I Tried Rachel's English Trifle From Friends, And It Actually Doesn’t Taste Like Feet
Here’s how you can try it, too.
As a Friends fan, you’ve definitely wanted to try a latte from Central Perk or one of Joey’s infamous meatball subs. You’d even love an invite to Thanksgiving dinner to enjoy some of Monica’s home cooking. If given a chance, though, there’s one item you’d rather leave off the menu: Rachel’s English trifle; the sweet and savory so-called dessert was certainly not one of Rachel’s finest moments. But what if I told you I tried Rachel’s English trifle on the Warner Bros. Studio Tour — and I liked it?
The Warner Bros. Tour in Burbank, California reopened to the public on June 26 with some seriously cool updates. Now, guests can enjoy not only an unscripted and customized tour of the backlot studio, but there’s an all-new Friends boutique as part of the expanded Central Perk Café. At the Friends boutique, you can enjoy a latte or lunch while sitting in Rachel and Monica’s apartment or lounging in Joey and Chandler’s reclining chairs. There’s also a replica of Central Perk — orange couch and all — where you can recreate your fave scenes from the show.
First, you’ve got to stop by the cafe to pick up something to eat. The menu includes some Friends character-inspired coffee drinks, cupcakes with the Central Perk logo on them, and of course, Rachel’s trifle. This time, though, it’s without the meat. Phew!
If you’ll remember from the Season 6 Thanksgiving episode, “The One Where Ross Got High,” Rachel wants to prove she can help out with dinner by making the dessert. The problem is the pages of her cookbook are stuck together, so she accidentally makes half a traditional English trifle and half a shepherd’s pie. Nowadays, with so many TikTok foodies mixing together unusual ingredients, custard, fruits, and whipped cream combined with beef sautéed with peas and onions actually doesn’t sound so out of the ordinary to me. I would even try it if you guaranteed me it didn’t taste — in Ross’ own words — “like feet.”
Luckily, for any guests visiting the Warner Bros. Studio Tour, they don’t have to worry about the “feet” taste at all. The Rachel’s Trifle (without the meat) is a totally sweet treat they can grab from the Central Perk Café for only $6. When ordering, you have the option to choose between a chocolate version or vanilla version most like the one featured in the show. When I visited the studio tour, I opted for the chocolate version because I love chocolate a choco-lot. I also grabbed an iced coffee to pair with my treat and headed over to the Friends boutique to find a seat.
Choosing where to enjoy your Friends food is the real challenge. Do you want to sit at the foosball table from Joey and Chandler’s place or relax on Monica and Rachel’s couch? There’s also a Friends fountain-inspired dining area that has colorful umbrellas hanging overhead. I ultimately went with the Central Perk room, because it’s the most iconic. So, I grabbed a seat, dug into my chocolate Rachel’s Trifle, and immediately fell in love. With every bite, you get a little whipped cream, chocolate custard, and fruit. It was like a refreshing pudding parfait that paired perfectly with my iced coffee. At the bottom of the trifle is a layer of chocolate cake that gives it that perfect bite paired with the creamy custard. Joey would love it, though that’s not saying much, since he also liked the original. (“Custard? Good. Jam? Good. Meat? Good.”)
The chocolate version includes blueberries and raspberries, but if you go with the vanilla version, it comes with blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries. Basically, it’s berry good and wasn’t too filling. Considering you still have some walking to do with the all-new Action and Magic Made Here next on your Warner Bros. Studio Tour with DC and Harry Potter interactive experiences, it’s the perfect pick-me-up to keep you going. With the iced drink, it’s also a nice way to cool down on a hot and sunny SoCal day.
If you are a Friends fan, I highly recommend visiting the newly imagined Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood. It’s a whole new experience even if you’ve been through it before, and you’ve got to try Rachel’s Trifle. It’s not only a delicious snack, but it will give you some super cute foodie snaps to post on the ‘Gram.
Tickets are available now for the Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood for only $69. If you are a SoCal resident, there is a discount for $57. Tours only run on the weekends for now, but will open up to Thursday through Monday starting July 15. WBSTH is also following all mandated city, state, and federal guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), so make sure to have your mask with you at all times. For more information, visit WBStudioTour.com.
The CDC recommends traveling only after you’re fully vaccinated and your vaccine has become fully effective. If you’re not fully vaccinated and must travel, check the CDC guidelines before you book. Check your destination’s vaccination and testing requirements before you depart.
