Disney News

Morimoto Asia Launches Street Food Concept at Disney Springs

Hi everyone!

Morimoto Asia will offer “to-go” street food selections on May 15th, 2016 as the new Town Center area opens. Guests can dine on Morimoto sticky ribs, sushi, Bao Tacos and more in this new concept from Japanese Master Chef Masaharu Morimoto. As Disney Springs continues to grow, this will be perfect for those not looking for a big meal! Keep reading for the press release!

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (May 9, 2016) – Morimoto Asia, the first pan-Asian dining experience created by Japanese Master Chef Masaharu Morimoto — is “taking it to the street,” offering delectable street food selections from a new to-go concept, beginning Sunday, May 15.

The new extension of the dazzling, multi-level restaurant at Disney Springs makes it possible for on-the-go guests to choose from a cross-section of popular, good-value menu items reflecting the range of flavors from across the Asian continent. Menu items are broken down into sections and include the following:

•      “Snacks” including takoyaki (octopus, nori, okonomiyaki sauce), Morimoto sticky ribs, curry rice croquette, taiyaki (snapper shaped sweet pancake filled with sweet adzuki red bean paste) and pork egg roll (pork, cabbage).

•      “Bao Tacos” including kalbi (kimchi, scallions), chicken teriyaki (spicy mayo, cucumber, lettuce, teriyaki) and pork (spicy mayo, cucumber, lettuce)

•      “Donburi” (rice bowls) in a variety of styles including Japanese beef curry, char-siu don (braised pork belly, scallions, pickled ginger) and chicken teriyaki don (braised chicken, carrots, broccoli).

•       “Sushi (rito) and Onigiri” including California roll (guacamole), shrimp tempura roll (lettuce, cucumber), orange chicken roll (lettuce, sesame, orange glaze), vegetable roll (cucumber, lettuce, carrots, guacamole), sake onigiri (grilled flaked salmon, Morimoto premium white rice) and edamame & shiso onigiri (Morimoto premium white rice).

“Street food holds memories of my childhood. It reminds me of the local festivals and events of my hometown,” said Chef Morimoto.  “I am excited that our new street food will transport guests to Asia and the marvelous cuisines that inspired my menu creations.”

Located in the heart of Disney Springs in a neighborhood called The Landing, Morimoto Asia is the exciting collaboration of the chef with Patina Restaurant Group, a bicoastal leader in the premium segment of the hospitality industry.  Fronted by a dramatic, three-story glass entryway, Morimoto Asia is an eye-filling showplace of dining spaces, open terraces, an intimate 14-seat sushi bar, Forbidden Lounge cocktail and late-night dining hotspot and an exhibition kitchen that allows diners a glimpse of the culinary action.

About Patina Restaurant Group
Patina Restaurant Group (www.patinagroup.com) is a bicoastal boutique company and leader in the premium segment of the restaurant industry.  In New York, its portfolio features Lincoln Ristorante, STATE Grill and Bar at the Empire State Building, Stella 34 Trattoria at Macy’s Herald Square, The Sea Grill at Rockefeller Center, Brasserie, Brasserie 8 1/2, The Grand Tier Restaurant at the Metropolitan Opera, La Fonda Del Sol at Grand Central, and The Rink at Rockefeller Center. Other East Coast properties include Tutto Italia Ristorante and Via Napoli at the Epcot World Showcase in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. On the West Coast its portfolio includes the renowned Los Angeles Times’ four-starred and Michelin-starred Patina Restaurant in Walt Disney Concert Hall, Café Pinot, Ray’s & Stark Bar, Catal and Naples in Anaheim’s Downtown Disney District, Leatherby’s Cafe Rouge, and catering and food service in museums and cultural centers throughout California.

About Masaharu Morimoto
Perhaps most recognizable as the star of Iron Chef and Iron Chef America, Chef Masaharu Morimoto has created a bridge between the culinary traditions of his native Japan and the American palate, bringing intense excitement, exquisite technique, and perfectly balanced flavors to thousands of diners throughout the world. He has garnered critical and popular acclaim for his seamless integration of Western and Japanese ingredients and has effectively created a signature style that positions him as one of today’s foremost chefs. In 2001, Morimoto opened his first eponymous restaurant in Philadelphia, which was followed by Wasabi by Morimoto in Mumbai in 2004 and another in New Delhi in 2008. Today, Chef Morimoto has expanded his culinary empire across the globe with over a dozen restaurants. Morimoto’s restaurants have received numerous accolades throughout the years, including Morimoto Napa which was named one of Food & Wine Magazine’s “Best U.S. Restaurant Openings” in 2010, and Morimoto New York which won the James Beard Award for “Outstanding Restaurant Design” in 2008, as well as a “2006 Hot List Restaurant” by Conde Nast Traveler, one of New York’s “Top 50 Restaurants” by Travel + Leisure, and one of New York Magazine’s “Best New Restaurants.”

About Disney Springs
Disney Springs is a one-of-a-kind Disney experience, treating guests by day and night to great dining, shopping and entertainment amid beautiful open-air promenades, flowing springs and waterfront charm. Offering an air of sophisticated grace and design that harkens to Florida’s waterfront towns at the turn-of-the-century, Disney Springs is home to four distinct, outdoor neighborhoods: The Landing, Town Center, Marketplace and West Side. Nearing completion in 2016, Disney Springs has been undergoing the largest expansion in its history to double the number of shops, restaurants and other venues for guests to explore, which will result in more than 150 establishments. Disney Springs is part of Walt Disney World Resort, the number one family vacation destination in the world, located in Lake Buena Vista, Florida