What happened down at the chicken coop

As far as ranking the food of the various parks of Walt Disney World, the Magic Kingdom seems to be the most generic. We all have fond memories of meals from our childhood there, but over the past several decades, the menus have become less and less adventurous and more basic burgers and hot dogs. This movement has, for all the best reasons, begun to slow and turn around. Unique items, such as the Citrus Swirl, are returning to menu boards across the parks and fresh ideas, including the Broccoli Peppercorn Salad, are popping up from Frontierland to Tomorrowland. One innovative meal coming out of Fantasyland are the Teriyaki Nuggets found at the Friar’s Nook in Fantasyland.

This may sound like your typical carton of nuggets, tossed in a sweet and tangy teriyaki sauce, but it goes much further than that. The base of this entree starts with a generous portion of the handmade chips that have been popping up at restaurants around Walt Disney World. These thick cut chips resemble a kettle chip, a tiny ring of potato peel along the edge and a robust crunch coming from the actual chip.

Next come the nuggets, the variety served at a majority of quick service eateries, smothered in a tangy teriyaki sauce. They are juicy and the batter tends to soften a bit under the sauce. While they may be a gussied up version of the generic nuggets, they are still mighty tasty.

The crowning garnish of this dish, however, is the wasabi peas that are sprinkled atop the nuggets. I’m not a big fan of peas, but I am a huge fan of wasabi. This adds a bit of heat to the nuggets and a flavor spectrum lost throughout most of the Magic Kingdom.

There are a lot of elements to this incarnation of the nuggets that come with a satisfying crunch, but it is that fact that this dish is a little more outside the box than we have seen from the Magic Kingdom that makes me love it. This dish will kick your taste buds and not be sorry about it, which means that it is not for everyone. However, if you are bold enough to take a little dare for your lunch, the Teriyaki Nuggets could be the lunch for you!