*This gluten free dining experience took place in October 2017. 

Breakfast at Steakhouse 55

Steakhouse 55 is a signature dining location at the Disneyland Hotel at Disneyland in California. Having recently made a brief trip to Disneyland, we knew that we wanted to get some resort dining in on our trip. We were staying at the Disneyland Hotel, so Steakhouse 55 was high on our list. This restaurant serves both breakfast and dinner, both of which we go to enjoy. On our last day at Disneyland, I stopped by Steakhouse 55 for breakfast after Brandon left for the airport for home and I headed to a work conference in Anaheim. After eating here, I so wish we would have enjoyed another breakfast there during our trip.

*This dining experience took place in October 2017 at the Disneyland Parks & Resort in California.

Breakfast at Carnation Cafe

There’s nothing more magical than dining on Main Street U.S.A. Carnation Cafe, a table service restaurant in Disneyland, is hands down one of the best places to enjoy a meal on Main Street with a ton of charm and great food. We recently went to Disneyland for a very quick 3 day trip. And, one of our must-do’s was to have breakfast at Carnation Cafe. I hadn’t been to Disneyland since 2006 (my only previous visit) and Brandon hadn’t been since he was a kid, so we were both looking forward to classic Disneyland charm. And, we definitely weren’t disappointed when we had breakfast at Carnation Cafe.

*This dining experience took place in August 2016.

Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

Sanaa, located at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge Kidani Village, has long been one of my favorite restaurants at Disney. I love the Indian and African inspired dishes, the amount of gluten free and dairy free offerings, and of course, the amazing views.

On this particular occasion, I visited with my mom and stepdad who were in town briefly, having just arrived back from a trip to Europe. Their tradition every time they come back from vacation is to dine at Sanaa. And who am I to argue with their tradition?!

I looked over the Sanaa allergy friendly menu but asked to speak to a chef, as I had a few questions about some of the new regular menu dishes that are not listed on the allergy friendly menu. As I learned from a recent visit to Sanaa, many of the dishes on the regular menu are gluten free and dairy free but oddly not listed on the allergy friendly menu.

Chef Fallon who assisted me and my friends back in April is a rockstar and helped me out on this visit. She deserves some huge kudos.

Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

For an appetizer, we had to get the Sanaa bread service. It’s a must. I love that I can get gluten free and allergy friendly (and vegan!) naan bread. Because we were splitting it, I ordered two pieces of the special diets naan while my mom and stepdad got regular naan.

Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

Before anyone else dug in, I immediately scooped up some dipping sauces for myself. I’m a huge fan of the Coriander Chutney, Mango Chutney (which I recently made on My Gluten Free Disney Kitchen!), and the Roasted Red Bell pepper Hummus. I also really enjoy the Tomato Date Chutney.

The gluten free and allergy friendly naan was good, but probably the least well cooked compared to other visits where it has been divine. It wasn’t bad, but it seemed a bit dry. Thankfully, I had lots of dipping sauces to help with that.

The gluten free, allergy friendly, and vegan naan bread is made with Cup4Cup Wholesome Flour blend and is listed as gluten/wheat, egg, fish/shellfish, milk, peanut/tree nut, and soy allergy friendly. 

Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

This is a photo of the traditional bread service. This naan is egg, fish/shellfish, peanut/tree nut, and soy allergy friendly.

Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

For my entree, I ordered the African-inspired Biryani which was listed as Fragrant Rice with Seasonal Vegetables influenced from the Cape of Good Hope. This is a vegetarian dish (I believe it was also vegan).

Chef Fallon noted that many people ask for protein in the dish and that she could do so for me. I told her to surprise me for whatever was easiest for her, as I’m not fussy and like most proteins. This would later come back to be an issue with the check, but more on that later.

The Biryani was served with crispy fried onion straws on top. Because I was unsure about the safety when it arrived (I’ve had the wrong thing given to me before at Sanaa), I asked server Jonathan to ask Chef Fallon and confirm its safety. I learned it was made with a gluten free flour, so that was great.

