Biergarten -- Lunch -- Table Service -- Epcot -- World Showcase

*This dining experience took place in November 2013.

 The Germany pavilion in Epcot makes you feel like you are in Munich for Oktoberfest. There’s a lot of charm to this spot in the World Showcase and Biergarten, the pavilion’s table service location, really embodies this essence. The restaurant is set to resemble a German Oktoberfest celebration, complete with an Oompah Band and communal dining. I had heard lots of great reviews for vegetarian dining from the Disney Hipsters, Adam and Andrew, and also lots of gluten free diners. Believe it or not, I had never been to Biergarten, so I decided to stop by for lunch as a part of the Candelight Processional Dinner Package (more on that in another post).Biergarten is set far back in the pavilion. It’s located next to Sommerfest which is the quick service location that serves bratwurst, currywurst and macaroni & cheese among its offerings. I occasionally pop by this location because I really enjoy the bratwurst on a gluten free/dairy free bun (which varies) and sauerkraut (you can read a review about this restaurant HERE). When we went to check in to this location, I saw the prices for meals—for an all-you-care-to-eat location, I thought it was pretty reasonable! Way cheaper when you compare some of the other buffet or family style locations. Plus, if you are a Tables in Wonderland card holder, you get 20% off or 10% off for Annual Passholders.

 The restaurant check-in was super busy, and we tried to check in 30 minutes early but were told to come back 15 minutes before our ADR. Wow, that was actually a first for us. So, we wandered around the World Showcase for a bit, and then came back to check-in. The cast members give you the spiel about siting with other diners (which we knew ahead of time) and also climbing stairs. As we saw when we got in the restaurant, it would be slightly more difficult if you had mobile challenges, as there were levels of seating. Once our pager went off, we were taken into the restaurant with a group of 5 plus our group of 3.I’m not going to lie, seating is a little weird, especially if you have an odd numbered party.  We sat towards the railing at our table and our table-mates sat closer to the walk-way. Once seated our server clarified who was in each party and then took drink orders. She also told me she would get the chef for me. The rest of the table went to get in line – which was a good idea because it was crazy busy in there. Evidently the Candelight Processional dinner package meant the 1 p.m. time frame was nutso!

 The chef came over and offered to walk me around the buffet. He basically went over the options which were safe and which to stay away from. Pretty much all of the non-breaded meats were safe (i.e. bratwursts, sausage, cold cuts, pates, etc.) Most of the veggies were safe too with the exception of the cold potato salad, macaroni gratin, and some other items. All but one sauce for the carving station were gluten free & dairy free (aka sweet mustard). Soups were definitely out--dairy and gluten filled cream based soups! Dessert basically off-limits except the fruit compote which came in individual ramekins. Then the chef pretty much was going to walk away; but I wanted to ask if they had bread or buns (which I knew they had) and dessert options. He said he could get be a bun and maybe some cookies. I’ve heard really wonderful things about the chefs here from others, but this chef was pretty disinterested. I’m sure he was totally slammed in the back, but I felt like he was just trying to get through with me as quickly as possible.Heading back to the buffet, I saw several areas that felt like big cross contamination risks to me, especially because it was so busy. I actually waited and asked for fresh plates and serving spoons as they came out because they were replenishing things really quickly. For instance, I scored fresh roasted chicken (which was in between fish in a sauce, meatballs, and schnitzel – a gluten free nightmare!) and also fresh sausages and even fresh German potato salad (my favorite thing of the day). So, it definitely pays to ask. I stayed away from the salad area as much as possible.

 While walking back from the buffet stations, the Oompah band started. Did I mention how amazing these guys were? Totally charming and totally awesome. Not only was it great to have some live entertainment, but they also got the audience involved too. Plus, they sang Christmas songs. Talk about getting in the holiday spirit!

Really bad photo of the Oompah band!

As far as the food goes, it was actually fairly good. First off, I adored the plates and bowls. How cute are they? Loved the designs, and they very light plastic plates, so you wouldn't feel too horrible if you dropped one. As you can see from my plate, I had a menagerie of food items plopped into one. This was because I honestly didn't want to make a second huge trip (although I did go back for more bratwurst and German potato salad).

 Here are some of the things I got: Bean salad (which was green beans and other white beans with some type of vinegar sauce), pickles (FYI these were amazing! They were like a spicy bread & butter pickle that they make in-house), German potato salad (can you say lots of bacon?!), roasted root vegetables (parsnips, carrots), sauteed green beans and red onions (I'm still not sure what was in this but wow, it was good), roasted chicken, carved pork tenderloin, Bratwurst, some other type of wurst (which I hated and promptly gave to my family), sauerkraut, applesauce, mustard (not sweet), and curry ketchup (I adore curry ketchup!!). I did got back for seconds on several things, so I was definitely very full by the end of the meal!I will say that it's a good thing that I eat meat because I'm not sure a gluten free vegan or vegetarian would have many options. There are good options for vegetarians but add in another special diet and it seemed much harder.

I love the tea in the "beer" steins!

