Trail's End -- Lunch -- Table Service -- Fort Wilderness

*This dining experience took place in November 2013.

 Howdy folks! This was my first time visiting Fort Wilderness (can you believe it?!), and I've been long wanting to visit Trail's End Restaurant. I've heard a lot of mixed reviews on special diets offerings but consistently I've heard that it's a very affordable restaurant with hearty fare. On this particular occasion, my family and I headed to Trail's End for lunch where the menu is a la carte.For those who might not be as familiar with Fort Wilderness Campground, it is comprised of cabins which guests can stay in, as well as locations for folks to bring in their campers & RVs. It really has a nice rustic feel to it, and truly encompasses that "camp" feeling. I felt a little bit like I was back at summer camp! Since our family had never been, we really want to explore as well as eat our meal. So, we made sure to hit the Settlement Trading Post across the way on our way out after lunch. We also just meandered a bit and looked at the grounds. It really does feel like you're totally removed from Disney property, which is kind of a neat thing for this resort! I'm so hoping to go check out the evening campfire now & maybe even the holiday sleigh rides!But back to lunch! Meals served at Trail's End are buffet all-you-care-to-eat for both breakfast and dinner, but lunch is a la carte. The fare is a bit rustic inspired - yes, there are s'mores on the menu! It also has a bit of a BBQ & Southern feel to it (they have Shrimp & Grits on the menu & Po' Boys). I was really curious to see how they handled special diets.

Inside of Trail's End - Yep, it feels like summer camp!

We checked into the restaurant and were seated within about five minutes. We didn't have much time to sit on the porch, but they did have checkers & rocking chairs (a bit like you would see at Cracker Barrel). That seemed like a great place to sit and relax. Once we got inside, we could definitely see the rustic theme continuing. I loved the wooden slats in the chairs and the overall campground cantina or mess hall feel. Breakfast was just finishing up, and we could see a lot of people still enjoying that. I have to say, the decor was rather charming, as were the cast member uniforms. They all had on jeans and blue shirts with bolo ties. Now, in general, I think bolo ties are a little bit outdated but they really did fit in here!

 Our waiter Ken took our drink orders and then notified the chef. One thing I really loved about the drinks -- Masons Jars!!! I really miss these from Whispering Canyon Cafe. The fact that they still have these makes me excited. And yes, it totally fits the theme of this location.

Yes, it's only water, but it's in a Mason Jar by golly!

Once the chef came out he went over the menu. I had to keep reminding him that I was gluten free AND dairy free, not just gluten free but it seemed like I had a good amount of choices. He didn't tell me there were any safe appetizers (now I hear they can make or get gluten free bread. I know Hoop Dee Doo Review usually has Babycakes on hand, though this may have changed). Some of the options he said were safe:

• Salad with Fresh Berries and Grilled Chicken Breast (minus the blue cheese)
• BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich (on a GF/DF bun)
• Angus Chuck Cheeseburger (on a GF/DF bun)
• Shrimp & Grits (ONLY GF)
• Chicken & Waffles (served with grilled chicken instead of fried chicken, allergy friendly waffles--I have heard reports that it may be possible to get fried chicken GF but only at opening if the fryer hasn't been used--this was not offered to me, and I really wasn't up for fried chicken, but it would be nice to know if this is still the case)

Nothing was really standing out to me, except one thing...candied bacon. Yep, you read that right. Candied bacon. Non-meat eaters, I'm sorry I'm going to go on a shameless rant about bacon. I love good, thick cut and flavorful bacon and this one sounded sooo intriguing. The only problem is that it was topping the cheeseburger, and I don't really eat beef (maybe a burger a few times out of the year but that's it), so I really didn't want the burger. I asked if they could make a grilled chicken sandwich instead and top it with the bacon. The chef said he could, and this made me really excited! And it was totally worth ordering. I also was able to get their french fries. Their house fries are a blend of sweet potato & regular fries which is actually one of my favorite fry combos! If you've read one of my lunch reviews from Kona Cafe (see one HERE), you'll see I have actually asked for that combo before!

Chicken Sandwich with that glorious candied bacon - minus my fries. Don't worry I got a ton of them!

First up came the sandwich. I guess they had to make my fries separately in a dedicated fryer (or a pot, not sure) so mine were taking a bit. They wanted to make sure I got my sandwich though first. The bun they served was Udi's, which I prefer as far as the buns served on property. It's nice and thick and works just perfectly for a hearty sandwich. The chicken itself was grilled but had been marinated in some herbs. It was quite flavorful and the grill flavor, of course, is very nice. I asked for mayonnaise to top my sandwich is about the only accompaniment I felt I needed with the bacon & chicken. The red onion & lettuce also worked well as accompaniments. I ate the pickles on the side -- they were sweet, bread & butter pickles and I'm not sure I would have wanted them with the sandwich. Then, there was the bacon....can this post be an ode to candied bacon? (I think it already is!) This bacon was the BEST! It was thick cut first off, which was very good. As you've heard me mention many times, I like the thicker meatier bacon versus the stringier cafeteria style bacon. This was a really nice meaty bacon. Candied bacon is usually made with brown sugar and that's exactly what this tasted like. My mom makes these chicken bite appetizers made with chicken, brown sugar, chili powder and bacon and it so reminded me of that! The amount of bacon to sandwich ratio was quite generous.

That's a lot of fries!

Now, when my fries came out, I couldn't believe the portion size. Yikes! That was a lot of fries. I really liked how they were mixed together and really well seasoned. They had some sort of house seasoning on them that was salt, pepper, and likely some garlic or onion powder maybe. They were really good & piping hot. The sweet potato fries weren't too soggy, which can be really tricky. The only thing that might have made them better? The curry mango mayonnaise from Kona Cafe...Ok, I know that's not happening! But it sounds good to me!My family ordered the Po' Boy & BBQ Pork Sandwich and both seemed to like it. My mom says her favorite BBQ pork is still Flame Tree but that this was her second pick for that sandwich. My step-dad like the Po' Boy a lot too.Overall, I thought the restaurant itself was charming. The breakfast buffet from what I could see looked pretty basic but not terrible. We really enjoyed the lunch. The restaurant was very slow when we were there and it was a welcome treat to have such a calm & quite restaurant on property! We all agreed we would definitely come back for lunch again. I thought the lunch menu was quite good for meat eaters, vegetarians & vegans would have a hard time I think.

 Rating wise, I would give this a solid 7 out of 8. I almost bumped it to an 8 solely for the candied bacon but I think a 7 is a solid rating for good service, decent gluten free & dairy free menu offerings and quality of the entrees. We'll definitely go back again for lunch. I'm quite convinced I will be ordering candied bacon every time I go (even for breakfast!)Have you been to Trail's End? What do you think of this table service location?

Kona Cafe -- Breakfast -- Table Service -- Polynesian

*This dining experience took place in November 2013.

Modified Big Kahuna

This is just a brief review of my breakfast at Kona Cafe in Disney's Polynesian Resort. I recently visited with blog reader Laurie & her family. It was awesome to catch up with them and also to grab a great breakfast with others who have a special diet. Laurie is gluten free and her daughter is dairy free.Upon arrival, we were greeted by Chef Johnny who I know quite well from my ridiculous amounts of visits to Kona Cafe! He took Laurie & her daughter's orders (Laurie got breakfast potatoes & sausage and her daughter ordered allergy Mickey waffles) - I, of course, go the Big Kahuna modified, as usual. I asked for extra ham instead of the sausage and scrambled eggs. And, since I was running the Jingle Jungle 5K the next morning I was ready to carb it up!This was really good, as usual. The allergy Mickey waffles were nice and crisp and very tasty. I always enjoy the ones that are made here (and also served at Ohana--they use the same waffle maker!).Overall, I'd give this a solid 8 out of 10 for this meal. Definitely one of my favorites made even better by my visit with Laurie & her family!Have you been to Kona Cafe for breakfast? What's your favorite breakfast dish to order there?

Boma -- Breakfast -- Table Service -- Animal Kingdom Lodge Jambo House

*This dining experience took place in November 2013.

