La Cantina de San Angel -- Counter Service -- Epcot

When I found out that the new restaurant at the Mexico pavilion in Epcot had gluten free offerings, I was stoked. I love Mexican and Tex-Mex food. The great thing is that a lot of this kind of food is naturally gluten free. Having emailed Special Diets and hearing first hand reports from the disboards, I was pretty excited about trying to eat there.

We decided to get lunch at La Cantina around 1 p.m. It turned out to be extremely busy because of the food and wine festival. It was crazy! The lines were very long, and it took us around 25 minutes to get food (mine was incidentally the fastest, only because they forgot to make my mom's desserts). Upon reaching the cashier, I asked about the food allergies. They ended up conferring with a manager but they didn't come out to see me. They helped me with the entree but I couldn't get any information on the dessert option. At the time, it was just so busy that I went with a coconut bar, figuring that there was probably dairy in it, and I could give it to a family member. (They all got churros).

I got the tacos de pollo. They were fantastic! Soooo tasty. I scarfed them down quite quickly. The chips and pico de gallo were also very good. My mom and stepdad split the chicken tacos and the guacamole, which I sampled. The guacamole was very good. It is important to note that the salsas on the bar with the silverware were NOT gluten free.

Tacos de pollo--I highly recommend!

Guacamole and chips--also very good!

My dessert did have dairy in it, so I gave it to my family, who happily scarfed down the pineapple Popsicle.

Overall, I really enjoyed the food at this counter service. I think the food and wine festival combined with being a new restaurant made it busier than average, but I think when we head back in January they will have worked out all the kinks. Maybe next time, I'll be able to find a dessert option there!

Overall, I give this a 7 out of 10 for excellent food, but hectic food service and lack of a manager coming out to talk to me.

'Ohana -- Polynesian -- Table Service

Aloha, cousin!

Aloooooha, 'Ohana! One of my favorite restaurants on property. I love the grilled foods and the ambiance. I love hanging out with my "family." The last time we went to 'Ohana, I had the most amazing experience with Chef TJ. I have to say, besides Chef Williere at 50's Prime Time, he has to be one of my most favorite chefs on property. The man is a food genius! He has such dedication to folks with special diets, and he makes feasts for those people. Unfortunately, he is no longer at 'Ohana and has moved on to 1900 Park Faire (where I will hopefully get to visit sometime in the near future!). I was curious to see how this experience, minus Chef TJ would be. Upon arrival, the same procedure as the last time occurred, in which a plastic flower was placed at our table, by my seat to notify the chef that there was an allergy.

I was then greeted by the chef was nice enough, but seemed rather busy. He said that the salad was fine (which I love), he'd bring me wings with no sauce, the shrimp on the grill was safe (interesting, since last time they brought me shrimp on my main plate) and that all the other meats would be prepared with white rice in a bowl and that he had a premade sweet and sour sauce and a GF teriyaki sauce too. For dessert, he said I could have the French Meadow brownie and vanilla rice-dream. This was all fine by me.

First up was the chicken wings. The wings were the same used by everyone else, minus the sauce. They were pretty good (yeah I ate a LOT of them) as they had a rub on them. Very messy! I do wish they had been sauced, like the ones Chef TJ made me, but still they were extremely tasty.

Somehow I managed to eat most of these wings!

Next up was the salad. My most favorite salad on WDW property. It is soooo good. I love that honey lime dressing.

Yum, honey lime dressing!

And then came the shrimp. OMG I love these shrimp. This was the only thing I liked better on this trip to Ohana simply b/c you can't replace that grilled flavor when you saute shrimp. The sauce on it is to die for. I ate all of the shrimp on this plate--yep, I was a pig at this meal!

That's a lot of shrimp!

And then came my big bowl of rice, chicken, pork, and beef. It also had broccoli on it too. I have to say, I did actually like the sauces a lot, and enjoyed having a variety to dip my meats in. The main course certainly wasn't as elaborate as Chef TJ's creation, but I can tell they are trying to recreate the standard he set.

Main course--very tasty!

I ate so much on this meal, it was ridiculous. I really love this place and even without Chef TJ, the food was still excellent. I really didn't have much room for dessert. This was actually the disappointing part of the meal. Chef TJ made this amazing creation with chocolate soy ice cream, french meadow brownies, bananas, pineapple, cotton candy, and chocolate syrup! It was soooo good. This was just an opened and plopped on the plate brownie and a scoop of vanilla rice dream. Kind of boring, if ya ask me. Well, considering how good the rest of the meal was, I probably should complain, just wish they would have made a little more effort that's all. (and chocolate syrup--people need chocolate syrup!!).

Kind of boring, but good.

Overall, I'd say the chefs at Ohana are trying to maintain the high standard that Chef TJ set while he was there. They are certainly making more or less the same dishes the same way and the food was excellent as always. I miss Chef TJ, yes, but I still will eat here over and over again. The food is so good, it's hard to have a terrible experience there. My only hope is they just work on improving the desserts a bit. 8 out of 10 for yummy food and another great experience.

Yak and Yeti -- Animal Kingdom -- Table Service

Yak & Yeti at Disney's Animal Kingdom

Originally, we had no plans on going to the Yak & Yeti this trip. We had reservations to eat there in January 2011. However, during a visit to the Animal Kingdom park with my mom and brother, we decided to check it out, since we had no plans for lunch. I was a little leery since we didn't have an ADR and I hadn't notified them of my food allergies, but I figured it would be OK, since most places can easily accommodate it. In addition, I knew that Asian-inspired food should have minimal amounts of dairy, which would be helpful. We also didn't know if we'd have to wait, but lo and behold they had a table ready (and this was at noon too!). I have to say, on a side note, that the decor was great. The Landry's restaurants (like Rainforest Cafe) have great attention to detail and this was no exception. I loved the ambiance and it really did fit in perfectly with the Asia area of DAK where it's located.