 The roll that was brought to me was Ener-G and it was not at all heated well. I'm fairly convinced they shoved it in a microwave and it turned hard instantly. Still, smother anything with some curry ketchup and it's good! (which is obviously what I did!).For dessert, I sampled the fruit compote (sorry I forgot to take photos), which were really yummy. Sweet but tart at the same time, I found the mixed berries (including strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries) to be really nice after a heavy meal. I also got Enjoy Life cookies and a Boom Boom Bar (which I love) for the road. That Boom Boom Bar was the perfect snack on my drive home from Disney!Overall, I liked Biergarten for the ambiance and the decor. Our table mates were not at all chatty and really weren't interested in interacting with our party, so it made for a weird vibe. It would be awesome if you had your whole family there or a big group of friends (which I plan to do). Food-wise, I would say it was OK. I liked a lot of the dishes but I also didn't love all of them. The roasted chicken was dry and bland and some of the sausages were just plain gross but I did find things I liked. I also wish the chef on this visit would have made more of an effort to help ensure cross-contamination risks by perhaps bringing me more items from the back--though I was able to work around that myself. Of course, the Oompah Band alone makes me want to go back again! We caught not one but two shows that afternoon!For this visit, I would give it a 7 for ambiance, charm, and fairly decent offerings.Have you been to Biergarten? What was your experience?

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?

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!

Restaurant Marrakesh -- Dinner -- Table Service -- World Showcase

*This dining experience took place in August 2013 and includes a gluten free & yellow food coloring review.

Inside Restaurant Marrakesh

Dining at Restaurant Marrakesh in the World Showcase at Epcot makes you feel like you've been transported to the Middle East. From the decor to the food and even the live entertainment, it's not hard to see why. This restaurant is tucked away in the back of the Morocco Pavilion and is often one of the most overlooked restaurants in the World Showcase. You can easily get in to dine at this location, even without a reservation. On this particular visit, we found the restaurant to be very quiet (even for a Saturday evening).I had not been to Restaurant Marrakesh in several years, so I was excited to head back. Some of my friends had been several times recently (one of whom is gluten free & also allergic to yellow food coloring), and they had been really enjoying it. So, I joined them one night for dinner. One of the things that had changed from the last time that I went from this time is that the chef did not come out, but rather the server worked with you on special dietary information. While I always prefer to speak with a chef, this actually was fine because the server seemed very knowledgeable and was willing to get the chef if we needed to speak with him. I will say that the first time I went, I had some difficulties with the chef due to a language barrier and I often find this to be the case at Tangierine Cafe (you can read a recent review of the quick service location HERE). The good thing is that most Middle Eastern food options have gluten free counterparts or are naturally GF. And they don't really use dairy either.

Live entertainment at the restaurant. Traditional music & belly dancing

Both my friend and I chose the lemon chicken (I almost got the kebobs but decided to try something different). Our table also shared the Moroccan Salad Combo For Two - which contains green pepper and tomato, marinated olives, carrots, potatoes, and cucumber salad. Of course, this was enough for the 3 of us at dinner, so it was great. Both my friend and I got the Ener-G rolls (one of the few locations on property that still carries them) with it. Overall, my favorites were the marinated olives (the same ones at Restaurant Marrakesh), the carrots--surprisingly flavorful and very tender, my body can't handle crunchy carrots in large amounts--and the potatoes. The cucumber salad was very bland. It needed salt (which my friends tried and said made all the difference). The green pepper & tomato was a bit like a tapenade but just not my favorite, really. If I were a vegan or vegetarian, this would be a terrific option as an appetizer or even an entree with some other sides!

Moroccan Salad Combo: from L to R Green Pepper & Tomatoes, Marinated Olives, Carrots, Potatoes, and Cucumber Salad with Ener-G rolls

One of the other things I got was the mint tea. Omigoodness!! This was THE.BEST.MINT.TEA.EVER! Can you tell I really liked it? Also, the way they serve the tea is a show in and of itself. Truly. Here's a little video clip showing you what I mean (It's a wonder they don't spill the tea from that distance!)[embedplusvideo height="380" width="700" editlink="http://bit.ly/1cuScME" standard="http://www.youtube.com/v/c5FcanViq58?fs=1" vars="ytid=c5FcanViq58&width=700&height=380&start=&stop=&rs=w&hd=0&autoplay=0&react=1&chapters=&notes=" id="ep4121" /] And, of course, I somehow managed to not get any pics of the mint tea by itself; however, here's a great photo (thanks to my friend's layout) of the appetizer, Ener-G rolls & the tea. You can get this tea hot or cold (I asked for cold but got hot, which was fine) It uses green tea and fresh mint. So amazing. Can't get any better than that! And you get as many refills as you want--that's a win!

Perfect meal, if you ask me! I might just go and order this next time!

Then it was onto the entree. Since both of us got lemon chicken, I'll add his thoughts in this too. First off, the presentation was lovely. It was a 1/2 of a chicken (bone in), which looks gorgeous on a plate. Personally, I am not a huge fan of bone-in chicken just because it's more difficult to cut, etc. but it does make the chicken more flavorful and tender.