Boma: Flavors of Afirca located in Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge - Jambo House - is probably one of my most favorite breakfast buffets on property. With African inspired cuisine, Boma offers traditional breakfast offerings and dishes with a twist. Not surprisingly, this location can also easily accommodate guests with special diets offering options like allergy Mickey waffles, custom omelets, and more.On this particular visit, I was celebrating the completion of the Jingle Jungle 5K at Disney's Animal Kingdom. This runDisney race took place early that morning, and I wanted to celebrate my race accomplishment with a nice hearty breakfast. My family happened to be staying at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge - Kidani Village, and this seemed like the perfect place to celebrate! I can tell you that many other guests also decided to visit Boma too to celebrate because it was packed and also packed with fellow racers!Our server let us know that the chef would be coming out to greet me, and based on her description, I assumed it was Chef Chris whom I've met a lot at Boma; however, I was greeted by Chef Vickie who was also helping out that morning (I did see Chef Chris in the kitchen though). She took me through the buffet and showed me the items that were safe. These included: grilled asparagus (my favorite), chakalaka, grilled tomatoes (no pap this time--they used butter in it that day! boo!!), carved ham, quinoa, custom omelets, breakfast potatoes, bacon and sausage, and fruit. In addition, they can usually make whatever your heart's content is in the back, and that morning I asked for: Allergy Friendly Mickey Waffles, Custom omelet with ham & onions, and breakfast pastries that are GF/DF (they typically carry Udi's and Kinnikinnick on hand).While Chef Vickie was preparing my dishes in the back, I ran the buffet for the few safe items I was interested in. Boy, the buffet line was huge! I snagged: grilled asparagus, ham, quinoa, breakfast potatoes, bacon, and fruit. I also got to enjoy the Jungle Juice which is the fruit juice they serve at the buffet. It's pretty sweet and not something I'd normally drink every morning, but it really hit the spot post-race! It's a mix of orange juice, passion fruit juice, and mango juice! Yum!

View of the Boma buffet pods

 First up was the buffet options. I adore and I mean adore the grilled asparagus. It is so good. Even when it's not the most seasonal asparagus, it's still delicious. The open oak grilled fires really impart a lovely grill flavor. I always make sure to grab a bunch of the asparagus. The ham was also really good, though the piece I had was a wee bit fatty. The breakfast potatoes were really well seasoned that morning which was good because they have been a little under-seasoned in the past. The bacon was just the same old stringy Disney bacon.

 I also really enjoy the hot quinoa, especially with some brown sugar and raisins. In case of cross contamination, ask for brown sugar and raisins from the back as this pod also contains oatmeal which is not gluten free.

 I also really enjoy the fruit at Boma. For some reason their pineapple is some of the best on property. It's a hands down must for me whenever I visit.

 Now up for the items made in the back. The first was my omelet and Mickey waffles. The omelets at Boma are always really good. I very much like the ham that they use in the omelet--it's minced extra fine and so you get ham in every bite! This time the onions were really not finely chopped at all (which they usually are), so it was a little onion heavy. Otherwise though, great as usual. Now the waffles are good here -- not as good as Kona or Kouzzina but good. I asked for Earth Balance but I did not get served Earth Balance. We tasted it (yes, the whole table test-tasted it) and determined it was some type of margarine (my guess is smart balance--which is supposed to be dairy free now). I actually skipped this one and just ate the waffles smothered in syrup. Nothing wrong with that!!

Kinnikinnick Donuts & Muffins - my favorites!

Next up were my favorite breakfast pastries -- the Kinnikinnick muffins & donuts. I rarely get the chocolate chip muffins these days, and I was soooo beyond excited that they brought out the chocolate chip muffin. I also really like the cinnamon sugar donut and the glazed donut!Let's just say I totally pigged out at this breakfast! It ended up being my meal of the day! As you can see, I got a lot of great breakfast options and many of them were prepared in the back to ensure safety and minimized cross contamination risks. It was great to really celebrate my race accomplishments at this location and especially with fellow racers.Overall, I'd give this a solid 8 out of 10 for this visit. Our server was a bit non-existent which was a bit of a bummer and the crowds were higher than normal but overall, it was a terrific meal -- one I wouldn't hesitate to go back to for breakfast again. It's also a fairly reasonably priced buffet - $18.99 (character breakfast are typically around $23.99 or more!) and I definitely ate a lot of food! A great post-race choice!

Liberty Tree Tavern -- Dinner -- Table Service -- Magic Kingdom

*This dining experience took place in September 2013.

Hear ye, Hear ye! Liberty Tree Tavern located in Disney's Magic Kingdom provides traditional American fare in a colonial setting. With a rustic setting, you'll feel like you've settled into colonial New England. One of the terrific things about this location is that gluten free & dairy free diners can enjoy a Pilgrim's Feast of their own complete with gluten free gravy and dairy free mashed potatoes.On this particular visit, I was attending the 2013 Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party, and our tradition involves eating at Liberty Tree Tavern. For us, it's convenient for the party (our family always makes an early dinner reservation, so we have plenty of time to enjoy MNSSHP) and filling. In fact, it's my family's go-to spot for both the Halloween party & Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party. It's also a terrific location for Thanksgiving celebrations.Our server said he was very familiar with GF/DF guests and that the chef would come out to assist. We did have a rather lengthy wait, and during that time our server brought over salad and said, "I know this is safe, so I'm bringing it to the table." Now, Disney protocol does typically mean that the servers do not bring over food until a chef has cleared it. This guy seemed a wee bit bossy about the whole thing, and I just smiled & waited for the chef. I was pretty confident that they had not changed the salad dressing and that it would be safe, but I like to play it safe and wait to confirm with the chef. Once the chef came out, he did confirm that it was indeed safe. He also told me that they had the dairy free mashed potatoes ready, as well as the gluten free gravy. Our table actually asked for only gluten free gravy because they prefer it over the glutenous version! Chalk one up for GF gravy! He also said they had a variety of seasonal vegetables which they would also bring over.

GNI Brand rolls with Earth Balance

First up, though were the salads and the GNI brand rolls. The rolls were heated fairly properly, so they weren't bad. Of course, I smother them in Earth Balance & dip them in gravy. I'm fairly convinced the gravy would make anything taste good! But, really, these weren't bad at all.

Salad with strawberry vinaigrette

I have to say that the strawberry vinaigrette dressing here used to be amazing. It's really declined in quality over the past few years--primarily seasoning and flavor-wise. It seems like the strawberry is very muted now and the flavors are just very bland. I wish they would just brighten this dressing back up to where it used to be.

Gluten free gravy

The gravy, of course, is the hit of the table. It's great topped on dairy free mashed potatoes and even the turkey. For me, it's the big winner in this meal. I like the dairy free mashed potatoes, but they always seem to lack salt. The gravy does wonders for it!

 In terms of offerings, gluten free & dairy free diners get the dairy free mashed potatoes, steamed green beans, seasonal vegetables (more on that in a minute), and roast pork, roast turkey, and roast beef. I don't eat the beef, but it does always seem a little rare and usually is the least eaten thing at our table. The roast pork is not bad - this version had a slightly rosemary seasoned taste to it - though I have to say I do miss the ham. The roast turkey breast is the big winner at our table as always, and it is very moist and flavorful.

 And now onto those seasonal veggies. I've been saying how most of the meal was under-seasoned, well this was the one exception. It was totally and utterly over-seasoned. Really salty and weirdly seasoned with some sort of almost Italian seasonings. It didn't match the flavor profiles of any of the other components to the deal and was almost aggressively in its flavor. And I was so disappointed too because I adore squash and zucchini and had had an amazing version at a prior visit in the fall 2012. This was not my favorite. I'd like to see the simple sauteed version of this again. I also have to say Liberty Tree has a penchant for odd sides. The last visit, they had broccoli rabe with the meal. Broccoli rabe?! Totally doesn't fit the theme! I'll give the chefs kudos for branching out but not so much on the execution of these dishes.

 Dessert at Liberty Tree is always raspberry sorbet with fresh fruit for me. I don't hate it, and I actually don't mind it at the end of this meal because I'm always usually really full. But just once, in a dream world, I'd love to have a GF/DF cranberry Johnny Appleseed Cake!Overall, I'd give this experience a 7 out of 10. While it has some nice offerings for GF/DF diners, there are a few things I'd love to see improved upon. Of course, it will always remain our holiday tradition at Disney but I do hope that they can work to make the options here just a little more special. That gluten free gravy though is the hands down winner of the meal!

