Mama Melrose--Table Service--Hollywood Studios

I'd heard some really great things about Mama Melrose and options for Gluten Free and Dairy Free. I think perhaps I hit it on an off day. The food was fairly tasty, don't get me wrong, but the service wasn't particularly great, and my options seemed even more limited. Upon arrival, the chef greeted me, but he seemed less than enthused. He told me my only real options was the chicken Parmesan (minus the breading) and the Fra Diavolo. He did offer me dairy free flatbreads. I was surprised that there was no dairy free cheese offered. I'd heard that others had eaten this. I also was a bit bummed not to be able to get a gluten free calamari, which I also had heard they could do. I decided to go for the chicken Parmesan for it's simplicity. The chef also brought me out tapioca rolls and extra virgin olive oil with spices.

Tapioca Rolls with Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

When my chicken Parmesan arrived, it looked very tasty. It did taste pretty good too. But, I would say it wasn't anything special. Good, but not great. Also, for some reason, the last few times I've eaten GF pasta I've gotten a bit sick. Later that evening, I got REALLY sick (I stayed in the hotel room the entire next day)

Chicken Parmesan

Overall, I'd give it a 7 out of 10. Only because the lack of enthusiasm by the chef, lack of variety, and general service. If you are GF and haven't had pasta in a while though, this would be the place to go.

ABC Commissary--Counter Service--Hollywood Studios

Our stop at the ABC Commissary was a bit of a fluke--meaning we didn't intend on going there, but it ended up being a very good lunch for me. I'd been dying to try the allergy free chicken tenders, but had yet to get them. Upon arrival, I was greeted by the manager who told me they had them, which I didn't realize. (I suppose I should have consulted my special diets sheets, but I was REALLY hungry at the time!) She said I could the chicken tenders and fries. I think I was also offered a burger, hot dog, and maybe a grilled chicken sandwich, but I can't remember. I had one mission in my mind and that was the allergy free chicken tenders. It did take several minutes, but I was most impressed that they used a completely different fryer (I could see if from where I was waiting) and the manager used new gloves. When she brought it out, I was so excited. However, I didn't get much choices in sauces. I looked at the BBQ sauce at the condiment station, which wrongly the manager told me was safe, clearly listed wheat right in the ingredients. Too bad because I love BBQ sauce and that would have made my meal! But never mind that. Let's get to the chicken tenders. They were amazing! So tasty, and crispy, and did I mention tasty?! It was very good, and I wish I would have gotten more of these chicken tenders.

One of my favorite counter service meals. Allergy Free Chicken Tenders and fries.

Overall, I'd give ABC Commissary a 9 out of 10 for a surprisingly delicious meal and excellent service.

Le Cellier--Table Service--Epcot

One of my favorite restaurants, pre-dietary restrictions was Le Cellier. The steaks have always been amazing, the cheddar soup fantastic, and the overall service excellent. My mom wanted to stop here as we celebrated her birthday. However, we all quickly made the discovery that some things have changed at our favorite restaurant, and not for the better. Unfortunately, I think Le Cellier has suffered some major changes since the dining plan has become so popular. The menu has drastically changed and the restaurant always seems packed to the hilt. That being said, my meal wasn't horrible, but not great either.

When the chef came to greet me, he seemed less than thrilled. He asked what I wanted, and I mentioned that I'd be interested in the salmon. He said there would be no way that could be safe. After several minutes, I finally just asked him what he suggested. But he wouldn't give me much direction. I finally said that I just wanted something, "remotely safe," which made him laugh, but still didn't get me much assistance. We finally came to an agreement on the spice crusted pork chop and that he would replace the polenta with roasted potatoes. I also salad of mixed greens with a white balsamic vinaigrette. This turned out to be a big NO-NO for me. I have some issues with vinegar and this did not sit well at all. The pork chop was served medium, but more on the medium-rare side. To the point that I really had wished I would have asked it to be well-done. It seemed very pink. But, I was assured it was safe to consume and that this is the common way to serve pork these days. Well, consider me not common. I didn't like it this way. The spice crust was also very overpowering and a bit bitter. I wasn't a huge fan of it. The potatoes also had balsamic vinaigrette (double whammy on the vinegar) and I wasn't a fan of the citrus endive salad either. I was given tapioca rolls with olive oil, but nothing new there. I was offered a blood orange sorbet, but I passed.

