Coaster101 Review: 2019 Kings Dominion Grand Carnivale Food

Kings Dominion’s Grand Carnivale, in addition to being an outstanding entertainment addition to the park this season, also provides an international smorgasbord of different menu items from the five countries represented: Italy, China, India, Germany and France.

The best way to experience the culinary delights of Grand Carnivale is to purchase a tasting card for $30, which includes 6 “tastes” of your choosing. (With a per item price of $6.99, you’re saving about $2 per taste or $12 total, which is a fantastic deal!)

Though I did not get to try everything at Grand Carnivale – the portion sizes are pretty incredible for a food festival event! I made my way around to several countries and tried a few of their menu items, and in true CPFoodBlog fashion, I am here to provide you a quick and informative review.

Crepe Monsieur (France)

Admittedly, I might have made a slight mistake going with this crepe as my first taste, because it was extremely filling. The crepe was light and fluffy, and the ham, gruyere cheese, and bechamel sauce inside were a perfect flavor combination.

The crepe is served in a cardboard cone, which has multiple perforated lines for you to remove the outer casing while enjoying the crepe. I did not heed this warning, and proceeded to remove the crepe from the cardboard entirely. It got a little messy!

Tandoori Chicken Tacos (India)

From the India Booth, the Tandoori Chicken Tacos came highly recommended from everyone I spoke to. Unfortunately for me, when I visited the India booth, they were temporarily out of the radish and cilantro that were to be served with the taco. Not a problem for me, as they were still delicious.

The naan bread was soft, the chicken had a perfect amount of spice for someone who does not necessarily “do” spicy food, and it was cooled off perfectly by the yogurt sauce. If this had been served with cilantro and radish, it might have been my favorite “taste” of the night!

Szechuan Beef Bao Bun (China)

What actually proved to be my favorite “taste” of the night was the Szechuan Beef Bao Bun from the China booth. The flavors in this taste blended together effortlessly, and I wish that there was a place at Kings Dominion to purchase these buns year round.

Coming two to an order, the buns were also very filling, which added to my overall enjoyment of them. The Gochujang glazed short rib had a fantastic flavor that some how managed to be both savory and sweet. The pickled cabbage provided a nice crunch. It all worked together great.

Emperor’s Chinese Spare Ribs (China)

The Spare Ribs from China were also outstanding. The ribs were tender, and were coated with a sweet and sticky chili sauce. You could have put that sauce on anything at Grand Carnivale, and it would have improved the dish immensely.

With a serving of two ribs, there was some pretty good value in the “taste,” but I will warn you to grab an extra napkin or three. You are going to need it!

Mama’s Meatballs (Italy)

Maybe the “biggest” bang for your buck were Mama’s Meatballs from Italy. The meatballs had a great flavor with the “gravy” they were covered in, but not only were the flavors large, the meatballs themselves were enormous.

Like the Bao Buns, they were served two to an order, and honestly would be enough to split. They meatballs were served somewhat open-face on a piece of garlic bread that was soft and flavorful as well.

Roman Suppli (Italy)

I tried the Roman Suppli at the urging of Carowinds’ Executive Chef Kris Siuta, who told me earlier in the day that they were as authentic as you could be without someone from Italy actually making them. They were outstanding! To me, it reminded me a little bit of a cross between a hush puppy and a mozzarella stick.

The suppli are served three to an order with a side of red sauce for dipping. Honestly, I did not even need the sauce. The Suppli were perfect on their own, soft and flavorful. I would definitely get these again if given the chance.

Berry Citrus Twist

Grand Carnivale’s “non-alcoholic” specialty drink, the Berry Citrus twist reminded me a little bit of a slightly watered down Strawberry or Raspberry Lemonade. With the evening temperatures being a little on the warm side, the Berry Citrus Twist was perfect for quenching your thirst on a hot summer night.

Cocktail Carnivale

For those 21 and older who are looking for specialty cocktail at Grand Carnivale, look no further than the Cocktail Carnivale. The drink blended vodka, blue curacao, and Midori melon liqueur over ice into a beverage that was very green, and very delicious. I was contemplating drinking more than one, but knew I would drink it way too fast!