3/6/14 3/6/14

Kouzzina -- Breakfast -- Table Service -- Boardwalk

*This dining experience took place in February 2014.When it comes to breakfast options at Disney World, Kouzzina has to be one of my favorites. Inspired by Mediterranean flavors, this restaurant (owned by celebrity chef Cat Cora) has bright and bold flavors and dishes that are totally different from many dishes you'll find on Disney property for breakfast (or dinner too, for that matter). As a gluten free & dairy free diner, the amount of options I have to choose from are pretty amazing....and delicious too.On this particular occasion, my family stopped by after the Royal Family 5K runDisney race held at Epcot. We were all wearing our race shirts and medals afterwards, so it was fun to go celebrate at one of our favorite breakfast spots. That being said, this restaurant is usually slow to moderately busy for breakfast and this morning it was slammed. And I mean slammed. I guess every runDisney racer decided to head here! It does actually have some great fuel options for runners (turkey sweet potato hash anyone?)Chef Sergio, who I haven't seen in forever, was working the breakfast shift. And the poor guy was running around like mad. I guess everyone in the restaurant had a special diet that day! I saw several different Disney friends (who also have dietary needs), so I knew it would be more of a leisurely meal. And it was. It took quite a long time for Chef Sergio to come over but when he did, he was very apologetic. I felt bad for the guy. It was a zoo in there.Thankfully, I've been there so many times that I knew exactly what I wanted: The American breakfast option with eggs over-easy, sweet potato hash (my weakness), bacon, Udi's gluten free/dairy free toast and a side of allergy Mickey waffles with real maple syrup. Oh yeah, I was about to get my carbs on!One thing I love about Kouzzina are the eggs are always cooked in high quality extra virgin olive oil...and so good. They also carry Nueske's bacon here which is not that stringy bacon you get at Disney. I mean it's bacon and all, but it's nothing like the thick cut Nueske's. The sweet potato hash was excellent. Perfectly cooked (the last time I got it it was crunchy so I'm glad that didn't happen again), and so good after a race. The Udi's toast dunked in the egg yolks (sorry for those who think that's gross) is one of my favorite things. So good.And of course, those allergy Mickey waffles. I just adore these at Kouzzina. Perfectly crunchy and delicious. The best! And you better believe I scarfed every bit of them down. Sorry Mickey!Overall, despite the long wait times here, this continues to be one of my favorite breakfast spots. It's just that good.I'd give this experience a solid 8 out of 10.Have you been to Kouzzina? What's your favorite breakfast option on the menu?

2/25/14 2/25/14

Mara -- Dinner -- Quick Service -- Animal Kingdom Lodge Jambo House

*This dining experience took place in February 2014.The Mara is perhaps one of my favorite quick service locations on Disney property and easily one of my tops for a resort quick service restaurant. I love the African inspired food and the quality of food that is served at this location. This location is also extremely special diets friendly and has a ton of options for guests who are gluten free and dairy free.On this particular occasion, I stopped by for dinner on the evening before my last race of the 2013-2014 runDisney race season - the Royal Family 5K. I didn't want to order anything too complicated or outside of my normal realm of food choices, especially so I didn't upset my stomach for race day.I will say that this restaurant was packed (around 6 p.m.) that night and there were a ton of other racers also dining there. Of course, there was pasta as a pre-race special but I'm not a huge GF pasta fan, so I skipped that option. Once I got to the front of the line, I asked for a chef and they quickly brought out one to chat with me. I forgot to write down his name, but he was a very friendly older gentleman who was very willing to go over options with me. Here are some options he gave me:

Angus Bacon Burger with fries (on a GF/DF bun)
Allergy chicken tenders with fries
Flatbread minus the cheese
Oak-smoked Rotisserie Chicken substitute something else for the mashed potatoes
Mara Salad with Chicken
African Stew
Harissa Salmon (with some substitutions - can't remember what though)

There were a few other options that I can't recall, but ultimately, I decided to go with the allergy chicken tenders and fries. I know, I know...kinda boring, but I knew they wouldn't upset my stomach, plus they are just darn delicious!While I waited for my food I got a chance to check out the restaurant to see if there were any special diets options available, and wouldn't you know it I found the Babycakes NYC cupcakes. They are the mini cupcakes in a 4 pack, and it's great that you can find these here.I also noticed that they had boxes out for runners with bagels, etc. I have to say that it would be really great if they offered some alternatives for guests who have special dietary needs too. It doesn't seem like it would be too hard to accommodate!Once I got my chicken tenders (which came out faster than some other people's non-special diets meals!), I headed back to my villa at Kidani Village. I got to rest up and enjoy my dinner while watching the Must Do's on TV. The must do's are simply a must do!As usual, the allergy chicken tenders were perfect. They actually did a great job frying these (almost as good as Columbia Harbour House!) - though the fries were a little soggy by the time I got back to my room. Either way, it was exactly what I wanted before my race and quite delicious.Next time I visit the Mara, I'll have to try something else. It's been forever since I've had the African Stew and the Mara Salad also sounded interesting.I'd give this experience an 8 out of 10.Have you been to the Mara? What are your favorite dishes here?

2/24/14 2/24/14

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

*This dining experience took place in February 2014.Sanaa means work of art, and there's no shortage of art in this restaurant -- from the decor to the food. I still consider this restaurant a hidden gem on Disney property. Guests who might be apprehensive about the Indian & African inspired fare need not be worried. Sanaa has some of the most delicious and approachable fare that even the most skeptical of diners will love (and I hear regularly from guests who consider this a new favorite restaurant).On this particular occasion, I stopped by during my pre-runDisney race day festivities. I popped in for a carb filled lunch after coming back from the expo to pick up my race bib. As always, Sanaa did not disappoint both in options and in price.I was greeted by Chef David, who has assisted me before. Prior to chatting with Chef David, I received two special diets menus from the cast member who seated us. The menus have slightly changed (but not much) and mostly in the area of pricing. Yikes! I long for the days when many of these dishes were under $20! You can find the updated menus on the menu page.I actually decided to order something not listed on the special diets menus. I ordered the Roasted Turkey Sandwich - served on ciabatta with avocado, smoked bacon, pickled red onion, lemon mayonnaise and choice of chickpea salad or fruit ($13.99). It can easily be modified by using a gluten free/dairy free bread (in this case Udi's Gluten Free). I also really like the chickpea salad which is fresh and filling (and great for a pre-race meal).As always, this is a great sandwich. It's one of my favorites and really quite affordable as far as Disney table service lunches go. The turkey is roasted in house using some African spices and is very mild and tender. The avocado goes perfectly with the turkey and bacon. My favorite parts of this sandwich are the lemon mayonnaise (so fresh) and the pickled onions. The pickled onions totally make this dish. And the chickpea salad is a winner hands down. Even my mom who isn't a huge fan of cucumbers and other veggies that are in this dish really likes it.Overall, I'm always pleased after eating at Sanaa. The food can't be beat, as far as quality, and who can dislike dining at a restaurant overlooking the Savanna with all of the amazing animals. It's a hands down favorite and a must-do for Disney special diets diners. If you're vegetarian or vegan, this is definitely a place to go!I give this a solid 9 out of 10 for great meal and service, especially for special dietary accommodations.Have you been to Sanaa? What are your favorite dishes here?

2/19/14 2/19/14

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

*This dining experience took place in February 2014.Contempo Cafe, located in Disney's Contemporary Resort, offers fast and convenient fare for guests who are in the resort. Set right in the hustle and bustle of the fourth floor, guests dining at Contempo Cafe can enjoy the sights and sounds from Chef Mickey's and watch the monorail whiz by. On this particular occasion, I stopped by for a quick breakfast. Having had less than stellar breakfast here before (yuck, horrible allergy Mickey waffles), I decided I just wanted a side of eggs and a side of the famous Disney stringy bacon.It took quite a while for the manager to come by; in fact, they had to page her multiple times. When she arrived, I knew what I wanted and let her know that it was just basic scrambled eggs and bacon. Easy enough. She took care of that while I paid, and in fact, my food was ready before I had even paid - so I guess that makes up for the long wait time beforehand.Taste-wise, these were nothing to write home about. The eggs were fine, if not a little bland, and the bacon was the same bacon you can get pretty much anywhere at Disney. It certainly wasn't memorable, but it was solid and my stomach thanked me for having something in it. I will say that I'm not a fan of their breakfast potatoes here (the same ones as next door at Chef Mickey's) and their breakfast turkey sausage is really not great either. But, if you're looking for a quick basic breakfast, this place has got you covered.I'd give this experience a 6 out of 10. Nothing of note to report. Just blah and bland.