Top floor dining room at Yak & Yeti

I made sure to notify the hostess of my allergies and she said no problem that we could just tell the server and the chef would come out (same as Disney owned restaurants). I notified our server, who was excellent, and he said he'd get the chef. The chef then came out and said that I had a fair amount of options and that they could tweak most of the menu options. He said that the Seafood curry was the only thing gluten and dairy free (although he asked if I was ok with coconut milk part b/c of the milk, which made me worry a bit since there's no real dairy in coconut milk despite the name). He said he could do the tempura shrimp--grilled instead of deep fried in a batter, minus the plum sauce, and served with plain white rice and veggies with garlic and ginger and GF soy sauce. He also said I could get a lime / GF soy sauce mixture on the side. This was all fine with me. He did ask if I had an veggies I didn't like, which I appreciated, because I really don't like mushrooms. For dessert, I was hoping to get the sorbet trio, but evidently, they put dairy in it. So, I was offered the frozen lemonade cup.

Modified "Tempura" shrimp

As far as the taste, the food was not bad. My mom referred to the restaurant as somewhere between fast food pan-Asian food and an upscale restaurant. So, it was what we expected. A chain restaurant. The shrimp itself was good--although a bit overseasoned. The veggies were actually quite good (they were a little mushy, which many people would not like, but was good for me b/c I have trouble digesting crunchy veggies b/c of my Crohn's). The lime / GF sauce was also good, and it was nice over the white rice. I rarely get Asian food when I go out to eat b/c many places cannot accommodate the GF soy sauce, so it was nice to get something out.

The frozen lemonade I had for dessert was the Nestle frozen lemonade, so no surprises there. I wish the sorbet they had didn't have dairy in it. That's disappointing!

Frozen lemonade...

Overall, it was good, but not great. I would definitely go again, although it's not on my to do list. We actually canceled our Jan. ADR so I can eat at 50's Prime Time again, but I would definitely eat at Yak & Yeti again. I'm pleased that they could easily accommodate me (although I am still surprised by the coconut milk / dairy comment) and fit me in without an ADR. However, I would definitely make sure you make reservations and note your allergies ahead of time; the chefs may be able to make better arrangements ahead of time for you! I'd give this restaurant a 7 out of 10. Solid meal, tasty and filling, and the service was very good.

Contempo Cafe -- Counter Service -- Breakfast

Adult Bounty Platter with a side of scrambled eggs

Because I had eaten at Contempo Cafe for two dinners previously, I knew more or less the routine of how to order food at this counter service. I was able to speak with a manager prior to ordering at the kiosk. She said I could get the Adult Bounty platter with a side of eggs since I wasn't getting the french toast (I later ended up getting a different breakfast platter but that was on the day we left). This was fine by me. I can always eat more protein in the morning. Once I got to the cash register, the CM told me that I'd have to pay for the eggs as a snack. Um, but I was just doing what the manager told me to do. So, I ended up using my dining plan snack credit for it, b/c they refused to keep it as part of the meal, but I guess I understand that it would be too confusing plus I can see people trying to get away with getting free food (I paid for my dining plan and did not get it free, since I'm a DVC member and was staying at BLT on points). Either way, it was fine.

The food for the most part was OK. Really nothing special. It was kind of cafeteria style breakfast--kind of bland but edible. The only thing I didn't really like was the turkey sausage which was probably the worst turkey sausage I've ever had. It was really gross and unappetizing. No one who ate that thought it was good, so it wasn't just me!

Overall, nothing special. But definitely lesson learned--make sure you double check about ordering sides of things with a meal--special diets or not. 5 out of 10 for mediocre food.

Sunshine Seasons -- Epcot -- Counter Service

*This dining experience took place in October 2010.

On my last trip, I had a terrific meal at Sunshine Seasons in the Land Pavilion at Epcot. I thought it was a delicious and great counter service meal alternative to fries and burgers. However, this trip, I discovered that they had changed several of the items on the menu at the rotisserie area (which I love), and I was not so thrilled with the changes. While the food quality itself was still good, I just didn't like the flavor combinations. Upon entering, I spoke with the manager who said I could eat the chicken, salmon, and pork. The only dairy in the side dishes was in the mashed potatoes. I had the chicken the last time, so I went with the pork. The pork came with stewed fruit (big pieces of cinnamon and fruit), which I asked for on the side, since I'm not a huge fan of sweet sauces with meat like that (I love sweet and sour sauce, but fruit compote on meat is not my thing). I also got the rice. My mom and brother (who have no dietary restrictions) got the chicken which had a succotash with it and rice. Unfortunately, none of us were too impressed with the food. We all thought the changes were not for the better at this counter service. The meat was OK, but the sauces and sides were just yucky. I didn't like the fruit compote, and the succotash was rather unappetizing too. The rice was pretty greasy, and I'm not particularly sure why. Overall, we all agreed we didn't think we'd eat there again for a while until they made some menu changes. We just didn't like the accompaniments that came with the meat. Disappointing b/c I think Sunshine Seasons has a real opportunity to have upscale counter service and provide healthy options. I'll still give it a shot, but maybe wait for the menu to rotate again. Overall, very disappointing 5 out of 10 for lackluster food.

