PrincessJasmine's vegetarian reviews (and my family's non-vegetarian perspective)

[DebCatLady]

One of my absolute favorites in EPCOT is Sunshine Seasons in the Land. I usually have the Roasted Beets and Goat Cheese salad for lunch, then return for the Grilled Vegetable Cuban Sandwich for dinner. They are both absolutely fantastic. Yes, I know, it's two CS meals in one day if you're on the DDP. But then I can use two of my TS meals the next day to treat myself to the Cali Grille.

Love this thread!

 

[Tidus]

I haven't eaten at Ohanas yet, but I will Sun.. I have heard that you can call the day before and let them know that you don't eat meat. I have heard that they offer a couple of choices: pasta dish or a grilled Tofu, I believe. They might get something from Kona's, but I'm not sure. I will definitely report back when I get home!

 

[PrincessJasmine08]

I haven't eaten at Ohanas yet, but I will Sun.. I have heard that you can call the day before and let them know that you don't eat meat. I have heard that they offer a couple of choices: pasta dish or a grilled Tofu, I believe. They might get something from Kona's, but I'm not sure. I will definitely report back when I get home!

Great, thanks! I am also wondering if just being in the atmosphere with all the meat would just gross me out and make it not worth eating there. I mean big skewers of meat just sound gross, even if I don't have to eat them!

 

[Moonpie]

Great, thanks! I am also wondering if just being in the atmosphere with all the meat would just gross me out and make it not worth eating there. I mean big skewers of meat just sound gross, even if I don't have to eat them!

Personally, sitting and eating while people are dancing around me in grass skirts would affect my appetite more than the meat! Which brings up the question, what do they wear under those skirts? Bon appetit!
Can't wait for your next review!

 

[PrincessJasmine08]

Personally, sitting and eating while people are dancing around me in grass skirts would affect my appetite more than the meat! Which brings up the question, what do they wear under those skirts? Bon appetit!
Can't wait for your next review!

Let's not think about it...

 

[PrincessJasmine08]

Alright, Grand Floridian Cafe:

When we arrived for dinner at 6:00, this place was absolutely deserted. It was kind of strange. I guess this is more of the type of restaurant that people just end up eating at because they are staying at the GF and it is convenient.

For an appetizer my sister and I once again had the spinach artichoke dip. And, once again, it was great. This one came with bread rather than tortilla chips. I preferred the chips, but the dip here was just as good as Sci Fi.

If you haven't noticed, it seemed like all I was eating was pasta. I had some variation of pasta at Tony's, Mitsukoshi Teppanyaki, 50's PT, and the Brown Derby. I was getting really sick of pasta at this point. This is my big complaint after this trip: why can't the chefs think of vegetarian dishes other than pasta with veggies? In case you couldn't tell this is what I was getting at, the only vegetarian option at GF Cafe was pasta. It sounded a little more interesting than some of the other pastas, but then I asked the waiter what prosciutto is since this is in the sauce. It is meat. So in other words there were no vegetarian options! I asked if it could be made without the prosciutto but was told no because it is in the sauce.

I was pretty appaled that there were no vegetarian options at this restaurant. So I asked the waiter if I could just get the kid's grilled cheese. This was not really what I wanted to eat, but it was that or mac 'n cheese...more pasta! The grilled cheese was a grilled cheese, nothing special, but not horrible. During my Disney trips I always take notes of who/what I found to be particularly good or bad. Then at the end of the trip I write an email to Disney with these matters. The fact that GF Cafe has no vegetarian options is definitely going in that email!

The desserts at the GF Cafe are called mini-desserts and they are definitely tiny! I had a tiny chocolate cake. It was good, but it left me wanting more and later I had to have a Mickey bar!

We will definitely not be returning to the GF Cafe unless they undergo some pretty serious menu changes. The service was fine and the atmosphere was pretty but the menu really leaves a lot to be desired.