A tasty, but dangerous salad for me. The walnuts were a nice touch.

Spice crusted Pork Chop with roasted potatoes and citrus endive salad.

I wish I could give Le Cellier a glowing review, but I can't. Even those without dietary restrictions did not enjoy this meal. The service was subpar and the accommodations for dieatary restrictions were not much better. Overall, I'd give this a 5 out of 10.

Kona Cafe--Table Service--Polynesian

One of my favorite go-to table service breakfasts at WDW is the one served at Kona Cafe in the Polynesian resort. On my last trip, I had an amazing experience and one of the yummiest breakfasts I've had since going GF/CF! Chef Kim was fantastic, and he really treated me to a great meal and bent over backwards to give me a good experience. This time another chef came out to greet me. (though we did see Chef Kim, so he is still there!) She was very friendly (I believe her name was Karina?) and enthusiastic. She said my restrictions were easy compared to many, and she said she'd make me the Big Kahuna with Mickey waffles and such. I was so looking forward to this. I also ordered the Lilikoi juice, which is very tasty! However, when my meal arrived, I noticed there was butter in a cup. I asked the server if this was Earth Balance butter (safe for dairy free diets) and she said she wasn't sure. The chef came out and said it was their butter/margarine blend and she forgot about my dairy allergy. Um, not good. She went to replate it and said everything was OK. But one taste of my eggs said otherwise. When you don't ever get any kind of dairy product and you get exposed to it you know. Eggs cooked with olive oil taste much different. At this point, I didn't want to bug the chef again, and I was really hungry (everyone else was halfway through their breakfast...a trend I seemed to have most of this trip), so I just didn't eat the eggs after the first few bites. The one addition from this version from the last was the pineapple on the side. I ate a bit of it, but not much because of the texture of pineapple and the irritation it might cause to my Crohn's. Overall, it was still good. The portion of this entree was smaller than the last time, perhaps Chef Kim was just being really generous!

My step-dad and I toasting with our Lilikoi Juice!

My modified Big Kahuna, unfortunately there is butter on this plate.

Overall, I'd give the staff a 8 for effort in trying to make my experience good, but a 6 for the overall lack of remembering my allergy. I would still consider this one of my favorite restaurants, but as always you have to be diligent with food allergies and intolerances.

Restaurant Marrakesh -- Table Service -- Epcot

Well, I must admit, I had my doubts about eating at this restaurant. I had heard such terrible things about the service, lack of variety, and general service. But, I was very curious and thought the menu, in general, looked appealing. I'd also received some correspondence prior that indicated that I could eat the hummus and have GF/CF bread. (turned out to be tapioca rolls, but anything smothered in hummus is really tasty!) Upon arrival, we were greeted with live music and belly dancing--great ambiance!

A view from our table of the belly dancing and musicians.

After being seated, the server went to get the chef. A very nice chef came out and asked me what I was interested in. I knew from the special diets literature that the chicken kabobs with rice would be a safe choice. I told the chef that I'd like that and would also like some hummus. He said he was happy to oblige and said that he hoped I was ready to have a good meal. He was a little difficult to understand at times (plus the music was quite loud), but overall he seemed generally eager to help.

The one thing that proved difficult at Restaurant Marrakesh was the service. It was much more slow paced. On a normal day, this would have been fine. However, we had a picture session (which turned out to be canceled on us, but that is a different story!) at the Wilderness Lodge and so we weren't sure we had time to be very leisurely (our lunch was at 2 p.m.). When the food came out, our server said they had messed up and they gave me an unsafe meal. So I had to wait another 15 minutes for my meal. Fortunately, I found it very tasty when it arrived. I would say if you are interested in a unique meal, this is your place. However, don't expect to be in a hurry, this is a slow paced restaurant.

Chicken Kabos with rice, hummus, and a tapioca roll.

Overall, I'd give the food a 9 out of 10. This was very tasty, but it was a bummer to have to wait so long to get it (after everyone else had already eaten) and the service a 7 out of 10. It does seem like Restaurant Marrakesh has taken some of the criticism and worked on being more accommodating and friendly. However, I do think they need to work on service in the kitchen.

