Whispering Canyon Cafe -- Lunch -- Table Service -- Wilderness Lodge

*This dining experience took place in November 2012.

Wilderness Lodge

Howdy! I just got back from a rootin' tootin' good time at Whispering Canyon Cafe. For those who have never been, it's a table service restaurant located in the Wilderness Lodge resort. It's known for its "antics" -- just make sure you ask for ketchup and you'll see what I mean! One of my favorite chefs on property, Chef Williere moved here a few years ago from 50's Prime Time and I've been so happy to see him over here (of course I still miss him at 50's!). In fact, it's been great because I've been able to eat a lots of the same items as my family. And the gluten free/dairy free (allergy friendly) corn bread is to die for! Get the dinner skillet with it, and you'll see what I mean.This was my first time ordering a la carte, as we always get the skillets. Chef Will was there that day and he helped me navigate the menu. I will say that a lot of the menu options are gluten free, which is great. I like that this restaurant has a lot of allergy friendly options. He also told me that despite the removal of the skillet for lunch, you can still get it along with many of the old options like the vegetarian quinoa cake. Being that it was early, we opted not to go for the skillet (a good choice because I was very full by the end of the meal).I ordered the appetizer of Western Chips with Buffalo Chili, Cheese Dip, and Fresh Salsa. The only thing I couldn't have was the cheese dip, so that was placed on the side. What we got was a really large portion of chips and dips. The buffalo chili was pretty good--almost had a sweet taste to it. Very hearty and went will with the chips. I imagine with the cheese dip it was great (the other guests had it with both and liked it a lot). Then there was the salsa. This was a big hit at the table. Chef Will had given us an extra portion I think of the salsa, which was great. It didn't taste like the traditional salsas to me--had again a sweet taste to it. I think we managed to scarf all of that down!

Western Chips with Buffalo Chili and Fresh Salsa

For my lunch, I ordered the Slow-smoked Pulled Pork Sandwich with Cowboy-style Baked Beans, Sweet Ancho-Barbecue Sauce, and Western Slaw. I asked if they had the Udi's buns and Chef Will said they had the sliced bread. This made me happy because that meant if I came for breakfast I could get the toast. I'm always looking for what locations serve Udi's.The sandwich was really good. I loved the smoked pork.  It had a great smoke flavor and the BBQ sauce was delicious (though admittedly I could have asked for a small dish of it on the side--was great to dip fries in). The beans are also quite good. I used the bean sauce to dip my fries--what can I say, I like a good dipping sauce! The slaw was good but a little spicy. For me, especially with the Crohn's and the fact that I ate salsa that day, I opted to forgo the slaw more than just a taste. Fine because others at the table ate it. I also got regular fries as my side dish.

Slow-smoked Pulled Pork Sandwich with Cowboy-style Baked Beans, Sweet Ancho-Barbecue Sauce, and Western Slaw.

Overall, I was really pleased with my meal. The choices were great, and the food as always was really good. I was surprised how busy it was there for lunch. Means it's a great lunch option, especially if you're staying in the lodge. It was great seeing Chef Williere again and getting a great meal. Next time, I'm going to make a plan to eat dinner there because as much as I liked the a la carte options, I really missed the skillet and the cornbread!!!A solid 9 out of 10, for a great meal.

Don't forget to ask for ketchup!!!