Sommerfest -- Quick Service -- Lunch/Dinner -- World Showcase

*This dining experience took place in October 2013.

 Just a brief updated review from Sommerfest located in the Germany pavilion in Epcot. I had a strange craving for a bratwurst with sauerkraut recently and decided to pop by the pavilion for a quick bite. I've sort of been craving German food ever since I made ADRs for Biergarten for December 2 (Candelight Processional dinner package - I can't wait to see Neil Patrick Harris rock it this year...LEGEND...wait for it...DARY!). Thanks to Adam & Andrew from the Disney Hipsters who told me that they have terrific vegetarian options, now I'm dying to try this place out. Plus, they have an Oompah band! That may be more legendary than CP (sorry Neil!). But, I digress...I headed over to Sommerfest for a bratwurst mostly because I could get one on an Udi's bun, which I really like. It's not vegan but it is gluten free & dairy free and it tastes yummy! When I got to the kiosk, I almost asked if the new Currywurst menu item was gluten free, but it was a very very busy Food & Wine Festival evening, so I decided to just go with my standard bratwurst order. On this occasion, I told the cast member that I wanted the bratwurst with the gluten free & dairy free bun, and she told another CM who was in the small kitchen. The last time I went they radioed a chef and they brought out the bun. This time it seemed that they had them on hand in a separate section of the kitchen. Interesting. And even more interesting was that it wasn't Udi's! It looked like Ener-G rolls or something similar because it didn't look at all like the GNI rolls I'd had in the past. *Later it was confirmed that it was an Ener-G bun.

New buns

I've been hearing some rumors percolating that there are new rolls/buns in the mix lately and some say that they are not GNI or Udi's but possibly the OMG It's Gluten Free Brand and that they still contain egg. I've not heard anything first-hand myself, but this was definitely a bun I hadn't had before. (Interesting side note, though I found out it was Ener-G and I've had lots of Ener-G rolls & bread, I've never had the buns! So funny how that happens right?)One big problem was that it was not heated really at all. So it was really crumbly and dry. It was also kind of styrofoamy and hard to chew. I ended up just getting a fork and eating the sauerkraut and bratwurst on its own because the bun was kind of difficult in general. As far as the brat goes, it was quite good. I still like it because it's really mild and doesn't seem to upset my stomach too much.Overall, I'd give this particular experience a 6 out of 10--mostly because the bun wasn't the greatest. I will try to find out if that Currywurst is GF because that sauce sounds & looks amazing (I'm a sucker for all things curry!).Have you noticed new rolls/buns/bread in the parks?

Kouzzina -- Breakfast -- Table Service -- Boardwalk

*These dining experiences took place in October 2013. This is a compilation of two meal reviews for Kouzzina breakfast. One includes a gluten free, dairy free, and soy free review in addition to my gluten free & dairy free review.

Allergy Mickey waffles with pecans!

Kouzzina offers guests a taste of the Mediterranean with an emphasis on Greek cuisine. Breakfast options continue this theme with various dishes that include peppers and feta cheese among other ingredients. And while cheese is a no-go zone for me, there are plenty of gluten free & dairy free items from which I can choose from.On the first visit I went to recently, I went with a friend who is gluten free, dairy free, and soy free. He came in for a visit (he used to live in MCO but moved back to Chicago) and he was craving Kouzzina. Of course, I never turn down a breakfast that includes allergy friendly Mickey waffles and good ones at that.Chef Paul took care of us on this particular visit and my friend decided to get the allergy friendly Mickey waffles and an omelet with sausage and bacon in it. They use extra virgin olive oil for their eggs at Kouzzina, and he said the omelet was really good.

Omelet with sausage and bacon in it

I actually decided not to get the allergy friendly Mickey waffles and got just the turkey sweet potato hash. I have a serious turkey hash obsession lately. I also got the Udi's toast with Earth Balance vegan margarine. After getting my entree, I noticed that the sweet potatoes weren't cooked as well as they normally are and the hash itself had been overcooked a little--there was a little bit of burnt on the bottom. And the eggs were beyond hard poached. Yikes! Still, it wasn't terrible enough that I wouldn't eat it or would send it back. It was the first time I've ever had that happen, and I will chalk it up to a busy day in the kitchen. In my second visit, I didn't have this problem.

Toast that was not very toasty! Still good though!

Turkey sweet potato hash

Which brings us to visit #2. This time I was with my family and we decided to get breakfast again. We were staying at the Boardwalk for the Special Diets Dessert Party weekend and it was a great convenient way to get a meal.Chef Paul was on duty again this time and I decided this time to get the allergy friendly Mickey waffles (you know I couldn't go too many visits without them) and with the American with scrambled eggs, bacon and Udi's toast with Earth Balance.

Happy little Mickeys!

The only sort of hiccup I had at this meal is that I accidentally got served real butter. I didn't realize it until I spread some on my toast and thought it looked different (my own fault I didn't realize it earlier but I was tired!) - I took one small bite to see and thought it was butter. I then gave it to my parents who also confirmed it was indeed butter. Chef Paul did come out and profusely apologize for the mistake--he said he was trying to make sure that I got all the other components on his dish that this slipped through. I will say that these things do happen, but it is a reminder that you need to be vigilant when it comes to your dietary needs and food allergies! Even places you go to all the time can make a mistake here and there. Kitchens are busy places, and we just have to really try to be diligent consumers! I'm lucky it was just a piece of bread wasted and that I didn't get sick!

Pecans, Honey, Maple Syrup and BUTTER (not Earth Balance)

Much more toasty this time around!

American - scrambled eggs, bacon and potatoes

Overall, I was pretty pleased with my second breakfast. Despite the slight dairy issue, everything this time was well cooked and tasty. I might switch things up again and try the breakfast skillet next time or even an omelet, but it's nice to know that this entree continues to be one of my favorite easy breakfasts at Kouzzina.I'd give my first visit a 6 due to some spotty food and a poor service experience (with our server not the chef). My second visit I would give a 7, despite the dairy being brought to my table--primarily because the food otherwise was delicious and well cooked.Kouzzina continues to be a standard favorite for me for breakfast, and I'm looking forward to my next visit and trying something new!Have you been to Kouzzina for breakfast? What's your favorite breakfast dish?

Lotus Blossom Cafe -- Lunch/Dinner -- Quick Service -- Epcot -- World Showcase

*This dining experience took place in October 2013.

The China pavilion in Epcot provides a taste of Chinese cuisine. Lotus Blossom Cafe, the quick service location, serves fare such as orange chicken and shrimp fried rice. While its offerings are fairly limited for guests with special diets, I was able to order one item off the menu.Visiting this location was a whim really. I was craving some kind of Asian food, and while we initially thought about going to Sunshine Seasons, my brother and I decided to explore the World Showcase which led us to Lotus Blossom Cafe. I knew from Adam & Andrew from the Disney Hipsters that the Hong Kong Style Vegetable Curry over Rice was not vegetarian (bummer), and I honestly didn't expect there to be any options that were gluten & dairy free. Lotus Blossom Cafe does not at all seem particularly authentic, so I figured I'd be batting a thousand at this location.When I asked the cast member at the order stations, she said that she would get the manager. The manager came out and I told him what my special dietary needs were. Basically, he said there was one gluten free & dairy free option (and not vegetarian or vegan) which was the Shrimp fried rice without the egg roll and without the spicy cabbage which accompanied it. He said that they could add a fountain drink or a bottle of water with it at no charge. So, I decided to try the shrimp fried rice with the water.I will say that it came out really quickly, so they must have this ready to go on hand (the shrimp fried rice, in general). My brother ordered the same thing but with the egg roll and it also came out really quickly.

Ordering inside Lotus Blossom. It was really quiet in here.

In terms of taste, the shrimp fried rice was really bland. It reminded me a bit of the kind of Chinese food you get in the mall--which I admit, I sometimes crave as a GF/DF diner but obviously can never eat. It wasn't terrible but it wasn't good either. It was just boring and bland. Now in terms of portion, I will say it was quite large given the price $9 and I was full by the time I was done but not necessarily satisfied.