Sunshine Seasons -- Counter Service -- Epcot

Following the advice of the WDW Special Diets sheet, I decided to give Sunshine Seasons a try for lunch one day. I'm glad that I was able to try this one too! It did not disappoint. I would give this an extra thumbs up for being better and more nutritious than a lot of the typical counter service restaurants. I chose to go to the grill section where there were several options that looked safe: rotisserie chicken and pork chops in particular. When I went up to the CMs, I mentioned my allergies and asked for anything safe. The one CM said he thought the chicken and pork chops were safe and that he would ask the chef. A lovely chef (with a fantastic Scottish accent!) came to assist me. He was very helpful. He pointed out that yes, the chicken and pork chop were safe. He also said the rice as a side was safe, but not the carrots as they had butter in them. He said that if I wanted he could make me steamed broccoli. I decided to get the broccoli, but found it only lightly steamed and ended up giving most of it to my family members (the crunchiness is hard for me to digest with the Crohn's), but the rice was tasty as was the chicken. I only wish I would have gotten the pork chop! I will know for next time! Also, though I did not get it, Sunshine Seasons carries gluten free beer! They also have French Meadow brownies.

Very tasty chicken!

Overall, I'd give this a 9 out of 10 for variety and excellent service!

Artist Point -- Table Service -- Wilderness Lodge

Artist Point is a gorgeous restaurant, filled with arts & crafts movement designs and motifs. Upon entering, the staff confirmed that there was a food allergy in our party. We were then seated and the CM who waited on us also confirmed the allergy. When the chef arrived, I was a bit disappointed by his lack of enthusiasm or willingness to modify most of the items on the menu. He seemed like he more or less just wanted me to choose something easy and already GF/Dairy free. I don't eat red meat, so I had been eying the salmon, black cod, or the scallops on the menu. The salmon seemed to cause more difficulty and the chef flat out told me he wouldn't do the black cod, so I decided to go with the scallops. The only modification it required was removal of the corn cappuccino. I did not get a starter, as we'd eaten fairly close to dinner, and I wasn't overly interested in the choices. The chef did bring out some extra virgin olive oil and some tapioca rolls. Maybe it's been so long now since I've had real bread, but this trip they seemed tastier than the last one.

Tapioca Roll and olive oil

Seared Day Boat Scallops with Olive Oil Crushed Potatoes, Baby Fennel, Nicoise Olives, and Grape tomatoes.

I found the entree to be very tasty, although I wished the scallops were a bit more seared. The portion size was decent, and everything seemed fresh and tasty. I did not have any dessert, as there was really no options give to me.

Overall, I'd give this restaurant a 10 for atmosphere, but a 7 for service and overall helpfulness for dietary restrictions.

Roaring Forks -- Counter Service -- Wilderness Lodge

Tucked in the back of the Wilderness Lodge, is Roaring Forks, a cozy counter service. I only ate here once, but I could see that the options weren't as plentiful as value and moderate resort CS offer; however, I did find the quality to still be high. After arriving our first day, we went down to Roaring Forks for lunch. The offerings include salads, deli sandwiches, and items from the grill (such as hamburgers, chicken sandwiches, etc.). Upon arrival, I asked the Cast Member behind the salad area about allergy assistance (i.e. can I see a manager?), another Cast Member, who was clearly more experienced, came up and said she would be able to assist me. She then began giving me options of items that would be good. She suggested a Chicken, Apple, and Walnut salad. It had iceberg and romaine lettuce, with candied walnuts, diced apples, grilled chicken and an apple type vinaigrette. She said she would omit the cheese (maybe blue cheese came with it? I can't recall) and no croutons. She also used clean gloves and a fresh bowl. She gave me extra chicken as well. I tend to avoid a lot of salads because of Crohn's disease, which makes it harder to digest the fresh veggies. However, it did sound tasty and the CM put plenty of protein in it to help. Boy, I'm glad I got this one. It was delicious! I also did not get sick from the lettuce or the vinaigrette.

A very tasty salad!

Overall, I would give this counter service a 8 out of 10. Service was good, food was tasty, just wished there would have been more variety.