Lemon Chicken - braised half chicken with garlic, green olives, and preserved lemon

As you can see, it was a rather large portion. Yes, we were full by the end (and we got dessert!). Overall, we both liked the dish but I personally thought it needed more lemon flavor. I found the lemon flavor a bit sedate in this dish. We both agreed that the dish needed more olives (I only had 3). The potatoes were very well cooked. The white meat was a little dry, but the darker chicken meat was fall off the bone tender. The biggest win was the sauce. It was soooo delicious. We both felt the flavors needed a little oooomph but overall found the sauce delicious (just not really lemon chicken sauce). In general, we both thought this was a good dish (he's ordered it before and really loved it). Personally, I might go for the kebobs the next time. I think the kebobs, rice, and hummus are more up my alley of flavor profiles (I remember the kebobs to be very flavorful). I do think this was a good dish though and would def. order again. It just probably wouldn't me my personal first choice.Up next, was dessert. My friend keeps raving about this fruit dessert with orange blossom water, so I had to try it. The dessert is a variation of the: Marrakesh Delight - fresh fruit salad topped with mint ice cream, toasted almonds and orange blossom water. My friend can't have the mint ice cream either because it contains gluten, so we both had the fruit. Wow! This was delicious!! And huge! They were very generous with the fruit. My favorite part was the orange juice and orange blossom water combination. To die for! Here's a tip. You can re-create it at home yourself by using orange juice and orange blossom water, which you can purchase at the Morocco Pavilion! (Be warned a little bit goes a LONG way!). I believe the bottles of Orange Blossom Water are $8.99 but will last a very long time.

One of my favorite ways to have fruit now! Very unique and delicious!

Overall, I'm giving Restaurant Marrakesh a solid 7 out of 10. I find the food to be fairly good and the GF/DF even vegetarian and vegan offerings to be decent. It has terrific atmosphere which is a huge plus for this restaurant, and I wouldn't hesitate to come back. It's a wonderful place for families, adults, kids...really anyone wanting a nice meal in the World Showcase!Have you been to Restaurant Marrakesh? What did you think?

Tangierine Cafe -- Lunch/Dinner -- Quick Service -- Morocco -- World Showcase

*This dining experience took place in July 2013.

Counter at Tangierine Cafe

Visiting the Morocco Pavilion is like visiting an oasis. It's a welcome spot to rest and relax, as well as enjoy the sights, sounds, and tastes of Morocco. I am a huge fan of Restaurant Marrakesh and Tangierine Cafe provides a taste of Marrakesh in quick service location and half the price. The meals here are often light, flavorful, and affordable.One of the things that often varies at this location is the choices. The menu has changed some in the past few years and also the ways in which the chefs interact with you can vary from visit to visit. Sometimes, they give me a binder but lately, they've been calling a chef who doesn't really confer with you per se, but rather tells you this is what you can or cannot eat. Sometimes, they are more willing to talk to you about things but often there is a slight language barrier that makes this a little difficult. On this particular visit, I knew that I wanted the Chicken Shawarma Platter. It's what I got on the last trip, and I really enjoyed it. The chef told me that this was still safe, as well as Morrocan Kefta Sandwich which is seasoned ground beef patties that are grilled. Of course, you would need this modified because it comes in a wrap. I rarely eat beef, so I went with the chicken. The chef stayed out in the front and directed the cast member serving what they should and shouldn't include on my plate, as well as arranging for an Ener-G roll to be served. For those folks looking for Ener-G rolls/buns, check here because they have them! (and have carried them consistently for a long time).

Chicken Shawarma Platter

The Chicken Shawarma Platter is a decent portion. I love love love their hummus (and always wish I could have more), the olive salad is good, as is the lentil salad. The chicken is a bit spicy, so be forewarned if you do not like spicy food. The Ener-G roll is still not my most favorite roll because it gets Styrofoamy really quickly, but if you add enough hummus, it's perfectly fine. If I were vegetarian or vegan, I'd get the vegetable platter with all of the sides above.

Ener-G Roll/Bun

Overall, I find that Tangierine Cafe is a really nice quick service for something different. I've never disliked any of the food here although I wish they had more options. Of course, if you're looking for more options, I would say head to Restaurant Marrakesh for a slighter larger variety.For me, this is another 7 out of 10 for flavorful food, though I wish they had more options and the chef/manager interaction was a little better. And check out the hummus. It's the best!

La Hacienda de San Angel -- Dinner -- Table Service -- World Showcase

*This dining review took place in July 2013 and includes a gluten free and yellow food coloring allergy review.

View of the Mexico Pavilion

Let's take a trip to La Hacienda de San Angel at the World Showcase in Epcot. With authentic food and decor, it's easy to think you've traveled to Mexico. La Hacienda de San Angel is a great option for guests who are gluten free & dairy free. As I discovered there are tons of choices and the menu is almost completely gluten free naturally! On this particular visit, I enjoyed the Pollo al Pastor, chips and salsa and other authentic accompaniments.When we arrived at the restaurant, we were surprised to see how quiet it was. The last time I went there (see my first review HERE) it was quite bustling. It was actually nice to have it be quiet and low-key. We were seated at a really nice table right by the windows. It had a terrific view of the World Showcase Lagoon! This would have been an awesome view for IllumiNations!Our server came over to discuss the menu options with us. I was also dining with another special diets diner. My friend is gluten free and also allergic to yellow food coloring. Both of us had dined at La Hacienda before, so we were looking forward to the meal and also felt comfortable that we knew the menu. Since this location is non-Disney owned the chefs do not come out and talk to you (something that can be a little bit of a bummer). Most of the servers are really knowledgeable and can help you with options, but be prepared to ask a lot of questions. And don't hesitate to ask for a chef or manager if you do not feel comfortable with your server's knowledge or suggestions. This location seems to be a decent one for gluten free diners, as everything on the menu is said to be gluten free (by both servers I've encountered) except the shrimp tacos which can be made gluten free by using corn shells and grilling the shrimp instead of frying them. We also double-checked again and the server said they use dedicated fryers for the chips. She also said both salsas were safe (which they said the last time I was there too).I decided to try the Pollo al Pastor dish which is Achiote marinated chicken served with roasted vegetables, beans and pineapple relish. My friends ordered the La Hacienda Parrillada which is the similar to the Del Mar platter that I ordered last time. It came with Mixed grill offering New York strip, chicken al pastor, chorizo and vegetables, served with beans and fresh salsas.First up were the chips and salsa. I'm a fan. I really like the salsa verde which isn't too spicy at all. The salsa roja has quite a kick (pretty sure it has chipotle in it), so I stayed away from that one.

