Halloween Horror Nights is likely the most popular and highly anticipated events of the year at Universal Studios Orlando. After 33 years HHN has grown into the Halloween mega event that we know today. Die hard HHN fans have built a whole community around it and it’s truly a sight to see.

The houses and scare zones are always the headliners but I’m shining some light on a part of HHN that sometimes doesn’t get a lot of attention – the specialty food offerings.

HHN 32 is only number four for me so I still consider myself a (veteran) noob. Despite the fact, I’ve been to enough to know when the food is a hit or not. If you’re new to HHN and want to know about some of the food offerings from this past season then keep reading. Although I wasn’t able to try everything on the menu, what I did try was more than enough for an honest, detailed review of my top picks for HHN32 specialty foods – let’s eat!

#8 – Spicy Turkey & Squash Bun

Last year the Spicy Turkey & Squash Bun was my number one top pick. Despite falling from number one it managed to make my list again this year. The steamed Bao bun is still black in color and stuffed with well-seasoned, spicy ground turkey and butternut squash. The difference this year is the sub par spice level and bun freshness. I had one twice this season and sadly the second time was no improvement from the first. Another negative was the serving temperature – far from perfectly steamy hot like I remember last year. Lastly, a good portion of the bun was quite soggy – not the most appetizing texture if you can imagine that.

I’d still recommend the Spicy Turkey & Squash Bun for first timers. Overall it’s a savory, easy to eat snack option. The flavor isn’t too complex and I think most people would like it. I’m going to chalk up my mediocre servings this year to isolated incidents. If it returns next year I’ll order it again.

Priced at $7.99 each the Spicy Turkey & Squash Bun was served at Avenue Bites, located at Gramercy Park in the New York section of Studios.

#7 – Witches Spell Cauldron Stew

This offering was the very last one I tried two days before the end of HHN32. It’s a green chile stew with white beans and shredded chicken served in a bowl. You’ll need a spoon to eat it – not the easiest entree to walk and eat with. A dollop of sour cream, cilantro garnish and a healthy slice of skeleton cornbread topped off the entree. The texture almost reminded me of seafood gumbo. Surprisingly it wasn’t spicy but it did have a very strong vinegar or citrus-like acidity.

I didn’t care for the cornbread – it was dry, the flavor was weak but eating it with a spoonful of stew made it taste better. It was just okay for theme park stew, so I would recommend it only if you’re a big fan of chili, soups and stews.

Priced at $7.99 the Witches Spell Cauldron Stew was served at the food truck just to the left of Bumble Bee Tacos truck at the entrance to Springfield.

#6 – African Lentil & Potato Sambusa Coffin

I remember this being offered last HHN but I never got around to trying it. Luckily for me they brought it back for HHN32 and it didn’t disappoint.

It consists of potatoes and African lentils seasoned with lots of spices all wrapped up inside a flaky vegan pie dough. I wouldn’t consider this a meal option as the portion is small, but it’s the perfect in between meals snack. It’s also easy and neat enough to carry while walking around the park or waiting in queues, unlike the Witches Spell Cauldron Stew which requires a spoon and/or fork to eat from a bowl.

The African Lentil and Potato Sambusa Coffin was a tasty, convenient food option priced at $7.99 and I’m glad Universal brought it back to the HHN menu this year. It was served at 57 Fare stand in the New York section of Universal Studios across from Race Through New York with Jimmy Fallon.

#5 – Surfer Boy Vegan Pizza

I’ll be honest, I wasn’t very excited to try this pizza. For one I’m not a fan of pineapple on pizza. That’s more than enough to not want to try it in my opinion. But after reading so many positive reviews about both the regular and vegan versions I was compelled give this rather controversial and divisive subculture of pizza a try.

I opted for the vegan version and the first things to catch my eye were the amount of pineapple toppings and the sparse amount of vegan cheese. Immediately I thought if only it were the other way around. I was happy to see chopped red onion and jalapeño slices which are two of my favorite pizza toppings.

Like the Spicy Turkey & Squash Bun, the pizza wasn’t “fresh out of the oven” hot. It’s not the easiest food to walk & eat with because of all the loose toppings. Sadly it had cooled down considerably by the time I found a quiet, well-lit area to taste it and capture a good pic of it.