Shrimp fried rice

Would I eat here again? Probably not. 1) There are really no options for me other than the fried rice and I also still can't believe they don't have one vegetarian option! 2) The food really wasn't very good. I will say the manager was really nice but that doesn't make up for the lack of food options here. Overall, I'd probably give this a 3 out of 10 for the fact that the options really don't exist in this location and what I did get wasn't very good. I have so many places outside of Disney where I can actually get Asian food and I can also make pretty good versions at home myself. I'd bypass this location!

Tutto Italia -- Dinner -- Table Service -- Epcot -- World Showcase

*This dining review took place in October 2013. It includes a gluten free & dairy free review, as well as a gluten free & yellow food coloring review.

 Tutto Italia is a quintessential authentic Italian restaurant. From the tiled floors, to the gorgeous chandeliers, and dapper dressed servers, you will be transported to a fancy restaurant in Rome immediately. Having not dined at this location in many years (and prior to a special diet), I had no idea what to expect from this location. I learned not that long ago that Italy is one particular country that is very adept at handling Celiac Disease and gluten intolerance, and I was pleased to see that this location took extra steps to ensure that as well.

Gorgeous tile work!

One of the things that surprised me when we arrived is that the restaurant actually has a gluten free menu. I can't say that I've really seen many non-Disney owned locations carry such a menu, so this was nice. What's different about this location versus Disney owned ones is that the chefs do not come out to talk to you. In fact, we were assisted by the manager of the restaurant. He immediately came to our table and discussed some of the options with us. My friends (one of whom is GF) had dined here before, but it sounded like the GF menu was fairly new as they hadn't seen it before.

You can see a textual version of this menu HERE

There were a few dishes that were immediately out for me as a dairy free diner--Definitely no mozzarella or panna cotta. They said they could do the pasta dish without cheese (always good). I ended up going for the salmon because I thought it sounded good & was also very easily made GF/DF (safe choices are always my best bet). My friend ordered the insalata mista, which is also dairy free. And he shared with the table. It was really fresh and light. I would definitely consider ordering this (though it was a little pricey!).

Gluten free & dairy free bread in the background with EVOO & insalata mista

Now the manager also said they had bread on hand for gluten free diners. I asked specifically if it was also dairy free because I've encountered some imported bread that was not safe. He swore up and down that it was, but I still sort of questioned it (and we couldn't flag him down later). Though, after my friend & I both tasted it, we both thought it tasted like Schar. I didn't feel sick or get any scratchy throat, so I'm thinking it was OK.

Gluten Free (and likely dairy free) bread

The table also had extra virgin olive oil (very high quality) and green pitted olives. They were very good because they weren't briney at all and were very mild.

Our entrees came surprisingly quickly, and mine looked gorgeous! The colors were very vibrant and the fish looked beautiful. My initial reaction was though that mine wasn't safe because of the sauce on the top of the fish. It looked creamy (turns out it was just a really good emulsion), so I made sure to ask the servers to see if they could find out what was in it before I ate it. No taking chances on the entree. According to them it was parsley, orange citrus, and some type of vinaigrette. It definitely had a nice citrus punch to it and really complimented the meal nicely.

Check out that sauce! this was sooo good.

Taste-wise, I was really glad I got this dish. I personally find pasta almost too filling (I rarely eat) so this was perfect for me. The potatoes, artichokes, and olives were also really well balanced for the whole dish. This to me would be the dish I'd order again. Definitely a hands down winner.

Classic GF pasta dish!

My friend really enjoyed his pasta dish. In fact, he said it's the only pasta he's had properly al dente. That's really hard to do with GF pasta because it often becomes quite mushy. This seemed really hearty in terms of texture, so I'm not sure how they make it (other than it's rice pasta), but it seems like the Italian exported pasta is really substantial. Now my friend easily reacts to gluten and often feels sick by the end of a meal if he's been hit. This happened to him at Via Napoli but not at Tutto Italia. One of the warnings for Via Napoli was the flour in the air from the pizza. I would say that probably a safer bet would be to dine at Tutto Italia like we did for safer GF offerings.

Trio of breads

Interestingly enough, we asked for gluten free bread after the 3 pieces we were given were done, and they brought out a trio of breads the second time around. Now, this made me wonder if the 1st round was the GF/DF bread and these two contained dairy. I admit, I was nervous about that. We asked several times, but the servers could only tell us that it was the allergy bread. Um, not helpful guys! I tried a small corner of each and wasn't overly impressed, so I just abstained from the bread consumption. The middle one was like Cinnamon Raisin and the far right one was sort of sweet (but mildly sweet). Not really a challah but sort of that similar eggy bread/with a hint of sweetness.

Panna Cotta with cherries

My friends ordered dessert & split it. The panna cotta they got looked pretty good (no sure worth $12 but good!). The syrup and cherries on top also looked quite nice, and they said they were almost candied. It would be nice if they had a few more dessert options and maybe something GF/DF!

Dining room

Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by Tutto Italia. I was nervous to eat here but overall, they had some nice offerings. If you're just GF, I think you will have a better time here, as there weren't a ton of GF/DF choices but still at least there was something. I wouldn't consider this a vegan friendly place. But the fact that I navigated an Italian restaurant safely makes me happy. I can't step foot into most outside of the 'world.' I'd give this a 7 out of 10 for this experience with safe offerings and some tasty food. Boun Appetito!

Cosmic Rays -- Lunch/Dinner -- Quick Service -- Magic Kingdom

*This dining experience took place in October 2013.

Ordering area of Cosmic Rays

Cosmic Rays is an out-of-this-world futuristic inspired quick service location in Tomorrowland at the Magic Kingdom. It offers standard quick service fare from burgers, fries, and sandwiches, to soups and salads. It also offers a few other heartier meal options such as rotisserie chicken. The location offers several "Bays" from which to choose these options and there are many choices for gluten free & dairy free diners.On this particular visit, I checked in with a manager who seemed much more attentive than the previous time I visited. On the last visit, I actually chose not to eat at the restaurant because the manager refused to let me look at the ingredient binder!! I was really nervous about this visit given the previous manager's lack of knowledge or accommodation (which is actually rare for Cosmic Rays). I was greeted by the manager who seemed to somewhat knowledgeable. He went over the ingredients binder with me and also said that the French fries were safe (they used to not be, so maybe I missed this? I don't dine at Cosmic Rays often). I ordered a chicken sandwich (grilled) with an Udi's bun. I also asked if I could get condiments made for me, and he suggested the fixins' bar, and I told him that this is a very high risk for cross contamination. I asked for lettuce and grilled onions.

Bay 3, where I ordered my chicken sandwich

It did take a fair amount of time for the food to show up, which was OK but still I wish they had pagers up there. It's really tight in the aisles waiting for food here, and we got in a lot of people's way. In any event, we finally got our food and grabbed a seat. This place ALWAYS seems busy!!

Grilled chicken sandwich with fries and fixins'

One of the things that I always think after I eat at Cosmic Rays is that I'm underwhelmed. It just seems "blah." We had initially planned on going to Be Our Guest, but the line to get in was huge, so we skipped it. We should have gone back to Pecos Bills or Columbia Harbour House in my opinion. The sandwich itself was plain and mediocre. I'm always glad to have a bun, so that's at least nice. The onions were sort of half crunchy and half sauteed, so the texture wasn't great. And the fries were just OK. Later I had a stomach ache, so I'm wondering if the fries were truly safe or if I just ate something that irritated my stomach (this was one of those hard to tell situations).

Chicken sandwich

Overall, I would say that this is an OK choice mostly because they have a lot of options but taste-wise it's not my personal favorite. I will say that it's so-so and that I think there are some better choices in the Magic Kingdom. I also have had a few weird manager interactions lately, so I'm not sure what's going on there.I'd give this a 6 out of 10--for mediocre food & service.

Jiko -- Dinner -- Table Service -- Animal Kingdom Lodge

Jiko Interior

*This dining experience took place in October 2013. It includes my gluten free & dairy free review as well as reviews from blog readers Linda & Brandon T. with a gluten and soy free review and gluten free review. Thanks again to Linda & Brandon and their friend Andrea for joining me for dinner!

