Turf Club Bar & Grill -- Dinner -- Table Service -- Saratoga Springs
*This gluten free dining experience took place in April 2018.
Dinner at Turf Club Bar & Grill
The Turf Club Bar & Grill is a table service located at Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort. It's one of those Disney restaurants that I think is often overlooked, as it's a bit tucked away. While I won't say it's my favorite place on property to eat, I have enjoyed several meals here. On this particular occasion, we stopped by for an impromptu dinner one night when we could not get any seating at the restaurants at Disney Springs.
Atmosphere
The Turf Club's atmosphere includes dark wood features. On several occasions, we have found the restaurant to be a bit dark. But, on this visit, it was fairly bright inside.
Because it had been pouring rain, and we were soaking wet from the downpour, I did not take a lot of photos inside. We were just happy to be inside!
The Turf Club does have a lounge area outside of the restaurant's entrance. It's a nice place to sit and grab a drink before dinner.
There is a small bar outside of the restaurant too that offers a full bar menu, including the classic Disney drinks served at most bars and lounges on property.
The Food
The Turf Club does carry an allergy-friendly dinner menu. And, guests always have the option to speak with a chef before ordering to discuss options.
Before our entrees arrived, I was served Deanna's Gluten Free Rolls which are gluten free and dairy free. I found them to be well-heated at the Turf Club, which was nice.
I also asked if they had any Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Spread on hand. Even though I have re-introduced dairy back into my diet, I do prefer the Earth Balance over regular butter. Thankfully, they had some on hand.Our server kindly topped my Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Spread with some gray sea salt, which was a very nice touch. This was super tasty with my Deanna's Gluten Free Rolls.
For my entree, I ordered the Grilled New York Strip with Hand-cut Rosemary-Parmesan Fries, Grilled Asparagus, and Roasted Garlic Butter. This dish was marked as safe for Gluten/Wheat, Egg, Fish/Shellfish, Milk, Peanut/Tree Nut, and Soy Allergies. But, this is definitely a dish that I would speak to a chef about, as it was marked safe for milk allergies but contained both cheese and butter. This is one of the many reasons I tend to speak with a chef instead of just ordering off the menu.The dish actually can be made dairy free. But, they do need to remove the butter and cheese from the dish.Overall, I enjoyed the steak. I thought the portion was huge and everything was well cooked. My French fries were really crispy and super delicious as was the asparagus. I wouldn't say the dish was special, but I'd definitely order it again.
For comparison, here is a photo of Brandon's steak. He also ordered it, but his was served with the butter on top of the steak. He did also try my fries for comparison and said mine tasted fresher and more crispy. We both thought his looked like it had been fried in older or more used oil.
Our friend who dined ordered the Grilled Verlasso Salmon with Fingerling Potatoes, Carrot Puree, Crispy Bacon, Asparagus, and Creamy Cucumber Salad. This dish is marked safe for Gluten/Wheat, Egg, Peanut/Tree Nut, and Soy Allergies. He really enjoyed this and said he would definitely order again.I had ordered this on my last visit to the Turf Club Bar & Grill, and I have to be honest that I was not a huge fan. The salmon itself was good, but I did not enjoy the cucumber salad. So, I do think it really depends on your personal preference and taste when it comes to ordering dishes.
Overall
Our unexpected meal at the Turf Club Bar & Grill turned out to be a solid meal experience. While we wouldn't necessarily pick the Turf Club as our top choice for dining at Disney, we have always found the food to be decent. Add on top of that some decent size portions, and you have a good option if you're staying at Saratoga Springs or nearby at Disney Springs and want a low-key meal.Have you been to the Turf Club Bar & Grill? What did you think of the options when you dined there?
Turf Club Bar & Grill -- Dinner -- Table Service -- Saratoga Springs Resort
*This dining experience took place in July 2017.
Dinner at Turf Club Bar & Grill
The Turf Club Bar & Grill, located at Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa, is a table service restaurant that I often forget about. Since it's a bit off the beaten path, it's been a while since I've dined there. Recently, we had dinner there when we found out that Disney was offering 30% off to annual passholders during certain dinner seatings. It was the perfect opportunity to try it out again after a few years.
