Chef Mickey's -- Breakfast -- Table Service -- Contemporary
Wave your napkins in the air, it's Chef Mickey's!!
Ah Chef Mickey's...one of my long time favs, but I actually haven't been since going gluten and dairy free. I was looking forward to the breakfast and seeing what they had to offer. Since my tummy was still bugging me from the Crohn's, I figured I still needed to take it easy. But even stomach issues wouldn't stop me from those Mickey Waffles :)We were greeted by Chef Les, who was very nice. He was very helpful and friendly. He said that they don't use dairy on the eggs at the buffet, so I was able to eat those. I could also have fruit, breakfast potatoes, and the various breakfast meats. Since I wasn't feeling too well, I just asked for some Mickey waffles, which Chef Les was happy to make. They weren't bad, but I have to say, Kona Cafe has the market on the BEST gluten free/dairy free Mickey waffles on property (imo), so these were OK, but a bit chewy. Still, he made sure I had a plentiful amount and nicely decorated plate too!
Ah, Mickey waffles...my favorite!!
Narcoossee's -- Dinner -- Table Service -- Grand Floridian
Gorgeous views from Narcoossee's!
I was greeted by Chef Noah who was very nice. He asked what I was interested in and when I said that I wanted lobster, he said he could make something lobster based for an appetizer, and asked if I liked Asian inspired food (which I do!). For my entree, I chose a fish and lobster entree with a tomato saffron broth. We subbed out the pasta for rice, and the dish didn't need any other modifications. For dessert, he confirmed that they had a dessert plate for me. He also said he'd bring me some tapioca rolls.My appetizer arrived, and I have to say I was blown away. It was beyond amazing! It was a great Asian inspired salad with lobster, sesame oil and greens. It was divine. I scarfed it down! After this course, I was soooo excited for my entree.
Overall, I had really high hopes for this restaurant. It was ok. Hit or miss in my opinion. I'm not sure I'd do this again, as there are 2 TS credit restaurants that I find much better on property. Maybe in the future if the menu changes. Overall, a 6 out of 10 for the food, terrible service (I won't even get into the horrible server we had--she kind of killed the night by her attitude) and inconsistencies.
Grand Floridian Cafe -- Breakfast -- Table Service -- Grand Floridian
The Grand Floridian Cafe is nestled in the back of the Grand Floridian's main building. We thought it might be a nice calm breakfast as an alternative from the busy character meals, like 1900 Park Fare. It proved to be a lovely breakfast, with a very calm vibe. It was a nice leisurely meal.Upon arrival, we were greeted by the chef, who essentially asked me what I wanted. That day my Crohn's was flaring quite badly, so I wanted something very calm and mild. No bacon or sausage for me, even if I wanted them! I loved the idea of eggs Benedict, but obviously having hollaindaise sauce is out of the question. But I ended up deciding to get scrambled eggs, steamed asparagus, and potatoes. The chef told me they would have to make the potatoes from scratch b/c the regular breakfast potatoes were not safe, so it was going to take a while, which was fine. While waiting, we enjoyed a Tropical Splash juice, which was extremely good. Loved the strawberry on the side!
Beaches and Cream -- Table Service -- Beach Club
Ah, Beaches and Cream...I've been wanting to take a trip down nostalgia and head to this restaurant for a long time. I love that it doesn't take reservations and that it's tucked away at the Beach Club. It gives you that great sense of Disney history and tradition. However, I've been wary of eating there, thinking perhaps I wouldn't have many options. But, this burger joint proved me wrong! I hadn't seen so many "ice cream" options for gluten free/dairy free. I actually had choices!It was a dream come true and a visit that inspired me to visit again and again! A new must-do!To begin with, the decor at Beaches and Cream is fantastic! It's very small and takes no ADRs. My mom and I waited about 20 minutes to get a table. Most people come for the ice cream, but I encourage you to try the food. It's no frills good basic burgers and fries. It's just plain yummy. Upon being seated, we were greeted by Dolores our waitress. She quickly got the chef for me, who gave me several food options. First off, they could do burgers and chicken sandwiches with gluten free buns. I could also get fruit or fries. The fries they had to get from Hurricane Hannah's next door, as they do not have a dedicated fryer. This required a potential wait, and I was ok with that. I chose the chicken sandwich without the bun, as I am perfectly happy without the GF bun. (they aren't my favorite, and i'm used to bunless sandwiches)
What came out was quite tasty. My chicken was marinated in something that tasted like it had cumin and chili powder in it. My mom also had it (with the bun) and she said it was really good. I wanted a burger, but at the time my Crohn's was slightly flaring, and I knew the extra fat from the burger wouldn't be so good on my tummy. But, next time...i'm getting a burger! They looked and smelled awesome!!!For dessert, I was given the option of rice dream and tofutti, I believe. I got the vanilla tofutti with chocolate syrup and....peanut butter sauce!!!! This was the best part of the meal. I had been dying for something besides just boring chocolate. I had tons of options. I could have gotten the following toppings: Chocolate syrup (not fudge sauce), peanut butter sauce, sprinkles, marshmallows, strawberry topping, pineapple topping, and maraschino cherries. Essentially, I could have gotten a modified banana split, had I so desired to. There might have been a few other toppings, but I can't remember them off the top of my head.