Picture of open kitchen at Jiko

Jiko: the Cooking Place is located in Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge Jambo House and offers African inspired cuisine at a signature dining location. The interior is set to mimic the African sunset and the lighting aptly changes throughout your dining experience. This location offers terrific gluten free & dairy free offerings and even has special menus for specific dietary needs, making it much easier to order items off the menu. On this particular occasion I visited with several blog readers who also have special dietary needs and really enjoyed the experience with them.My previous experience at Jiko had been several years ago, and it was bad. And I mean BAD. The worst dining experience I've ever had at Disney. Which is unfortunate for a variety of reasons. You can read that review HERE. So needless to say, I was a bit nervous about dining here. It's been about 3 years, and I figured at this point, hopefully things had improved. Our server discussed drink options with us and then brought over the chef. The chef was very nice & really knowledgeable. He also brought us out special dietary menus, which was very helpful in making decisions about what we might want. It helps not making decisions on the fly when there are so many choices! We were actually able to keep our menus, and I have scanned versions of the gluten free menu HERE and the dairy free menu HERE. I also enjoy being able to match things up & cross reference the sheets quickly. Very handy.First up, our table split the Taste of Africa sampler. Essentially this is a variety of dips & lentil pappadums. We also received extra pappadums for the table, so we had a lot! I will say that the dip sampler seems a lot stingier than it used to be. It seemed fairly small for the price, and between 3 of us splitting it, we did OK mostly because our entrees came quickly. We did not get a really good description of the dips, but there was a Kalamata olive hummus and several other spicier dips (I think they still have the chermoula and some others). In my opinion, the dip sampler at Sanaa is vastly superior both in taste and in quantity. For $10 you get all the dips at Sanaa which is a lot!

Lentil Pappadums

Taste of Africa sampler

For our entrees, both Linda and I ordered the Maize crusted monkfish. Linda is gluten & soy free, so she was able to get the tomato butter sauce that this dish normally comes with, while mine was prepared dairy free and had a rich tomato sauce. All other components to our dishes were the same.

Gluten free & Dairy free version of maize crusted monkfish

For my part, I will say that I like this dish very much. It was on the menu at my last visit (and what I ended up ordering) and I found it to be quite good. The vegetables were perfectly sauteed and very flavorful. The tomato sauce was nice and light. And the fish was perfectly cooked and very well seasoned. I like the maize crusted coating on it. This is one of those entrees that I would definitely order again.

Gluten free & soy free version of maize crusted monkfish

I know that Linda loved her fish dish and said she really enjoyed it a lot. I was glad that she enjoyed her version as much as I did!

Wonderful dinner with terrific company!

Brandon and Andrea both ordered the Filet Mignon on the menu, which has been known to be very good. Andrea doesn't have a special diet, but she seemed to really enjoy her entree. Brandon didn't love his filet, but it just goes to show you that everyone has different tastes and food reviews are certainly relative!

Gluten free beef filet mignon

Brandon also ordered the tomato soup, which he said had a very smoky almost BBQ sauce flavor to it. My guess is that they roast the tomatoes in the wood fired oven.

Tomato soup

For our desserts, I chose the coconut milk panna cotta which was made with soy milk & coconut milk. Linda ordered the flourless chocolate cake. Her dessert looked incredibly rich and delicious!

Flourless chocolate cake

Coconut milk panna cotta

I will say that I wasn't wowed by my dessert. I found the taste to be a little strange, and I think they could have made a nice tropical mix of fruit with the mango coulis which would have played better with the panna cotta. The plain fresh berries didn't seem to mix well, in my opinion. I also had a slight stomach ache after dinner, and I wondered if the soy milk might have been Kikkoman (which I heard later that it used to be) and is not gluten free. In general, I wouldn't order that particular dessert again.Overall, I did enjoy the meal. I really loved my entree, and I know Linda did too! The appetizer sampler was good, but I think I have been spoiled by Sanaa way too much and have high expectations of a dip sampler. The only thing I really didn't love was the dessert.In general, I would definitely visit Jiko again, but my personal preference both for type of food, price, and atmosphere would be Sanaa hands down. This is a great special occasion place to visit, and I very much thank Linda, Brandon, and Andrea for joining me the night before my first 5k (review HERE). It really made the meal special!

Sassagoula Floatworks & Food Factory -- Breakfast -- Quick Service -- Port Orleans French Quarter

*This dining experience took place in October 2013.

View of lobby in Port Orleans French Quarter

This is a brief review of POFQ's quick service location Sassagoula Floatworks & Food Factory for breakfast. As I've mentioned in my recent reviews, this is the place to be for New Orleans inspired cuisine on property. From the Mardis Gras vibe to the amazing beignets, there's just a terrific vibe in this resort & restaurant.On this particular visit, I stopped by with my friend Alexis from Gluten Free in Orlando (http://glutenfreeinorlandoflorida.blogspot.com/). We caught up right before my very first runDisney race (Happy Haunted 5K), and it was great to indulge in some beignets before I got myself prepared for the big race day. We both knew we were going to get the now famous GF/DF beignets that Chef Tony & the rest of the POFQ team serves up. I may have a slight beignet addiction right now!We were lucky because Chef Tony was also at the restaurant that morning, and we were able to say "hi" and chat briefly. He's been a very busy guy with Food & Wine Festival season doing culinary demos, Party for the Senses, and even being in the cranberry bog! So, it was a nice treat to be able to say hello!Another Disney CM took our beignet order, and I also ordered some scrambled eggs & bacon as well. As much as I love the sweets I knew I needed some pre-race day protein, particularly as I was heading to the expo center to pick up my bib and then meet up with some friends which meant food might be elusive for a while!And, of course, I was not disappointed. These beignets were amazing as always. I will say that right now I think the recipe is just right! I love the puffiness of them and how light they are. The chewiness that I mentioned the 1st time I had them has definitely gone away. These are just terrific! I have to say anything deep fried and smothered in powdered sugar is just A-OK to me!

Beignet deliciousness!

Scrambled eggs & bacon

As far as my eggs & bacon, I'm going to give some big credit to the CM who made these. I believe her name was Molly. These were really good! I'm going to say probably the best cooked QS scrambled eggs that I've ever had. I'm not kidding! They were delicious. Not overcooked and flavorful! I was very pleased with these. It's rare that a QS doesn't completely overcook my scrambled eggs (and I can't fault them, they are handling large quantities), so this was pretty awesome! The bacon was the typical bacon you get in the QS locations. Nothing special, but hey, bacon is bacon right?!Overall, I found this to be a really nice morning breakfast. I have to say the beignets just knock it out of the park as a breakfast choice! It certainly gave me a nice sugar boost to get through the rest of the day, which was very busy!I'd give this a solid 8 out of 10 as far as QS go, this is one of my favorites! The fact that I can get beignets morning, noon, and night makes me swoon!Have you tried the fabulous allergy friendly beignets yet?

The Wave -- Breakfast -- Table Service -- Contemporary Resort

*This dining experience took place in September 2013.

Entrance to the Wave

The Wave is located in Disney's Contemporary Resort and it's culinary viewpoint is sustainable and seasonal items. This is one of the locations that I often visit for breakfast when I'm staying at Bay Lake Tower, my home DVC resort. Their breakfast offerings include a variety of gluten free & dairy free products from companies like Udi's and Kinnikinnick.On this particular occasion, we stopped by for breakfast after attending Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party the evening before. We were all tired and looking forward to a relaxing breakfast close to our hotel room. I've been to the Wave several times previously, and I've usually been moderately satisfied with my choices and service. Unfortunately, this particular experience wasn't as magical as it could have been.One thing to note is that this location serves both a buffet option & an a la carte menu. We chose to go for the menu option rather than the buffet. To me, it hasn't been one of the best breakfast buffets, so I'd rather go for the menu. After our server greeted us, she seemed mildly disappointed we weren't ordering buffet. The chef came in the meantime and also seemed pretty put out that he had to come over. In fact, he barely spoke to me. I'm sure that it's very busy in the kitchen and that it can be stressful. Maybe he was having a bad day. Regardless, he was very curt with me and didn't seem willing to offer much. He really wanted me to get Mickey waffles and I didn't want them because I have had really good pancakes here before. I asked if he could make the banana walnut pancakes I got before and he said he could. I also asked if there was ANY chance he could do the sweet potato pancakes. His response was, "Well if we have sweet potato that hasn't been mixed yet..." and then proceeded to walk away. I got banana walnut pancakes so I assume that meant they didn't have any available or he just didn't want to make them. Yikes!