 

[punkin712]

I'm also an ovo-lacto vegetarian but I don't eat anything with gelatin in it because of what it is made from.

Me too. However, I did discover that marshmallow fluff is vegetarian friendly so I can still have a s'mores fix every now and then. You would be amazed at the products that contain gelatin, like certain brands of yogurt and sour cream and Planter's sunflower seeds (the ones out of the shell). I was totally shocked by the sunflower seeds - why on earth would you need to add gelatin to sunflower seeds?!

 

[Moonpie]

Sorry the GF Cafe was such a bummer. I sure won't be going to that place any time soon. I just hate restaurants with absolutely NO veggie options! Not even the salads are vegetarian! It's like the time my fiance and I drove through North Carolina and stopped in a well known chain restaurant. My fiance said to the waiter, "My fiance is a vegetarian, and will need to have the meat removed from the salad." The waiter's response was, "She's a wah?"

Anyway, I get sick of the "pasta option" or rather "pasta trap" that many restaurants have for us. That's why I often order a couple of appetizers for my meal. I mean, pasta is good... but too much pasta is...yicky.

Thanks again for the review!

 

[PrincessJasmine08]

San Angel Inn:

This was the first restaurant that we had a long wait to be seated. As we were waiting for our table there was a person telling everyone in line for the restaurant to "go away if you don't have a reservation." I don't think he spoke very good English and it was just really funny hearing him telling people to "go away." We got a good laugh out of that so the wait was actually kind of entertaining! Anyway, we ended up waiting 45 minutes which seemed like a long time with ADR's, but we weren't in a hurry so it wasn't a big deal.

I started with a frozen strawberry margarita, virgin, of course! Actually, it was broght to me with the alcohol in it! I took one sip, made a very strange face, and my parents immediately sent it back! After getting that corrected the margarita was very good.

The vegetarian option was angel hair pasta with chipotle pepper sauce and shrimp. I could have gotten it minus the shrip, but it sounded awful and there was the issue of the pepper sauce. Instead I had a side salad and a cheese quesadilla, which was not on the menu. When I didn't like the pasta option I had asked the server to see a children's menu. It had a chicken quesadilla on it, so I just got this minus the chicken. It was a tortilla filled with cheese, and grilled. It was served with refried beans, rice, lettuce, tomato, and sour cream. It was wonderful! It was probably one of my favorite things I ordered the whole trip. When I tried to order this, since it was a kid's meal the server said he would have to make me an adult portion and it was WAY too much food. I only finished about half of it. It's just another example of the fact that the waitstaff at Disney is ready and willing to help with vegetarian options! Oh, the salad was good too. I really liked that it had avocado on it. Avocado is one of my favorites!

The only bad thing about this meal was the service. I could tell the server was having a heck of a time understanding us and every time we saw him he was running around trying to keep up. I am a Spanish minor in College and so I asked him if he would prefer we order in Spanish. He said "YES" really loud and enthusiastically. He said he had just moved from Mexico City 2 weeks ago and he was having the hardest time adjusting. He said it seems like everyone mumbles and talks really fast. I genuinely felt bad for this guy. I mean even minoring in Spanish, I can't see moving to Mexico City to become a waitress, I would die! So, although I felt bad for this guy, I also have to mention that including the time we waited for our table this meal took 2 hours and 15 minutes. By the end we were just so ready to go. We skipped dessert because we didn't want to be in there another 45 minutes.

I will definitely return to San Angel Inn, my quesadilla was excellent, and the atmosphere in this restaurant is absolutely gorgeous.

I keep thinking I must be almost done with these reviews, but since we were there 2 weeks, I still have a lot more to do! Still coming are L'Originale Alfredo di Roma, Whispering Canyon Cafe, Olivia's, Cape May Cafe, Kona Cafe, and the Concourse Steakhouse!

