Universal Studios Florida is celebrating the Tokyo Summer Olympics with a miniature food “festival,” and we’re on a mission to try the new menu items. Today, we stopped by the largest booth to try some sushi rolls, gyoza dumplings, and takoyaki puffs. Let’s check it out!
This booth is two tents, likely because of the size of the menu. You can find them at the edge of the music plaza, opposite the stage.
Takoyaki Shrimp Puffs – $7.99
Grilled shrimp puffs topped with gochujang aioli
You get four puffs, each with a full-sized shrimp inside and drizzled with the aioli sauce.
The shrimp puffs were good, but the aioli takes it to the next level. The sauce is spicy, sweet, and delicious. We’d order it again just for the gochujang aioli.
Takoyaki Matcha Puffs – $6.99
Grilled matcha puffs drizzled with white chocolate
Four matcha puffs are drizzled with white chocolate and also topped with milk chocolate shavings, which were not listed on the menu, but were a welcome surprise.
The puffs were fresh, and the matcha taste was very, very light. The chocolate shavings and white chocolate drizzle were excellent complements. This isn’t listed on the menu’s dessert section, but it is a perfect sweet snack. We’ll be eating these all summer.
Lemongrass Chicken Gyoza Dumplings – $7.99
Pan fried dumplings filled with shredded lemongrass chicken, toasted sesame seeds, and ponzu sauce
You get five dumplings topped with sesame seeds, and ponzu sauce on the side for dipping. The lemongrass chicken seemed to be the same as the rice bowl at another booth, but that isn’t a complaint. The dumplings are different enough to make this a unique dish.
These were very tasty, especially with the ponzu sauce. Though both dumpling varieties were good, this one was the winner by an inch.
Edamame Gyoza Dumplings – $7.49
Pan fried dumplings filled with edamame, mixed vegetables, toasted sesame seeds, and ponzu sauce
The edamame dumplings were cooked fresh for us, and we had a short wait. The Team Members invited us to find a table and brought all our food out fresh after a few minutes.
The dumplings are stuffed full of edamame and mixed vegetables, making a delicious vegan option.
Rainbow Sushi Roll – $12.99
Shrimp, hamachi, and tuna roll filled with avocado, kani, and cucumber
Each sushi roll platter was served with ginger, wasabi, and a soy sauce packet.
The rainbow roll was the best of the three sushi options, but that’s not saying much. This roll was fresher than the others, but all were disappointing.
California Sushi Roll – $11.99
Avocado, kani, cucumber, and masago
The rice was dry and bland. The dish was edible, but there are much tastier options available.
Vegan Sushi Roll – $11.99
Carrot, avocado, and cucumber
We expected to enjoy the vegan sushi, but this one disappointing. Compared to other vegan options, we recommend going for the vegan rice bowl at another booth instead.
Sho Chiku Bai Junmai Sake – $9
Classic, traditional sake
We preferred this sake over the moonstone variety. It’s very strong, but if you like sake, you’ll enjoy this. Out of the alcoholic beverages, we recommend the Japanese Highball.
Overall, we highly recommend the takoyaki puffs, and you can’t go wrong with the dumplings. We don’t recommend the sushi rolls. If you’re craving sushi, head over to CityWalk for The Cowfish Sushi Burger Bar instead.
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You’ve clearly never had takoyaki before. That is a pathetic shrimp ball being fronted as takoyaki. The rest looks great!