The dining options at Universal Orlando have advanced a long way since the opening of the original park in 1990. In fact, the dining options are far better than they were a mere ten years ago. The CityWalk dining/entertainment area is filled with many outstanding dining options. A unique dining option is The Cowfish Burger Sushi Bar. The place is an odd combination of burgers and sushi, but it works. This North Carolina original concept restaurant has been a hit in Orlando almost from the beginning.
This year, it is part of the excellent exclusive passholder days menu items. During passholder days, which runs until September 30th, many exclusive perks are offered to Universal Orlando annual passholders. The restaurant which brought us the burger known as The Cowfish Has Officially Left The Building, gave us the boring title of The Annual Pass (AP) Roll for an exclusive item. This roll, which costs $19, consists of braised short rib glazed with orange togarashi BBQ sauce and then panko fried. This is topped with a Caribbean mango slaw.
I have seen some impressive looking photos of this roll sliced. Yet, the guest photos I have received of this entrée are not flattering. Usually, the Cowfish rolls look like works of art. If you order this roll, do not expect a perfect Instagram worthy photo of your entrée. If first impressions cause you to dislike your dining choices, this may not be the best alternative for you. Another word of warning, this dish is considered spicy. The roll itself is spicy but nothing unbearable. However, the slaw topping is spicy by most standards.
However, if you are someone who enjoys quality food with non-traditional flavors, then this restaurant and this dish is for you. Though the appearance may not be great, the aroma of the roll is excellent. The roll is a combination of flavors that are pleasant also. The BBQ sauce has flavor and some spice. It is not too sweet and not too hot but just right. The panko crust adds to the flavor and helps cut the spice a bit.
Cowfish is not for everybody and has a well-earned reputation for slow service. However, there is a reason this place can often demand one gets a reservation due to high quality of food. Perhaps if you go to Universal Orlando CityWalk before September 30th, then this exclusive item is a fantastic option.
Pirates & Princesses (PNP) is an independent, opinionated fan-powered news blog that covers Disney and Universal Theme Parks, Themed Entertainment and related Pop Culture from a consumer's point of view. Opinions expressed by our contributors do not necessarily reflect the views of PNP, its editors, affiliates, sponsors or advertisers. PNP is an unofficial news source and has no connection to The Walt Disney Company, NBCUniversal or any other company that we may cover.