2/19/14 2/19/14

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

*This dining experience took place in February 2014.Sometimes you just want a quick bite to eat and Sommerfest, located in the Germany pavilion in the World Showcase, fits the bill nicely. Offering a limited quick service menu, guests can order bratwurst and frankfurters gluten free. On this particular occasion, I stopped by to get a bratwurst on a gluten free and dairy free bun.Prior to Fall 2013, Sommerfest was carrying the Udi's Gluten Free buns; however, they are not carrying these anymore, but rather the Ener-G buns. The unfortunate part is that they don't seem to know how to heat them properly and 9 times out of 10, they are cold, which makes for a rather unpleasant and almost styrofoamy texture. Still, smother anything in enough sauerkraut I suppose and it won't taste too badly? (That is if you like sauerkraut!)In the past, they also used to get the buns from Biergarten located next door; however, the last two times they have carried the buns in the kiosk itself. In fact, I watched the person preparing the food in the back, and they actually changed gloves and then went into the refrigerator to get my Ener-G bun. Again, the heating factor seemed to be missing on these.As far as taste goes, the bratwurst and the sauerkraut are great. The bun...again not so much. Please heat these guys...I'm begging you! Special Diets people like decent buns too!On a side note, the curry ketchup they serve is supposed to be gluten free & dairy free, so double-check and you might be able to replace that with regular ketchup when enjoying a Frankfurter. I might do that the next time I'm there myself!As always, this location has OK fare - it's something just a little different than burgers. I would rate this particular experience a 6 out of 10. Really because of that darn bun!Have you been to Sommerfest?

2/16/14 2/16/14

Spice Road Table -- Lunch/Dinner -- Table Service -- Epcot -- World Showcase

*This dining experience took place in February 2014.Spice Road Table, located in Epcot's Morocco Pavilion in the World Showcase, is the newest restaurant to open at Disney World. Set to reflect a Tapas style restaurant, it features small plates in appetizer sized portions. The food is inspired by Spain and the Mediterranean and is a bit different from the fare you'll get at Restaurant Marrakesh or Tangierine Cafe in the same pavilion. This location has been open for about a month now, and I had been wanting to stop by sometime and check out the food.Alexis from Gluten Free in Orlando was at Spice Road Table on opening day, and since I read her review, I've been really hoping to check it out because so many options seemed to be gluten free. The menu itself for a Tapas restaurant is pretty limited (I've been to Tapas restaurants where they have 50+ menu items) with only 10 items. I'll be curious to see if they add more items later!After we were seated (note they aren't taking reservations at this time, only walk-ups), I told the server that I had a special diet and he said he would get the chef. The person who came out seemed a wee bit more like a line cook than a chef. (*Note: This is a non-Disney owned restaurant, so they may or may not adhere to the same Disney standards for special diets accommodations). He was perfectly lovely but he really didn't seem to know the menu, though I'll cut him some slack since he said that he'd just returned from vacation and they had changed the menu up some.Of the options that were gluten free & dairy free he said I could have the following:

Fresh Mussels Tagine (without the butter)
Spicy Garlic Shrimp (without the crouton/bread)
Mediterranean Omelet
Moroccan Lamb Sausage
Hummus and Imported Olives (with GF/DF bread)
Lamb Slider (without the bun)
Rice Stuffed Grape Leaves - this was a maybe because he said they changed the recipe and didn't want to say for sure it was safe. Alexis had it and they told her it was GF, so I'm fairly sure it was OK, but you'd want to check when you order.

So, there were some decent options. I don't eat lamb, so both of those were out. I was debating between the shrimp and the hummus and olives. I ended up going with the hummus and olives figuring the bread along with the dish would be filling.Before our food came out though, I did order a drink. I went with something not on the menu - a mojito. It's one of my favorite refreshing drinks, and I figured that they would have fresh mint on hand (given they had mint tea). The server wasn't sure at first if they could make it, but they happily obliged at the bar. It is a full bar, so sky's the limit with drinks -- well within reason, I suppose. As far as mojitos, it was OK. It wasn't my favorite which is the African Starr Mint Mojito at Sanaa, but still pretty good. It also was very weak for a $10 drink.When my hummus and olives arrived, I was surprised they gave me one piece of bread. I was also surprised by the texture of the bread. It sure didn't look like Ener-G to me. I asked the server if he could check with the "chef" to see if this was gluten & dairy free. He said he was told it was. I really didn't feel comfortable, so I did ask if they could send someone from the kitchen out to confirm. When the "chef" came out, he said it was a new product from Ener-G and that they had changed the rolls. I explained to him that I would be very sick if I consumed a regular roll, and he swore up and down that it was safe. Maybe I am just paranoid, but I really wanted to make sure.As far as the hummus goes, I liked them both, but they weren't anything of note. The regular hummus had a ton of tahini in it, which I love. The other has a nice tomato salad on top (though it was not properly salted). The winner on the plate were the olives and cornichons. So yummy! Much better than any of the other olives you get in the Morocco pavilion.My overall impressions of Spice Road Table are this - it's a gorgeous restaurant with amazing views of the World Showcase Lagoon. The decor is really lovely. The food...just so-so. I also think the price is really expensive for the portions. They wouldn't even bring me extra bread. I would have had to pay $2.99 for another piece. Egads! For that, I'll head back to Sanaa for the amazing bread service for $10 with tons of sauces and free-flowing pappadums!It's a great place for appetizers and drinks, especially before IllumiNations, but for a full meal? Not so much. We ended up going to Sommerfest later to get a snack because we were still hungry!I'd give this visit a 6.5 out of 10 for lackluster food but gorgeous atmosphere.

2/13/14 2/13/14

Cooke's of Dublin -- Lunch/Dinner -- Quick Service -- Downtown Disney

*This dining experience took place in February 2014.I have a confession to make....I really like gluten free & dairy free fried foods. Well, who can blame me right? Anything that is safe for me to consume that's fried is a rare treat, and that's probably why I love these kinds of food so much. And the items at Cooke's of Dublin fit the bill nicely.Located in Downtown Disney, Cooke's of Dublin is the quick service version of Raglan Road Irish Pub which is located next door to this location. They do, in fact, use a lot of the same recipes for their gluten free & dairy free fried items, but they are a little more affordable and fast on the service. This means they are a great quick service spot in Downtown Disney for special diets diners.The last time that I visited, I enjoyed their fish and chips which are essentially the same as the version you can get at Raglan Road (though I do think a teensy bit greasier). I like them a lot but what really caught my attention was that they could make quite a few gluten free & dairy free options. They include:

The Original One & One – Fish & Chips $10.95
Georges Bank Atlantic Scallops $12.95
Cold Water Shrimp $11.95
Battered Chicken Tenders $9.95
Double Dipped Onion Rings $5.00
Fresh Chips $5.00

I knew I just had to have the fried shrimp because, well...why not? I had tried the scallops, fish and chips, and onion rings all next door and as much as I love chicken tenders I figured shrimp was the way to go. And I was not at all disappointed!First off, the shrimp portions were really good. I figured I might just have a few but there were quite a lot in this serving. They were piping hot and really delicious. The shrimp were definitely of a high quality and were well fried. Again, a little greasy, but heck I'm not complaining. The fries were equally good. The cocktail sauce at the restaurant perfectly accompanied the shrimp. They still need to salt their fried foods just a wee bit more, but again nothing some sauce won't cure.Overall, I was super pleased with this lunch, and I really enjoyed the shrimp. I'm fairly certain I didn't talk for a while during that lunch! I would order this dish again easily. And I would actually order this over the fish and chips any day. I like my fish and chips better next door at Raglan Road, but for shrimp - this place has got me covered. I'm very curious about the scallops here portion wise compared to next door at Raglan Road as well as the chicken tenders. They all sound great!For a quick service, this still is my favorite Downtown Disney location for reasonable prices and excellent GF/DF offerings.This visit was a solid 8 out of 10 for me.Have you been to Cooke's of Dublin? What's your favorite gluten free/dairy free fried dish?

