5/24/20 5/24/20

Enchanted Garden Dinner Review on the Disney Dream

Enchanted Garden just might be our favorite rotational dining restaurant located on the Disney Dream for its atmosphere and for excellent meal options. On our recent 3-day cruise on the Disney Dream in January 2020, Enchanted Garden was our rotational dining for the final night of of our cruise. Both Brandon and I had been looking forward to it, and I was especially looking forward to the new allergy-friendly menu options there.

*This gluten free dining experience took place in January 2020. It includes information about dairy free options, as well as a review of fish/shellfish free, peanut free, cabbage free, hazelnut free, and chicken & turkey free options.

Dinner at Enchanted Garden

Atmosphere

Enchanted Garden is themed after the Gardens of Versailles. You'll begin your meal in a bright and cheerful restaurant and as your meal continues, you'll experience sunset in the gardens.

Enchanted Garden - Sign / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

I'll admit that on our first Disney Cruise together, both Brandon and I weren't all that excited about eating at Enchanted Garden based on its menus descriptions. But, since then, we've been blown away by its charming decor and delicious food.

Enchanted Garden - Booths / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

I absolutely love these artfully designed teacup style booths that line the restaurant. We've been lucky enough to dine in them on several cruises, though on this cruise, we were seated in a corner in the back of the restaurant.

Enchanted Garden - Fountain / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

The small but elegant fountain featuring Mickey Mouse also greets you when you enter the restaurant, and it's definitely a great photo op as the restaurant lighting changes.

Enchanted Garden - Seating / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

Our table was located in a tucked away corner of the restaurant near the portholes. Both Brandon and I enjoyed the location, which gave us a chance to look at the charming light fixtures, elegant carpet, and little hidden touches on the wall.

Enchanted Garden - Lighting / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

You'll see beautiful trellis style decor. If you've ever seen photos of the Cafe Parisien from the Titanic, it harkens back to this cafe style restaurant both in style and theme.

Brandon and I did take the Art of the Theme tour several cruises ago on the Disney Dream, and the cast member who led the tour mentioned that classic ships inspired the DCL designs. So, I'm not surprised to see some similarities between Enchanted Garden and the Cafe Parisien.

Enchanted Garden / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

Here's a photo of our table. How cute are the chairs in this restaurant? They have the cutest flourishes that resemble a hot air balloon!

Since this was the last night of our cruise, we wanted to get some photos with our amazing service team. Our head server, Sudhir, did an awesome job of making sure we were taken care of -- and bonus, he totally hooked me up with Indian food throughout the cruise.

Our assistant server Gede was just a hoot. He kept us entertained and laughing throughout the cruise.

And, finally, our server Elisa was super friendly and made sure our special dietary needs were taken care of and that we had delicious food options every night. We couldn't have asked for a better service team!

The Food

Like the other main rotational dining options on the Disney Dream, Enchanted Garden offered an allergy-friendly menu. I'm not going to lie. This was by far the allergy-friendly menu I was the most excited. Had this been the first night or a longer cruise, I would have tried a lot more of the options because everything sounded so good!

Up first, Gede always made sure Brandon and I had plenty of beverages. I enjoyed iced tea on our final night.

Our bread service included hummus and Ener-G gluten free and allergy-friendly rolls. Both Brandon and I really love these rolls when they are well-heated, and we lucked out with that this cruise for sure. Brandon wasn't a fan of the hummus. But, I really enjoyed it for something different with our bread service.

Enchanted Garden - GF Potstickers — Enchanted Garden / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

For my starter, I ordered the Vegetable Potsticker which were Pan-Seared, served with a Citrus Slaw. These were marked as safe for Gluten/Wheat, Egg, Fish/Shellfish, Milk, Peanut/Tree Nut, and Soy Allergies on the allergy-friendly menu.

Omigosh. These were by far one of the best appetizers I've ever had on the Disney Cruise Line. These were outstanding and super flavorful. The exterior was crispy, and I loved the fresh flavors of the accompanying citrus slaw. Had I know they would be this good, I might have ordered them every night of the cruise. This was a hands down winner, and I hope DCL keeps these around!

Enchanted Garden - Food in Photo is NOT Gluten Free / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

Brandon's first appetizer actually came from Royal Palace. He had somehow forgotten to order the Fried Brie during our dinner at Royal Palace. So, he asked our server Elisa for these for dinner on our last night.

This version of the fried Brie is fish/shellfish free, chicken & turkey free, cabbage free, peanut free, and hazelnut free. You can also pre-order a gluten free version of this too if you ask your server.

As always, these were a hit with Brandon, and he said he'd wish he'd order these every night because he enjoys the fried Brie so much.

