food IS a theme park
Disney World seems to be experiencing a strange food trend this week…
Epcot’s China Pavilion
First we saw the Santa hat-toting Cranberry Mickey Brownie followed swiftly by the Mickey’s Santa Cupcake — also suspiciously wearing, you guessed it — a Santa hat!
Now this new holiday snack (which we spotted in Epcot’s China Pavilion of all places!) has us pretty much certain there’s a delicious Christmas treat conspiracy happening right now in Disney World — and trust us, you gotta see what it is!
Ni hao from the China pavilion in Epcot!
Shanghai Holiday Kitchen
We’re eating around the world at the 2019 Epcot International Festival of the Holidays and boy, is it a fun time!Â
Shanghai Booth Fries and Drinks
The China pavilion is celebrating the season with a nod to the Lunar New Year, and a great way to celebrate is with food! Check out our full review of the Shanghai Holiday Kitchen booth in the China Pavilion!Â
Shanghai Festival of the Holidays Booth Menu
Welcome to our latest roundup of What’s New in Epcot!
Future World
We have a LOT to cover today, including tons of merchandise and new Food and Wine Festival booths!
Do you remember the Artisan Cotton Candy that was a huge hit at the 2019 Epcot Flower and Garden Festival?
5-Layered Spring Fantasy Cotton Candy
These unique and beautiful sugar creations were introduced at the China Pavilion’s Lotus House Outdoor Kitchen. [Read more…]
Nǐ hǎo from China! Well, Epcot’s China of course. We recently heard about a dish on the Nine Dragons Restaurant menu, and you know that means we HAD to check it out. Even more intriguing is that the dish is referred to as “Numbingly Spicy.” Well, Nine Dragons, you had my interest, but now, you have my attention.
Nine Dragons Restaurant
Nine Dragons Restaurant is China’s table service restaurant. We recently went for dinner, and had an unexpectedly delicious meal! Nine Dragons is also a good spot to try and grab a last minute reservation while wandering around Epcot.
Epcot’s World Showcase at Walt Disney World
is home to so many interesting restaurants serving high-quality food from around the (actual) world that it can be hard to decide which to choose.
And frankly, Nine Dragons in the China Pavilion has been one that we’ve decided to skip much of the time. The setting is lovely and worth exploring, but in the past, the food has been lackluster, no better than most of the Americanized Chinese restaurants found in strip malls around the country.
But we give second chances (and third and fourth and fifth) here at the DFB, so I made a reservation and hoped for something to love in this table service spot. And while I won’t say Nine Dragons has clawed its way up too far in the rankings of table service restaurants at Epcot, I will say that my most recent visit was the best I’ve had here.
While I encourage you to take that with a grain of salt, I also want to acknowledge that plenty of you do enjoy eating here, and I will always cling to optimism that even the least palatable of Walt Disney World dining locations will be in a constant state of flux, striving for better.
But let’s start with what we already love about Nine Dragons: its magical decor and warm atmosphere.
Welcome to Nine Dragons!
We had a case of wanderlust this week, and instead of getting out the passport and packing, we just hopped over to spend the day in Epcot. Our journey started with some time spent in Future World, followed by a trip around the World Showcase. And boy, did we find a lot new eats and buys for you on this “trip”!
Epcot
We have a fun treat for you at the China Pavilion in Epcot’s World Showcase!
Let’s face it: Disney World is hot. With the exception of a few weeks out of the year, you’re going to be craving a refreshing drink as a mid-day treat. And Epcot’s Joy of Tea has just the thing for you!
We’re big fans of this snack stop. For such a tiny booth, it has a pretty extensive menu! The egg rolls and curry chicken pockets are tasty little snacks that will hold you over until your next meal while you explore the World Showcase.
And, most importantly, they have a wide selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks (including the fan favorite Tipsy Ducks in Love!).
Today, we’ll check out the Bubble Milk Tea!
Joy of Tea menu — click to enlarge
If you’ve been keeping up on all the latest food news in Walt Disney World with us here at the DFB, then you know that the latter half of May brought all kinds of additions to the Disney dining scene!
Disney Springs
And the arrival of the summer season also brings expanded food options to feed the increasing crowds at the parks and beyond, so our tour will include all sorts of updates, changes, and additions – both big and small – as we check out What’s New around Walt Disney World! [Read more…]
Happy (almost!) Chinese New Year!
The “Year of the Monkey” begins on February 8th, and Nine Dragons Restaurant in Epcot’s China Pavilion will celebrate with special menu items for nearly the whole year. From February 8, 2016 through January 27 of next year, guests at Nine Dragons will find a new prix-fixe option available for lunch as well as additional items on the regular menu.
For lunch, the prix-fixe special will include three courses for $17.98. Begin your meal with spring rolls or pot stickers, then choose from three entrees for the main course: Happily Family (sliced chicken breast, beef and shrimp stir fry), Moo Goo Gai Pan featuring stir-fried chicken breast with mushrooms and snow peas, and General Tso’s Chicken Buns Lunch Box: three steamed buns (basically, these are Chinese tacos) and hot-and-sour soup. For dessert, try either strawberry-red bean or ginger-caramel ice cream.
©Disney
Three steamed buns will also be featured on the regular menu for the year-long celebration: Braised Pork Belly with chili aioli, Sweet-and-Sour Batter-fried Fish with a pork floss topping, and General Tso’s Chicken buns (also batter-fried). [Read more…]
Our handy (and portable!) ebook guides make sure you get the best deals and can plan a vacation of a lifetime.
