Help!!!!! Best place for vegetarian food????

[lilouisianagal]

I'm vegetarian and my parents aren't (though they do eat many more meatless meals than they used to!). We went to WDW this Jan. Here's where we ate:

Crystal Palace Breakfast Buffet: yum yum yum. Did quite well here. It's especially good if you love fruits and pastries and other "sweet stuff", though there is plenty without it. And there is plenty of breakfast meaty stuff for all the carnivores in your group.

Epcot's Land Pavillion: We ate lunch here three days of our trip and every time it was yummy. They have fresh hummus that I adored. And it's a great layout with lots of choices.

Norway's Akershus Buffet: The cold buffet has plenty of stuff that is veg-friendly. I really could eat my entire meal off of the cold. For the hot part of supper they bring out plates. There is pasta, though I've never had it. I always just ask for a plate of the sides because they are so yummy. They let you pick whatever you want. Horseradish Mashed Potatoes, rutabaga mash and garnished with a Jarlsberg cheese cracker, cheese infused mashed potato, and Julienne Vegetables....yum yum yum. I talked about the mashed rutabaga ever since our last trip, so we all cracked up when, as I was picking what to get, the waitress said that she would be perfectly happy with a plateful of mashed rutabaga. But right now I'm drooling just remembering the other two potatos...mmmm. And then there is dessert, including the infamous Shocolate Moussse!
*wipes drool from keyboard*

CBR breakfast: I had a cheese omelet every morning, exept one and it was delicious. The pastries aren't all that fresh, but filling enough.

Tony's Town Square Dinner/Mama Melrose's Dinner: Two different parks, two different nights, both Italian. Sorry I love Italian in any way shape or form so I'm a horrible judge. Both were yummy, though my dad was not happy with his seafood pasta at Tony's.

MGM Flatbread Grill: I had a Greek Salad with Lemon-Oregano Dressing for lunch and it was quite good. My parents both had Chicken Wraps and seemed to like them mucho.

Chefs de France: I had "Lasagnes de legumes du soleil a l'huile d'olive au thym - zucchini, eggplant and tomato baked into thin layers of pasta " it was okay, not spectat but not awful. They also have a macaroni dish that I will try if we go back.

AK's Tusker House: My veggie sandwich was probably okay, but I was too busy mourning the hummus that used to be on it to appreciate it. It also was very heavy on the olive (eck!).

Rainforest Cafe Dinner: Oh the happiest day of eating! Natural burger yum yum yum with excellent sauce. Not a big fan of the potato chips. Follow with a VOLCANO in all its chocolate glory. *drools like a mad dog*

Okay thats my trip.
Favorite is definitely Rainforest Cafe. Overall Disney is great for vegetarians. In general, if you dont see something you like, just ask and they will find something that you can eat.

 

[spaceacewannabe]

I find this thread so interesting. My DD17 is vegetarian and as I think about the dining plan and eating at WDW it's great to know the inside track about how to get some interesting items for her to eat.

I'm actually glad she has gone vegetarian as I'm certain its more healthful for her and I feel it actually has improved the variety in her diet. She was always picky and would live on starches and white meat chicken. Now since the meat is gone she experiments with more grains and vegetables and I see her eating horizons broadening.

Do you think a vegetarian still gets a good value on the DDP????. I know it's a great value when ordering a steak or high end seafood but if just ordering a meatless pasta will it still be a good value and do they have a number of appetizers that are meatless (She's not a lettuce fan so salads are not her thing) Of course thankfully almost all desserts are meatless!!

Sorry to those not on the DDP---
We are all vegetarians and we're doing the dining plan. Obviously not as good a deal as it is for someone ordering a steak, but we'll still come out well. It really depends on where you eat. Sunshine Seasons will still be a great value, as will World Showcase...plus, we're excited about not having to worry about the $$$ if we do have something that's not on the regular menu. So it can certainly be worth the money if you plan ahead.

That said...NONE of the signature restaurants are a good deal for vegetarians. We are constantly lamenting that...wouldn't it be nice if they were just single TS's for vegetarians? Alas...

Re: the salad...has your daughter tried other kinds of salad greens? I loathe (LOATHE ) iceberg lettuce...yuck. I love, love, love mixed baby field greens (arugula, red romaine, green romaine, baby spinach, beet greens, etc.)...yum...and I've noticed (happily) that a good many of the TS salads are fancier...not iceberg! Woohoo! Plus, there are some fabulous looking appetizers for vegetarians...with prices a little more comparable to what meat-eaters get (as far as the DDP goes).

Thrilled this thread has been resurrected!

