Cooke's of Dublin -- Lunch/Dinner -- Quick Service -- Downtown Disney
*This dining experience took place in December 2013.
Getting proper fish and chips when you're gluten free & dairy free is a real feat. There are only a few locations on Disney property where you can get such a dish and Cooke's of Dublin, located in Downtown Disney, is the only quick service location that you can get them at. Set to resemble an Irish fish and chips shop, Cooke's of Dublin offers a charming place to dine with authentic pub grub that happens to be gluten free & dairy free.It had been a very long time since I had been to Cooke's of Dublin--my personal preference being Raglan Road Irish Pub next door. But, I was busily prepping for a holiday meet-up and I wanted to get something fast and delicious. I was also craving fish and chips big time!
We arrived at Cooke's of Dublin early, around 11 a.m. when they opened. This was nice because it wasn't busy at all yet. It normally gets quite packed, so I try to go during the off-times. I checked in with a cast member and explained that I was gluten & dairy free. She kept forgetting the dairy free part, but I knew that the fish & chips were safe, so I went with those. Afterwards I did ask what other gluten free options they had and she told me the following:
- The Original One & One - Fish & Chips $10.95
- Georges Bank Atlantic Scallops $12.95
- Cold Water Shrimp $11.95
- Battered Chicken Tenders $9.95
- Double Dipped Onion Rings $5.00
- Fresh Chips $5.00
And I also knew that you could get the Garlic and Parmesan Skinny Chips $5.00 (gluten free only) thanks to my friend Alexis over at Gluten Free in Orlando.It was nice to know there were so many options. And gosh darn it, I wish I had gotten the shrimp or scallops. They looked and sounded really good! (Now I have an excuse to go back!)
The fish and chips are essentially the same as the ones you get next door at Raglan Road. You also get the thick cut fries, as well. I will say that my fish was not salted at all -- meaning they didn't add any salt after it came out of the fryer, so the breading was a little blander than it normally is (nothing smothering it in GF/DF tartar sauce won't fix!). The french fries were very fresh and very hot! I will say that overall, it was a little greasier than the fish and chips I usually get at Raglan Road. However, considering that you're saving about $10, it's not a bad choice when you're on the fly. Plus, who am I kidding, anything that's gluten free & deep fried makes me swoon!Overall, I'd say this is a good choice for gluten free & dairy free diners. I will say that the staff isn't quite as knowledgeable about multiple special diets but thankfully, it's a very GF/DF friendly place. I'm very curious to try the scallops, shrimp and even chicken tenders (you know I'm a chicken tender connoisseur).I'd give this particular visit a 7--for solid food, lovely atmosphere. I would definitely go back again to try the other dishes but maybe stick to Raglan Road for my staple fish and chips, unless I'm in a hurry!
Sommerfest -- Quick Service -- Lunch/Dinner -- World Showcase
*This dining experience took place in October 2013.
Just a brief updated review from Sommerfest located in the Germany pavilion in Epcot. I had a strange craving for a bratwurst with sauerkraut recently and decided to pop by the pavilion for a quick bite. I've sort of been craving German food ever since I made ADRs for Biergarten for December 2 (Candelight Processional dinner package - I can't wait to see Neil Patrick Harris rock it this year...LEGEND...wait for it...DARY!). Thanks to Adam & Andrew from the Disney Hipsters who told me that they have terrific vegetarian options, now I'm dying to try this place out. Plus, they have an Oompah band! That may be more legendary than CP (sorry Neil!). But, I digress...I headed over to Sommerfest for a bratwurst mostly because I could get one on an Udi's bun, which I really like. It's not vegan but it is gluten free & dairy free and it tastes yummy! When I got to the kiosk, I almost asked if the new Currywurst menu item was gluten free, but it was a very very busy Food & Wine Festival evening, so I decided to just go with my standard bratwurst order. On this occasion, I told the cast member that I wanted the bratwurst with the gluten free & dairy free bun, and she told another CM who was in the small kitchen. The last time I went they radioed a chef and they brought out the bun. This time it seemed that they had them on hand in a separate section of the kitchen. Interesting. And even more interesting was that it wasn't Udi's! It looked like Ener-G rolls or something similar because it didn't look at all like the GNI rolls I'd had in the past. *Later it was confirmed that it was an Ener-G bun.
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| New buns |
I've been hearing some rumors percolating that there are new rolls/buns in the mix lately and some say that they are not GNI or Udi's but possibly the OMG It's Gluten Free Brand and that they still contain egg. I've not heard anything first-hand myself, but this was definitely a bun I hadn't had before. (Interesting side note, though I found out it was Ener-G and I've had lots of Ener-G rolls & bread, I've never had the buns! So funny how that happens right?)One big problem was that it was not heated really at all. So it was really crumbly and dry. It was also kind of styrofoamy and hard to chew. I ended up just getting a fork and eating the sauerkraut and bratwurst on its own because the bun was kind of difficult in general. As far as the brat goes, it was quite good. I still like it because it's really mild and doesn't seem to upset my stomach too much.Overall, I'd give this particular experience a 6 out of 10--mostly because the bun wasn't the greatest. I will try to find out if that Currywurst is GF because that sauce sounds & looks amazing (I'm a sucker for all things curry!).Have you noticed new rolls/buns/bread in the parks?
Lotus Blossom Cafe -- Lunch/Dinner -- Quick Service -- Epcot -- World Showcase
*This dining experience took place in October 2013.
The China pavilion in Epcot provides a taste of Chinese cuisine. Lotus Blossom Cafe, the quick service location, serves fare such as orange chicken and shrimp fried rice. While its offerings are fairly limited for guests with special diets, I was able to order one item off the menu.Visiting this location was a whim really. I was craving some kind of Asian food, and while we initially thought about going to Sunshine Seasons, my brother and I decided to explore the World Showcase which led us to Lotus Blossom Cafe. I knew from Adam & Andrew from the Disney Hipsters that the Hong Kong Style Vegetable Curry over Rice was not vegetarian (bummer), and I honestly didn't expect there to be any options that were gluten & dairy free. Lotus Blossom Cafe does not at all seem particularly authentic, so I figured I'd be batting a thousand at this location.When I asked the cast member at the order stations, she said that she would get the manager. The manager came out and I told him what my special dietary needs were. Basically, he said there was one gluten free & dairy free option (and not vegetarian or vegan) which was the Shrimp fried rice without the egg roll and without the spicy cabbage which accompanied it. He said that they could add a fountain drink or a bottle of water with it at no charge. So, I decided to try the shrimp fried rice with the water.I will say that it came out really quickly, so they must have this ready to go on hand (the shrimp fried rice, in general). My brother ordered the same thing but with the egg roll and it also came out really quickly.
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| Ordering inside Lotus Blossom. It was really quiet in here. |
In terms of taste, the shrimp fried rice was really bland. It reminded me a bit of the kind of Chinese food you get in the mall--which I admit, I sometimes crave as a GF/DF diner but obviously can never eat. It wasn't terrible but it wasn't good either. It was just boring and bland. Now in terms of portion, I will say it was quite large given the price $9 and I was full by the time I was done but not necessarily satisfied.
