Flame Tree BBQ -- Quick Service -- Lunch/Dinner -- Animal Kingdom
*This dining experience took place in February 2013.
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I'm a huge fan of BBQ--there's something about the smoke flavor that is just so good. Living in an apartment, I rarely get the opportunity to grill or smoke things myself, but visiting Flame Tree BBQ is a great substitute for the lack of a grill at my own place.On this particular trip, I made a quick visit to Flame Tree for a bite in between meals on a long day. I actually ended up splitting my pork sandwich with my mom so as not to be overly full later on. When I arrived, I notified the cashier that I needed to speak with a manager. The manager then brought me the ingredients binder to go over options. Normally, I would have taken a look at more options, but since I knew I wanted the BBQ pork sandwich, there wasn't much of a need to go over the binder. Interestingly enough, when I ordered the binder stated that the bun available was Udi's; however, when I received the bun it was the GNI brand bun. Weird. Disney really needs to get their info updated and also make sure the managers know what's available because she kept telling me it was Udi's. Yeah, I know Udi's and that is SOOOO not Udi's lol I also got grapes instead of the coleslaw mostly because I was not in the mood for it.
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| BBQ Pork Sandwich on a GNI brand bun and grapes |
I will say that the sandwich was good, but the bun was not great. I don't think it was properly heated (the major downfall when it comes to GNI brand). I think you also get a smaller portion of meat because they try to size it to the GNI bun, which is puny! That was a bit of a bummer. However, I found the meat to still be quite good--very tasty. The grapes were a nice light snack for the day.I've heard some other reports from other Disney folks that the other BBQ like the chicken and ribs weren't as good for them on their most recent visits; they stated that the meat was quite dry. I'm hopeful that this was just a fluke and not a new standard, but I will def. try out the chicken next visit. Overall, it was an OK meal--not great but not terrible either.I'd give this a 7 out of 10 for a slightly mediocre experience.
Flame Tree BBQ -- Quick Service -- Lunch -- Animal Kingdom
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| Pork sandwich with coleslaw on a Udi's GF/DF bun...so good! |
I love it when I get recommendations from readers. This recommendation, in particular, is one I wish I would have tried a little sooner. However, I'll note that the Udi's GF buns are what make this sandwich taste so good. It's a big step up from the Ener-G tapioca rolls (sorry, I've never been a huge fan). I will say though that it's a bummer that these don't cover all of the top 8 allergens because they are really really good.So on to the food....As usual, I headed to Flame Tree BBQ and asked the cashier to speak with the manager. The manager was very kind and went over the ingredients with me (I knew that I wanted the sandwich). Having been here before, I also knew that the coleslaw was safe, so no substitutes on this order (a rarity for me). The manager did tell me that none of the sauces at the condiment bar were deemed safe, as they had modified food starch in it, and it couldn't be determined where the starch was derived. I never take chances with that, so no sauce for me. Not that this sandwich needed it. I'm glad they serve it as dry BBQ without the sauce; that way you have the option of adding sauce or not. Thankfully, this was very tasty pork, so it didn't need it in my opinion. That bun, OMG that bun. I feel bad everytime I sing it's praises because I know that many folks can no longer enjoy a bun at WDW because of the vendor change. But, I gotta say, I love these. They actually taste like bread. My mom tried some of the bun, and even she liked it! It's that soft texture and fluffiness. It doesn't become a hard dense hockey puck like the Ener-G rolls. Those things could take out a window or a small child if someone threw one!The coleslaw here is also great. It's got a bit of heat/spice to it, and I enjoy it a lot. The only downside is that I hate coleslaw outside on a really hot day, and now that summer is beginning here in Florida, I wouldn't want to eat it much. Something about heat and mayo turns me off! But in the winter time...delish!Overall, I was so pleased to try this one out. Thank you, GF Girl, for your awesome recommendation! I'm so glad I got the chance to check this out. Now a new favorite on my list!!! Definitely a 9 out of 10!
Flame Tree BBQ -- Lunch/Dinner -- Quick Service -- Animal Kingdom
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!!!!