Gluten Free and Dairy Free at WDW

Updates from Udi's

2012-01-16T06:23:00.000-08:00

Hi all,

As some of you may have seen, Udi's contacted me on the blog about the products they provide to WDW (and it looks like some to Disneyland, as well). Here's what I received:

Here is the complete list of all the products we provide for Walt Disney World:

– Plain Bagels

– Blueberry Muffins

– Double Chocolate Muffins

– Pizza Crust

– White Bread

– Dinner Rolls

–Classic (Disneyworld) and Wholegrain Hamburger buns(Disneyland)

–Hotdog Buns

All of these items will also be gluten, soy, dairy, and nut free.

Also, here is the ingredient list for the rolls:

Gluten Free Dinner Roll

INGREDIENTS: FILTERED WATER, TAPIOCA STARCH, BROWN RICE FLOUR, RESISTANT CORN STARCH, EGG WHITES, VEGETABLE OIL (MAY CONTAIN ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING: SUNFLOWER, SAFFLOWER, NON-GMO CANOLA OIL), SUNFLOWER SEEDS, RICE BRAN, TEFF FLOUR, FLAX SEED MEAL, CANE SYRUP, WHOLE FLAX SEED, YEAST (YEAST, POTATO STARCH), GUM (XANTHAN GUM, SODIUM ALGINATE, GUAR GUM), SALT, PEA PROTEIN, KONJAC, CARAMEL COLOR, LACTIC ACID, MOLD INHIBITOR (CULTURED CORN SYRUP, CITRIC ACID), FUMARIC ACID, ENZYME (CALCIUM SULFATE, ENZYMES). CONTAINS EGG.

Kosher: Pareve

OMG...it's Gluten Free Brand cookies and brownies

2012-01-08T11:06:00.000-08:00

As you may have read from my previous post, since about mid-November 2011, Disney has been changing many of the WDW resorts allergy/intolerance related products. Sadly, I don't think these things are for the better, but only time will tell how these changes will play out (and yes, from the chefs I've spoken too, they are not happy about this and the changes are related to money saving factors).

One of those changes includes the OMG...it's gluten free! brand of cookies and brownies. Sadly, at this time, only the chocolate chip cookies are dairy free. I encountered a brownie, butterscotch cookie and chocolate chip cookie.

Taste wise, it was OK. I admit, my favorites were the French Meadow cookies prior to the FM cookie change (that happened this last year--they changed the way they made them..they were smaller and more crumbly). This cookie is made to be a large soft batch type of cookie. I found it chewy, but a little flavorless in some ways and definitely not very chocolatey (I love chocolate, so this might be relative). Overall, I would eat it again, but it wasn't my favorite cookie on the planet. I'm just glad there's at least one baked good that is GF/DF still.

You can find these in most QS locations (I found them at Contempo Cafe, Captain Cook's Snack Company, and Main Street Bakery).

Chh..chhh...chhanges...at the Walt Disney World Resort

2012-01-08T10:58:00.000-08:00

Well, there are changes afoot at WDW, changes that I personally don't think are for the better. It's a real bummer too b/c I feel like the changes are all about the cost factor not the guest satisfaction factor. During my 12/9 trip for MVMCP, I discovered that the resort is changing many of their GF and allergy related products to exclude many allergies and intolerances--mainly the remaining or replacing products are geared towards gluten intolerances/allergies and non inclusive of others. It's disappointing and disheartening b/c many of us (including a lot of children) have multiple food allergies.

The products that I have seen replaced are the French Meadow cookies and brownies (now replaced by OMG...it's Gluten free! brand of brownies and cookies. Sure it's great for those who are only GF, not so much for dairy. Only the chocolate chip cookie is GF/DF. No fair! I was so looking forward to getting a brownie at MVMCP, but alas all they had were OMG...it's Gluten Free! Butterscotch cookies. They had dairy in them.

Also the other big change I've seen directly was the replacing of Ener-G rolls to Udi's. The chefs I encountered did not seem too thrilled with this change. As one put it, they can't use one roll for lots of allergies, now they can only accommodate one. So, even the chefs aren't thrilled with this.
Not good.

I've also heard that the Silk brand soy milk has been replaced with a Kikkomman brand and that it's not very good.

As I see changes, I will definitely continue to add them to the blog. Also, I encourage those of you who do not like these changes either to contact WDW and voice your concerns. I hope that this is only a temporary change and will be reversed in the coming year.

Babycakes -- Downtown Disney

2011-11-11T08:59:00.000-08:00

Wonder bun and pumpkin cupcake with cinnamon frosting

Just a quick photo and review from Babycakes. They have some new items that I really like. The first is there "Wonder buns" aka cinnamon buns. They are yummy! I love the cinnamon and sugar combo...they make a great afternoon snack with tea or a sugary breakfast.

Also check out the "mounds" that they make--copycats of the "Mounds" bars. Fantastic!

I also just had the pumpkin cupcake. It wasn't my most favorite cupcake, but I really like the cinnamon frosting. That was fantastic! I think my biggest gripe with the cupcake was the flour mix. They use Bob's Red Mill All Purpose Flour and it has a really nutty chickpea flavor, which I'm personally not a huge fan of. It was still good, but I make my own pumpkin muffins that I personalyl think are better But that's just me.

Overall, loving some of the new treats--can't wait to see what they have for the holidays!

Cooke's of Dublin -- Counter Service -- Downtown Disney

2011-11-11T08:49:00.000-08:00

Fish and chips...the real deal!

Oh my...there are some things in life that cannot be duplicated...the taste of fish and chips is one I have longed missed since going gluten free/dairy free. I've had some good copy-cats, but the traditional fish and chips (well minus the malt vinegar, which I miss) has long eluded me. Until I heard a rumor on one of the boards that mentioned that they had true fish and chips gluten free/dairy free from Cooke's of Dublin. I almost yelped for joy; I was so excited. I've been long wanting to check it out, but haven't had the chance. Until now....and it was amazing!

I have to say, Cooke's of Dublin is very popular. I was there around 1:30 p.m. and there was a huge line out the door. And no seating. Yikes! I was staying at one of the DVC villas for a night for the Halloween party, so I thought I could take it to go (which I did). When I made it to the cash register, I was told that yes they did have the gluten free fish and chips (and that the fries/chips are always gf). Hurrah! I placed my order then for the fish and chips and waited. Luckily for me, the wait wasn't too long--and actually quicker than some of the other folks in line!

Now for the tasting...I actually ended up just sitting down at Downtown Disney at ate there. I just couldn't wait! I have to say, the fish and chips were worth it. Yum! The fish was mild and flaky. Sure the fish was deep fried and slightly greasy, but that is what you expect from fish and chips. The chips were actually really really good. They tasted more like hand cut (thick) homemade fries. delicious!

I would not hesitate to eat at Cooke's of Dublin again, if I have a fish and chips urge. In fact, I would be curious what other options they might have. Next time I'll have to ask!

Now, if only the UK pavilion could get a GF version; I'd be happy!

Technical Issues!

2011-09-12T05:32:00.000-07:00

Ah, technology...it works so well when it is functioning at full capacity. Not so great when things go haywire. My laptop has been fried out, and I just got a new one. Unfortunately, I still have things to transfer (i.e. pictures for the blog) from the other computer. So, I hope you will all bear with me on the reviews lately. More to come soon!

Kouzzina by Cat Cora -- Breakfast -- Table Service -- Boardwalk

2011-08-13T16:53:00.000-07:00

*Note: This review includes a gluten/dairy free review and a gluten/dairy/soy free review.

I've been interested in Kouzzina for a long time. I am a big Food Network fan, so I was intrigued by Cat Cora's (Iron Chef) restaurant. I've always been on the fence about the menu. I wasn't sure if it would be easily catered to food allergies and honestly, it hasn't appealed to me that much, food wise. However, my friend who is gluten/dairy/soy free said they did a great job for dinner there and that it was very good. So, we decided to check it out for breakfast. Boy, am I glad we did! This is a new favorite for breakfast! My whole family (allergies and otherwise) loved it! Surprising flavor combinations and tasty food. Plus, it was very calm, quiet atmosphere, which was nice.

We were greeted by Chef Brad (who I swear I've had at another restaurant), who was just great. He was really very helpful. We did another customizable menu. I ordered scrambled eggs (which are all cooked in Greek extra virgin olive oil already, a plus!), roasted potatoes, bacon, and a side of Mickey Waffles, with pecans and honey. Boy, was this to die for. I literally scarfed it all down, and I usually don't eat my whole meal. The eggs were the best I've had on property. I loved the flavor of the evoo, and you could tell it was a very high quality evoo. The roasted potatoes were cooked with rosemary and sea salt...they were addicting!!! My mom and step-dad both snuck some of these from my plate (without contaminating it, of course). The bacon was nothing special, but good. Now onto the waffles! Gotta love Mickey Waffles. However, the addition of the pecans and honey were awesome. The pecans are a new must. I would actually probably just do the pecans and get regular maple syrup, but it was a nice twist. I ate everything except for a few potatoes and half a mickey waffle (and Chef Brad gave us four each!!!). Wow, stuffed and very happy! Oh and did I mention they had Earth Balance here! Soooo happy! (note it was not the soy free Earth Balance)

Scrambled eggs, amazing potatoes, and bacon!

Mickey waffles with pecans (before the earth balance butter and honey added)

Now my friend ordered something similar. He got a customized meal. Eggs over easy, sweet potato hash, and bacon. The chicken sausage has soy in it, so he was not able to get this. He also go the mickey waffles, with pecans, but no honey. He had sugar free maple syrup. He like everything except the hash (which looked different from my step-dad's sweet potato hash) and had a combination of potatoes and a lot of red peppers. He really loved his meal. Another clean plate!!

Eggs over easy, sweet potato hash, bacon

On a side note, my folks really enjoyed their meals--the Stacked Kouzzina breakfast (they loved the kalamata olive bread) and the waffle w/pecans, honey, and marscapone cheese.

A definite 9 out of 10! Awesome place--we'll be here again! Highly recommended.

Sci-Fi Dine In -- Lunch -- Table Service -- Hollywood Studios

2011-08-13T16:34:00.001-07:00

*Note: This review includes a gluten/dairy free review and a gluten/dairy/soy free review.

There's nothing like taking a nostalgic trip back in time...I love the retro themes at Disney's Hollywood Studios. Second only to 50's Prime Time Cafe is Sci-Fi Dine In. It's a little hidden restaurant nestled near Star Tours at WDW. I've only been once, back in 2004 and prior to food allergies. We loved the theming, but I've been reluctant to go back since allergies, not sure how good it would be. I wish I had more pictures to share of the inside--it looks like a 50's Drive In theatre complete with cars turned into tables. It's really dark in there though! Pictures are hard to take. However, I was able to get some food shots in, so enjoy!

We were greeted by Chef Richard, who quite honestly, seemed a wee bit cranky that day. He was very helpful for me with the gluten/dairy allergies, but not quite as helpful for my friend who is gluten/dairy/soy free. Basically, if you have a soy allergy, this may not be the best restaurant for you. I was able to get most offerings, or modified offerings, but my friend was told that if he had a problem with Soy Lecithin, which he does, that he could not have anything grilled, due to the soy spray they use on the grill. They also use a soy based oil for the fryers, so even though they have a dedicated fryer, he couldn't have the french fries. My friend said in the past he was able to have both the grilled items and fries, so maybe this has changed. In addition, he didn't really have a lot of options for shakes for him. He ended up "gambling" (perhaps I would not have done and the chef told him he probably shouldn't do) with the grill and ordered a burger (which looked pretty good) and got a salad with olive oil instead of the fries. His burger looked good, nice and juicy. I don't recall if he got the mushrooms and sauteed onions with this. I know he did have the tapioca roll and bacon on it. He said it was really good. Not sure on the sick part, but at the time he seemed OK. The salad was nothing special. It was shredded lettuce, carrots, and tomatoes.

My friend's choice for gluten/dairy/and soy (sort of), burger w/salad

For my options, I could order a lot of things. I got a chocolate "milkshake" which was tofutti (I believe from the taste) and probably soy milk or rice milk. It was a bit soupy, rather than a thick milkshake, but it was good. Nothing special, but good. Heck, it was a milkshake, so I was happy. It's nice to have something nostalgic like this. I wish they weren't so stingy on the portions of the milkshake (what happened to the spare tin with extra shake?!), especially for $4.99 at the current price.

Gluten/dairy free chocolate "milkshake" YUM!

I got a custom order for my lunch. I got a grilled chicken sandwich, with no bun, lettuce, tomato, and bacon. I also got the avocado mayonnaise that accompanies the turkey sandwich on the menu. The chef said it had egg in it--another one of those, eggs are not dairy conversations...I am always amazed by this. He gave me a large portion on the side! Good thing, I could dip fries in it..yummy! The sandwich was good. Nothing special, but good. I liked being able to mix and match from the menu. The burger was out, since I really rarely (as in once a year have a burger) eat beef. I didn't want deli turkey and the chicken dish came w/bruscetta toppings and it did not sound good to me. So, this was a great option.

My "off the menu" choice--grilled chicken, bacon, lettuce, tomato, avocado mayo, and fries

Overall, this is a basic burger and fries kinda joint. It's the ambiance that really brings you there. Food was OK, chef was a bit cranky, but overall a fun experience. Expect a wait for this place--it's almost always packed. I'd give this a 7 out of 10.

Liberty Inn -- Counter Service -- Epcot

2011-08-09T11:44:00.000-07:00

I've always heard that the Liberty Inn is really great with allergies. It looks like standard American fare--hamburgers and hot dogs, etc. So, one rainy day, we hit up Liberty Inn for a quick snack. I went with my friend who gluten/dairy/soy allergies.

We were both hungry for chicken tenders--and if you have read my blog, you know I'm pretty obsessed with those things! :)

Upon arrival, we were greeted by a manager who brought out a book for us with all the ingredients. As we told him, we wanted chicken tenders...no need to go over options lol. He told us he could also do fries baked in the oven. The chicken tenders are also baked there.

It did take about 15 minutes from start to finish, but the manager was very courteous and helpful. He brought the food out to our table, so we didn't have to wait up at the counter for so long. This was very nice.

The chicken tenders were awesome as usual. The fries are better, well fried...but baked is OK too.

Chicken tenders and fries...both baked..

Overall, I probably ought to have paid attention to the other options, but it's a good reason to go back and see how their burgers and chicken sandwiches are.

A solid 8 out of 10!

Whispering Canyon Cafe -- Breakfast -- Table Service -- WL

2011-08-09T10:35:00.000-07:00

HOOOOWDY! When you head to Whispering Canyon Cafe, you're in for a rootin' tootin' good time! We like this place a lot for the antics. It's a very fun restaurant...and if you've never been...well, just ask for ketchup! You should get some INTERESTING responses :)

For this trip, we met up w/my friend who's gluten/dairy/soy free too. Here's what we got:

We decided to share the breakfast skillet--minus the biscuits and gravy, etc. We got scrambled eggs, sausage, bacon, breakfast potatoes. Unfortunately for my friend, he could not partake in the waffles, as they only have Van's frozen waffles there, and they have soy in them. I was able to get them, as they are safe for gluten and dairy allergies.

Breakfast skillet, modified...

Van's Waffles...

Overall, we enjoyed the food. Nothing fancy, but good old home cooked food. I do wish they'd get Mickey waffles here, but otherwise a solid meal.

A 8 out of 10 for consistency and fun atmosphere!

La Cantina de San Angel -- Counter Service -- Mexico -- Epcot

2011-08-09T09:50:00.000-07:00

I really love tacos. It's actually a bit shameful how much I love tacos. I could probably eat tex-mex all the time. Fortunately for me, it's very easily made gluten and dairy free.

As usual, we hit La Cantina de San Angel because they are very tasty and do not require any modifications (I love this!). I split the tacos de pollo (chicken tacos) with my mom and stepdad and we also got the guacamole with chips too. The flavor in their chicken tacos is outrageous. I love the lime on the side to put on the tacos. Yum, yum, yum. I'm getting hungry just thinking about them! The guacamole isn't anything special, but it's good.

Chicken tacos!

Guacamole and chips

My friend who is gluten/dairy/soy free got the nachos, minus the cheese and sour cream. Now, I do not think he asked for a manager on this one, so don't quote me that it's perfectly safe on the soy side of things. I know that gluten and dairy wise it was fine. He didn't seem to get sick, so I am guessing it was OK. Note, you should always check w/a manager--otherwise eat at your own risk!!! He said the nachos were awesome. I might try them sometime--even though I rarely eat beef, this would be a nice treat.

Nachos, minus the cheese and sour cream--composed of beans, pico de gallo, taco meat and chips

Overall another great meal. 9 out of 10!

Sanaa -- Table Service -- AKL Kidani Village

2011-08-09T09:37:00.000-07:00

*Note: This review includes a gluten/dairy free review and a gluten/dairy/soy free review as I traveled with a friend who also has food allergies.

Ahhh Sanaa. One of my new favorite restaurants at WDW. It's a great hidden gem, and the food is so amazing here. I love the quietness of the restaurant and the ambiance.

This trip, we were greeted by our chef (whose name alludes me) and he told both me and my friend that he could easily make most of the dishes safe. The last trip I had the sustainable fish, and this time I wanted to try one of the curries. I got the Durban chicken and Green Curry Shrimp (the regular curry chicken had dairy in it). I got Basmati rice as an accompaniment. For dessert, I got the raspberry mint sorbet.

First up, the Durban chicken and Green Curry Shrimp. Wow! This was amazing. I really liked the green curry shrimp. It was mild and very flavorful. It was made w/coconut milk. My favorite though was the Durban chicken. OMG it was great. It was spicy, so if you don't like spice, steer clear of this one. The flavor though was so rich and tasty. I would definitely get these two dishes again.

Green curry shrimp and Durban chicken!

I didn't take a picture of the dessert, but you can see it in a previous review of this restaurant. I really loved the freshness of the mint in this sorbet. It's just sooo good. Unfortunately, the chef was very skimpy w/the portions and we got three small scoops, as opposed to the last time when I got loads of it! Too bad, maybe next time I'll ask for the combination mango and raspberry sorbet so I get a larger portion!

My friend got the African spiced chicken, with turnips and berries. I don't believe they had to do any modifications to his entree. He really enjoyed it. I tried a bit of it, and I found it a bit sweet for my tastes, but found it flavorful.

African Spiced Chicken

Overall, another must-do spot to eat! In fact, my friend liked it so much he went back the next day! :) I'd give this a 9 out of 10 for great food and service (a 9 b/c I didn't get enough sorbet!!).

Boma -- Breakfast -- Table Service -- Animal Kingdom Lodge

2011-07-24T17:19:00.000-07:00

Ahhh, Boma. You've all read my previous reviews, so there won't be a ton to touch on here, but I do adore this place. Their breakfasts are always amazing. The food is fantastic and plentiful! I love the variety and African inspired food. The fruit is always fresh! And they are GREAT for food allergies! This trip did NOT disappoint. First off, if you get to meet Chef Jenny, you are in for a real treat! She is amazing. She was so friendly, helpful, and just great in general. She would have made me a ton of food had I let her, and if my stomach hadn't been so messed up, I sure would have.