PS---Isn't the gelatin thing frustrating? And so often not really necessary. Another reason to make sure you talk to a chef, esp. at buffets!

 

[battricia]

JJBennett:

We did the dining plan in june of '05, and I had great meals! I probably ate better WITH the dining plan than the last time I went with out it. If you want I could give you a run down of all the places I ate (and my WONDERFUL experience at boma), just let me know! I will definately do the dining plan again next time! (Hopefully september!)

tricia.

 

[blueroses]

Oh and California Grill at the Contemporary has a very appealing dish I am having next week. It's Free-form Pumpkin Lasagna with brown butter vinaigrette, spinach, dried cranberries and pistachios* $20.00

I have had that - it's REALLY good. You'll love it.

As for "vegetarians" who eat fish. I actually get that. As someone who won't eat pork or poultry but will very rarely eat seafood or even *gasp* red meat, it is much easier for me tell someone whether it's a server at a restaurant or someone who is hosting a dinner party that I am a "vegetarian" than try to explain the ins and outs of my diet. I follow a mostly vegetarian diet because I don't like the taste/texture of most meats. I don't call myself a vegetarian to promote anyone's agenda, I do it so I'll get served something that I want to eat.

 

[disnut1149]

I consider myself vegetarian, but I will eat some seafood. No eggs, but I do eat cheese. I cannot bring myself to eat any animals. I'm in my 50's and have eaten this way for years. Thanks for all the great suggestions. Going in August and will have to try some new things. California Grill is great for vegetarian and so is San Angel in Mexico. Just ask and they leave the meat out.

 

[lilouisianagal]

Oh and California Grill at the Contemporary has a very appealing dish I am having next week. It's Free-form Pumpkin Lasagna with brown butter vinaigrette, spinach, dried cranberries and pistachios* $20.00

Anybody have the recipe for this by any chance??

Chef de France has GREAT Mac N Cheese.

Well now you tell me darn.

 

[maddhatir]

I consider myself vegetarian, but I will eat some seafood. I cannot bring myself to eat any animals.

i am confused??-- in one sentence you say i eat SOME seafood, but then you go on to say you cannot bring yourself to eat ANY animals??

what type of seafood do you eat if you dont eat animals???

 

[spaceacewannabe]

MMM...can't wait to try the mac & cheese at Chefs de France.

Anybody know if all their desserts are gelatin-free or if there are some to stay away from? I've got months to go, but I'm dreaming of the desserts...but maybe the choice will be made for me (based on what isn't gelatinous )

We're going to Chefs, Alfredos, Le Cellier, Coral Reef, Tony's, and Spoodles for the first time this year...anybody know about the desserts at these places?

We're also returning to CP (LOVE!) and giving Boma a second chance. We had a terrible experience a few years ago: we were accused of stealing the pager (!?!?!), our res slip was lost, the waitress lectured us (!!!) about how we should just be happy to be there, AND no chef came out to help us...in fact, they walked away when we tried to get their attention at the buffet. Sorry, totally off-topic, but I'm hoping to have an experience more like the ones I've read about here. Boma wasn't showing us the veggie-love but maybe this year! We did avoid the desserts there last time; such a bummer. They look good

 

[spaceacewannabe]

Hoping to keep the thread alive

 

[maddhatir]

MMM...can't wait to try the mac & cheese at Chefs de France.

Anybody know if all their desserts are gelatin-free or if there are some to stay away from? I've got months to go, but I'm dreaming of the desserts...but maybe the choice will be made for me (based on what isn't gelatinous )

We're going to Chefs, Alfredos, Le Cellier, Coral Reef, Tony's, and Spoodles for the first time this year...anybody know about the desserts at these places?

We're also returning to CP (LOVE!) and giving Boma a second chance. We had a terrible experience a few years ago: we were accused of stealing the pager (!?!?!), our res slip was lost, the waitress lectured us (!!!) about how we should just be happy to be there, AND no chef came out to help us...in fact, they walked away when we tried to get their attention at the buffet. Sorry, totally off-topic, but I'm hoping to have an experience more like the ones I've read about here. Boma wasn't showing us the veggie-love but maybe this year! We did avoid the desserts there last time; such a bummer. They look good

i know the chocolate mousse is usually made with gelatin.

i have a book- but cant find it for the life of me-- it was something like disney for vegetarians or something like that- i am sure if you go to a bookstore or do further research online you can find out which desserts are gelatin free-- i will probably have to get a move on that one myself. we are going in sept.

also be careful of the cheese platters say, in france, because some cheese contains rennet. i am sure you know this-- but just in case someone doesnt, its nice to know. if you ask them if it does, i am sure you will just get a polite stare!