For his other appetizer, Brandon also ordered the French Onion Soup from Royal Palace. It's another favorite of his, and he wanted to get soup one last time before our cruise ended. This was safe for fish/shellfish, peanut, cabbage, hazelnuts, and chicken & turkey allergies.

Because of Brandon's chicken & turkey allergies, soup can be super tricky to get because many soup's have chicken broth or stock as its base. But, we're always so glad he can get great soups on DCL because they use vegetable stock (typically) instead of meat-based versions.

I ended up getting two entrees on our visit to Enchanted Garden. The first was Caramelized Sea Scallops with Allergy-Friendly Pasta tossed in Cilantro-Pesto, Roasted Vine Tomatoes, and served with Roasted Meyer Lemon. This was marked safe for Gluten/Wheat, Egg, Fish, Milk, Peanut/Tree Nut, and Soy Allergies.

I admit, I wasn't expecting to like this, as I'm not always a fan of pasta, especially on the Disney Cruise ships. But, this dish blew me away. The pasta was perfectly cooked and had a lovely pesto sauce that was flavorful and well-seasoned. And, the scallops were just perfection. I would 100% get this entree again. It was that good!

Enchanted Garden - Prime Rib — Enchanted Garden / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

For Brandon's entree, he chose the Slow-Roasted Prime Rib carved and served with Thyme-Roasted Vegetables, Fondant Potato, and Natural Jus. It was marked safe for Gluten/Wheat, Egg, Fish/Shellfish, Milk, Peanut/Tree Nut, and Soy Allergies. It was also chicken & turkey free too.

Overall, while it wasn't Brandon's favorite steak of the cruise, he said he enjoyed the prime rib and especially liked the fondant potatoes.

For my second entree, Sudhi made sure I got another Indian food platter. This time, I was served a spicy lamb curry and split peas. The peas were absolutely fabulous and definitely a little on the spicy side. I liked the lamb curry, but I'll admit I'm not a huge lamb fan overall. Still, it was great to try a few different curries that I hadn't had on previous cruises!

If you are interested in Indian food (whether it's gluten free, vegan, or dairy free options), be sure to ask your server about pre-ordering this. It's definitely one of my favorite hidden tips for cruising.

Because there were so many great things on the menu, I knew I had to order several of the allergy-friendly desserts. Brandon and I decided that splitting them was the way to go. Up first was the Carrot Cake served with Poached Carrot Strips and Berry Salad. It was marked safe for Gluten/Wheat, Egg, Fish/Shellfish, Milk, Peanut/Tree Nut, and Soy Allergies.

I really loved this dessert. It was surprisingly tasty, and I loved the cream cheese style frosting. This would definitely be a get again dessert!

For our second dessert, we ordered the Warm Apple Pudding served with Vanilla-Coconut Milk Frozen Dessert. It was marked safe for Gluten/Wheat, Egg, Fish/Shellfish, Milk, Peanut, and Soy Allergies.

At first, I think I liked this dessert better as it was heated, and I liked the apple compote on top. But, the cake itself was a little on the tough side. Overall though, it was a solid dessert that I'd get again despite the slightly tough/chewy cake.

If you want to see more about our cruise experience and our dining reviews as we experienced them, check out our cruise vlog!

Overall

Enchanted Garden never fails to disappoint on excellent entrees, wonderful theming, and a great meal experience. We're looking forward to getting back on the Disney Dream and enjoying another great meal at Enchanted Garden. AND, I'm even more excited to dine there with a fantastic allergy-friendly menu.

Have you been on the Disney Dream? What was your experience at Enchanted Garden?

7/16/19 7/16/19

Enchanted Garden Dinner Review on the Disney Dream

Enchanted Garden on the Disney Dream is one of the three main rotational dining restaurants. On our recent Disney Cruise in May, we had dinner here on our second night, which was also pirate night on the ship. After our last several cruises, Enchanted Garden has become one of our favorite restaurants to dine in for its charming theme and delicious entrees.

*This gluten free dining experience took place in May 2019. It includes information about peanut free, fish/shellfish free, and chicken and turkey free options.

Dinner at Enchanted Garden

Atmosphere

Enchanted Garden is themed after the gardens of Versailles. So, you'll see lots of beautiful garden-inspired touches throughout the restaurant.

Enchanted Garden Entrance Sign / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

From the moment you step inside, you'll see beautiful garden murals and lights.

Enchanted Garden Seating / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

The lighting does change throughout your meal and goes from day time to sunset. I love some of the charming seating options in here, including the tea-cup inspired booths. We've been lucky enough to have been seated in these several times and always love them.

Enchanted Garden Fountain / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

The centerpiece as you walk into the restaurant is a beautiful water fountain. I absolutely love getting photos of it after our meal when the lighting looks more like twilight.

Enchanted Garden Lighting / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

We always look up, down, and all around whenever we're in a Disney restaurant. That's because you'll see so many beautiful and themed elements just about everywhere. My favorite in Enchanted Garden are these beautiful flower lights.