To begin with, she let me know what items were safe on the buffet, which of knew more or less. The meats are all safe (sauces not so much) and the fruit, potatoes. Eggs needed to be made in the back, and I was offered donuts, muffins, etc. Chef Jenny made me scrambled eggs in the back (Had I felt better it would have been an omelet) and Mickey waffles. She really wanted to make me more food, but I just didn't feel well. She also got me the Kinnickick donuts, which I love.

Ham, turkey, potatoes, and pineapple!

Ok, you know you are hungry when you forget to take pics!

Mickey waffles, eggs, Kinnickick donuts and chocolate chip muffins!
Oh and notice, there is EARTH BALANCE on my waffles!!!!

Yes, you read the above statement right...there was Earth Balance!!! This is always an elusive thing to find on property, so I was totally thrilled when Chef Jenny brought this out! YUM! Mickey waffles were still a little chewy, but good. (Still no Kona !!)

We also had a great conversation with Chef Jenny. I found out that she was one of the original people at Ohana and also helped develop the allergy friendly meals there (tofu kebabs for vegans too) and that she and TJ basically flip flopped. She took over at Boma when he went to Ohana. Too funny. She said that the next time we came in, she'd make us some special things like a traditional Chinese breakfast. Very cool! She even offered to make my mom food (a first with Chefs, usually they just take care of me) and she made my mom some cheesy potatoes!

Overall, I can't say enough great things about Boma. The best! And Chef Jenny rocked! If you get a chance to see her, you will be sooo lucky!!!

Another great meal out of Boma and a 10 out of 10 experience this time! I raise my glass of Jungle Juice to this great staff!

Garden Grill -- Table Service -- Epcot

2011-07-24T16:37:00.000-07:00

Well, as you saw my previous review of the Garden Grill, I really enjoyed this place. The food was fabulous, the ambiance was unparallelled! Great character interaction and an overall calm and dare I say relaxing character meal! I was very much looking forward to this meal there. However, it was a bit disappointing, unfortunately. I think perhaps it may be due to the seasonality of the menu and the chef's prerogative on meal offerings.

We were great by Chef Aeran, who quite honestly, seemed less than thrilled to be assisting me. I told her the last time I went there that they had made me safe potatoes--she told me this was absolutely untrue and that they gave me incorrect food (um, well I didn't get sick or have a reaction, so I'd say the crushed potatoes in olive oil were fine lol). Oh well. The last time I also got an AMAZING blend of veggies--this time I was told I could only get plain broccoli (the veggie offering this time was swiss chard, which was very prevalent in the Living with the Land ride at the time). I can't imagine why she couldn't make sauteed swiss chard for me, but alas it was not going to happen. She said the fish dish was perfectly fine as was the salsa on top of it. I was brought turkey with gravy, smashed plain potatoes (not very flavorful), plain broccoli, seasoned rice and fish. I was able to eat the salad with oil and vinegar and the ener-g rolls. Dessert was a french meadow brownie.

The salad, as usual, was excellent and very fresh. It didn't have the bacon bits in it, which was a missing piece to it, to be honest! anything is better with bacon!!!

Garden salad..fresh and yummy! But where's the bacon!?

Ener-G rolls and um, the corn I didn't eat out of the salad (Crohn's folks don't usually digest these well, so I don't eat corn!)

My main meal--not as good as the previous trip!

The turkey was really good, as usual. The gravy outstanding. The potatoes were bland, as there was no seasoning (salt and pepper would have been nice), as was the broccoli. The fish was OK. I liked the rice, but the fish was very overpowering taste wise. I like most fish, but I found this to be less than a mild fish, which I expected a more mild fish, as the last time (I think it was Tilapia) on the last trip, which I love). It wasn't horrible, but maybe it was the combination of seasonings that I didn't like too.

Overall, it really wasn't a bad meal, but more disappointing, as the previous trip was outstanding. I think that this place is dependent on what's in season, and so each meal is going to vary. Overall, I'd like to try this again. I love the atmosphere and the salad. The character interaction is beyond amazing. It will be a bit before I try it again.

Overall, a 6 out of 10 for this trip, for a less than thrilled Chef and lackluster food.

Chef Mickey's -- Breakfast -- Table Service -- Contemporary

2011-07-24T15:44:00.000-07:00

Feeling "Goofy" at Chef Mickey's!

Wave your napkins in the air, it's Chef Mickey's!!

Ah Chef Mickey's...one of my long time favs, but I actually haven't been since going gluten and dairy free. I was looking forward to the breakfast and seeing what they had to offer. Since my tummy was still bugging me from the Crohn's, I figured I still needed to take it easy. But even stomach issues wouldn't stop me from those Mickey Waffles :)

We were greeted by Chef Les, who was very nice. He was very helpful and friendly. He said that they don't use dairy on the eggs at the buffet, so I was able to eat those. I could also have fruit, breakfast potatoes, and the various breakfast meats. Since I wasn't feeling too well, I just asked for some Mickey waffles, which Chef Les was happy to make. They weren't bad, but I have to say, Kona Cafe has the market on the BEST gluten free/dairy free Mickey waffles on property (imo), so these were OK, but a bit chewy. Still, he made sure I had a plentiful amount and nicely decorated plate too!

Scrambled eggs and breakfast potatoes--these were good, a bit spicy, but flavorful!

Ah, Mickey waffles...my favorite!!

I'd say the real treat of the breakfast though was the celebration cupcake that Chef Les brought out! I have to say any breakfast that involves cupcakes is A-OK by me!!! It was great because it wasn't just the plain old chocolate or vanilla. In fact, it was a spice cake (kind of like carrot cake without the raisins and carrots) with a vanilla frosting. The frosting was sinful...very rich. The cupcake was a little chewy, but the flavor was quite good. It's the first non-chocolate / vanilla dessert cake that I've had on property (besides babycakes) and it was great. I really appreciated the effort and variety! It was a great surprise.

Celebrate! Spice cupcake with vanilla frosting...

Overall, it was a great experience at Chef Mickey's. The food wasn't really anything special, but the effort made by Chef Les was just above and beyond with the extra cupcake. Definitely a must-do again.

I'd give it a 8 out of 10 for good food, consistent service, and excellent Chef!

Narcoosee's -- Table Service -- Grand Floridian

2011-07-24T11:50:00.000-07:00

Gorgeous views from Narcoosee's!

I have long wanted to go to Narcoosee's for the views and the seafood. I've heard loads of great reviews, and so when we had the deluxe dining plan and an extra credit, it seemed like a no-brainer! I chose to have my celebration for my graduate degree here as well and had arranged for the GF bakery to make me something special for dessert.

Entrance to Narcoosee's

As we were greeted by the hostess, they confirmed my celebration and asked what it was. When I mentioned that I had just gotten my graduate degree in Library and Information Science, he was very excited and said his daughter is working on her degree in that field too. Then one of the other hostesses that seated us was actually get her master's in it too! Weird coincidences, but nice b/c they were very excited and nice about the celebration. I got a special menu for the event and they decorated the table nicely with mickey confetti! A great touch. We also had a wonderful seat with great views of the water and the MK!

I was greeted by Chef Noah who was very nice. He asked what I was interested in and when I said that I wanted lobster, he said he could make something lobster based for an appetizer, and asked if I liked Asian inspired food (which I do!). For my entree, I chose a fish and lobster entree with a tomato saffron broth. We subbed out the pasta for rice, and the dish didn't need any other modifications. For dessert, he confirmed that they had a dessert plate for me. He also said he'd bring me some tapioca rolls.

My appetizer arrived, and I have to say I was blown away. It was beyond amazing! It was a great Asian inspired salad with lobster, sesame oil and greens. It was divine. I scarfed it down! After this course, I was soooo excited for my entree.

My Asian inspired Lobster Appetizer, created just for me!

Now, I have to say, my entree looked lovely when it arrived. However, I was sadly disappointed by the rice, tomato and saffron broth. First off, he said it was going to be basmati rice, and it most certainly was NOT basmati, it was a long-grain rice. Then the broth itself was horribly spicy. Not even good spicy (and I do enjoy spicy food, as you will see in reviews of Sanaa and their Durban chicken). I found the whole sauce to be out of balance and not particularly tasty. The fish and lobster, on the other hand, were divine. Luckily for me, they were resting on top of the rice and so did not get much sauce on them. I ended up eating the meat and very little rice. I had gorged so much on the appetizer that it wasn't too disappointing, but I wished perhaps that I had gotten them to make me something Asian inspired for the entree too. I would not get this entree ever again.

My entree--grilled fish and lobster were fabulous, but the rice and sauce, not so much...

Then it was time for dessert. I received two mini desserts--a chocolate brownie with vanilla frosting and a strawberry, and a chocolate cake with fresh raspberries in it. It also had a strawberry coulis with it (the best part of the dessert). The cake itself was ok, as was the brownie, but nothing fancy. It sure was no Babycakes! However, for the GF, this was pretty good considering when I went to tea there, they promised me loads of desserts and then ended up giving me a French Meadow brownie. Overall, not bad but not anything spectacular.

Dessert, the strawberry sauce was the most tasty thing!

Overall, I had really high hopes for this restaurant. It was ok. Hit or miss in my opinion. I'm not sure I'd do this again, as there are 2 TS credit restaurants that I find much better on property. Maybe in the future if the menu changes. Overall, a 6 out of 10 for the food, terrible service (I won't even get into the horrible server we had--she kind of killed the night by her attitude) and inconsistencies.

Grand Floridian Cafe -- Breakfast -- Table Service -- Grand Floridian

2011-07-24T11:38:00.000-07:00

The Grand Floridian Cafe is nestled in the back of the Grand Floridian's main building. We thought it might be a nice calm breakfast as an alternative from the busy character meals, like 1900 Park Fare. It proved to be a lovely breakfast, with a very calm vibe. It was a nice leisurely meal.

Upon arrival, we were greeted by the chef, who essentially asked me what I wanted. That day my Crohn's was flaring quite badly, so I wanted something very calm and mild. No bacon or sausage for me, even if I wanted them! I loved the idea of eggs Benedict, but obviously having hollaindaise sauce is out of the question. But I ended up deciding to get scrambled eggs, steamed asparagus, and potatoes. The chef told me they would have to make the potatoes from scratch b/c the regular breakfast potatoes were not safe, so it was going to take a while, which was fine. While waiting, we enjoyed a Tropical Splash juice, which was extremely good. Loved the strawberry on the side!

Tropical Splash--strawberry and orange juice blend

When my breakfast arrived, I was pleasantly surprised with a tasty, yet mild breakfast--exactly what my stomach needed at the time. The potatoes were a great blend of fingerlings and cracked pepper and salt. Very nice alternative from hashbrowns or home fries! My only disappointment was the asparagus, which literally did not have much flavor. A touch of salt would have made all the difference! It was still good, but could have been more flavorful considering it wasn't drenched in hollandaise!

Scrambled eggs, potatoes, and steamed asparagus

Overall, I'd give it 7 out of 10 for a moderately good breakfast, fair service, and quiet ambiance. I would definitely do this again.

Beaches and Cream -- Table Service -- Beach Club

2011-07-11T17:20:00.000-07:00

Take a trip down memory lane...

Ah, Beaches and Cream...I've been wanting to take a trip down nostalgia and head to this restaurant for a long time. I love that it doesn't take reservations and that it's tucked away at the Beach Club. It gives you that great sense of Disney history and tradition. However, I've been wary of eating there, thinking perhaps I wouldn't have many options. But, this burger joint proved me wrong! I hadn't seen so many "ice cream" options for gluten free/dairy free. I actually had choices!

It was a dream come true and a visit that inspired me to visit again and again! A new must-do!

To begin with, the decor at Beaches and Cream is fantastic! It's very small and takes no ADRs. My mom and I waited about 20 minutes to get a table. Most people come for the ice cream, but I encourage you to try the food. It's no frills good basic burgers and fries. It's just plain yummy. Upon being seated, we were greeted by Dolores our waitress. She quickly got the chef for me, who gave me several food options. First off, they could do burgers and chicken sandwiches with gluten free buns. I could also get fruit or fries. The fries they had to get from Hurricane Hannah's next door, as they do not have a dedicated fryer. This required a potential wait, and I was ok with that. I chose the chicken sandwich without the bun, as I am perfectly happy without the GF bun. (they aren't my favorite, and i'm used to bunless sandwiches)

Chicken sandwich and fries. Yum!!

What came out was quite tasty. My chicken was marinated in something that tasted like it had cumin and chili powder in it. My mom also had it (with the bun) and she said it was really good. I wanted a burger, but at the time my Crohn's was slightly flaring, and I knew the extra fat from the burger wouldn't be so good on my tummy. But, next time...i'm getting a burger! They looked and smelled awesome!!!

For dessert, I was given the option of rice dream and tofutti, I believe. I got the vanilla tofutti with chocolate syrup and....peanut butter sauce!!!! This was the best part of the meal. I had been dying for something besides just boring chocolate. I had tons of options. I could have gotten the following toppings: Chocolate syrup (not fudge sauce), peanut butter sauce, sprinkles, marshmallows, strawberry topping, pineapple topping, and maraschino cherries. Essentially, I could have gotten a modified banana split, had I so desired to. There might have been a few other toppings, but I can't remember them off the top of my head.

Best ice cream sundae...EVER!

When I got my sundae, I was beyond overjoyed. It was peanut butter sauce awesomness. I love peanut butter and rarely eat it, but this sauce was amazing!!! Between the chocolate syrup and this, it was the perfect combo. And you better believe, I scarfed it down!

Overall, I can't say enough good things about Beaches and Cream. Sure the food itself isn't anything spectacular, but the ambiance and non-dairy ice cream offerings make it a must-do. Great fun and antics (watching people attempt to eat the kitchen sink is hilarious!) and good service for a fast-paced bustling 50's style diner!

9 out of 10 for good service, food, and offerings. If you get the chance, definitely check it out! People with or without allergies will love it.

Sanaa -- Table Service -- AKL Kidani Village

2011-07-02T06:08:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Sanaa!

To preface this review, I have to say I have been wanting to eat at Sanaa for a long time. I've heard just fantastic reviews about this place, and that it is quite an overlooked quality restaurant on property. So, I was very glad to finally be going to eat there. And I was not disappointed. This has become one of my most favorite restaurants at WDW. And, I've been there again since my first meal. So, without further delay...here is review #1. Be prepared for lots of terrific food!

We were greeted by our server Brenda, who was just fabulous. We had an amazing view of the Savannah, and the restaurant itself is just gorgeous. It feels serene here, and very quite. Brenda took our drink orders and then mentioned to us that Dennis Rodman happened to be in the bar (which is connected to the restaurant) that night and was causing quite a stir, so to not be surprised by it all. Sure enough, he was causing a bit of a commotion, playing bongos and greeting guests. Very funny. Luckily, we were quite a distance away and were able to still enjoy a nice, peaceful dinner.

The chef arrived at our table and told me I had a lot of great options, that didn't need modifying. That I like! For an appetizer I chose the Mustard Seed Crusted Scallops with a coconut cream sauce. The only modification they needed to make for this was removing the addition of butter to finish the sauce (the sauce was just coconut milk). When they arrived, I was very pleasantly surprised. The scallops were so flavorful and huge! The sauce was a welcome addition, and really complimented the scallops. Overall, I would not hesitate to get this appetizer again. It was delicious!

Mustard Seed Crusted Scallops with a coconut cream sauce

For my entree, I chose the Sustainable fish option. It was an Arctic char with scallops and shrimp. It was remarkable! The curry broth was just so flavorful, I could not help but drink most of it! The fish was very good. Similar in texture to salmon but with a milder taste. There were tons of shrimp and scallops. If you enjoy seafood and a mild, but flavorful dish, this one's for you! Another get again option.

Today's sustainable fish (Arctic char with scallops and shrimp in a curry broth)

For dessert, my option was two different sorbets: mango and raspberry mint. Now, I absolutely love anything and everything mint, so that option really sounded good. I ended up getting both sorbets with fruit. The mango was very good. I've had several versions on property, and I found it to be quite tasty. But the raspberry mint...OMG to die for!!! The fresh mint taste in it was so refreshing and delicious. I ate and ate it. Not a bit left!!! I actually got this again when I went to Sanaa the second time. YUM!

Mango sorbet, Raspberry Mint sorbet and berries. In the background is Rooibos tea.

Overall, I just can't say enough good things about this restaurant. The service and attention from the chefs, and the food quality is beyond compare. One of my new favorite restaurants. When we went the second time, it certainly compared to this first trip, which means this restaurant is a real keeper and a true gem!

10 out of 10 for great food, service, ambiance, and quality!

Flame Tree BBQ -- Counter Service -- Animal Kingdom

2011-06-26T05:08:00.000-07:00

Just look at the bark on that chicken!!! (that's the crust for you non-BBQ aficionados out there!)

Ahhh, Flame Tree...one of my favorites prior to allergies. The BBQ here is so fantastic. I'd heard some other folks with allergies say they had good luck at this place, plus it's listed on special diets information, so I thought we'd give this a whirl. Since we stayed at the AKL this trip, it was a quick stop for us on our first day heading into the parks. Upon arrival, I was greeted by a manager, who took me through the book they had on hand with ingredients and gave me suggestions. I really wanted the BBQ chicken and thankfully, it was safe! They did not consider the vinegar in the baked beans safe, so they said they were out. I was able to get the coleslaw. Because I couldn't get the beans, the manager said I could get either double coleslaw or grapes. I opted for the grapes, since I have Crohn's and the coleslaw was probably not going to be settling well or even completely eaten, so double coleslaw was NOT a good idea. (coleslaw is one of those foods that usually irritates me...not matter how good I'm feeling and sadly no matter how much I enjoy it!) For dessert, I had the option of the French Meadow brownie. All in all, it wasn't anything spectacular, but still filling and very good. My favorite part was the chicken, of course. It was moist and flavorful and had a wonderful rub on it. The coleslaw was also good. It had great flavor and a bit of a spicy bite to it! YUM!

All in all, I'd give this one a solid 8 out of 10 for good food, good service and just overall a decent place to go. There aren't a ton of options, but if you like BBQ, it will satisfy your craving. And the place just smells wonderful!!!!

Finally Reviews!!!

2011-06-26T05:03:00.000-07:00

I am soooo sorry, I've been neglecting all of my faithful blog readers. Moving has really made things difficult for getting online (I was without Internet for a while and also without my furniture for nearly 3 weeks!!!), but I'm finally getting back into the swing of things, settled and into a "normal" routine. AND great news, I've been to WDW 2 times since moving and I'll be there in another 2 weeks...loads of reviews, mostly repeats but I haven't even posted from my May trip...there will plenty of new and exciting things! On a great new front, one of my friends just moved to Orlando and works as a CM at WDW. He is gluten, dairy and soy free, so I'll have some reviews that will display soy free options as well. We are both obsessed w/Disney dining and having just bought a Tables in Wonderland card, I'll be eating at WDW a plenty. Living an hour and 1/2 from the World is entirely too tempting :)

So without further delay...here are the reviews! It may take a while to post them...but the next week should have exciting new pictures and food reviews!

Reviews on their way!

2011-05-13T14:21:00.001-07:00

Hi everyone!

