PassPorter Online
PassPorter.com
Award-winning travel guidebooks
Home Florida - Walt Disney World Caribbean - Disney Cruise Line California - Disneyland Resort Anywhere and Everywhere! Travelers Store Message Boards PassPorter's Club Help!
  About Us  |  Customs Office   |   Register Your Book   |   Book Updates   |  Newsletter  |  Articles  |  Photos  |   Follow Us on
Articles Menu
PassPorter Articles
Planning
Disney Dreaming
What Keeps Us Coming Back
Disney for Veteran Visitors
Rumor Round-Up
Finding Answers
Best Disney Trip Advice
Getting Your Disney Fix
How Young Is Too Young?
Top Ten Disney Questions
Tipping (Gratuities)
Timeshare Vacation Offers
Disney World on a Budget
Credit Cards 101
Money-Saving Strategies
Preparing Kids For Disney
Taking Toddlers to Disney
Planning Trips for Others
Convincing Others To Go
Importance of Being Lazy

Preparing For Your Disney Cruise
Ten "Must Pack" Items
Touring With A Group
Chaperoning A Group Trip
Traveling
Ten Travel Tips
Luggage Tips
iPhone, I Travel
Driving to Disney
Driving With Kids
Child Safety Seats
CARES Harness Review
Rental Cars
Amtrak Auto Train
Airline Security
Flying With Kids
Surviving Long Flights
Surviving Bumpy Flights
Surviving Bad Vacations
Surviving Long Airport Waits
Staying Healthy
First Aid on Vacation
Solo Travel
Pregnant at Disney
Dress For Travel
Traveling With Pets
International Travel
Taking A 'Greener' Trip to WDW

Orlando Sanford Airport
Lodging
Choosing a Resort
On-Site Lodging vs. Off-Site Lodging
Disney Resort Primer
Reserving a Room
Key to the World Card
Fun at Resort Hotels
Disney Vacation Club
All-Star Movies
All-Star Music
All-Star Sports
All-Star Vacation Homes
Animal Kingdom Lodge: Perfect for Teens
Villas at Animal Kingdom Lodge
Beach Club
BoardWalk Inn & Villas
Contemporary Resort
Ft. Wilderness Camping
Old Key West
Wilderness Lodge
Home Sweet Home
Grand Californian #1
Grand Californian #2
Grosvenor Resort
Hilton Resort
Orlando Airport Marriott
Priceline.com
Radisson Resort Parkway
Shades of Green
Westin Century Plaza
Making The Most of Bell Services at Disney's Deluxe Resorts
DVC's Old Key West Resort
Cruising
Preparing For Your Disney Cruise
New Ships!
Cruise Security
International Port Security
Convincing a Husband to Cruise
Palo Dinner Review
Vow Renewals Onboard
Cruising With Special Diets
Cruising St. Martin
One in a Million Cruise
Zip-A-Dee-Zip-Line: A Canopy Adventure
A 'Magic' Time In The Mediterranean
A Wrap-Up From DCL's Inaugural Mediterranean Cruise
DCL: Not Just for Kids!
Spa Villas Review
Touring
Laugh Floor Comedy Club
Mickey's PhilharMagic
Fantasyland For Adults
Mission: SPACE
Rock 'n' Roller Coaster
Star Wars Weekends
Animal Kingdom
Expedition EVEREST
Surviving the Parks as First Time Parents
Surviving the Holidays
Overcoming Kids Fears
Planning Park Days
Four Parks in One Day
Touring with Toddlers
A Kid's Perspective
A Teen's Take
Educational Epcot
Flower & Garden Festival
Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party
Scary Places (Halloween)
Playing "Millionaire"
Winning "Millionaire"
A Day With Allie
Past Attractions at Magic Kingdom
Meeting Mickey
Disneyland at 50
Future of Disneyland
Beyond the Disney Parks
Disney's Hollywood Studios
Monorail System
California Adventure
Expanding Disney's California Adventure
10 Reasons to Love Disneyland
A WDW Veteran's First Trip to Disneyland
A Disneyland Veteran's First Trip to Walt Disney World
Disneyland Homecoming
Walt Disney World With Pre-Teen Boys
Keys To The Kingdom Backstage Tour
Pirates & Princess Party
WDW with Teens? Absolutely!
Dining
Disney Dining Plan
More Dining Plan Tips
Dining Plan Revisited
Dining Plan Answers
Advance Dining Reservation (ADR) Strategies
Artist Point Review
California Grill Review
Nine Dragons Review
Spoodles Review
The Turf Club Review
Crystal Palace Review
Yak & Yeti Review
Tutto Italia Review
Character Dinners
Dine With A Disney Imagineer
Eating Healthy at Disney
Food Allergies
White Water Snacks
MurderWatch Mystery Theatre
Disneyland Dining: Yamabuki
Disneyland Area Dining: Pirate's Dinner Adventure
Party For The Senses
Artist Point
1900 Park Fare Dinner Review
Making Magic
Romance At Disney World
Beating The Post Trip Blues
Discovering the Magic
Magic of Slowing Down
Unexpected Treasures
Wishes Fireworks Cruise
Backstage Tours
Epcot's Segway Tour
Epcot's International Food & Wine Festival
Taking Great Photos
Taking Great Fireworks Photos
Digital Photo Q & A
Souvenirs on a Budget
Pal Mickey
Birthdays at Disney
Reunions and Gatherings
Holidays (Christmas)
More Holidays
Disney Intimate Weddings
Disney Vow Renewals
Custom Events
Scrapbooking
Preserving Memories
Scrapbooking Supplies
Finding Scrapbook Supplies at WDW
Memories and Milestones
Scavenger Hunts
Geocaching
Hidden Mickeys
Hidden Mickeys Book Review
Richard Petty Experience
More Richard Petty Rides
Ft. Wilderness Trail Ride
Disney Podcasts
MouseFest 2006
Cirque du Soleil: La Nouba
Sharing
Making of PassPorter
Rest of the World
United States:
Big Apple Greeter
City Pass Cards
Hawaii
Hilton Head Island #1
Hilton Head Island #2
Celebration, Florida
Key Largo & Islamorada
Miami, Florida
Pensacola, Florida
St. Augustine, Florida
Space Coast, Florida
Tampa-St. Petersburg
WonderWorks (Orlando)
Knoebels, Pennsylvania
Las Vegas
Los Angeles
San Diego
San Francisco
Anza-Borrego Desert
Grand Canyon
The Poconos
New York City
New York Splash Tours
New York City Dining
New York: Antiques
New England
New Orleans
Nashville, Tennessee
Adventures by Disney: Wyoming
Fort Sumter, South Carolina
Zoos of the World
Universal Studios Orlando
New Attractions at Universal Orlando
Seuss Trolley Train Ride at Universal Orlando
Sanibel & Captiva Islands
Universal: For Non-Thrill Seekers?
Madison County, Iowa
The Great Smoky Mountains
Yosemite
Discovery Cove (Orlando)
Busch Gardens Africa: SheiKra Coaster Review
NASCAR AllState 400
Michigan's Upper Peninsula
Niagara Falls, New York
Blue Horizons at SeaWorld Orlando
International Travel:
London
London Museums
London's Globe Theatre
Kent, England
Bath, England
Great Britain via Harry Potter
Stonehenge
Ireland
Paris
Marseilles
Rome
Stockholm, Sweden
Helsinki, Finland
Quebec City, Canada
Prince Edward Island
South Africa
Leeds Castle
Pompeii
Windsor Castle
Wimbledon
Menorca
Dover Castle
Florence
Monaco
Niagara Falls, Ontario
Nine Dragons Restaurant Review
by Dave Marx, Author of PassPorter Travel Guides
 
