Recently I had the pleasure of dining at Takumi-Tei Restaurant in the Japan Pavilion at Epcot. This upscale signature restaurant opened back in July at Walt Disney World. Read all about it here.
The dining experience at Takumi-Tei highlights the wonderful Japanese culture and their connection to the elements of the natural world.
As you walk in you are greeted by these elements along with an explanation of how they are woven in Japanese culture and throughout the restaurant.
Follow along with me…
Upon being seated we were able to try some delicious cocktails. The especially love the presentation on the Kochi, the wood smoke really enhances the flavor of the drink.
Before I get started on the meal I was able to take a tour around the restaurant. The decorations are so beautiful and I had no idea there was this much space inside. I have always been intrigued by the Japanse culture and this restaurants really reflects the beauty of Japan.
We were treated to the Omakase Tasting Menu which is the perfect way to sample the wide variety of foods they have at the Takumi-Tei Restaurant.
Let’s dive right in…
The first course was Otoshi or a quick bite, it was warm and melted in your mouth. I can’t remember what it was made of but all I know I wanted more!
I LOVE Sushi. It is one of the foods I probably eat weekly. Their hand made sushi was easily some of the best I have ever tasted. All of the hand made rolls were light and fresh. If you are new to sushi this would be a great way to try sushi for the first time as you get a sample of the most popular sushi rolls. The sea urchin (yellow roll) was easily my favorite.
The Nikomi Wagyu was next up after our sushi course. The wagyu was so tender and flavorful, you can tell this took some time to cook. The bone marrow underneath added that extra level of flavor to put this over the top. The portion size was quite large although you can’t really tell from my photo. I only ate half of it.
After 3 courses down it is time to cleanse your pallet before they bring out the main course. The Hashiyasume was an excellent way to get ready for something I was really looking forward to trying… the Japanse wagyu beef steak!
The Wagyu Tabekurabe pairs Japanese Beef(right) with American Beef(left). I can honestly say that the Japanese Wagyu hands down is the best steak I have ever eaten. It was fork-tender and it literally melted in your mouth. I think I actually closed my eyes and savored how good it was (think Anton Ego from Ratatouille) I will be coming back again just to have some more of the steak as it was the STAR of the entire meal for me. The American steak was good don’t get me wrong, if I would have just had that on my plate I would have been happy but when you put them side by side it’s hard not to have a favorite.
At this point, I am getting pretty full. I appreciate the Suiren Dani or Japanese water cake for dessert. It is light and probably the most unique dessert I have ever tried. Unfortunately, it might have been a little too sophisticated for my pallet as I only had a few bites.
Needing to get up and stretch my legs I saw the Cherry Blossom room when I first walked in and wanted to show you how beautiful this room is. Next time I visit I am going to request this room to have my meal. The even have a special Chef’s table worth checking out for those special occasions (see our Instagram Highlight)
When I came back to my seat I wasn’t expected to be greeted by my server who had one more surprise in store for us. A traditional Japanese Tea Ceremony. While it was going on I forgot to take photos but I was able to get a video up on my Instagram Highlight. Just click here to see the Tea Ceremony, along with some other photos I was able to take from my meal.
I did, however, get photos of the entire menu for you to check out. You don’t need to come in and do the Tasting Menu, you can order a la carte and pick and choose your favorites, which I plan on doing next time. I highly suggest doing the Tasting Menu if you can, it is a great way to sample a wide variety of their foods and it does change like most signature restaurants.
Ok to sum my entire experience up in a word… Amazing! From the Cast Members to the food, and the restaurant itself everything was so Amazing! I would easily put this entire dinner in my top 5 best dinners at Walt Disney World. Reading about this restaurant beforehand and actually being there I was blown away…
I would like to give a special thank you Takumi-Tei for allowing me to check them out. Seriously if you are looking for a new restaurant in Epcot or like me love Japanse Culture/Food this is one experience you won’t want to miss. If you notice I didn’t say dinner as the entire meal was an experience from start to finish.
Arigatou Gozaimasu to entire staff at Takumi-Tei.
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