Pork with rice and fruit compote (on the side) and a French Meadow brownie

Chicken with succotash and rice--the dessert is NOT gluten free/dairy free but this main dish is.

50's Prime Time Cafe -- Hollywood Studios -- Table Service

Welcome to 50's Prime Time Cafe!

"Folks, you're in for a real treat..." (Kudos if you got the Carousel of Progress reference--my favorite attraction at WDW)

I've been long waiting for the delicious gluten free/dairy free fried chicken I've heard rave reviews about. Prior to my visit, I was in contact with Chef Williere Justin who was very helpful. So, I was looking forward to the meal. Upon arrival, we waited for a few minutes (it was fairly busy) and then were seated in Mom's house.

Mom's calling!

I have to say as a side note how much I love the decor! The 50's kitsch is great! Upon being seated, we were greeted by our server Nichole (who was fab--a very funny "cousin"), she got the chef who came out and greeted me. He knew exactly who I was before I got there. "You're my fried chicken girl, aren't you?" Why yes, yes I am! He asked me what veggie I wanted and I was offered green beans/carrots (which Chef Williere had mentioned) or greens sauteed in bacon. Um, greens sauteed in bacon...DUH! that's a no brainer! :) Anything fried with bacon is A-OK with me! We also talked about dessert, and he mentioned that he could do a sundae with brownies and tofutti ice cream. I had the option of chocolate and vanilla. I went for the chocolate naturally!

While waiting for our meal, we got to experience some "family hi-jinks." One of cousins was a real hoot (we were close to another room with a window and he kept grabbing a wooden stick and poking our other "cousins" with them...hilarious! While we were finishing dessert, he decided to get into a garbage bag and balance an egg on a spoon throughout the "house." We were busting up laughing. Love the hi-jinks!

Our "cousin" showing us how the races are done!

It didn't take that long for our food to come at all; in fact, it was actually very quick! It's important to note that you really have to contact the restaurant ahead of time for the fried chicken because it takes 40 minutes or so to make (plus I'm sure there is prep time beforehand). However, as you see in this picture--even though the wait was very minimal--I was HUNGRY and wanted fried chicken!

"We wants the fried chicken! We wants the fried chicken!"

And when the fried chicken arrived (again very quickly!), I was so wowed--it looked amazing! And the taste? OMG--A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!!!! I have not had real fried chicken since going gluten free/dairy free in a year and a half. I was scarfing this down. I had had tummy troubles the previous night, but I was so glad they had gone away when I got to this meal! The potatoes were also extremely good (the best dairy free mashed potatoes I've had) and the greens were so good too. On top of that, I had my own gravy! It was perfect and topped everything off.

Best fried chicken--EVER!

Gravy!

The meal was just great, and I hadn't even gotten dessert yet! Our server was so nice and she mentioned how she really appreciated that I got a hold of the restaurant ahead of time because she once had a woman who did not fill out her allergy form or notify the restaurant ahead of time that she had food allergies and she wanted the gluten free fried chicken, but did not ask for a chef until AFTER she ordered and ate her appetizer! EEEK! She said they, of course, accommodated her but it took 3 hours to get everything done for her. That's crazy! So, the waitress seemed like she really appreciated the preparedness on my part (which I still can't believe a person who had allergies/intolerances would order without the chef but then expect a special diets items--strange--I mean how did they know what they ordered was safe?) because she kept saying over and over how she really really appreciated it (maybe other people don't do this normally? I like being prepared so I always am overly prepared). So, I guess that was good. Lessons learned--be prepared and call ahead of time!

Now on to the good stuff--DESSERT! The brownie sundae was so good. I believe they actually make their brownie b/c it sure didn't look or taste like the one from French Meadow. The chocolate tofutti ice cream and brownies and syrup--yum! Chocolate overload!

My favorite dessert of the trip!

Overall, I can't say enough good things about this restaurant--the service and food and chefs--everything was perfect! I liked it so much that I immediately changed my January 2011 ADRs and canceled Yak & Yeti (which we ended up eating at on this trip unexpectedly) and it will be my birthday meal (well sort-of birthday meal--a week early). I contacted Chef Williere already and they are ready for me already! Loved, loved, loved this restaurant. One of my favs so far for special diets--and next time, I'm going to get a dairy free milk shake too! (they offered me one this time--but I had no room for it!). 10 out of 10 for amazing service--they definitely went above and beyond!
(also I did send lots of praise to customer service for them because it was so memorable! They all did a great job, and I was glad to send an email saying so!)

Liberty Tree Tavern -- Magic Kingdom -- Table Service

Hear ye, hear ye! It's a tradition in my family to eat at Liberty Tree Tavern whenever we attend one of the Magic Kingdom holiday parties. It's been a staple, and we all love the homey goodness of the food that is served at the LTT (although I sure wish the "Hear ye, now welcoming the Norris party from the great state of Michigan"--I wish they still did this!). I'd heard good things about the dietary offerings here, and I was pretty excited. I try to avoid yeast, so I wasn't really eating any of the Ener-G rolls all week, but I made a vow that I was getting gravy and rolls! However, my stomach went into serious overdrive and my Crohn's was starting to flare--NOT GOOD! I was having a fair amount of pain, so I knew it was key to take it easy--no fair, I wanted to eat a salad and my rolls! Uggg. Well, I knew that the meal itself was a good choice for mild food to help ease the tummy troubles (which went away after that night, so problem solved!).