We just got back last week from a great trip to WDW! I have loads of reviews and pictures. We did the deluxe dining plan this time (wow so much food), so we had a lot of options for meals. I am in the process of moving from Michigan to Florida (2 more weeks), so the reviews might trickle in a little slowly, but bear with me--they are worth it!

Here's a little sneak peak:
Sanaa--amazing!!! must-do again! my meal hardly needed any modification
Chef Mickey's --I got a gluten free cupcake for my celebration, a rare treat!
Narcoosee's--pretty good, amazing appetizer, terrible service which made the meal a little disappointing
Boma--OMG loved, loved loved meeting w/Chef Jenny. Boma is always a fav, but Chef Jenny was outstanding!
Beaches n Cream--OMG a sundae! with TOPPINGS! peanut butter sauce and chocolate! I'm still having dreams about this...and preparing for a modified banana split next time

more restaurants and reviews to come!

Florida Bound!

2011-04-19T16:15:00.000-07:00

Hi folks, sorry it's been FOREVER since I've done much consistent blogging about gluten free/dairy free dining at Disney. It's been a chaotic past few months. It's my last semester in graduate school, I work full-time, had a family death, and got in a car accident--on top of that, I've been interviewing for professional library jobs. (Can I just say, I'm SOOOO looking forward to my long weekend trip to WDW in just 10 days!!!) But, the good news is that I interviewed at a library 2 hours from Florida, and so I will be moving from cold, blustery Michigan to sunny Florida in just one short month. Very exciting! This means 2 hours from Disney and a LOT more dining reviews! I'm super excited to be so close to the happiest place on earth and the BEST place for allergies! So, hopefully, will my AP, I'll be spending quite a bit of time there. Yippee!

Reviews of the upcoming trip coming in a few weeks--looking forward to the break, and our first attempt at Deluxe Dining Plan. (Will be getting Tables in Wonderland once we become official Florida residents).

ADRs - May 2011 Trip -- Updated!

2011-03-18T10:43:00.000-07:00

What a crazy month or so it has been. I'm so ready for vacation at WDW in a mere 42 days (from today!). My mom and I can use the much needed break. I'm very excited about AKL Villas and eating at some new places. Plus, the deluxe dining plan too! yum! We will be stuffed. Here are the tentative places we have made ADRs for and those that we just would like to go to (Beaches n' Cream):

ADRs:
Sanaa - Dinner
Grand Floridian Cafe - Breakfast
Narcoosee's - Dinner
Chef Mickey's - Breakfast
Garden Grill - Dinner
Boma - Breakfast

We are also going to try Beaches and Cream at the Beach Club because I've been dying to go there for years--with the deluxe plan, it should work out great! I'm also going to try to get to either Columbia Harbor House for lunch sometime.

Sounds like a very full trip, hope I don't gain too much weight!!!
I'd love to hear anyone's reviews if they have them :)

Fresh Mediterranean Cafe -- Dolphin

2011-02-07T15:34:00.000-08:00

Entrance to Fresh...

Another empty restaurant!

This was our last morning on this short trip, because we stayed at the Boardwalk, we decided to go to Fresh over at the Dolphin. I'd heard good things about it, and wanted to check it out. Prior to my trip, as usual, I filled out my allergy form with the ADR for this place.

Upon arrival, the waitress went to get the chef, before the chef came over, she mentioned that they had my form about being allergic to pork. Um, huh?! Then the chef came over and he was confused. I said I was gluten and dairy free and he said "what about the pork?" I was like, um, I eat pork. I'm not allergic to it. He and I were both very confused. He kept saying that my form said pork allergy and that he had made chicken sausage for me. I kept reiterating that no I was gluten and dairy. He said they could make me a gluten free dairy free waffle and also I could get an omelet and everything but the pork was safe...um, dude, I'm NOT allergic to pork. This was just getting weird. (they had asked my name in the beginning and he said it matched my name). Well, as I was getting my omelet (they used a clean pan and oil), he came out and showed me an allergy form for a Sarah...but no me. Evidently, he couldn't find my form and he saw Sarah and a reservation for the same time and assumed it was me. I suppose I could reason with that, but then he still brought me out the chicken sausage, to which I responded, "Are you going to have some for this other person when they show up?" He said yes, but to please eat it. So, I did. It was really good. Some kind of chicken and apple sausage.

Chicken sausage and omelet. All very good.

The waffle he brought out was good (not as good as the Mickey waffles, but I'm biased!) and had lovely fresh fruit on it.

It was no Mickey waffle, but still good. Tasted like buckwheat.

I also sampled the fresh juices they had--mixes of strawberry, orange, banana, ginger, etc. I believe it was their antioxidant blend. It was yummy! And they were making them to order, so it really was fresh. My omelet was fantastic...lots of great yummy ingredients--spinach, chicken, onions, bacon, ham, etc.

Overall, despite the confusion, I really enjoyed this meal and wouldn't hesitate to go here again. 8 out of 10.

Fountainview Cafe -- Snack -- Epcot

2011-02-07T15:30:00.000-08:00

Fountainview Cafe in Future World at Epcot

We checked out illuminations one night and I decided to see if any place at Epcot had tofutti or rice dream ice cream as options for a snack. I headed over to Fountainview Cafe and low and behold they had tofutti ice cream. They had chocolate and vanilla flavors. Unfortuantely, it ended up taking quite a while to get b/c the manager had to go to the basement to get the ice cream and then prepared it in a different area. I got a double scoop which counted as a snack credit, and holy cow, that was a lot of tofutti!! I couldn't quite finish it all, but it was very good (and I also think they gave me some really generous scoops too). 8 out of 10 for this place, but prepare yourself for a wait!

Watching the action at the ice cream shop...I was in a hurry so no pics of the actual ice cream!

Aloha Isle -- Snack -- Magic Kingdom

2011-02-07T15:29:00.001-08:00

On our last night, we headed to Magic Kingdom for EMH. My mom really wanted a dole whip (which I really miss b/c that was my favorite snack there), and I decided to get a pineapple spear. Holy moley! I thought it would be just a cut-up trimmed pineapple. I had no clue it was an actual still intact pineapple spear! It was messy but very good. My family made fun of me b/c I was so messy with the whole thing. A very nice snack and something different, if you tolerate or like pineapple (it's my favorite fruit, so I can eat it any day--and for some reason it doesn't mess with my crohn's). 8 out of 10 for this place!

Sorry for the bad picture, it was quite dark when I took it!

That was a huge pineapple spear!

Cape May Cafe -- Beach Club -- Table Service

2011-02-07T15:10:00.000-08:00

Last trip, I had a really great time eating at Cape May Cafe for dinner. I happen to love seafood and this buffet does not disappoint for seafood lovers. On top of that, it's very gluten free/dairy free friendly. I was amazed by all of the choices that I had, except for the dessert option, which was a pretty poor attempt at a dessert--they literally threw a french meadow brownie in its plastic packaging in the microwave. Not so impressive. However, deciding to eat here on this trip, I had no expectations that I would get much more, so I really wanted to eat here for the main options.

Upon arrival, the chef came out to greet me, and he was very friendly. This time, however, he did not take me around the buffet, so it was a good thing I was very familiar with it already. He discussed the safety of all of the salads and sauces. I mentioned that the chef the last time said that the tartar sauce was not safe, and I asked if she thought the eggs were dairy and therefore not safe. He also had to check on the safety of the pork loin marinade, so he came back and let me know that the tartar sauce and pork were safe. But let's face it, I was there for the seafood! I love the mussels, clams, and crab legs. Everything tastes so fresh. First course was all the mentioned steamed seafoods. YUM!

I ate so many crab legs on this trip...

I also ate the chicken, pork tenderloin, boiled red potatoes (plain), and a sauteed bacon and cabbage. All delicious!

More of my buffet choices...

But, I was very excited about the dessert because the French Meadow cookies were also available. They also said they had rice dream ice cream, so I decided to ask for both the cookies and some ice cream to make...an ice cream sandwich!!! Oh boy, this was soooo good. I was very excited by this option, since it's not something I do very often. Yum, yum, and yum!

Ice cream sandwich before assembled!

As per usual, this was a great buffet choice for me. Very good food. But, I will say to always make sure you double check here, as the chefs haven't been as proactive about telling me information as other restaurants. Still a solid 7 out of 10 for this restaurant. A definite do again.

La Cantina de San Angel -- Counter Service -- Epcot

2011-02-07T11:52:00.000-08:00

Ah, tacos at La Cantina. I fell in love with these last trip. Most everything here is gluten free and there is not a ton of dairy either. This is why I really love Mexican/Tex-Mex food. Yum! We headed here for lunch on our last full day. I got the tacos de pollo (chicken tacos) again, which came with tortilla chips and pico de gallo. It is important to note that the salsas by the condiment station are NOT gluten free, but the pico de gallo is safe.

2 orders of chicken tacos and 1 order of guacamole and chips--all gluten and dairy free!

For dessert, I got the lemon/lime paleta--the last time I got the coconut one and it had dairy in it. But since it was slower this time, I could see what the ingredients were in this one prior to ordering it. Here's a close-up of the ingredients:

Overall, another great counter service meal here. I so adore this place, and try to make a trip there now every chance I get!!! 8 out of 10 for great food!

Babycakes -- Downtown Disney

2011-02-07T08:33:00.000-08:00

Babycakes Bakery in Pollo Campero/Fresh A Peel in DTD

A view of the counter...

I was soooo beyond excited when I heard that Babycakes was opening a bakery at DTD. I had long been a fan of this bakery. It was actually the first gluten free/dairy free cookbook that I bought after finding out I had food allergies (though not everything is GF in this cookbook, some recipes use spelt). So, naturally, I was ready to head over here and get lots of goodies. I emailed them ahead of time to see if it had any spelt items or if everything was GF/CF and it is. Hurrah! That meant I could eat ANYTHING I wanted from this bakery. I don't even recall another bakery where I've been able to do that. I wanted to get a birthday cake as well, to take home with me (well send home w/my mom and stepdad). I was not disappointed. Holy cow there were a lot of choices. Donuts, cupcakes, cookies, parfaits...lots of good stuff!

We got there right as they opened, and one thing I found interesting after talking to the lady working there (I think her name was Brandi) was that Babycakes, unlike their NYC location, makes things throughout the day, rather than all in the morning. So the counter wasn't so full yet b/c they were still making things and things were cooling.

Later in the day, this was fully stocked...

For instance, trying to order a cake in less than 24 hours notice was not so easy b/c the cake had to cool, etc. Also b/c we were traveling w/it they put the frosting in a separate container to make sure it doesn't get melty b/c it's coconut oil based. We ended up ordering a dozen cupcakes w/frosting instead (the total was $42 with tax), but had to come back later in the day to pick them up. We got 6 chocolate brownie cupcakes, 3 red velvet, 2 banana (Wasn't a fan of this flavor), and 1 carrot. I got the mint frosting b/c I haven't had mint frosting since going GF/CF and I LOVE mint. I had chocolate and vanilla at home from Whole Foods, so I really wanted a specialty frosting. The mint was amazing too. My brother said it tasted like mint-chocolate chip ice cream without the ice cream part. YUM!

Donut counter. I sampled all of them!

We also got all of the donuts (my favorite was the lemon coconut) and the cookies too. Very good! I also got one of the parfaits with crushed cookies and donuts on it with frosting, bananas, and strawberries. Very good, but I ate too much of it later! The donuts themselves were cake donuts and basically the cupcakes in donut form. Still good though!

Parfait

Cute packaging!

Lots of donuts and other goodies!

When we came back later, I sampled one of the chocolate brownie cupcakes with mint and my mom got the red velvet. OMG they were both sooo good.

Red Velvet and Chocolate Mint...both fantastic!

Overall, I can't say enough great things about this bakery. I am so glad it's at WDW now, and I think it was a much needed addition to the theme park. Great for people with or without allergies. I can't wait to visit next time and get more goodies! 10 out of 10...go go go to this place! It's a must do. Now if they can only make this a place on the DDP for snack credits!

Wolfgang Puck Express -- Downtown Disney -- Counter Service

2011-02-06T17:32:00.000-08:00

Marketplace location at DTD

A very empty restaurant!

Breakfast Menu

Breakfast is always a nice treat. We were on the DDP this trip, and had not used our CS credits one day, so we decided to use it for breakfast. I had great luck with Wolfgang Puck Express at DTD for lunch on a previous trip, so I thought we'd try it for breakfast. Upon arrival, I asked if they could even make anything. The cashier went to the chefs to ask them what they could make. It was nice because we were the first people in the restaurant, so I didn't feel like I was backing up the line. The cashier told me they could do an omelet for me. I was able to get an omelet with bacon and onions in it. I also got fruit on the side (I had previously eaten the fruit cup there on my last trip, and it was nice and refreshing). The omelet was very good. I wish I could have gotten some other options in the omelet or some breakfast potatoes (my mom had potatoes w/her food, but it looked like it had cheese in it), but the waitstaff was nice, they offered to get me more fruit, though I politely declined, since I already had fruit.

The famous fruit cup

Bacon and onion omelet

Overall, I can't say enough good things about this DTD restaurant. I love the food quality and enjoy the few offerings that they have for gluten and dairy free. It's a nice break from burgers and fries. 8 out of 10 for good service and food--just wish they had a few more options.

50's Prime Time Cafe -- Hollywood Studios -- Table Service

2011-02-06T17:26:00.000-08:00

Welcome to Mom's house!

Oh boy, do I love 50's Prime Time. I adore the gluten free/dairy free fried chicken and the greens. It's soooo tasty. I've been in contact with Chef Williere on the last trip and this one as well. I had arranged to have the chicken ready and they wanted to know if I wanted a special dessert (um, brownie sundae from the last time was A-OK by me). Chef Williere was also on duty, so he said he would try to catch up w/me. When we got there, I was greeted by Chef Albert, who looked at me like I was crazy and he had no idea about me arranging this ahead of time. (It takes a while to make the chicken, so if you get a hold of them ahead of time, you can have it ready pretty close to when you would get regular entrees). However, when I mentioned Chef Williere, he went to get him. Chef Williere apologized that they basically forgot it. But that he would take care of making sure Chef Albert got it done for us (we were not on his side of the restaurant). He also said he had sorbet for me for dessert (I really wanted chocolate, but it ended up being ok, b/c we had so much food). He asked if we were going to order appetizers and we said no. He said that the chicken would be a wait, so he said he would bring us appetizers on the house. This was so nice of him. He gave my mom and stepdad onion rings and crab cakes and the seafood salad for me. The seafood salad had a citrus vinagrette and it was fabulous. Very fresh tasting and lots of seafood. One of my favorite things on the trip.

Very delicious seafood salad appetizer.

Again, Chef Williere couldn't have been nicer about things. After eating my appetizer I ran to the restroom and when I came back, the waitstaff had brought out fried chicken, but it did NOT look like what I got the previous time and had gravy all over it. Ummmm, I don't think that is mine! I asked the waitress about it, and sure enough they brought me a regular dinner. Chef Albert came out with mine not too long after. Good thing, I checked!! Holy cow! That would have been bad for everyone! My entree was the fried chicken, dairy free mashed potatoes, and greens. Unfortunately, he didn't give me gravy this time, which was a bummer. The greens were also not cooked very well. But the potatoes and chicken were excellent, so it worked out ok. I was very full after that meal and the appetizer. I unfortunately forgot to take a picture of the entree, but if you check out my other blog post about 50's PT, you will see a tempting picture!

For dessert, they brought me out the strawberry sorbet, and that was pretty good. Next time, I will go for a sundae though!

A refreshing dessert after piggin out on fried chicken!

Overall, despite a few hiccups, it was still a great meal, and I wouldn't hesitate to go there again. Perhaps next time, I'll check in a few days before the meal to make sure they have the chicken order on hand b/c I could definitely tell a big difference from that. Overall a 8 out of 10 on this trip, but a 9 out of 10 in general for being a great allergy friendly place!

Cosmic Rays -- Counter Service -- Magic Kingdom

2011-02-06T15:28:00.000-08:00

We hit up Cosmic Rays at Magic Kingdom for lunch. I had a fabulous manager help me out. I decided on the rotisserie chicken with green beans (which do not have dairy in them, but some kind of oil spray) and potato chips instead of mashed potatoes. I also got my first french meadow chocolate chip cookie. I have not seen them in the past, so I was thrilled to have them. I loooooveee FM chocolate chip cookies! My meal came out relatively quickly, and I was impressed by how they handled the allergy. Everything came straight out of the back and was not in any way cross contaminated with the food out front.

Very good rotisserie chicken, green beans, and chips.

I love these French Meadow cookies! A nice change from the FM brownies.

Overall, the food was good. I liked the chicken and the beans. I ate the chips later, but scarfed the cookie down then! Yum! A solid 8 out of 10 for great service and a lot of food options.

Jiko -- Table Service -- Animal Kingdom Lodge

2011-02-06T15:22:00.001-08:00

This used to be one of my favorite restaurants for allergies. My mom really wanted to go here for her birthday dinner, so I was more than happy to venture out to the AKL. Unfortunately, a series of unfortunate events began to occur through this meal, and I was very very sick by the end. Not good. To begin with our waiter was very argumentative. He did NOT want to get the chef. He wanted to tell me what I could and could not eat. *sighs* After insisting on talking to the chef, he huffed off and got him. Chef Josh was one of the youngest chefs I've encountered. He was friendly enough, but not as knowledgeable as he could have been. I asked about the dip sampler, which he said he would check all of the sauces for me (last time I had a marsala sauce that was not safe...we'll replay this in a minute) and bring pompadams. This was fine. As far as the entree, I really wanted the curry shrimp, which I had the last time and was good. However, he kept saying that coconut milk was dairy, which it's not. I was getting seriously confused. He offered me a vegetarian option and a fish option as well. I decided on the shrimp. The waiter came back and was very rude, he asked, "so do you feel better now?" which is a perfectly fine statement, but the tone was soooo rude. Then he brought out the dip sampler and gave me my own dips and my mom and stepdad theirs.

Dip sampler and pompadams...the one on the far left is the masala, which I gave to my mom. The far right is the one that made me sick and was horribly spicy.

However, I had the exact same dips as them. I asked what they were and the one was the masala dip (same as the time before) and I explained to the waiter that this one was NOT dairy free on the last trip, and was he sure this was right. He snapped at me and said that the chef checked and that it was fine. I took a couple of bites of it and ended up giving it to my mom b/c I was pretty sure there was dairy in it by the taste and my reaction to it. I ate a hummus and spinach one which seemed very good. Then I tried another one which was spicy and sweet. It did NOT go down well. I stopped eating it b/c I felt bad after I consumed it. Not good. I don't think it was necessarily allergic reaction but perhaps crohn's related. In any event, they bring out our entrees and my shrimp dish looks very concentrated--the sauce is very dark and no coconut milk is in it (how many times did I have to say coconut milk is not milk).

This entree looks pretty, but the taste was so concentrated and strong, that I couldn't eat it.