When I got my sundae, I was beyond overjoyed. It was peanut butter sauce awesomness. I love peanut butter and rarely eat it, but this sauce was amazing!!! Between the chocolate syrup and this, it was the perfect combo. And you better believe, I scarfed it down!Overall, I can't say enough good things about Beaches and Cream. Sure the food itself isn't anything spectacular, but the ambiance and non-dairy ice cream offerings make it a must-do. Great fun and antics (watching people attempt to eat the kitchen sink is hilarious!) and good service for a fast-paced bustling 50's style diner!9 out of 10 for good service, food, and offerings. If you get the chance, definitely check it out! People with or without allergies will love it.
Sanaa -- Table Service -- AKL Kidani Village
Welcome to Sanaa!
We were greeted by our server Brenda, who was just fabulous. We had an amazing view of the Savannah, and the restaurant itself is just gorgeous. It feels serene here, and very quite. Brenda took our drink orders and then mentioned to us that Dennis Rodman happened to be in the bar (which is connected to the restaurant) that night and was causing quite a stir, so to not be surprised by it all. Sure enough, he was causing a bit of a commotion, playing bongos and greeting guests. Very funny. Luckily, we were quite a distance away and were able to still enjoy a nice, peaceful dinner.The chef arrived at our table and told me I had a lot of great options, that didn't need modifying. That I like! For an appetizer I chose the Mustard Seed Crusted Scallops with a coconut cream sauce. The only modification they needed to make for this was removing the addition of butter to finish the sauce (the sauce was just coconut milk). When they arrived, I was very pleasantly surprised. The scallops were so flavorful and huge! The sauce was a welcome addition, and really complimented the scallops. Overall, I would not hesitate to get this appetizer again. It was delicious!
Mango sorbet, Raspberry Mint sorbet and berries. In the background is Rooibos tea.
Flame Tree BBQ -- Lunch/Dinner -- Quick Service -- Animal Kingdom
Ahhh, Flame Tree...one of my favorites prior to allergies. The BBQ here is so fantastic. I'd heard some other folks with allergies say they had good luck at this place, plus it's listed on special diets information, so I thought we'd give this a whirl. Since we stayed at the AKL this trip, it was a quick stop for us on our first day heading into the parks. Upon arrival, I was greeted by a manager, who took me through the book they had on hand with ingredients and gave me suggestions. I really wanted the BBQ chicken and thankfully, it was safe! They did not consider the vinegar in the baked beans safe, so they said they were out. I was able to get the coleslaw. Because I couldn't get the beans, the manager said I could get either double coleslaw or grapes. I opted for the grapes, since I have Crohn's and the coleslaw was probably not going to be settling well or even completely eaten, so double coleslaw was NOT a good idea. (coleslaw is one of those foods that usually irritates me...not matter how good I'm feeling and sadly no matter how much I enjoy it!) For dessert, I had the option of the French Meadow brownie. All in all, it wasn't anything spectacular, but still filling and very good. My favorite part was the chicken, of course. It was moist and flavorful and had a wonderful rub on it. The coleslaw was also good. It had great flavor and a bit of a spicy bite to it! YUM!All in all, I'd give this one a solid 8 out of 10 for good food, good service and just overall a decent place to go. There aren't a ton of options, but if you like BBQ, it will satisfy your craving. And the place just smells wonderful!!!!