It was surprisingly tasty, mostly from the mild sweetness from the pineapple. It wasn’t very cheesy which was disappointing – pizza is about the cheese. The French bread reminded me of the old Stouffer’s brand frozen pizza from back in the day. I admit it, pineapple is pretty good on pizza but I guarantee you I’ll never order it outside of HHN. Pineapple is strictly a “boutique” topping to me that I can live without. I think this pizza fits between the snack and meal category, depending on how hungry you are of course.

Priced at $9.99 Surfer Boy Pineapple Pizza was served at its own stand next to Gramercy Park in New York at Universal Studios.

#4 – Bloody Campground Poutine

This was the first menu item that I tried this year which I’d consider a legit filling meal. The Bloody Campground Poutine consists of crispy crescent shaped fries, roasted pork with a char siu flavor, Asian inspired gravy, crispy chilis, scallions and cheese curds.

It was flavorful but not overwhelming. The portion size was perfect although I wish I hadn’t gotten so many fatty pieces of pork. With more fatty pieces than edible meaty pieces I just couldn’t rank it any higher.

#3 – Vegan Burnt Ends Poutine

I tried the Vegan Burnt Ends Poutine the same time as the Bloody Campground Poutine so you can imagine how full I was! It’s just as hearty and tasty as the Bloody Campground with the same base of crispy crescent shaped fries. The toppings were Beyond Meat crumbles, traditional brown gravy and shredded vegan cheese.

Both entrees were equally filling so I wasn’t able to finish either one. Priced at $7.99 each I thought they were worth the price. They’re easier to walk and eat with compared to the Witches Cauldron Stew, but because I had two entrees to try I had no choice but find a seat to eat. Both entrees were served at the Yeti stand next to Gramercy Park in the New York section of Studios.

#2 – The Chicken & Cheese Empanada

This offering almost took the number one spot for the authentic, savory flavor alone. It was so easy to walk and eat with the Chicken & Cheese Empanada. It was served perfectly hot with a crispy, flaky crust and that’s what boosted the enjoyment level ten fold for me.

I wouldn’t call it very cheesy but it definitely had a hint of cheesy flavor. The chicken was well seasoned and mixed with a mild, “cheesy” sauce which explains the filling texture. If only the empanada were bigger with more filling, this could have been the perfect HHN food of the season.

In my opinion it would take two, maybe three of them to feel full so at $7.99 for the “combo” which only includes a bag of plain Lay’s potato chips, it’s definitely not a good choice for a filling meal. If you’re just wanting a quick little snack between meals, go with it.

The Chicken & Cheese Empanada was served at Avenue Bites next to Gramercy Park in the New York section of Studios.

#1 – The Vegan Walking Taco

I was skeptical of the Walking Taco when the menu was first released online. It didn’t help that I’m not into Fritos corn chips either. All throughout this HHN season I watched and read reviews online about both versions of the Walking Taco (vegan and regular), most of which were very positive.

I’m not 100% vegan (yet) but I love vegan food so naturally I was compelled to try the vegan version. The presentation was impressive. The entree consisted of vegan chorizo, refried beans, diced tomatoes and chilis, shredded lettuce and vegan cheese and sliced jalapeños. It was all neatly layered inside an opened, full-sized Frito bag made to look like it was cut across the middle, all atop a base of Fritos corn chips.

The bag fit perfectly in the palm of your hand. A fork is required to eat it as you’ll need to dig down and mix the layers to get a little of everything on your fork. The chorizo was well seasoned and the flavors of all the ingredients mixed together was delightful. Priced at $12.99 this entree checks all the boxes – flavorful, served hot, easy to walk & eat with, and a filling portion size worth the price, it takes the number one spot.

The Vegan and regular Walking Taco was served at the Day of the Dead window at Cafe La Bamba on Hollywood Blvd.

Even with an Ultimate Frequent Fear Pass I wasn’t able to visit often enough to try more offerings this year, but I’m satisfied with and impressed by how much I was able to try. I’m sure next years’ menu will be just as creative, fun and tasty as it is every year. Until then, I’m glad to have the Holidays and Mardi Gras to look forward to until the fog returns.