Goshiki Food Studio has built a reputation as one of the can’t-miss stops at the EPCOT International Festival of the Arts, thanks in large part to the now-legendary Sushi Doughnut. But this booth has never been a one-hit wonder, and this year proves it.
Located in EPCOT’s Japan Pavilion, Goshiki is one of the festival’s rotating Food Studios, and for this year’s Festival of the Arts it rolled out a mostly-refreshed menu. The Sushi Donut remains (as it should), but it’s joined by three new food items that give the booth a pretty strong boost.
The name Goshiki translates to “five colors” in Japanese, and the menu leans into that idea with visually colorful dishes that mostly deliver on flavor, too. Here are the hits and one miss from our recent experience!
Taiyaki
Let’s start with the surprise highlight. Taiyaki is a traditional fish-shaped pastry, typically filled with red bean like last year’s version. This year’s features a chocolate-flavored shell filled with custard and served with whipped topping. It’s priced at $7.75.
This one absolutely works. The pastry is crisp and flaky without being overly sweet, and the chocolate flavor is present without dominating the bite. The custard filling is smooth and creamy, with just the right ratio to the pastry so it never feels heavy. The whipped topping leans more toward a Cool Whip-style texture than fresh cream, but it helps balance the pastry when you’re taking a few bites without the custard filling.
Overall, it’s a strong dessert option and easily one of the better sweet items at the festival this year.
Tokyo Kawaii Roll
Here’s where things stumble. The Tokyo Kawaii Roll features colorful sushi rice wrapped around shrimp tempura, and comes with a side of yuzu sauce and plum sauce. It costs $9.75.
While the sauces add some much-needed sweetness and acidity, it’s not enough to make up for the tempura shrimp which lacked crispness and flavor. It was soft, soggy, and muted, almost like it had been sitting too long before serving. There also is way too much rice versus the few ingredients inside the roll. For nearly ten dollars and only three pieces, this one just doesn’t justify the price. This is the item to skip.
Wagyu Bun
The clear winner at the booth is the Wagyu Bun, which returns with a visual update. This year’s version comes in a purple bao bun filled with minced American wagyu beef, priced at $10.75.
The filling remains the star. The beef is savory with a subtle sweetness, and the bun is soft without being overly dense. While the purple color adds visual flair, the bun itself only has a mild sweetness, and it’s unclear whether ube is involved. Additionally, it is on the pricier side, and who doesn’t wish it included two buns… Regardless, the flavors work, and this remains one of the strongest savory items at the entire festival.
Goshiki delivers two of the festival’s best items with the Wagyu Bun and Taiyaki, keeps its fan-favorite Sushi Donut in rotation, and only misses once with the Tokyo Kawaii Roll. It’s absolutely worth a stop… just be selective with your order!