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| Shrimp fried rice |
Would I eat here again? Probably not. 1) There are really no options for me other than the fried rice and I also still can't believe they don't have one vegetarian option! 2) The food really wasn't very good. I will say the manager was really nice but that doesn't make up for the lack of food options here. Overall, I'd probably give this a 3 out of 10 for the fact that the options really don't exist in this location and what I did get wasn't very good. I have so many places outside of Disney where I can actually get Asian food and I can also make pretty good versions at home myself. I'd bypass this location!
Cosmic Rays -- Lunch/Dinner -- Quick Service -- Magic Kingdom
*This dining experience took place in October 2013.
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| Ordering area of Cosmic Rays |
Cosmic Rays is an out-of-this-world futuristic inspired quick service location in Tomorrowland at the Magic Kingdom. It offers standard quick service fare from burgers, fries, and sandwiches, to soups and salads. It also offers a few other heartier meal options such as rotisserie chicken. The location offers several "Bays" from which to choose these options and there are many choices for gluten free & dairy free diners.On this particular visit, I checked in with a manager who seemed much more attentive than the previous time I visited. On the last visit, I actually chose not to eat at the restaurant because the manager refused to let me look at the ingredient binder!! I was really nervous about this visit given the previous manager's lack of knowledge or accommodation (which is actually rare for Cosmic Rays). I was greeted by the manager who seemed to somewhat knowledgeable. He went over the ingredients binder with me and also said that the French fries were safe (they used to not be, so maybe I missed this? I don't dine at Cosmic Rays often). I ordered a chicken sandwich (grilled) with an Udi's bun. I also asked if I could get condiments made for me, and he suggested the fixins' bar, and I told him that this is a very high risk for cross contamination. I asked for lettuce and grilled onions.
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| Bay 3, where I ordered my chicken sandwich |
It did take a fair amount of time for the food to show up, which was OK but still I wish they had pagers up there. It's really tight in the aisles waiting for food here, and we got in a lot of people's way. In any event, we finally got our food and grabbed a seat. This place ALWAYS seems busy!!
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| Grilled chicken sandwich with fries and fixins' |
One of the things that I always think after I eat at Cosmic Rays is that I'm underwhelmed. It just seems "blah." We had initially planned on going to Be Our Guest, but the line to get in was huge, so we skipped it. We should have gone back to Pecos Bills or Columbia Harbour House in my opinion. The sandwich itself was plain and mediocre. I'm always glad to have a bun, so that's at least nice. The onions were sort of half crunchy and half sauteed, so the texture wasn't great. And the fries were just OK. Later I had a stomach ache, so I'm wondering if the fries were truly safe or if I just ate something that irritated my stomach (this was one of those hard to tell situations).
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| Chicken sandwich |
Overall, I would say that this is an OK choice mostly because they have a lot of options but taste-wise it's not my personal favorite. I will say that it's so-so and that I think there are some better choices in the Magic Kingdom. I also have had a few weird manager interactions lately, so I'm not sure what's going on there.I'd give this a 6 out of 10--for mediocre food & service.
Sassagoula Floatworks & Food Factory -- Breakfast -- Quick Service -- Port Orleans French Quarter
*This dining experience took place in October 2013.
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| View of lobby in Port Orleans French Quarter |
This is a brief review of POFQ's quick service location Sassagoula Floatworks & Food Factory for breakfast. As I've mentioned in my recent reviews, this is the place to be for New Orleans inspired cuisine on property. From the Mardis Gras vibe to the amazing beignets, there's just a terrific vibe in this resort & restaurant.On this particular visit, I stopped by with my friend Alexis from Gluten Free in Orlando (http://glutenfreeinorlandoflorida.blogspot.com/). We caught up right before my very first runDisney race (Happy Haunted 5K), and it was great to indulge in some beignets before I got myself prepared for the big race day. We both knew we were going to get the now famous GF/DF beignets that Chef Tony & the rest of the POFQ team serves up. I may have a slight beignet addiction right now!We were lucky because Chef Tony was also at the restaurant that morning, and we were able to say "hi" and chat briefly. He's been a very busy guy with Food & Wine Festival season doing culinary demos, Party for the Senses, and even being in the cranberry bog! So, it was a nice treat to be able to say hello!Another Disney CM took our beignet order, and I also ordered some scrambled eggs & bacon as well. As much as I love the sweets I knew I needed some pre-race day protein, particularly as I was heading to the expo center to pick up my bib and then meet up with some friends which meant food might be elusive for a while!And, of course, I was not disappointed. These beignets were amazing as always. I will say that right now I think the recipe is just right! I love the puffiness of them and how light they are. The chewiness that I mentioned the 1st time I had them has definitely gone away. These are just terrific! I have to say anything deep fried and smothered in powdered sugar is just A-OK to me!
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| Beignet deliciousness! |
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| Scrambled eggs & bacon |
As far as my eggs & bacon, I'm going to give some big credit to the CM who made these. I believe her name was Molly. These were really good! I'm going to say probably the best cooked QS scrambled eggs that I've ever had. I'm not kidding! They were delicious. Not overcooked and flavorful! I was very pleased with these. It's rare that a QS doesn't completely overcook my scrambled eggs (and I can't fault them, they are handling large quantities), so this was pretty awesome! The bacon was the typical bacon you get in the QS locations. Nothing special, but hey, bacon is bacon right?!Overall, I found this to be a really nice morning breakfast. I have to say the beignets just knock it out of the park as a breakfast choice! It certainly gave me a nice sugar boost to get through the rest of the day, which was very busy!I'd give this a solid 8 out of 10 as far as QS go, this is one of my favorites! The fact that I can get beignets morning, noon, and night makes me swoon!Have you tried the fabulous allergy friendly beignets yet?
Good's Foods to Go -- Lunch/Dinner -- Quick Service -- Old Key West
*This dining experience took place in September 2013.
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| View from Good's Foods to Go of Old Key West |
This is just a brief review of the quick service location at Old Key West. I recently went there (see older review HERE) and got the same thing, so this is a fairly brief and similar report. On this particular visit, I knew that I wanted to get the allergy friendly chicken tenders & French fries. The menu here is rather limited so this is always my go-to choice. There was a fairly long line and once I got to the front I let them know that I had a special diet and that I wanted the chicken tenders. They still needed to page the chef, so that they could make all of this happen. Chef Julie from Olivia's came by to greet me and took my order. I would also see her the next day at Olivia's for breakfast (see review HERE). She said it would be a few minutes and then went to make the tenders. While I waited, I noticed that this location also has the new Rapid Fill soda machines installed.
I will say that it took a pretty long time for the tenders. I kind of almost wonder if they didn't have a dedicate fryer heated up because it took longer than normal. But once I got them, I was very excited. They were piping hot (I mean HOT, we had to let them cool down a lot). They were delicious as always and well cooked. The fries were also very hot and fresh.
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| Love those allergy chicken tenders & fries! |
Overall, I like this location for the quick service that it is. It's a limited menu, so I would say you will have minimal options, but the nice thing is you get to talk to a chef from Olivia's which I love. The other conisderation is that this is an outdoor seating only area and the kiosk itself is usually very full. It tends to take longer than normal to order food here, so don't expect to be in a hurry here. I'd give this a 6 out of 9, primarily for limited menu and overall wait times of the kiosk (regardless of special diet) and no indoor seating.
Beignets -- Sassagoula Floatworks & Food Factory -- Port Orleans French Quarter -- Quick Service
*This dining experience took place in September 2013.