Atmosphere
The atmosphere in the Turf Club is pretty basic. The interior is dark and very cozy, but I don't find the overall theme to be very interesting or unique. It's nice but simple.
The exterior of the restaurant is more or less the same. A bit generic. Though, I will say the outdoor seating area is nice if you can dine here during cooler weather.
The Food
On a previous visit, I had a really nice meal, so I was looking forward to something equally tasty on this visit. Turf Club Bar & Grill does have an allergy-friendly dinner menu, but of course, you can always ask to speak with a chef too. On this visit, I decided to order from the allergy-friendly menu, since I've reintroduced some dairy back into my diet.
First up, I was served Deanna's Gluten Free brand rolls. These are my favorite gluten free and dairy free rolls on Disney property, so I was happy to be served these along with some Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Spread.
For my entree, I got the Grilled Verlasso Salmon with Carrot Purée, crispy Bacon, Fingerling Potatoes, Asparagus, and Cucumber Salad. This is marked Gluten/Wheat, Egg, Peanut/Tree Nut, and Soy Free on the menu. It does contain dairy in the carrot puree and cucumber salad.Overall, I thought this was a good dish, but not a great dish. I really disliked the cucumber salad, which seemed completely out of place with the rest of the dish. The carrot puree was super delicious, and I enjoyed the potatoes and asparagus. The fish was well-cooked, but it wasn't the best salmon I've ever had. To me, the biggest issue was the imbalance of flavors. They were all good, but they didn't seem to fit well together.I would probably skip this one next time and look for something else that seemed to be a bit more cohesive of a dish. Still, it wasn't terrible. It was just OK.
Overall
Turf Club Bar & Grill has a nice allergy-friendly menu and dinner offerings that are basic, but I wouldn't say amazing -- at least not on this visit. My previous visit a few years ago was much better, but it may have just been the particular dish I chose. I don't think we'd go back there again anytime soon, but it was nice as an another quieter table service option and good for those who are staying at Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa.Have you been to Turf Club Bar & Grill? What did you think of their special diets offerings?
Turf Club Bar & Grill -- Dinner -- Table Service -- Saratoga Springs
*This dining experience took place in August 2015.
The Turf Club Bar and Grill located at Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort is one of those hidden gem restaurants on Disney property. Quietly tucked away at this sprawling resort and located near the golf course, it's a nice break from all the excitement and noise often found when touring the theme parks. It's a cozy restaurant with a bit of a dark interior but an atmosphere that really is perfect after a long day in the park.On this particular occasion, I was dining at Turf Club Bar and Grill solo after a long day of work and wanted something comforting and filling. As I was seated by server gave me one of the new allergy friendly menus for the restaurant. They also asked if I wanted to directly order off that menu or speak with a server. Since many items did not note dairy free, I asked to speak with a chef.I was pleasantly surprised to see Chef Jenny Sly come out to speak with me. Chef Jenny is terrific and has been at various locations on property including Ohana and most recently Boma. She went through the menu with me, and I decided to order Grilled Salmon with Teriyaki Glaze, Cilantro Jasmine Rice, and Seasonal Vegetables. I opted to skip an appetizer as most were very heavily dairy based.
While waiting for my entree, Chef Jenny also brought out some rolls with extra virgin olive oil. Immediately, I noticed these were Ener-G rolls, which I often find to be very unappealing because of the lack of heating them properly. They are also the type of gluten free roll that you need to eat pretty immediately because they seem to get hard very quickly, as they are tapioca based.However, Chef Jenny assured me that these rolls would be nice and soft, and she wasn't kidding. I was blown away by the gluten free bread voodoo that she put on these rolls because they were unlike any Ener-G roll I've ever had (and Chef Jenny did confirm they were Ener-G). They were piping hot, well heated, and stayed soft the entire time. I wouldn't hesitate to get these again at Turf Club.