2/9/14 2/9/14

Boatwright's Dining Hall -- Dinner -- Table Service -- Port Orleans Riverside

*This dining experience took place in February 2014 and includes my gluten free & dairy free review, a gluten free & yellow food coloring review, and a vegan review.Located near the lobby of Port Orleans Riverside lies Boatwright's Dining Hall, a hidden gem of Disney restaurants. Serving New Orleans/Cajun inspired fare, I have long been wanting to dine at this location for dinner. I hadn't been to this resort or the restaurant since 2006, when I made a Mother's Day trip to Disney with my mom. We loved the charming and relaxing atmosphere of the resort, and we also enjoyed a delicious breakfast at Boatwright's (which is no longer served).When I was deciding where to go for my birthday celebration dinner, I immediately thought of Boatwright's. I have been spending entirely too much time lately at Sassagoula Floatworks & Food Factory next door at Port Orleans French Quarter getting those fantastic gluten free, dairy free, egg free (and vegan) beignets. But, it had been prompting me to want to try dinner at Boatwright's. So, my birthday dinner celebration was set. Friends and family joined in on the fun, including Alexis from Gluten Free in Orlando and Tony from Disney by the Numbers. Both of them have special dietary needs too, so it was cool to see what they ordered on the menu.First up, I have to apologize that I didn't take any photos of the restaurant. Apparently, I was too busy having fun to take photos. But, it's an impressive and cozy restaurant -- built a bit like a shipyard. We had nice seating on the top level of the restaurant, near the warm fireplace (very appreciated after a cold rainy day) -- with a roaring fire, it was the perfect back drop.Chef's Tony & Paul took care of our table during the meal, and let me tell you they did a stellar job. This was one of the best meals I've had at Disney in a very long time. First up, they went over the menu offerings. For appetizers, gluten free (and some modifications for dairy free) included: shrimp and grits (not dairy free), the French onion soup (minus the crouton & cheese - this one might still not be dairy free), the house salad minus the croutons (not dairy free - this one has a green goddess dressing - which looked fantastic), and spinach salad (minus the crouton). These also sounded great, but as soon as I heard that they could make the cajun-seasoned crawfish bites gluten free & dairy free...well, you know which one I chose!Normally, the cajun-seasoned crawfish bites are not gluten free & dairy free - but if you contact the Walt Disney World Special Diets Department ahead of time, they can arrange to make it safe for you. Of course, you now I couldn't pass up something battered and deep fried and smothered in remoulade sauce (we'll get to that momentarily). I have to tell you, this appetizer is hands down one of my favorites on property now. These were outrageous. First up, it's a huge portion (which I had no problem scarfing down), second it was piping hot and perfectly seasoned. Fried foods really need to be salted properly, and I can tell you the balance on this dish was perfection. Both Alexis & I ordered this and I think neither of us spoke for a good several minutes other than to say "oh my gosh, these are amazing."I adore remoulade sauce and this version was divine. The perfect combo of spice along with the crawfish. I may also have dipped some bread in the remoulade sauce too!! (heck, you could dip an old booth in this remoulade and it would probably taste amazing). Speaking of rolls, we were served GNI brand rolls along with Smart Balance (which is GF and vegan) for me and regular butter for everyone else. For dinner options, we had an impressive amount - and many didn't even need dairy free modifications which was great. Here are the gluten free options:

Jambalaya
New York Strip
Voodoo Chicken (with some modifications)
Vegetarian Jambalaya (also vegan)
Andouille-crusted Catfish (with some modifications)
Slow Roasted Prime Rib
Blackened Fish
Sweet Tea Brine Pork Chop (with some modifications)
Slow Cooked Beef Short Rib (with some modifications)

With so many choices, most of us were having a hard time choosing. And wouldn't you know it we all got something different! (on a side note, I kind of would love a sampler platter entree here - like a Taste of the Bayou with small portions - or I just need to go back soon so I can try other dishes).Alexis chose the Slow Cooked Beef Short Rib which looked fabulous. You can read her full review on Gluten Free in Orlando. Tony got the vegetarian jambalaya which looked delicious as well. I know he really enjoyed the dish. And my other friend ordered the Voodoo Chicken. The red beans & rice and collard greens are not currently gluten free, so he got green beans and potatoes instead. He kindly shared it with both Alexis and I, and wow! The sauce on the chicken was terrific. It was a peach marmalade and totally sweet and spicy.For my entree, I went with the Sweet Tea Brined Pork Chop. I have to admit, what got me was the onion straws. The same batter for the cajun spiced crawfish bites was used for the onion straws and they were amazing. They aren't normally GF/DF, so this is another one you'll want to contact Special Diets ahead of time if you want. I have to tell you, this entree was amazing. It exceeded my expectations and then some. The pork itself had a subtle sweetness from the brine and a great grill flavor. Add in the bacony, smoky, sweet potato hash and the fried onion straws...well, it was the perfect dish. It was also huge (side note, if you go to Boatwright's be prepared for massive portions - seriously, the prices and portions at this place are a steal). I had leftovers and they were fantastic the next day too. I admit, that I might have a hard time ordering other dishes at the restaurant after this one -- even though I do want to try others!If you're looking for gluten free dessert options (and yes, believe me we somehow managed to make room for dessert), Boatwright's currently has butterscotch creme brulee, bananas foster angel food cake without the cake, ice cream, or OMG...It's Gluten Free cookies and brownies. They also have Babycakes Brownie Cupcakes on hand. Chef Tony jazzed up one for me with a chocolate sauce, fresh raspberries (my favorite), and vanilla Rice Dream. Oh yeah...about that candle. I also got a restaurant serenade to help celebrate the occasion. Perfect way to end the meal! Overall, I can't say enough good things about Boatwright's. I was pleasantly surprised by the variety and quality of the food. Honestly, this is a hidden gem of a restaurant, and I can't believe more people haven't discovered it yet. Everyone at the table (and there were 11 of us!) raved about the meal and really enjoyed it -- special diets or not. I can tell you, I will certainly be back to try out new dishes...but those cajun-seasoned crawfish bites, they're totally going to be a permanent fixture on my visits. They were to-die-for!Thank you again to Chef Tony & Chef Paul for making this a memorable and delicious birthday dinner. This restaurant was a solid 9 out of 10 for me!Have you been to Boatwright's before? What are your favorite dishes?

