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It’s officially Carnival Season in New Orleans, Louisiana, which means it’s time to celebrate Mardi Gras at Universal Studios Florida! Did you know Universal’s Mardi Gras is the largest food festival at Universal Orlando Resort? From now through April 24, 2022, guests can let the good times roll with a celebration of flavors inspired by the Bayou State. In addition to Mardi Gras-inspired eats, Universal Studios Florida has brought back parades and concerts for this 2022 season! Universal’s Mardi Gras is included with standard park admission, so if you’re visiting between now and April 24, 2022, be sure to add this experience to your must-do list.
As both food-lovers and Mardi Gras enthusiasts, we were there for the first day of Universal’s Mardi Gras and we made it our mission to try everything they had to offer this year. Follow along with us as we share our thoughts on each eat, sweet, and sip found for Carnival Season 2022.
The New Orleans: Planet Mardi Gras booths at Universal’s Mardi Gras 2022 have two locations: Gramercy Park (opposite Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon) and Battery Park (across from Mel’s Drive-in).
King Cake is a Mardi Gras staple in New Orleans and at Universal’s Mardi Gras 2022 it lives up to its name. A king cake is essentially a cinnamon roll topped with icing and purple, green, and gold sanding sugar. (Purple, green, and gold represent justice, faith, and power.)
This sweet treat resembles a MoonPie, a pretty popular throw at Mardi Gras parades during Carnival Season. The Mardi Gras Marshmallow Pie is a dessert sandwich of graham cracker cookies filled with freshly made marshmallow covered in chocolate and topped with festive, Mardi Gras sprinkles.
We couldn’t resist trying this Mardi Gras classic again this year. We give these little bites of heaven a top score because they are no less than perfection. Something about that decadent powdered sugar atop pillowy, fried dough just keeps us coming back for more. A must-have NOLA treat! Beignets are a Vegan option at Universal’s Mardi Gras 2022.
Price: $7.00 (9 oz.), $13.00 (12 oz. Souvenir), $8.00 (Refill)
This drink is a twist on a New Orleans staple, the Hurricane. A Category 5 Punch is made with Myers’s Dark Rum, Cruzan Aged Dark Rum, passion fruit purée, orange and lime juice, grenadine, agave nectar. This pairs well with many of the food offerings at Universal’s Mardi Gras, it’s smooth and delicious, with fruity, tropical flavors.
This next bite is a Universal classic. Flash fried ribbon potato thinly sliced and skewered, it’s salty and savory, and it’s a favorite at Universal Orlando Resort all year round! Cajun Twisted Tater is both Gluten Free and Vegan.
This item brings together the flavors of a Nathan’s Famous foot-long and a Cajun Twisted Tater. We didn’t find that the Cajun seasoning had a big presence for the Cajun Twisted Frank, so if you were worried about it being too spicy that won’t be a concern. A Cajun Twisted Frank is Gluten Free.
Price: $6.00 (9 oz.), $13.00 (12 oz. Souvenir), $8.00 (Refill)
A New Twist on Taters is made with Old Forester Bourbon, Gran Gala Orange Liqueur, brown sugar sweet potato syrup, Mexican Chocolate Bitters, and lemon juice. For our video, we took artistic liberty and garnished the drink with a piece of our Cajun Twisted Tater. This drink is meant to be a twist on an Old Fashioned, and we found it to be a tropical twist on an Old Fashioned. The Mexican Chocolate Bitters are very complementary to the Old Forester Bourbon, and the Gran Gala Orange Liqueur definitely comes out in this drink as a highlight.
Enjoy a flash-fried ribbon thinly sliced Cajun Twisted Tater stuffed with a Nathan’s Famous foot-long and topped with Chorizo Queso. The queso from this item finally brought that spice we were looking for in the Cajun Twisted Frank. We would definitely recommend this over the Cajun Twisted Frank without the Chorizo Queso!
This sandwich is new to Universal’s Mardi Gras lineup. It features blackened chicken thigh, Cajun mayo, lettuce, tomato, and pickle all served on a French Quarter baguette. The Blackened Chicken Po’ Boy was a favorite for the day with its tender and flavorful chicken. All of the ingredients complimented each other well and the kettle chips served on the side were a great pairing. We will definitely order this again before the end of Universal’s Mardi Gras season!
Gumbo is a New Orleans classic, which makes it a perfect addition to Universal’s Mardi Gras lineup. This gumbo is made with gulf shrimp, okra, bell peppers, and a roux based served over white rice. We found it to be flavorful, but not too spicy and the portion is great bang for your buck.