As you can see it was REALLY busy in here...

Our server was also basically non-existent for our meal. And this rarely happens unless a restaurant is slammed. Now this restaurant is never slammed and quite frankly most of the people were getting the buffet, so I'm not sure what the issue was.

Banana walnut pancakes and bacon

After getting my breakfast, I investigated the pancakes. They were basically Bob's Red Mill pancakes with sliced bananas and walnuts. I liked the version I got the time before because the chef had basically pureed the banana into the batter, so it was like banana bread flavor all throughout the pancake. This was banana flavor here and there. But overall, they were good. The bacon, on the other hand, was another story. I have no clue what they did to this bacon but it was terrible! Even the worst quick service bacon was better than this. It was very stringy, greasy, and just had a weird flavor, like it was slightly off. Honestly, for a place that touts local, sustainable and seasonal, they can't have good bacon!?My family also didn't really love their meal. They thought it was adequate but not really worth the price or effort. We all agreed that we would rather take the monorail next time to another resort to get breakfast. I'd happily head over to Kona for breakfast over this any day! It's just a bummer because honestly, I see a lot of potential in this restaurant, but it's just not at the level it should be. Really disappointing.Overall, I'd give this a 5 out of 10. This experience just wasn't good from start to finish. While the pancakes weren't terrible, just about everything else wasn't very good. I wish I could say better things about the Wave, but it's definitely off my skip list for now.Have you been to the Wave? What was your experience there?

Good's Foods to Go -- Lunch/Dinner -- Quick Service -- Old Key West

*This dining experience took place in September 2013.

View from Good's Foods to Go of Old Key West

This is just a brief review of the quick service location at Old Key West. I recently went there (see older review HERE) and got the same thing, so this is a fairly brief and similar report. On this particular visit, I knew that I wanted to get the allergy friendly chicken tenders & French fries. The menu here is rather limited so this is always my go-to choice. There was a fairly long line and once I got to the front I let them know that I had a special diet and that I wanted the chicken tenders. They still needed to page the chef, so that they could make all of this happen. Chef Julie from Olivia's came by to greet me and took my order. I would also see her the next day at Olivia's for breakfast (see review HERE). She said it would be a few minutes and then went to make the tenders. While I waited, I noticed that this location also has the new Rapid Fill soda machines installed.

I will say that it took a pretty long time for the tenders. I kind of almost wonder if they didn't have a dedicate fryer heated up because it took longer than normal. But once I got them, I was very excited. They were piping hot (I mean HOT, we had to let them cool down a lot). They were delicious as always and well cooked. The fries were also very hot and fresh.

Love those allergy chicken tenders & fries!

Overall, I like this location for the quick service that it is. It's a limited menu, so I would say you will have minimal options, but the nice thing is you get to talk to a chef from Olivia's which I love. The other conisderation is that this is an outdoor seating only area and the kiosk itself is usually very full. It tends to take longer than normal to order food here, so don't expect to be in a hurry here. I'd give this a 6 out of 9, primarily for limited menu and overall wait times of the kiosk (regardless of special diet) and no indoor seating.

Sanaa -- Lunch -- Table Service -- Animal Kingdom Lodge -- Kidani Village

*This dining experience took place in September 2013.

Ceiling in Sanaa

Sanaa, located in Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge Kidani Village, continues to remain one of my favorite restaurants on property. With African & India inspired food, it offers the best of both cuisines. The restaurant is dramatically themed like a forest and is set upon the African savannah with a view of many of the animals that call the Savannah home (think giraffes and zebra). One of the best parts about this restaurant is that it easily accommodates gluten & dairy free diners, as well as vegetarian and vegan diners.On this particular occasion, I stopped by for lunch eager to try something different. Normally I tend to get the dishes themed as "Slow Cooked in Gravy, Simple and Well Seasoned" which are traditionally a lot of curry type dishes. My favorites include the Durban chicken & shrimp and the now gone green curry shrimp. I also adore the bread service with it's lentil pappadums & dipping sauces. Anything that involves red pepper hummus & chutneys is OK by me!

Bar area in the restaurant

Today, however, I wanted to get some type of nice lunch sandwich. I wasn't looking for a big meal and was hoping that I could get a reasonable option. On this visit, I was greeted by Chef David who went over the menu with me. Luckily, upon arrival I was given both the gluten & dairy free menus for the restaurant. This is one thing that I love about Sanaa--actually custom menus that I can cross-reference and consult before the chef comes to the table! You can actually see the gluten free menu HERE and the dairy free menu HERE.Of course, the menu item that I was interested in trying was not listed on either of the menus. It was the Turkey Club Sandwich - served on multigrain bread with turkey, avocado, bacon, pickled onions, and lemon mayonnaise plus choice of chickpea salad or fresh fruit. I asked Chef David about this and he told me that everything was actually safe, except the bread, but that they carried the Udi's sandwich bread on hand and I could have it if I wanted. Yes!! I love it when things work out like that. And it's a lesson that it doesn't hurt to ask, even if you don't see it listed on the menu. He told me that they roast the turkey in-house and make the lemon mayo in house as well. It sounded delicious. I also opted for the chickpea salad instead of fruit, mostly because the fruit was a lot of melon and I'm not a melon fan.

Two small sandwiches turned out to be one huge meal!

Close-up of the sandwich inside

First things first, I wish Disney got the commercial Udi's sandwich bread at all of their locations. Some (like Kouzzina) have it but most have the wimpy small sandwich bread. I mean, I guess it works out because I end up getting a lot of food, but still! I'd like a regular sized sandwich sometimes!First up, this sandwich was excellent. The roast turkey was all turkey breast meat, very moist and nicely seasoned. The bacon was of good quality. The avocado was perfect on this. And the two best parts: the pickled onions (which they also make in house) and lemon mayonnaise. Both divine! Everything really complimented the sandwich. I also adored the chickpea salad. It had cucumbers and tomato in it and was a really fresh, light side.Overall, I really enjoyed this lunch. It was really affordable (somewhere around the $15 mark with tip!) and delicious. This to me was a hands down winner, and a much better option since I was over at the Animal Kingdom Park and don't always love the QS offerings there. I'd definitely get this for lunch again.I'd give this a solid 9 out of 10 as usual for amazing food, service, and customization. This continues to be an outstanding restaurant!

Sci-Fi Dine In -- Table Service -- Lunch/Dinner -- Hollywood Studios

*This dining experience took place in September 2013.

 Sci-Fi Dine In at Disney's Hollywood Studios offers guests a chance to go back in time to 1950's drive-in theatres. Complete with tables that look like cars and screenings of old B film movies, you will definitely feel transported. The entire menu also fits the drive-in vibe and includes milkshakes, burgers, fries and all those things you'd expect from a typical drive-in. The great thing is that as a gluten free & dairy free diner, I have quite a few choices, including non-dairy milkshakes!On this particular visit, I went with my family before the DHS Villians Bash (which was crazy busy). Dining at Sci-Fi was a welcome retreat before the crowds. Before we waited to be seated, we took the time to look around that the interior design. I love the theming of this restaurant.

Need to make a phone call?!

Finally, our table was ready, and we headed in to the main dining area. I will say, be warned this place is dark. It is exactly like dining out at a drive-in. Of course, it's all in good fun and lends to the great atmosphere. And you'll be busy watching those classic films like "Attack of the 50 Foot Woman" and "The Cat Woman from Mars" (yes, these are actual film titles!). There's lots to look around at and see. You'll be greeted by a car-hop who will take your order!Once we met with our car-hop, he went to get the chef who came out and went over a few options. I will say, every time I go here the chefs always seem a little ambivalent about assisting me. It's not that they are bad, but I always feel like I need to know pretty much what I want to order. One of the things that I wanted was a non-dairy milkshake. I had a chocolate one the last time and it was good. I will say that I've been told that they don't use dedicated equipment, so they will clean everything well, but there is always the chance for potential cross contamination. I've been lucky that I personally haven't been sick, but I go in knowing that is a potential risk.