 

[Moonpie]

I think it's funny that the vegetarian option was "pasta...with shrimp!" It's funny how some people think that fish doesn't count as an animal, and they will assume that we'll eat it!
Well your quesadilla sounds good! I'm not going to visit that restaurant during our trip, but now I know I can in the future.

 

[doberlady]

The vegetarian option was angel hair pasta


San Angel Inn has a vegetarian menu but you have to ask for it. I had a delicious platter there.

 

[PrincessJasmine08]

The vegetarian option was angel hair pasta


San Angel Inn has a vegetarian menu but you have to ask for it. I had a delicious platter there.

Maybe since our waiter was new he didn't know about that, because I did ask. I would love to hear about this menu as we usually eat here every trip. What was on your platter?

 

[TinkerbellMama]

Thanks for posting vegetarian reviews. I also went veg as a teen and lived with a family of carnivores. My DH converted while we were dating and is now vegan and stricter than I am. We are raising DD as a vegetarian and I often wonder if she will stick to it or go over to the carnivores when she is older.
It is always helpful to read vegetarian reviews on this board. WDW seems to be getting better about providing veggie options but you still need to hunt a bit for the good stuff. Thanks for taking the time to help us all out!

I am vegan. Dh is a red meat-loving carnivore but doesn't consume dairy, and ds1 eats chicken/fish but no red meat...also no dairy. Basically, we are a dairy-free, half-vegan, half meat-eating family. I would love to hear from other vegans! Restaurant reviews...anything!

 

[Tiki Room Fan]

Me too. However, I did discover that marshmallow fluff is vegetarian friendly so I can still have a s'mores fix every now and then. You would be amazed at the products that contain gelatin, like certain brands of yogurt and sour cream and Planter's sunflower seeds (the ones out of the shell). I was totally shocked by the sunflower seeds - why on earth would you need to add gelatin to sunflower seeds?!

I get my marshmallow fix with Fluff, too. LOL! Some of the toasted coconut marshmallows don't have gelatin, either.

Like you say, it is amazing where gelatin shows up. You really have to read every ingredient list on every item. Sunflower seeds?! Geesh. Who'd of thunk it?!

Gelatin is also in Frosted Mini Wheat type products and also in some of the yogurt spreads (butter substitution type stuff.) A lot of yogurt has gelatin, too. Jelly beans are another no-no. I think the Jelly Belly's are safe, though. Made with pectin instead of gelatin.

 

[PrincessJasmine08]

L'Originale Alfredo di Roma:

We arrived at our ADR right on time and were seated immediately. Our ADR was for 5pm which seemed early for dinner, but the place was absolutely packed. I was actually quite uncomfortable with the proximity of the tables in this restaurant. I could literally have eaten off my neighbor's plate without even stretching. It was absolutely ridiculous how close the tables were. And the place was LOUD. It was not the most plesant dining environment.

That aside....for dinner I had the caprese salad to start. This is tomato and fresh mozzarella with balsamic dressing. It was wonderful, this is one of my favorite types of salad and it didn't disappoint. The rolls that they brought with the salads were to die for. Crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside! For my entree I had the appetizer portion of the alfredo. I don't usually order alfredo, the sauce is generally too rich for me. But at a restaurant called alfredo's, it just seemed like the thing to do! It was wonderful. I can't really explain why, but it was better than alfredo at other places. It just tasted very fresh, it was absolutely delicious. It was also a large portion for an appetizer, I wasn't able to finish it.

For dessert I had something that I can't remember the name of. It was like a crispy pastry tube with cream filling. Even though I don't remember what it was called, I loved it! I would definitely recommend it.

I am not sure whether we would return to Alfredo's or not. The atmosphere was absolutely horrible, the food was great. If you're willing to sit jam packed in with other people, then Alfredo's is worth a try. If you think this would really bug you, stay away!

 

[Moonpie]

For dessert I had something that I can't remember the name of. It was like a crispy pastry tube with cream filling. Even though I don't remember what it was called, I loved it! I would definitely recommend it.

