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Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
*This dining experience took place in May 2016.
Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
It’s been ages since I’ve been to Kona Cafe for dinner, and when I looked back here on the blog, I realized it’s been 3 years to the month! I always assumed it hadn’t been that long because I eat at Kona a fair amount for both lunch and breakfast. It’s a good thing then that I had the chance to have dinner here recently with a friend.
Kona Cafe is a table service restaurant located at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort. The food and atmosphere are island inspired. My friend and I both enjoy that kind of cuisine (having stuffed ourselves silly at Ohana on his previous visit), and neither had been to Kona in quite some time, so it seemed like a nice spot to grab a meal.
Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
Kona Cafe does carry an allergy friendly dinner menu, which is helpful, as a starting point when deciding what to order. Neither my friend or I were really feeling some of the side dishes for the entrees and had some questions so we asked to speak with a Disney chef.
Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
While waiting for the chef, our server did bring us some Deanna’s Gluten Free rolls (formerly known as GNI brand), but did not bring us any extra virgin olive oil or Earth Balance vegan margarine. We asked if we could get some when the chef came out, but it took a really long time to get the Earth Balance, and the rolls got really cold before we could enjoy.
Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
Something we did enjoy; however, was the sushi. My friend and I opted to split the Volcano Roll which was served without tempura crunch, and oddly, the accompaniments on the side. Weird. I’ve never seen a Volcano Roll deconstructed this like but still, we found it to be really tasty.
The side of seasoned shrimp was delicious, as was the side of spicy mayo. The fish was super fresh, and the rolls were perfectly put together. The restaurant also carries San-J Gluten Free Tamari too, which made our sushi experience even better.
This is definitely one I’d get again.
Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
For our entrees, we both chose the Pan-Asian noodles but asked if we could get rice instead of rice noodles. Neither one of us are huge fans of noodles, and I can eat rice for days. I have no clue why, but I just love rice.
We both got chicken and shrimp as protein in our rice bowls, which were served with sauteed veggies and a garlic-ginger-soy sauce.
Overall, I found the dish to be really good. I wouldn’t say anything super special or exciting but delicious, hearty, and filling. It’s one i’d definitely get again.
Kona Cafe does have some really nice special dietary needs options, and my friend and I both enjoyed what we ordered there. There were a few hiccups here and there with service but overall, the meal was enjoyable. I think I still prefer the lunch options over dinner, but would diner here for dinner again if I had the chance.
Have you been to Kona Cafe? What’s your favorite meal to dine there?
