Flying Dinner Rolls

On recent visits to Walt Disney World, we’ve been stopping in on a lot of lounges, at least it seems that way to us. Of course, with their great drinks and meals, I don’t see us stopping our visits anytime soon, just as I don’t foresee Disney halting the creation of excellent lounges. Today, we’re taking another bite out of the Hollywood Brown Derby Lounge. Specifically, we’re sampling the Steamed Pulled Pork Buns.

These buns are a mix of west meets southwest meets east. Seriously, just consider the description of the Steamed Pulled Pork Buns that include green tomatillo and habanero sauce and pickled onions, and which comes paired with a side of slaw. You have the buns which have a distinctly Asian flare coupled with a southwest type pepper sauce. While pulled pork is a barbecue staple across the country, when it is paired with slaw it because distinctly Carolina. But let’s get down to brass tacks, how does it taste?

This is another example of Disney’s chefs using heat in a building manner. The first bite has that little sting from the pickled onions, not the mention the grilled onions on top, and a bit of smoky sweetness from the pulled pork. With each bite, however, more and more of the heat from the tomatillo and habanero sauce shine through. It isn’t enough that you’ll break out into a flop sweat, but you’ll definitely be reaching for your beverage of choice to cool off! The buns themselves are pillowy and chewy, and are great for sopping up any of the escaping sauce. Because, let’s be honest, no matter the heat level, it’s tasty enough that you’re not going to want to let any of this sauce get away.

With the slaw, you can opt to heap it onto your steamed bun, or eat it separately. I choose to do a little from column A and a little from column B. It isn’t overly creamy, which can sometimes be a problem with coleslaw. Between the cabbage, carrots, and other offerings, it is crispy and light, complementing the dish however you choose to use it, while not stealing the show from the starring attraction.

The Hollywood Brown Derby Lounge regularly updates its menu. This was our second visit, and already there had been a few changes. That said, I’ve yet to find a bad bite on the menu. If the buns are available when you’re there, I highly recommend giving them a try, especially if you want something with some zippy heat. It may seem like throwing together such disparate ingredients might cause this dish to flounder, but instead it is definitely one you’ll remember in the best of ways!