When we got there, the chef came out to the table. The restaurant was pretty slammed, so he seemed a bit frazzled, but accommodating. He explained that my food would be brought out on a separate platter, and that I'd have the veggie (green beans), salad (which I could eat safely with everyone else), turkey, ham, potatoes, roast beef, and gravy. He also said he'd bring out some rolls. I did decide to try a small portion of the salad--which has a lovely strawberry vinaigrette--and is one of my favorite salads on property. Still tasty as usual!

Yum!

When my platter came out, I was extremely surprised, because I was greeted with rolls and Earth Balance butter spread! Say what?! That's the first time I've been offered Earth Balance on Disney property--and I was thrilled. (I use this at home) I was mostly thrilled because I get to use it with the rolls and rolls with "butter" is even better! "Butter," rolls, and gravy...AMAZING! I definitely dug in. I don't eat steak, so I gave the beef to my family (who happily scarfed it down), but I ate the potatoes (silky tasty mashed potatoes!), turkey, ham, gravy, rolls, and a few green beans. It was just what my tummy needed. I didn't feel sick afterward, and the homey food tasted very good on an owly tummy. And plus, it just tasted really good! I love this kind of food sometimes!

A Turkey platter fit for a pilgrim!

Although I didn't eat as much as I normally would, I did eat a fair amount, and then there was dessert! They told me that I could only have sorbet, which was fine. It was actually a nice refreshing choice after a big meal and also gentle on the tummy. I have to say too after all of the servings of sorbet I had this was the most nicely "decorated." They added fresh berries which was a nice touch. I've had this exact sorbet at other places, but I find the raspberry sorbet to be very tasty, and I like the alternative to brownies and rice dream ice cream. YUM!

Very tasty raspberry sorbet

Overall, I'd give this an 8 out of 10--a very enjoyable meal--good food and service! and Earth Balance "butter" as an added bonus!

The Wave -- Contemporary -- Table Service

I've been wanting to try the Wave for a while now since it opened. I loved the whole local seasonal approach and it sends such a great message to sustainability and being aware of how food production works. However, I have heard lots of mixed reviews on the food, service, and ability to handle food allergies. So, I went in with no expectations, figuring breakfast food is fairly easy, especially with food allergies/intolerances. I have to say, the decor of this restaurant is neat. I love the entrance. It really feels like you are "under the sea." Definitely a nice design (reminds me a bit of Coral Reef).

The chef greeted us at the table. He was very nice (he was also from Michigan originally, so we had some fun discussion of Michigan weather!) and discussed the options for me. He was able to make waffles which was great. He also noted that the chicken sausage was GF and had no other filles in it, which was good. So, I decided on the American which is basically eggs, breakfast potatoes, and I got chicken sausage with it (good but spicy!). I also asked if they could make waffles for me on the side (I have a weakness for waffles on vacation--I never make them at home!). Now, it is important to note that they carried Vans Waffles but the chef said they could also make waffles too. I personally like to get the mix waffles because I'm on vacation, and I like the homemade waffles--I can get Van's any day! So, it was nice to know that there were choices.

When the food arrived, I noticed that the waffles looked decidedly like Van's waffles! Uh-oh! The waitress had no idea, and she didn't seem to want to ask the chef, so I just dove in to see if they just use a regular waffle maker (I'm used to the Mickey Waffles!), and lo and behold, they were homemade waffles! Very tasty!

Yummy waffles--don't be fooled by the frozen waffle shape! That's an Ener-G roll in the background!

My actual meal was decent. Nothing too exciting, but still good and filling. The chicken sausage was a wee bit spicy, and I was having a slight bit of stomach troubles, so I ended up sharing it with family members. The potatoes were pretty tasty. I was also surprised to see an Ener-G roll on my plate--that was a nice touch since I couldn't have the biscuit. I appreciated the effort to add it, even though I hadn't asked for it! Kudos on that!

A good hearty breakfast!

While the food wasn't anything spectacular or particularly memorable, I found the Wave to be a good hearty meal with competent and knowledgeable chefs. I appreciated the extra effort they made. A solid 7 out of 10.

Top of the World Lounge -- Bay Lake Tower -- Snacks

Showing off the drink menu at the lounge

Prior to our trip, I was in contact with chefs from the Contemporary about the Top of the World Lounge. I knew they had appetizers that could be made gluten free/dairy free, so this was exciting. Upon arrival, I ordered a lovely cocktail--a pina colada with raspberry puree in it (yum!)

A very rich, fruity drink!

Then we decided on crab nachos (minus the cheese and sour cream) and Chicken and vegetable summer rolls (with the dipping sauce on the side). When the brought the food, they had essentially deconstructed the nachos by placing the crab on a separate plate and the black bean salsa on another plate.

Crab nachos, minus the 9 measly tortilla chips

The summer rolls were plated as normal. Both were very good. We ended up all agreeing that the summer rolls were more substantial and very tasty--while the crab nachos were quite small and they only gave us 9--that's right "9" tortilla chips for 3 of us and a ridiculous amount of salsa. Um, who uses only 9 tortilla chips?! Kind of stingy if you ask me. We were just basically eating the salsa straight. I'd actually heard other people complain about this prior to our trip, so I was prepared--but for $12.99, the sting of still only getting 9 tortilla chips was pretty harsh. Overall, I can say we enjoyed our snacks--though we'd probably only order the summer rolls next time.

Delicious summer rolls--the slaw on the side was amazing! Also, the dipping sauce shown here is NOT gluten free--my family members ate it, while I had the rolls plain (still excellent)

I'd give this a 6 out of 10 for very strange portion sizes and pricing.

Contempo Cafe -- Counter Service -- Lunch/Dinner

*This dining experience took place in October 2010.

Contempo Cafe -- take 2!