There's nothing quite like a beignet. Deep fried and smothered in powdered sugar, they are truly a decadent treat for breakfast and a great dessert in the evening. For many guests with a special diet, these treats have been a no-go but at WDW and specifically at Sassagoula Floatworks & Food Factory at Port Orleans French Quarter this has become a reality! They have become one of my most favorite sweet treats on property!You may recall that a reader tipped me off to these delicious beignets a while back, and I was finally able to check them out (you can read the first review HERE). When I went, I had to contact the WDW Special Diets Department well in advance to make sure they had these on hand. As it turns out, they've become so popular that now you don't need to call in advance--just head on over to Port Orleans French Quarter, grab yourself a cup of coffee and enjoy these treats! Chef Tony and the rest of the culinary team at POFQ have now made these an everyday occurrence, so you are sure to be able to enjoy no matter when you go! This just makes me so excited because now make an impromptu visit whenever I'm craving beignets.On this particular occasion, I stopped by before making the trek back home to get some beignets for the road (well, more before the road...they didn't make it out of the restaurant). My family hadn't tried them either, so it was a great time to see what they thought. The ordering couldn't have been simpler. I just walked up to the counter that makes beignets and asked for them specifically. The cast member went back and got the chef. Chef Paul came out to assist me, and Chef Tony also popped out to chat quickly. He mentioned that they have tweaked recipe for the beignets just slightly (replacing some of the water with club soda, etc.). I really love that they are striving to make things better for those of us with special diets. It's just another example of the magical Disney touch! We also talked about how much of the menu can be easily made GF, so that's excellent news! I totally want to stop by and grab lunch or dinner here soon!Once we got our beignets (which really didn't take long at all--maybe 5-10 minutes), we headed over to dig in! I will say, I could tell immediately that they had modified the recipe some because they were much puffier than the last ones I had.
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| I never saw a GF/DF beignet I did not love! |
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| Anything smothered in powdered sugar makes me happy! |
And let me tell you, I didn't think they could make these beignets any better, but they did! I will say that they chewiness that the previous version had is literally gone. These are much lighter and fluffier and well...just delicious! The texture has definitely hit the beignet texture that I remember from the glutenous ones. And my family really enjoyed these! Let's put it this way, I think they finished theirs before I did!Overall, I can't say enough good things about Chef Tony & the rest of the culinary team at Port Orleans French Quarter. The time, dedication and care they have put into these beignets are so evident. And the fact that you can now get them anytime, just like you can allergy Mickey waffles, is just amazing to me! I'm thinking of hosting a breakfast meetup in the next few months here! It will be a beignet bonanza!To me, the beignets on this trip were 9 out of 10--my only complaint? I should have ordered more!! Thanks again to Chef Tony and all at Port Orleans French Quarter for making these delicious treats available to those of us who normally can't have things like this!Have you tried the special diets beignets at POFQ? Do you love them as much as I do?
Contempo Cafe -- Breakfast -- Quick Service -- Contemporary
*This dining experience took place in September 2013.
The Contemporary to me is classic Disney. It's really an iconic resort and truly gives you a feel of nostalgia. With the monorail whizzing through the resort, it's hard not to love everything about the Contemporary. Their quick service location, Contempo Cafe is right in the center of it all. It's located near the monorail station and directly next to Chef Mickey's. In general, it's a great quick service spot to grab a quick bite for special diets.
On this particular visit, my family and I grabbed breakfast here before heading to the Magic Kingdom. Now you know I'm a big fan of table service breakfast, but I will say that quick service can be really quick and efficient. I adore the Mara for example (see review HERE); it's probably my hands down favorite quick service breakfast spot. Contempo Cafe offers a hearty breakfast, though perhaps not quite as good as others. It's not bad if you're at the Contemporary though.When you order with a special diet here at the Contempo Cafe, you head to the pick-up station, which is rather small. Check with a cast member and explain that you have a dietary need. For me, I usually have a good idea what I want here, but it's always good to check with the cast members. The manager met me and she was fairly new (she just moved from Michigan, my home-state, less than 2 months ago), so she wasn't completely sure of everything and had to check. I told her I wanted the bounty platter because I could get allergy Mickey waffles (my weakness!). The eggs she said are usually dairy free (scrambled eggs that is) and that the potatoes and other items except the biscuit would be OK as well. So I waited and checked out the restaurant. It was quite busy!
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| Dining area--I love the view of the artwork |
I also noticed while waiting that Rapid Fill (the new refillable mug program) was installed and available for purchase, though it didn't look like the machines were actually working like they were supposed to yet (i.e. they were installed and you could use them but they weren't fully functioning). I also noticed that Rapid Fill is only on the soda machines, not coffee and tea.
Finally my food was ready, and I went to pick it up. I noticed right away that there was a nice "hidden" Mickey on my lid. Can you spot it?
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| No so hidden Mickey! |
Most of my breakfast was just fine. I liked the eggs, but they were nothing to write home about. The bacon was also good. The turkey sausage...not my cup of tea. I found it too spicy and really thin and weird tasting. I think I recall not liking this before, but it had been so long I thought maybe they had changed it. The potatoes are the exact same ones next door at Chef Mickey's--a little spicy though! Now the Mickey waffles...uggg...this was a fail. 1) They used straight Namaste which to me doesn't taste as good and 2) they didn't cook them all the way through. They were a gummy, nasty mess. Also, the only syrup they had was the corn syrup based kind and not the real maple syrup. Yuck!! I can handle that if the Mickey waffles are at least good to begin with. But both? No thank you.
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| Next time I will head to the Mara! |
Overall, I feel sort of so-so about this breakfast. Some things were good and others, just mediocre at best. Those Mickey waffles were cold and gummy. Not the way I envision my beloved allergy Mickey waffles! Right now, I think I'd skip this for breakfast unless I was staying at the Contemporary (and even then I might think of other options). I'm giving this a 6 out of 10. Just so-so.
Roaring Forks -- Lunch/Dinner -- Quick Service -- Wilderness Lodge
*This dining experience took place in September 2013.
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| Wilderness Lodge Lobby--One of my favorite resorts! |
Anytime you visit the Wilderness Lodge, you're bound to experience the joys of this resort and really feel like you're transported to a turn-of-the-century national park lodge at the Grand Canyon. Every dining experience gives you that feeling from Whispering Canyon Cafe with its family style meals to the grandeur of Artist Point and its Arts & Crafts movement inspiration. Roaring Forks is the quick service location at the resort, and you will feel like you're saddling up for a day of exploring after you fuel here for a meal. Each time I've been I've been pleasantly surprised by the special diets offerings.On this particular occasion, we stopped by to grab a late lunch/early dinner. It was actually quite bustling in the restaurant which was surprising at 2:30 p.m. We'd spent the day in the Magic Kingdom, so it was a nice place to take a break and rest from it the busy day. I love that going to the lodge makes you feel completely removed from the theme parks. In fact, I spent my 30th birthday week here and it's one of my favorite places to relax!
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| Self portrait while relaxing in the big chairs in the lobby |
Roaring Forks is located near the pool area of the resort (if you see Artist Point keep going down the long corridor and turn left). It's a bit of a tiny quick service location with a small ordering and dining area. It gets really busy in the mornings!