Snacks--Turkey Legs

One of my favorite snacks at WDW that is GF is a turkey leg! These things are to die for. Rich and smoky and just darn tasty. I've had many a turkey leg over the years, and am glad to know that these are GF. YUM! You can find turkey legs all over WDW. From Magic Kingdom to AK you can get your turkey leg fix. Here's a few photos from August 2009. You can see I was really enjoying the turkey legs. We grabbed these over at the Lunching Pad right before Wishes. Fireworks and a turkey leg--what could be better?!

Me posing nicely with my turkey leg...

What I really felt about the turkey leg!
I was happy to eat something so delicious and GF!

Turkey Leg Locations:

Magic Kingdom:
Turkey Wagon
Lunching Pad

Epcot:
Turkey Cart in American Adventure
Turkey Cart by Test Track

Animal Kingdom:
Turkey Wagon in Discovery Island

Hollywood Studios:
Toluca Turkey Legs in Sunset Market Ranch

Snacks--Itzakadoozie Popsicles

One of my new favorite cold treats that is GF/CF is Itzakadoozie Popsicles by Nestle. They are basically sugar and water, but fruity and tasty on a hot day. They are quite refreshing! You can find these at my ice cream carts throughout the theme parks and I hear that some restaurants (like Garden Grill) hand them out for desserts. You can use your snack credit for these too! Here's a pic of me enjoying my Itzakadoozie on a hot August day!

Dining Review -- AK Tusker House

I was pleasantly surprise by the vast options available at this buffet. Chef Ricardo introduced himself to me and then walked me around the buffet showing me the different options. They were plentiful and quite adventurous as far as Disney Buffets go. I had to skip the dips and breads (too bad, I could have gone for the hummus!) because they didn't seem to have a GF cracker/bread option. It was also extremely busy, so I did not inquire for an alternative. The salad bar had quite a few options as well. There were a lot of seafood dishes--the salmon was great, as was the seafood curry. There were lots of rice dishes that were safe. The carving station had a wonderful coffee crusted pork tenderloin that was so tender. I had seconds! I was actually not feeling well that day, so I didn't as much as I normally would have, but I still left pretty full and satisfied. Here's a picture of some of the things I tried:


For dessert, Chef Ricardo brought me a plate with pre-made brownies (which were pretty good and very moist), and he also gave me a package of Enjoy Life cookies for the road (it was the day we were leaving, so he said it was a treat for the plane ride). Here's a pic of the desserts:


Overall, this was a pretty good meal, with a lot of options for adventurous eaters with dietary restrictions. 7 out of 10.

Dining Review -- MK Crystal Palace Lunch/Dinner

First off, let me make a brief statement about waiting and ADRs at Crystal Palace. Perhaps it was because we went 2 weeks after free dining started, but even though we had an ADR we waited a ridiculous amount of time (to the point that I was going to leave in 15 min if we hadn't been seated. We waited an hour). It was August so it was very warm and very crowded. Granted, I knew that this would be a popular dining location, but I really wanted to try this restaurant because I heard they were good with dietary restrictions. That being said, after a long wait, I was pretty tired and not overly excited (other than being seated and getting something to drink), but trying to get in the spirit of things. We arrived at our seats, and I reminded the waiter of my restrictions. He said he would get the chef and he also said that they make their own dietary desserts there and that he heard they were really good. So that made me pretty hopeful. The chef then arrived at our table and had the same pad of paper as Chef Kim at Kona. He asked my name and dietary restrictions. He then took me around the buffet and let me know what foods were OK to eat. For the most part, I could eat a lot here. The salad bar had a lot of offerings including a shrimp, hearts of palm, and quinoa salad (very good, but I got a little sick because of the vinegar. Apparently because of my Crohn's I had sensitivity to vinegar), salads and non-dairy dressings (Zinfandel vinaigrette was tasty, but again vinegar based so it didn't agree with me). I had a lot of meat choices to choose from: roast chicken, carving station (with pork loin and prime rib, which was later put out because we were there in the middle of lunch/dinner changes) I also enjoyed shrimp cocktail. The chef asked if I wanted tapioca rolls to be brought out, which I said yes to. I'm not a huge fan of tapioca bread/rolls, but I had heard good things about them and thought I'd give them a try. They were warmed up which helped. Here's a picture:
Honestly, they weren't bad. The texture was a little spongy, but they worked and tasted better than a lot of other GF rolls I've had.