Fresh Mediterranean Cafe -- Breakfast -- Table Service -- Dolphin
Entrance to Fresh...
Another empty restaurant!This was our last morning on this short trip, because we stayed at the Boardwalk, we decided to go to Fresh over at the Dolphin. I'd heard good things about it, and wanted to check it out. Prior to my trip, as usual, I filled out my allergy form with the ADR for this place.Upon arrival, the waitress went to get the chef, before the chef came over, she mentioned that they had my form about being allergic to pork. Um, huh?! Then the chef came over and he was confused. I said I was gluten and dairy free and he said "what about the pork?" I was like, um, I eat pork. I'm not allergic to it. He and I were both very confused. He kept saying that my form said pork allergy and that he had made chicken sausage for me. I kept reiterating that no I was gluten and dairy. He said they could make me a gluten free dairy free waffle and also I could get an omelet and everything but the pork was safe...um, dude, I'm NOT allergic to pork. This was just getting weird. (they had asked my name in the beginning and he said it matched my name). Well, as I was getting my omelet (they used a clean pan and oil), he came out and showed me an allergy form for a Sarah...but no me. Evidently, he couldn't find my form and he saw Sarah and a reservation for the same time and assumed it was me. I suppose I could reason with that, but then he still brought me out the chicken sausage, to which I responded, "Are you going to have some for this other person when they show up?" He said yes, but to please eat it. So, I did. It was really good. Some kind of chicken and apple sausage.
Chicken sausage and omelet. All very good.The waffle he brought out was good (not as good as the Mickey waffles, but I'm biased!) and had lovely fresh fruit on it.
It was no Mickey waffle, but still good. Tasted like buckwheat.I also sampled the fresh juices they had--mixes of strawberry, orange, banana, ginger, etc. I believe it was their antioxidant blend. It was yummy! And they were making them to order, so it really was fresh. My omelet was fantastic...lots of great yummy ingredients--spinach, chicken, onions, bacon, ham, etc.Overall, despite the confusion, I really enjoyed this meal and wouldn't hesitate to go here again. 8 out of 10.
Fountainview Cafe -- Snack -- Epcot
Fountainview Cafe in Future World at Epcot
We checked out illuminations one night and I decided to see if any place at Epcot had tofutti or rice dream ice cream as options for a snack. I headed over to Fountainview Cafe and low and behold they had tofutti ice cream. They had chocolate and vanilla flavors. Unfortuantely, it ended up taking quite a while to get b/c the manager had to go to the basement to get the ice cream and then prepared it in a different area. I got a double scoop which counted as a snack credit, and holy cow, that was a lot of tofutti!! I couldn't quite finish it all, but it was very good (and I also think they gave me some really generous scoops too). 8 out of 10 for this place, but prepare yourself for a wait!
Watching the action at the ice cream shop...I was in a hurry so no pics of the actual ice cream!Aloha Isle -- Snack -- Magic Kingdom
On our last night, we headed to Magic Kingdom for EMH. My mom really wanted a dole whip (which I really miss b/c that was my favorite snack there), and I decided to get a pineapple spear. Holy moley! I thought it would be just a cut-up trimmed pineapple. I had no clue it was an actual still intact pineapple spear! It was messy but very good. My family made fun of me b/c I was so messy with the whole thing. A very nice snack and something different, if you tolerate or like pineapple (it's my favorite fruit, so I can eat it any day--and for some reason it doesn't mess with my crohn's). 8 out of 10 for this place!
Sorry for the bad picture, it was quite dark when I took it!
That was a huge pineapple spear!
Cape May Cafe -- Dinner -- Beach Club -- Table Service
Last trip, I had a really great time eating at Cape May Cafe for dinner. I happen to love seafood and this buffet does not disappoint for seafood lovers. On top of that, it's very gluten free/dairy free friendly. I was amazed by all of the choices that I had, except for the dessert option, which was a pretty poor attempt at a dessert--they literally threw a french meadow brownie in its plastic packaging in the microwave. Not so impressive. However, deciding to eat here on this trip, I had no expectations that I would get much more, so I really wanted to eat here for the main options.Upon arrival, the chef came out to greet me, and he was very friendly. This time, however, he did not take me around the buffet, so it was a good thing I was very familiar with it already. He discussed the safety of all of the salads and sauces. I mentioned that the chef the last time said that the tartar sauce was not safe, and I asked if she thought the eggs were dairy and therefore not safe. He also had to check on the safety of the pork loin marinade, so he came back and let me know that the tartar sauce and pork were safe. But let's face it, I was there for the seafood! I love the mussels, clams, and crab legs. Everything tastes so fresh. First course was all the mentioned steamed seafoods. YUM!
