It’s “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year” at EPCOT!

Oh, I’m sorry… did you think I was referring to the Holiday Season at Disney World? I mean, that IS pretty great, but perhaps I should clarify… the EPCOT Food and Wine Festival is what we here at the DFB think of as OUR favorite time of the year on the Disney World Calendar! That’s why we’re checking out each and every one of the Festival Marketplace Food Booths to bring you our complete review, and we hope you’ll join us here at the China Booth.

Menu

The China Booth has opted to shake things up just a bit this year, serving two returning dishes: the Pan-fried Chicken Dumplings and the Crispy Duck Bao Bun. But there is also a new food item with the Shanghai Scallion Noodles.

In keeping with tradition, there are several cocktails to choose from here, and most of the beverages are back from previous years. The returning Baijiu Punch, Fiery Dream, and Orange Mango Cocktail are joined by a new non-alcoholic drink this year: Mango Peach Bubble Tea. Brew Hub Lychee Foo Draft Beer is up for grabs, as well.

Let’s dig in and drink up, shall we?

Eats

The Pan-fried Chicken Dumplings with house-made sweet-and-spicy sauce are up for grabs again this year for $5.50. 

These are very similar to any other dumplings you would get from your local Chinese restaurant. They’re slightly sticky to eat but might be a good crowd-pleaser for those who’ve enjoyed dumplings in the past.

The  Crispy Duck Bao Bun with hoisin sauce is also back for $8.25. We found this one to be fairly gamey and chewy, which is surprising compared to how much we liked it in the past.

Last year, this Bao Bun was THE reason that we considered the China booth to be a must-visit. But this year, it was very fatty and the textures felt off. The hoisin sauce gives it a little twang, so that was nice flavor-wise.

New this year are the Shanghai Scallion Noodles with shrimp for $8.50. This was our favorite item at the booth this go-around!

The shrimp were plump and the mushrooms helped vary the flavors and textures of the dish. The noodles were pretty basic overall, but this was a nice, chill dish after the other two. If you don’t like mushrooms or shrimp, you’ll want to avoid it.

So what about the beverages?

Drinks

You’ll pretty much always find a Bubble Tea at the China Booth, but the flavor changes every year. This year, you can try the Mango Peach Bubble Tea for $7.75. It was a bit of a let-down because ours was missing the boba and it had more of an artificial flavor to it.

Next up is the Baijiu Punch for $14.50. Though the name may strike you as a new cocktail, this drink has simply undergone a name change from “ByeJoe Punch.” Instead of opting for the play on words, the name now more clearly points to the Baijiu spirit used in the drink, which is mixed with lychee syrup, sparkling water, and piña colada mix.

The end result is a surprisingly tropical sip, with a definite emphasis on the coconut.

The Fiery Dream features citrus vodka, triple sec liqueur, guava nectar, and spicy hot honey syrup for $14, and we are THRILLED that this cocktail is back for its second year running!

The flavor profile starts off fruity and refreshing. That said, a little bit of heat hits the back of your throat after that first sip, resulting in a drink that is truly unique and memorable.

The Orange Mango Cocktail is comprised of gold tequila, vodka, orange juice, and mango syrup. It costs $14. 

Of the cocktails at this booth, this is the one we recommend passing on. The alcohol tends to overpower any of the fruity sweetness that is presumably intended to temper it a bit. It’s simply not as enjoyable as the others.

Finally, guests looking to try a beer here can purchase the Brew Hub Lychee Foo Draft Beer for $5.75 for 6oz. 

OVERALL

Ultimately, the China booth wasn’t really a standout for us this year. Some of our favorites from years past weren’t quite as good as before, and even though we liked the noodles, they weren’t enough to put China on our Best of the Fest list.

Trying to plan the PERFECT trip to the 2024 EPCOT Food & Wine Festival? We’ll be keeping you updated on all of the latest. Click our links below for the information you need to know:

• Learn about the Eat to the Beat Concert Series and Dining Packages
• Check out ALL of the 2024 Food & Wine Booth Menus
• Find ALL of our EPCOT Food and Wine Festival REVIEWS right here!

And don’t forget to pick up our 2024 EPCOT Food & Wine Festival e-book! See more details about the book below.

What items from this booth would you most want to try? Tell us in the comments!