1/26/14 1/26/14

Kouzzina -- Dinner -- Table Service -- Boardwalk

*This dining experience took place in November 2013.If you're craving a taste of the Mediterranean and more specifically Greek food, then you simply must head to Kouzzina located at Disney's Boardwalk Resort. This restaurant is celebrity Chef Cat Cora's collaboration with Disney World, and there's certainly no shortage of Greek inspired fare at this restaurant.As many of you know, I'm a huge fan of Kouzzina for breakfast. I adore their allergy Mickey waffles and think they are some of the best on Disney property (they have that whole crispy waffle thing down to an art), and I also really love that they use great olive oils in their breakfast offerings. And don't get me started on their turkey sweet potato hash! I have a slight addiction to that breakfast entree! However, what many of you probably don't know is that I hadn't been to Kouzzina for dinner until October 2013 with my friend and special diets collaborator Laurie Sadowski. She is a huge, and I mean huge fan of Kouzzina, and it only seemed fitting that I dine there for dinner my first time with her. And stay tuned for our combined dinner review - Laurie & I will be sharing that review together with her gluten free & vegan offerings and my gluten free & dairy free offerings. If you haven't checked out our combined review of Ohana, you'll want to check it out!But back to this dinner review! After such a wonderful experience the first time, I wanted to stop back again and get something different with my family who also had never been for dinner. And the perfect time to visit was during my pre-race dinner for the Jingle Jungle 5K race.One thing I love about Kouzzina at night is that it totally transforms, and this evening was no different. And it smells amazing in here! Like seriously, amazing. The open fire is just ridiculous, and makes the entire restaurant smell of whatever deliciousness comes out of it.Upon being seated we were greeted by a bit of an overzealous server. He really really tried to sell just about every upcharge thing he could think of to us. I appreciate that he's trying to make a living, but sheesh. I was really glad when Chef Miguel came out to the table to assist me because it got our server to settle down a bit.Chef Miguel is super nice and having met him before, I was glad he was on hand for the meal. I knew he would make sure I got great offerings. This time, I knew I wanted something different but not super spicy. I learned my lesson after a little bit of a spicy meal at Jiko before the Happy Haunted 5K. This time - go mild! I decided that I wanted to get some dolmades (which are grape leaves stuffed with rice), a salad, and the Kouzzina Appetizer Sampler as my entree.Before the appetizers and entrees, Chef Miguel brought me an olive medley with two kinds of extra virgin olive oil along with Udi's pizza crust cut into wedges and heated.I adored the olive medley here (and as you will see I didn't suffer from a lack of olives at this restaurant). I love the variety of them and the high quality. These are not your typical canned olives! The Udi's pizza crust is probably one of my least favorite Udi's products interestingly enough. I just find them really tough (as in chewy and not in a good way). Still, you top anything from Kouzzina on it and it's OK. As you can see, Chef Miguel was extra generous. (hello, carb loading!)Up next came the House-made Dolmades - rolled grape leaves with rice, dill and lemon. Oh my god these are amazing. Like seriously. Amazing. If you've ever had dolmades, you'll know that they are typically filled with rice and often times are bland. These are filled with lemon and dill and the rich flavor of the dill really comes through. They top them with olive oil and some type of crisped nut mixture. Oh and more olives. Nothing wrong with that.Up next was my House Salad -seasonal lettuces with vine-ripe tomatoes and cucumbers in a thyme-honey vinaigrette. This was really light and fresh but very flavorful. I'm not a huge raw tomato fan, but they worked well with the rest of the salad. The mixed greens were nice and I adored the thyme-honey vinaigrette. It married well with the ingredients and really brought out the essence of Greek flavors.For my entree I ordered the Kouzzina Sampler. It typically comes with the choice of two (spicy gulf prawns, Greek lamb meatballs in sauce, or pork souvlaki), along with marinated olives, dolmades, tzatziki, hummus and pita. I chose the gulf prawns and the pork souvlaki. Since I couldn't have the tzatiziki, Chef Miguel brought out the eggplant dip instead. It the sampler also has some marinated nuts as well.I really love this appetizer sampler either as an entree or appetizer. It's phenomenal. The hummus is made in a really unique way (no tahini) and the eggplant spread is spicy and savory. I love the unique spices on the nuts. You can't go wrong with more Dolmades (you know I pigged out on those) and the two meat options were really well done. The pork was actually my favorite and the marinade used on it was awesome. The shrimp has a spicy marinade and was perfectly cooked. This is a hands down favorite dish for me.Overall, I can't say enough good things about Kouzzina. For dinner or breakfast it's fantastic. I just wish they served lunch. That would be so amazing!For this dining experience I'm giving it a 9 out of 10, despite our server who basically ignored us for the duration of our meal after we told him we weren't ordering wine or lots of extra dishes. It's still a fantastic restaurant with amazing food, especially if you have a special diet.

1/21/14 1/21/14

Be Our Guest Restaurant -- Dinner -- Table Service -- Magic Kingdom

*This dining experience took place in January 2014. It also contains a vegan dinner review in addition to my gluten free & dairy free review.Bonjour! It has been over a year since my last dinner review of Be Our Guest Restaurant. With Advance Dining Reservations being incredibly hard to get, it's no wonder that it's taken me so long to get back to this table service location in the Magic Kingdom. My last visit was during the Tables in Wonderland preview before the restaurant officially opened, and I was looking forward to checking out the new menu changes.I was so excited when my friend Krista Joy from Disneyways.com sent me a message that she got a last minute ADR and asked if I would join her. How could I say no to the good company and the chance to go to Be Our Guest?! The dinner was set for 8:30 p.m. which was a wee bit late considering I was running a 5K early the next morning (4:30 a.m. wakeup call), but I was up for the challenge! In addition to Krista, I was also joined by Tony Caselnova from Disney by the Numbers who also happens to be vegan, so you'll see some of the photos from his meal here as well. I have to say that the castle is so pretty at night, and the interior is even more impressive when visiting in the evening. When we got in line to be seated, a cast member brought us out something I'd not seen before -- our very own table candelabra. Why it was our very own Lumiere! We were given it and were asked to bring it with us to our table. Pretty cool! Don't believe us? Well..you know the rest!We were then greeted by our server who was quite lovely (and who's name I can't remember) who then said she would notify the chef. The chef then came out and she seemed...well, a bit perplexed by me. She looked at Tony and immediately said, "Oh vegan, I've got you covered." and then sort of looked at me. She went over options, and it seemed strange that some might have dairy. When I double checked that there was no dairy in certain dishes, she said, "OH, you can't have dairy either. Well that changes everything." Oh boy, statements like that always worry me!The pork, shrimp and scallop dishes were completely out, but she said she could do most of them gluten free & dairy free modified. She tried to sell me on the Layered Ratatouille which is their vegan & vegetarian dish. She said this was gluten & dairy free, but I really wanted something more substantial. I ended up going for the Pan Seared Salmon minus the leek fondue. She said she would serve it with roasted potatoes and some type of seasonal vegetable. I was given several options, and I asked her to choose what she thought complimented it best and was seasonal. She also offered me gluten free rolls with Earth Balance.While I didn't get an appetizer, Tony did, and surprisingly the French Onion Soup is gluten free (without the crouton) and dairy free and vegan without the cheese. They use a vegetable broth base instead of beef broth, which is what French Onion Soup is traditional made with. Who knew?! He did say it was quite good.While appetizers were served our rolls also came out. They were the Ener-G rolls which is surprisingly uncommon these days on Disney property, so I'm always surprised when I see them and that they were still at Be Our Guest. I will say, they were very hot when they came to the table, but as with most Ener-G rolls, they get hard quite quickly. Eaten hot though, they really aren't bad.Our entrees came out fairly promptly, and I will say that mine had a nice presentation.Here's Tony's vegan (and gluten free) Layered RatatouilleTony said his dish was good, and it looked nice. I'm not sure I personally would have been satisfied by the entree, but I'm glad that the restaurant created a vegetarian dish that was also vegan. Still, Disney seems to be on a quinoa kick lately. I wish they'd offer some variety of vegan & vegetarian dishes that weren't quinoa based.For my dish, I thought it was just OK. First off, I find the portions at this restaurant strangely small given the price. Second, this fish was not the greatest. It didn't taste as fresh as I would have liked and hoped. It was cooked medium, which was not told to me. Thank goodness I don't mind it cooked this way, but I could have been quite off put by semi-raw salmon if I didn't like it in general. The sear on the skin was not good at all, which means the skin and anything touching it was not particularly tasty (more fishy and not in a good way). The roasted potatoes were good but not very hot. Honestly, my favorite thing about the dish was the brocollini which accompanied my salmon. It was the only thing properly cooked on my plate (in my opinion) and was bursting with garlicky flavor and sauteed well. It can get bitter if over sauteed, and this was just perfect.Both Tony and I did not get desserts, though we were both offered sorbet and fruit (and Rice Dream for me).After our meal, we did get a chance to explore and also see the Beast who was walking through the restaurant and posing for photos.Overall, I love the ambiance of Be Our Guest. It's just a gorgeous restaurant. And I like the food for lunch, but dinner I find to be underwhelming. The meal should have been fantastic but instead it just wasn't. If there had been some tweaking and better preparation it could have easily been an awesome meal. I hope that in the future, they'll continue to work on making their menu the best it can be and work on the food timing. I'll definitely try again, but I have a feeling it will be a while before I go again for dinner (especially considering how hard it is to get ADRs). I'm so glad though that Krista & Tony joined me at dinner -- their company made this a great meal experience.I'm giving this restaurant a 6 out of 10 for lukewarm and mediocre food.

1/20/14 1/20/14

Sassagoula Floatworks & Food Factory -- Lunch/Dinner -- Port Orleans French Quarter

*This dining experience took place in January 2014.Nothing says New Orleans like beignets and Po'Boys. They are simply iconic New Orleans fare, and thankfully, Sassagoula Floatworks & Food Factory, located at Disney's Port Orleans French Quarter can supply these gluten free and dairy free.On this particular visit, I stopped by for lunch after the Family Fun Run 5K during Marathon weekend. I had not eaten lunch or dinner at Sassagoula Floatworks & Food Factory before, so I was excited to check it out.I got the chance to say see Chef Tony & Chef Raphael, both of whom are so nice and always willing to make guests great special diets meals. They told me that they can make a lot of the quick service options GF/DF which is great (and including pasta which was hugely popular during the race weekend). I decided that I really wanted to try one of the Po'Boys. How could you not at a New Orleans inspired restaurant?! Not all of the Po'Boys can be made GF/DF - any that are fried (like the shrimp) are not going to be safe, but the beef and pork ones are OK. I asked if I could get chicken by chance, and yay, they could make me a chicken Po'Boy. I was very excited to hear that there was no hidden dairy in the remoulade sauce, as there have been a few instances on property where they've added sour cream or other type of dairy. The meal comes with chips or a bean salad. The house made chips are not GF but they have pre-packaged chips (much like you can find throughout Disney property) and the bean salad is GF/DF. I was feeling like chips that day, so I went with those.Now, if you're familiar with Po'Boys you know that they are traditionally served on a sub (i.e. hoagie, grinder) roll. They currently don't have a safe option at this point at the restaurant but they do carry the Udi's bread. This actually works well, so the only downfall is that these sandwiches are turbo messy. Bring extra napkins (and really this isn't a bad thing!). My was loaded with grilled chicken (nicely seasoned), lettuce, tomato, and of course that remoulade sauce. The remoulade is what makes it uniquely New Orleans, and this version was stellar. I really enjoyed this condiment and man, I think it would be a really good dip for French fries (just saying!). You know me....I gotta have dip for fries! The chips were a nice accompaniment to the sandwich, though I might get the bean salad next time. It sounds intriguing!Overall, I really enjoyed the sandwich and I wouldn't hesitate to get it again. It would also be nice to try out some of the others too. What I most appreciated were the bright fresh flavors and that the sauce was clearly made in-house. Remoulade French fry dip...yep, I'm gonna make this a thing!Of course, I couldn't go to Sassagoula Floatworks & Food Factory without getting beignets. And having just finished a 5K that day, well, it was a nice treat! (of course I had them pre-race too). And holy moly - as always these were amazing but these were extra piping hot and delicious. I love extra hot deep fried beignets and these totally hit the spot. Seriously, I may have a beignet addiction!Overall, I really enjoyed the lunch at Sassagoula Floatworks & Food Factory. I would like to pop by for dinner sometime because they do have some options not available at lunch. I really love that this location is taking the extra steps to make gluten free options that are unique to the location and also something different from just burgers and fries (though, of course, you can get them there as well). And of course, any place that serves GF/DF beignets and Po'Boys is my kind of place!I'd give this a solid 9 out of 10 for this visit for great food and options.Have you been to Sassagoula Floatworks & Food Factory for lunch or dinner? What were your favorite special diets options?

1/14/14 1/14/14

Raglan Road Irish Pub -- Lunch/Dinner -- Table Service -- Downtown Disney

*This dining experience took place in January 2014.Raglan Road Irish Pub located in Downtown Disney is truly not just a great restaurant, but it's also a terrific and authentic Irish pub. With a variety of drink options to choose from and the full menu to order while you grab your pint, it's the perfect place for a proper meal or some quick pub grub.On this particular occasion, I visited not for dinner but for drinks and some snacks. The pub has an extensive drink menu, and while there are certainly some great options for gluten free & dairy free guests, I went with my tried and true gluten free Irish pub standby: Magners Irish Cider. This is hands down a must-do for a pub visit. Not only is it authentically Irish, but it's also delicious! With a mildly sweet taste and a crisp finish, it's the perfect accompaniment to some gluten free onion rings.And yes, there were onion rings on this visit. Our group decided to get an order of the gluten free onion rings and chips (aka French fries). I made sure to let the bartender know that we needed them to be gluten free, and he did a great job at making sure that was noted. When the servers brought out the onion rings & chips, they said immediately that these are the gluten free & allergy order. We also asked for some of the sweet chili jam and tartar sauce that I love (both gluten free & dairy free).The others in the group said they all though the sweet chili jam was perfect with the onion rings but that they could understand why it was paired normally with the scallops. This was a big winner and the jam was quickly devoured along side the crispy onion rings.The chips were also well received, and I may or may not have slathered them in tartar sauce (hey, what can I say, I like their version!?). So good! The group all liked that they were big steak fries and not the wimpy versions you find throughout the Disney parks & resort.Overall, this was a great place to grab a drink and just relax. We visited in the afternoon so it was quite calm but I can imagine this place is packed on a weekend evening. I wouldn't hesitate to drop in sometime for a good pint of Magners & some traditional Irish atmosphere!Have you been to Raglan Road for drinks? What were your favorites?

1/13/14 1/13/14

The Mara -- Lunch/Dinner -- Quick Service -- Animal Kingdom Lodge

*This dining experience took place in January 2014.The Mara at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge offers African inspired quick service fare at a reasonable price with a nice variety for guests craving more than just burgers and fries. Nestled near the pool area of Animal Kingdom Lodge - Jambo House, this is the only quick service location at the resort.On this particular occasion, I stopped by the Mara the day before my runDisney Marathon Weekend Family Fun Run 5K and I wanted to grab something before my dinner at Be Our Guest Restaurant. I didn't want anything substantial, just a little something to tide me over. When I arrived, I notified a cast member who then got the chef. Once the chef came out, he asked me what I wanted. I told him that I wanted probably a kids meal - something lighter. He said I could have a burger and fries, which I did not want, a pizza, which I also did not want (sorry but Disney & pizza just do not mix!), a turkey sandwich, and chicken tenders. I asked if I could get the chicken tenders as a kids meal and he said yes; however, he did not prepare a kids meal and I was charged for an adult meal. Ah well, you win some you lose some. I should have gone with the turkey sandwich, and in the future I may grab that when I visit the Mara. The chef also offered me French fries with my chicken tenders but I opted for green beans instead.The allergy chicken tenders are the same that you will find throughout Disney property. I like them a lot, though I think some locations are better at frying than others (for example Columbia Harbour House has frying down to an art!). I'm so thankful that Disney has dedicated allergy fryers, that I can't really complain even when they aren't as crispy as I would like. These were fairly well done and quite delicious. I do kind of wish locations like this would make their own dipping sauces. I could imagine a really tasty African inspired BBQ sauce with these tenders.The green beans were good but spicy. Almost a little too spicy for me. I thought the spices on them were a little too heavy and that they could have scaled back a little. I really enjoyed the sauteed onion in the green beans and the beans were cooked down well for me -- which is helpful when you have Crohn's. I'd get these again but might check to see if they are pre-made or they could scale down the seasoning.Overall, this was a nice quick meal for me and satisfied my hunger in between breakfast and my big dinner at Be Our Guest Restaurant. I'd give this a 7 out of 10. The food was not bad but not amazing either. A middle of the road experience.Have you been to the Mara for lunch or dinner? What do you recommend readers order?

