Epcot Flower and Garden Festival: Hanami and Lotus House

Hanami and Lotus House are returning Outdoor Kitchens to the 2015 Epcot Flower and Garden Festival. Hanami is located in the Japan Pavilion, while Lotus House in the China Pavilion.

Hanami

Back on the menu for a third year… Frushi. This fan favorite dish consists of fresh pineapple, strawberry and melon rolled with raspberry coconut rice, sprinkled with toasted coconut and whipped cream on the side. Perfect for the little ones!

We decided to try the Teriyaki Curry Bun and Strawberry Nigori, mild creamy sake infused with sweet-tangy strawberry. The drink tasted like a strawberry smoothie with sake. You can definitely taste the sake in it, so if you’re not a fan of sake… you may want to skip this one. Those of us that like sake really enjoyed it.

The Teriyaki Curry Bun, a steamed bun filled with chicken, vegetables, curry and sweet sauce was pretty good. It tastes much better than it looks! The best way to describe the flavor is a mild Indian curry with soy sauce. If you enjoy those flavors, give this a try.

Lotus House

Returning this year, the Beijing-style Candied Strawberries. These are great! They are slightly sweet with sesame seeds. They’re great for kids and an excellent choice for vegetarians.

One of our favorite items at this year’s festival – Kung Pao Chicken Bun. It’s a steamed bun topped with chicken, scallions, sliced red onions and hoisin sauce. The hoisin sauce is amazing! The bun is steamed nicely, not dry at all and the chicken is moist. It’s almost too good to share.

The Vegetable Spring Roll served with a sriracha mayo-based sauce was alright. It’s just a simple vegetable spring roll, nothing fancy. If you enjoy springs rolls or are a vegetarian, it’s worth a try. Otherwise, try one of the more unique dishes that are offered. It’s not that they weren’t good, but they’re just your typically spring roll. The best part… the sauce!

For those 21 and up, there is Kung Fu Punch – Vodka and Triple Sec with mango and orange juice and South Sea Storm – Guava with light and dark rum. They are pre-mixed in the machines, so you don’t have to wait long for a tropical drink.

For more information on the 2015 Epcot Flower and Garden Festival, including reviews, visit our festival page!

What are some of your favorite menu items at Hanami and Lotus House? We’d love to hear about your favorites!