I will say that the menu isn't super big for this location, so we didn't have a ton to choose from overall, but there were a few good choices. I am a big fan of the Wilderness Salad which comes with grilled chicken, walnuts (plain, not candied), diced apples, and an apple vinaigrette. It also has cheese and croutons but can be easily made GF/DF without them. So, I knew I wanted to get the salad. We also decided to try the Grilled Pacific Northwest Chicken Sandwich which sounded intriguing. It's grilled chicken, Canadian bacon, wilderness sauce (which I assumed was not safe) and cheese (omitted for me) and fries.When I got up to the ordering station, I asked for a manager who came out and spoke with me. He said both of these options would be good and the salad was very easy. He then asked what kind of bun I wanted. I was surprised and delighted to hear that they carry both Udi's AND GNI buns! See that's what I'm talking about--carry both; this is a win-win for guests and the kitchen! I prefer the Udi's since I can have egg, so I asked for an Udi's bun. It was nice to know though that they would ask my preference and carry both. Love that! The manager said he'd have to check the Wilderness Sauce ingredients. While I waited, I looked around and checked out some of the great authentic decor.
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| Part of the Ordering Area |
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| And the other part--very small! |
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| Who's ready to go exploring? |
I will say that this manager was very conscientious. He had the cast member assisting him make my salad in a completely separate area with clean dishes, utensils and gloves (it was open so I watched). They opened everything fresh and not at the salad station. The manager prepared my sandwich in the back as well. He came out and showed me the ingredients for the Wilderness Sauce (which is a concoction of mayo, cranberry sauce, mustard, etc.) which looked say to me based on the ingredients. It did say that it contained egg and soy.Then it was off to the dining room to dig in. The family split the meals because we'd eaten at Columbia Harbour House earlier for the allergy friendly chicken tenders! First up was the salad. This was the big hit. My mom said she loved this and would get it again. I also really enjoy this salad. It's fresh, crisp, tasty and great on a hot day. And huge! You get a ton of food.
Then it was onto the chicken sandwich. I'm gonna say this was OK but a little weird. I liked the chicken. I liked the Canadian bacon and I liked the Udi's bun. But the Wilderness Sauce?! That just seemed weird for the dish. Maybe the cheese would have given it more of a complete dish vibe. We had the sauce on the side--it was good to dip fries in! lol I'm not sure the chicken sandwich would be my top choice but it wasn't terrible either. I'd get the salad over the sandwich hands down.
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| Wilderness Sauce |
Overall, I'd give this location a 7 out of 10. Not quite as many options as I would like but what they did have was nice. They were also very accommodating. The manager even came out to our table in the dining room to make sure it was all OK and that I liked the food. I really appreciated that, and it's nice to see that he was so diligent and wanted to make sure I was satisfied and comfortable with the food. Definitely someplace I'd go back to, especially if I were staying at the lodge!
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.
Guest Review -- A WDW Vacation Free of Gluten, Wheat, Dairy, Eggs, Red Food Dye, Peanuts, and Tree-Nuts
*This Guest Review comes from Julie W. and contains a comprehensive look at her family's trip to WDW from the point of view of Julie & her daughter Naomi-Ruth, who has endured food allergies and intolerances to gluten, wheat, dairy, eggs, red food dye, and most recently life-threatening reactions to peanuts and tree nuts. Thank you Julie & Naomi-Ruth for this lovely review!
“Does that have Gluten in it? Or dairy, eggs…”
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I couldn't eat the grey stuff so I fed it to my Mom, she said it was delicious
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Pepper Market -- Lunch/Dinner -- Quick Service -- Coronado Springs
*This dining experience took place in August 2013.
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| Entrance to Pepper Market |
Coronado Springs has always been one of those resorts that I haven't spent much time in. This visit, I checked out Pepper Market which is the quick service location at this resort. This is a non-Disney owned restaurant and run by the same company that owns & operates La Cantina & La Hacienda de San Angel. While the theming proved to be quite nice in this location, the gluten free & dairy free accommodations were less than stellar. In fact, this proved to be a restaurant that I will not go back to again.When we arrived at this location, we noticed that it is set up very differently than other quick service locations (which I did know about ahead of time). You are seated by a hostess at a table where you have an actual server. You are given "menus" which give you an idea of dishes available and a ticket sheet for you to get stamped (a bit like a passport). Our server, who was the bright spot of this dismal meal, came over and cheerfully greeted us. She went over the restaurant concept, telling us that we go to the station we want. Choose the items we want. Get our passport stamped and then pay at the end like you would at a table service location (including gratuity). I told her that I had special diets and would need to speak with a chef or manager.
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| You take this ticket to the kiosks & get it stamped based on what you order. Um, weird. |
Once the chef came over, he talked to me briefly about the options. Basically, he told me I could have nachos with no cheese and my choice of the beef, pork or chicken. I could also have a "deconstructed" burrito with corn tortillas, the same proteins, beans, and the rice pilaf because the Spanish rice contained wheat. I could also have the carved roast of the day (which was something beef), fresh fish, or burgers with no buns. They said they had a fryer that they could use that was cross contaminated. It seemed like I had fairly limited choices. The chef also didn't seem too thrilled with helping out. In fact, he pretty much took off once we went to the stations. I told him I wanted the "deconstructed" burrito with chicken. He went and got rice and had the cast member at the station take care of the rest.
One of the things that he told me I could have was all the toppings were OK (guacamole, salsas, etc.) but as you know they are not great for cross contamination!
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| Cleaner than most fixins' bars but there was cheese in most of the condiments |
I really wanted guacamole, but it had cheese all in it. So, I asked for that and some salsa verde (as with cheese in it). They weren't too thrilled about getting it but they did from the back. One of the things I noticed while waiting was how "pre-packaged" everything looked.
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| I thought the green sauce with meat was chicken but it was pork. Also, yuck to the nacho cheese! |
Once I got my food I went back to sit down. I will say that the restaurant itself is nice and open and spacious.
Then we got to my food. Blech. This didn't look that appealing to begin with. Maybe it was just me. You be the judge.
In general, I just thought it didn't taste very good. It was 1) very bland and 2) very pre-packaged "out of the box" tasting. Even the guacamole tasted like that. The chicken was rubbery & bland. The rice was so plain. The guacamole was watery and barely seasoned. The beans were just blah. And the veggies were not fully cooked as they should be for fajitas. The corn shells were also griddled but as you can see don't really looked griddled.
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| Close-up of my meal |
I didn't take a pic of the salsa verde but it was horrible. I love salsa verde & I barely at any of this. It was just a bummer overall. I would have rather have eaten at Chipotle any old day over this. This was bar none the worst Mexican food I've had on property or anywhere for that matter in a long time. Just boring and unappetizing. :(I was so shocked that the company that runs La Cantina & La Hacienda would run this. I love La Hacienda (La Catina is good but I'm sad they have no safe tortilla chips anymore). Just crazy! Perhaps Maya Grill next door has better quality food but overall I found this very unappealing. I mean, honestly, I can handle less than stellar experiences if the food is decent but this was just nasty.I'm not planning on going back any day soon, and I certainly can't recommend it to anyone in good conscience. Yuck, yuck and double yuck. This may officially be my least favorite place on Disney property (that I've eaten at).Overall, I'm giving this a big fat 3 out of 10. The only reason it gets a 3 for me is because our server was so nice & they at least had a few GF options (mind you not tasty ones). Unfortunately, I was just not a fan of this place.
ABC Commissary -- Lunch/Dinner -- Quick Service -- Hollywood Studios
*This dining experience took place in August 2013.