 I liked my milkshake as I did the first time. It wasn't quite as soupy as the first one I had but not quite as solid as a regular milkshake is. Still to get a non-dairy milkshake out is a rarity, so I really enjoyed it.

Car hop attendant area in the back of the theatre/dining room

Totally cool atmosphere!

Up next came my entree. This was a new one for me. I ordered the Salmon BLT which came on Udi's pizza crust which had been turned into a wrap type sandwich. First up, it is hard to see in this restaurant, so I literally had to take a photo of my food to see what it looked like!

Salmon BLT with Fries

Overall, it was a good sandwich, except I would have removed one thing from it--the sweet chili sauce on it. It was a little too spicy for me. It was basically a spicy mayo but I didn't think the sandwich needed it. Actually, I would have preferred regular mayo on it. The Udi's pizza crust/flatbread was not bad. It needed to be grilled a little more or something similar in nature (it was a little tough). The salmon was cooked beautifully and was very flavorful as were the other accompaniments. The fries were nice thick cut fries which I like (and are different than the regular wimpy Disney fries). The sandwich itself was a bit messy to eat, especially in the dark!My family seemed to like their meals. The reuben, onion rings, and the burger with a hot dog & sauerkraut on it were all choices they ordered. The shakes were a bit hit!We all liked this location a lot. I think it gets a bad rap in terms of the food, but overall I found it to be much improved and a step up from a fast food burgers & fries joint. I wouldn't say it's gourmet by any means, but it's not terrible either. As a gluten free/dairy free diner, I have a fair amount of choices, which is nice. I will note that this has not been a very soy free friendly place, as you can read in a previous review with my friend who's gluten, dairy and soy free (review is HERE). Overall, I give this a 7 out of 10 for this visit. Next time I might modify my sandwich to remove the sauce or try something else. But, I really enjoy this restaurant for its atmosphere and those non-dairy milk shakes! Totally out of this world!

Kouzzina -- Breakfast -- Table Service -- Boardwalk

*This dining review took place in September 2013.

 Kouzzina is as always one of my most favorite breakfast spots on property. I just adore the food, the atmosphere, and did I mention the food? It's a hands down winner. And whenever I have friends & family in from out of town, this is where I take them. I've not heard a bad review from anyone yet :) This review is mostly just an update, as it's the same Turkey Sweet Potato Hash that I got the last time. And to give a shout-out to the Kouzzina staff, including Chef Brad who was on hand to assist me.On this particular visit, I went with my friend Krista from Disneyways. She had never been, so this was great to share Kouzzina with her. When we arrived, we were greeted by Chef Brad, who has helped me numerous times before. I don't usually see him though because I'm typically there on the weekends and on this trip, I was there during the week for the Give Kids the World Blogger Bowl. I didn't have him go over any options, mostly because I know the breakfast menu by heart and also because I knew I wanted the amazing Turkey Sweet Potato Hash. I will probably surprise some of you in that I did not order allergy Mickey waffles (I know, a rarity!!) I did get some Udi's toast & Earth Balance Vegan Margarine for the meal.

My breakfast in all its glory!

I will say that I just adore this breakfast entree. I love the eggs (nice and poached with ooey gooey yolks, perfect for dipping in toast), the delicious arugula with olive oil, and of course the turkey sweet potato hash. The turkey is all white meat diced and the sweet potatoes are nicely tossed in along with onions and sweet peppers. It's just a really good combination!

Before digging in...

And mid-way through so you could see what the hash looked like

Many people asked what the hash itself looked like, so I decided to take a pic part way through eating (sorry it's a little messy, but I was hungry!!).Overall, I can't say enough good things, as always about Kouzzina. It's a hands down favorite place to dine for breakfast. A solid 9 out of 10!Have you been to Kouzzina? What do you order for breakfast?

Splitsville -- Lunch/Dinner -- Table Service -- Downtown Disney

*This dining experience took place in September 2013 and includes a gluten free & dairy free review and a vegan dining review.

 Splitsville in Downtown Disney is a retro themed bowling alley which offers not only bowling, pool, and other recreational activities but also a variety of food options as well. Since it has opened, Splitsville has been extremely popular and often hard to get into. On this particular occasion, I was able to visit as a part of the Attractions Blogger Bowl for Give Kids the World Village (stay tuned for an upcoming post about this amazing event!). I was able to contact GKTWV ahead of time and they contacted Splitsville to arrange for food for both myself and my friend Tony Caselnova from Disney by the Numbers who was on my bowling team. I was glad that they had several gluten free options and a few dairy free options as well.

 When we arrived, the first thing I will say is that this place is really neat. If you've ever been to Lucky String or King Pin bowling, you'll have an idea of what this kind of a bowling alley is like. I will say, that this place is sort of oddly set-up. It's very tiny compared to many other big retro bowling alleys. There are two levels and the blogger bowl took place on the 2nd floor. While we waited I got to look around and check out the sushi bar.

Lots of great folks here including Steve Barrett the Hidden Mickey Guy, Allison from Destinations in Florida, Tony Caselnova from Disney by the Numbers, Krista Joy from Disneyways.com, yours truly & Ramon Rodriguez from Theme Park Concierge!

 Once we checked in at our lane, I asked a Splitsville representative about special dietary arrangements. Now, when I had arranged food with GKTWV, they asked me to give them several options from the menu that I might be interested in. Thankfully, I had some idea of what might be safe gluten free wise thanks to my friend Alexis over at Gluten Free in Orlando! She has a terrific review with a photo of the menu HERE. I had requested, based on her experience, three options: the mahi mahi with voodoo shrimp, the grilled salmon with brocolli, and the Tijuana chicken sandwich all of which were on the Splitsville GF list (one of them isn't anymore but more on that later). I also requested that they make a vegan dish for Tony.Now, the Splitsville representative who helped us (I will assume a manager) told me that my sandwich needed to be re-made because they didn't know it needed to be dairy free too and had been prepared with cheese on it. They asked Tony if he was OK with a stir-fry, which he was. When the items came out, I saw that my sandwich was on a bun that looked very similar to Udi's. I asked what kind of bun it was, if it had dairy, etc. The manager radioed the kitchen and they said it was just "tapioca and water." Now if you look at this picture, this is definitely more than just tapioca and water. I make Chebe buns all the time and they are totally different. *I later learned that I consumed a regular bun that was not gluten free. Well, that does explain why I got sick.

Spicy Veggie Bowl

Tony got the spicy veggie bowl, and I have to say it looked good. He seemed to like it, and it looked fairly substantial of a meal overall. Honestly, I could have gone for something similar but with chicken or shrimp. The fresh avocado looked delicious! Later I discovered they can do GF rice bowls, which would have been good to know!

Tijuana Chicken sandwich on an "unnamed bun"

To me, this sandwich was OK. The chicken was nothing special and the salsa on it was just OK. The broccoli was just plain steamed broccoli. I'm not sure I'd order it again based on taste. But, I definitely won't be ordering it again based on my stomach afterwards. I definitely got glutened. I had massive stomach pains about 30 min - 1 hour after eating. Not good!!I also discovered after looking at a newly released menu from Splitsville indicating GF options today that the Tijuana Chicken is not listed as Gluten Free. That is not comforting considering that I was sick. Now, it may be that they can easily modify it GF but it's certainly not listed on their standard menu as GF. *I later learned that the rest of the sandwich minus the gluten filled bun can be made GF just with a lettuce wrap.You can see the Splitsville menu HEREOverall, I liked the atmosphere of the restaurant and bowling alley, but I found the food to be pretty mediocre and the GF offerings sparse. Adding in a second dietary need seemed to really put a wrench in the wheel too. They also didn't seem to have much in terms of vegan options either. Overall, I'd give this a 3 out of 10, considering that I got sick. I think it will be a while before I eat at Splitsville, though I would happily go bowl there again especially if it were for a great cause like the blogger bowl! Great for entertainment, just maybe not the best food option for a special diet given this experience.