I got to be very familiar with the Contempo Cafe on this trip--we ate lunch/dinner here twice and breakfast here twice. For this meal, I forgot to take the picture of my food before digging in because I was soooo hungry--but I'll post the 3/4 eaten pic :)

I knew that Contempo Cafe was currently serving the allergy friendly chicken tenders, so I wanted to get those. I ordered those with fries and got a French Meadow brownie and soda. Overall, while nothing major or special, it sure was tasty. I love those things! Although, I sure wish they would serve a different kind of barbecue sauce in this food court b/c it's the same kind I encountered at ABC Commissary (I believe it was Heinz?) and it has gluten in it. What happened to the safe bbq sauce, people!? Overall though, it was a good meal (you can tell, since I was scarfing it down), and the chicken tenders still remain one of my standard counter service meals each trip.

Whoops, I got hungry and ate most of my food before taking a picture!

Another solid meal from Contempo Cafe--a 7 out of 10 for decent food and service.

Boma -- Animal Kingdom Lodge -- Table Service

Boma at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge

For those that haven't eaten at Boma, you are in for a real treat. This is one of my favorite restaurants on property. I love the African inspired foods served in a very accessible way. I've not met one person who hasn't like this restaurant--even the pickiest of eaters can find something good here! This breakfast was no exception. Prior to my trip, I had been in contact with Chef Trish about getting gluten free/dairy free bobotie (a fav of mine prior to food allergies), as a chef had mentioned this to me when I ate there in 2009. She said that Chef Amber would be on duty that day and that she would be able to accommodate me! How exciting. Once we got seated, I mentioned to our server that I was supposed to speak specifically to Chef Amber--and fortunately, she was already talking to a family a few tables down. She knew exactly who I was and was very excited about serving me the bobotie. First she took me around the buffet and then she said she would go make sure the bobotie was done. Overall, she was one of the most enthusiastic, friendly chefs I've encountered on Disney property--can't say enough nice things about her! I then went through the buffet line, where I was able to get an omelet made (they made mine separately with oil), ham, potatoes, pineapple, etc.

Ham, onion, and green pepper omelet and accompaniments

And later Chef Amber brought me the bobotie! Omigosh!!! It was an entire pan of bobotie--enough to feed all 4 of us at breakfast! It was so huge. Of course, I shared with my family--who all agreed it was better than the turkey bobotie on the buffet (Chef Amber made mine with ground beef and ground lamb--as a special treat). Sooo good. We didn't eat the whole thing, but we put a good dent in it (about half). I wish I could have eaten it later--but we were heading to the parks and there was no way that would travel well.

Gluten free and dairy free bobotie--as you can see this was a large pan!

Overall, I can't say enough good things about Boma and the chefs there. They are always so accommodating to food allergies and this experience demonstrated how they really go above and beyond to make safe foods for their guests. I would not hesitate to eat there again (actually, I'll be eating there in May 2011 when we stay at the AKL Jambo House Villas)--9 out of 10 for exceptional food and service!

Cape May Cafe -- Beach Club -- Table Service

Welcome to Cape May Cafe!

Wowie--I love seafood and I was hopeful that I would be able to indulge at this buffet--boy, was I in for a treat! Seafood galore. I have eaten here prior to food allergies, but it has been several years and prior to the addition of the crab legs. Upon arrival, I was met by a chef who took me around the buffet--I was amazed at how many choices I had that were naturally gluten and dairy free. Pretty much most of the seafood choices were OK and lots of side dishes too. There was a plain salad mix on the buffet with oil and vinegar on the side, but the premade salads (like a Caesar salad) were out of the question. I was able to eat peel and eat shrimp, crab legs (minus any butter to dip it in...didn't matter to me, it still tasted yummy), some kind of fish stew, chicken, mussels, clams, boiled red potatoes, cabbage, and far too many other things to count. YUM! I ate two plates of crab legs!

Sweet, delicious crabby legs!

The pork on this was excellent, as was the chicken, and the cabbage was amazing!

I ate entirely too many peel and eat shrimp--and the cocktail sauce is safe (but not the tartar sauce evidently).

Forget a bigger boat! Kids, we're gonna need a bigger bucket!

I was so full after this meal, and when it came to dessert it was a little disappointing (but thankfully not a big deal b/c I was so full) b/c they gave me a french meadow brownie, still in the package half melted b/c they nuked it in the microwave (in the package!? egads!). Now, I'm not complaining about the brownie part--dessert wise, gluten and dairy free leaves little options, but usually most chefs try to at least put it on a plate and cut it/doctor it up so it looks nice. This was all melted and still in the package! I mean literally the waitress just dumped it on the table like it was the most disgusting thing she had ever seen. Sighs...well, at least the rest of the buffet was excellent.

My very messy brownie--you can see the package is covered in chocolate from being nuked.

Had it not been for the less than stellar dessert attempt (and some amazing meals later in the trip--with chefs who REALLY went above and beyond) this would have been a 9 out of 10, but I give it a 7 out of 10 for lack of enthusiasm to accommodate food allergies if it is not on the buffet. I will say though that I've heard some really fantastic reviews from other people from food allergies overall, and the dessert really wasn't bad--just needed some better prep time and presentation. I'd definitely go again, and just prepare myself for a nuked brownie!

Wolfgang Puck Express -- Downtown Disney -- Counter Service

*This dining experience took place in October 2010.

I have been really quite hesitant to try any counter service restaurants at Downtown Disney because I haven't heard very good reviews. So, when my family needed to go to DTD to get t-shirts made at the Design A Tee store for Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party, I was not too thrilled about the prospects of eating there. However, I figured I'd give Wolgang Puck Express a try, figuring that out of most of the CS they might be able to accommodate me the easiest. So, we headed that way. Upon arrival, I notified the cashier of my allergies. He did not have a chef / manager come over, but he sure was a wealth of knowledge. He gave me 2 options for meals: 1) the Rotisserie chicken meal without the mashed potatoes but substituting a salad w/balsamic vinegar and oil on the side instead. Or, I could have the salmon, but I didn't really pay attention to what I could have with it, since I had already decided on the chicken. Because we were on the meal plan, I needed to know if there were any dessert options. The only option was fresh fruit (which was fine by me). The cashier was very nice, and he even gave me an extra fruit cup because he "felt bad" this was my dessert. I was actually fine with it b/c we were eating at Cape May Cafe that night (which is a buffet) and I didn't want anything too heavy.

Fruit cups--the pineapple and grapes were my favorite!

Once I placed my order the cashier did go over to the chefs and discuss it to make sure that what he suggested was correct, so I felt more confident with my choices after that. Now, I will say, the portions at this place are HUGE! I'm so glad I had a salad and fruit with it b/c the chicken was a pretty hefty portion. I also have to say that the chicken was very tasty. Moist and the skin was so flavorful (lots of rosemary, etc.). Overall, I think it was a good choice for DTD, and I would definitely go there again. 7 out of 10 for good food, friendly service--although I wish they had a chef/manager consult with me on this occasion. Overall, very good.

Look at the size of that chicken!

Kona Cafe -- Polynesian -- Table Service

Ah, breakfast at Kona Cafe....I dream about those Mickey Waffles from Kona on a regular basis. They are soooo good. I seriously can't believe they are gluten and dairy free. This trip ended up bringing not one but two breakfasts at Kona. The first was planned, as we had made ADRs for this months in advance, the second was a spur of the moment, made the ADR the night before because my brother wanted to treat us to breakfast. Fine by me! Both meals were great as usual. The second meal, the chef was Kristina (I believe that is her name) and she had waited on me in the past--she was the chef who gave me butter on the plate--eek! But she was very good this time and I had no problems. I so far have no desire to veer from the Big Kahuna meal--so that is what I got both times, along with Lilikoi juice! YUM! Another solid 9 out of 10 for being a consistently good breakfast and good service.

Me and my mom enjoying our Lilikoi juice!

Big Kahuna at our first breakfast...

And from our second breakfast....gotta love those Mickey Waffles!

Private Dining -- Bay Lake Tower -- Contemporary

After my fantastic dessert at the California Grill in February on my birthday, I was hoping to have the same dessert made for me this trip. I've been in contact with Brian from the bakery at the Contemporary who said that he could do this. We determined that the desserts would cost $15 a piece and that they would be delivered after 5 p.m. (I arranged this part through the Contemporary's private dining). However, there were a few snags that occurred. To begin with, the private dining person that I spoke with said that they would deliver the dessert in the room and put the desserts in the fridge for us, if we weren't in the room. But when we got back from dinner, we discovered that this hadn't happened. No dessert. So I called private dining, and they stated that they cannot deliver when a person isn't in the room (not true, I've ordered things before, including cakes that were delivered when we weren't there). They brought the desserts up, and the lady who did that informed me that they had to add chocolate b/c the sauce was running. UM, you added chocolate?! What kind of chocolate? I have food allergies! She felt really bad, and said she was pretty sure it was plain dark chocolate shavings, but that she would have to check. So, they left the dessert with me and then called me to let me know that the chocolate was dairy free. Pheww! Sigh of relief. I think what worried me the most was that they did not bother to check to see if there was a food allergy attached, which should have been clearly noted. However, I understand that they just received it from the bakery and were probably not in charge of it. All worked out in the end so that was good. Now to the dessert....it looked like what I ate before, but it was NOT what I ordered before. Totally different. It was one layer of very thin chocolate cake and dairy free chocolate mousse. Before the mousse was so flavorful and chocolatey--this was not so much. It was pretty bland and had a really weird texture. Overall, it was edible, but everyone in the family agreed it was not the same as the last one. I do appreciate the effort, but the dessert seemed very sloppily made and definitely not as much effort put in it as the last one. After this experience, I would probably just order the regular gluten free/dairy free cake instead of having a special dessert made. I'd give it a 4 out of 10, considering the confusion and taste of the dessert.

Dessert view #1

View #2

Rose and Crown Dining Room -- Epcot -- Table Service

Rose & Crown Pub--as you can see very busy from the Food & Wine Festival.
I would later get a hard cider from here--YUM!

*This dining experience took place in October 2010.

I have been wanting to try the Rose & Crown Pub for sometime now. So, this trip (for something different), we decided to try it out. I had seen on some of the sheets from special diets that there seemed to be a fair amount of choices that were not beef (I don't eat steak of any type and very rarely eat ground beef). I checked out the menus beforehand, and I was hoping to try some pork dish or fish. However, upon arrival, I saw that the menu had changed from what was posted on allearsnet.com and on Disney's official website (this gives the lesson that menus do constantly change, so it's important to be flexible and prepared that the options you think you might want may not be available when you dine there). No pork! I was a bit bummed, but began going over options with the chef. She said that most things could be modified (which is nice to hear) and that the Fisherman's stew was mainly gluten free (the menu describes it as having a tomato ale broth, but the ale is not beer, it's actually vermouth--which is generally considered safe/gluten free) they would just need to leave off the garlic crouton. She did offer to make a tapioca roll garlic bread for me, but since I don't usually consume yeast, I declined. (last trip I got REALLY rambunctious with the rolls and it was not a good idea). This was a very tasty dish. Not overly heavy or anything. I especially like the shrimp and scallops.