The chef also asked me what I'd like for dessert. He offered me rice dream ice cream and a brownie cake. I am always looking for decadent chocolate desserts, so I said ice cream and cake would be great. Once I finished my meal, I let my server know I was ready for dessert and he went and got it. WOW! It was the best dessert of the trip. So good! I was practically licking the plate. It was the most decadent, chocolatey, moist, and non-dieatry tasting item I'd had! (and did the whole trip!) It was awesome. Here it is:

While I'm not sure I'll make the trip to Crystal Palace for a while, I will say the dietary restriction needs were met with great enthusiasm and variety. I only wish I'd had asked for the allergy free chicken tenders (I saw some kid with them later) because I was CRAVING chicken tenders. But there's always another time and another location. Overall, it was a nice place to eat, but be prepared for a wait. 8 out of 10.

Dining Review -- Polynesian, Kona Cafe Breakfast

The Polynesian is one of my favorite resorts, and I love the restaurants here. Kona Cafe has my favorite breakfast at WDW hands down. The Big Kahuna is the best. But, since going GF/CF I wasn't sure if I would be able to really enjoy my favorite breakfast. But, Chef Kim and the rest of the Kona staff made sure I did! Upon being seated, I told the waitress that I had dietary restrictions. She then went to the back and brought out Chef Kim. He was hilarious! We were greeted with a great big Aloha and he proceeded to ask all sorts of questions. He had a pad where he wrote my name, my restrictions and what we decided I wanted to eat. He asked what I liked and I told him I really, really liked the Macadamia nut pancakes; however, I couldn't really eat nuts at the time (b/c of the Crohn's flare) and Chef Kim said he could try, but that I couldn't blame him if it tasted terrible. Well, I can't say I blame him. At least he was honest. I told him, I love the Big Kahuna and he said he would see what he could do. About 10 minutes later, Chef Kim came out with 2 piping hot plates. One for me and one for my mom. He joked how special we were because he doesn't normally run food. I was really impressed with his service! I ended up getting the Big Kahuna modified. He made me scrambled eggs, Mickey waffles, and everything else that comes with the meal. I swear, I got double everything. It was HUGE. Here's what mine looked like: Now here's what my mom's version of the Big Kahuna:
Yep, I did not wind up being hungry. Everything was just great. I definitely recommend this for dietary restrictions; they were very accommodating and very friendly. 10 out of 10.

Dining Review -- AKL Jiko Dinner

If you have the chance to eat at Jiko, you should! It is simply amazing. A stunning restaurant, not only is it beautifully decorated (the lighting even changes to reflect the sunset!) but the food and service is phenomenal. It is now one of my favorite restaurants at WDW, and I'm sure it will continue to be for years to come. Upon arrival, I made sure my restrictions were noted on our reservation. After being seated, I had to mention it to the server Sassan, and he said he would get the chef. He said that they do wonderful dietary foods there and that I would have a great meal. A few minutes later the chef arrived with a menu JUST FOR ME! Ok, it was a pre-done menu for lactose intolerance, but still. It was nice to just look at the menu and pick what you wanted, not ask for substitutions. The chef said that everything but 1 item was GF on the Lactose free menu. (*Note: this menu did have goat cheese on it. I am lactose intolerant, but tend to just do CF as well; however, I can tolerate goat cheese and such, but I just rarely eat it. If you are CF you will most likely get a special menu for that...although honestly goat cheese was only in 1 dish everything else seemed truly dairy free). I decided on a dip sampler as an appetizer (as they could do pampadams instead of the bread basket and a chermoula dip in place of the marsala that typically accompanies it). My mom and I shared this, so they brought out a separate bread basket for her and a separate one for me. They brought out all three dips and the marsala separately for my mom. I will say this was very impressive. We didn't ask them to do that, and they said they wanted to make sure everyone was taken care of. Now, if you have a child who is GF/CF and you also eat that way (so that no one feels bad, etc.) you would probably want to mention that so you don't get tons of bread at your table. Me, I am perfectly fine with my own and others eating gluten and cheese as long as I get something tasty and wonderful too! Here's the dip:
You can see my stuff in front and my mom's stuff in the back. So, good she even is in the midst of eating it!

On to the entrees! I choice the Swahili Curry Shrimp (made with coconut milk) and it was fantastic. I could not believe how large of a portion it was. Their were 12+ very large shrimp in it. The rice and sauce were extremely tasty and the shrimp were out of this world! I highly recommend this.

