REVIEW: China – 2017 Epcot Food and Wine Festival

You know we were coming here sooner or later!  The China booth at Food and Wine is AMAZING.  One of my all-time favorite marketplaces and last year’s #1 Overall Ranked Booth!  So it’s without doubt that were were wondering if this year China would live up to its lofty standards.  The classics are still here and we also try a new drink we didn’t try last year.  I need to stop talking and start eating so let’s check it out in my China Review: 2017 Epcot Food and Wine Festival….

China Booth:

China is in a wonderful spot in World Showcase, right across from the China pavilion where there is a beautiful garden great for strolling after a big day of tasting!  Also in the afternoon the entertainment is amazing here with acrobats performing some amazing feats.  Entertainment and a great meal!

China Menu:

China menu is mostly in-tact from last year, but that’s ok, when you’re the #1 Food and Wine Booth you can enjoy a little relaxation now and then.  This is one of the few booths in which the prices didn’t get the normal 0.25 cent price hike.  In fact only the Black Pepper Shrimp went up, and the Spicy Chicken which added a Bar Bun this year actually went DOWN 0.50 cents!!  Disney getting soft?? hahaha

 

Food:

• Beijing Roasted Duck Bao Bun with Hoisin Sauce – $6.50, DDP Snack Credit *Ziggy Recommended
  
• Black Pepper Shrimp with Garlic Noodles – $5.75, DDP Snack Credit *Ziggy Recommended
• Chicken Pot Stickers – $4.00, DDP Snack Credit
• Spicy Chicken Bao Bun – $5.25, DDP Snack Credit
  

Beverages:

• Tsingtao Lager – $3.50
• Ritzy Lychee with Courvoisier Cognac VS and Smirnoff Vodka – $10.50
• BaiJoe Punch with Chinese Bai Jui Spirit, Lychee, Coconut and Pineapple Juice – $10.50
• Happy Peach with Dekuyper Peach Liqueur and Myers’s Dark Rum – $8.95
• Kung Fu Punch with Smirnoff Vodka and Bols Triple Sec – $8.95  *Ziggy Recommended
• Mango Bubble Tea with Assam Black Tea and Milk (Non-Alcoholic) – $6.75

 

Menu Review:

If you haven’t yet tried the Beijing Roasted Duck on a Bao Bun then you need to stop and go try one now!  These things are awesome!  The duck is super moist and flavorful and a great introduction to duck if it’s your first time having it.  The hoisin sauce is incredible, like t’s kind a Chinese BBQ sauce, a little bit salty and sweet and I wouldn’t say spicy but there is definitely some kick to it.  The sauce is great too because it keeps the bao bun moist, though this year they put just a little too much of it on there.  Speaking of the bun…..mmmmmmmm.  A little fluffy pillow of goodness.  So soft and was even served warm!  The portion is a really good size and a nice piece of meat is in there.  Fantastic as usual!

As good as the Duck is, this is my favorite item in China, I absolutely never get tired of eating the Black Pepper Shrimp with Garlic Noodles, they are truly outstanding!  They just have that “it” factor, you know?  I mean it’s not that complicated of a dish to make, but yet it’s so addictive and delicious.  There were 4 small shrimp on top of a bed of these incredibly succulent garlic noodles.  They are spicy so eater beware, as they are cooked in the Sichuan style with hot oil and red pepper flakes!  They just taste so fresh to me and the combo of the hot and black pepper is something that must be tried to be appreciated!  Get this!!

The Chicken Potstickers were solid as usual.  I’ve never met anyone who doesn’t like a good Chinese dumpling and these are really good, although a bit expensive for $4 as you only get two of them.  However they are pan-fried to perfection and I never say no to a good potsticker!

Lastly was the Spicy Chicken Bao Bun.  I love the flavor of the chicken because of the pepper on it, but it’s way too dry, and as much as I love the Bao Buns, when you eat one there needs to be sauce on whatever is inside otherwise you’ll have a hard time separating your tongue from the roof of your mouth, and that’s what happened here.  If they would put some kind of a nice spicy sauce on top instead this would improve miles for me, but right now I can’t tell you to get it.

 

Lastly we tried a drink that’s been on the menu in China for a while, but I’ve never personally tried it.  So I have an unnatural love for the boba balls you find in may drinks around Walt Disney World: the Bleu Spectrum at Light Lab, the Night Blossom at Pongu Pongu, you know those delicious ones.  So I saw the Mango Bubble Tea and thought that might be similar so I gave it a try.  I have to tell you that it was easily the strangest thing I’ve ever drank before.  It had these really chewy, tapioca-like balls inside that freaked me out!  My wonderful sister likened the experience to: “eating buggers.”  I guess I’ll have to take her word on that one, but it was slimy and gross.  It’s a shame too because the tea itself was actually pretty good, but there is one thing for sure in China that I’ll never be going back for!

 

Booth Summary and Grade:

China is always a must try every year at Food and Wine and this year is no different.  The Beijing Roasted Duck is still incredible as are the Black Pepper Shrimp and Garlic Noodles.  I can’t say it ranks quite as high as last year though because the Spicy Chicken needs help, and the Tea was just down-right bad.  So skip those two items and get the rest and you’ll be fine!

If you have to get just one thing: Black Pepper Shrimp with Garlic Noodles

Grade:  9

Take a look at all of my 2017 Epcot Food and Wine articles.  I have a 2017 Epcot Food and Wine Info Guide with a complete Index of the Food and Wine Menus, The Top NEW Items for 2017, Top Food and Wine Booths and more…I want you to be able to have the best info on the Festival so you have a great time and don’t waste your time!

Your Thoughts:

I want to know what you think of my China Review 2017 Epcot Food and Wine Festival.  What did you think of it?  What was your favorite item?  Let us know in the comments section below!

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