I ate so many crab legs on this trip...
More of my buffet choices...
Ice cream sandwich before assembled!As per usual, this was a great buffet choice for me. Very good food. But, I will say to always make sure you double check here, as the chefs haven't been as proactive about telling me information as other restaurants. Still a solid 7 out of 10 for this restaurant. A definite do again.
La Cantina de San Angel -- Counter Service -- Epcot
Ah, tacos at La Cantina. I fell in love with these last trip. Most everything here is gluten free and there is not a ton of dairy either. This is why I really love Mexican/Tex-Mex food. Yum! We headed here for lunch on our last full day. I got the tacos de pollo (chicken tacos) again, which came with tortilla chips and pico de gallo. It is important to note that the salsas by the condiment station are NOT gluten free, but the pico de gallo is safe.
2 orders of chicken tacos and 1 order of guacamole and chips--all gluten and dairy free!
For dessert, I got the lemon/lime paleta--the last time I got the coconut one and it had dairy in it. But since it was slower this time, I could see what the ingredients were in this one prior to ordering it. Here's a close-up of the ingredients:
Overall, another great counter service meal here. I so adore this place, and try to make a trip there now every chance I get!!! 8 out of 10 for great food!
Babycakes -- Downtown Disney
A view of the counter...I was soooo beyond excited when I heard that Babycakes was opening a bakery at DTD. I had long been a fan of this bakery. It was actually the first gluten free/dairy free cookbook that I bought after finding out I had food allergies (though not everything is GF in this cookbook, some recipes use spelt). So, naturally, I was ready to head over here and get lots of goodies. I emailed them ahead of time to see if it had any spelt items or if everything was GF/CF and it is. Hurrah! That meant I could eat ANYTHING I wanted from this bakery. I don't even recall another bakery where I've been able to do that. I wanted to get a birthday cake as well, to take home with me (well send home w/my mom and stepdad). I was not disappointed. Holy cow there were a lot of choices. Donuts, cupcakes, cookies, parfaits...lots of good stuff!
We got there right as they opened, and one thing I found interesting after talking to the lady working there (I think her name was Brandi) was that Babycakes, unlike their NYC location, makes things throughout the day, rather than all in the morning. So the counter wasn't so full yet b/c they were still making things and things were cooling.
Later in the day, this was fully stocked...
Donut counter. I sampled all of them!
Parfait
Cute packaging!
Lots of donuts and other goodies!
Red Velvet and Chocolate Mint...both fantastic!
Wolfgang Puck Express -- Downtown Disney -- Counter Service
Breakfast MenuBreakfast is always a nice treat. We were on the DDP this trip, and had not used our CS credits one day, so we decided to use it for breakfast. I had great luck with Wolfgang Puck Express at DTD for lunch on a previous trip, so I thought we'd try it for breakfast. Upon arrival, I asked if they could even make anything. The cashier went to the chefs to ask them what they could make. It was nice because we were the first people in the restaurant, so I didn't feel like I was backing up the line. The cashier told me they could do an omelet for me. I was able to get an omelet with bacon and onions in it. I also got fruit on the side (I had previously eaten the fruit cup there on my last trip, and it was nice and refreshing). The omelet was very good. I wish I could have gotten some other options in the omelet or some breakfast potatoes (my mom had potatoes w/her food, but it looked like it had cheese in it), but the waitstaff was nice, they offered to get me more fruit, though I politely declined, since I already had fruit.