Enchanted Garden - Table / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

We were seated towards the middle of the restaurant, and we had a good vantage point of the restaurant without being in too congested of an area.

The Food

Because we were on a 3-day cruise, even though we dined at Enchanted Garden during pirate night, the menu was still Enchanted Garden's regular rotational dinner menu.

For our bread service, we were both brought the Ener-G allergy-friendly rolls, which are gluten free, dairy free, peanut free, vegan, and free of the top common allergens, with some hummus. While Brandon ate the rolls, he's not a fan of the hummus, so he skipped that. Overall, I enjoyed the bread service. If you're a hummus fan, you'll enjoy this version which is fairly mild in flavor.

I have to shout-out our assistant server, Cristel from Mexico. She was a total rockstar throughout our cruise and really took great care of us. She was also super on top of beverages. In fact, she learned quickly what drinks we liked to order and brought us double drinks at all times throughout the meal.

She was also awesome when I saw her during breakfast at Royal Palace and even insisted on bringing me gluten free pastries when she saw I didn't have any. And she wasn't even my server during that meal! She was really excellent and definitely went above and beyond during our cruise, so if you get a chance to have her as a part of your service team, you'll be well taken care of.

While we absolutely love Enchanted Garden's theme and the entrees served there, sometimes we go a little off-book when we dine there. Luckily, we learned several cruises ago that you can order items served at any of the three main rotational dining options during your meal. Because I'm not a big fan of any of the appetizers at Enchanted Garden, I requested the Iced Lobster and Jumbo Shrimp that is normally served at Royal Palace.

This dish is marked gluten free on the Royal Palace menu and can be made dairy free by omitting the sauces. This is always one of my favorite appetizers. And, I like it so much that I ordered it twice on this cruise. If you're a seafood fan, this is always a great option.

Enchanted Garden - Soup — Enchanted Garden / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

Brandon was also not feeling any of the appetizer choices from Enchanted Garden that night. He ended up getting the French Onion Soup from Royal Palace again. This dish is fish/shellfish free, peanut free, and chicken & turkey free. He really enjoys this soup a lot. And, he was still so glad that he could get soup on the cruise pretty much as much as he wanted. This continues to be a real winner in his book.

Enchanted Garden - Indian Food — Enchanted Garden / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

Because I wasn't all that excited about the Indian food options I had the previous night at Animator's Palate, our server Allen wanted to make sure I got some options that I really loved. I was served a plate of curry chicken, scented rice, and curried potatoes. This was all gluten free.

This second serving of Indian food did not disappoint. And, as you can see in this photo, I was one happy camper.

My favorite main dining entree is also at Enchanted Garden. So, Allen brought me a plate of the Marjoram Scented Roasted Chicken too. Although I couldn't eat everything, I did put a major dent in the dinner. The roasted chicken is so flavorful and tender, that it continues to be tops for me for entrees. I also really enjoyed the whipped sweet potatoes, sautéed spinach, and the chicken jus served with this too. This entree is marked gluten free on the Enchanted Garden menu.

For Brandon's entree, he ordered the Slow Roasted Prime Rib. This was a gluten free (marked on the menu), fish/shellfish free, peanut free, and chicken & turkey free. Overall, Brandon really liked it, but did think the prime rib was quite fatty for his taste. We both totally forgot until after he'd ordered that he had loved the seared pork tenderloin medallions served at this restaurant on our last cruise. He could have ordered this, but chose not to because he was already feeling pretty full.

Even after stuffing myself silly with all the food I ordered, I still managed to have some room for dessert. Though it's not marked gluten free on the menu, I was served the Orange Yogurt Cake. Having been to Palo many times, this was absolutely the same orange almond cake served there for dessert.

The cake itself is gluten free and dairy free, but the accompaniments contained dairy. I loved the actual cake itself -- it's one of my favorite desserts on the ship. But, the solidified yogurt rectangle served on the plate was just weird and kind of gross. Next time, I'd just ask for the dessert minus the yogurt and cream sauce.

For Brandon's dessert, he ordered Chocolate Garden Torte which came with a coffee cream and was peanut free. Even though he's not a big dessert person, he loves chocolatey desserts. This one was a real winner, and one he'd get again.

Overall

We both really enjoy the atmosphere and entrees served at Enchanted Garden. With a beautiful garden theme and pleasant dim lighting, we always look forward to our dinners at this rotational dining location.

Have you been to Enchanted Garden? What did you think of the restaurant and food?