Muffalettas are a staple sandwich in Louisiana, so we were excited to see this offering at Universal’s Mardi Gras 2022. It features mortadella, salami, ham, mozzarella, provolone cheese, olive relish on a toasted sesame seed bun, garnished with okra, and served with kettle chips on the side. While this isn’t a sandwich we would normally go for, we love it for Carnival Season at Universal. We definitely recommend it if you’re visiting this year!
This classic New Orleans dish of mixed rice with andouille sausage, chicken, shrimp, tomatoes, and peppers, is garnished with a crawfish. We found this to have great flavor and while not overly spicy, it does have a cajun spice element to it. A staple of Universal’s Mardi Gras year after year, so we recommend it! Chicken & Andouille Sausage Jambalaya is Gluten Free.
The Crawfish & Shrimp Boil lives up to the Mardi Gras excitement this year like it always does! The presentation is fun and authentic to New Orleans in a “sack” just like you’d purchase your pounds of shrimp or crawfish to boil in Louisiana. The newspaper is also a fun nod to a traditional crawfish boil spread. We found that the crawfish and shrimp in the Crawfish & Shrimp Boil are much more flavorful than the crawfish garnish on the Chicken & Andouille Sausage Jambalaya. This boil also features andouille sausage, red bliss potatoes, and corn on the cob, just like boils in Louisiana.
This dish is also served as a Crawfish Boil or Shrimp Boil for $11.49 each, for those guests looking to sample just one or the other. These boils are all Gluten Free.
Price: $8.00 (9 oz.), $13.00 (12 oz. Souvenir), $8.00 (Refill)
This drink is made with Bacardi Superior Rum, Chartreuse Green Liqueur, Coco López Cream of Coconut, pineapple juice, lime juice, and fresh mint. This twist on the classic piña colada was pleasantly fruity and sweet, with a touch of herbal spice. We did find it enjoyable to sip on, but it wasn’t one of our top picks when we tried it last year.
Price: $6.00 (9 oz.), $11.00 (12 oz. Souvenir), $8.00 (Refill)
This may have been our favorite beer from last year’s event! With a light and refreshing taste, it was super easy to sip on and paired nicely with the Cajun-dusted foods we were sampling alongside it. The touch of raspberry is what made it exceptionally delicious – if you’re a fan of fruity beers, you’ll definitely want to try this one
Enjoy yucca fries with a chimichurri sauce to dip. The fries are tender and flavorful, and the chimichurri sauce pairs well with it. We thought it was a great snack!
The Italy booth at Universal’s Mardi Gras 2022 is located in the New York area of the park (Louie’s Italian Restaurant, Gelato Window).
Enjoy Italian meatballs topped with mozzarella cheese stuffed between two slices of Texas Garlic Toast. This sandwich is meaty and delicious! The flavors of cheese, meat, and sauce come together for a great combination. The Texas Garlic Toast adds a nice crunch, too!
This dish features fried risotto filled with tomato basil mascarpone and a spicy arrabiata sauce. We found this to be very creamy and the spice of the sauce lingers in the best way.
A cold and creamy cocktail of Cruzan Aged Dark Rum, Disaronno Amaretto, vanilla gelato and Coca-Cola. This drink is sweet and flavorful, with all four ingredients shining through to make it something special!
A crispy chicken thigh, red-eye gravy, garlic pickles on a warm buttermilk biscuit with a side of apple cider slaw. While the chicken wasn’t as tender as we were expecting, the biscuit was delicious and this is still a great choice for picky eaters visiting for Mardi Gras this year.
The Floribbean: Cape Canaveral booth at Universal’s Mardi Gras 2022 is located in the San Francisco area (next to Lombard’s Seafood and Grille).
A flavorful combination of pulled jerk jackfruit, blood orange creams, avocado, and yellow mole sauce on a flattened cornbread pancake. While we didn’t find this to be spectacular, it was still pretty good. The sweet corn flavor of the pancake mix nicely with the jackfruit and avocado and the cilantro on top adds a sweet spice flavor. The Sweet Corn Johnny Cake is a Vegan option.
A refreshing dish of poached shrimp, marinated radish, and blood orange sorbet. This ceviche is cool and refreshing, which will be great for those warmer days in the later months of Universal’s Mardi Gras season.
This treat features blueberry compote, basil mascarpone cream, and orange blossom honey all on a buttermilk biscuit. The berries added a tart flavor to what may normally be a sweet dish. The buttermilk biscuit is hearty, making this option great for sharing! The Buttermilk Lemon Blueberry Shortcakes are Vegan.
A flavorful combination of flash-fried conch served with grilled pineapple and a pineapple remoulade. These fritters resemble hush puppies, but are instead made with conch. We were really impressed with both the flavor and sizing of this dish. The pineapple is a great pair for the savory flavoring of the conch fritter itself. Conch Fritters held the title of one of our favorites for the day!
This treat features marinated strawberries, basil mascarpone cream, and orange blossom honey all on a buttermilk biscuit. The sweetness of the marinated strawberries really shine through in this dish, but we enjoyed it overall. The Buttermilk Strawberry Shortcakes are Vegan.
Price: $6.00 (9 oz.), $11.00 (12 oz. Souvenir), $8.00 (Refill)
This honey cream ale is light and easy to drink. It has a tart flavor to it and we would definitely order it again!
The Fusion: Machine Planet booth at Universal’s Mardi Gras 2022 is located on the London side of the bridge to Springfield, USA.
A savory take on a sweet, New Orleans classic. Cajun brown sugar-dusted beignets, stuffed with creamy crab dip and scallions. The crab dip tastes delicious within those fluffy beignets, making it another favorite from the day!
This treat features purple sweet potato ice cream in a matcha green tea bubble waffle, topped with marshmallows, toasted coconut, strawberry Pocky sticks, and popping candies. We were really excited to try this treat and it didn’t disappoint! This will be great for warmer days during Universal’s Mardi Gras season. The Ube Ice Cream Bubble Waffle was another favorite of the day for us!
This carnival-inspired treat features ube and matcha swirl soft-serve ice cream in a Belgian bubble waffle, topped with colorful Mardi Gras sprinkles and sweet corn Pocky sticks. Similar to the Ube Ice Cream Bubble Waffle, this will be another refreshing treat for warmer days at Mardi Gras this year! We were impressed with this offering and would definitely recommend it.
Price: $8.00 (9 oz.), $13.00 (12 oz. Souvenir), $8.00 (Refill)
This drink is made with Skrewball Peanut Butter Whiskey, Kahlúa, monin caramel, Mexican Chocolate Bitters, agave nectar, and ice coffee. We would describe this as a peanut butter iced coffee, which we really enjoyed! The whiskey flavor wasn’t too overpowering, which made for a smooth and delicious drink.
Price: $6.00 (9 oz.), $11.00 (12 oz. Souvenir), $8.00 (Refill)
Enjoy an espresso bean-infused chocolate peanut butter porter. If you love dark beers, you’re going to love this offering. While the peanut butter is more notable than the espresso, the espresso still isn’t absent from the drink. A great beer for a cloudy, Florida February day.
The India: Floral Planet booth at Universal’s Mardi Gras 2022 is located in Woody Woodpecker’s KidZone (near the entrance).
This dish features potato, pea and carrot samosas, served with green chutney. We really enjoyed this dish and its great texture. While it’s a more mild dish when it comes to spiciness, it was still flavorful. Potato, Pea and Carrot Samosas are Vegan.
Enjoy spiced chickpea curry, served with tomato and onion salad, basmati rice, and naan bread. This dish is topped with edible flowers which adds a fun and floral feel to it. This was another favorite dish for us and had a great portion size for the price! Chana Masala is a Vegan offering.
This dish features romanesco cauliflower florets and sweet potatoes, braised in a hot and sour broth, and served with basmati rice. The romanesco sauce is the star of this dish! Overall a great healthier option of Universal’s Mardi Gras season, and we really enjoyed it. The Vegetable Vindaloo is Vegan.
A chai-spiced vegan dessert bar with dark and white vegan chocolates. Perfect for a sweet break in your day during Universal’s Mardi Gras. The chai isn’t overwhelming and we thought it was a great dessert option.
Price: $8.00 (9 oz.), $13.00 (12 oz. Souvenir), $8.00 (Refill)
Enjoy a mix of Bacardi Superior Rum, agave nectar, lime juice, tropical green tea, and fresh mint. The agave adds a great sweetness and the mint isn’t overwhelming. The tropical green tea offsets the flavor of the rum, making it a very refreshing drink choice!