My entree was equally well-cooked and seasoned. The salmon was perfectly cooked -- something that is so important to seafood. The rice was a lovely compliment, as were the sauteed veggies. Add in some teriyaki sauce made with gluten free soy sauce, and you have a really tasty meal.Overall, I really enjoyed my meal at Turf Club Bar and Grill. The food I had was well-cooked, the ambiance was quiet and relaxed, and the service was also great. It reminds me that I need to dine here more.Have you been to Turf Club Bar & Grill? What are your favorite dishes to order?
Artist's Palette -- Lunch/Dinner -- Quick Service -- Saratoga Springs
*This dining experience took place in August 2013.
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| Busy ordering area in Artist's Palette |
Nestled far in the back of Saratoga Springs lies Artist's Palette, the quick service location for this resort. Inspired by the actual Saratoga Springs, this location offers a lot of "standard" old New York State flair. You'll of course find Saratoga Chips (or just regular potato chips essentially) with all of the meals. As a quick service location, I was interested in trying many of their sandwiches which sounded both delicious and easily made GF/DF.If you have never been to this resort, Artist's Palette seems like a weird location. It's sort of in the back, as is Turf Club Bar & Grill (which I love as a GF/DF dinner option). I always feel like I'm parking out of the way and find it very hidden. If you know where the boat docks are at this location, then you are fairly familiar with the restuarant locations. The first thing you'll notice about Artist's Palette is that it's small. I mean small. Tiny compared to most other quick service locations. There is limited seating inside & some outside. There's also an alcove by Turf Club that can be used as additional seating which is where I ended up. Lovely actually but kind of out of the way (we'll get to why in a minute).
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| Formal, yet informal eating area |
When I got to the ordering station, I noticed there is one main line. Yikes! That means it's hard to navigate for starters and also a big difficult with a special diet. I basically waited in long line, so I could wait some more for a chef. But, that's something good to know if you are dining there. Off-hours are probably less difficult. There are a lot of different types of sandwiches here and I was sort of eyeing:Italian Hoagie - Salami, Mortadella, Ham, Provolone, Mixed Greens, Balsamic Vinaigrette, Red Onions, Pepperoncini, and Black Olives on a grilled Ciabatta Roll with House-made Chips or Vegetable SlawLobster Club Sandwich - Lobster Salad, Smoked Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato, and Lemon Mayonnaise with House-made Chips or Vegetable SlawI figured that either one might be able to be easily modified GF/DF. I was leaning towards the Lobster Club because I'd been craving one since I went to Columbia Harbour House and they mentioned that the lobster salad there was safe (just no bun options!). When the chef came out, she seemed a bit ambivalent. She was like, "We can make you flatbreads." Really, I was not in the mood for a flatbread and let her know the sandwiches I was looking at. I told her that the lobster club sounded really good. She said they had Udi's on hand and that they could give me potato chips but not house-made ones. She really wanted to push me along, so I didn't get much out of her in terms of other options. But, I can imagine with the right kind of chef here, you could get a fair amount of interesting choices.Once I ordered, I was given a pager, which all guests are. You also get a number placard, this way servers can bring the food to you. I thought this was a very interesting route. I thought it was especially interesting because I couldn't find a seat in the main room and had to go way down the hall to Turf Club. I was like, "um how are they going to find me?" and a cast member assured me it would be fine. However, I ended up coming back up to the front because I was nervous they wouldn't find me. Thankfully, this worked out ok because the cast member brought my food out fairly quickly. I was glad to see it marked "Allergy" on the box so that cast members were aware this was a special diets meal.
Once I got settled, I opened up my box. And I was surprised to see not one but two sandwiches. That was a surprise! Holy smokes! I also have a really big bag of pre-packaged chips, as they house-made chips were not safe. This was definitely going to be a lot of food.
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| Not what I was expecting! |
I have to say that this sandwich...or should I say sandwiches were not was I was expecting. I expected something a little lighter and a little more lobstery (in taste not necessarily portion). What I found was that the flavor you tasted the most was Old Bay Seasoning. Don't get me wrong, I like Old Bay (and it's GF!) but it really overpowers and this was almost a little too much. I found that had they just used a little it would have gone a long way. I mean, I really couldn't taste lemon mayonnaise. Overall, though I did like it. And two sandwiches was a lot. I def. was full. The one disappointment was that they couldn't make the chips GF/DF. Or at least some fries. It may be that they can do the fries but I wasn't able to get them because of the chef interaction. Either way, the chip option was just OK.