The famous fruit cup
Bacon and onion omelet
50's Prime Time Cafe -- Hollywood Studios -- Table Service
Oh boy, do I love 50's Prime Time. I adore the gluten free/dairy free fried chicken and the greens. It's soooo tasty. I've been in contact with Chef Williere on the last trip and this one as well. I had arranged to have the chicken ready and they wanted to know if I wanted a special dessert (um, brownie sundae from the last time was A-OK by me). Chef Williere was also on duty, so he said he would try to catch up w/me. When we got there, I was greeted by Chef Albert, who looked at me like I was crazy and he had no idea about me arranging this ahead of time. (It takes a while to make the chicken, so if you get a hold of them ahead of time, you can have it ready pretty close to when you would get regular entrees). However, when I mentioned Chef Williere, he went to get him. Chef Williere apologized that they basically forgot it. But that he would take care of making sure Chef Albert got it done for us (we were not on his side of the restaurant). He also said he had sorbet for me for dessert (I really wanted chocolate, but it ended up being ok, b/c we had so much food). He asked if we were going to order appetizers and we said no. He said that the chicken would be a wait, so he said he would bring us appetizers on the house. This was so nice of him. He gave my mom and stepdad onion rings and crab cakes and the seafood salad for me. The seafood salad had a citrus vinagrette and it was fabulous. Very fresh tasting and lots of seafood. One of my favorite things on the trip.
Very delicious seafood salad appetizer.
Again, Chef Williere couldn't have been nicer about things. After eating my appetizer I ran to the restroom and when I came back, the waitstaff had brought out fried chicken, but it did NOT look like what I got the previous time and had gravy all over it. Ummmm, I don't think that is mine! I asked the waitress about it, and sure enough they brought me a regular dinner. Chef Albert came out with mine not too long after. Good thing, I checked!! Holy cow! That would have been bad for everyone! My entree was the fried chicken, dairy free mashed potatoes, and greens. Unfortunately, he didn't give me gravy this time, which was a bummer. The greens were also not cooked very well. But the potatoes and chicken were excellent, so it worked out ok. I was very full after that meal and the appetizer. I unfortunately forgot to take a picture of the entree, but if you check out my other blog post about 50's PT, you will see a tempting picture!
For dessert, they brought me out the strawberry sorbet, and that was pretty good. Next time, I will go for a sundae though!
A refreshing dessert after piggin out on fried chicken!
Overall, despite a few hiccups, it was still a great meal, and I wouldn't hesitate to go there again. Perhaps next time, I'll check in a few days before the meal to make sure they have the chicken order on hand b/c I could definitely tell a big difference from that. Overall a 8 out of 10 on this trip, but a 9 out of 10 in general for being a great allergy friendly place!
Cosmic Rays -- Counter Service -- Magic Kingdom
We hit up Cosmic Rays at Magic Kingdom for lunch. I had a fabulous manager help me out. I decided on the rotisserie chicken with green beans (which do not have dairy in them, but some kind of oil spray) and potato chips instead of mashed potatoes. I also got my first french meadow chocolate chip cookie. I have not seen them in the past, so I was thrilled to have them. I loooooveee FM chocolate chip cookies! My meal came out relatively quickly, and I was impressed by how they handled the allergy. Everything came straight out of the back and was not in any way cross contaminated with the food out front.
Very good rotisserie chicken, green beans, and chips.
I love these French Meadow cookies! A nice change from the FM brownies.Overall, the food was good. I liked the chicken and the beans. I ate the chips later, but scarfed the cookie down then! Yum! A solid 8 out of 10 for great service and a lot of food options.
Jiko -- Table Service -- Animal Kingdom Lodge
This used to be one of my favorite restaurants for allergies. My mom really wanted to go here for her birthday dinner, so I was more than happy to venture out to the AKL. Unfortunately, a series of unfortunate events began to occur through this meal, and I was very very sick by the end. Not good. To begin with our waiter was very argumentative. He did NOT want to get the chef. He wanted to tell me what I could and could not eat. *sighs* After insisting on talking to the chef, he huffed off and got him. Chef Josh was one of the youngest chefs I've encountered. He was friendly enough, but not as knowledgeable as he could have been. I asked about the dip sampler, which he said he would check all of the sauces for me (last time I had a marsala sauce that was not safe...we'll replay this in a minute) and bring pompadams. This was fine. As far as the entree, I really wanted the curry shrimp, which I had the last time and was good. However, he kept saying that coconut milk was dairy, which it's not. I was getting seriously confused. He offered me a vegetarian option and a fish option as well. I decided on the shrimp. The waiter came back and was very rude, he asked, "so do you feel better now?" which is a perfectly fine statement, but the tone was soooo rude. Then he brought out the dip sampler and gave me my own dips and my mom and stepdad theirs.