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| You'll feel like you're on a movie lot |
If you ever wondered what it might be like to eat on a movie lot's commissary, ABC Commissary located in Disney's Hollywood Studios gives you a peek into that experience. In fact, you'd expect your favorite tv & movie stars to be seated next to you, grabbing lunch in between takes! ABC Commissary offers fairly standard quick service fare at WDW but also easily accommodates gluten free & dairy free diners.When I arrived at this location, I knew that I wanted the allergy friendly chicken tenders and French fries, having eaten them here before. I also knew that they had a dedicated fryer, so that I could have them fried, not baked (which also cuts the waiting time by half). I recalled that there were several other options as well, though they were fairly standard. I will say that the Studios were very busy that day and even though it was 2:30 p.m. It took a while in line, particularly because my line had one very annoying party that couldn't decide what they wanted to eat (side note, as a courtesy I always recommend you have a good idea of what you want to eat because it streamlines the process for everyone involved not just your family!). Though, I suppose it gave me a good opportunity to look at the decor of ABC Commissary. I will say, I do love the trees inside the restaurant. It just adds a little extra touch (I do however think they need to rethink the covers for the trees, because I tripped on a couple of them!).
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| You can tell everyone is hot & tired. You can catch a glimpse of those palm trees though! |
Once I met with the manager, she asked about my special dietary needs. It was really interesting because she actually asked when I said gluten & dairy, if they were allergies, Celiac disease or intolerances. On the one hand, I really loved that she asked this. I hate saying "I have allergies" when I have gluten and dairy intolerance. On the other hand, her tone indicated to me that she didn't seem to think intolerances were as valid as Celiac disease or a dairy allergy. That is frustrating to me, particularly as I react quite severely to gluten & my dairy reactions are also quite unpleasant and similar to an allergic reaction (I get scratchy throat, migraines, etc.). So, it was interesting to have this discussion with a CM. I do think it's nice to have people ask about what it is, on the other hand, I don't want that to mean that they take it less seriously, if that makes sense. But in any event, we went through the typical procedure where she wrote up the special diets on the yellow notepad that many QS diners will recognize. She also went through the binder with me. She mentioned that I could have a variation of the Chicken Blue sandwich (sort of a buffalo chicken sandwich, which had been offered to me on previous occasions) and a hamburger minus the cheese. I decline and opted for the allergy-friendly chicken tenders. She also showed me the ingredients. I didn't grab a picture but for those that recently asked, the brand is Allergy Free Foods (check out their website HERE) and the tenders were rice flour, tapioca flour based. She gave me a pager and I was off to grab a seat and wait.Once the pager went off, I ran back up to the counter and met the manager who brought out my chicken tenders. Then it was time to dig in!!
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| Yum! My fav! |
I will say that the chicken tenders, despite the fact that they use the same brand, are different depending on the location. I think it's how they fry them. I don't know what Columbia Harbour House does but those things are soooo addicting there. It's almost like they double-fry them or fry them for a specific time that gets them really crispy. These were good but really could have used a couple more minutes in the fryer in terms of crispiness. Still tasty, yes. Crispy...eh, not so much. The french fries were good as usual, nothing too special about regular Disney fries.I like that I have a few options here. I also love that it's air conditioned which was a huge selling point in August (my other choice was Backlot Express and it is not air conditioned). I like that I can get the allergy friendly chicken tenders here. I just wish they had a few more options. Overall, I'd give this a 7 out of 10 for this experience.
The Mara -- Breakfast -- Quick Service -- Animal Kingdom Lodge
*This dining review took place in August 2013.
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| Mara is located by the Pool at AKL Jambo House |
Jambo everyone! The Animal Kingdom Lodge consistently remains one of my favorite resorts on property, not just because of the amazing location but also because of the wonderful restaurants located at this resort. Not only do they provide great African inspired meals, but they also are terrific at accommodating for gluten free & dairy free diners. The Mara is the Animal Kingdom Lodge's quick service location, and I have eaten here many times for lunch & dinner; however, I'd never eaten here for breakfast. On this particular occasion, I had the opportunity to grab a quick breakfast here and see the great offerings they provide. I was thrilled to have a really tasty breakfast here and found it to be one of my favorite QS locations for breakfast on property!One of the things that you should know about the Mara is that it can be challenging to find, if you don't know what you're looking for. Tucked outside on the ground floor, you'll want to head past the pool area to find this location. If you take the elevators to the ground floor, walk past the Boma & Jiko entrances and head outside.
You'll find that the Mara offers traditional fare, as well as lots of African inspired options, as well. This is true for both breakfast, lunch and dinner. It's great to see that even for the quick service meals, the offerings are really unique to this location.For breakfast, they have a lot of your traditional fare--from the Mickey waffle to the Bounty Platter (which is pretty much at every quick service location). Of course, they do have some unique offerings like Bobotie platter; however, Bobotie has tons of dairy in it, and needs to be specially prepared well in advance if you wanted a GF/DF version (I did this once at Boma. Chef Amber who is now at Kona Cafe made me this amazing dish. See the review HERE). There is also an African Inspired Breakfast Platter which is pretty much GF/DF (depending on how they prepare the pap, etc.).When I arrived, I asked the cast member on duty for a chef. While I waited, I explored the restaurant--noting that some of the old standbys like the Special Diets stand are no longer there. That's a bummer! I also didn't see any Babycakes in the refrigerated section either (I was hoping they might be there). It seems like they have reduced some of the offerings.
Chef Chris from over at Boma came over to assist me. I think he thinks I stalk him! He was like, "I know you" Yep. I come here waaaay too much. He asked what I was in the mood for, and I mentioned I thought the Bounty Platter, mostly because I wanted allergy Mickey waffles (what can I say, you all know I'm a sucker for them!). He said something about being able to make the African Inspired Platter as well. The good news is that I'm really familiar with the Boma menu and I know the scrambled eggs are safe and that often the pap is dairy free. The chakalaka and grilled tomatoes are also great GF/DF, vegetarian and vegan choices. The only thing I didn't know about was the Merguez sausage which I didn't ask about. Basically, I knew I wanted the regular platter so I didn't investigate too much (sorry!). Also, if you like quinoa, you can get hot quinoa here that is also gluten free & dairy free. Just avoid the "toppings" out in the main condiment and drink area--always ask for those from the back. I didn't take a photo but let's just say that area was pretty cross contaminated! Chef said it would take about 5-8 minutes.It all came out pretty quickly, and I will say, I felt like he just went to the Boma kitchen and grabbed and/or made stuff! It was all very Boma like!
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| Now this is a bounty platter I can get on board with! |
Having had my share of bounty platters throughout the resort, I will say hands down this is the best one I've ever had. I think it was the combination of both AKL prepared food & it being very fresh. But, seriously, this was amazing. The scrambled eggs were very yummy. Perfectly cooked. The bacon seemed a little meatier (does that make sense?) from the stringy bacon you usually get, though I'll say I've been seeing some bacon improvements lately. I skipped the sausage on this platter because sausage and I are not friends. The best part were the breakfast potatoes which have the same seasoning as the ones at Boma (soooo good!) and the Mickey waffles. I definitely scarfed all of this down.Overall, I plan to go back to the Mara for breakfast again. I get all the flavor of Boma at half the price! Of course, there's lots of Boma faves you can't get here, but if you want a quick fix, this is excellent. I also like Chef Chris a lot. He's pretty goofy, but he always makes sure I get what I need for a safe meal. And of course, the Animal Kingdom Lodge is one of my favorite resorts for theming.Definitely a solid 9 out of 10 for this particular meal. Overall, I'd give it an 8 but I can't complain for breakfast at all. I would highly recommend this quick service location!