Salsa and chips

Up next came our entrees. My chicken al pastor was sooooo delicious. The chicken was really nicely marinated and very tender. I am also a huge fan of squash and zucchini, so I loved having that as the veggie. And the pineapple relish/sauce was amazing. Sweet and spicy. Perfect with the chicken. I would say that it wasn't a huge portion by any means. It was a just right portion for me, especially after having the parrillada the last time.

Pollo al Pastor

The platter that my friends ordered was HUGE! Just as huge as the platter I had the last time with seafood. It's a lot for two people. In fact, they had leftovers of everything and were able to take them to-go.

La Hacienda parrillada

As you can see, it's a big meal. Overall, I'd say it was another hit for me. This is the 2nd time I've been there in the past two months, and I've really enjoyed it a lot. The only downside for me is that they don't take Tables in Wonderland which would be a nice thing, especially if you order a drink.

Orange Mango Fire Margarita on the rocks

This is definitely a nice gluten free friendly restaurant, and pretty good for dairy free diners too. I was able to get a lot of the options with the cheese and/or sour cream removed. I love that. In addition, if you are a vegetarian or vegan diner, there are some choices for you, and I believe they have a separate menu for those choices. Here's the listing that I saw:

• Empanadas de Queso - cheese empanadas served with rice and beans
• Tacos de Vegetales - grilled vegetables and queso fresco on flour tortillas, served with esquites (roasted corn)
• Ensalada de la Casa - spinach salad with queso fresco, tomatoes, pomegranate, pine nuts, and avocado, with mustard vinaigrette dressing
• Enchaladas de Vegetales - corn tortillas filled with vegetables, served with salsa verde, rice and beans 

I think you could easily remove the queso fresco and make thinks dairy free (with the exception of the empanandas). Additionally, blog reader Jenn notes that the rice made at La Hacienda is made with chicken stock. I would contact Special Diets in advance to see if vegetarian/vegan stock could be used as an alternative.Overall, I'd give this an 8 out of 10 for good service, great food and decent gluten free & dairy free offerings.

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

*This dining experience took place in June 2013.Forget the pretzels und beer! A visit to Sommerfest will make you forget about those glutenous treats. The menu is extremely limited, but those who are gluten free & dairy free will rejoice in being able to enjoy a bratwurst or frankfurter on a GF/DF bun.

Entrance to Sommerfest

This was my first visit to Sommerfest. I had never thought of going because it didn't seem like they'd be able to really accommodate or even have GF/DF buns. I had heard though that GF/DF diners would indeed be able to get a GF/DF bun and that the bratwurst and frankfurter, as well as the sauerkraut were naturally GF. On a whim, my brother and I decided to go there for a snack.

Limited menu

When you enter the pavilion, you expect a larger QS but really it's more like a kiosk with tables. It's located close to Biergarten, so it can often get busy in there with folks waiting for their ADRs. When I was at the cash register, I said that I was gluten free/dairy free. The CM said that the bratwurst and frankfurters were safe as was the sauerkraut and that they bring out an allergy bun. She said it might take a bit for the bun, as she paged someone--it turned out that they get their buns, etc. from Biergarten.While I waited, I observed how the kiosks runs. I would say if you are a Celiac, you may want to clear your choice with the chef and make sure it comes out from a safe area. I didn't think too much about it, until I realized there are pretzels in the same area, and of course, regular buns. When the chef came out from Biergarten, I confirmed with him again that these options would be safe, and he said "yes."

Bratwurst with sauerkraut on an Udi's GF/DF bun

I have to say, I've been really scoring with the Udi's buns lately. It seems like they are at more locations than I previously thought, or I've just been going to a lot of places where the GNI buns have replaced the Udi's. Man there's a big difference. For those who can have eggs, they are a different world from the GNI buns. I was really glad to see them at Sommerfest because for a bratwurst and sauerkraut you need a sturdy bun.Taste-wise, I found both the bratwurst and sauerkraut to be really mild in flavor. I'm not a big 'kraut fan, but this I could totally eat easily and really enjoyed. They have plain mustard, but make sure to ask for some from the back b/c they are at self serve stations and cross contamination could occur.While this is a pretty basic kiosk, it was great to try something different. I really liked the bratwurst. It was the perfect evening snack. And of course, I was glad to have that Udi's bun!There aren't a lot of options at this location, so I wouldn't consider this a great place for allergies. I'd say it's good for what it is, but not a great spot for a meal. A solid 7 out of 10 for this experience.Have you been to Sommerfest or Biergarten? What was your experience?