YUM!

They did say that they could bake the fish for fish and chips, but the fish stew sounded more exotic than baked fish to me (it was very flavorful). For dessert, the only real options I had were a french meadow brownie (of which I got PLENTY of on the trip) or sugar free raspberry sorbet. I went with the sorbet, which was quite tasty and very refreshing.

Raspberry Sorbet

Overall, I was pleased with the meal. The chef was very helpful and the waitress was great. Her mom is a celiac, so it was fabulous having someone who understood. Overall, I'd give this a 7 out of 10--solid meal and service.

Contempo Cafe -- Counter Service -- Lunch/Dinner

Staying at Bay Lake Tower, we had a great location and access to yummy restaurants and a decent counter service. Contempo Cafe is located in Disney's Contemporary Resort (which is connected by a walkway to Bay Lake Tower). It reflects a newer type of counter service, in that it has a non-traditional ordering system. There are kiosks set up for you to order your food. Admittedly, this was a bit confusing to try out. Our first day, we grabbed lunch here. I wasn't sure how it worked with allergies, so I found a CM who was working the food counter. They then got a chef for me. The chef then asked me what I wanted, and I mentioned that I was interested in the honey lime chicken sandwich they had. He said that without the bun and cheese, that this would be safe. He did offer me a tapioca bun, but I politely declined, as I tend to avoid yeast (It messes with my Crohn's disease). He said he could do a bed of lettuce with the chicken, which I was happy with. He also said their fries were used in a dedicated fryer. So, we went with that. He then said I had to order the item on the kiosk and then when I went to the cashier (who gave you a wait remote) to tell them that I had an allergy, so they could flag it. It was a bit confusing at first, but once I got the hang of this, I was able to figure it out when we ate there 3 more times. The honey lime chicken was fabulous! They also put salt and pepper on the fries which was a nice touch (and other times I ate there they did not do this).

Honey Lime Chicken with fries and a gluten free/dairy free Brownie (used a CS credit for this)

This was definitely a great meal. Overall, I'd give it a 7 out of 10--solid, but slightly confusing system.

Detroit Metro Airport -- Boar's Head Deli Meat

Perhaps the most difficult task when traveling, is making sure I can find places to eat or that I have safe forms of protein with me. It can be really difficult! Because I fly out of Detroit Metro to Orlando, I checked what places would be available in the McNamara terminal where we fly out of (we use Delta as our airline of choice). Lo and behold I found a Boar's Head Deli! Boar's Head deli meat is gluten free! Hurrah! So, I went to the counter that morning to see if they could just sell me the deli meat, sans bread. This really confused the people working there because they said they didn't know how to charge me. They decided to charge me for a sandwich--ouch! $9.00 for deli meat?! Well, they did give me two packs of turkey, which probably ended up being a pound or so of meat (so I guess the price was comparative). Overall, while I'd have like a lettuce wrap sandwich, this worked. Not the most ideal, but sure OK when you have no other options. I'd give it a 3 out of 10 for difficulty obtaining anything, without much discussion. A lot of work!

My oven roasted turkey. Nothing special.

October 2010 Trip -- WDW Wedding

Well folks, looks like I'll be heading to WDW in October for my brother's wedding. He and his fiancee decided that WDW was perfect for their nuptials. They are getting married at Sunset Pointe at Disney's Polynesian Resort. Afterwards, they'll be having a reception dinner at Kona Cafe. The great thing is, they are making sure that those with dietary restrictions are taken care of. They are going to make sure there is a safe dessert option for the cake cutting ceremony, as well as at dinner. I've had great experiences with breakfast at Kona Cafe, so I am sure that dinner will be just wonderful.

I'm thinking of staying at the Contemporary's Bay Lake Towers or some other DVC rooms because of the convenience with the kitchenette. In addition, it's nice and close transportation wise. I'd love to check out the Wave and Chef Mickey's GF/CF! Here's some restaurants the family has been talking about checking out:

• The Wave @ Disney's Contemporary
• 50's Prime Time Cafe @ Hollywood Studios
• The Rose and Crown @ Epcot
• Garden Grill @ Epcot
• Liberty Tree Tavern @ Magic Kingdom
• Chef Mickey's @ Disney's Contemporary

Of course, we are going to go to 'Ohana and Kona Cafe for sure. Breakfast at Kona is a must for me, as is dinner at 'Ohana.

I can't wait to start planning!
If anyone has any tips or reviews of these restaurants, I'd love to hear them!

Club Level--Wilderness Lodge

Let me begin by saying that I had high hopes for Club Level. I've stayed at AKL's club level and loved the experience, but this was also pre-dietary restrictions, so I knew this was a gamble. Here is a play by play of the pre-trip correspondence and during the trip experience.

Pre-trip Correspondence:
To begin with, the IPO (Itinerary Planning Office) staff were friendly enough, but I noticed a bit of difficulty in obtaining much information about my dietary restrictions and the lounge. I explained to them how important it was to know ahead of time what would be available at breakfast. I got the muffins, waffles, and whatever else the chefs prepare response. Well, fair enough. I guess they wouldn't know, but when I asked them to contact the chef, they never got through to them. I asked about specific items (like earth balance margarine) and they said I could buy it but they wouldn't guarantee it would be there. Sigh. I guess this means they aren't going to be any help. We did arrange for a 6 inch gluten free, dairy free (but had eggs and soy) chocolate birthday cake. I was told it was $29.50 (which I think I got charged less, but that is what they quoted) Overall, the staff wasn't really helpful with dietary restrictions or even contacting restaurants outside of my hotel (as far as directly asking specific questions to the chef) They did however, make notations on all of my meal reservations, so that was very good.