Dip sampler and pompadams...the one on the far left is the masala, which I gave to my mom. The far right is the one that made me sick and was horribly spicy.
However, I had the exact same dips as them. I asked what they were and the one was the masala dip (same as the time before) and I explained to the waiter that this one was NOT dairy free on the last trip, and was he sure this was right. He snapped at me and said that the chef checked and that it was fine. I took a couple of bites of it and ended up giving it to my mom b/c I was pretty sure there was dairy in it by the taste and my reaction to it. I ate a hummus and spinach one which seemed very good. Then I tried another one which was spicy and sweet. It did NOT go down well. I stopped eating it b/c I felt bad after I consumed it. Not good. I don't think it was necessarily allergic reaction but perhaps crohn's related. In any event, they bring out our entrees and my shrimp dish looks very concentrated--the sauce is very dark and no coconut milk is in it (how many times did I have to say coconut milk is not milk).
This entree looks pretty, but the taste was so concentrated and strong, that I couldn't eat it.
I took 3 bites and nearly got sick. It was the same sauce that made me sick previously...and worse, it had reduced b/c of how they simmered it. It was awful. Even my family said it tasted terrible. Now, I will say that I have never ever in my life sent something back. Never. Even if I didn't like it I would eat it. This was so bad and I felt so sick that I had to send it back. The waiter was really mad at me. I felt terrible too and apologized over and over. I really hated doing that. The chef then came out and he said he wasn't sure how it was going to taste b/c he omitted the coconut milk and that he thought it would be really intense. Um, ya think?! I decided to go w/the tilefish b/c it was supposed to be mild. It was. It was just a nice maize crusted fish with a light broth and plantains. A much better choice of entree.
Tilefish...much more mild, and tasted very good.
The chef was at least nice enough about it, but the waiter got madder and madder at us as the night progressed. He seemed irritated that we didn't order alcohol or any desserts, etc. The worst waiter I've had on Disney property ever. It was a bummer too b/c the meal could have been so nice, but the waiter brought everything down. I ate my fish, but I was really sick by the end of the meal. I felt terrible all around. Overall, it was a pretty unfortunate meal. I know that they have a new head chef there and that the menu has changed quite a bit, so I think it will be a long while before we head over there again. Overall a 4 out of 10 for bad service, lack of allergy knowledge and lackluster food.
Tusker House -- Table Service -- Animal Kingdom
Jambo from the Tusker House!
My stepdad really loves Donald Duck--he's his favorite character! So, we decided to do breakfast at Tusker House. I've had lunch there GF/CF and had a good experience there, so I knew breakfast would be great. After taking our picture with Donald we headed in for food! We were greeted by Chef Chris who was simply fantastic. We first talked about my allergies and then what options he would make in the back for me. He made me scrambled eggs b/c the ones on the buffet have dairy in them. He also asked if I wanted mickey waffles...um, did someone say mickey waffles?! Bring 'em on!! He also said he'd look in the back to see what GF pastries he had and if they were dairy free (he ended up not having anything, which was fine, I pigged out anyway!). Then he took me around the buffet to point out safe and not safe items. Fruit of course was safe, and I grabbed a lot of pineapple. Also, most of the meats were ok (bacon, sausage, ham, etc.) The yukon gold roasted potatoes were safe as well (and they were awesome). I also grabbed some rice.
Goodies from the buffet line...
Fruit!
Then Chef Chris came out with more food. Holy moley!!! He must have made 6 eggs. It was a huge plate.
That's a lot of scambled eggs!
Then the Mickey Waffles were crazy. Four big waffles with syrup and Earth Balance butter!! hurrah!!!
Mickey waffles galore!
Boy, did I go crazy on the waffles. I scarfed them down and ate about 1/2 of the eggs and then went back up to the buffet for more ham and potatoes. Add Jungle Juice on top of it, and I was one stuff girl. It was all so good though, I couldn't help but eat a lot! Chef Chris even gave me cookies for the road (Enjoy Life brand). Talk about great service!
Cookies for the road!
This was another restaurant were the chefs just went above and beyond. Another 9 out of 10, for simply great service and food. And yes, I will definitely be back!