Overall, I wasn't wowed by my lobster club sandwich, but I didn't hate it either. I think if I were to visit this location again that I would probably go during an off time. I'd give this a 6 out of 10. Lackluster food & so-so service and accommodation.
Turf Club Bar and Grill -- Table Service -- Lunch -- Saratoga Springs
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| One of the two entrances to the Turf Club Bar and Grill at Saratoga Springs Resort |
I've had quite a few people recommend Saratoga Springs' table service restaurant Turf Club Bar and Grill. Everyone I've received the recommendations from have told me how wonderful this restaurant is at accommodating special diets. For me, I've never been likely because I have felt it was off the beaten path, and I've also never stayed on a vacation at this resort. But, I really wanted to try something different on my way back from MCO airport, so I decided to check it out.
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| Open air patio seating is readily available |
One of the first things I noticed about this restaurant is its options for outdoor seating. Although I opted to stay indoors due to the heat, I thought this would be a perfect place to have a leisurely lunch or dinner on a cooler day. It has spectacular views of the lake and of Downtown Disney.
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| Indoor seating. Very club-like atmosphere. |
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| Lunch menu. I ordered the GF/DF modified "Crispy Chicken Breast Sandwich" |
After being seated inside, I was greeted by the chef, who went over the menu with me. He said there were a lot of options, and he was correct. I was pretty pleased that I had such a variety of entrees to choose from. Appetizer-wise, there wasn't really anything short of salad that was gluten free and dairy free. He did mention the buffalo chicken dip is gluten free, but contains butter (so those of you who are strictly GF can enjoy this). For entrees, all of the burgers were good. The chef said he could do a modified GF/DF version of the shrimp scampi pasta. The crispy chicken breast sandwich could actually be made with the crispy coating. (yes, I was sold on this one!). The Reuben sandwich was ok, as was the barbeque pork tenderloin sandwich. There were a few other options, but I sort of tuned them out once I heard the crispy chicken was safe! I ordered mine without the goat cheese or the rosemary focaccia. Instead it came on a Udi's roll (I still am obsessed with these. Thank you Udi's for making these!). I also got the french fries.
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| Crispy Chicken Breast Sandwich on a GF/DF roll and minus the cheese with fries |
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| Close up of the crispy chicken breast sandwich. Yum! |
I must say, this sandwich was to-die for! As you can see, it was quite large. I actually had to cut it in half to eat it. The GF/DF coating was actually very crispy, as well as being very tasty. My only slight suggestion was to add a little more salt to the breading, but otherwise, it did an excellent job of creating that crispy chicken sandwich taste and texture. I don't think I've actually had a sandwich like this since going GF/DF over 3 years ago (chicken tenders don't quite count). It was fantastic. The balsamic marinated onions and tomatoes were very good. I loved this. The arugula was a nice touch for the choice of greens, mixing well with the balsamic dressing. Believe me, I scarfed this down. The fries were good. Nothing spectacular, just plain old good french fries. Next time, I might try the homemade chips. I know the slaw they had was not mayonnaise based, and the server mentioned that it was a sweeter slaw. Not sure I'd do that, but it might be a good option, if you like slaw.
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| Mango sorbet with fresh fruit |
I also decided to get dessert. The sorbet flavor that day was mango. The chef said they would add some fresh fruit. I like the mango sorbet a lot. It's something different than the traditional raspberry, which I get a lot. Although there wasn't a lot of fruit accompanying the sorbet, it was all very fresh and very tasty.Overall, I was pretty impressed with this restaurant. They really did seem to have a lot of GF/DF options. I was especially impressed considering that my lunch was a walk-in, having not made an ADR. So, this is a great option regardless of advanced notice (but definitely make an ADR whenever possible). I didn't get to meet Chef Ron, who I've heard a lot about, but the other chef on duty was fabulous.Definitely a solid 9 out of 10 for excellent options and service.