Club Level first-hand:
Well, I must warn you. This isn't a great review. I will say the concierge downstairs were more friendly and helpful than the CL staff were. And I'm not that picky. I just want people to be straight with me about what's available and not treat me like a leper or a huge burden. I'd love to have these people live one day in my dietary life and maybe they'd understand. From crimeny's sake...Red Robin can get it right with dietary restrictions why can't WDW's club level?! To begin with, in general, we found the CL staff to be very rude and in general not very friendly. Compared to the AKL CL staff this was a bit of a shock. When I arrived, I wanted to confirm the birthday cakes (one for me and one for my mom). They said they would check and call me, and they never did. I got the "I forgot" answer. Greeeeaaaat. Day 1, we didn't really look for any evening options, although I did get a French Meadow brownie from the staff. You have to ask the CL staff for them to get it for you. Boy, they didn't like having to get me one every day. And yes, I got one every day! I like those brownies and when it's the only option you have, well, you go with it.

The first breakfast, I was given 4 blueberry muffins. Uggg. Not good for my Crohn's. I don't digest blueberries well at all. I did try to eat a few of the muffins because I was really hungry, but I was surprised I didn't get much of anything else. I could have eaten fresh fruit, but didn't. I did talk to the CL staff and just explained that berries were rough on my stomach (specifically blueberries) and said something like a chocolate chip muffin would work or waffles. Well lo and behold the next day, I got chocolate muffins. Holy cow! These were like dessert brownies. Yikes. Not so great at 7:30 a.m. In fact, it was the only thing they gave me for the rest of the week. And they said I couldn't get anything else. Gee, thanks. I ended up getting food or snacks other places because of this.

Brownies..I mean muffins and tea. Quite the breakfast.

A couple of times, I was able to find some evening appetizer options that I thought would work. They had to call down to the chefs, which did not appear to make the CL staff too trilled. But, there were a few items that I thought would be OK, that weren't. So it pays to ask. Even if people aren't thrilled with you. It's your body, and it doesn't pay to be sick. And yes, it happens. I got sick later in the week. I still am not sure if it was Crohn's or cross contamination. I know that I get sick a lot with GF pasta, and I had it the night before I got sick, so maybe it was that. In any event, here were a few of the items I could eat:

Coffee rubbed, Ancho spiced Grilled Chicken

Ancho Chili Scallops Wrapped in Bacon...Very good!

There were also veggies and hummus. None of the other dips or soups seemed like I could eat them. It was a bit of a gamble as to what was up there, so some days I got food, other days I didn't.

Dessert was a no-go. There were never any options for me other than the French Meadow Brownies (which was the only afternoon option for me too...talk about brownie overload) Except one night, the night that I was sick, they made ANOTHER chocolate brownie dessert. This was actually very good, once I ate it the next night. It was brownies with a chocolate fudge frosting in the middle, covered in powdered sugar. I didn't pick it up, but my mom said the CL staff gave her a stern talking to as to why I didn't get it. Um, no one told me I had a dessert and I never had one the previous 5 nights! So why would I expect a dessert?! Sigh.

Chocolate brownies.

And back to the getting sick. I got sick and felt terrible. I spent a day in bed. Yuck. In the mean time, my mom decided that CL was so unhelpful, that she went to the concierge staff downstairs for help to get me protein shakes. I use them a lot when I'm sick, so I get some nutrition even if my stomach hurts. I drink Odwalla Vanilla Al'Mondo Non-dairy shakes. So, the concierge staff was very helpful. They arranged a van and got a runner to take my mom (free of charge) to the nearest Super Target (which is where I get them) to get me shakes. Sure enough, they found them and were able to get everything sorted. My mom then tried to get my birthday cake (which was to be delivered that day) delayed so I could sleep, but the CL staff somehow got that messed up, when she attempted to try that. Again, a reason to check with concierge not CL staff.

I'm feeling icky, but the mousekeeper brought me a bunny so I'd feel better! (true story!)

Birthday cake...gluten free and dairy free.

The logo is made of sugar, I called and asked.

I didn't end up eating the cake while at WDW, but we brought it home. Yes, strangely I took it in my carry on and didn't have it confiscated, guess it wasn't a threat! HOWEVER, I do want folks to know that I was sick most of the week after I got back on the days I ate this cake. I am guessing there was some sort of cross contamination in it. It was clearly GF, but in general, I felt a big icky. Perhaps I was recovering from being sick, but the items I had on other days didn't make me sick, only the cake days. So, it seems pretty likely there was an issue with the cake. But, I didn't get sick from my Contemporary dessert, so there are some safe dessert options. I'm not going to say for sure this was a cross contamination issue, but be mindful that this could happen.

Overall, I wish the CL staff would have been more friendly and less "put out" when it came to my dietary restrictions. I don't expect special treatment, but I don't like being made to feel like I'm a pain in the butt. Yes, I ask a lot of questions, but it's for safety reasons. I was happy with the few options when I had them, just wish the overall ambiance would have been more friendly. I would not recommend CL for people with dietary concerns. In fact, I would have rather just spent the extra money and had table service for breakfast every day. But, in general we enjoyed the Wilderness Lodge (love the hotel!) and would come back here, just not at CL. Perhaps other CL's are better equipped, but I would definitely hesitate to try it again.