L’Artisan des Glaces Sorbet and Ice Cream Shop -- Snacks -- World Showcase -- Epcot

*This dining experience took place in May 2013.Bonjour from the France Pavilion! I had the opportunity to check out L’Artisan des Glaces Sorbet and Ice Cream Shop which just opened at the end of May 2013 in the France Pavilion at Epcot. I tend to avoid the France Pavilion as it has a reputation for being horribly unaccommodating for special diets, but I decided to give it a chance since it had been a while. As a writer over at Chip & Co., I reviewed this with my friend Krista from Disneyways, who thankfully was able to review it from a non-allergy perspective which was great. I was hoping that since they had sorbet, I'd at least be able to have one dessert option there (which wasn't necessarily the case). Here's what I discovered when I went.

Entrance

The Good:  First off, the setting is beautiful. I love the decor and the entire setting in the pavilion makes you feel like you are in France. The decor inside the shop is charming and so well done. Imagineers did a great job at paying attention to every detail--from the milk jar chandelier to the pitchers for milk--it was all perfect. The colors in the shop are gorgeous pastels, very soothing and make for a pleasant almost rustic environment. Also, there is a fair amount of space in there, which I can imagine with summer crowds will be much appreciated (especially since there's no indoor seating). If you don't have a food allergy this is a great new place to visit and one to make a new tradition.

What a cute chandelier!

Glass cases as you enter the shop

In terms of the desserts, I was happy to see that there were several flavors of sorbet: Strawberry, Mango, Melon, Lemon, Pomegranate, and Mixed Berries.

 When you want to get dessert, you have to go to a counter to pay per scoop (one or two at a whopping $3.99 to $6.10), then you go to another station to pick either a cup or cone and then your flavors. Weird. So, what I decided to do was go to the order station and ask about the sorbet. I explained that I can't have dairy or gluten and the cashier brought out an allergy book. (*Point of clarification. I asked the cast member if I could take photographs from the allergy binder) From there, I was able to look at the sheets. Unfortunately, I was only to get 2 very bad photos before I got yelled at to stop taking photos. Whoops! Just call me a gluten free/dairy free renegade!! Here are the two I was able to get:

Here's where things went downhill...The Bad:The cashier snatched the book from me, and yes I wasn't able to look at it again (there I am again with this GF/DF renegade thing!). *Point of clarification: this was a secondary cast member who took the binder from me. There were two cast members at the cash register area, as there are two point of sale machines. He explained to me that while the sorbet was technically dairy free, they use the same machines to make it. He said they wash it well, but that traces of dairy could still exist. Wait? What?! Seriously...after all the time to make this location, they couldn't be bothered to have a dedicated sorbet machine? Sighs... On top of that, some of the ice cream contains gluten in it (profiterole flavor has pretzels in it), so it's not even a 100% safe place if you're just GF. Double sighs...

Sorbets are located in the middle...

 And finally... The UGLY:Worse yet, they keep everything together in the front (sorbets are in the middle surrounded by all the dairy). When asked if they used dedicated spoons, they said no. They use the same spoons for everything and just dip them in water to clean them. I asked if they could use a fresh scoop and fresh batch of sorbet from the back to serve to me. This did not go well. The server literally argued with me for many minutes and told me it didn't matter it was all the same. Holy smokes!! Way to exceed my customer service expectations in France...yet again. :(

 And then I did something that I have no clue what possessed me to do (other than sheer blind judgement), I actually decided to try a scoop and see if another server would accommodate my request. Well, she did. Iwent for a flavor that I figured wasn't that popular--strawberry (people seemed to be going for the other flavors). And so I got my first and only scoop of sorbet at L'Artisan des Glaces Sorbet and Ice Cream Shop.In terms of the taste, it was nothing special. It was good but the flavor wasn't out of this world. I will say it had great texture. Very smooth and creamy. So that was where the sorbet here would stand out. The other strange thing was that it sort of tasted freezer burnt. I asked Krista who got the profiterole ice cream and she said it didn't taste like that to her, so maybe it was my taste buds or just the sorbet.

Strawberry sorbet...

While I think this is a terrific place for guests without special diets, it's not the place to go if you are gluten or dairy free. In the beginning I thought maybe GF folks would be ok; however, I would avoid this place big time. If they use the same spoons and argue about getting fresh scoops from the back, it's not worth it. Trust me. If you have a dairy allergy do not waste your time here. Thank goodness my dairy issues are less about an allergy and more about an autoimmune response with Crohn's because I would have been in serious trouble. On top of everything, the CMs were extremely rude and unaccommodating here. They were perfectly lovely to people without special dietary needs but really not very nice to me.Save your time, money, and effort and go to someplace Disney owned where you can get terrific desserts and safe ones too. The Sanaa raspberry mint sorbet and the strawberry / mango sorbet from Brown Derby blow this sorbet out of the water. Yes, it's a great addition to Epcot but it's just not a great place for folks with special needs.While I can't really recommend this location for special dietary needs, I will say (despite the rotten service), I had a terrific time with Krista. We felt like we were in Paris strolling through the streets and enjoying an afternoon snack. We had a blast but that was only because I enjoyed hanging out with a friend and didn't let the crummy allergy accommodation ruin my time (besides I had sushi that night, so I didn't miss out on enjoying great food!). Overall though, I give this a big fat 2 out of 10 for special diets.