I had the option for fresh fruit and sorbet for dessert, but I was too full to eat anything else. I did, however, get some Rooibos tea (it is said to have great anti-inflammatory properties, very good for Crohn's disease) and Jiko has a great tea menu. Here's my pot of tea:
What a wonderful dining experience and an amazing meal. An excellent choice for dietary restrictions and for everyone else too! 10 out of 10.

Dining Review -- AKL Boma Breakfast

Boma is one of my favorite Disney restaurants. It evokes visions of Africa with its variety of unique foods and luscious desserts. However, this was my first visit being GF/CF, so I wasn't sure what to expect. We decided to go for breakfast. Upon arrival, I made sure that it our reservations had my dietary restrictions noted. Once seated, I mentioned this to our server (the servers did not seem very aware of the notations on the tickets, and I usually had to tell them) and she said she would get the chef. A few minutes later, the chef from my visit at the Mara (see that dining review post) and so I was a little apprehensive considering that last time he saw me he kept trying to give me things with dairy in it. When he came up, I reminded him that I am GF and CF. At first he kept saying GF only and I told "NO Dairy free too" finally he got it. The first thing he did was ask me what I wanted to eat. He said he would show me around the buffet and then make some separate things for me as well. He gave some suggestions (omelets, french toast, pancakes) and I jumped at the idea of french toast! So, we decided on french toast and an omelet with spinach, ham, and onions. Then he took me around the buffet line. I was surprised at how few options were really available on the actual buffet. This was mostly because of the dairy. They put dairy in a LOT of their items. However, I could eat the meats at the carving station (I had turkey and ham, so good!), potatoes with Afritude and that was about it. At the time I couldn't have fresh fruit, but that was plentiful if you want it. They had Quinoa as well. I was bummed about the bobotie (my fav) but the chef did mention that he could make that GF/CF with notice, but I think you would have to call at least 24 hours in advance. I missed the baked goods but the chef did say he could bring me Muffins and donuts, but I didn't really have the room. Here's a photo of my omelet and french toast:


I couldn't eat all of it! I did end up taking some of the french toast back to the room and ate it another day. It wasn't quite as tasty 2 days later, but still good. Overall, I'd give this a 8 out of 10 mostly due to the lack of items on the buffet. But, they can still accommodate dietary restrictions pretty well.

Dining Review -- AKL Counter Service, The Mara

Eating at counter service can seem intimidating and even frustrating after a bad experience. My review of the Mara is somewhat mixed. This counter service restaurant is located at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge. AKL seems to be a cut above many other resorts with service and quality. The Mara had a lot of typical fare (burgers, fries, pizza) and some less typical fare that is more African influenced. Upon arrival, I scanned the menu board and felt less than confident in making choices myself regarding what to eat. At the time, I was coming off of a very bad Crohn's flare so I knew that anything fried would be a bad idea (regardless of being GF and CF). At the Mara, near the ordering stations a CM was there taking orders. I spoke with her and said that I had dietary restrictions. At that point, she said she would need to get the chef and quickly went to the them. However, I ended up waiting for quite a while until a chef appeared. The chef finally came out and asked what dietary restrictions I had. I explained that I could not have Gluten or Dairy. He then offered to make me pizza (which I said had dairy in it, so I could not have. I think he didn't hear me say dairy) and then he offered me macaroni and cheese. He also said I could have fries. I finally asked about the roast chicken which was on the menu; he said it wasn't GF. So, he said if I wanted chicken, he had some that was OK for me to eat (had like a curry glaze on it) and asked what I wanted as a side. We finally decided upon vegetables, stir-fried. He then left to go prepare my food. He told me to go find a table and he would come bring it out. So, I met up with my Mom and she dug into her African Stew. The wait for the food wasn't too long, and out came my meal of chicken with vegetables. I couldn't believe how HUGE the portion was. I ended up taking it back to the room and heating it up later. It was pretty tasty and fairly healthful. Here's a picture:


Overall, I would say the Mara was pretty good. Although I had difficulty reminding the Chef I was also CF, I still got a pretty good meal. I would recommend making sure you repeat your restrictions to the Chef who is assisting you. I would rate it a 7 out of 10.