If you’re in Orlando this weekend and looking for the most authentic St. Patrick’s Day party this side of Ireland, you’re in luck. The Mighty St. Patrick’s Festival is kicking off at Raglan Road in Disney Springs starting today, March 15th and running thru Sunday, March 17th. We were invited to preview the festival to sample a bit of the flair they’ll be serving up, and they don’t play around at this place. it’s a three day festival and you’re going to need every minute of it to soak in the flavors, the sounds, the drinks and the fun they offer.
Throughout the weekend you’ll be able to experience a rotating roster of world class live music, singing, and dancing that will be taking place all over the pub, both inside and outside on their patio. The entertainment kicks off at 3pm on the 15th and runs until 1am. On the 16th and 17th, the event starts at 11am and runs until 1am. For us, it’s always the ideal go-to spot for late night drinks to unwind after a long day at the parks, or just for a night out with friends. It never fails. There’s also complimentary face painting for the kids and big kids in all of us on March 15th from 3pm until 9pm and March 16-17 from 10am until 8pm and if you need some Irish attire, there’s a shop attached to the pub which has you covered.
One of the perks about Raglan Road is their expansive selection of craft beer and cocktails. We started off with a couple of drinks. Carise had their take on the gin and tonic called The Pride of the Peninsula which was made up of Dingle Irish Gin, Fever Tree Elderflower Tonic, fresh lime, cucumber and mint. I enjoyed a refreshing ice cold Brehon Blonde which is golden pale ale.
After we grabbed our drinks the food tour began! The chef’s whipped up an incredible spread for us to sample and even created some of vegan dishes for Carise to enjoy. First up was the Hog in the Box; a slow roasted pork shoulder with baby potatoes, sage and sweet onion stuffing (which was ridiculously flavorful) caramelized onions and apple sauce garnished with pork crackling.
The second dish presented was a special preview of a new item coming to their Cookes of Dublin menu later this year; Mini Chicken Sliders. This was a pure home-run for me and I absolutely cannot wait for this to hit the menu. While it sounds traditional, it packed flavor that puts all those other famous chicken joints to shame. Its a juicy crispy breaded chicken breast with bacon jam and pickled onions served up on a miniature bun.
Another famous item is their fish and chips, which is always a knockout. The beer batter fish is always juicy and full and the chips are always served up crispy on the outside and fluffy once you bite into them. While I’m not a fan of tartar sauce, theirs is freshly made in house and it’s a favorite of all who try it.
Carise enjoyed the Raglan Risotto - a dished packed full of savory flavors that they were able to modify to be vegan-friendly. It’s a butternut squash risotto with shiitake mushrooms, parmesan cheese, peas and macro greens and parmesan crisps. For a full review of the vegan offerings, click HERE to check out Vegan Disney Food’s take aways.
Modified vegan Raglan Risotto
For the last dish, they served up a taste of their Gnocchi Sea Gnocchi Do. It’s full of pan seared Georges bank scallops, homemade potato gnocchi, crispy pork belly, tomatoes and kale in a white wine butter sauce.
Onto the sweets! My personal favorite of theirs is Ger’s Bread and Butter Pudding and new to me was their fluffy lemon clouds which was a lemon curd tart topped with fluffy meringue.
On any average day, Raglan Road is a powerhouse of food and entertainment, and at night it’s one of - if not THE most enjoyable spots to grab a drink and catch some live performances. It’s also where Carise and I closed out our very first date six years ago so we’re quite fond of this place but that’s not the only reason we keep coming back. Within Orlando it’s not hard to find authentic flavors of Irish flair but nobody does it as flawlessly, flavorful, or as intimately as Raglan Road
Be sure to check out the Mighty Festival this St. Patricks Day Weekend at Raglan Road. Admission is free during the event however, there will be $10 cover on Sunday March 17th. For reservations during the festival, you can call them 407-938-0300 For more information and show schedules, be sure to check out the official Raglan Road website, raglanroad.com
To keep up with our foxy adventures, follow us on Instagram and Facebook and subscribe to our YouTube channel!