Tangierine Cafe -- Lunch/Dinner -- Quick Service -- Morocco -- World Showcase
*This dining experience took place in July 2013.
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| Counter at Tangierine Cafe |
Visiting the Morocco Pavilion is like visiting an oasis. It's a welcome spot to rest and relax, as well as enjoy the sights, sounds, and tastes of Morocco. I am a huge fan of Restaurant Marrakesh and Tangierine Cafe provides a taste of Marrakesh in quick service location and half the price. The meals here are often light, flavorful, and affordable.One of the things that often varies at this location is the choices. The menu has changed some in the past few years and also the ways in which the chefs interact with you can vary from visit to visit. Sometimes, they give me a binder but lately, they've been calling a chef who doesn't really confer with you per se, but rather tells you this is what you can or cannot eat. Sometimes, they are more willing to talk to you about things but often there is a slight language barrier that makes this a little difficult. On this particular visit, I knew that I wanted the Chicken Shawarma Platter. It's what I got on the last trip, and I really enjoyed it. The chef told me that this was still safe, as well as Morrocan Kefta Sandwich which is seasoned ground beef patties that are grilled. Of course, you would need this modified because it comes in a wrap. I rarely eat beef, so I went with the chicken. The chef stayed out in the front and directed the cast member serving what they should and shouldn't include on my plate, as well as arranging for an Ener-G roll to be served. For those folks looking for Ener-G rolls/buns, check here because they have them! (and have carried them consistently for a long time).
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| Chicken Shawarma Platter |
The Chicken Shawarma Platter is a decent portion. I love love love their hummus (and always wish I could have more), the olive salad is good, as is the lentil salad. The chicken is a bit spicy, so be forewarned if you do not like spicy food. The Ener-G roll is still not my most favorite roll because it gets Styrofoamy really quickly, but if you add enough hummus, it's perfectly fine. If I were vegetarian or vegan, I'd get the vegetable platter with all of the sides above.
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| Ener-G Roll/Bun |
Overall, I find that Tangierine Cafe is a really nice quick service for something different. I've never disliked any of the food here although I wish they had more options. Of course, if you're looking for more options, I would say head to Restaurant Marrakesh for a slighter larger variety.For me, this is another 7 out of 10 for flavorful food, though I wish they had more options and the chef/manager interaction was a little better. And check out the hummus. It's the best!
Everything Pop! -- Quick Service -- Lunch/Dinner -- Pop Century
*This dining experience took place in July 2013.
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| Entrance to the gift shop and food court |
Groovy! Pop Century Resort is all about the retro vibe. From the 1950's all the way to the 80's there is something nostalgic for everyone in your family! Pop Century holds a special place in my heart as one of the resorts I spent vacation with my brother at. We used to take brother and sister trips back in the day and it's a nice reminder of the fun times we had! The last time we stayed there was back in 2005 when Pop Century was new! It was great to head back here and check out the great food court. One of the things that I've consistently heard about Pop Century is its ability to accommodate special diets and on this occasion, they proved to do just that.
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| View of the food court. It was pretty quite at 1 p.m. |
When I arrived at the restaurant, I took a stroll around to see what they offered. They have a lot of sandwiches, burgers, and fries, as well as a custom pasta bar. They also have a lot of comfort food type dishes. I was craving a sandwich and I saw one that stuck out to me that sounded like a Cuban sandwich (you know I'm a fan from my breakfast Cuban at Old Key West). When the chef came out, he asked me what I wanted and I wasn't sure really, even though I was leaning towards the pork sandwich. The chef said he could pretty much make me whatever I wanted or was in the mood for. I was debating between a tuna salad sandwich (boring, I know) and the roasted pork. I ended up choosing the roasted pork sandwich and french fries. The pork sandwich typically comes on a sub roll with cheese and pickles. The chef said he'd remove the cheese and use the Udi's buns (which turned out to be Udi's bread). Fine by me. I wish I would have asked for more options, but I was really hungry after a blog meetup over at Babycakes (I was too busy gabbing to eat much there--though their donuts are fantastic!)While I was waiting with a pager, I saw the chef come out and bring a lady an allergy meal which was a plain grilled chicken sandwich on an Udi's bun with fries. Good to know you can get the chicken sandwich too.Once my meal came out, I discovered that the Udi's bun was now replaced with Udi's bread. Fine by me, though I think it would have been tastier with the bun. I think they used the bread b/c it gave you more room to add the meat in it.
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| Roasted Pork Sandwich Modified |
One thing I will say is that this portion was huge! The sandwich, which I thought just had roasted pork on it, actually had a lot of different kinds of pork. This can be a good thing and bad thing depending on your opinion but was def. worth the price. (*Note: If you have Tables in Wonderland, you can get 20% off at this restaurant!) It contained roasted pork tenderloin, sliced deli ham and pulled pork (without the BBQ sauce). Holy smokes! It was topped with a spicy brown mustard. I admit, this was entirely too much pork for me. The roasted pork was excellent and I would have preferred the entire sandwich be made of this. The deli ham was also good. The pulled pork was just too greasy and fatty for me. I pulled most of it off the sandwich and skipped eating it. I will say, some pickles would have been a good touch to the sandwich. The french fries weren't anything unusual--the standard Disney french fry.
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| Here's a view of the layers without the bun. As you can see, very generous portion. |
After my meal, I wandered about to see what special diets offerings they had pre-packaged in the food court. They didn't have what I consider to be a huge amount of options out in the front, but my guess is you can ask for some additional products in the back. Pretty much everything in the photo is gluten free, but most contain dairy. I believe they also had the OMG It's Gluten Free and Dairy Free Chocolate Chip Cookie here as well.
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| Slightly limited offerings |
Overall, I was pleased with my meal, though I wish I would have asked for more options. I do know though, as I mentioned, that Everything Pop! is a terrific place for special diets and there are some great chefs there. I hear tons of first-hand reports from other guests who just rave about their level of special diets accommodation.I'd give this a 7 out of 10 for this particular experience but am looking forward to checking back in again and seeing what else they have to offer.Have you been to Pop Century with a special diet? What have you ordered there? Any good recommendations for guests planning to dine there?
Columbia Harbour House -- Lunch/Dinner -- Quick Service -- Magic Kingdom
*This dining experience took place in July 2013.
Hear ye, hear ye! If you visit the Magic Kingdom, you've probably seen Columbia Harbour House located in Liberty Square. Situated across from the Haunted Mansion, Columbia Harbour House offers quick service that proves to be more than just burgers and fries. With lots of New England inspired dishes, you'll see chowder and lobster rolls as well as fried fish on the menu. You might assume that guests with special diets won't be able to get much here; however, they carry one of my favorite quick service options on property: allergy friendly chicken tenders and french fries in a dedicated fryer!I decided to go to Columbia Harbour House on a whim while visiting the MK one day. The chicken tenders sounded like a good idea, and I will say I've always had a particular fondness for the ones prepared at this location. Even though they are the same chicken tenders served across property for special diets, there's something about the way they fry them at CHH.It was lunch time when I arrived here, so it was slightly busy but not as bad considering how busy the park was. I was greeted by a manager who brought over the famous allergy binders. She showed me the chicken tenders as one allergy option. The only other allergy option they had was Amy's mac & cheese--yeah that wouldn't quite work for me! I asked her if other options like the Lobster Roll had GF/DF alternatives. She let me look at the ingredients, but said they didn't have any buns. Well that's a bummer! It looked like the lobster salad was safe for GF/DF based on the ingredients I saw. The manager said they could serve it on a bed of lettuce, but I went with the allergy chicken tenders. On another note, it looked like the salmon served without the couscous might also be a safe option.
