice note to the dish. A dip in liquid nitrogen gives the whole thing both an airiness and keeps it nice and cold for a toasty day. The Liquid Nitro Almond Truffle has been a festival hit for more than four years, so it’s a good guess that Disney will keep this guest favorite on the menu for the long term.

What is your favorite unusual dish at Walt Disney World?