Welcome to a food studio review for the 2019 Epcot International Festival of the Arts, taking place in the park from January 18 to February 25, 2019. This review will cover “The Painted Panda” Food Studio located near the China Pavilion. (Note that the menu prices do not include tax!) For our complete coverage of the 2019 Epcot International Festival of the Arts, head to our festival landing page at wdwnt.art. Chī hǎo hē hǎo!
“The Painted Panda” Food Studio at the Epcot International Festival of the Arts
Menu for “The Painted Panda” at the Epcot International Festival of the Arts
Food:
- Crystal Mooncake with Fruit Filling and garnished with Toasted Coconut – $9.75
- Dragon and Phoenix: Spicy Sautéed Shrimp with Spinach Noodles – $10.50
- Plum Infused Cherry Tomatoes – $7.50
- Sugar Painting (Limited Availability) – $15.00
Beverages:
- Panda Bubble Tea: Classic Milk Tea with Black and White Boba Pearls (Non-Alcoholic) – $6.95
- Jasmine Draft Beer – $5.00
- Fortune Cookie: ByeJoe Spirit, Amaretto, Coconut and Pineapple – $10.50
- Kung Fu Punch: Vodka, Triple Sec – $9.00
- Tomato Plum Cocktail: Plum Wine with Plum Infused Tomatoes – $12.50
Crystal Mooncake with Fruit Filling and garnished with Toasted Coconut – $9.75
As a large group, we were torn about this item. It’s unique, sure, but something is really just different about the overall consistency and taste. We would recommend this if the price tag was $5 lower, but at the current price, there’s no way we can recommend or even encourage the adventurous eater. Honestly. Stay away.
Dragon and Phoenix: Spicy Sautéed Shrimp with Spinach Noodles – $10.50
As you all probably know, I love spicy food. These noodles are not only spicy, but have a great flavor. While the shrimp are nothing special, the dish as a whole is enjoyable.
Plum Infused Cherry Tomatoes – $7.50
Tomatoes should be stored and served at room temperature. These are served ice cold which ruins the tomato, even if they are plum infused. They were gritty, slimy, devoid of flavor, and just really unpleasant to try and consume.
Sugar Painting (Limited Availability) – $15.00
It’s a bit expensive, but you can buy some sugar art here as well. The wonderful part is you can easily stand here and watch the artisan make them, so even if you don’t buy one, it’s a great addition to the event.
“Panda” Bubble Tea: Classic Milk Tea with Black and White Boba Pearls (Non-Alcoholic) – $6.95
This milk tea is fantastic. It’s sweet, but not overly so, and the boba pearls provide a licorice like flavor to counter the milk. This is a great option to counter the spicy noodle dish.
Jasmine Draft Beer – $5.00
Surprise! This one’s not brewed in China—or even made there! In fact, it’s brewed locally in Florida with a slapped-on Jasmine name, sort of like how local brewery Crooked Can made a unique draft for Morimoto Asia at Disney Springs. It’s a straightforward, unfiltered wheat beer with a small floral hint. Very drinkable, and we believe this is the only spot to actually get this beer.
Fortune Cookie: ByeJoe Spirit, Amaretto, Coconut and Pineapple – $10.50
The fortune cookie comes in a wrapper on the side, we removed it for a nice picture. What comes off as a Chinese version of Horchata, the taste can’t be mistaken. It’s a bit spicy because of the ByeJoe Red, but everything blends and pairs perfectly together. Another recommended drink. (Hint: put the fortune cookie, sans paper, in the drink and let it soak for a really nice treat)
Kung Fu Punch: Vodka, Triple Sec – $9.00
The China pavilion has two things going for it: Nine Dragons, and heavy pours. Whether it’s the drinks from The Joy of Tea booth or their festival booth, the pours are always large and in charge. The Kung Fu Punch highlights and exploits this by being a drink that tastes very alcohol-forward and feels boozy. A $9 proposition to have a solid drink isn’t a horrible deal, especially at Epcot.
Tomato Plum Cocktail: Plum Wine with Plum Infused Tomatoes – $12.50
We didn’t enjoy the tomatoes, so guess how we felt about this. Luckily I accidentally spilled half of it, so we didn’t have to have much. The plum wine is drinkable, but I don’t know why you would get this when you can have the other beverages at this booth.