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| Seating in CHH |
The seating at this quick service is located on two floors. The cool thing is there are lots of nooks and crannies and places to find quiet spots. I recommend heading to the second floor if you're looking for a quieter meal.
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| Allergy Chicken tender yumminess! |
As you can see from the photo, the portion is quite large. They charged me for the tenders and fries separately. I believe the tenders were a little over $5 and the fries were around $2.75. All in all, I found them to be just as delicious as ever. The tenders were extra crispy and piping hot, as were the fries. From start to finish, they take 8 minutes to prepare according to the manager. The only downside is that they don't have any individual packets of ketchup or other condiments. Besides being a cross contamination risk, they also don't list what company or ingredients are in the sauces, so I ate everything plain. This wasn't a huge loss, as they both were quite delicious!Overall, I still think Columbia Harbour House prepares the best version of the allergy chicken tenders. There's just something about them! As far as other options, they are more limited than say Cosmic Rays or Be Our Guest. If you're looking for allergy chicken tenders this is the place to visit, but look elsewhere if you want other options. I give this a solid 7 out of 10.Have you been to Columbia Harbour House with a special diet? What did you get?
Beignets -- Sassagoula Floatworks & Food Factory -- Port Orleans French Quarter -- Quick Service
*This dining experience took place in July 2013.
There's nothing like a beignet. Deep fried and smothered in powdered sugar, it's a confectionery delight! And any proper N'awlins experience wouldn't be complete without one. But what if you're gluten free, dairy free or even egg free and soy free? Luckily for guests at WDW, they can experience this treat even with a special diet! Back in May, a blog reader emailed me to tell me that they were able to get special diets beignets at Port Orleans French Quarter (POFQ) at Sassagoula Floatworks & Food Factory. You know that meant I needed to investigate and try them out for myself.The first thing I did was contact the WDW Special Diets Department. They let me know that you can indeed get these beignets with advance notice. At first, they only noted that they were gluten free, but after further investigation revealed that they were also dairy, egg, and soy free--making them vegetarian and vegan friendly. I asked Special Diets to let POFQ know that I would be arriving about a week in advance; however, I didn't actually hear from them until 1 day before I went to confirm. I would recommend arranging this well in advance because as I learned later, there were some miscommunications that occurred partially due to my last minute request.
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| The Bakery Station is currently to the far left of this photo. |
When I arrived at POFQ, we headed to Sassagoula Floatworks & Food Factory. Like many QS locations at resorts, they have various food stations (such as the Po'Boy station, Pizza station, etc.). Since the beignets were prepared at the Bakery station, I inquired there about the chef. Once the chef came up, I explained that I had emailed ahead of time for the beignets. He said that they were told by Special Diets that I was coming in the morning and had a dedicated fryer with hot oil running for part of the day but had shut it off because they assumed I wasn't coming. I felt bad there was some confusion, as I had noted lunch or dinner time and visited at 5 p.m. I told the chef that I understood if he couldn't make it happen that night, but he was very obliging and agreed to make them. He said it would just take a bit.While we were chatting I mentioned that I had a friend who was vegan who might want to try them and wondered what the ingredients were. He didn't bring out the ingredients but he did say they were vegan. In fact, they sounded a bit like the ingredients for the allergy Mickey waffles! He said they used Bob's Red Mill Pancake Mix, rice flour, applesauce and he thought apple juice and cinnamon. As I mentioned before, they do use a dedicated fryer and they seem to only use it when special requests are made.While we waited, we checked out the layout. I will say that I really like this resort. It's really small but has a great vibe to it. Very mardi gras like!
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| Dining area |
The chef gave me a pager so that we could wait at the tables and then come back to pick up the beignets. Once I got them, I was super excited to try them. I also told the chef that I would come back the next day because he said that they had several orders the next day, so to stop by.
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| Beignet gloriousness! |
The first thing I noticed about these, is that they are smothered in powdered sugar. You will be on a sugar high once you eat these (and also, if you are vegan you'll need to confirm the powdered sugar ingredients to confirm they are safe). The other thing is that they aren't quite as light as "regular" beignets. But that being said, they were delicious. Like a little deep fried donut. And so often allergy friendly donuts are not deep fried, so this was amazing. I will say, they weren't as hot as I expected, but it didn't stop me from scarfing them down. The taste is very very similar to the allergy Mickey waffles. (oh, if someone could deep fry an allergy Mickey waffle, I bet they would!)So, the next day I stopped back again for the beignets. This time it was about 3 p.m. The chef was a little busy because the regular deep fryers for the beignets out front went down and there were a couple of other kitchen crises, so he was very distracted. But, he said they had the fryer ready and that he'd have them ready for me. He was in such a hurry, he did not give me a pager, and I waited for a while out by the stations. Once they were ready, he brought them out. This time I scored 4 beignets because he said the oil wasn't as hot as he liked it to be, so he wanted to give me an extra one. That's ok by me!!
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| Beignets take 2! |
Oh my, these were glorious!! Super piping hot and crispy. I don't know why he said they wouldn't be as good, but I thought they were better the second time around. Lots of powdered sugar deep fried deliciousness! Because they were so hot, I really had time to savor each bite. As I mentioned, they aren't quite as light and fluffy and are a little chewy, but hey...deep fried beignets are deep friend beignets! These would go great with a nice cup of coffee in the morning.One other great thing about this location is that they take Tables in Wonderland here, which means 20% off your ticket for food and beverage. That meant my beignets were only $2.55 for a serving. Not too shabby.Overall, I can't say enough good things about the beignets themselves. They were quite delicious and a nice rare treat. I wouldn't do this all the time, but definitely on special occasions. Make sure you get a hold of Special Diets well in advance to arrange these and it is a good idea to check in with the restaurant, especially if you are staying there at the resort itself.For me, I'd give this a solid 7 out of 10! Head over there to check these out and let me know what you think!Have you been to Sassagoula Floatworks & Food Factory for the allergy friendly beignets? What did you think?
Pecos Bill's -- Lunch/Dinner -- Quick Service -- Magic Kingdom
*This dining experience took place in June 2013.
Howdy partners! This here is the wildest meal in the wilderness! Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Cafe proves to be a rootin' tootin' good time, every time I visit it, and the food isn't bad either. On this particular visit, my family and I stopped by Pecos Bill's for lunch. Known for it's burgers and fries, this restaurant offers quality Angus burgers and a variety of other sandwiches. Many of you know that I'm not really a beef eater (I eat about 1 or 2 hamburgers a year and that's about it), so I headed here hoping to grab a chicken sandwich.