1/11/14 1/11/14

The Mara -- Breakfast -- Quick Service -- Animal Kingdom Lodge

*This dining experience took place in January 2014.What better way to start the day than with a breakfast at the Mara in Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge. For a unique and delicious quick service breakfast, the Mara can't be beat. Serving up classic American breakfast fare to Africa inspired options, there is certainly a lot of variety for guests visiting the Mara.On this particular occasion, I visited post-runDisney race. Having just finished the Family Fun Run 5K during the Marathon Weekend events, I was ready for a hearty meal and of course, those allergy friendly Mickey waffles. A girl's gotta get her carbs in after a tough race!Upon arrival, I notified a cast member that I had a special diet. They then got Chef Vickie, who assisted me not that long ago at Boma post-Jingle Jungle 5K, so I knew she would be able to provide me with a great breakfast. I told her that I was interested in the bounty platter but no sausage (typically it comes with bacon and sausage) and asked if I could make a strange request. I was really craving the Boma grilled asparagus and I asked if it was possible to swap that sausage out for asparagus. I was surprised when she said yes! I also got two allergy Mickey waffles.It did take a little bit for the food to come out, and when it did it was missing Mickey waffles. Chef Vickie explained that they had to make a batch for me and it might take a few minutes. She did offer me Kinnikinnick muffins and/or donuts in exchange (which I love) but you know me, I gotta have my Mickey waffles!I have to say that the Mara consistently has one of the best quick service breakfasts on property. 1. Their scrambled eggs are always made fresh for me and they don't taste like they've been made in a giant batch. 2. The breakfast potatoes are amazing. I love the seasoning on them. They are also the same ones you can get at Boma. 3. They have a good variety of options. I could order quinoa or even the pap & chakalaka for my breakfast. I love that. Of course, there are many more reasons why I love the Mara, but these are just a few!The breakfast I had that morning didn't disappoint. As always, the eggs were well cooked and the potatoes were excellent. I also was so excited to add in the asparagus. It's one of my favorites. I will say, it wasn't cooked as much as I would have liked, but still it had great grill flavor.Last but not least were the Mickey waffles. Chef Vickie brought these out to my table when they were done. I will say they were extra crispy and piping hot! This was the perfect way to end my breakfast. And thank goodness she only gave me two. I might have eaten a lot more at that point in time!Overall, I can't say enough good things about the Mara. It continues to surprise me, especially for breakfast. Of course, you know I'm a big breakfast person so I'm partial to their breakfast offerings but still it's a great quick service location on property and one of the best in my opinion! A solid 9 out of 10 for this visit!Have you been to the Mara? What are your favorite dishes here?

1/1/14 1/1/14

Raglan Road Irish Pub -- Lunch/Dinner -- Table Service -- Downtown Disney

*This dining experience took place in December 2013Raglan Road Irish Pub has quickly become a favorite dining place for many gluten free diners. Well known for its simple & fresh Irish flavors and ingredients, while providing safe gluten free options, it's no wonder Raglan Road was voted one of the best gluten free restaurants in Orlando in 2013. As a frequent visitor to the Walt Disney World Resort, this has also become a fast favorite of mine as well.On this particular occasion, I visited with my family in the afternoon on the day after the 2013 Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party. We were all a bit tired and really wanted to just relax after a morning of shopping and packed evening the night before. As you can see, we visited in December and the restaurant was festively decorated for the holiday season.Our server immediately asked if anyone in our party needed gluten free or food allergy accommodations, which I love. It's really a nice touch that the servers are well equipped and prepared to assist with special dietary needs. Because I've been to the location several times, I more or less knew many of the options available to me. I also knew that there was one thing I really wanted to try...the Scallop Forest: Georges Bank scallops in a a golden batter served with citrus lime dipping sauce and sweet chili jam. I also decided to go with a salad for something lighter after eating deep fried appetizers. We also ordered gluten free onion rings, so I really didn't want to push it by ordering Fish and Chips too. That being said, I love their fish and chips!First up were the scallops. Wow, these were really good. I actually prefer these to the onion rings hands down. The scallops were of high quality and the breading, which is the same that they use on all of their deep fried products (made with a Domata Flour base), was crisp and flavorful. The server said both sauces were gluten free & dairy free, but I skipped the citrus lime dipping sauce just to be on the safe side. The sweet chili jam was out of this world. Sweet and spicy all at the same time. It was the perfect accompaniment for seafood. You can actually purchase this sauce in the Raglan Road store as well! My only complaint for this dish was that I thought the scallops were slightly overcooked, but given the taste of these I'm not going to complain too loudly!In my hunger, I managed to forget to take a photo of the onion rings, but you can see a recent photo of them in a guest review here on the blog. These were nice and crisp and the onions were well cooked. They were slightly underseasoned, but luckily I still had some sweet chili jam to smother them in. That jam works on everything!For my entree, I ordered the new salmon salad: Citrus Salmon - Grilled fillet of Atlantic salmon with mixed greens, carrots, orange segments & toasted almonds tossed in a citrus herb vinaigrette. It replaces the "Slim Salmon" salad and I think based on the taste of this one, it's an improvement. The portion of salmon was huge, very high quality and perfectly cooked. The salad itself was delicious - well dressed and seasoned. The citrus herb vinaigrette was so flavorful and the addition of fresh fruit and almonds really accented the dish. I would not hesitate to order this one again. It balanced out my deep fried indulgences at the beginning of the meal nicely.Overall, I continue to impressed by Raglan Road. As I begin to branch out into ordering other dishes, I'm really appreciate the fresh flavors, seasonal and quality ingredients. In addition, the staff is really knowledgeable about gluten free offerings and worked well to make sure everything was dairy free too.I would give this visit a solid 9 out of 10. The meal was divine, the service terrific and the special diets accommodations excellent.Have you been to Raglan Road? What do you think of their gluten free offerings?

12/26/13 12/26/13

Grand Floridian Cafe -- Breakfast -- Table Service -- Grand Floridian

*This dining experience took place in December 2013.

Disney's Grand Floridian Cafe offers guests a chance to enjoy a refined meal in a casual setting. Located at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, it's one of the few locations in the resort that offers an affordable a la carte meal. One of my favorite meals here is the low-key breakfast. Guests with special diets will be treated to a variety of breakfast staples, including the allergy friendly Mickey waffles found on property.On this particular visit, I dined here for a late breakfast at Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party (see a recap HERE). It has been a while since I visited the Grand Floridian Cafe, but I knew I wanted to get something pretty standard. Eggs, maybe some Mickey waffles, nothing too fancy. But what I love about this place isn't necessarily the food (which is good) but the atmosphere. It always seems really calm and relaxing in here. It never seems super busy and it's a bit removed, which I like. It's certainly crazy busy like 1900 Park Fare!

After being seated, I looked over the menu and decided that I likely wanted the American entree which is offered at a lot of restaurants. It's usually just eggs of some type, potatoes of some type, breakfast meat and sometimes bread or waffles. The chef came out and I asked him if he had any suggestions, which he did not. Sometimes, they'll let me know some unique options that I wouldn't thank of, but this time I was basically asked to choose what I want. I told him that I wanted the modified American. Instead of getting Mickey waffles I chose to get Udi's toast (I know, shocker!).

I opted to get eggs over-easy, hashbrowns (which were yummy), and bacon. The chef was extra generous with the bacon on this visit! All of these were good. I wouldn't say anything spectacular, but still good nonetheless.

The chef was also generous with the bread too--three slices! I asked for Earth Balance vegan margarine but instead he gave me Smart Balance. It is vegan (and incidentally also owned by the same company that owns Earth Balance), but I'm really not a fan. I prefer Earth Balance all the way.

Overall, I like the Grand Floridian Cafe. It provides a solid meal in a charming restaurant. I really enjoy getting a nice seat by the windows and looking out at the Grand Floridian grounds.I'd give this particular visit a 7 out of 10. It's nothing fancy, even though the restaurant has a certain fanciness about it, but the food is solid. The chefs seem willing to make me potatoes which doesn't always happen at some restaurants, and the breakfast was tasty overall. Next time I'd like to see if they can make their cranberry orange pecan pancakes sauce gluten & dairy free for the allergy Mickey waffles. The sauce/topping looked amazing!Have you been to the Grand Floridian Cafe? What do you like to order there?

12/23/13 12/23/13

Plaza Restaurant -- Lunch/Dinner -- Table Service -- Magic Kingdom

*This dining experience took place in December 2013.