La Hacienda de San Angel -- Dinner -- Table Service -- World Showcase -- Epcot

*This dining experience took place in May 2013.Nestled on the World Showcase Lagoon is La Hacienda de San Angel. A non-Disney owned restaurant, this location has been open for a couple of years now, and this was my first experience going here for dinner. I've long been wanting to head here but for some reason hadn't made it yet. I recently heard rave reviews about this from some friends, one of whom is gluten free, and so I decided to check it out ASAP.

View of La Hacienda & La Cantina de San Angel

I had reservations for this location during the Disney 24 hour event, which meant that the parks were exceptionally crowded. Holiday weekend + special event = Disney chaos! Luckily, Epcot wasn't as bad as other parks, and so we were very lucky we nabbed ADRs for La Hacienda. From the outside, we checked in and it didn't seem that busy (5:30 p.m.) but once we got into the main lobby area, we discovered it was swamped. Very busy. Luckily, we were seated quickly and were able to get settled in without waiting for long in the crowded lobby. What I love about this restaurant is the decor and ambiance. Everything is very spacious and big. My brother and I had a huge booth that offered a lot of space. Good thing because we got a lot of food!

Once seated our server Eduardo came by to greet us and take our drink orders. Now here is where things differ from a Disney owned restaurant. Instead of having a chef come out, Eduardo went over the menu with me. One thing I'll give him, he was actually fairly knowledgeable (like he blew most servers away with his knowledge). He said pretty much the majority of the menu was gluten free which was the easy part. The dairy was also not a big deal as they don't use a lot of dairy. Of course no queso, but I could have figured that out!! :)

My friends reported to me that only the salsa verde was safe and not the red salsa. So, I was surprised when he said both were OK. I mentioned to him that a friend had dined there semi-recently and said only the verde was safe. He said that it used to the be the only safe salsa but that they changed it and now both the red and green were safe. Since I knew the salsa at La Cantina is not safe, I opted to not eat the red salsa and only have the verde. (I'm paranoid what can I say?!) It's probably a good thing too because it had chipotle in it according to my brother and was spicy. Um no thanks. I like spicy but not THAT spicy. The salsa verde was a nice amount of spiciness with some tang to it from the tomatillos. Very good. Note that the chips here are not at all the same as the ones from La Cantina (no crazy dyes in them) and they are made in a dedicated fryer. Thank goodness. I would have been an unhappy camper without chips!

Chips & Salsa!

We decided to split the Parrillada (platter) De Mer (seafood) which is a mixed grill platter. It came with mahi mahi, scallops and shrimp. The other platter came with beef, chicken and chorizo which my friends ordered on their visit and said was excellent. Since I'm not a beef eater, I really wanted to go with the seafood option. It also comes with corn tortillas, black beans (which are normally topped with cheese but was removed for us) and rice (which I didn't eat--it was the one thing that didn't look appetizing to me but my brother said was quite good).

Black Beans

Rice

The platter was huge! I mean huge!!! It could have easily been shared by 3 people if they had added just a little bit of extra protein to it because the amount of veggies was ridiculous. And we ate a lot of them too! It came with grilled zucchini and squash and onions, as well as sweet corn with lime (this was awesome even though I only took a few bites--Crohns and corn do not mesh well). Lots of fresh lime was on the platter too for topping on the meats. The mahi mahi ended up being one of my favorites. I loved the chimichurri on top of it. So flavorful. And the fish was well cooked, not overcooked. The shrimp was good--nice seasoning and the scallops were also yummy. My brother thought they were a little underseasoned but they were fine to me. The veggies were all delicious. The black beans were also great fav, and I ended up dipping some of the leftover tortilla chips in them. They were also very generous with the corn tortillas. They brought us seconds which was good because they were a bit on the small side.

Parrillada De Mer

We opted for no dessert because we left way too much food even though we both porked out (and yes, we can both pack away the food!). I think it's just a very large portion for two people. I can see it is a very popular option too, as many people also orders the platters. Eduardo did mention that they had sorbet for dessert if I wanted it.

Overall, I really enjoyed this restaurant, and I plan on visiting again. I love that most of the menu is naturally gluten free, which means there are a lot of choices and a whole lot less chance of cross contamination. I would definitely come back again to eat here. Very good! I'd give this a 8 out of 10. It would be nice if the chefs came to the table and chatted with but I was pleasantly surprised by my server's knowledge.

Liberty Inn -- Lunch/Dinner -- Quick Service -- World Showcase -- Epcot

*This dining experience took place in February 2013.There are many places in the World Showcase that I like to eat. For me, Liberty Inn wouldn't be my first choice, but surprisingly, one of my top choices for a good quick service meal. While I don't personally eat beef (so burgers are out for me), I do really enjoy the allergy friendly chicken tenders which Liberty Inn carries. It's not often that you can get safe chicken tenders out anywhere, so even though I would normally classify the fare at this location as a boring burgers and fries joint, this is the place I like to visit in Epcot for the chicken tenders.I have the file somewhere with the list of ingredients, but haven't been able to find it. I believe the coating is rice flour based, but the tenders themselves come in pre-packaged to the different locations. Some locations are able to fry them in dedicated fryers and others bake them. In the case of Liberty Inn, they bake both the tenders and the french fries so be prepared for a 20 minute wait.On this particular occasion, I stopped by because I knew I could eat them safely; it was late, and I had spent several hours getting my car towed to the Disney Car Care Center (long story, but I'm glad to know this auto shop is there!!). So I was in serious need of something substantial. As usual, the manager said she could make these but that it would take 20 minutes. Normally, I get a manager who's willing to bring them to me so I don't have to wait or come back, but it was relatively busy and this manager said I would need to come back or wait. I ended up going back to the table with some family & friends who were very surprised it actually took the 20 minutes.