11/19/18 11/19/18

Enchanted Garden Debarkation Breakfast on the Disney Dream

Enchanted Garden is one of the three main rotational dining restaurants located on the Disney Dream. On our 3-day cruise on the Disney Dream in October 2018, we ended up skipping Enchanted Garden dinner because we had dinner reservations at Palo on our last night. After our cruise, we both wished we had gotten to get dinner there because we prefer the dinner there than at Animator's Palate. The only time we ended up eating at Enchanted Garden was on debarkation morning before we left the cruise. Debarkation breakfast was served at 7:15 a.m., as we had early dining throughout the cruise.

*This gluten free dining experience took place in October 2018. It includes notes about dairy free options too.

Atmosphere

Enchanted Garden is themed after the gardens of Versailles in France. There are statues, a fountain, and other touches that will remind you of these famous gardens.

When you arrive at Enchanted Garden, you'll notice that the lighting in the restaurant is quite bright. However, if you're eating dinner there, you'll notice the lighting dim and fade throughout your meal. At breakfast, the lighting remained bright.

There is a small fountain in the middle of Enchanted Garden. At the top of the fountain is this charming Mickey statue.

One of my favorite things about Enchanted Garden's theme are these amazing booths. These are super cute and cozy. We've had the good fortune to sit in them a few times -- both at embarkation and debarkation meals. I have heard that these booths used to rotate but haven't done so in years.

Enchanted Garden Interior / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

As you can see by the photo here, Enchanted Garden is bright and spacious. After thinking about it, I think Brandon and I might like the theme in Enchanted Garden best of the three main rotational dining restaurants.

I also adore the art nouveau style dishes served at Enchanted Garden.

The Food

Like embarkation lunch, debarkation meals are a bit more limited than a normal breakfast menu that you would find on your cruise. It's also very early in the day, so I can't say that either one of us was super hungry at that point.

Enchanted Garden - Debarkation Menu / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDWBoth Brandon and I wanted to get something in our stomachs before we headed home. So, we tried to eat a little lighter. Unfortunately, our server Jude had other plans! — Enchanted Garden - Debarkation Menu / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
Both Brandon and I wanted to get something in our stomachs before we headed home. So, we tried to eat a little lighter. Unfortunately, our server Jude had other plans!

Enchanted Garden - Debarkation Menu / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDWBrandon ordered the Eggs for the Road entree, while I just ordered some items a la carte. — Enchanted Garden - Debarkation Menu / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
Brandon ordered the Eggs for the Road entree, while I just ordered some items a la carte.

Enchanted Garden - Drinks / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

Before then, we both needed some beverages to get us going. Iced tea and apple juice for me are always a good breakfast combo.

Enchanted Garden - Muffins & Donuts / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

Jude brought Brandon and I some fresh fruit. He also gave Brandon some gluten-filled pastries, while I got gluten free and dairy free donuts and a chocolate chip muffin. These are all made by Kinnikinnick Foods. The chocolate chip muffin is one of my all-time favorites, and I used to get this at Disney World at select restaurants for breakfast. But, Disney World stopped serving it a few years ago. So, you can bet I was very excited to have this muffin. The donuts are always excellent, and I enjoyed the cinnamon sugar one that morning

Enchanted Garden - Omelet / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

I knew I wanted a bit of protein for the road. So, I asked for a ham and cheese omelet, which is listed on the debarkation menu. This was just OK. It wasn't anything special but was tasty enough. If you are dairy free, you can opt for a variety of egg options too.

Enchanted Garden - Allergy Friendly Pancakes / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

My last request for breakfast were gluten free and dairy free pancakes. On debarkation day, they do not offer allergy-friendly Mickey waffles and only have Van's gluten free frozen waffles on hand. So, I usually ask for pancakes. I have to admit that on this visit, I was very disappointed. I think that the cruise ships are now using the Carbon’s Golden Malted Gluten Free Waffle and Pancake Mix.

Not only is the mix absolutely terrible tasting, but the company does not disclose shared lines that are used to make the mix. The product is certified gluten free. But, the company’s transparency is pretty concerning. Next time I will actually ask about the mix before ordering, just like I do at Disney World. I’ll also be letting Disney Cruise Line know my thoughts on this mix and encourage them to use Namaste and Bob’s Red Mill mixes which are must tastier and safer options.

Overall

While our breakfast wasn't anything fancy, we always appreciate having one last table service meal before we leave our cruise. Our entire service team, especially Jude, made sure we weren't super rushed and that we had plenty of food before we headed home. It was the perfect way to end a fantastic 3-day cruise on the Disney Dream.

What do you think of debarkation breakfast options on the Disney Cruise ships?

Enchanted Garden Dinner Review on the Disney Dream

Dinner at Enchanted Garden

Atmosphere

The Food

Overall

Enchanted Garden Dinner Review on the Disney Dream

Dinner at Enchanted Garden

Atmosphere

The Food

Overall

Enchanted Garden Debarkation Breakfast on the Disney Dream

Atmosphere

The Food

Overall

Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW