See food at Epic Universe’s restaurants, how chefs created menus

Gone are the days when “theme park food” could be considered synonymous with basic or bland.

Universal Orlando’s Epic Universe opened to the general public on May 22. It boasts 30 unique dining locations offering a wide variety of items, from immersive culinary feats to authentic staples for different cultures.

The USA TODAY Network was invited to experience Epic Universe before it opened to the public on May 22. Here’s a detailed look at some of its major restaurants and quick service spots around the theme park.

The Atlantic in Celestial Park

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to dine inside a lavish 1920s Victorian aquarium? Wonder no more.

Situated near a shimmering pool named for the Roman sea god Neptune, Celestial Park’s Atlantic specializes in surf and turf cuisine. Guests will feel transported to another realm with turquoise glass surrounding all sides and aquatic decor covering top to bottom.

According to officials, the restaurant is one of the premier restaurants in the theme park and is inspired by the “freshest ingredients from land to sea.”

“(Atlantic) is definitely very much focused on seafood and as well as focusing on Florida ingredients, so since we have water on both sides of our peninsula, we have the freshest Florida seafood here available as well,” Chef Jens Dahlmann, VP and Executive Chef of Universal Orlando Culinary Options, said. “We try to source local ingredients from farms around the Orlando area, just to have that connection.”

Unlike the other worlds featured in the theme park, Celestial Park is an original concept of Universal. When coming up with the menu, Dahlmann said the challenge was creating foods that exceeded expectations, adding they sought to deliver “otherworldly food.”

See menu highlights, according to Universal:

• Sea Bass – Buttery fish with carrot mochi and fresh sugar snap peas. Aromatic lemongrass broth complements the buttery bass, while starfruit slices add a splash of tropical citrus notes.

• Romesco Romanesco – Oven-roasted Romanesco, wild mushrooms and pea tendrils on a bed of fregola and hazelnut romesco.

• King Oyster Mushroom Ceviche – One of Dhalmann’s personal favorites from this menu, this vegan option includes tomato, cilantro, jícama, and lime.

Price range: Cold bar ranges from $20 to $28 while appetizers, soup and salads all start at $15; Entrees range from $21 to $48.

See the full menu here on Universal’s website. Heads up, you do need a reservation to dine here.

The Blue Dragon in Celestial Park

Step inside a vibrant, bustling night market where Chinese, Japanese, and Thai cuisine come together.

The Blue Dragon Pan-Asian Restaurant is situated in the back of the theme park close to the Helios Grand Hotel entrance, easily spotted with its bright blue dragon attracting patrons inside.

If you thought the theming was impressive outside, wait until you step indoors — neon signs, bright colors and glowing lanterns work together to liven up the lobby and courtyard. But what about the food?

Its menu offers a variety of Pan-Asian items, from popular noodle and rice-based dishes to dim sum and small plates.

See menu highlights, according to Universal:

• Tonkotsu Ramen – This Asian comfort food features ramen noodles immersed in pork broth, topped with tender chashu pork, tare egg, shiitake mushrooms, and fragrant togarashi oil.

• Smashed Cucumbers – Refreshing cucumbers tossed in zesty dragon sauce (chili oil sauce) with fresh cilantro, crunchy peanuts and a sprinkle of Sichuan dust offer a perfect blend of flavors and texture.

• Snowflake Potstickers – Pan-seared, lacey crust pork potstickers served with dragon sauce.

Price range: Small plates and dim sum range from $13 to $17; Noodle and rice dishes range from $26 to $33; Big plates range from $28 to $51.

See the full menu here on Universal’s website. Heads up, you do need a reservation to dine here.

Café L’air De La Sirène in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter — Ministry of Magic

As you stroll along the streets of Place Cachée in wizarding 1920s Paris, you’ll stumble across the Café L’air De La Sirène. Inspired by the Gilded Age, officials said the venue immerses guests in major part of Wizarding history

Offering both French and American cuisine, the quick-service spot serves baked goods, sandwiches, plats du jour and desserts. Guests can also enjoy some beloved Butterbeer along with a variety of non-alcoholic and alcoholic drinks.

Dalhmann said the culinary team worked hard to deliver authentic French brasserie-style food that would further amplify the storytelling of the iconic franchise.

“We looked back on what is traditional French food and we didn’t try to go molecular. We didn’t try to go too fancy,” Dalhmann said. “It’s all about the great ingredients, the simple techniques to bring this food to life.”

And not to mention we get another version of the beloved Butterbeer, the fictional non-alcoholic beverage from the Harry Potter books and movies.

“Butterbeer is just such a very unique flavor and the flavor lives only within the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, so when it came to Paris, we threw up a couple of ideas,” Dalhmann said. “We talked eclairs, we talked profiteroles but I think the crepe was the most iconic one.”

See menu highlights:

• Butterbeer Crepe – The newest edition to the Butterbeer family: Crepes filled with a shortbread cookie butter Bavarian cream, Butterbeer cream and topped with fresh strawberries, Butterbeer drizzle and a Butterbeer shortbread cookie

• Baguette de Dinde –  Cracked black pepper turkey piled on a crusty baguette with arugula, crisp apples and creamy brie, along with zesty mustard butter and apple butter.

• Quiche Lorraine – An egg custard baked in a flaky pie crust filled with crispy bacon, gruyère cheese and caramelized onions with mornay sauce. Side of fresh berries topped with a lavender honey drizzle.

Price range: Breakfast entrees are all $19.99 while lunch and dinner range from $14 to $20.