Unfortunately, I had to wait a good 10 minutes before I could even talk to a server about this (Jonathan was not our server was a total rockstar; sadly, our server Eddie virtually ignored us throughout our meal and sent over other servers to assist us, while waiting on tables located directly next to us.). It did take another 5 minutes or so before I got confirmation, so I waited at about 15 minutes before I could eat my meal.

Overall, once I finally got to eat it, I really enjoyed this dish. I loved the protein addition (Chef Fallon noted they will be updating the menu soon, and the protein add option will be listed), and I thought the rice was well cooked. The crispy fried onions were amazing!

My only slight negative was the vegetables in the Biryani. I’m all about a nice vegetable melange but Brussels Sprouts, Green Beans, Carrots and some other root veggies seemed an odd combo to me. I love all of those, but they seemed a bit out of place with my dish.

Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

My mom got the Butter Chicken and Braised Beef with Basmati Rice, all of which is gluten free. The Butter Chicken contains dairy, but the Braised Beef is dairy free. I’ve had the Braised Beef on a previous visit and thought it was just OK.

Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

My stepdad had the Braii Lamb with Apricots, Squash, Bacon, Cashews, and Goat Cheese. It looked amazing. It wasn’t listed as gluten free, but I am thinking it might have been easily gluten free, if not naturally gluten free, as all of the lamb dishes at Sanaa have been gluten free in the past.

The Braii Lamb, I’ve had before was gluten free on the Braaivleis – South African Braai Sample Plate. Next time, I will ask because it looked incredible and was a great value compared to the other dishes at $22.

Everyone enjoyed our meal, but I was a bit shocked when I got my bill and noticed a $15 upcharge for the protein I got. I definitely don’t mind upcharges and am used to them at restaurants (thought to be honest, it’s not all that rare at Disney), but I was shocked that it was so much and not communicated to me prior.

I did speak to the manager Zach who basically said the restaurant charged that much because they needed to recoup their cost. He also noted that the new menu will be coming out and that this price was reflective of new price increases at Sanaa. I did explain to him that had I known there was an upcharge that high, I would have ordered my standard faves. I also let him know that I at no point specifically requested those proteins (he indicated the seafood made it a higher price, which I do understand, of course) and that the chef came up with those.

He did reduce the price down to $26 total, which was the same price as the current pricing for the curries on the menu. Still, I was a bit stunned at the experience, and it’s definitely not something I’ve experienced at Disney before without telling me prior to ordering.

Overall, we enjoyed the food and atmosphere, but the experience with service was a bit lacking on this visit. I’m sad to hear that a new menu coming out will now price the curries from $26 to $34 and include 3 choices. My guess is the portion size will be lowered for each of the sauces, but that remains to be seen. Of course, menus and prices are always subject to change, so I will let you know if this new proposed change takes place.

I love Sanaa, but I think I may skip it for dinner for a while and maybe only go at lunch where the prices are a bit more reasonable. It’s a shame because it’s my favorite restaurant, but this particular visit makes me want to take a bit of a Sanaa break for a while.

As an update, I did speak with Disney’s Guest Services, and they were also surprised by the upcharge I received and assured me that this is not a new common practice at Sanaa or other locations. Hopefully, others will not experience the same issue I did on this visit to Sanaa. This was a rare occurrence, and I’m glad it’s not the norm.

Have you been to Sanaa? What is your favorite dish there?

*This dining experience took place in July 2016.

Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

Frontera Cocina, located at Disney Springs, has quickly become one of my new favorite table locations. With authentic Mexican food, this restaurant is the brain child of celebrity chef Rick Bayless, who is well-known for creating classic Mexican cuisine.

With a menu that’s almost entirely gluten free naturally, it’s not hard to see why I love Frontera Cocina so much.

Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

On this particular visit, I stopped by with my mom for a quick lunch. Frontera Cocina opens at 11 a.m., and on this visit, we were actually the first guests in the restaurant. Yes, rope dropping Mexican food; that’s how we roll in my family!

Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

On my last visit, I got the bacon guacamole and loved it, but I’ve been dying to try the Sikil Pak — a classic Yucatan dish made with pumpkin seeds. It’s actually something I learned to make when I visited Mexico for my birthday in 2015, so I was excited to try Frontera Cocina’s version.

Served with tortilla chips (which are made in a dedicated fryer), cucumber, and jicama, this was a nice refreshing appetizer. The pumpkin seed dip does have a bit of a bite, as it contains habanero, but it’s not overly spicy. I preferred the dip with the fresh cucumber with the tortilla chips coming in as a close second. My mom loved the jicama.

My only complaint about this dish was that our tortilla chips seemed a bit stale. They weren’t warm and freshly fried, which was a bit of a bummer.

Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

For my entree, I decided to order the zucchini and roasted poblano pepper tostadas topped with black beans, goat cheese, and a bit of frisee. I do really well with non-cow’s milk cheese, so I was looking forward to trying this goat cheese based dish.

Overall, I really enjoyed these — though after seeing my mom’s chicken tostadas, I sort of wish I had ordered those minus the crema and queso fresco. The zucchini and poblanos were really well cooked, and I liked the combination of the beans and tang from the goat cheese. I wasn’t a fan of the frisee, but it was easily removed.

I didn’t ask, but I actually don’t think this is a vegetarian dish, because the menu indicates that the black beans contain pork (probably pork fat). Next time I visit, I will try to ask about vegetarian dishes.

Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

My mom ordered the chicken tostadas, and she raved about them. They looked really delicious and flavorful. Topped with black beans, chicken, avocado, crema, queso fresco and cilantro – these are gluten free and can easily be made dairy free by removing the crema and queso fresco.

Overall, we really enjoyed our lunch at Frontera Cocina. I hope to go back for dinner to try out some of the other gluten free options. I’m dying to get the shrimp mojo de ajo that my friend Ron ordered. You can see some of the other gluten free dishes over on Alexis’s Gluten Free Adventures.

What are you most looking forward to trying at Frontera Cocina?

*This dining experience took place in June 2016.

Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

Emeril’s Orlando located at City Walk at Universal Orlando is a table service location that offers a taste of celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse’s take on classic New Orleans dishes. I recently had the opportunity to dine at Emeril’s Orlando during a work conference.

None of my friends had dined here gluten free, but Alexis from Alexis’s Gluten Free Adventures as been to Emeril’s Tchoup Chop at the Loew’s Royal Pacific Resort at Universal Orlando with mixed experiences. So, when I visited Emeril’s Orlando, I figured I would have some options but that it wouldn’t be as amazing as it is at Disney World.

Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

After arriving, I did enjoy both a glass of red wine and a cocktail. I absolutely loved the New G&T which is a take on classic gin and tonics, one of my favorite drinks. Emeril’s Orlando uses a small batch gin and tonic water along with black currant and lime. It was so refreshing and a popular drink at our table, as nearly half of the table ended up ordering these.

Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

Emeril’s Orlando does not have a gluten free menu, and I was walked through some options with our server, as a chef does not come out to the table. Sadly, many of the starters were not options for gluten free (let alone dairy free), and I opted to get a classic Caesar salad, since I’ve been reintroducing a bit of dairy back into my diet.

I wasn’t very impressed by this salad. It was rather plain and certainly nothing special.

Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

For my entree, I asked if the BBQ Salmon was safe for me, and I was told they could make it gluten free by removing the crispy onions. I later learned that they also removed the BBQ sauce. Talk about a bummer.

The salmon itself was very spicy (as it had blackening seasoning on it). There wasn’t a lot of texture in the dish, as the andouille sausage and potatoes underneath were pretty mushy. If I had known I wouldn’t get the BBQ sauce, I probably would have ordered something else.

Sadly, most of the entrees contained a lot of sauces that contained gluten, so I was steered away from most dishes.

Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

For dessert, there are two gluten free options – the Flourless chocolate cake and a fruit plate with sorbet (which is also dairy free). I ended up taking a bite of the flourless chocolate cake, which was very rich and decadent. It’s also very dairy heavy.