I think it's called a canolli (not sure I spelled that right). I'm glad you liked the food. Too bad the atmosphere wasn't nice. I also hate it when we get seated right next to another person's table. I don't like yelling across the table, and really don't like people listening to my conversations at restaurants.
Anyway, the pasta with Alfredo sauce was probably better than most places because many restaurants will served the canned, or jar version of the sauce. I bet you that this place actually made their own with fresh cheese. Mmmmmmm...yummmmmy!
Thanks again for the review!

 

[PrincessJasmine08]

I think it's called a canolli (not sure I spelled that right). I'm glad you liked the food. Too bad the atmosphere wasn't nice. I also hate it when we get seated right next to another person's table. I don't like yelling across the table, and really don't like people listening to my conversations at restaurants.
Anyway, the pasta with Alfredo sauce was probably better than most places because many restaurants will served the canned, or jar version of the sauce. I bet you that this place actually made their own with fresh cheese. Mmmmmmm...yummmmmy!
Thanks again for the review!

Yes, I think you're right on both accounts! It was a canolli and the sauce was definitely homemade, it was wonderful.

 

[PrincessJasmine08]

Whispering Canyon Cafe:

One afternoon, we were just sitting around our room doing nothing, so we decided to go get some luch somewhere. We didn't have an ADR, but we headed over to Whispering Canyon Cafe in the Wilderness Lodge. We were seated immediately without an ADR. There were probably only about 4 other families in the restaurant and it was about noon. It seemed surprisingly empty, but it was very nice!

Rodeo Rick was our server and he was absolutely hilarious! For those who haven't been to WCC, it is kind of a similar experience to the 50's PT, very interactive. Anyway, this waiter had me in tears I was laughing so hard with all his antics througout the meal. I will admit that I am a sucker for corny humor, but this guy was just so funny! I drink a ton of water so after having to refill my cup so many times he finally said "okay, I'm putting an end to this." Then he came out of the kitchen with the biggest mason jar you have ever seen full of ice water. It was probably 2 gallons and it had a straw in it about a foot long, too funny! At the end when he brought my dad the check he had put one of every item on the menu on the bill so it was a couple feet long. He told my dad if it seemed strange to just remember it's Disney, everything's expensive! This guy just made the experience, he was cracking me up.

Anyway, food...for lunch I had another quesadilla. As I mentioned in my San Angel Inn review, I love these things. It was just a flour tortilla with cheese, sour cream, lettuce, and salsa, but it was great. I make this all the time at home, it is one of my favorite meals. It was actually a chicken quesadilla appetizer on the menu, but I had it minus the chicken and for my entree. Rodeo Rick had no problems with this. I also had the all you care to drink chocolate milk shake. Actually, I had 2 milkshakes since that was how much I cared to drink! It was great, really one of the best milkshakes I have ever had. If you go to WCC, get the chocolate shake!

My family had fried chicken and soup and salad which they all said was good. The most popular item at this retaurant is the all you care to eat skillet. It has chicken, ribs, (and maybe sausage?), potatoes, corn, buiscuits, etc. My dad had this and loved it. He ate a TON of food and he said it was all great. It was only about $15 for lunch and he thought it was a great deal.

Overall, this was a great spontaneous dining experience for us. Rodeo Rick really made the meal, I would request him next time if he was working. Also, I just love the location of this meal. I find the Wilderness Lodge to be breathtaking. With this restuarant overlooking the lobby of the lodge, it is really just a very plesant relaxing environment. We will 100% return to this restaurant.

 

[Disney owl]

Great reviews thanks

 

[hmp2z]

Beef fat in Mcdonald's fries, chicken fat in some BBQ potato chips ...

Just FYI, McDonald's no longer has beef fat in their French fries. And watch out for lard in potato chips and in some canned refried beans!
Cheers!
Heather W