Whoops I forgot to take a picture before I began eating!

Once I got the tenders, I was very excited. When you're tired, stressed and hungry, a simple thing like an allergy friendly chicken tender is a bright spot! They were, of course, very hot, but good. I prefer them fried, but they are still very delicious baked. The fries were also quite good. Note I didn't have any sauces, but rather some ketchup for the fries. A lot of the sauces have gluten in them, so I usually steer clear (especially since a manager once tried to tell me something was safe when it was labeled not).Overall, I was very pleased with the quality of the tenders here. The only slight complaint (and not really a complaint more of a convenience wish) was that the manager wasn't very willing to bring them over or notify me when they were done. After a long day that would have been appreciated.I'd give this a solid 8 out of 10!

Rose & Crown -- Table Service -- Dinner -- World Showcase -- Epcot

*This dining experience took place in February 2013.

View from my seat of the World Showcase Lagoon

It's been a few years since I've been to the Rose & Crown at the UK Pavilion at Epcot. This visit was entirely by accident due to some car troubles & an extended stay at WDW while my car was fixed (or not as it eventually turned out, but that's not a food related story!!). I ended up getting an ADR last minute at Rose & Crown, as it sounded like a much better option than some of the others available in the World Showcase at the time (I was staying at the Boardwalk, so I wanted something semi-close). My last experience there was good, so I thought it the perfect time to check it out again.I was seated outside on the second level before the water, so I had a lovely view of the World Showcase Lagoon. I was seated in a slightly weird location as I was by myself, but overall, it was a pleasant location mostly due to the nice weather and view.

Side view from my table

 When the chef arrived, he seemed very familiar to me. I was pretty sure that he'd assisted me at another restaurant. His name was Chef Brian, and he was very nice. First, he went over the options for appetizers (good thing too, I was starving having not had anything since breakfast and it being 6pm). He said the Mary & the Lads (i.e. shrimp cocktail) was safe with no modifications, as was the Roasted Sea Scallops appetizer. The salad was ok with the removal of the blue cheese. I ended up with the Mary & the Lads, as shrimp cocktail sounded fab.

Mary & the Lads

As far as appetizers go, this one was delicious. The shrimp were perfectly cooked and the sauce was not the typical cocktail sauce, but rather a spicy bloody Mary sauce. It was really good and something different. The salad was micro-greens and frisee tossed with a light vinaigrette, very simple. It went really well with the shrimp.In between the entree and the appetizer, I was brought some rolls. They were the GNI brand rolls, but interestingly enough they were in the packaging--a first for me. This gave me a chance to see what "allergens" it supposedly covers. According to the package it's gluten, dairy, soy, egg, corn. My only complaint is that from what I know about the company, they produce these rolls in plants that have nuts and dairy. So, I'm not sure about the cross-contamination standards. If anyone knows, I'd love to find out more about them! Taste-wise, at least they were heated this time so the texture was more appealing.

GNI brand rolls--at least they were heated properly

Allergens listed on the package but no ingredients

For my entree, I had the choice of Fish & Chips (which I had just had a few nights earlier at Raglan Road) and the Chicken Curry. There were several others, but these were the two that appealed to me. I ended up getting the curry figuring that the British pavilion should at least have good curry (when I spent a month in the UK in college I lived on!!); however, I was fairly disappointed. It wasn't the worst curry I've had but it wasn't the best either. Certainly nothing like Sanaa (which I love!!). I should have gone with the Fish & Chips! The sauce was very concentrated, almost like tomato paste and tasted mostly like tomato paste. The curry flavor was not very strong. The vegetables were slightly crunchy--well some of them were crunchy and some not. Very strange. I guess someone's mise en place skills needed some work in the kitchen! The chicken was the best part. It was very very tender and quite flavorful (about the only thing that tasted of curry). I don't think I'd get this one again. The poppadum was great but I'm not sure they could screw up something that probably came in pre-packaged!

Chicken Curry--Not the best

I'd really be curious to try the fish & chips here. I know they used potato & corn starch in the batter. Sounded different and interesting compared to the one at Raglan Road. I opted for no dessert as the only option was sorbet.Overall, I liked the Rose & Crown. I think I just made a poor decision on the entree, but I can imagine the other dishes are quite good. I definitely should have gone with my gut on this one. I'd go back again but just try a different entree.An 8 out of 10.

Tangierine Cafe -- Quick Service -- Lunch/Dinner -- Morocco -- World Showcase -- Epcot

*This dining experience took place in February 2013.