I took 3 bites and nearly got sick. It was the same sauce that made me sick previously...and worse, it had reduced b/c of how they simmered it. It was awful. Even my family said it tasted terrible. Now, I will say that I have never ever in my life sent something back. Never. Even if I didn't like it I would eat it. This was so bad and I felt so sick that I had to send it back. The waiter was really mad at me. I felt terrible too and apologized over and over. I really hated doing that. The chef then came out and he said he wasn't sure how it was going to taste b/c he omitted the coconut milk and that he thought it would be really intense. Um, ya think?! I decided to go w/the tilefish b/c it was supposed to be mild. It was. It was just a nice maize crusted fish with a light broth and plantains. A much better choice of entree.

Tilefish...much more mild, and tasted very good.

The chef was at least nice enough about it, but the waiter got madder and madder at us as the night progressed. He seemed irritated that we didn't order alcohol or any desserts, etc. The worst waiter I've had on Disney property ever. It was a bummer too b/c the meal could have been so nice, but the waiter brought everything down. I ate my fish, but I was really sick by the end of the meal. I felt terrible all around. Overall, it was a pretty unfortunate meal. I know that they have a new head chef there and that the menu has changed quite a bit, so I think it will be a long while before we head over there again. Overall a 4 out of 10 for bad service, lack of allergy knowledge and lackluster food.

Tusker House -- Table Service -- Animal Kingdom

2011-02-06T15:13:00.000-08:00

Jambo from the Tusker House!

My stepdad really loves Donald Duck--he's his favorite character! So, we decided to do breakfast at Tusker House. I've had lunch there GF/CF and had a good experience there, so I knew breakfast would be great. After taking our picture with Donald we headed in for food! We were greeted by Chef Chris who was simply fantastic. We first talked about my allergies and then what options he would make in the back for me. He made me scrambled eggs b/c the ones on the buffet have dairy in them. He also asked if I wanted mickey waffles...um, did someone say mickey waffles?! Bring 'em on!! He also said he'd look in the back to see what GF pastries he had and if they were dairy free (he ended up not having anything, which was fine, I pigged out anyway!). Then he took me around the buffet to point out safe and not safe items. Fruit of course was safe, and I grabbed a lot of pineapple. Also, most of the meats were ok (bacon, sausage, ham, etc.) The yukon gold roasted potatoes were safe as well (and they were awesome). I also grabbed some rice.

Goodies from the buffet line...

Fruit!

Then Chef Chris came out with more food. Holy moley!!! He must have made 6 eggs. It was a huge plate.

That's a lot of scambled eggs!

Then the Mickey Waffles were crazy. Four big waffles with syrup and Earth Balance butter!! hurrah!!!

Mickey waffles galore!

Boy, did I go crazy on the waffles. I scarfed them down and ate about 1/2 of the eggs and then went back up to the buffet for more ham and potatoes. Add Jungle Juice on top of it, and I was one stuff girl. It was all so good though, I couldn't help but eat a lot! Chef Chris even gave me cookies for the road (Enjoy Life brand). Talk about great service!

Cookies for the road!

This was another restaurant were the chefs just went above and beyond. Another 9 out of 10, for simply great service and food. And yes, I will definitely be back!

Garden Grill -- Table Service -- Epcot

2011-02-06T15:06:00.000-08:00

Dale and I at Garden Grill!

This was our first time at the Garden Grill, and I have been wanting to dine there for years. Boy, we have been missing out!!! This is one of my new favorite places. It was soooo good. First of all, it's got great character interaction (yes, I got lots of pics with the characters) and it is such a nice calm environment. I love going around the Land! Upon arrival, we were greeted with menus and also birthday cards. How nice! Last year, we didn't really get anything special on our birthday trip, so we were quite surprised this trip (we got a LOT of great birthday meal experiences). Chef Tom came out and talked to me about the dietary restrictions. He was very helpful. I was able to get a lot of the regular offerings, though some slightly modified. First up were the Energ-G rolls (I had brought my Earth Balance margarine but forgot it at the hotel room! This restaurant did not have any on hand) and a garden salad. They made one big salad for all of us, with the dressings on the side (and no croutons). I had oil and vinegar for mine. This was an excellent salad too--very fresh and lots of yummy add-ins to it (bacon, egg, tomato, cucumber). I usually have to take it easy with the salad, but I admit, I scarfed a lot of it down.

Garden Salad...YUM!

Ener-G tapioca rolls

For my main plate, Chef Tom brought me crushed garlic potatoes, turkey, plain grilled fish with sauteed fresh veggies. I could have also had the steak, but I do not eat steak at all. I would be really sick if I did. It was all very good. Actually, it was one of my favorite meals of the trip. The veggies were nice and soft and so flavorful, and I ate a lot of them. The fish was mahi-mahi, and very tasty. They even gave me gluten free gravy on the side for the turkey and mashed potatoes, which was nice. I was very full by the end of the meal!!!

Main course: Garlic crushed potatoes, GF gravy, turkey, grilled mahi-mahi, and sauteed veggies...one of my favorite meals of this trip!

Dessert options were limited, but I had my standby brownie, which is always very good.

Birthday brownie! The waiter sang to us!

Chef Tom was so accommodating and very helpful. He even came by later to check in and see how the food was. Overall, I cannot say enough nice things about this restaurant. Both the food and service were impeccable. I give this a 9 out of 10 (only because of the dessert option). My mom and stepdad said the food they had was also extremely good, and we all liked it so much I switched ADRs for my April/May trip to add in this restaurant again. Loved, loved, loved it!!

Tangierine Cafe -- Counter Service

2011-02-06T14:58:00.000-08:00

Meatballs and rice platter at Tangierine Cafe

On our first day, we decided to head to Epcot for a quick bite to eat before dinner at the Garden Grill. We had decided to try Tangierine Cafe, since a lot of Mediterranean food seems GF and we had a very enjoyable meal at Restaurant Marrakesh previously. I'd also seen some good GF reviews on it. Unfortunately, this one turned out to be a bust. They had an allergy book out, and the chef came out to see me, but he told me the only options I had gluten free and dairy free were 1) Meatball platter served with yellow rice and 2) Vegetable Platter minus a lot of the items. He did not seem too thrilled to modify anything, so I decided to go w/the meatball platter and gamble on the meatballs, since I normally don't eat ground beef or ground lamb. I also discovered they had no dessert option (we were on the DDP this trip). I got the baklava and gave it to my mom. The meatballs themselves tasted ok, but slightly greasy for me. The rice had corn in it, and I picked around it, since I have problems digesting it. Otherwise, it tasted ok, but wasn't anything special.

I think I will stick with the TS on this one, rather than the CS. I'd give it a 5 out of 10 for lack of options, no dessert, and lackluster service.

ADRs -- May 2011 Trip

2011-01-16T04:23:00.000-08:00

Well, consider me a Disney addict :) After my upcoming trip in January (10 days right now!), we'll be heading back to WDW April 30-May 3 for a long weekend for mother's day. It will be me and my mom and perhaps my brother. We have decided to really go for the gusto and do the Deluxe Dining plan! I plan on being stuffed by the end of the trip!

Here are the ADRs we have for the trip:

Sanaa -- dinner
Grand Floridian Cafe -- breakfast
Narcoosee's -- dinner
Chef Mickey's -- breakfast
Whispering Canyon Cafe -- dinner
Boma -- breakfast

We'll be staying at AKL Jambo House Villas, so I look forward to eating counter service at the Mara too!
Can't wait for another Disney trip and lots of good disney food!

Club Cool--Gluten Free--Allergen Information

2011-01-04T14:25:00.000-08:00

I was recently asked on this blog about information regarding Club Cool. I sure couldn't find much info on the Web or at any of the WDW forums, so I emailed Special Diets to see what info they could give me. Here's what I got back (a very helpful list of ingredients!) Happy drinking everyone!

Fanta Kolita

Ingredient Statement: A Beverage Syrup Prepared with High Fructose Corn Syrup, Water, Citric Acid,

Sodium Benzoate (To Protect Taste), Sodium Citrate, Artificial Flavors, Red 40

All ingredients are used in accordance with Food Additive Regulations and appropriate GRAS listings.

Special Claims: contains no juice.

Allergen Information: This product contains no detectable levels of milk, eggs, fish, crustacean

shellfish, tree nuts, wheat, peanuts, and soybeans.

Gluten Information: This product is gluten-free.The US FDA currently has no regulatory definition of gluten-free.

Beverly

Ingredient Statement: A Beverage Syrup Prepared with High Fructose Corn Syrup, Water, Citric Acid,

Salt, Sodium Benzoate (To Protect Taste), Natural and Artificial Flavors

All ingredients are used in accordance with Food Additive Regulations and appropriate GRAS listings.

Special Claims: contains no juice.

Allergen Information: This product contains no detectable levels of milk, eggs, fish, crustacean

shellfish, tree nuts, wheat, peanuts, and soybeans.

Gluten Information: This product is gluten-free. The US FDA currently has no regulatory definition of gluten-free.

Kinley Lemon

Ingredient Statement: A Beverage Syrup Prepared with High Fructose Corn Syrup, Water, Citric Acid,

Artificial and Natural Flavors, Sodium Benzoate (To Protect Taste), Sodium Polyphosphates,

Acacia, Glycerol Ester of Wood Rosin, Red 40, Yellow 5, Gum Tragacanth

All ingredients are used in accordance with Food Additive Regulations and appropriate GRAS listings.

Special Claims: contains no juice.

Allergen Information: This product contains no detectable levels of milk, eggs, fish, crustacean

shellfish, tree nuts, wheat, peanuts, and soybeans.

Gluten Information: This product is gluten-free. The US FDA currently has no regulatory definition of gluten-free.

Krest Ginger Ale

Ingredient Statement: A Beverage Syrup Prepared with High Fructose Corn Syrup, Water, Citric Acid,

Natural Flavors, Sodium Benzoate (To Protect Taste), Caramel Color, Sodium Citrate

All ingredients are used in accordance with Food Additive Regulations and appropriate GRAS listings.

Special Claims: none

Allergen Information: This product contains no detectable levels of milk, eggs, fish, crustacean

shellfish, tree nuts, wheat, peanuts, and soybeans.

Gluten Information: This product meets the Codex definition of gluten-free, i.e. less than 200 parts permillion (PPM) gluten. Codex examined the data and determined that less than 200 ppm gluten is below the level at which people with celiac disease would experience adverse reactions. The US FDA currentlyhas no regulatory definition of gluten-free.

Vegitabeta

Ingredient Statement: Ingredients: Water, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Citric Acid, Concentrated Lemon

Juice, Potassium Benzoate and Potassium Sorbate (to protect taste), Artificial and Natural

Flavors, Yellow 5, beta-carotene (color), Tocopherols (to protect color)

All ingredients are used in accordance with Food Additive Regulations and appropriate GRAS listings.

Special Claims: contains 1% juice and artificial and natural flavors.

Allergen Information: This product contains no detectable levels of milk, eggs, fish, crustacean

shellfish, tree nuts, wheat, peanuts, and soybeans.

Gluten Information: This product meets the Codex definition of gluten-free, i.e., less than 200 parts per million (ppm) gluten. Codex examined the data and determined that less than 200 ppm gluten is below the level at which people with celiac disease would experience adverse reactions. The US FDA currently has no regulatory definition of gluten-free.

Smart Watermelon

Ingredient Statement: A Beverage Syrup Prepared with High Fructose Corn Syrup, Water, Citric Acid, Acacia, Sodium Benzoate (To Protect Taste), Sodium Polyphosphates, Artificial and Natural Flavors, Sucrose Acetate Isobutyrate, Coconut Oil, Red 40 and Yellow 5

All ingredients are used in accordance with Food Additive Regulations and appropriate GRAS listings.

Special Claims: Contains no juice and is artificially flavored..

Allergen Information: This product contains no detectable levels of milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, wheat, peanuts, and soybeans.

Lift Apple

Ingredient Statement: A Beverage Syrup Prepared with High Fructose Corn Syrup, Water, Citric Acid, Caramel Color, Sodium Benzoate (To Protect Taste), Sodium Citrate and Artificial Flavors

All ingredients are used in accordance with Food Additive Regulations and appropriate GRAS listings.

Special Claims: None.

Allergen Information: This product contains no detectable levels of milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, wheat, peanuts, and soybeans.

Mezzo Mix

Ingredient Statement: A Beverage Syrup Prepared with Water, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Concentrated Orange Juice, Citric Acid, Caramel Color, Sodium Benzoate (To Protect Taste), Natural Flavors, Caffeine, Guar Gum

All ingredients are used in accordance with Food Additive Regulations and appropriate GRAS listings.

Special Claims: Sensitive and Contains Juice.

Allergen Information: This product contains no detectable levels of milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, wheat, peanuts, and soybeans.

ADRs -- January 2011 Trip

2010-12-27T15:13:00.000-08:00

Here is a list of the ADRs that we have for our end of January trip for mine and my mom's birthday. So far, I have only contacted 50's Prime Time in discussion about the gluten free/dairy free fried chicken, but will be contacting Garden Grill ahead of time, because I hear that they can make allergy friendly rotisserie chicken with advance notice. Will keep everyone posted! I'm also excited to check out Babycakes the new gluten free/vegan bakery from NYC (I have the cookbook and though it isn't all GF, it is fab!)
Here are the ADRs we have for the trip:

Garden Grill Restaurant at Epcot
Tusker House Restaurant for Breakfast with Donald Duck
Jiko the Cooking Place at AKL
50's Prime Time Cafe at Hollywood Studios
Cape May Cafe at Beach Club
Fresh Mediterranean Market at the Swan and Dolphin

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

2010-12-25T06:17:00.000-08:00

Wishing all of my blog readers a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

I look forward to writing more reviews in the coming new year--my next trip is close to only 1 month away.

Cheers to you all!

Coral Reef -- Table Service -- Epcot

2010-12-09T16:41:00.000-08:00

Our last meal of the trip was at Coral Reef in Epcot. On the previous trip, we had a reservation here, but unfortunately, I got really sick that day and was unable to go. This trip, we decided to go try again. I've never eaten at this restaurant, so I was excited to see the decor and try the food.

Upon arrival, we were greeted by the server who then brought out the chef. He gave me a few options, and I settled on the Mahi Mahi with a coconut milk sauce. I asked for the hearts of palm to be removed because I react badly to them for some reason. For dessert, they had a mango sorbet (which sounded interesting). I was offered the Energ-G rolls, but I politely declined (I avoid yeast, and only eat them on rare occasions).

The entree was very good. Nice and mild, but full of flavor. The mahi mahi was cooked perfectly and the sauce was yummy. The sauces were on the side, which is nice (although I ended up pouring it all over my fish!)

Mahi Mahi with shrimp and a coconut lime sauce

The dessert was refreshing. If you like mango, you will like this sorbet. It was nice to have a different option, as I had been offered raspberry sorbet a lot. Presentation was a little lacking, but the taste was great.

Mango sorbet

Overall, I was pleased with my meal at Coral Reef. The food was good, the service was good, and the ambiance can't be beat. Was it the most spectacular place I've eaten at in WDW? No. But it was still very good, and I would definitely go back in the future. 7 out of 10 for a solid meal and service.

La Cantina de San Angel -- Counter Service -- Epcot

2010-12-03T13:55:00.000-08:00

When I found out that the new restaurant at the Mexico pavilion in Epcot had gluten free offerings, I was stoked. I love Mexican and Tex-Mex food. The great thing is that a lot of this kind of food is naturally gluten free. Having emailed Special Diets and hearing first hand reports from the disboards, I was pretty excited about trying to eat there.

We decided to get lunch at La Cantina around 1 p.m. It turned out to be extremely busy because of the food and wine festival. It was crazy! The lines were very long, and it took us around 25 minutes to get food (mine was incidentally the fastest, only because they forgot to make my mom's desserts). Upon reaching the cashier, I asked about the food allergies. They ended up conferring with a manager but they didn't come out to see me. They helped me with the entree but I couldn't get any information on the dessert option. At the time, it was just so busy that I went with a coconut bar, figuring that there was probably dairy in it, and I could give it to a family member. (They all got churros).

I got the tacos de pollo. They were fantastic! Soooo tasty. I scarfed them down quite quickly. The chips and pico de gallo were also very good. My mom and stepdad split the chicken tacos and the guacamole, which I sampled. The guacamole was very good. It is important to note that the salsas on the bar with the silverware were NOT gluten free.

Tacos de pollo--I highly recommend!

Guacamole and chips--also very good!

My dessert did have dairy in it, so I gave it to my family, who happily scarfed down the pineapple Popsicle.

Overall, I really enjoyed the food at this counter service. I think the food and wine festival combined with being a new restaurant made it busier than average, but I think when we head back in January they will have worked out all the kinks. Maybe next time, I'll be able to find a dessert option there!

Overall, I give this a 7 out of 10 for excellent food, but hectic food service and lack of a manager coming out to talk to me.

'Ohana -- Polynesian -- Table Service

2010-11-04T14:26:00.000-07:00

Aloha, cousin!

Aloooooha, 'Ohana! One of my favorite restaurants on property. I love the grilled foods and the ambiance. I love hanging out with my "family." The last time we went to 'Ohana, I had the most amazing experience with Chef TJ. I have to say, besides Chef Williere at 50's Prime Time, he has to be one of my most favorite chefs on property. The man is a food genius! He has such dedication to folks with special diets, and he makes feasts for those people. Unfortunately, he is no longer at 'Ohana and has moved on to 1900 Park Faire (where I will hopefully get to visit sometime in the near future!). I was curious to see how this experience, minus Chef TJ would be. Upon arrival, the same procedure as the last time occurred, in which a plastic flower was placed at our table, by my seat to notify the chef that there was an allergy.

I was then greeted by the chef was nice enough, but seemed rather busy. He said that the salad was fine (which I love), he'd bring me wings with no sauce, the shrimp on the grill was safe (interesting, since last time they brought me shrimp on my main plate) and that all the other meats would be prepared with white rice in a bowl and that he had a premade sweet and sour sauce and a GF teriyaki sauce too. For dessert, he said I could have the French Meadow brownie and vanilla rice-dream. This was all fine by me.

First up was the chicken wings. The wings were the same used by everyone else, minus the sauce. They were pretty good (yeah I ate a LOT of them) as they had a rub on them. Very messy! I do wish they had been sauced, like the ones Chef TJ made me, but still they were extremely tasty.

Somehow I managed to eat most of these wings!

Next up was the salad. My most favorite salad on WDW property. It is soooo good. I love that honey lime dressing.

Yum, honey lime dressing!

And then came the shrimp. OMG I love these shrimp. This was the only thing I liked better on this trip to Ohana simply b/c you can't replace that grilled flavor when you saute shrimp. The sauce on it is to die for. I ate all of the shrimp on this plate--yep, I was a pig at this meal!

That's a lot of shrimp!

And then came my big bowl of rice, chicken, pork, and beef. It also had broccoli on it too. I have to say, I did actually like the sauces a lot, and enjoyed having a variety to dip my meats in. The main course certainly wasn't as elaborate as Chef TJ's creation, but I can tell they are trying to recreate the standard he set.

Main course--very tasty!

