This past week, I had the good fortune of getting to spend time at Disney California Adventure and experience all they have to offer for their 2020 Lunar New Year celebration. Accompanying these festivities are a number of festival dining locations, serving up dishes inspired by various Asian cuisines. Today, I wanted to share a quick look at a trio of items available at the Longevity Noodle Co. booth: Vegetable Egg Roll and Chilled Sesame-Garlic Noodles, Black Sesame Mochi Donut, and Vietnamese Cold Brew with Coconut Milk.
Vegetable Egg Roll and Chilled Sesame-Garlic Noodles
- Price: $7.00
- Description: Vegetable Egg Roll and Chilled Sesame-Garlic Noodles with Cilantro-Cashew Sauce and Toasted Peanuts
- Our rating: 3.25 out of 5
As we mentioned in our review of Red Dragon Spice Traders, we were impressed by the quality of dishes being served from a small kiosk. The same can be said of Longevity Noodle Co. which managed to hand out fresh tasting foods that were perfectly hot or properly chilled according to the demands of the dish. On the whole, we were not disappointed.
The Vegetable Egg Roll was hot and flavorful and even featured a nice crispy crust. While it was well seasoned, there was nothing remarkable about the filling other than that it was surprisingly juicy. As it turns out, our favorite part of this dish was the Cilantro-Cashew Sauce and Toasted Peanuts! The topping was sweet and salty and the peanuts added just the right amount of crunch.
The Sesame Garlic rice noodles had perfect al dente texture and mixed well with sauce. That said, while the sesame and garlic flavors were present, they could have stood to be stronger. It’s possible that there could be different results ordering these dishes in the middle of the day and not at closing time. Still, at least for our sample, this dish was good but not exceptional. It probably didn’t help that we were eating so many different flavors at once, but it’s Disney and we were hungry!
Overall rating: 3.25 out of 5.
Black Sesame Mochi Donut
- Price: $6.00
- Description: Chewy Mochi Donut topped with a Black Sesame Icing
- Our rating: 2.5 out of 5
I assume that, when most people think of mochi, they think of balls of ice cream encased in a gelatinous wrapper. Alas, that’s not what this is. However, the sections that you be broken off of this ring donut can resemble such dumplings, so I guess that’s good enough to make this a fun idea.
This treat also has a different texture than you would get from a regular donut; it’s a bit spongier and chewier, leaving the frosting to chip off as you bite. Granted, none of these are bad things and it proves to be a delightful dessert. At the same time, though, the black sesame flavor that would truly make this offering unique wasn’t so evident in our tasting. So, while it was good, it wasn’t great.
Overall, the mochi donut was nice for sharing and paired well with the coffee (we’ll get to that in a second), but $6 is pretty steep. As a result, I have to give it a 2.5 out of 5 — mostly because of the price.
Vietnamese Cold Brew with Coconut Milk
- Price: $6.50
- Description: French Bistro Cold Brew by Joffrey’s Coffee and Tea Co., Sweetened Coconut Cream, Coconut Milk, House-made Whipped Coconut Cream and Cacao Powder Topping
- Our rating: 4.5 out of 5
What a delicious drink! I was originally intrigued by this selection because I love cold brew coffee, and it did not disappoint. If you’re not familiar, cold brew coffee is made by soaking coarsely ground coffee in room temperature water for 12+ hours. When the grounds are removed you’re left with a strong, smooth coffee concentrate that’s ideal for mixing with ice or your choice of milk.
This drink was smooth, sweet, and yes, coconutty. On the first sip, I only detected a hint of coconut milk, but it got stronger as I stirred the beverage. While the coconut flavor was prominent, it wasn’t overpowering and blended nicely with the coffee. Now don’t be fooled, the coffee itself is very strong and adds a hint of bitterness. If you’re not a fan of coffee, this drink isn’t for you.
As for the toppings, personally I would have been fine without the whipped cream, and even though I could see the cacao powder, it wasn’t powerful enough to taste. And since the beverage was pre-packaged and sealed on the top, I couldn’t opt to remove the whip cream or add more cacao.
To make this Lunar New Year specialty absolutely perfect, I would cut back on the sweetened coconut cream and add a bit more coffee or unsweetened coconut milk. But on the whole, I was in heaven with every sip and this treat became an instant favorite.
Overall rating: 4.5 out of 5
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