Sunday Brunch: Lotus
Blossom
18 August 2013
by Reuben Gutierrez
Today marks the conclusion to Brent Week at From
Screen to Theme. To celebrate we'll visit Brent's favorite place to
eat that has not already been covered in Sunday Brunch: the Lotus
Blossom cafe in the China Pavilion at Epcot. While the China
Pavilion opened in 1982 the same year Epcot premiered, the counter
service cafe (along with Nine Dragons Restaurant) opened in 1985.
Lotus Blossom cafe, one of several restaurants in Epcot
independently owned and operated by a third party vendor, while
frequently visited by many guests, unfortunately suffers in quality
and authenticity.

We have hypothesized that the cast members here work
on commission or are incredibly eager to assist you. One only has to
be walk by the doorway to hear a cashier exclaim 'Picture menu
here!'

My research concludes this is more for show than in reference to an
actual person

The menu, which changed numerous times through the
years, contains familiar, but simplified 'Chinese food' menu items
commonly found at Chinese take-out restaurants across the country.
Chinese-ish food is probably the more accurate category. Descriptors
like 'Hong Kong Style' help make the menu a wee bit exciting, but as
far as Chinese food goes in this country, this menu's basicity
surprises one considering the quality of the other counter service
menus in the other World Showcase pavilions.

A sudden desire for Chinese food overwhelmed my
brother, Albert, and I one evening this past week, so we decided to
journey to China in Epcot. A decision I wish we revised, because the
'Chinese food' was underwhelming, and not worth the Disney price we
played. In comparison, the cost of a single entr'e priced between
$7-$9 could elsewhere (like a mall food court) easily cover 2
entrees, a choice from 3 different starches (white rice, fried rice,
lo mein), and an egg roll. To get all that at Lotus Blossom cafe,
plan on spending more than $20 and feeling more than unsatisfied.

Still we wanted Chinese food, even if it was more 'ish'
than Chinese and cost more than we should be spending. We'd get to
be in Epcot at the very least. My brother, Albert, ordered the
Sesame Chicken Salad, a bowl of mixed greens with several pieces of
the signature Sesame Chicken. He liked it, thinking the Sesame
Vinaigrette dressing was 'okay.' He concluded that 'you can't really
mess up a salad.'

As for myself, I ordered the Orange Chicken,
something I have ordered before. The dish also happens to be Brent's
favorite, even if he doesn't like most Chinese food. To tell you the
truth, this is not 'real' Chinese food, and harkens back to the 'ish'
I mentioned earlier. Rather, you're apt to find this same 'Chinese
Chicken nugget' in Chinese buffets and take-out restaurants as
Sweet-and-sour chicken. The all-purpose chicken nuggets actually get
used in the Orange Chicken, the Sesame Chicken, and the children's
Sweet and Sour Chicken, each with the appropriate 'sauce.' Orange
Chicken and Sesame Chicken are made with a typically tighter,
crunchier chicken nugget, with flavor dominating in the sauce rather
than the meat. The orange sauce in my chicken contained a distinctly
orange flavor with visible orange zest, though had more of a
sweetness to it rather than orange. Both chicken entrees contained
sauces which were more sweet than flavorful. To the average palette,
this is great, as it's familiar and easy to enjoy. For the more
adventurous, the overbearing sweetness of the sauce feels more like
a letdown, or even a turn-off. As we grow older, our tolerance will
lower for sweet tastes. Unfortunately, I've reached that age where
too sweet is too much.
Traveling through Disney World, guests encounter
excellent dining, and appropriately find the duds, successfully
making the excellent extraordinary. Take it from someone who knows,
if you have time and want good Chinese food, take the extra time and
pay the extra dollar to dine next door at the superior Nine Dragons
Restaurant. While it is not authentic Chinese cuisine ' then again
that's hard to find in this country ' the food is of superior
quality, flavor, and variety. If you don't have that kind of time or
dollar, you still can find good Asian food fast at the
Katusura Grill in the Japan Pavilion. Let's be honest, folks,
they are pretty much the same thing, just better. While not the
worst thing in all of Walt Disney World, the Lotus Blossom cafe
offers okay food and at least the atmosphere is more authentic than
the food.