The Southeast Asia: Volcano Planet booths at Universal’s Mardi Gras 2022 are located in Woody Woodpecker’s KidZone (near the entrance).
This dish features shrimp, tofu, chicken, hard-boiled eggs, and Asian noodles in a spicy coconut curry broth. We would recommend this dish for Universal’s Mardi Gras goers! We enjoyed the flavors and were impressed by the portion size.
A meal of braised pork, Thai chili peppers, mustard greens, and cilantro in a soft griddled bun. The pork was great, very flavorful. We don’t feel the portion size for the price is as worthwhile as some of the other dishes we tried.
Enjoy crispy roasted potatoes with salsa bravas, garlic aioli, and parsley. If you aren’t a fan of spicy food, we wouldn’t recommend this dish for you. Other than that, we really enjoyed the flavors and the size of the portion for this dish!
This dish features roasted butternut squash, pumpkin seeds, pebre salsa, and cilantro. While we did enjoy the flavors, it wasn’t anything spectacular in comparison to other items we tried. Savory Sopaipilla is a Vegan offering.
The Brazil booth at Universal’s Mardi Gras 2022 is located in Hollywood (Cafe La Bamba patio).
Enjoy guava and cheese-filled pastry bites. This dessert is sweet, but not too rich. A perfect balance of guava and cheese on the inside. We enjoyed it!
This item is made with crispy pulled chicken in teardrop fritters. The breading is great and it’s a very flavorful offering. We enjoyed this, but it’s definitely not as much bang for your buck as other items around Universal’s Mardi Gras event this year.
Simply a tender beef-filled crispy rissole. We were underwhelmed by this dish. Not much flavor in comparison to most of the other offerings at Universal’s Mardi Gras event.
The Central America: Comet Cruisin’ booth at Universal’s Mardi Gras 2022 is located in Woody Woodpecker’s KidZone (KidZone Pizza Company).
This dish features grilled chorizo, garlic mayo, chimichurri, tomato and onion curtido, on a split-top roll with crinkle cut fries. The tomato and onion curtido was fantastic, but that’s about it. We probably wouldn’t grab this dish again.
Enjoy chorizo, chipotle ketchup, dijonnaise, tomato and onion curtido served over crinkle cut fries. This is a hearty side dish that’s flavorful and balanced. While it isn’t a full meal, it’s still a great snack that we would definitely order again. The Salchipapas are Gluten Free.
The Universal CityWalk Orlando items at Universal’s Mardi Gras 2022 are located at The Toothsome Chocolate Emporium & Savory Feast Kitchen and Voodoo Doughnuts.
This milkshake is the Mardi Gras Specialty offering at The Toothsome Chocolate Emporium & Savory Feast Kitchen in Universal CityWalk Orlando. It features ube ice cream and Nutella, and the cup is decorated with colorful Mardi Gras sprinkles and topped with a golden saxophone cookie and green whipped topping. It’s very light and delicious in flavor and only available for a limited time. While it isn’t our favorite Toothsome milkshake, it still has a great flavor and is very festive in presentation.
This donut is the Mardi Gras Specialty offering at Voodoo Doughnuts in Universal CityWalk Orlando. It’s a yeast shell filled with banana custard and dipped in vanilla icing, sprinkled with cinnamon, and topped with a Nilla wafer. We found this treat to be underwhelming in comparison to other offerings for the Mardi Gras season.
All in all, it was a great first day of Universal’s Mardi Gras 2022! If you’re visiting Universal Orlando Resort from now through April 24, 2022, be sure to set aside some time at Universal Studios Florida for taking in all of the Carnival Season excitement. In addition to these delicious eats and sips, Universal’s Mardi Gras has welcomed back parades and concerts for the 2022 season! Get ready to “Let the Good Times Roll” at Universal Orlando Resort.
Kait has called Louisiana home her entire life, but Orlando, Florida has will always be her favorite city. After her first trip to Walt Disney World at age 3, she was hooked and has since visited the parks more times than she can count! She loves being a go-to source for all things Disney and theme parks among family and friends, which inspired her to create her own Disney Lifestyle Blog, Kait Around The Kingdom, in 2015. Kait is a Walt Disney World Annual Passholder and loves visiting her happy place any chance she gets. You can keep up with Kait’s Disney adventure on her Instagram and through her posts on Kait Around The Kingdom. When she’s not writing about Disney and other Orlando experiences, Kait can be found spending time with her husband Nick and puppy girl Roux, probably planning her next Disney getaway!
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