The Plaza Restaurant holds a nostalgic place in many Disney visitors’ hearts. Located at the very end of Main Street U.S.A., this restaurant is reminiscent of a turn-of-the-century ice cream parlor. There are two sections of the Plaza – the ice cream parlor itself and the table service location just around the corner. Both options allow guests to order various special diets related ice cream. From a non-dairy banana split to lots of topping options, there are a lot of options to choose from.On this particular occasion, we visited before Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. Typically, we eat at Liberty Tree Tavern before a holiday party at the Magic Kingdom, but this year we had a slight change of plans, and so we ate at the Plaza which was about the only option available besides Tony’s Town Square other than quick service. I had visited the Plaza last in November 2012 and didn’t have a great experience (read that review HERE.) I was hopeful that I had one bad experience and that this one would be great, given I’ve heard so many wonderful things about Chef aka Cousin Ken and the restaurant in general.

It was a slow afternoon at the Plaza and we were seated promptly. I was told they would bring an allergy binder but they never did. I have to say, this is a weird restaurant. It sort of straddles quick service / table service. It’s not really quite either. This is also the only restaurant that I know of Disney property table service wise where they bring out an allergy binder (unless you specifically asked for an ingredients list, etc.). Chef Guerrin came out to assist me before an allergy binder ever came out. The last time I had gotten the Club Sandwich, so I decided to go for it this time. I remembered that I liked the griddled bun and I was kind of hoping I’d get it again (I didn’t). I also asked if they had a dedicated fryer for the fries, and he said, “Don’t worry about it. I’m not going to make you sick.” Um, OK. Well, I appreciate his dedication in saying it will be safe, but I kind of wanted to hear the statement, “Yes, we have a dedicated fryer.” And he just wouldn’t say that. Every time I asked him something (and I asked in multiple ways), he would say “It’s fine. Trust me.” This chef really needs to learn to interact with special diets folks. It’s not that I’m distrusting but a little information about your process makes me feel a lot safer.I also ordered a sundae with Rice Dream vanilla non-dairy ice cream and Chocolate Tofutti with strawberry sauce, pineapple sauce, chocolate syrup (which he kept saying was fudge and I kept telling him no syrup, fudge has dairy), and nuts.

My sandwich came out pretty late compared to the other meals, not anything unusual given that it often takes longer for my food at quick service locations. When the sandwich came out, I noticed it was Udi’s bread. Thank goodness that Udi’s can be eaten cold without any needing to be toasted or heated up. Because this would have been a rough sandwich otherwise. I admit, I personally would have like to have seen it toasted or griddled. But, that’s just me. I couldn’t confirm if they still had GNI buns on hand, though my guess is they do. The fries were nothing to write home about – basic steak fries. My sandwich was also just so-so. It tasted like something I can make at home. For the price, it’s not a terrible deal but really, I should have just gone to Columbia Harbour House for allergy chicken tenders!Once it was time for the sundae, again I had a considerable wait time. As in, my family finished their dessert before I got mine. Once mine came out, I quickly noticed it was minus the chocolate sauce. I asked if they didn’t have safe chocolate sauce then anymore? The chef then quickly ran to the back and brought out a container with sauce. It seemed thick. Thicker than Hershey’s chocolate syrup. Given there were so many confusions about the syrup already, I asked the server to please get the chef so I could talk to him. Again, I got the “the chef brought it out so it is safe” statement, but I insisted that they get the chef.

When he came out, he basically told me it’s the right thing and just trust him. I explained to him that I would get very sick if I consumed dairy and that I really wanted to make sure it wasn’t the wrong thing. I asked if he could just please bring out the binder and/or packaging of what he served me. He then went back and got the “hot fudge” sauce to compare. They looked fairly similar but not quite the same. I still explained that I wanted to know if this was OK but it wasn’t Hershey’s. Holy moly; he was not getting this. In the meantime, my mom tried it and said it tasted like syrup to me. Finally, he brought out the ingredients binder, which confirmed it was Mrs. Richardsons sauce which explained the difference. All I honestly wanted was confirmation that I wasn’t going to get dairy. Chef Guerrin was not at all happy with me by the time we went through all of this. But honestly, I felt like he didn’t take this or me seriously at all. I understand he has a busy kitchen to run and that it’s crazy. But it certainly wasn’t what I expected from Disney in terms of handling special dietary needs.In general, I think I might be done with the Plaza for a long time. It just seems like every time I go I get less than stellar food accommodations and very little information about what I’m consuming. This last one just really gave a sour taste in my mouth on the Plaza; especially after he made me feel so bad after the whole chocolate syrup ordeal. The sundae, which was actually good but not great, wasn’t really worth the hassle. In fact, I’d rather just go to 50’s Prime Time for their brownie sundae (soooo good!) or Beaches n’ Cream. And given the quality of the food, it’s not worth it as a table service for me.I’m giving this particular experience a 4 for mediocre food but mostly because of the whole chef interaction from start to finish. I know that lots of you really love the Plaza, but the chefs I’ve had here haven’t really made my experiences good.Have you been to the Plaza? What has your experience been?

12/19/13 12/19/13

Guest Review -- A WDW Vacation Free of Gluten -- Day Five

This series of guest reviews comes from blog reader Jaime. Her enthusiasm, excitement and love for Disney just shine through in her trip report, and I think you'll agree when you read them. Speaking with her before her vacation, I was just so excited to hear her recap when she returned. Jaime provided a thorough trip report, so I have broken it up by days. You'll want to make sure to read them all (I'll link to them in each post)! Thank you again, Jaime, for your awesome reviews!

Read Day One HERE

Read Day Two HERE

Read Day Three HERE

Read Day Four HERE

Saturday, November 30, 2013

This morning, we are having breakfast with our friends, Mark and Louise Mullen, at Kona Cafe.

Photo copyright Jaime J.

I’m the only one of the 4 of us to have eaten here before (it’s one of my favorite breakfast spots!)My sister always, always gets the Tonga Toast and I always, always get the Big Kahuna or the Macadamia Pineapple Pancakes. But I’ve come across something in all my internet research the last few weeks – I saw a blog somewhere (and cannot figure out where exactly now) that said you could get Tonga Sliders here that are made with GF rolls! I decided that if I could get those, I’d go with that instead of one of my usuals.Chef Josh comes to the table and there’s some small talk while Ethan orders the Big Kahuna modified to be GF (allergy Mickey waffles instead of the pancakes and French toast). Chef Josh looks at me and I say “I heard a rumor that there’s something called Tonga Sliders?…” and his mouth fell open! He asks where I heard it. I incorrectly credit (blame?) Sarah since that’s where I got most of my GF info on eating at WDW. He says only he does them and he only started doing it 3 weeks ago and he can’t believe how fast that information traveled! (Sarah's note: I knew they used to be able to make a gluten free version and that they can make a vegan version with advance notice, but I had been told they stopped making these, so it's neat to see that they are starting them back up. Jaime's correct that I hadn't heard this!) -- UPDATE 3/2014 - The Tonga Toast Sliders are NO LONGER available. The restaurant stopped serving them due to cost.Here’s Ethan’s modified Big Kahuna:

Photo copyright Jaime J.

And here’s my GF Tonga Sliders:

Photo copyright Jaime J.

And for comparison – this is what the real Tonga Toast looks like:

Photo copyright Jaime J. (Sarah's note: This is NOT gluten free)

I’m in heaven! I traded Ethan one Mickey waffle for a Tonga Slider. Chef Josh comes out during the meal and is checking on us. I ask about the Macadamia Pineapple Pancakes being modified and they don’t have a dedicated griddle, just the waffle iron. I asked, for future reference, if they’d do the allergy Mickey waffles with the pineapples and macadamia butter, because I really love them. He said yes, and then ran into the kitchen to bring me some of each! It was amazing! I put it on my waffle and on the Tonga Slider!

Photo copyright Jaime J.

This was an even better breakfast than I’ve had there before! I can’t say enough about Chef Josh or the Tonga Sliders!Lunch was at EPCOT today before we have to head back on the road to go home – what a fast weekend! We end up at La Cantina de San Angel since Mexican food is one of the easier ones to work around being GF. We were extremely hungry by the time we stopped, so I didn’t even bother with the manager, I just made sure the chips were corn, not flour. And I have no idea what anyone else ordered… (Sarah's note: the corn tortilla chips are not made in a dedicated fryer the last time I checked and were not gluten free. :( Ask a manager on-hand to make sure when you visit, as this may or may not have changed)

Photo copyright Jaime J.

