As guests travel from portal to portal venturing through unique lands, Celestial Park, the central hub of Epic Universe, invites guests, aka “travelers,” to journey through culinary delights. Located at the back of the park, near Helios Grand Hotel, the Blue Dragon Pan-Asian restaurant brings a vibrant, engaging dining experience even before guests eat their first bite. Once the food hits the table, guests will be impressed with the bold flavors, creative approaches to classic dishes, and menu variety.
Throughout Epic Universe, the culinary team weaves storytelling into its dining experiences. While those unique threads are seamless when applied within the themed lands, the unique Universe properties have more leeway in crafting that dining experience.
At Blue Dragon, diners are giving a glimpse into the bright lights of a bustling marketplace before heading to the bar or a table. Those shining neon signs act as a beacon to welcome guests to an abundance of food spanning various Asian cultures.
The menu consists of small plates, Dim Sum, noodle and rice, big plates, and sweets. Given the vast and variety of Pan-Asian cuisine, diners will want to order many plates and share amongst the table.
A lovely starter is the sweet and sour calamari paired with the smashed cucumbers. The sweet chili glazed on the calamari has just the right amount of heat. It awakens the palate for the journey through Asian dishes. When paired with the smashed cucumbers, featuring Sichuan spice and texture from the peanuts, it builds excitement for the next course.
For an entrée, the Dan Dan noodles are a must. A take on a traditional recipe, the spice clear but not extreme. It has just the right amount that appeases the authentic food seeker yet is still approachable for the more spice adverse.
Additionally, the Tonoktsu Ramen has a lovely broth that makes this dish quite satisfying. With other traditional ingredients, it is a dish of comfort food that will have everyone slurping time and again.
The big plates are more traditionally well known dishes. But, the crispy fried snapper with the Japanese barbeque sauce is a must order. Paired with a green papaya salad, it is a showstopper.
Lastly, it is imperative to end the meal with the passion fruit mooncake. The bright passionfruit cheesecake has a stunning presentation that matches its vibrant flavor. It is a perfect end to journey through Pan-Asian cuisine.
Blue Dragon Pan-Asian restaurant is located inside Universal Orlando’s Epic Universe. More information on dining hours, availability and menu items can be found on the Universal Orlando app or in the theme park.