If I were going to order a flourless chocolate cake, I would get one from another restaurant rather than the version here, which seemed pretty basic in every way. It couldn’t compare to the amazing version I had at Fulton’s Crab House (soon to be reopened as the Paddlefish).

Overall, I wasn’t wowed by Emeril’s Orlando. It was just OK and definitely not something I’d paid out of my own pocket (I was hosted by a vendor at work). The prices didn’t justify the quality of food served.

As a celiac and gluten free diner, I’m surprised and disappointed that Emeril’s Orlando doesn’t have a gluten free menu given that two of Emeril’s daughters are gluten free (including one celiac) and huge GF advocates.

I don’t think I’ll be making a visit to Emeril’s Orlando or Tchoup Chop anytime soon again. I’m glad I got to try it, but it’s definitely not worth a repeat visit for me. I’d rather go to Antojito’s next door at Universal Orlando City Walk for some amazing Mexican food.

Have you been to Emeril’s Orlando? What did you think of the options? 

*This dining experience took place in June 2016.

Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

Boma: Flavors of Africa is a table service restaurant located at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge Jambo House Resort that offers breakfast and dinner options — all buffet style.

Despite the fact that it’s a buffet (which are always cross contamination nightmares for those of us with many special dietary needs), Boma is the perfect spot for a wonderful meal, because the chefs there are so amazing and providing safe options and even bringing you food from the back of the kitchen to ensure safety.

Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

Boma continues to my favorite brunch spot on Disney property because the food is amazing with lots of gluten free and dairy free options and even has some unique dishes to round out the meal. I enjoy dinner at Boma, but if I had to pick breakfast or dinner at Boma, I’d pick breakfast every time.

On this particular occasion, I went to brunch with Alexis from Alexis’s Gluten Free Adventures. We both love Boma, so it was a great choice. You can read her full review on her blog.

Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

After arriving and being seated, our server brought us Jungle Juice, which is a combination of passion fruit, guava, and orange juices and is really delicious. It’s a lot of sugar, so I usually only drink one glass of this.

Once we got our drinks, the chef came out to go through the buffet with us. We asked if she could bring most of our food from the kitchen, with the only exceptions being the fresh fruit and the carving station meats.

Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

Every time I go to Boma, I have to get the fresh pineapple. I don’t know what it is, but Boma always has the freshest best tasting pineapple. This visit was no exception!

Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

I did also go to the carving station which has smoked ham and smoked turkey on it. The chef carves it fresh for you at the carving station, and it’s always amazing. Check with a chef about any of the accompaniments at the carving station. Typically, the only sauce that is gluten free and dairy free is the sambal. Sadly, the Boma mustard contains gluten.

Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

The chef brought out several items for me, including grilled asparagus (a Boma favorite), bacon, breakfast potatoes, and allergy friendly Mickey waffles. The Mickey waffles were made from Namaste mix, and I topped them with banana chips and warm pure maple syrup. They were extra crispy, which was great.

Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

I also ordered a ham, onion, and goat cheese omelet. Though they do have an omelet station, I asked if the chef could make this in the kitchen. Usually I really love the omelets at Boma, but I found that the amount of goat cheese in this dish made the flavors too overpowering. It was OK, but next time I would order without it.

I also ordered a side of pap, which is basically grits.

You can also request a variety of breakfast pastries, but since I was going to a work conference that day, I opted to skip them. Typically, Boma has Udi’s Gluten Free pastries (like muffins and bagels) and Kinnikinnick donuts.

Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

Once Alexis and I stuffed ourselves silly with delicious breakfast offerings, we decided to take a stroll through the Jambo House grounds. I love that you can see the Savannah and check out all the amazing animals at the lodge, while you are there!

Overall, I can’t recommend Boma enough. It’s been a consistently great option for brunch and always has amazing options that are safe and delicious. I can’t wait to go back and brunch here again soon.

Have you been to Boma? What do you love about this table service restaurant?