Mara -- Lunch/Dinner -- Quick Service -- Animal Kingdom Lodge Jambo House

*This dining experience took place in September 2014.The Mara, located in Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge, is one of my favorite resort quick service restaurants. I frequently stay at the Animal Kingdom Lodge, as a DVC member, and it's my go-to spot for a quick bite that's a little out of the ordinary (and beyond allergy chicken tenders -- though they do serve them there!). With African inspired flavors, you're sure to have a variety of options that will delight your taste buds.On this particular occasion, I stopped by for lunch before we headed to the pool for an afternoon swim and then later to Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party. On a previous visit, I enjoyed the African Stew, a dish that I had to check out after reading my friend Alexis over at Gluten Free in Orlando's review! This time, I knew I wanted something else, and I saw a dish that caught my eye on the daily menu specials -- the Barbecue Bacon Burger. Once I got up to the ordering station, I notified the cast member that I had special diets and he called over Chef Chris. Chef Chris also works at Boma, and I've seen him many times at breakfast, so I knew I'd be taken care of. I asked Chef Chris if they could make the burger gluten free and dairy free, and I was excited when he said yes. Woohoo! I love a good sauce, and I was hoping that the sauce was house-made. (it was). While I waited, I was given a pager and made myself cozy in the Mara dining area. The Mara has such amazing murals and decor. It's a great place to just sit and rest, especially in the afternoon when it's slow.Once my pager went off, I met Chef Chris near the ordering area. I was ready for my burger and fries. Chef Chris told me that the bun was Local Oven and that the bacon was a nice thick cut bacon, not that stringy stuff they normally serve. Gotta love that chefs aren't fans of the stringy bacon either!It might not be much to look at this, but this burger was really quite good. The bacon was excellent and the burger was well cooked (you could add cheese to this, if you wanted to). But the house-made barbecue sauce really made it. It was a little sweet and super flavorful. It had some type of spices in it but I couldn't identify them. It was the perfect sauce though, and if it's featured the next time I'm there, I'm asking for extra sauce on the side...for dipping in fries, of course!I wasn't planning on getting dessert but Chef Chris surprised me with some OMG It's Gluten Free & Dairy Free chocolate chip cookies for the road. What a nice extra touch!I also could have purchased a 4 pack of the mini brownie cupcakes from Babycakes NYC. The Mara is one of the locations that always has them on hand.Overall, the Mara continues to be one of my favorite resort quick service spots. It's quality and the chefs there are always terrific. I'll be heading back there soon, and I can't wait to try other offerings available!I'd give this a solid 8 out of 10.Have you been to the Mara? What are your favorite items to order here?