 Any time I visit the Moroccan pavilion at Epcot, I feel like I'm transported to another world. It has a lovely authentic vibe. I love trying new things here, and I love Moroccan food. I especially love hummus and olives of any type.Unfortunately, on my last trip, I didn't have many options, but I really wanted to see if they had changed in the past year.When I first entered, I let the cashier know that I needed to see a chef or manager. Interestingly enough, they brought a chef. It was a very interesting experience, as he did not interact with me at all. The cashier told him that I couldn't gluten or dairy (which he translated in Arabic). The chef then told him basically what I could have. This was very different from the last visit, where they gave me a binder with ingredients. Thankfully, I have a good working knowledge of Moroccan & Middle Eastern food, because I knew that hummus is naturally safe. The chef said I should order the Shawarma Platter with chicken, hummus, olives, lentil salad, and GF/DF bread. Seemed easy enough for me.The wait did take quite a while, mostly because they had to get the bread around. Interestingly enough, the bread was not GNI or Udi's. The only other place I've encountered this specific bread was at Be Our Guest Restaurant, but I was not able to determine what the brand is.

Shawarma Platter modified

Overall, I found this to be very good. In fact, I wish they would have had this option the last visit (I had the meatballs the last time, which are no longer on the menu). The chicken was a little spicy and very tender. The hummus was excellent, as usual. Unfortunately, the bread was kind of styrofoamy. It had a really weird texture that almost reminded me of the Ener-G rolls. It might have been better if it was warmer, but overall I wasn't a big fan. The olives were awesome--I could have eaten a ton of these. The lentil salad was OK. Probably the thing I liked the least on the plate, but it was still very good.I really enjoyed this meal here. Thankfully, I didn't get sick, but if you are concerned about ingredients, I would definitely speak up to ask for a binder.I'd give this a 7 out of 10 for good food, but lackluster allergy interaction/experience.

Snacks -- World Showcase

Hi everyone! This will be an ever-evolving post about pre-packaged snacks at the World Showcase countries at Epcot.Updated 10/28/2012United Kingdom:When I recently visited the UK pavilion at Epcot, I checked out some of the offerings at the some of the stores for gluten free/dairy free snacks. I found a few options at The Tea Caddy located across from the Rose & Crown Pub. They not only have a great selection of Twinnings tea but they also have a lot of offerings from the UK. Most of the items are not gluten free (lots of biscuits and flavored crisps), but they do have some candy bars that are gluten free (not dairy free). They also have a lot of gummy type candies that would work for quick snacks. The ones I found are the Robinsons Tropical Fruits and Taverners Wine Gums. 

Robinsons Tropical Fruits

Taveners Wine Gums & More Robinsons Fruit Snacks

I read the labels and double-checked online for these products. I couldn't find any conclusive information about the Robinsons products being GF/DF but I did find info on the Web that Taveners wine gums are GF/DF. I wouldn't say there are a ton of GF/DF options at this pavilion, but there were some additional GF only options. Weirdly enough all of the crisps (i.e. potato chips) I found were not gluten free. Walkers brand used to be gluten free and there is now a cross contamination warning about these.Japan:At the Japan pavilion, I located a variety of items at the Mitsukoshi Department Store. Because most of the items come directly from Japan, it can sometimes be a bit difficult to figure out the ingredients. Luckily, there are English labels for the ingredients to help out. I didn't note every item that's available there, but here are a few things that appear to be safe (of course, always double-check before consuming).

Variety of gummies

Lots of gummies to choose from! Lychee and Mango sound interesting!

I initially thought these were all GF/DF, but after investigating online, I'm not sure they are all DF. The Kasugai Gummy Candy is the brand that most of these are. The lychee for example lists the following:Ingredients Corn Syrup (Corn Starch, Water), Sugar, Concentrated Apple Juice, Gelatin, Milk Calcium, Concentrated Lychee Juice, Oblate Powder (Potato, Corn, Soybean), D-Sorbitol, Citric Acid, Pectin, Artificial Flavor, Carnauba Wax, Emulsifier [Glycerol Esters of Fatty Acid, Lecithin (Soybean)]. The Muscat candy also indicated it had milk in it. In general, it would appear the gummies might be GF but not all are DF.  Without much information on these candies, I might be a cautious consumer.

Hello Kitty marshmallows

I also found some Hello Kitty flavored marshmallows that appeared to be GF/DF but I couldn't find any information that confirmed this 100%.

Monchhichis! Oh so soft and cuddly! Not food, but they are so darn cute!

Overall, there seem to be some options in the Japan pavilion, but I would reserve some caution in consuming these since there is little info about allergies on these.

Liberty Inn -- Lunch -- Quick Service -- Epcot

**This dining experience took place in summer 2011.  

 

I've always heard that the Liberty Inn is really great with allergies. It looks like standard American fare--hamburgers and hot dogs, etc. So, one rainy day, we hit up Liberty Inn for a quick snack. I went with my friend who gluten/dairy/soy allergies.We were both hungry for chicken tenders--and if you have read my blog, you know I'm pretty obsessed with those things! :)Upon arrival, we were greeted by a manager who brought out a book for us with all the ingredients. As we told him, we wanted chicken tenders...no need to go over options lol. He told us he could also do fries baked in the oven. The chicken tenders are also baked there.It did take about 15 minutes from start to finish, but the manager was very courteous and helpful. He brought the food out to our table, so we didn't have to wait up at the counter for so long. This was very nice.The chicken tenders were awesome as usual. The fries are better, well fried...but baked is OK too.

Chicken tenders and fries...both baked..

 Overall, I probably ought to have paid attention to the other options, but it's a good reason to go back and see how their burgers and chicken sandwiches are.A solid 8 out of 10!