I ordered the Nachos - corn tortilla chips with ground beef, nacho cheese, fresh tomatoes, jalapenos, black beans, and sour cream.

Photo copyright Jaime J.

It was fine, basic nachos… we were also very tired and bummed that we were leaving right afterwards.All in all, I was very impressed with the Disney training for counter service locations: every cast member we encountered was very knowledgeable about handling an allergy situation for a guest. As for the table services, it seemed hit or miss on whether you got a chef who enjoyed what he did or was just accommodating you.We’re going back in February and will go back to a few of these (Be Our Guest for lunch and dinner, Kona for breakfast, Mara for breakfast) and we’ll add some new places to Ethan’s list (Prime Time, Boma, Chefs de France). It will be interesting to compare the experiences since we were there over a holiday weekend vs. a slow week of crowds!Thank you so much Jaime for all the awesome reviews!! Do you have a trip report with a special diet that you'd like to share? Let me know by emailing me!

12/19/13 12/19/13

Guest Review -- A WDW Vacation Free of Gluten -- Day Four

Read Day One HERE

Read Day Two HERE

Read Day Three HERE

Friday, November 29, 2013Today is Ethan’s first day ever in the Magic Kingdom! I’m not sure who was more excited!Breakfast was granola bars in the car because we wanted to go to Be Our Guest for lunch, which meant getting in line early and eating an early lunch. I went picture crazy just standing in line!

Photo copyright Jaime J.

Ethan found a Hidden Mickey on the last suit of armor on your right!

Photo copyright Jaime J.

It took about 15 minutes to get up to a cashier. I had been hoping for one of the self-order kiosks, but it wasn’t a big deal. We told him there was a wheat allergy and he listed the 5 items on the menu that were safe or modified to be safe. He rattled them off very quickly I might have gotten 1 or 2 wrong (I believe he said “tuna, quinoa, ham, roast beef, turkey”). (Sarah's note: See Sarah's post with some of the gluten free options listed HERE) I ordered the roast beef; Ethan got the turkey. We don’t normally get desserts, but I just had to try the lemon and raspberry cream puff. Because we had Magic Bands, they scanned that instead of giving us a rose tracker. We were free to find a table and get drinks (and wander and snap photos!).

Photo copyright Jaime J.

We were served fairly quickly – but no trolley for us! Our food came out on a human!

Photo copyright Jaime J.

I’d seen photos of other gluten free sandwiches here and they always came out on bread, so we were really surprised to see the buns! And, I don’t know if it was the ambiance or the company or the food, but this is the best roast beef sandwich I’ve ever eaten…

Photo copyright Jaime J.

The only thing that made this lemon raspberry cream puff “raspberry” was the single raspberry sitting on top. It’s just lemon flavored otherwise, but it was still very good!

Photo copyright Jaime J.

Ethan and I agreed that if every meal at Be Our Guest was this good, we don’t want to ever eat anywhere else again!Dinner is at Tony’s Town Square.I haven’t eaten here in probably 10 years, but I kept seeing good review after good review for their GF pasta, so here we are. We checked in and found a seat in the waiting area (no pager, they call your name) where there’s a TV for the kids playing what appeared to be an endless loop of the movie Lady and the Tramp. One of the waitresses was coming around with a tray of tiny hot cups – they were handing out hot chocolate since it was really, really cold out (the low was supposed to be 37!)We were seated fairly quickly and the waitress was wonderful. She went to get the chef who was out extremely fast (I really wish I could remember his name) and was very helpful and friendly. We both ordered spaghetti and meatballs. He said he’d send out rolls first.

Photo copyright Jaime J.

These rolls were HOT! They were also very good and didn’t even last until the pasta came out! Bonus points on your rolls, Tony’s!Then there was the pasta and meatballs.

Photo copyright Jaime J.

Ethan proclaimed the meatballs bland. I thought the whole dish was just so-so. I can make GF pasta at home better than this. (Now I remember why we didn’t come here for 10 years.) It wasn’t “bad”, just not anything you can’t do yourself.Now I know I said we don’t do desserts, but the waitress tells us the crème brule is GF – the Pistachio crème brule… we decide we can split it. It was fantastic.

Photo copyright Jaime J.

So aside from rolls and dessert, I’m done with Tony’s Town Square… again…Stay tuned for Day 5 of Jaime's trip report!

12/18/13 12/18/13

Guest Review -- A WDW Vacation Free of Gluten -- Day Three

Read Day One HERE

Read Day Two HERE

Thursday, November 28, 2013Happy Thanksgiving!We spent today at Hollywood Studios. We just missed rope drop, so we need breakfast. The only place I know that serves breakfast is Starring Rolls (it was also the only place listed in the Times Guide). We got to the bakery case and I asked about GF. All they had was some kind of strawberry parfait. Not very breakfast-y… so I asked about other places. She told me Fairfax Fare served breakfast also.The manager here tells us they can do the breakfast sandwiches on buns, but she’ll need to run and get them, so it’ll take a few minutes. No problem. I ordered egg, cheese, and sausage. Ethan ordered egg and sausage.

Photo copyright Jaime J.

I was excited about a breakfast sandwich – it’s been a while! This was a longer wait than we’d been having, but not anything to complain about. We could see the manager making our food when she got back. Ethan was just eating his, I was enjoying mine.Cross section of the egg, cheese, and sausage – anyone know what brand of buns these were? (Sarah's note: These are GNI Brand Buns)

Photo copyright Jaime J.

Lunch ended up being at Backlot Express.I wanted a hot dog and knew they had Udi’s buns here. Our manager was Dan from WI. He was one of the best! He came out from behind the counter and really talked with us about our choices. He went over the whole menu before asking if we had any thoughts or questions. He brought the cashier into the conversation when it was time to place the order and told us he’d be back – DO NOT TAKE FOOD FROM ANYONE BUT HIM! Wow! We could see him in the back making everything, too.It took a very long time to get the food, but it was totally worth it for the service Dan provided. He handed us the food with the last warning of DON’T EAT THE BAR-B-Q SAUCE FROM THE CONDIMENT MACHINE! Flame Tree should have told me that the other day…

Photo copyright Jaime J.

You know that hot dog bun has already fallen apart, don’t you? I didn’t care; it was a hot dog ON a bun!Ethan ordered Grilled Turkey & Cheese - multigrain ciabatta with arugula and red peppers served with French fries or carrot sticks. He said it was very good.

Photo copyright Jaime J.

Thanksgiving Dinner was at the Sci-Fi. I had been thinking about this meal for months now. I wanted the spinach-artichoke dip and chips and a specialty shake.

Photo copyright Jaime J.

The chef said I couldn’t have the spinach dip and I was so crushed, I didn’t even ask why – I don’t know if it was the dip or the chips! (UPDATE: My daughter asked on her trip – it’s in the dip mix). He was pushing the steak and the ribs. The voice in my head that says things that shouldn’t be spoken out loud was noticing the price tag on the “suggested” items.We both ended up getting the Build-Your-Own Angus Chuck Burger - Flame-broiled Beef Patty with Cheddar or Swiss, crispy Bacon, Lettuce, and Vine-ripened Tomatoes; choice of Cucumber Salad or French Fries. The hamburgers were wrapped in pizza crusts, I believe. It was tasty and I liked the texture of the crust with the burger. But I was really bummed about the spinach dip.

Photo copyright Jaime J.

I did get a specialty shake, just not the one I planned on – tonight (for the holiday) they had a pumpkin pie shake. It was amazing!

Photo copyright Jaime J.

And Ethan ordered a glass of wine. (sorry, so not a wine expert here)

Photo copyright Jaime J.

The movies and clips are always fun to watch. It was a lovely Thanksgiving, but we won’t be back for a while – just not enough variety on the menu to try.

Photo copyright Jaime J.

Stay tuned for Day 4 of Jaime's trip report!

Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW