Dim Sum..Disney Style!?

Crystal Lotus
Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel,
(Hong Kong Disneyland)
Lantau Island, Hong Kong
(852) 3510-6000
http://park.hongkongdisneyland.com/

I knew I had to pay Crystal Lotus a visit when I heard about their famous Disney styled Dim Sum located inside the gorgeous and elegant Victorian Disneyland Hotel. The first thing you'll notice infront of the Crystal Lotus restaurant is a computer-animated pond, where electronic fishies dart out of the way as you walk across the floor (pond). What a great touch! Only available for lunch on the weekends and public holidays, the restaurant offers Dim Sum unlike any other HK restaurants, dim sum dishes inspired by Disney characters! The mix of modern and traditional Chinese decor makes the restaurant appealing to both the young and the old. Embellished by lotus flower chandeliers, crystals, high wooden chairs and decorative fixtures on every dining table makes dining at Crystal Lotus a truly regal experience.

Disney Dim Sum:

Mickey's Seafood Glutinous Pancake

What's Disney Dim Sum without the iconic Mickey Mouse head? The Seafood Pancakes served with hot sauce is adorable to look at, but unfortunately, not so much to eat. The pancakes were a little bit on the hard side: my guess being that the pancakes were probably put in the mold longer for a more defined Mickey shape. Nevertheless, they are oh-so-cute!

Mickey’s Double-layer Turnip and Taro Pudding

Yet another signature dish is the double-layer turnip and taro pudding..also Mickey shaped! These were surprisingly delicious. The combination of turnip and taro made a winning team - the taro kicked up the flavor and softened the spongy turnip..it's difficult to solely eat taro and turnip separately now. They belong together, like husband and wife.

Three Little Pigs Barbecue Pork Bun

Next in line is the storybook classic: "The Three Little Pigs", and you could probably guess what was inside the pigs...yes, bbq pork! So clever, right? I've never had this much trouble eating my pork buns, they were just too cute to be devoured! The taste of the pork was very standard, both juicy and tasty.

 


Little Green Men Pork and Vegetable
It isn't all Disney without some Disney Pixar action! When our next dish came, everyone went, "Ooooooh~" Yup, they are the little green aliens from Toy Story! Inside the little green men were..well, green vegetables! These vegetable buns were great to look at, but even better to eat! However, I wished they had more veggies in the buns because it seemed like most of it was dough.

 

“Chicken Little” Steamed Lotus Seed Puree Bun

So cute. SO PRECIOUS! When these came in, I knew these steamed buns in the basket represented "labor of love". The intricately detailed eyes, eyebrows, beaks, and up to chicken little's spectacles were all carefully made and styled by the chefs at Crystal Lotus. It is all love I tell you....Love♥! I had tons of fun dissecting each part of chicken little, which were all made of flour. Inside the bun, was lotus seed paste mixed with egg...perfect for the mooncake season!

Non-Disney Dishes:

Steamed Vegetable Dumpling

After the intial "Disney dishes" we still had an appetite for more food, so we turned to the traditional menu and ordered a few non-Disney dishes. The first order was the vegetable dumpling. For the non-Chinese, this dish may look rather scary at first glance. Shouldn't veggie dumplings be either white or green? Not in Disney! These unusual vegetable dumplings are made out of gold colored dough - to represent the color and shape of the old currency in China! However, despite its cool design, I didn't like the taste of the dumpling skin as it was too sleek and shiny for me.

WonTon and Fish Maw in Clear Soup

A traditional Cantonese soup, the clear soup was very light and tasty, and also great for the skin. Being Asian, it's always nice to have some warm soup after a big meal.

 

Glutinous Ball with Creamy Custard

This is the BEST dessert, ever! I've never had glutinous ball in the form of a liu sha bao before, but it is one of Crystal Lotus's signature dishes. With sugared peanut powder sprinkled on the outside of the warm, glutinous ball, once bitten, the creamy custard comes gushing out like warm lava. Very, very satisfying. A must try.

Steamed Asian Pear with Honey

My mom actually made me this dish a few months back (when I was coughing nonstop). Pears are considered very healthy and excelled for fevers, cough, and stomach ulcers. Sweet almonds w/ honey are supposed to lubricate the intestines and temper coughs and asthma. This is a yummy and healthy dessert; and is another one of Crystal Lotus's signature dishes.

Disney isn't lying when they say they're the "happiest place on earth" - the staff here are impeccable with their service and not to mention happy all. the. time! As cheesy as it may sound, it felt great to be in a place surrounded by warmth and happiness. Crystal Lotus is a great place to dine with friends, family and your significant other. Trust me, this is not a place where you nor your camera would want to miss!

Overall: 3/5