After a long hiatus, we returned to Nine Dragons restaurant, in Epcot's China Pavilion. The recently revised lunch and dinner menus drew us back, and now that we've sampled, we'll be coming back for more! While we were able to list those new menu items in the latest edition of PassPorter Walt Disney World, we hadn't had a chance to taste them. Naturally, this also meant we couldn't update our old ratings.

Well, after a totally delightful lunch in late January, we can finally revise those numbers, in a big way. Jennifer's rating goes from a "2" to a "7," and Dave's goes from a "4" to an "8!" The reason for the change is that the revised menus offer a wider range of out-of-the-ordinary offerings, and the preparation and quality finally justify the high, Midtown New York City prices. While you'll still pay far, far less in Chinatown or the local strip mall, you'd be quite fortunate to find a local Chinese establishment that compares.

Jennifer enjoys a window seat at Nine Dragons

What has us kvelling (rhapsodizing) so much? Let's tell you about our recent lunch, where we went sampling-crazy. Not only did we order the lunch sampler for two ($29), but we also ordered three items from the dim sum menu. Either would have made a full lunch, so as good as it all was, we couldn't finish the half of it.

The lunch sampler offers some tasty but safe selections for the couple with "regular" tastes (there's also a menu for four suited to similar tastes). Jennifer chose the Shanghai wonton soup to start - a flavorful, superior broth and a garnish of fresh Chinese parsley elevated this war horse above the mundane. Dave began with hot and sour soup, which again was a cut above the ordinary. The sampler was rounded out by three entrees, each portion sufficient for one, so had we finished all three (and it was a temptation), we would have looked like Winnie the Pooh. Dave's favorite among the three was the sesame chicken. The small morsels of battered and deep-fried chicken were covered in a crispy honey glaze, and sprinkled with sesame seeds. It was easily the best version of sesame chicken he's ever had (and with that luscious hunny, we're sure Pooh would agree!)

Jennifer's favorite was the sautéed beef and peppers. Old-time Cantonese restaurant goers might just think "pepper steak" and move on, but even jaded Chinese food fan Dave agrees that the julienned red and green peppers and onions, and the flavorful, well-balanced brown sauce rose above commonplace versions.

The third item took a back seat on both of our lists. The shrimp with cashew nuts was just "OK." Still a cut above average, but this was a case where they didn't find a way to distinguish the medium shrimp, diced celery and cashew nuts in a light brown sauce.

Between the soup and entrees, we had several dim sum selections. Dim sum, or "touch the heart" is Chinatown's version of Spanish tapas and Japanese sushi. These small (usually) appetizer-sized portions are a staple of Chinatown lunchrooms. The menu at Nine Dragons offers nearly two dozen choices, including a variety of steamed and fried dumplings, spring rolls, stir-fried and pickled veggies, traditional sweets like deep-fried sesame seed balls and steamed buns with red bean filling, savory meats (crispy roast duckling, chicken breast marinated in wine, spicy beef shank), steamed tofu with shrimp, and several noodle dishes. Prices range from $3.95 - $14.95. Our Chaozhu steamed dumplings ($3.95) were plump, translucent packets of rice noodle dough stuffed with a flavorful mixture of minced veggies and peanuts - no dipping sauce was supplied, or needed. A cold plate of sweet and spicy cucumber salad ($3.95) was the perfect between-item palate-cleanser for our sampling odyssey - its sugar, rice vinegar, shredded ginger and red pepper marinade was perfectly balanced for Dave's taste, but a mite spicy for Jennifer. Finally, the crispy duckling ($7.95). The huge portion of carefully cut-up, bone-in duck approached perfection. All too often, crispy duck is incinerated in deep fat to produce a thick, crunchy, greasy crust and dried-out meat, or comes out with browned-but-soggy-and-fatty skin. Here, the duck came out golden brown, with light, delicately crisp outer skin, nearly no fat beneath that skin, and wonderfully moist and flavorful meat below. While the duck was accompanied by the traditional dish of hoisin dipping sauce, it was hardly required (dip sparingly). Whew! This is the new benchmark by which Dave will compare all Chinese duck.

Now, either the sampler meal or the three dim sum items could have made a satisfying lunch (well soup and four or five dim sum would have been heaven), but we were here to sample and scout. Dim sum is the perfect solution for a table full of food-loving friends. While the little plates aren't wheeled around on a cart, Chinatown-style, you can keep ordering item after item, as your whim and appetite permit. The dim sum lunch certainly offers more adventure than the regular menu that lists familiar Cantonese and Szechwan favorites like sweet & sour pork, Kung Bao chicken, moo gu gai pan, scallops with black bean sauce, and mu shu pork. Still, if the familiar beckons, be assured that it won't disappoint.

Next on our agenda is a dinner at Nine Dragons. You see, after the wonderful duck at lunch, Dave can't wait to try the Three Course Peking Whole Duck Dinner, which is served only at dinner. What's remarkable here is that you can order this Chinese classic at whim - the few restaurants that serve the "real thing" often require a 24-hour-in-advance order. Alas, the selection of dim sum at dinner is much smaller, so you just may have to make two visits to Nine Dragons to sample its many pleasures.

Return to PassPorter.com | Discuss restaurants on the PassPorter Message Boards
 
 

Updated 12/29/06 



Read additional articles from PassPorter.com

Subscribe to our free e-mail newsletter, PassPorter News, published for more than 58,000 opt-in subscribers worldwide. As an added bonus for subscribing, you will receive a 20% discount coupon for the PassPorter Store -- no catch!

E-mail Address:

First Name:

E-mail Format:
-Text/Don't Know  

-HTML

 
 

We respect your privacy and never sell or rent our subscriber list. Subscribing will not result in more spam! We guarantee it.

AddThis Social Bookmark Button

Copyright 1999-2015
by PassPorter Travel Press, an imprint of MediaMarx, Inc.

       LEARN MORE
Learn More With Our Award-Winning Guidebooks


PassPorter's Walt Disney World guidebook

PassPorter's Sidekick for the Walt Disney World Guidebook e-book

PassPorter's Disney Vacation Club Guide

PassPorter's Disney 500: Fast Tips for Walt Disney World Trips e-book

PassPorter's Disney Speed Planner: The Easy Ten Step Program to a Perfect Walt Disney World Vacation e-book

PassPorter's Disney Weddings & Honeymoons

PassPorter's Festivals and Celebrations at Walt Disney World e-book

PassPorter's Treasure Hunts at Walt Disney World

PassPorter's Disney Cruise Line guidebook

PassPorter's Disney Cruise Clues: First-Class Tips for Disney Cruise Trips

PassPorter Disneyland Resort and Southern California Attractions guidebook

PassPorter's Open Mouse for Walt Disney World and Disney Cruise Line guidebook

       SPONSOR LINKS