I ate so much on this meal, it was ridiculous. I really love this place and even without Chef TJ, the food was still excellent. I really didn't have much room for dessert. This was actually the disappointing part of the meal. Chef TJ made this amazing creation with chocolate soy ice cream, french meadow brownies, bananas, pineapple, cotton candy, and chocolate syrup! It was soooo good. This was just an opened and plopped on the plate brownie and a scoop of vanilla rice dream. Kind of boring, if ya ask me. Well, considering how good the rest of the meal was, I probably should complain, just wish they would have made a little more effort that's all. (and chocolate syrup--people need chocolate syrup!!).

Kind of boring, but good.

Overall, I'd say the chefs at Ohana are trying to maintain the high standard that Chef TJ set while he was there. They are certainly making more or less the same dishes the same way and the food was excellent as always. I miss Chef TJ, yes, but I still will eat here over and over again. The food is so good, it's hard to have a terrible experience there. My only hope is they just work on improving the desserts a bit. 8 out of 10 for yummy food and another great experience.

Yak and Yeti -- Animal Kingdom -- Table Service

2010-11-04T14:06:00.000-07:00

Yak & Yeti at Disney's Animal Kingdom

Originally, we had no plans on going to the Yak & Yeti this trip. We had reservations to eat there in January 2011. However, during a visit to the Animal Kingdom park with my mom and brother, we decided to check it out, since we had no plans for lunch. I was a little leery since we didn't have an ADR and I hadn't notified them of my food allergies, but I figured it would be OK, since most places can easily accommodate it. In addition, I knew that Asian-inspired food should have minimal amounts of dairy, which would be helpful. We also didn't know if we'd have to wait, but lo and behold they had a table ready (and this was at noon too!). I have to say, on a side note, that the decor was great. The Landry's restaurants (like Rainforest Cafe) have great attention to detail and this was no exception. I loved the ambiance and it really did fit in perfectly with the Asia area of DAK where it's located.

Top floor dining room at Yak & Yeti

I made sure to notify the hostess of my allergies and she said no problem that we could just tell the server and the chef would come out (same as Disney owned restaurants). I notified our server, who was excellent, and he said he'd get the chef. The chef then came out and said that I had a fair amount of options and that they could tweak most of the menu options. He said that the Seafood curry was the only thing gluten and dairy free (although he asked if I was ok with coconut milk part b/c of the milk, which made me worry a bit since there's no real dairy in coconut milk despite the name). He said he could do the tempura shrimp--grilled instead of deep fried in a batter, minus the plum sauce, and served with plain white rice and veggies with garlic and ginger and GF soy sauce. He also said I could get a lime / GF soy sauce mixture on the side. This was all fine with me. He did ask if I had an veggies I didn't like, which I appreciated, because I really don't like mushrooms. For dessert, I was hoping to get the sorbet trio, but evidently, they put dairy in it. So, I was offered the frozen lemonade cup.

Modified "Tempura" shrimp

As far as the taste, the food was not bad. My mom referred to the restaurant as somewhere between fast food pan-Asian food and an upscale restaurant. So, it was what we expected. A chain restaurant. The shrimp itself was good--although a bit overseasoned. The veggies were actually quite good (they were a little mushy, which many people would not like, but was good for me b/c I have trouble digesting crunchy veggies b/c of my Crohn's). The lime / GF sauce was also good, and it was nice over the white rice. I rarely get Asian food when I go out to eat b/c many places cannot accommodate the GF soy sauce, so it was nice to get something out.

The frozen lemonade I had for dessert was the Nestle frozen lemonade, so no surprises there. I wish the sorbet they had didn't have dairy in it. That's disappointing!

Frozen lemonade...

Overall, it was good, but not great. I would definitely go again, although it's not on my to do list. We actually canceled our Jan. ADR so I can eat at 50's Prime Time again, but I would definitely eat at Yak & Yeti again. I'm pleased that they could easily accommodate me (although I am still surprised by the coconut milk / dairy comment) and fit me in without an ADR. However, I would definitely make sure you make reservations and note your allergies ahead of time; the chefs may be able to make better arrangements ahead of time for you! I'd give this restaurant a 7 out of 10. Solid meal, tasty and filling, and the service was very good.

Contempo Cafe -- Counter Service -- Breakfast

2010-11-04T13:08:00.000-07:00

Adult Bounty Platter with a side of scrambled eggs

Because I had eaten at Contempo Cafe for two dinners previously, I knew more or less the routine of how to order food at this counter service. I was able to speak with a manager prior to ordering at the kiosk. She said I could get the Adult Bounty platter with a side of eggs since I wasn't getting the french toast (I later ended up getting a different breakfast platter but that was on the day we left). This was fine by me. I can always eat more protein in the morning. Once I got to the cash register, the CM told me that I'd have to pay for the eggs as a snack. Um, but I was just doing what the manager told me to do. So, I ended up using my dining plan snack credit for it, b/c they refused to keep it as part of the meal, but I guess I understand that it would be too confusing plus I can see people trying to get away with getting free food (I paid for my dining plan and did not get it free, since I'm a DVC member and was staying at BLT on points). Either way, it was fine.

The food for the most part was OK. Really nothing special. It was kind of cafeteria style breakfast--kind of bland but edible. The only thing I didn't really like was the turkey sausage which was probably the worst turkey sausage I've ever had. It was really gross and unappetizing. No one who ate that thought it was good, so it wasn't just me!

Overall, nothing special. But definitely lesson learned--make sure you double check about ordering sides of things with a meal--special diets or not. 5 out of 10 for mediocre food.

Sunshine Seasons -- Epcot -- Counter Service

2010-11-04T11:43:00.000-07:00

On my last trip, I had a terrific meal at Sunshine Seasons in the Land Pavilion at Epcot. I thought it was a delicious and great counter service meal alternative to fries and burgers. However, this trip, I discovered that they had changed several of the items on the menu at the rotisserie area (which I love), and I was not so thrilled with the changes. While the food quality itself was still good, I just didn't like the flavor combinations. Upon entering, I spoke with the manager who said I could eat the chicken, salmon, and pork. The only dairy in the side dishes was in the mashed potatoes. I had the chicken the last time, so I went with the pork. The pork came with stewed fruit (big pieces of cinnamon and fruit), which I asked for on the side, since I'm not a huge fan of sweet sauces with meat like that (I love sweet and sour sauce, but fruit compote on meat is not my thing). I also got the rice. My mom and brother (who have no dietary restrictions) got the chicken which had a succotash with it and rice. Unfortunately, none of us were too impressed with the food. We all thought the changes were not for the better at this counter service. The meat was OK, but the sauces and sides were just yucky. I didn't like the fruit compote, and the succotash was rather unappetizing too. The rice was pretty greasy, and I'm not particularly sure why. Overall, we all agreed we didn't think we'd eat there again for a while until they made some menu changes. We just didn't like the accompaniments that came with the meat. Disappointing b/c I think Sunshine Seasons has a real opportunity to have upscale counter service and provide healthy options. I'll still give it a shot, but maybe wait for the menu to rotate again. Overall, very disappointing 5 out of 10 for lackluster food.

Pork with rice and fruit compote (on the side) and a French Meadow brownie

Chicken with succotash and rice--the dessert is NOT gluten free/dairy free but this main dish is.

50's Prime Time Cafe -- Hollywood Studios -- Table Service

2010-11-01T14:35:00.000-07:00

Welcome to 50's Prime Time Cafe!

"Folks, you're in for a real treat..." (Kudos if you got the Carousel of Progress reference--my favorite attraction at WDW)

I've been long waiting for the delicious gluten free/dairy free fried chicken I've heard rave reviews about. Prior to my visit, I was in contact with Chef Williere Justin who was very helpful. So, I was looking forward to the meal. Upon arrival, we waited for a few minutes (it was fairly busy) and then were seated in Mom's house.

Mom's calling!

I have to say as a side note how much I love the decor! The 50's kitsch is great! Upon being seated, we were greeted by our server Nichole (who was fab--a very funny "cousin"), she got the chef who came out and greeted me. He knew exactly who I was before I got there. "You're my fried chicken girl, aren't you?" Why yes, yes I am! He asked me what veggie I wanted and I was offered green beans/carrots (which Chef Williere had mentioned) or greens sauteed in bacon. Um, greens sauteed in bacon...DUH! that's a no brainer! :) Anything fried with bacon is A-OK with me! We also talked about dessert, and he mentioned that he could do a sundae with brownies and tofutti ice cream. I had the option of chocolate and vanilla. I went for the chocolate naturally!

While waiting for our meal, we got to experience some "family hi-jinks." One of cousins was a real hoot (we were close to another room with a window and he kept grabbing a wooden stick and poking our other "cousins" with them...hilarious! While we were finishing dessert, he decided to get into a garbage bag and balance an egg on a spoon throughout the "house." We were busting up laughing. Love the hi-jinks!

Our "cousin" showing us how the races are done!

It didn't take that long for our food to come at all; in fact, it was actually very quick! It's important to note that you really have to contact the restaurant ahead of time for the fried chicken because it takes 40 minutes or so to make (plus I'm sure there is prep time beforehand). However, as you see in this picture--even though the wait was very minimal--I was HUNGRY and wanted fried chicken!

"We wants the fried chicken! We wants the fried chicken!"

And when the fried chicken arrived (again very quickly!), I was so wowed--it looked amazing! And the taste? OMG--A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!!!! I have not had real fried chicken since going gluten free/dairy free in a year and a half. I was scarfing this down. I had had tummy troubles the previous night, but I was so glad they had gone away when I got to this meal! The potatoes were also extremely good (the best dairy free mashed potatoes I've had) and the greens were so good too. On top of that, I had my own gravy! It was perfect and topped everything off.

Best fried chicken--EVER!

Gravy!

The meal was just great, and I hadn't even gotten dessert yet! Our server was so nice and she mentioned how she really appreciated that I got a hold of the restaurant ahead of time because she once had a woman who did not fill out her allergy form or notify the restaurant ahead of time that she had food allergies and she wanted the gluten free fried chicken, but did not ask for a chef until AFTER she ordered and ate her appetizer! EEEK! She said they, of course, accommodated her but it took 3 hours to get everything done for her. That's crazy! So, the waitress seemed like she really appreciated the preparedness on my part (which I still can't believe a person who had allergies/intolerances would order without the chef but then expect a special diets items--strange--I mean how did they know what they ordered was safe?) because she kept saying over and over how she really really appreciated it (maybe other people don't do this normally? I like being prepared so I always am overly prepared). So, I guess that was good. Lessons learned--be prepared and call ahead of time!

Now on to the good stuff--DESSERT! The brownie sundae was so good. I believe they actually make their brownie b/c it sure didn't look or taste like the one from French Meadow. The chocolate tofutti ice cream and brownies and syrup--yum! Chocolate overload!

My favorite dessert of the trip!

Overall, I can't say enough good things about this restaurant--the service and food and chefs--everything was perfect! I liked it so much that I immediately changed my January 2011 ADRs and canceled Yak & Yeti (which we ended up eating at on this trip unexpectedly) and it will be my birthday meal (well sort-of birthday meal--a week early). I contacted Chef Williere already and they are ready for me already! Loved, loved, loved this restaurant. One of my favs so far for special diets--and next time, I'm going to get a dairy free milk shake too! (they offered me one this time--but I had no room for it!). 10 out of 10 for amazing service--they definitely went above and beyond!
(also I did send lots of praise to customer service for them because it was so memorable! They all did a great job, and I was glad to send an email saying so!)

Liberty Tree Tavern -- Magic Kingdom -- Table Service

2010-10-31T14:50:00.000-07:00

Hear ye, hear ye! It's a tradition in my family to eat at Liberty Tree Tavern whenever we attend one of the Magic Kingdom holiday parties. It's been a staple, and we all love the homey goodness of the food that is served at the LTT (although I sure wish the "Hear ye, now welcoming the Norris party from the great state of Michigan"--I wish they still did this!). I'd heard good things about the dietary offerings here, and I was pretty excited. I try to avoid yeast, so I wasn't really eating any of the Ener-G rolls all week, but I made a vow that I was getting gravy and rolls! However, my stomach went into serious overdrive and my Crohn's was starting to flare--NOT GOOD! I was having a fair amount of pain, so I knew it was key to take it easy--no fair, I wanted to eat a salad and my rolls! Uggg. Well, I knew that the meal itself was a good choice for mild food to help ease the tummy troubles (which went away after that night, so problem solved!).

When we got there, the chef came out to the table. The restaurant was pretty slammed, so he seemed a bit frazzled, but accommodating. He explained that my food would be brought out on a separate platter, and that I'd have the veggie (green beans), salad (which I could eat safely with everyone else), turkey, ham, potatoes, roast beef, and gravy. He also said he'd bring out some rolls. I did decide to try a small portion of the salad--which has a lovely strawberry vinaigrette--and is one of my favorite salads on property. Still tasty as usual!

Yum!

When my platter came out, I was extremely surprised, because I was greeted with rolls and Earth Balance butter spread! Say what?! That's the first time I've been offered Earth Balance on Disney property--and I was thrilled. (I use this at home) I was mostly thrilled because I get to use it with the rolls and rolls with "butter" is even better! "Butter," rolls, and gravy...AMAZING! I definitely dug in. I don't eat steak, so I gave the beef to my family (who happily scarfed it down), but I ate the potatoes (silky tasty mashed potatoes!), turkey, ham, gravy, rolls, and a few green beans. It was just what my tummy needed. I didn't feel sick afterward, and the homey food tasted very good on an owly tummy. And plus, it just tasted really good! I love this kind of food sometimes!

A Turkey platter fit for a pilgrim!

Although I didn't eat as much as I normally would, I did eat a fair amount, and then there was dessert! They told me that I could only have sorbet, which was fine. It was actually a nice refreshing choice after a big meal and also gentle on the tummy. I have to say too after all of the servings of sorbet I had this was the most nicely "decorated." They added fresh berries which was a nice touch. I've had this exact sorbet at other places, but I find the raspberry sorbet to be very tasty, and I like the alternative to brownies and rice dream ice cream. YUM!

Very tasty raspberry sorbet

Overall, I'd give this an 8 out of 10--a very enjoyable meal--good food and service! and Earth Balance "butter" as an added bonus!

Nestle's Pineapple Fruit Bar -- Snacks

2010-10-31T11:12:00.000-07:00

Nestle Pineapple Fruit Bars--one of my favs!

I love pineapple! I love everything about it, and I'm always eating frozen and fresh pineapple in dishes. I was so sad when I found out there was still milk protein in Dole Whips, but I was happy when I discovered that the WDW parks sell Nestle Pineapple Fruit Bars...and they are gluten and dairy free! Oh happy day!!! I only had one this trip, but they are delicious--fresh tasting with lots of chunks of pineapple in it. If you like pineapple, this is your kind of frozen dessert! 10 out of 10 because these things rock! They aren't at every ice cream station, so keep your eyes peeled for them. I found them much more plentiful at AK park and not so much at other parks like Epcot.

Fruit bar in it's packaging

The Wave -- Contemporary -- Table Service

2010-10-31T10:35:00.000-07:00

I've been wanting to try the Wave for a while now since it opened. I loved the whole local seasonal approach and it sends such a great message to sustainability and being aware of how food production works. However, I have heard lots of mixed reviews on the food, service, and ability to handle food allergies. So, I went in with no expectations, figuring breakfast food is fairly easy, especially with food allergies/intolerances. I have to say, the decor of this restaurant is neat. I love the entrance. It really feels like you are "under the sea." Definitely a nice design (reminds me a bit of Coral Reef).

The chef greeted us at the table. He was very nice (he was also from Michigan originally, so we had some fun discussion of Michigan weather!) and discussed the options for me. He was able to make waffles which was great. He also noted that the chicken sausage was GF and had no other filles in it, which was good. So, I decided on the American which is basically eggs, breakfast potatoes, and I got chicken sausage with it (good but spicy!). I also asked if they could make waffles for me on the side (I have a weakness for waffles on vacation--I never make them at home!). Now, it is important to note that they carried Vans Waffles but the chef said they could also make waffles too. I personally like to get the mix waffles because I'm on vacation, and I like the homemade waffles--I can get Van's any day! So, it was nice to know that there were choices.

When the food arrived, I noticed that the waffles looked decidedly like Van's waffles! Uh-oh! The waitress had no idea, and she didn't seem to want to ask the chef, so I just dove in to see if they just use a regular waffle maker (I'm used to the Mickey Waffles!), and lo and behold, they were homemade waffles! Very tasty!

Yummy waffles--don't be fooled by the frozen waffle shape! That's an Ener-G roll in the background!

My actual meal was decent. Nothing too exciting, but still good and filling. The chicken sausage was a wee bit spicy, and I was having a slight bit of stomach troubles, so I ended up sharing it with family members. The potatoes were pretty tasty. I was also surprised to see an Ener-G roll on my plate--that was a nice touch since I couldn't have the biscuit. I appreciated the effort to add it, even though I hadn't asked for it! Kudos on that!

A good hearty breakfast!

While the food wasn't anything spectacular or particularly memorable, I found the Wave to be a good hearty meal with competent and knowledgeable chefs. I appreciated the extra effort they made. A solid 7 out of 10.

Top of the World Lounge -- Bay Lake Tower -- Snacks

2010-10-24T15:53:00.000-07:00

Showing off the drink menu at the lounge

Prior to our trip, I was in contact with chefs from the Contemporary about the Top of the World Lounge. I knew they had appetizers that could be made gluten free/dairy free, so this was exciting. Upon arrival, I ordered a lovely cocktail--a pina colada with raspberry puree in it (yum!)

A very rich, fruity drink!

Then we decided on crab nachos (minus the cheese and sour cream) and Chicken and vegetable summer rolls (with the dipping sauce on the side). When the brought the food, they had essentially deconstructed the nachos by placing the crab on a separate plate and the black bean salsa on another plate.

Crab nachos, minus the 9 measly tortilla chips

The summer rolls were plated as normal. Both were very good. We ended up all agreeing that the summer rolls were more substantial and very tasty--while the crab nachos were quite small and they only gave us 9--that's right "9" tortilla chips for 3 of us and a ridiculous amount of salsa. Um, who uses only 9 tortilla chips?! Kind of stingy if you ask me. We were just basically eating the salsa straight. I'd actually heard other people complain about this prior to our trip, so I was prepared--but for $12.99, the sting of still only getting 9 tortilla chips was pretty harsh. Overall, I can say we enjoyed our snacks--though we'd probably only order the summer rolls next time.

Delicious summer rolls--the slaw on the side was amazing! Also, the dipping sauce shown here is NOT gluten free--my family members ate it, while I had the rolls plain (still excellent)

I'd give this a 6 out of 10 for very strange portion sizes and pricing.

Contempo Cafe -- Counter Service -- Lunch/Dinner

2010-10-24T15:45:00.000-07:00

Contempo Cafe -- take 2!

I got to be very familiar with the Contempo Cafe on this trip--we ate lunch/dinner here twice and breakfast here twice. For this meal, I forgot to take the picture of my food before digging in because I was soooo hungry--but I'll post the 3/4 eaten pic :)

I knew that Contempo Cafe was currently serving the allergy friendly chicken tenders, so I wanted to get those. I ordered those with fries and got a French Meadow brownie and soda. Overall, while nothing major or special, it sure was tasty. I love those things! Although, I sure wish they would serve a different kind of barbecue sauce in this food court b/c it's the same kind I encountered at ABC Commissary (I believe it was Heinz?) and it has gluten in it. What happened to the safe bbq sauce, people!? Overall though, it was a good meal (you can tell, since I was scarfing it down), and the chicken tenders still remain one of my standard counter service meals each trip.

Whoops, I got hungry and ate most of my food before taking a picture!

Another solid meal from Contempo Cafe--a 7 out of 10 for decent food and service.

Boma -- Animal Kingdom Lodge -- Table Service

2010-10-24T15:30:00.000-07:00

Boma at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge

For those that haven't eaten at Boma, you are in for a real treat. This is one of my favorite restaurants on property. I love the African inspired foods served in a very accessible way. I've not met one person who hasn't like this restaurant--even the pickiest of eaters can find something good here! This breakfast was no exception. Prior to my trip, I had been in contact with Chef Trish about getting gluten free/dairy free bobotie (a fav of mine prior to food allergies), as a chef had mentioned this to me when I ate there in 2009. She said that Chef Amber would be on duty that day and that she would be able to accommodate me! How exciting. Once we got seated, I mentioned to our server that I was supposed to speak specifically to Chef Amber--and fortunately, she was already talking to a family a few tables down. She knew exactly who I was and was very excited about serving me the bobotie. First she took me around the buffet and then she said she would go make sure the bobotie was done. Overall, she was one of the most enthusiastic, friendly chefs I've encountered on Disney property--can't say enough nice things about her! I then went through the buffet line, where I was able to get an omelet made (they made mine separately with oil), ham, potatoes, pineapple, etc.

Ham, onion, and green pepper omelet and accompaniments

And later Chef Amber brought me the bobotie! Omigosh!!! It was an entire pan of bobotie--enough to feed all 4 of us at breakfast! It was so huge. Of course, I shared with my family--who all agreed it was better than the turkey bobotie on the buffet (Chef Amber made mine with ground beef and ground lamb--as a special treat). Sooo good. We didn't eat the whole thing, but we put a good dent in it (about half). I wish I could have eaten it later--but we were heading to the parks and there was no way that would travel well.

Gluten free and dairy free bobotie--as you can see this was a large pan!

Overall, I can't say enough good things about Boma and the chefs there. They are always so accommodating to food allergies and this experience demonstrated how they really go above and beyond to make safe foods for their guests. I would not hesitate to eat there again (actually, I'll be eating there in May 2011 when we stay at the AKL Jambo House Villas)--9 out of 10 for exceptional food and service!

Cape May Cafe -- Beach Club -- Table Service

2010-10-24T09:39:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Cape May Cafe!

Wowie--I love seafood and I was hopeful that I would be able to indulge at this buffet--boy, was I in for a treat! Seafood galore. I have eaten here prior to food allergies, but it has been several years and prior to the addition of the crab legs. Upon arrival, I was met by a chef who took me around the buffet--I was amazed at how many choices I had that were naturally gluten and dairy free. Pretty much most of the seafood choices were OK and lots of side dishes too. There was a plain salad mix on the buffet with oil and vinegar on the side, but the premade salads (like a Caesar salad) were out of the question. I was able to eat peel and eat shrimp, crab legs (minus any butter to dip it in...didn't matter to me, it still tasted yummy), some kind of fish stew, chicken, mussels, clams, boiled red potatoes, cabbage, and far too many other things to count. YUM! I ate two plates of crab legs!

Sweet, delicious crabby legs!

The pork on this was excellent, as was the chicken, and the cabbage was amazing!

I ate entirely too many peel and eat shrimp--and the cocktail sauce is safe (but not the tartar sauce evidently).

Forget a bigger boat! Kids, we're gonna need a bigger bucket!

I was so full after this meal, and when it came to dessert it was a little disappointing (but thankfully not a big deal b/c I was so full) b/c they gave me a french meadow brownie, still in the package half melted b/c they nuked it in the microwave (in the package!? egads!). Now, I'm not complaining about the brownie part--dessert wise, gluten and dairy free leaves little options, but usually most chefs try to at least put it on a plate and cut it/doctor it up so it looks nice. This was all melted and still in the package! I mean literally the waitress just dumped it on the table like it was the most disgusting thing she had ever seen. Sighs...well, at least the rest of the buffet was excellent.

My very messy brownie--you can see the package is covered in chocolate from being nuked.

Had it not been for the less than stellar dessert attempt (and some amazing meals later in the trip--with chefs who REALLY went above and beyond) this would have been a 9 out of 10, but I give it a 7 out of 10 for lack of enthusiasm to accommodate food allergies if it is not on the buffet. I will say though that I've heard some really fantastic reviews from other people from food allergies overall, and the dessert really wasn't bad--just needed some better prep time and presentation. I'd definitely go again, and just prepare myself for a nuked brownie!

Wolfgang Puck Express -- Downtown Disney -- Counter Service

2010-10-24T09:27:00.000-07:00

I have been really quite hesitant to try any counter service restaurants at Downtown Disney because I haven't heard very good reviews. So, when my family needed to go to DTD to get t-shirts made at the Design A Tee store for Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party, I was not too thrilled about the prospects of eating there. However, I figured I'd give Wolgang Puck Express a try, figuring that out of most of the CS they might be able to accommodate me the easiest. So, we headed that way. Upon arrival, I notified the cashier of my allergies. He did not have a chef / manager come over, but he sure was a wealth of knowledge. He gave me 2 options for meals: 1) the Rotisserie chicken meal without the mashed potatoes but substituting a salad w/balsamic vinegar and oil on the side instead. Or, I could have the salmon, but I didn't really pay attention to what I could have with it, since I had already decided on the chicken. Because we were on the meal plan, I needed to know if there were any dessert options. The only option was fresh fruit (which was fine by me). The cashier was very nice, and he even gave me an extra fruit cup because he "felt bad" this was my dessert. I was actually fine with it b/c we were eating at Cape May Cafe that night (which is a buffet) and I didn't want anything too heavy.

Fruit cups--the pineapple and grapes were my favorite!

Once I placed my order the cashier did go over to the chefs and discuss it to make sure that what he suggested was correct, so I felt more confident with my choices after that. Now, I will say, the portions at this place are HUGE! I'm so glad I had a salad and fruit with it b/c the chicken was a pretty hefty portion. I also have to say that the chicken was very tasty. Moist and the skin was so flavorful (lots of rosemary, etc.). Overall, I think it was a good choice for DTD, and I would definitely go there again. 7 out of 10 for good food, friendly service--although I wish they had a chef/manager consult with me on this occasion. Overall, very good.

Look at the size of that chicken!

Kona Cafe -- Polynesian -- Table Service

2010-10-24T08:00:00.000-07:00

Ah, breakfast at Kona Cafe....I dream about those Mickey Waffles from Kona on a regular basis. They are soooo good. I seriously can't believe they are gluten and dairy free. This trip ended up bringing not one but two breakfasts at Kona. The first was planned, as we had made ADRs for this months in advance, the second was a spur of the moment, made the ADR the night before because my brother wanted to treat us to breakfast. Fine by me! Both meals were great as usual. The second meal, the chef was Kristina (I believe that is her name) and she had waited on me in the past--she was the chef who gave me butter on the plate--eek! But she was very good this time and I had no problems. I so far have no desire to veer from the Big Kahuna meal--so that is what I got both times, along with Lilikoi juice! YUM! Another solid 9 out of 10 for being a consistently good breakfast and good service.

Me and my mom enjoying our Lilikoi juice!

Big Kahuna at our first breakfast...

And from our second breakfast....gotta love those Mickey Waffles!

Private Dining -- Bay Lake Tower -- Contemporary

2010-10-24T04:47:00.000-07:00

After my fantastic dessert at the California Grill in February on my birthday, I was hoping to have the same dessert made for me this trip. I've been in contact with Brian from the bakery at the Contemporary who said that he could do this. We determined that the desserts would cost $15 a piece and that they would be delivered after 5 p.m. (I arranged this part through the Contemporary's private dining). However, there were a few snags that occurred. To begin with, the private dining person that I spoke with said that they would deliver the dessert in the room and put the desserts in the fridge for us, if we weren't in the room. But when we got back from dinner, we discovered that this hadn't happened. No dessert. So I called private dining, and they stated that they cannot deliver when a person isn't in the room (not true, I've ordered things before, including cakes that were delivered when we weren't there). They brought the desserts up, and the lady who did that informed me that they had to add chocolate b/c the sauce was running. UM, you added chocolate?! What kind of chocolate? I have food allergies! She felt really bad, and said she was pretty sure it was plain dark chocolate shavings, but that she would have to check. So, they left the dessert with me and then called me to let me know that the chocolate was dairy free. Pheww! Sigh of relief. I think what worried me the most was that they did not bother to check to see if there was a food allergy attached, which should have been clearly noted. However, I understand that they just received it from the bakery and were probably not in charge of it. All worked out in the end so that was good. Now to the dessert....it looked like what I ate before, but it was NOT what I ordered before. Totally different. It was one layer of very thin chocolate cake and dairy free chocolate mousse. Before the mousse was so flavorful and chocolatey--this was not so much. It was pretty bland and had a really weird texture. Overall, it was edible, but everyone in the family agreed it was not the same as the last one. I do appreciate the effort, but the dessert seemed very sloppily made and definitely not as much effort put in it as the last one. After this experience, I would probably just order the regular gluten free/dairy free cake instead of having a special dessert made. I'd give it a 4 out of 10, considering the confusion and taste of the dessert.

Dessert view #1

View #2

Rose and Crown Dining Room -- Epcot -- Table Service

2010-10-23T17:35:00.001-07:00

Rose & Crown Pub--as you can see very busy from the Food & Wine Festival.
I would later get a hard cider from here--YUM!

I have been wanting to try the Rose & Crown Pub for sometime now. So, this trip (for something different), we decided to try it out. I had seen on some of the sheets from special diets that there seemed to be a fair amount of choices that were not beef (I don't eat steak of any type and very rarely eat ground beef). I checked out the menus beforehand, and I was hoping to try some pork dish or fish. However, upon arrival, I saw that the menu had changed from what was posted on allearsnet.com and on Disney's official website (this gives the lesson that menus do constantly change, so it's important to be flexible and prepared that the options you think you might want may not be available when you dine there). No pork! I was a bit bummed, but began going over options with the chef. She said that most things could be modified (which is nice to hear) and that the Fisherman's stew was mainly gluten free (the menu describes it as having a tomato ale broth, but the ale is not beer, it's actually vermouth--which is generally considered safe/gluten free) they would just need to leave off the garlic crouton. She did offer to make a tapioca roll garlic bread for me, but since I don't usually consume yeast, I declined. (last trip I got REALLY rambunctious with the rolls and it was not a good idea). This was a very tasty dish. Not overly heavy or anything. I especially like the shrimp and scallops.

YUM!

They did say that they could bake the fish for fish and chips, but the fish stew sounded more exotic than baked fish to me (it was very flavorful). For dessert, the only real options I had were a french meadow brownie (of which I got PLENTY of on the trip) or sugar free raspberry sorbet. I went with the sorbet, which was quite tasty and very refreshing.

Raspberry Sorbet

Overall, I was pleased with the meal. The chef was very helpful and the waitress was great. Her mom is a celiac, so it was fabulous having someone who understood. Overall, I'd give this a 7 out of 10--solid meal and service.

Contempo Cafe -- Counter Service -- Lunch/Dinner

2010-10-19T05:45:00.000-07:00

Staying at Bay Lake Tower, we had a great location and access to yummy restaurants and a decent counter service. Contempo Cafe is located in Disney's Contemporary Resort (which is connected by a walkway to Bay Lake Tower). It reflects a newer type of counter service, in that it has a non-traditional ordering system. There are kiosks set up for you to order your food. Admittedly, this was a bit confusing to try out. Our first day, we grabbed lunch here. I wasn't sure how it worked with allergies, so I found a CM who was working the food counter. They then got a chef for me. The chef then asked me what I wanted, and I mentioned that I was interested in the honey lime chicken sandwich they had. He said that without the bun and cheese, that this would be safe. He did offer me a tapioca bun, but I politely declined, as I tend to avoid yeast (It messes with my Crohn's disease). He said he could do a bed of lettuce with the chicken, which I was happy with. He also said their fries were used in a dedicated fryer. So, we went with that. He then said I had to order the item on the kiosk and then when I went to the cashier (who gave you a wait remote) to tell them that I had an allergy, so they could flag it. It was a bit confusing at first, but once I got the hang of this, I was able to figure it out when we ate there 3 more times. The honey lime chicken was fabulous! They also put salt and pepper on the fries which was a nice touch (and other times I ate there they did not do this).

Honey Lime Chicken with fries and a gluten free/dairy free Brownie (used a CS credit for this)

This was definitely a great meal. Overall, I'd give it a 7 out of 10--solid, but slightly confusing system.

Detroit Metro Airport -- Boar's Head Deli Meat

2010-10-19T05:37:00.000-07:00

Perhaps the most difficult task when traveling, is making sure I can find places to eat or that I have safe forms of protein with me. It can be really difficult! Because I fly out of Detroit Metro to Orlando, I checked what places would be available in the McNamara terminal where we fly out of (we use Delta as our airline of choice). Lo and behold I found a Boar's Head Deli! Boar's Head deli meat is gluten free! Hurrah! So, I went to the counter that morning to see if they could just sell me the deli meat, sans bread. This really confused the people working there because they said they didn't know how to charge me. They decided to charge me for a sandwich--ouch! $9.00 for deli meat?! Well, they did give me two packs of turkey, which probably ended up being a pound or so of meat (so I guess the price was comparative). Overall, while I'd have like a lettuce wrap sandwich, this worked. Not the most ideal, but sure OK when you have no other options. I'd give it a 3 out of 10 for difficulty obtaining anything, without much discussion. A lot of work!

My oven roasted turkey. Nothing special.

Welcome Back!

2010-10-17T11:16:00.000-07:00

Pheww, I just rolled in last night from WDW and boy am I tired! The week was super busy but fun. I have loads of food reviews and pics to post! Hopefully, I'll be able to get a good set of reviews in the next few days! Can't wait to share all the yummy food I got to eat (50's Prime Time's gluten free/dairy free fried chicken was beyond amazing!!!!).

Boma -- Email Correspondence -- Gluten Free/Dairy Free Bobotie

2010-10-03T14:48:00.000-07:00

Oh my gosh, I'm really excited. On my first gluten free/dairy free trip in August 2009, I ate at Boma and had a great meal. The chef mentioned that they could make a gluten free/dairy free version of bobotie (a fantastic curry dish!), but that they need notice to do something like that. This put a little bug in my ear, and I thought that the next time I ate at Boma I would ask them if they could actually do this. Well, I emailed the folks at Boma and never really heard anything back. So, I figured about a month ago that I would try to email them again (since we are eating there on October 11 for breakfast). What could it hurt? Well, no response. I figured it was a bust. But then today (nearly a month later), lo and behold I get an email from Sous Chef Trish and this is what she said:

I spoke to Chef Amber, she is the opening Chef that day and she will be able to accommodate your request

Asante Sana,

Trish Washuta

Sous Chef

I then asked her if I needed to do anything special as far as asking when I got there (i.e. specifically asking for Chef Amber) and this is what she said:

Just let the podium team know upon check in that you need to see Chef Amber and she will take care of the rest!

Enjoy!

Chef Trish

I'm soooo excited! Can't wait to share this experience with you all and hopefully, I'll be eating Bobotie in week!

Countdown to my October trip!

2010-10-02T04:36:00.000-07:00

Just had to share...we are down to less than a week! I just can't wait. Next week by this time, I'll be traveling to WDW!!! I have a few things to do this next week before we go--one of which includes calling private dining at Disney's Contemporary resort and getting the gluten free/dairy free desserts arranged for our room. I have been emailing with Brian at the Contemporary about the desserts, but evidently to book it you have to go through private dining. So, I figure I'll call Monday or Tuesday to confirm it. Just can't wait!

50's Prime Time Cafe -- Email #2

2010-09-25T16:13:00.000-07:00

Just want to shout out to the Disboards and a fellow Disboards member who put a post out there recently about making sure you contact 50's Prime Time ahead of time about the gluten free fried chicken and dairy free mashed potatoes, as it takes 30-40 minutes to make! Pheww! Good thing I followed up on this! I had already emailed Chef Williere about it, but double checked today. Here's what I wrote:

Just wanted to confirm that as long as I have my allergy form turned in and I have emailed you, that I don't need to call the day of the reservation to confirm that I want the gluten free fried chicken and no dairy mashed potatoes. I assume it takes a little longer to make.

And here's what I got back:

Hi Sarah,

Precisely! I have your allergy form in my office . we will plan ahead so your party will not have to wait to enjoy the park.

We will see you soon!

I feel better now! Thanks again to the Disboards--what would I do without you guys?! And remember folks, if you want something specific always ask ahead of time! :)

Can't wait for that fried chicken!!!!

La Hacienda de San Angel / La Cantina de San Angel -- Email

2010-09-24T15:38:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone,

Just wanted to share some info that I received from the folks at these new restaurants. Great news (although of course, one should always check with the chef/manager on duty to make sure lists are correct) for those who are gluten free. Here is what they said:

Per the Chef, Everything that they serve is Gluten-Free, except for the

following items:

In La Cantina:

-Chicken Tenders

-Melted nacho Cheese, that are used for the nachos

-Churros

In La Hacienda:

-all Desserts (except for the ice cream)

-Shrimp Tacos

-Some items come with Flour tortilla, but that can be substituted with

corn.

So this gives us lots of options. Nice to hear that the new restaurant will be able to accommodate. I'm hoping to check out the CS restaurant on my trip in a couple weeks. Just had to share.

Garden Grocer--Ordering

2010-09-19T14:44:00.000-07:00

Since my family has joined DVC, we decided since to order groceries from Garden Grocer to help with the costs and to take advantage of what the kitchenette provides (we are staying at a studio, so no full kitchen--which makes it a little more tricky for cooking). I was able to order Almond milk (rice dream, almond milk, and soy milk were all available choices) but not my So Delicious Coconut Milk, which is my favorite of all the alternative milks. Well, at least they offer dairy free choices! Additionally, I was able to special order Boar's Head Deli meat, since it is gluten free. I will say Garden Grocer has a lot of dairy free and gluten free options. They even have a spot to check mark gluten free! This is great news for people with food allergies/intolerances. We're also bringing some snack stuff on the plane, but mostly we are getting cereal (yeah rice chex!), etc. from Garden Grocers. Will report when we get back on how it goes!

50's Prime Time Cafe -- Email

2010-09-05T15:31:00.000-07:00

For my October trip, I have a reservation at 50's Prime Time because I've heard such amazing reviews of the gluten free fried chicken. The pics from different reviews are mouth-watering! So, I was hoping that the GF fried chicken would also be dairy free. I emailed special diets who got me in contact with Chef Williere Justin at 50's PT. Well, the good news came in. Both GF/CF chicken AND mashed potatoes! And I can get dairy free "milk"shakes. Here's the responses I got:

We will be able to accommodate your Special Dietary Request. Our Gluten Free Fried Chicken does not have any dairy and we will also prepare fresh Mashed Potatoes with olive oil, salt and pepper. Yes we can make dairy free milkshakes. We carry Tofuti and Rice Dream ice cream, both are non dairy. The Tofuti has two flavors vanilla and Chocolate. We also carry soy and rice milk.

Great news all around! I can't wait to eat my first fried chicken in a year and 1/2 since going GF/CF! Can't wait to share my pictures and review of this place!

Kona Island Sushi Bar -- Polynesian -- Email

2010-08-12T19:56:00.000-07:00

My brother is getting married at the Polynesian at Sunset Pointe. For their reception we will be eating at Kona cafe; however, in between dinner and the wedding (while they take pictures), we're considering grabbing some sushi to tide us over before the meal (wedding is at 5 pm and dinner at 8 pm). I emailed the sous chef at the Poly and this is what I got back:

Aloha, thank you for inquiring about eating gluten free at our Kona Island sushi bar. We will be happy to prepare some sushi to meet your dietary needs and the majority of our items can be easily made gluten and milk free. Just ask for a chef when you arrive and one of us will come out and review your options. We look forward to serving you on your upcoming visit.

Mahalo,

Johnny Dowd

Sous Chef

Sounds pretty good to me! I successfully got sushi at California Grill, so I'm looking forward to this! Can't wait to report back with some pics...

January 2011 Dining Reservations

2010-08-12T19:50:00.000-07:00

Well, now that we're DVC members, we decided to book another trip (can you say Disney junkie!? lol)...so I've got some reservations already made. Here's what we've got so far:

Donald's Safari Breakfast at the Tusker House (AK)
Jiko (AKL) -- One of my favs--they even gave me a special diets menu last time!
Yak & Yeti (AK)
Garden Grill (Epcot)

We're going for 4 nights 5 days, so I think we'll pick one more dinner and maybe another breakfast, depending on where we are at (We are at Old Key West right now, but I have us on the waitlist for a studio at Boardwalk). Also, waiting til our October trip to see what yummy new places we eat this trip that we might want to eat on the next one!

Would love to hear any reviews of these if folks have them!

Please Pardon Our Dust!

2010-07-31T11:47:00.000-07:00

Well, as you can see folks--the blog is looking a little different. I'm trying out some templates provided by some really talented folks out there--only problem is, I'm having issues getting my title to display nicely with the picture in the background. Soooo, for the mean time. Please pardon the dust, and hopefully, I'll have things updated soon. (or maybe a different template!)

Hopefully, you all like the new design.

Bay Lake Tower--Top of the World Lounge

2010-07-24T13:48:00.000-07:00

I recently got an email from Frank Brough, Chef de Cuisine, at the Contemporary about Gluten Free options at the Top of the World Lounge. Here's what he said:

We look forward to serving you at the Top of the World. I know you will enjoy the incredible view and our food. We have the following Gluten Free options available for you:

Lump Crab Nachos-We serve 3 corn nachos with a mound of blue crab meat and serve it on a bed of salsa.
Chicken and Vegetable Summer Rolls-This item is wrapped in rice paper. It is served with Hoi sin Sauce on the side and Hoi sin does contain gluten. We can leave it off the plate.
Coconut Panna Cotta with Passion Fruit Drizzle

Hopefully, I'll be able to convert the appetizers (not the Panna Cotta) to dairy free as well (waiting to hear back from him on this). I have seen the crab nachos and they have cheese and sour cream on them. I think if you just remove those items, the nachos would be gluten and dairy free. The summer roll seems milk allergy friendly without any modifications.

I'll let you know what I hear!

Disney Vacation Club--Let Trips Begin!

2010-07-23T12:42:00.000-07:00

Well, our paperwork is completed and down payment done. Just waiting for the completed processing period, but as our DVC vacation guide said...we are officially DVC members!! I'm so excited! We got our home resort for my brother's upcoming wedding in October--Bay Lake Towers. We have a lakeview deluxe studio--and I just can't wait! And, we already have a trip booked in January at Old Key West! And, for our last trip of the use year we are going to go in May...hopefully at Animal Kingdom Lodge! (we can book that in October)

This is just so much fun with all the planning. We already have magical express and the dining plan added to our October trip. Now I'm waiting to hear back from Garden Grocer. They are letting me know if they can get my coconut milk (So Delicious brand) and Boar's Head deli meat (gluten free!). We are doing 3 special breakfasts that week, but want to have our own breakfasts in the room. I'm also going to call about ordering a dozen hard boiled eggs from in-room dining (a girl's gotta have protein in the morning!). I also just spoke with Brian from the Contemporary and looks like I'm getting a gluten free/dairy free dessert again (like the one from the California Grill--same bakery) Oh yum...can't wait to have that some time on my balcony while enjoying the view. They are also checking in to the possibility of doing chocolate dipped strawberries! YUMMM!

Only 2 1/2 months left!! I'm ready to go now! We can book out our dining for January next Friday, and I'm already deciding where to go...I can already taste the yummy food!

Disney Vacation Club -- Here I come!

2010-07-09T08:37:00.001-07:00

Oh my goodness, I just can't contain myself; I'm so excited!!! I've been contemplating the Disney Vacation Club (DVC) for some time now. I went on a tour with my family back in February and were all but convinced I needed to join. However, it was a large chunk of change, I didn't know that I wanted to do at the time. Recently though, I've been reconsidering it since I heard you could do less points than were told back in February. I thought this would be a good way to start off small, own a piece of the magic, still go on a vacation or two and not feel so overwhelmed financially. Well, I called DVC yesterday, and it's a go! I got an offer I just could refuse.

Sooooo...very very soon, I will officially be a DVC owner.

My home base is Bay Lake Towers, and I couldn't be more thrilled! Looks like we'll also be able to stay here in October when we go for my brother's wedding (ok, sure it will be in a studio, but I'm willing to sleep on a pull-out bed)...I simply can't wait! We toured the rooms back in February, and I was so convinced this was the home resort for me...I've always dreamed of staying at the Contemporary and now I can!!! This will be a great convenient location too--especially with the MNSSHP and my brother's wedding at the Poly!

My DVC Vacation Guide said what I was thinking--the time was just right for me to buy now!!!

Boy, I just can't wait! Had to share the good news with everyone though...

Happy Fourth of July!

2010-07-03T16:17:00.000-07:00

Hey all! Wishing you all a happy and health Fourth of July. Although fireworks outside of Disney just don't compare, I plan on enjoying the fireworks from afar, eating great allergy friendly food (check out my other blog for some great recipes--I have a milk allergy safe crab dip that is simply amazing!), and spending time with family and friends. Have a safe one!

Recipe--A GF/CF 'Ohana Meal at Home!

2010-06-25T10:13:00.000-07:00

I love recreating some of my favorite dinners from Disney when I'm home. It is nostalgic and brings a little bit of WDW home with me. For Mother's Day, I made a Ohana inspired dinner for my mom. Using the recipes from allearsnet.com, I was able to make a lot of the dishes on the menu. Here's what we had with recipes (from allearsnet.com):

Salad with honey lime dressing (This is one of my favs. I LOVE this dressing! I used romaine lettuce as my salad base)
Ingredients

1/2 C honey
1 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp salt
1/2 C cider vinegar
1/4 C lime juice
1/4 C diced onion
1 C canola oil

Method:

Place all ingredients except oil in food processor and blend until
smooth. Slowly add oil until it is well incorporated into the
dressing. Makes 2 Cup.

For the main course I made Shrimp skewers and Beef:

Shrimp Marinade

½ cup hot chili garlic paste
1 Tbsp. Minced garlic
½ cup Minced fresh ginger
1 cup Sweet chili garlic paste
2 cups Honey
2 cups Lemon juice
1 quart Canola oil
1 tsp. Fresh ground black pepper
2 tsp. Kosher salt

Method:

1. Mix all ingredients well except for oil
2. Whisk briskly while slowly adding the oil
3. Take out 1 cup of this to baste the shrimp while they are cooking
4. Use the rest to marinate the shrimp

Beef Marinade

5 lbs. Beef (cut into 2-3 oz chunks)
1 cup canola oil
½ cup garlic (chopped)
¼ cup black pepper

Method:

1. Place beef in a mixing bowl
2. Add oil, garlic, and pepper to beef and mix well
3. Place in a container, label, date it and allow it to marinate for 24 hours

(The website indicates there is a butter that goes with this, but I didn't make it).

The pork marinade wasn't safe because it has malt vinegar in it, but my brother made a set of pork loin skewers with lime and garlic that was fab!

I also made some french potatoes with chicken broth, which was OK. (A Jamie Oliver recipe that I wasn't thrilled with) and my new favorite appetizer from a GF cookbook, pork and shrimp meatballs with an asian dipping sauce! They were seriously addictive!

Asian Meatballs:

1 pound ground pork

1/4 pound uncooked shrimp, chopped small

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon gluten free soy sauce (I use San-J Wheat free Tamari)

2 green onions, chopped finely

1/4 teaspoon salt (I omitted this)

Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl. You can either cook on the stovetop in a lightly greased pan, or I baked them in the oven for about 35 minutes at 350 degrees.

Asian Dipping Sauce:

2 tablespoons of GF soy sauce

2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar

1/2 teaspoon sugar

Mix and refrigerate.

What a great meal this was! It completely reminded me of our previous trips to Ohana, and makes me look forward to my trip in October. I can already taste the skewers chef TJ made for me right now!!!

Food & Wine Festival 2010--First Info

2010-06-11T08:46:00.000-07:00

Well folks, I've received the first information from special diets about items that are gluten free at the Food & Wine Festival. Though I debated whether or not to do a big dining event during this, I ultimately decided to see...key word here...if the kiosks could provide any safe food. I figured there has to be at least ONE place that has a gluten free/dairy free item. I emailed special diets, and here's what they said to me:

At the Epcot Food and Wine Festival, the food items are prepared in a very small kitchen and there is a high chance for cross-contamination of the food products at the kiosks. Please speak to a chef or manager at the kiosks and they will be happy to help you. We do know that last year (2009), there were gluten-free items at Australia, USA, India, Poland, Spain, Argentina, Desserts/Champagne, Chile, Canada, Ireland and New Zealand.

Well, obviously that doesn't necessarily cover dairy free too, but there's gotta be something! My family doesn't usually go crazy with the food samples, but I'd like to be able to try at least a few things. So, as this gets closer, I may query them again to see if I get any further information. I haven't seen really any other reviews about this anywhere, so this could be interesting!

Chermoula Dip Recipe--Animal Kingdom Lodge--Jiko

2010-05-30T15:30:00.000-07:00

This was the most amazing dip from Jiko. They served it to me with the dip appetizer as a replacement for another dip that had dairy in it. It actually turned out to be our most favorite dip of the evening! My mom also had the chermoula chicken which had this as a sauce. It's really flavorful and a bit spicy. Very yummy! This weekend, for Memorial Day, I attempted to make the recipe for it that I found on allearsnet.com. I modifed it by adding an entire roasted red pepper (which I did on the grill!) and omitted the cayenne. Good thing, too! It came out a wee bit spicy. We ate it with tortilla chips, and yes, it got gobbled up fast. Here's the recipe! Enjoy!

Chermoula Sauce--Jiko

Yield: 3/4 cup

Ingredients:

1 bunch fresh cilantro

4 cloves garlic, smashed or pressed

1 teaspoon coarse sea salt

2-3 teaspoons ground cumin

1 tablespoon paprika

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 of a roasted red pepper or about 1/4 cup pimento

Juice of half a lemon or lime

3 tablespoons olive oil

Method of Preparation:

1. Trim stems from the bunch of cilantro. Don't worry about thin stems near leaves. Wash and thoroughly dry the cilantro and place tops into food processor. Pulse until finely chopped.

2. Work salt into garlic with the flat edge of a knife. Grains of salt will help to break down garlic. Add garlic mixture to cilantro in food processor, along with spices and roasted pepper. Pulse to blend. Sauce should not be completely smooth but should have a little texture. Remove mixture to bowl and stir in citrus juice and olive oil.

3. Use as a dipping sauce for grilled or fried seafood, a baste or marinade for grilled or roasted fish steaks or fillets (salmon, swordfish or tuna) or a marinade for chicken or kebab meats.

Recipe note: Use less red pepper if you do not like hot foods.

New Blog!

2010-05-23T11:06:00.000-07:00

Howdy everyone!

I just started a new blog for living a GF/CF lifestyle. I've had many people from the disboards, friends, and family ask me for recipes and reviews from restaurants while traveling and eating out. It seemed like a smart thing to create a separate blog. You can find it at http://glutenfreeanddairyfreelibrarian.blogspot.com/

Hope it helps! I'd love to hear other people's tips and recipes too!

Enjoy!

Updated Information from Special Diets

2010-05-14T10:41:00.000-07:00

I recently received some updated forms from Special Diets, so I thought I'd post them to you all!

Most of the content is the same; however, there are some new updates. I am excited that Rose & Crown pub listed fish and chips as GF....wondering if this means grilled fish or actual deep fried fish and chips....makes me curious at least!

I'm leaving the old forms in case you want to compare.

Here is the link for Water Parks Menu Items.
A new version of the Allergy Menus for Epcot.
The main No Gluten Added Products link.
Updated Guest Dietary Letter.
And finally the Food Allergy/Dietary Reference sheet.

Hopefully, these are helpful. I just got them a few weeks ago, so they are timely right now. However, you should always email special diets for the most current list before you go!

Reservations Made -- October 2010

2010-05-01T14:43:00.001-07:00

Hurray! We made our reservations today for our upcoming trip in October for my brother's wedding. It took some finagling, had a hard time getting some of the times we wanted, but everything we wanted is set. I'm excited, and can't wait to hear other people's reviews before I go.

Here's our list:

Rose & Crown @ Epcot
Kona Cafe @ The Polynesian Resort (a favorite of mine...bring on that Big Kahuna!) We are doing breakfast and dinner here.
Cape May Cafe @ The Beach Club Resort
Boma @ The Animal Kingdom Lodge Resort (another yummy breakfast)
The Wave @ The Contemporary Resort
Liberty Tree Tavern @ Magic Kingdom
50's Prime Time Cafe @ Hollywood Studios
'Ohana @ The Polynesian Resort (oh, I can't wait for this one!)
Coral Reef @ Epcot (We missed this one the last time because I got sick)

Plus, we're going to check out the Food & Wine offerings, and hopefully (fingers crossed) I'll get some lists from Special Diets about this event. I just sent them an email to see if there was any support for that.

If you have reviews or tips for a gluten free and milk free meal at any of these restaurants, that'd be great! I'd love to hear them!

October 2010 Trip -- WDW Wedding

2010-04-20T05:38:00.000-07:00

Well folks, looks like I'll be heading to WDW in October for my brother's wedding. He and his fiancee decided that WDW was perfect for their nuptials. They are getting married at Sunset Pointe at Disney's Polynesian Resort. Afterwards, they'll be having a reception dinner at Kona Cafe. The great thing is, they are making sure that those with dietary restrictions are taken care of. They are going to make sure there is a safe dessert option for the cake cutting ceremony, as well as at dinner. I've had great experiences with breakfast at Kona Cafe, so I am sure that dinner will be just wonderful.

I'm thinking of staying at the Contemporary's Bay Lake Towers or some other DVC rooms because of the convenience with the kitchenette. In addition, it's nice and close transportation wise. I'd love to check out the Wave and Chef Mickey's GF/CF! Here's some restaurants the family has been talking about checking out:

The Wave @ Disney's Contemporary
50's Prime Time Cafe @ Hollywood Studios
The Rose and Crown @ Epcot
Garden Grill @ Epcot
Liberty Tree Tavern @ Magic Kingdom
Chef Mickey's @ Disney's Contemporary

Of course, we are going to go to 'Ohana and Kona Cafe for sure. Breakfast at Kona is a must for me, as is dinner at 'Ohana.

I can't wait to start planning!
If anyone has any tips or reviews of these restaurants, I'd love to hear them!

Club Level--Wilderness Lodge

2010-04-05T15:31:00.000-07:00

Let me begin by saying that I had high hopes for Club Level. I've stayed at AKL's club level and loved the experience, but this was also pre-dietary restrictions, so I knew this was a gamble. Here is a play by play of the pre-trip correspondence and during the trip experience.

Pre-trip Correspondence:
To begin with, the IPO (Itinerary Planning Office) staff were friendly enough, but I noticed a bit of difficulty in obtaining much information about my dietary restrictions and the lounge. I explained to them how important it was to know ahead of time what would be available at breakfast. I got the muffins, waffles, and whatever else the chefs prepare response. Well, fair enough. I guess they wouldn't know, but when I asked them to contact the chef, they never got through to them. I asked about specific items (like earth balance margarine) and they said I could buy it but they wouldn't guarantee it would be there. Sigh. I guess this means they aren't going to be any help. We did arrange for a 6 inch gluten free, dairy free (but had eggs and soy) chocolate birthday cake. I was told it was $29.50 (which I think I got charged less, but that is what they quoted) Overall, the staff wasn't really helpful with dietary restrictions or even contacting restaurants outside of my hotel (as far as directly asking specific questions to the chef) They did however, make notations on all of my meal reservations, so that was very good.

Club Level first-hand:
Well, I must warn you. This isn't a great review. I will say the concierge downstairs were more friendly and helpful than the CL staff were. And I'm not that picky. I just want people to be straight with me about what's available and not treat me like a leper or a huge burden. I'd love to have these people live one day in my dietary life and maybe they'd understand. From crimeny's sake...Red Robin can get it right with dietary restrictions why can't WDW's club level?! To begin with, in general, we found the CL staff to be very rude and in general not very friendly. Compared to the AKL CL staff this was a bit of a shock. When I arrived, I wanted to confirm the birthday cakes (one for me and one for my mom). They said they would check and call me, and they never did. I got the "I forgot" answer. Greeeeaaaat. Day 1, we didn't really look for any evening options, although I did get a French Meadow brownie from the staff. You have to ask the CL staff for them to get it for you. Boy, they didn't like having to get me one every day. And yes, I got one every day! I like those brownies and when it's the only option you have, well, you go with it.

The first breakfast, I was given 4 blueberry muffins. Uggg. Not good for my Crohn's. I don't digest blueberries well at all. I did try to eat a few of the muffins because I was really hungry, but I was surprised I didn't get much of anything else. I could have eaten fresh fruit, but didn't. I did talk to the CL staff and just explained that berries were rough on my stomach (specifically blueberries) and said something like a chocolate chip muffin would work or waffles. Well lo and behold the next day, I got chocolate muffins. Holy cow! These were like dessert brownies. Yikes. Not so great at 7:30 a.m. In fact, it was the only thing they gave me for the rest of the week. And they said I couldn't get anything else. Gee, thanks. I ended up getting food or snacks other places because of this.

Brownies..I mean muffins and tea. Quite the breakfast.

A couple of times, I was able to find some evening appetizer options that I thought would work. They had to call down to the chefs, which did not appear to make the CL staff too trilled. But, there were a few items that I thought would be OK, that weren't. So it pays to ask. Even if people aren't thrilled with you. It's your body, and it doesn't pay to be sick. And yes, it happens. I got sick later in the week. I still am not sure if it was Crohn's or cross contamination. I know that I get sick a lot with GF pasta, and I had it the night before I got sick, so maybe it was that. In any event, here were a few of the items I could eat:

Coffee rubbed, Ancho spiced Grilled Chicken

Ancho Chili Scallops Wrapped in Bacon...Very good!

There were also veggies and hummus. None of the other dips or soups seemed like I could eat them. It was a bit of a gamble as to what was up there, so some days I got food, other days I didn't.

Dessert was a no-go. There were never any options for me other than the French Meadow Brownies (which was the only afternoon option for me too...talk about brownie overload) Except one night, the night that I was sick, they made ANOTHER chocolate brownie dessert. This was actually very good, once I ate it the next night. It was brownies with a chocolate fudge frosting in the middle, covered in powdered sugar. I didn't pick it up, but my mom said the CL staff gave her a stern talking to as to why I didn't get it. Um, no one told me I had a dessert and I never had one the previous 5 nights! So why would I expect a dessert?! Sigh.

Chocolate brownies.

And back to the getting sick. I got sick and felt terrible. I spent a day in bed. Yuck. In the mean time, my mom decided that CL was so unhelpful, that she went to the concierge staff downstairs for help to get me protein shakes. I use them a lot when I'm sick, so I get some nutrition even if my stomach hurts. I drink Odwalla Vanilla Al'Mondo Non-dairy shakes. So, the concierge staff was very helpful. They arranged a van and got a runner to take my mom (free of charge) to the nearest Super Target (which is where I get them) to get me shakes. Sure enough, they found them and were able to get everything sorted. My mom then tried to get my birthday cake (which was to be delivered that day) delayed so I could sleep, but the CL staff somehow got that messed up, when she attempted to try that. Again, a reason to check with concierge not CL staff.

I'm feeling icky, but the mousekeeper brought me a bunny so I'd feel better! (true story!)

Birthday cake...gluten free and dairy free.

The logo is made of sugar, I called and asked.

I didn't end up eating the cake while at WDW, but we brought it home. Yes, strangely I took it in my carry on and didn't have it confiscated, guess it wasn't a threat! HOWEVER, I do want folks to know that I was sick most of the week after I got back on the days I ate this cake. I am guessing there was some sort of cross contamination in it. It was clearly GF, but in general, I felt a big icky. Perhaps I was recovering from being sick, but the items I had on other days didn't make me sick, only the cake days. So, it seems pretty likely there was an issue with the cake. But, I didn't get sick from my Contemporary dessert, so there are some safe dessert options. I'm not going to say for sure this was a cross contamination issue, but be mindful that this could happen.

Overall, I wish the CL staff would have been more friendly and less "put out" when it came to my dietary restrictions. I don't expect special treatment, but I don't like being made to feel like I'm a pain in the butt. Yes, I ask a lot of questions, but it's for safety reasons. I was happy with the few options when I had them, just wish the overall ambiance would have been more friendly. I would not recommend CL for people with dietary concerns. In fact, I would have rather just spent the extra money and had table service for breakfast every day. But, in general we enjoyed the Wilderness Lodge (love the hotel!) and would come back here, just not at CL. Perhaps other CL's are better equipped, but I would definitely hesitate to try it again.

California Grill--Table Service--Contemporary

2010-04-05T15:11:00.001-07:00

Welcome to the California Grill!

Happy Birthday to me! This was my birthday dinner, and I was not hopeful after my experience during the day (although I was very relaxed after my facial and pedicure! Loved, loved, loved the spa!) but we gave it a shot. A couple of days before I got an email from the Contemporary bakery asking me if I wanted a cake or a dessert. It's a good thing I had my laptop with me (uggg, though the Internet fees were outrageous! why can't WDW have free wi-fi? McDonald's does!) otherwise, I'd have not known. In any event Jessie the sous pastry chef said she would make me some kind of chocolate dessert that was gluten and dairy free.

Upon arrival, we were greeted and seated in a small, quiet wine cellar room, located off of the main dining room. Hurrah! The table was decorated for my birthday! How nice!

Look at the Mickey confetti!

They said that they try to put special events in this quainter room, because it is more secluded and quiet. It was lovely. I was so glad to be there over the main dining room. And the view wasn't of the Magic Kingdom, but it was still spectacular. And, of course, we could have gone to the fireworks viewing (which occurred while were there), but we decided to enjoy the quiet ambiance. Chef Jason came to visit me, and he offered me a variety of things. He was so friendly and very accommodating. I mentioned that I'd be interested in sushi and he said no problem. I could have the sashimi or california roll and some others, but I can't remember which ones. They have GF Tamari too. I got the Sashimi, which is just sliced raw fish, though I wish I would have gone for the roll. I could have gone for the rice! However, it was very tasty and very fresh. You can tell they use very high quality fish. The tuna and Hamachi were so good. I didn't eat much salmon because I was already getting pretty full, but don't worry it didn't go to waste. Others in my party ate it. When the sushi arrived, they made sure to mention that it was a special Gluten Free sushi, so at least the sushi chef was aware of it.

Sashimi (tuna, hamachi, and salmon)

Then for my main course, I ordered the pan seared sea bass with stir fry vegetables, sticky rice, and ginger-soy-hijiki broth. I was so amazed, by the way, at the level of accommodation these chefs were making. Chef Jason gave me so many options and said that he would do whatever I wanted to make sure I had a good meal. After some of the resistance from chefs at other restaurants, this was so nice. My main course was AMAZING. Beyond amazing. I literally could have licked the plate, it was that good. The sauce was so flavorful and the sea bass was cooked to perfection. Well worth the price!

Sea bass with sticky rice and ginger soy hijiki sauce!

My mom and step-dad said the food was very good. My mom said it was one of the best steaks she's ever had. (Le Cellier used to have that honor with her, but California Grill bumped it off the list)

Next up...DESSERT! When we got there, they even double checked to make sure that there was a dessert for me. Sigh of relief! What they brought out was nothing short of amazing. Bar none, most amazing dessert I've had GF/CF! Unbelievable. It was a chocolate cake with a chocolate mousse wrapped in chocolate sheets and topped with fresh raspberries and accompanied by a raspberry coulis! The coulis made the dessert. Even the non-dietary restricted thought it was amazing.

Me and my dessert. Very happy!

Close-up of the dessert. Look at that attention to detail!

Overall, this made my birthday. What a great meal. Yes, it was pricy. Would I do it every day? No. But a special occasion? Most certainly. From the attention to detail to the quality of the food this restaurant went above and beyond my expectations. Kudos to Chef Jason and the rest of the staff for a job well done. 10 out of 10 for quality, service, and accommodation.

Garden View Lounge Afternoon Tea--Table Service--Grand Floridian

2010-04-05T14:54:00.000-07:00

On my 30th birthday, I wanted to do something special. I have always wanted to do the high tea at the Grand Floridian and thought this would be the perfect opportunity to do so. I planned a 2 p.m. tea, so that we had 1 1/2 hours before our spa appointment at the Grand Floridian spa at 3:30. I thought this would give us plenty of time. It's only tea right?! Well, this turned out to be a disastrous affair, with rude waitstaff and rude guests and completely unprepared chefs. Previously, Chef Jeff Bliss had called me and arranged to make some salads and some desserts. Ah, too bad this didn't come to fruition. I believe there was some misscommunication because when we arrived, the waitresses said they thought I had food with my name on in it their fridge and later the chef (not Jeff Bliss) came out and totally ignored me and took forever (like 30+ minutes) to bring me a scoop of tuna and egg salad. I asked for no GF bread (because I was avoiding yeast) and I got bread (which I was told did have yeast in it).

Lovely tea and china!

To begin with, we were seated next to some really rude guests. They were very snooty and rude to everyone. This made my mom and I feel very uncomfortable (and I'm not usually bugged by people, rude or otherwise). The waitress was a bit curt. I ordered the Princess Breakfast tea which was strawberry vanilla rooibos. YUM! I was going to buy this, but didn't get the chance. The chef arrived and I explained that Jeff Bliss had spoken to me and made arrangements. Like I said, 30+ minutes later I got my food. My mom was already done with her sandwiches and scone.

My egg and tuna salad.

Taste wise, the salads were OK. Nothing spectacular. I have made better at home. I found the egg salad to be overly mayonnaised (is that a word?!) As time progressed, I realized we only had 30 minutes before our spa appointment and our waitress and the chef weren't in any hurry to let us leave, so we asked the waitress for the desserts and our bill. (i.e. pack the desserts to go) She got very rude and said it was 4:30 not 3:30 and I had to literally show her my watch. She was like "Fine. I guess." She got my mom a dessert, and tossed a cut up, pre-done (i.e. French Meadow) brownie at me. Ummmm, I thought I was getting a dessert made for me?! At this point, we were so frustrated and I was getting upset, so we decided to forget it and leave. I got charged for the Buckingham Palace which was $19.50 and I got very minimal amounts of food, compared to my mom. I wasn't expecting a meal by any means, but I was expecting some effort to be put forth, especially in the place where the pastry chefs made a big deal about calling me to make a dessert. Sad really. They didn't sell me on their bakery, their service, or ever staying at the Grand Floridian.

Overall, I give this a big fat 5 out of 10. Mostly because of the bad service and lack of accommodation. I'd have let the accommodation part go if it wasn't for the big deal they made about it prior to me arriving. Disappointing and something I probably won't do again. Thankfully, California Grill made up for this tea when I went there for dinner.

Apologies!

2010-04-04T15:15:00.000-07:00

Gosh everyone! Sorry for not having my reviews up completely yet. It's been a very busy last few months since our trip. I'm in the full swing of a semester in graduate school, and I've just been sidetracked! Hopefully, I can get the rest of my reviews up this next week.

And, exciting news. I'll be back at WDW in October for my brother's wedding. This means new reviews and reviews of the Food & Wine Festival and Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party!

Whispering Canyon Cafe--Table Service--Wilderness Lodge

2010-04-04T15:05:00.001-07:00

HOWDY! Welcome to Whispering Canyon Cafe!

This was a birthday meal for me--my 30th birthday to be exact. I knew prior to eating at WCC that they made fun of you (been there before), so I was ready for some good old fashioned teasing. But, I was also hoping for a nice breakfast. Upon arrival, the waitress let me know that the chef would be out to see me. When the chef arrived, I explained that I couldn't have milk or gluten. I decided on a ham omelet with potatoes and a GF waffle on the side. I was hoping for mickey waffles, a la Kona cafe, but alas, it turned out to be a Van's Waffle. (not that they aren't good, but I can eat them at home! I wanted a big fluffy GF/CF mickey waffle!) The chef actually mentioned that these were the last of the waffles because they'd had so many GF eaters that week. (hmm, guess they should have ordered more!) When she brought out my waffle she brought out fleischman's butter, which she said was made from corn. I wasn't sure if she meant lactose free or completely dairy free (it sounded sketchy to me), so I didn't eat it. After getting butter on my plate and on my eggs at 'Ohana, I was leary. I like not getting a scratchy throat, sneezing, and headaches.

Van's waffles and pure maple syrup.

The omelet was very tasty and so were the potatoes. In general, it was good but nothing spectacular.

Breakfast!

After my meal, they made me go around the restaurant on a wooden horse and sang to me to celebrate my birthday (sure didn't feel 30 at that moment!) And instead of a cake, they gave me a french meadow brownie. Nothing like a brownie at 9 a.m.! Thankfully, I could take it back to the room with me.

Overall, I'd give it a 7 out of 10. Service and food were OK. Nothing spectacular, but not terrible either.

'Ohana--Table Service--Polynesian

2010-04-04T14:46:00.000-07:00

A view from the Polynesian

Well folks, 'Ohana has been one of my favorite restaurants at WDW for years. I love the woodfired meats, the sides (oh how I miss the old green beans from here), and all the other tasty treats. However, this was my first time going GF/CF. I knew prior to our reservations that Chef T.J. was now working here. Chef T.J., for those who don't know, is pretty much known as THE BEST chef for allergies on WDW property. I knew that if T.J. was there, this would be an unforgettable meal. Now, I wasn't feeling particularly hot this day. In fact, I had been down right miserable the day before. Call it the Crohn's flaring or just eating the wrong thing...I was not well. So, today was going to be a day of actual food, and I was excited. After a very upsetting and disappointing afternoon and experience at Yakitori House (previous arrangements had been made for the counter service to have GF sauce, but they refused to serve me rice or anything claiming they had no knowledge of the chef's contacting me) I literally hadn't eaten anything but protein shakes for over 24 hours. I needed food!

Upon arrival, the hostess verified that I had allergies. After we were seated, they had placed a fake polynesian flower on the table and they said that this would notify the chefs to come to see me. Well, sure enough I see chef T.J. walking my direction. I was so excited. He was terrific. I explained to him that I had Crohn's and that I just been sick, so I couldn't eat salad that night (rats, I was looking forward to that too!) So, he said he would do a few things for me, and take it easy on my tummy. First up, chicken wings. Oh my goodness, these were amazing. He gave me, something like 10 chicken wings! They had some spicy, sweet and sour glaze on them. Yum! T.J. came back to check on me and asked if I liked them because I hadn't eaten that many. I kept telling him how good they were, but that I was trying to pace myself since I hadn't much in the last day.

Spicy Chicken Wings

Then he brought out my entree. We agreed on turkey, shrimp, chicken, and pork. I decided not to do any red meat. Holy moly! When he brought out my entree, I couldn't believe the size! It was huge. It had rice, crispy rice noodles, and broccoli. The broccoli was a little crispy for me, but I tried a bit of it, and it was good. The meat had a sweet and sour sauce on it, and a peanut sauce on the top. So good.

Entree at 'Ohana! So tasty!

My entree after I was done. You can see how much I had left!

Chef T.J. came back out again and asked how it was. Of course, I couldn't help but gush over the wonderfully prepared meal. It was so good. I asked T.J. if I could take it home with me, and he said that with special diets he allows to go bags, so I got to take everything back to our room and eat it later. Good leftovers, let me tell you!

Then, it was time for dessert! T.J. brought out the most amazing decadent and FUN dessert! Chocolate brownies, soy chocolate ice cream, pineapple, bananas, and cotton candy with some chocolate syrup on top. Holy cow! I had help eating this one. We couldn't let it go to waste. It was so good.

That's one big tower of dessert!

I can't say enough good things about this restaurant or Chef T.J. It was tasty, amazing, and so wonderful to have an attentive and concerned chef. He was just great. I highly recommend this, and will continue to make this a must-do on my list, especially if T.J. is there! 10 out of 10 for great food, great service, and going above and beyond my expectations.

Mama Melrose--Table Service--Hollywood Studios

2010-02-22T08:33:00.000-08:00

I'd heard some really great things about Mama Melrose and options for Gluten Free and Dairy Free. I think perhaps I hit it on an off day. The food was fairly tasty, don't get me wrong, but the service wasn't particularly great, and my options seemed even more limited. Upon arrival, the chef greeted me, but he seemed less than enthused. He told me my only real options was the chicken Parmesan (minus the breading) and the Fra Diavolo. He did offer me dairy free flatbreads. I was surprised that there was no dairy free cheese offered. I'd heard that others had eaten this. I also was a bit bummed not to be able to get a gluten free calamari, which I also had heard they could do. I decided to go for the chicken Parmesan for it's simplicity. The chef also brought me out tapioca rolls and extra virgin olive oil with spices.

Tapioca Rolls with Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

When my chicken Parmesan arrived, it looked very tasty. It did taste pretty good too. But, I would say it wasn't anything special. Good, but not great. Also, for some reason, the last few times I've eaten GF pasta I've gotten a bit sick. Later that evening, I got REALLY sick (I stayed in the hotel room the entire next day)

Chicken Parmesan

Overall, I'd give it a 7 out of 10. Only because the lack of enthusiasm by the chef, lack of variety, and general service. If you are GF and haven't had pasta in a while though, this would be the place to go.

ABC Commissary--Counter Service--Hollywood Studios

2010-02-22T08:24:00.000-08:00

Our stop at the ABC Commissary was a bit of a fluke--meaning we didn't intend on going there, but it ended up being a very good lunch for me. I'd been dying to try the allergy free chicken tenders, but had yet to get them. Upon arrival, I was greeted by the manager who told me they had them, which I didn't realize. (I suppose I should have consulted my special diets sheets, but I was REALLY hungry at the time!) She said I could the chicken tenders and fries. I think I was also offered a burger, hot dog, and maybe a grilled chicken sandwich, but I can't remember. I had one mission in my mind and that was the allergy free chicken tenders. It did take several minutes, but I was most impressed that they used a completely different fryer (I could see if from where I was waiting) and the manager used new gloves. When she brought it out, I was so excited. However, I didn't get much choices in sauces. I looked at the BBQ sauce at the condiment station, which wrongly the manager told me was safe, clearly listed wheat right in the ingredients. Too bad because I love BBQ sauce and that would have made my meal! But never mind that. Let's get to the chicken tenders. They were amazing! So tasty, and crispy, and did I mention tasty?! It was very good, and I wish I would have gotten more of these chicken tenders.

One of my favorite counter service meals. Allergy Free Chicken Tenders and fries.

Overall, I'd give ABC Commissary a 9 out of 10 for a surprisingly delicious meal and excellent service.

Le Cellier--Table Service--Epcot

2010-02-14T17:45:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite restaurants, pre-dietary restrictions was Le Cellier. The steaks have always been amazing, the cheddar soup fantastic, and the overall service excellent. My mom wanted to stop here as we celebrated her birthday. However, we all quickly made the discovery that some things have changed at our favorite restaurant, and not for the better. Unfortunately, I think Le Cellier has suffered some major changes since the dining plan has become so popular. The menu has drastically changed and the restaurant always seems packed to the hilt. That being said, my meal wasn't horrible, but not great either.

When the chef came to greet me, he seemed less than thrilled. He asked what I wanted, and I mentioned that I'd be interested in the salmon. He said there would be no way that could be safe. After several minutes, I finally just asked him what he suggested. But he wouldn't give me much direction. I finally said that I just wanted something, "remotely safe," which made him laugh, but still didn't get me much assistance. We finally came to an agreement on the spice crusted pork chop and that he would replace the polenta with roasted potatoes. I also salad of mixed greens with a white balsamic vinaigrette. This turned out to be a big NO-NO for me. I have some issues with vinegar and this did not sit well at all. The pork chop was served medium, but more on the medium-rare side. To the point that I really had wished I would have asked it to be well-done. It seemed very pink. But, I was assured it was safe to consume and that this is the common way to serve pork these days. Well, consider me not common. I didn't like it this way. The spice crust was also very overpowering and a bit bitter. I wasn't a huge fan of it. The potatoes also had balsamic vinaigrette (double whammy on the vinegar) and I wasn't a fan of the citrus endive salad either. I was given tapioca rolls with olive oil, but nothing new there. I was offered a blood orange sorbet, but I passed.

A tasty, but dangerous salad for me. The walnuts were a nice touch.

Spice crusted Pork Chop with roasted potatoes and citrus endive salad.

I wish I could give Le Cellier a glowing review, but I can't. Even those without dietary restrictions did not enjoy this meal. The service was subpar and the accommodations for dieatary restrictions were not much better. Overall, I'd give this a 5 out of 10.