 

Olivia's -- Breakfast -- Table Service -- Old Key West

*This dining experience took place in September 2013.

 I always eat breakfast at Olivia's Cafe when I stay at Old Key West Resort. There's just something about it's relaxing vibe & charming atmosphere. I always feel like I am at Key West, just relaxing and listening to Jimmy Buffet. One of the great parts about Old Key West is that everything is tailor made for Key West living and Olivia's is no exception. I always enjoy grabbing breakfast here.On this particular occasion, we stopped by for a late breakfast. One thing I will say is that I never feel like this place is busy. Is it just that people don't know about it? I don't know, but it always seems rather low-key. I like this but I also don't want it to ever close, so I hope that maybe they're busier at different times of the day. I've had lunch here and I remember it being much busier then. The other thing I always notice is there are either big groups or just groups of 2 scattered through the restaurant. Kind of funny how it's not much in between.

 I was greeted by Chef Julie, who I'd seen the day before at Good's Foods to Go (I needed to grab some allergy chicken tenders, of course). Chef Julie used to be at the Polynesian and has a real reputation for being very accommodating for special diets, so I'm always glad to see her. She, of course, recognized me from the day before. The last time I'd visited I'd had the breakfast Cuban, which I liked (see review HERE), but this time I decided to go for the modified version of the Pancakes & Eggs entree. I asked for the allergy Mickey waffles (Bob's Red Mill version, thank goodness), scrambled eggs, and ham.

Look at all those Mickey waffles!

This was by far the best breakfast that I've had at Olivia's. Not only were the eggs really cooked well, but the ham was nice and tender and the allergy Mickey waffles were the best I've had there as well. Really crispy. The way Mickey waffles should be! I also got REAL maple syrup, not that terrible corn syrup maple syrup they had at Contempo Cafe recently. I will say, it was a lot of food, though apparently I was very hungry, as I quickly devoured it all (minus 1/2 a Mickey waffle that I gave to my mom, who really loves them).While I wouldn't say that the food at Olivia's is spectacular, I will say that it's good solid, tasty food. I always feel satisfied after my meal and will continue to keep this as an Old Key West tradition. Overall, I give this visit a 7 out of 10. A definite OKW tradition!

Beignets -- Sassagoula Floatworks & Food Factory -- Port Orleans French Quarter -- Quick Service

*This dining experience took place in September 2013.

 There's nothing quite like a beignet. Deep fried and smothered in powdered sugar, they are truly a decadent treat for breakfast and a great dessert in the evening. For many guests with a special diet, these treats have been a no-go but at WDW and specifically at Sassagoula Floatworks & Food Factory at Port Orleans French Quarter this has become a reality! They have become one of my most favorite sweet treats on property!You may recall that a reader tipped me off to these delicious beignets a while back, and I was finally able to check them out (you can read the first review HERE). When I went, I had to contact the WDW Special Diets Department well in advance to make sure they had these on hand. As it turns out, they've become so popular that now you don't need to call in advance--just head on over to Port Orleans French Quarter, grab yourself a cup of coffee and enjoy these treats! Chef Tony and the rest of the culinary team at POFQ have now made these an everyday occurrence, so you are sure to be able to enjoy no matter when you go! This just makes me so excited because now make an impromptu visit whenever I'm craving beignets.On this particular occasion, I stopped by before making the trek back home to get some beignets for the road (well, more before the road...they didn't make it out of the restaurant). My family hadn't tried them either, so it was a great time to see what they thought. The ordering couldn't have been simpler. I just walked up to the counter that makes beignets and asked for them specifically. The cast member went back and got the chef. Chef Paul came out to assist me, and Chef Tony also popped out to chat quickly. He mentioned that they have tweaked recipe for the beignets just slightly (replacing some of the water with club soda, etc.). I really love that they are striving to make things better for those of us with special diets. It's just another example of the magical Disney touch! We also talked about how much of the menu can be easily made GF, so that's excellent news! I totally want to stop by and grab lunch or dinner here soon!Once we got our beignets (which really didn't take long at all--maybe 5-10 minutes), we headed over to dig in! I will say, I could tell immediately that they had modified the recipe some because they were much puffier than the last ones I had.

I never saw a GF/DF beignet I did not love!

Anything smothered in powdered sugar makes me happy!

And let me tell you, I didn't think they could make these beignets any better, but they did! I will say that they chewiness that the previous version had is literally gone. These are much lighter and fluffier and well...just delicious! The texture has definitely hit the beignet texture that I remember from the glutenous ones. And my family really enjoyed these! Let's put it this way, I think they finished theirs before I did!Overall, I can't say enough good things about Chef Tony & the rest of the culinary team at Port Orleans French Quarter. The time, dedication and care they have put into these beignets are so evident. And the fact that you can now get them anytime, just like you can allergy Mickey waffles, is just amazing to me! I'm thinking of hosting a breakfast meetup in the next few months here! It will be a beignet bonanza!To me, the beignets on this trip were 9 out of 10--my only complaint? I should have ordered more!! Thanks again to Chef Tony and all at Port Orleans French Quarter for making these delicious treats available to those of us who normally can't have things like this!Have you tried the special diets beignets at POFQ? Do you love them as much as I do?

Contempo Cafe -- Breakfast -- Quick Service -- Contemporary

*This dining experience took place in September 2013.

 The Contemporary to me is classic Disney. It's really an iconic resort and truly gives you a feel of nostalgia. With the monorail whizzing through the resort, it's hard not to love everything about the Contemporary. Their quick service location, Contempo Cafe is right in the center of it all. It's located near the monorail station and directly next to Chef Mickey's. In general, it's a great quick service spot to grab a quick bite for special diets.

 On this particular visit, my family and I grabbed breakfast here before heading to the Magic Kingdom. Now you know I'm a big fan of table service breakfast, but I will say that quick service can be really quick and efficient. I adore the Mara for example (see review HERE); it's probably my hands down favorite quick service breakfast spot. Contempo Cafe offers a hearty breakfast, though perhaps not quite as good as others. It's not bad if you're at the Contemporary though.When you order with a special diet here at the Contempo Cafe, you head to the pick-up station, which is rather small. Check with a cast member and explain that you have a dietary need. For me, I usually have a good idea what I want here, but it's always good to check with the cast members. The manager met me and she was fairly new (she just moved from Michigan, my home-state, less than 2 months ago), so she wasn't completely sure of everything and had to check. I told her I wanted the bounty platter because I could get allergy Mickey waffles (my weakness!). The eggs she said are usually dairy free (scrambled eggs that is) and that the potatoes and other items except the biscuit would be OK as well. So I waited and checked out the restaurant. It was quite busy!

Dining area--I love the view of the artwork

I also noticed while waiting that Rapid Fill (the new refillable mug program) was installed and available for purchase, though it didn't look like the machines were actually working like they were supposed to yet (i.e. they were installed and you could use them but they weren't fully functioning). I also noticed that Rapid Fill is only on the soda machines, not coffee and tea.

 Finally my food was ready, and I went to pick it up. I noticed right away that there was a nice "hidden" Mickey on my lid. Can you spot it?

No so hidden Mickey!

Most of my breakfast was just fine. I liked the eggs, but they were nothing to write home about. The bacon was also good. The turkey sausage...not my cup of tea. I found it too spicy and really thin and weird tasting. I think I recall not liking this before, but it had been so long I thought maybe they had changed it. The potatoes are the exact same ones next door at Chef Mickey's--a little spicy though! Now the Mickey waffles...uggg...this was a fail. 1) They used straight Namaste which to me doesn't taste as good and 2) they didn't cook them all the way through. They were a gummy, nasty mess. Also, the only syrup they had was the corn syrup based kind and not the real maple syrup. Yuck!! I can handle that if the Mickey waffles are at least good to begin with. But both? No thank you.

Next time I will head to the Mara!

Overall, I feel sort of so-so about this breakfast. Some things were good and others, just mediocre at best. Those Mickey waffles were cold and gummy. Not the way I envision my beloved allergy Mickey waffles! Right now, I think I'd skip this for breakfast unless I was staying at the Contemporary (and even then I might think of other options). I'm giving this a 6 out of 10. Just so-so.