Ohana -- Dinner -- Table Service -- Polynesian

*Note: This review is from summer 2011, and the dessert offerings (i.e. gluten free / dairy free brownie) are no longer available.Just thought I'd give you another one of my Ohana reviews. Especially because lately, I've been able to get the shrimp from the BBQ! And they are my favorite...oh are they my favorite. I could eat them for days....but I digress. Onto the rest of the review...

Skillet with steamed white rice, broccoli, carrots and snow peas, grilled chicken skewers and cellophane noodles

Ohana is one of my favorite restaurants. Who doesn't love grilled meats? And the ambiance? Forget about it! It's amazing. I love the family style meal and the overall vibe. Once I had to go gluten and dairy free, I was worried about food offerings. Would I be able to eat anything? But, it's been one of the best for food allergies. Things have changed and evolved over the past few years and so this review is pre-Nov. 2011 vendor changes. The only real change that I noticed after 11/11 was the switch from the above pictured bowl (no more noodles) to a more scaled back version (still it's a lot of food!). The last two times I've had to ask for grilled chicken skewers, because they tell you that the beef and shrimp are the two safe meats from the grill. I don't eat beef, so I always ask for chicken (I didn't once assuming I'd get the same bowl above, but didn't--lesson learned). It's not that they don't want to do it; they have all been very happy to, but I believe more that maybe they are cutting back? Too much waste? Hmm, who knows. In any event, make sure you ask if you want chicken skewers (or any other kind).Of course, the salad with the honey lime dressing is safe as usual. Love this. I can't usually eat too much salad because of the Crohn's disease, but I always have just a little here. That dressing is to die for! The chicken wings are also great. I usually don't eat all of mine, because there is just so much food! Essentially, they are the same wings as the rest of the party except they don't have the sauce (i.e. they only have the dry rub). I do know that both the salad and wings are gluten, dairy, and soy free (have been several times with someone who has a soy allergy).

Chicken wings, minus the sticky sauce. They are still quite delicious (and messy)!

One of my favorites in this meal are the shrimp. See I told you I'd get back to them? They are so delicious. I loved the grilled flavor and the sauce. I can eat a LOT of these (once I only had shrimp to eat and had about 25-30 of them, no joke! And that included the rest of my meal--still not sure where my stomach stored it all that meal). They are just the best!

SHRIMP!!!

It's amazing that after all this food, I somehow have room for dessert, but I seem to...everytime! I was really loving what I was getting for a while, which was the French Meadow gluten free/dairy free brownie, rice dream, nestle syrup, and cherry on top sundae. Yum! That's what I got this trip. But, they no longer serve this brownie since they switched vendors. The OMG I can't believe it's Gluten Free brand has dairy in it and no longer in the options. I've been getting the OMG gf/df chocolate chip cookie with rice dream, etc. Not quite as good, but ok.

Brownie sundae...I miss these!

This is a gluten, dairy, and soy free variation.

On this trip, I was with a friend who's GF/DF and soy free. This is what he got. I can't remember short of the lack of brownie what the other modifications were. The "ice cream" might be different than what I got; I can't recall. The last time I was with him, I know he had sorbet instead of this (that post-vendor change).Overall, I can't say enough great things about Ohana. I always feel like family here! 9 out of 10!