We arrived at Pecos Bill's around 1 p.m., which on a June afternoon was still particularly busy. In looking at the menu, I noticed it wasn't a very big one. Items include:
- BBQ Pork Sandwich
- 1/3lb Angus Cheeseburger
- 1/3lb Deluxe Angus Cheeseburger
- Veggie Burger
- Chicken Sandwich
- Taco Salad
When I arrived at the cash register station, I asked for a manager and the CM paged one. When the manager arrived, we went over the allergy ingredients book. I really wanted a chicken sandwich but the manager said that the chicken sandwiches were taking a really long time to prepare and would probably take 10-20 minutes longer than the other sandwiches. Wow, that's a little crazy! Does everyone want chicken sandwiches?! Feeling saucy, I decided to get a burger. One of the big reasons I did this was because I noticed that the beef appears to be locally sourced (from Lakeland, FL which is about 30 minutes away). That always is an important thing for me, especially since I don't eat beef much. I noticed that they had Udi's buns, and the manager confirmed that this was the case. Is it me or is Udi's making a comeback? I still think they should carry both options (one that is egg free like GNI) for guests who have multiple allergies, but am personally glad to see Udi's buns back. I also got french fries which are made in a dedicated fryer. You can also get pre-packaged carrots and grapes.I also asked if I could have some condiments from the back and toppings from the back. If you have never been to Pecos Bill's before, there is actually a toppings bar that is out front that people can use to get lettuce, grilled onions and mushrooms, cheese sauce, etc. However, as a gluten free/dairy free person, you would be best to steer clear of this area. It's a free-for-all and often heavily cross-contaminated. If you're interested in certain items, just as the manager and they will bring you some from the back that are safe. Some managers may offer to grill onions and peppers for you and others might not. On this particular occasion I was offered raw onion (which I don't mind). I also got shredded lettuce and pickles. You can also find lots of pre-packaged ketchup (Heinz), mayo and mustard available (I also steer clear of the self serve condiments).
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| Toppings bar in all of its cross contamination glory--stay far away partners! |
Once I completed my order, the manager gave me a pager and they stamped my receipt with a boot...ha, they literally gave me the boot!! (ok, sorry the western humor was too tempting) Then he told me to meet him near the fireplace when the pager went off. I will note that it did take a bit to prepare. Also, one important thing to consider. They monitor seating at Pecos Bill's. You need to be with your party when you find your seats. That can be a little tricky when you have dietary needs. We ended up having my family go find seats and I waited in the main area and then found them once I got my food. The staff were actually very helpful with this. Just something to keep in mind if you have a hungry group.
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| I got the boot! |
Once my food arrived, I headed over to meet the family. First thing I noticed was that they were very generous with the toppings. That was nice! The hamburger itself was a little thin looking for a 1/3lb burger. It could have been a little bit bigger if you ask me. The bacon was the typical "stringy" bacon you get at Disney. I'm sort of used to it, so it wasn't a big deal. I added a little ketchup, mayo and mustard to the burger and topped with the extra toppings. Yum!! Taste wise, the burger was actually good. I didn't find it overly greasy at all. It was a little on the dry side, but not bad. The extra fat from the bacon and the accompaniments helped. The fries were nothing special. Same fries you get anywhere else. But still good. I mean, where else can you get french fries?! I was very excited to see the Udi's bun. It's just plain tasty and it makes the hamburger, if you ask me.
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| Extra toppings--not from the topping bar! |
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| Burger and fries--yeehaw! |
Overall, I thought the meal wasn't bad. The burger had a nice grill flavor and was probably one of the better quick service burgers around. My family who isn't GF/DF all really enjoyed them. My one gripe is that they don't really have great vegetarian options (a veggie burger does not count as a variety!) or options in general. It really is a burgers and fries joint. If you're looking for locations that have more varied options, check out Cosmic Rays or Columbia Harbour House in the Magic Kingdom. But, if you want a burger and fries, this is the place to go!I'd give this a 7 out of 10 for this trip.
Captain Cook's -- Lunch/Dinner -- Quick Service -- Polynesian
*This dining experience too place June 2013.
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| Arggh mateys!! |
Ahoy! Captain Cook's located in Disney's Polynesian resort offers casual pan-Asian inspired quick service fare. This was the first time I had eaten a meal at this location, and I wanted to see if they would be as good at gluten free/dairy free meals as the rest of the Polynesian restaurant. While I can't say it was the best meal I've ever had, they were able to provide me with a meal that proved to be just a little different than burgers or fries.When I arrived at the restaurant, I wasn't sure how to order. The restaurant is really small by many quick service standards. It has a large menu above the ordering area, which consists of several self-service ordering kiosks (similar to those in Contempo Cafe or many new restaurants like Be Our Guest). I tried using the kiosk first, and it didn't have special diets options, so I asked a cast member working the register. She then paged someone to come talk to me. I was greeted a by a manager who seemed rather frazzled. I told her that I couldn't have gluten or dairy and expressed interest in a children's meal because it was later in the day and I had already had a bratwurst at Sommerfest as a snack. She that was fine and then gave me some options.
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| Ordering stations--that guy doesn't know what he wants either! |
She had I could have a kid's hamburger meal, the seasonal fish, and the chicken and pineapple skewer (which I should have ordered). I ordered the fish because I'd seen a couple of kids with it and thought it looked good. Turns out they had ordered the adult version but more on that later. I mentioned that I would like some gluten free soy sauce for the rice and she said "Oh no problem." I sort of don't think she heard me or understood me because the meal didn't actually come with rice.Once I had my order, she gave me a card that said "STOP" food allergies for the cashier and then my order. Once I paid, I waited for my meal. And waited...and waited. It took an incredibly long time to make make considering. Granted, I always would rather wait than have something brought out quickly and incorrectly. Once my food came out, I noticed there was no rice. The same manager was there, and she said "Oh it doesn't come with rice." To which I replied, "Oh, but you said I could have soy sauce for the rice." Well, whoops. It was later in the day, so I just took the meal as it was and will remember to get the adult version the next time or the chicken and pineapple skewer.
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| Fish, vegetables and mandarin oranges |
As far as the dish goes, it wasn't bad really. I think they must have seasoned the fish for me because there's no way that they could have served something that spicy to a kid. It had a rub on it and was quite peppery. The vegetables were nice and mild--It had bok choy which is one of my favs in it! And the mandarin oranges were a nice touch to the end of the meal--a little sweet treat. The portion size was great for a kid and worked well for me eating later in the evening.
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| Seating area--still quite busy at 7:30 pm |
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| Beverage station |
Overall, I found the food to be decent. I wouldn't say the menu is very extensive and so doesn't have a huge variety, but they seem to have some options that are easy to modify or are naturally safe. I also like that they have less burgers and fries options. I wish I would have gotten the chicken and pineapple skewer because I'm pretty sure that would have been a winner! On a side note, if you like Pineapple Dole Whips, they have a dedicated self serve station at Captain Cook's. This would be a delicious dessert option if you're in the mood for an "ice cream" treat (it's still gluten free & dairy free according to the site and allergy books).
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| Dole Whips coming right up! |
I wasn't wowed by Captain Cook's but I didn't think the food needed to "walk the plank." :) I'd give it a 7 out of 10 for this experience. I might go back and try the other options or stick with the table service here over this location. However, I know a lot of people who have been here a lot on their vacations and love the chefs and have had great meals there. On the fly, it was just sort of so-so.Have you been to Captain Cook's? Would you say Aye or Nay to their food?