See the restaurant details here on Universal’s website.

Toadstool Cafe in SUPER NINTENDO WORLD

Eat like your favorite video character! SUPER NINTENDO WORLD’s main quick-service restaurant is Toadstool Cafe, which is already a hit at other Nintendo parks worldwide.

Found tucked away in the bottom corner of the world, guests will be transported to the Mushroom Kingdom and treated to culinary delights from Chef Toad himself (and Universal’s culinary team, of course). Even favorite food staples, like cheeseburgers and salads, have a Super Mario twist to them.

“We no longer want it to be that you just enjoy the rides or just enjoy the ambiance … when you’re getting off that ride, you’re coming into Toadstool Cafe and the story doesn’t stop,” Executive Sous Chef Research & Development at Universal Orlando Christopher Colón explained. “The immersion continues on to the food.”

A longtime fan of Nintendo himself, Colón added it was the team’s goal to bring these food items to live and have something for everyone to enjoy.

See menu highlights:

• Mario Burger – An all-beef patty topped with savory mushrooms, fresh lettuce, tomato and melted American cheese, served on a brioche bun. Side of truffle French fries.

• Luigi Burger – A tribute to Mario’s brother features grilled chicken topped with basil pesto, melted Swiss cheese, green peppers, and fresh spinach served on a brioche bun. Side of truffle French fries.

• Bowser’s Fireball Challenge –  A towering 1lb. meatball topped with mozzarella cheese in mushroom marinara sauce and fresh parsley. Served with a Bowser-inspired puff pastry and a side of hot sauce.

Price range: Entrees range from $17.99 to $24.99, with soups and salads from $7.99 to $15.99; Kids meals are $9.99 to $13.99.

See the full menu here on Universal’s website.

Mead Hall in the Isle of Berk

After a day of flying and training with dragons in the Florida heat, Vikings can get their energy replenished at Mead Hall. It is described as the beating heart of Berk and the village’s majestic gathering hall, which is carved into the mountain rock.

Colón joked that he’s easily seen the movies over 20 times, both in his free time with his family and also when coming up with the menu. The quick-service restaurant offers a savory menu featuring a variety of meats, fish and sandwiches, along with a collection of meads and ciders.

“We wanted to kind of give you that Scandinavian kind of feel and also a feel that Vikings would be eating here meeting, so some of the dishes are large enough for a Viking,” Colón said.

When building the menu, Colón said his team looked for moments in the movies that “really grabbed you.” He provided the example of when Hiccup first offered Toothless a piece of fish, which inspired the item “Hiccup’s Grilled Salmon.”

See menu highlights:

• Thawfest Platter – A spread of tender chicken drumsticks glazed in a wild berry BBQ glaze, grilled salmon and succulent sausage served with a medley of roasted carrots, cipollini onions, Nordic fries and side sauces.

• Sullen Sea Sandwich – Salmon with pickled cucumbers and zesty horseradish dill crème on a pumpernickel Kaiser bun and a side of ancient grains with sundried berries.

• Nordic Harvest Salad – Kale and arugula greens topped with crisp red cabbage, radishes, ancient grains, blueberries, apples, trail mix and raspberry vinaigrette.

• Stormfly’s Catch of the Day – A chocolate mousse fish nestled atop a bed of colorful crispy rice cereal.

Price range: Entrees range from $12.99 to $20.99, with the ‘Thawfest Platter’ priced at $49.99; Kids meals are $9.49.

See restaurant details here on Universal’s website.

Das Stakehaus at Dark Universe

Get ready to walk (and dine) among the undead. Das Stakehouse occupies a mysterious old inn and dining hall inside Dark Universe, littered from top-to-bottom in vampire artwork and artifacts. The interior also tells a visual story into Darkmoor’s haunted history.

According to the lore of the world, the restaurant is run by vampires’ “familiars”, or servants, who seek to butter guests up. Glance at the menu; there is zero trace of garlic in any of the dishes! Compare that to the nearby Burning Blade Tavern run by vampire hunters.

Speaking of the food, it seeks to offer bold, hearty flavors. Robert Martinez Jr., executive chef of shared services and director of culinary operations, shared how the creative team came up with this menu, citing the classic monster movies and overall lore of the world as their inspiration.

“What was so fun about this is that as we were developing the menu is that we kind of gave this food a whole other category … we call this ‘vampiric elegance,'” Martinez Jr. said. “(Vampires) have been around for a very long time, they’ve lived for a very long time, and in that time, they know what the best things in life are to eat.”

See menu highlights:

• Bird on a Stake – Three protein options (chicken, salmon or mushroom), each served with roasted veggies and charred green onion mashed potatoes,

• Darkmoor Black Wings – Spicy chili-dusted fried wings with smoky cheddar, charred scallions and soy chili garlic sauce. A pimento cornbread skull and coleslaw served on the side.

• “Blood Orange” Chicken Sandwich – Flash-fried, marinated chicken breast in a blood orange sauce, served on a black bun with pickles and coleslaw. Crispy fries served on the side.

• Our Favorite Vegan Familiar’s Stuffed Cabbage –  Vegan meat wrapped in cabbage leaves and covered in a bell pepper tomato sauce, accompanied by beet bucatini.

Price range: Entrees range from $15.99 to $23.99, with “stake” meals starting at $17.99 and up depending on the protein choice.

See the full menu here on Universal’s website.

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Epic Universe is now open! Get inside look at immersive restaurants