Garden Grill -- Table Service -- Epcot
This was our first time at the Garden Grill, and I have been wanting to dine there for years. Boy, we have been missing out!!! This is one of my new favorite places. It was soooo good. First of all, it's got great character interaction (yes, I got lots of pics with the characters) and it is such a nice calm environment. I love going around the Land! Upon arrival, we were greeted with menus and also birthday cards. How nice! Last year, we didn't really get anything special on our birthday trip, so we were quite surprised this trip (we got a LOT of great birthday meal experiences). Chef Tom came out and talked to me about the dietary restrictions. He was very helpful. I was able to get a lot of the regular offerings, though some slightly modified. First up were the Energ-G rolls (I had brought my Earth Balance margarine but forgot it at the hotel room! This restaurant did not have any on hand) and a garden salad. They made one big salad for all of us, with the dressings on the side (and no croutons). I had oil and vinegar for mine. This was an excellent salad too--very fresh and lots of yummy add-ins to it (bacon, egg, tomato, cucumber). I usually have to take it easy with the salad, but I admit, I scarfed a lot of it down.
Garden Salad...YUM!
Ener-G tapioca rolls
For my main plate, Chef Tom brought me crushed garlic potatoes, turkey, plain grilled fish with sauteed fresh veggies. I could have also had the steak, but I do not eat steak at all. I would be really sick if I did. It was all very good. Actually, it was one of my favorite meals of the trip. The veggies were nice and soft and so flavorful, and I ate a lot of them. The fish was mahi-mahi, and very tasty. They even gave me gluten free gravy on the side for the turkey and mashed potatoes, which was nice. I was very full by the end of the meal!!!
Main course: Garlic crushed potatoes, GF gravy, turkey, grilled mahi-mahi, and sauteed veggies...one of my favorite meals of this trip!
Dessert options were limited, but I had my standby brownie, which is always very good.
Birthday brownie! The waiter sang to us!
Chef Tom was so accommodating and very helpful. He even came by later to check in and see how the food was. Overall, I cannot say enough nice things about this restaurant. Both the food and service were impeccable. I give this a 9 out of 10 (only because of the dessert option). My mom and stepdad said the food they had was also extremely good, and we all liked it so much I switched ADRs for my April/May trip to add in this restaurant again. Loved, loved, loved it!! 
Tangierine Cafe -- Counter Service
Meatballs and rice platter at Tangierine Cafe
On our first day, we decided to head to Epcot for a quick bite to eat before dinner at the Garden Grill. We had decided to try Tangierine Cafe, since a lot of Mediterranean food seems GF and we had a very enjoyable meal at Restaurant Marrakesh previously. I'd also seen some good GF reviews on it. Unfortunately, this one turned out to be a bust. They had an allergy book out, and the chef came out to see me, but he told me the only options I had gluten free and dairy free were 1) Meatball platter served with yellow rice and 2) Vegetable Platter minus a lot of the items. He did not seem too thrilled to modify anything, so I decided to go w/the meatball platter and gamble on the meatballs, since I normally don't eat ground beef or ground lamb. I also discovered they had no dessert option (we were on the DDP this trip). I got the baklava and gave it to my mom. The meatballs themselves tasted ok, but slightly greasy for me. The rice had corn in it, and I picked around it, since I have problems digesting it. Otherwise, it tasted ok, but wasn't anything special.
I think I will stick with the TS on this one, rather than the CS. I'd give it a 5 out of 10 for lack of options, no dessert, and lackluster service.
Coral Reef -- Table Service -- Epcot
Our last meal of the trip was at Coral Reef in Epcot. On the previous trip, we had a reservation here, but unfortunately, I got really sick that day and was unable to go. This trip, we decided to go try again. I've never eaten at this restaurant, so I was excited to see the decor and try the food.
Upon arrival, we were greeted by the server who then brought out the chef. He gave me a few options, and I settled on the Mahi Mahi with a coconut milk sauce. I asked for the hearts of palm to be removed because I react badly to them for some reason. For dessert, they had a mango sorbet (which sounded interesting). I was offered the Energ-G rolls, but I politely declined (I avoid yeast, and only eat them on rare occasions).
The entree was very good. Nice and mild, but full of flavor. The mahi mahi was cooked perfectly and the sauce was yummy. The sauces were on the side, which is nice (although I ended up pouring it all over my fish!)
Mahi Mahi with shrimp and a coconut lime sauce
Mango sorbet