Chris A.
Yelp
So this place is new to Epcot. It opened earlier this year. It promised me authentic Japanese cuisine with an accompanying experience unlike any other offered at a Disney restaurant. Holy crapola did Takumi-Tei deliver. The host escorts you through the initial hallway and explains the importance of the five elements to the Japanese people before she seats you in one of five dining rooms, one for each element.
There are plenty of delicious sounding options, but I knew I would have regrets if I didn't go with the Omakase Tasting Menu. It's a seven course tasting menu that was absolutely wonderful. I don't want to go too far into detail on what the courses are, but I will name them and give you helpful tips and tricks.
Otoshi
Apparently this is different every day, which is very nice. What I got was some bites of asparagus that were wrapped in nori. It was a very light, natural dish that I loved very much. Sometimes a food's natural flavors can outshine heavy seasonings.
Temari Sushi
These tiny balls of sushi were excellent. The slivers of seafood that are on top of the ball are very thin, so I recommend taking the pieces in two bites, so you can properly assess the flavor of each piece. Trust me, you'll see what I mean.
Nikomi Wagyu
Bone marrow is amazing. Wagyu is amazing. The wasabi dots on this plate aren't very harsh. I recommend everyone try them at least once. Also, there's a smear of dried sauce running down the middle of the plate. The key is to plop the juicy meat on top of the smear to rehydrate it and then you can taste it. It's nice. It's got a mild sweetness to it.
Hashiyasume
This is a palate cleanser, and it is very very cold. If you have sensitive teeth, do not take this in all in one bite.
Wagyu Tabekurabe
The main event. Japanese vs. American Wagyu. I don't want to sound obvious, I really don't, but the Japanese was just better. You'll see. Everything on the plate was nice, but the true winner was "Matcha Maldon," which was a combination of matcha powder and sea salt. Oh my God. This stuff was so good. I ran out of it. I almost asked for more.
Shizuku
This was fun. I've seen cakes like this on Facebook and stuff. It's absolutely flavorless, and the texture is reminiscent of the inside of a grape, which was nice, because there were grapes on the plate as well. Just make sure you grab some of the Yuzu Crumble with each bite of the cake, and you're golden.
Tea Ceremony
This was amazing. Our server and another server joined forces to make tea from matcha powder right in front of me. One did all the work as the other one narrated, and then they taught me the proper way to drink the tea. So much fun.
Overall, wow. I don't know if ordering from the tradition menu items would yield to a five star review, but the tasting menu was a very, very good experience. Unlike anything I've ever even heard of in Orlando. If you're yearning for an authentic Japanese experience, come here.