Non-traditional tacos at a Walt Disney World theme park? See how the ABC Commissary Pork Carnitas Tacos stack up on flavor, value, and presentation.
Disney’s Hollywood Studios’ dining choices often receive a reputation for being below average. While defending the table service quality compared to other theme parks might be tough, the quick service dining at Disney’s Hollywood Studios offers many quality choices. ABC Commissary offers decent theme park value for reasonably priced food.
ABC Commissary is open for lunch and dinner. The décor consists mainly of posters featuring shows on ABC, which Disney owns. Though the menu is limited, it contains many non-traditional theme park menu items, such as the Pork Carnitas Tacos.
Pork Carnitas Tacos at ABC Commissary – $11.49
The menu description for these tacos indicates guests receive “Pork Carnitas on Flour Tortillas topped with Avocado Salsa Verde and Pickled Onions served with Mexican Rice and Pork Black Beans topped with Queso Fresco.” We enjoy seeing non-traditional menu items at theme parks. While tacos count as typical theme park food, adding pork carnitas as the key component elevates this.
Fans of authentic Mexican tacos know about tacos de carnitas. These tasty pork tacos are made using a confit-style method. Big chunks of pork are added to a copper pot with lard and cooked until the outside is caramelized and crispy. The pork then moves to a second pot for braising for hours until it is tender, juicy, and falling apart. Many modern chefs have added their own touch to classic Mexican carnitas.
Nevertheless, the ABC Commissary version will not match authentic tacos de carnitas. Still, these feature flour tortillas. Then, avocado verde salsa and pickled onions top these tacos. Guests receive two tacos with sides of Mexican rice and black beans topped with queso fresco. These tacos cost $11.49.
The food presentation is average. This fact shines through when you sometimes receive a paper plate instead of the sturdier plating. The mobile ordering system often hinders presentation. Guests express that this menu item often seems lukewarm with the mobile ordering system there.
How Do They Taste?
The appearance of food matters since we eat with our eyes first. However, the ultimate test of food relates to its flavors. In our experience, we prefer the Shrimp Tacos offered at ABC Commissary over these for a more robust flavor. Still, the pickled onions provide a nice balance with the salsa verde. However, the pork itself becomes overwhelmed by the toppings. In fairness, the pork tastes okay. Yet, the pork lacks punch to compete with topping flavors.
The portion size of the tacos is average to small. Still, the price point is reasonable overall. The portion size issue becomes less of a concern when guests realize this comes with a reasonable portion of rice and beans. The black beans taste average on their own, and the rice tastes bland, considering it is paired with a taco. I suggest mixing the rice, beans, and cheese together for a nice balance of flavor to go with your tacos.
These tacos fail to meet the level of authenticity you might find at a real Mexican food place. Still, that criticism ranks as unfair since this is a basic theme park counter service place. Yet, at this price point, guests will find value.
For more theme park information and reviews like this one, check out the weekday dining reviews appearing at MSM News every weekday at noon Eastern Time. As always, eat like you mean it!
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