Mexico restaurant not good for people with allergies

[james'mommy]

We went to San Angel Inn for dinner on 5/23. I have peanut and tree nut allergies. Every disney restaurant is fantastic about allergies. Except for San Angel Inn. The server and the chef looked at me like I was crazy when I explained the issue. The chef said the menu did not contain nuts then he paused and said except for the flan. I really couldn't feel comfortable eating there but had no choice since all of the restaurants were full and we were on the dining plan and didn't want to waste the credits. The manager refunded our dining credits but that wasn't a help since we were leaving the next day and had 2 meal already scheduled and budgeted for. I have already contacted guest communications.

 

[Schmeck]

I'm not understanding your issue - the chef said that everything but the flan was nut-free. Were they refusing to use clean utensils and pans, so that cross contamination was a problem? Did you eat there?

 

[ireland_nicole]

I've seen other people report similar concerns at that restaurant (one of the reasons we aren't planning to eat there w/ DD) but I'm sorry you had this experience. (If I remember correctly, and I could be wrong, but I thought someone posted that a lot of their food was cooked in peanut oil) if that's still the case, it's a good thing you didn't eat there. And well done reporting the issue. If those who have a problem don't speak up, we can't expect the situation to improve.

 

[james'mommy]

I'm not understanding your issue - the chef said that everything but the flan was nut-free. Were they refusing to use clean utensils and pans, so that cross contamination was a problem? Did you eat there?

My concern was that they considered their menu nut free since it was mostly nut free. They also seemed unconcerned about the allergy which means they probably aren't using fresh utensils or gloves. If you have an allergy you understand the serious issue of cross contamination. Some people may think it's an over reaction but I'd rather be over vigilant and safe than spend the evening in the emergency room.

 

[Schmeck]

My mother has a severe allergy to hot peppers, so yes, I know how it is. So, I take it you didn't feel secure enough with the chef's answers and did not eat there. Thanks for the clarification.

 

[Selket]

Seems like people have the most problems with the World Showcase restaurants - but not all of them. Le Cellier was one of the best and we always do Biergarten. We also had good luck at Rose and Crown and the French restaurant (the Bistro I think).

It REALLY depends on your server and the chef at most places. Even at some of our favorites we get an odd chef and are disappointed at times.

Sorry you had that experience - my younger son has the same allergies. I wanted to HIGHLY recommend Chef TJ at Boma - from now on I will make a ressie there if I can get him. He is worth his weight in gold. He is so great it is worth eating at Boma every night - we might have to stay at AKL next trip.

 

[Hook's Girl]

The manager refunded our dining credits but that wasn't a help since we were leaving the next day and had 2 meal already scheduled and budgeted for. I have already contacted guest communications.

I'm not sure what else you wanted . It seems like appropriate recovery to me.

 

[james'mommy]

I don't want anything but the restaurant to be educated on the seriousness of allergies and that they need to be attentive to the guests dietary requirements. The refunding of credits does not change the fact that this restaurant is not safe for people with allergies. The refunding of credits doesn't mean that my concerns went away.

 

[hildarumpole]

Maybe I'm missing something, but the service you received doesn't seem out of line. As the mother of 2 kids with severe peanut/tree nut allergies, I know how important it is to be careful when dining out. Just because the flan had nuts doesn't mean to whole restaurant is contaminated. My kids never eat the desserts or dinner breads/rolls at Disney, except plain vanilla ice cream or fruit, because every chef has told us they are made off property by other companies and they can't guarantee their safety. That hasn't stopped us from eating in any Disney restaurant, even Ohana with it's peanut dipping sauce. Some chefs and wait staff are more personable than others. We've encountered some extremely helpful chefs, while others appeared to be simply going through the motions, as if it were the 11,946th time they gave the allergy drill that day and they'd had enough. The food served was still safe. Only you can decide your comfort level, so if you weren't happy at the Mexican restaurant, it was your decision to stay or leave. If you felt that you're health was in real danger, you could have left and tried to find another TS or pay OOP for CS. If I'm getting the story straight, you stayed and ate, didn't suffer an allergic reaction, and the manager refunded your dining credits. It sounds more like a customer service problem with the staff's attitude rather than any real danger regarding your allergies.

 

[james'mommy]

Maybe I'm missing something, but the service you received doesn't seem out of line. As the mother of 2 kids with severe peanut/tree nut allergies, I know how important it is to be careful when dining out. Just because the flan had nuts doesn't mean to whole restaurant is contaminated. My kids never eat the desserts or dinner breads/rolls at Disney, except plain vanilla ice cream or fruit, because every chef has told us they are made off property by other companies and they can't guarantee their safety. That hasn't stopped us from eating in any Disney restaurant, even Ohana with it's peanut dipping sauce. Some chefs and wait staff are more personable than others. We've encountered some extremely helpful chefs, while others appeared to be simply going through the motions, as if it were the 11,946th time they gave the allergy drill that day and they'd had enough. The food served was still safe. Only you can decide your comfort level, so if you weren't happy at the Mexican restaurant, it was your decision to stay or leave. If you felt that you're health was in real danger, you could have left and tried to find another TS or pay OOP for CS. If I'm getting the story straight, you stayed and ate, didn't suffer an allergic reaction, and the manager refunded your dining credits. It sounds more like a customer service problem with the staff's attitude rather than any real danger regarding your allergies.

There were no other restaurants to eat at that night. They were all full. It was 6:15 on a Friday night. I don't care how many times the chef has gone through the allergy drill he hasn't done it with me. I didn't suffer an allergic reaction because I really didn't eat much. I have so many allergies that the only real safe place for me to eat is disney so it's really a disapointment when that doesn't happen.

 

[hematite153]

I understand this concern.

The primary reason we haven't yet eaten at San Angel Inn is that they have never been willing to confirm whether their "vegetarian food" is actually vegetarian.

When I pushed at the CS place I was shown a label that showed "lard" in the refried beans. Since I am allergic to most meat products, including lard, I am unwilling to eat in a restaurant that cannot understand my request to confirm ingredients.

It also bothers be because there are many people who will eat vegetarian food for religious reasons when traveling. These people can end up violating important tenets of their faith because they were lied to about the food they ate.

Most wdw restaurants are great, but, I do find that because I can eat fish or vegetarian food they often don't seem to get it with my allergies. I also find that about half of them tell me that the listed "vegetarian" option won't work which makes me worry about those who don't ask before eating.

 

[mechurchlady]

I get that feeling of people nodding their head and saying that they understand but then I look and the lights are off, nobody home. At the Pacific Hotel at DLR is a restaurant near the front, not the Japanese one. The chef explained to me about the gravy which for me causes panic as it always has flour. He left and then the server took the order back, he looked at it then told the server one possible substitution.

McDonald's got a lot of heat when people found out the fries were cooked in the same oil as all other foods including fish. McDonald's got a lot of heat for using lard in their cooking. Now a major problem is that they add a beef derived flavouring to their fries.

I worry about corn tortillas as some restaurants use a corn tortilla that has wheat flour added for softer tortillas. Jelly beans have wheat as do soda pop. Whatever happened to the old days of pure foods made with sugar not corn syrup and cold cuts that were soy, dairy and wheat free.

As for the reimbursement, that is all they could do. If I was on the dining plan then I would pay extra for food at a safe restaurant. I will not risk my health for food. IF I could not eat safely in park then I would be at downtown Disney eating. There are safe places with planning. It takes extra work. I have never heard of San Angel using peanut oil before but I am not up to speed.

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

I'm wondering how much of this is a cultural issue? I have eaten at San Angel (don't have food allergies), and like most places in the World Showcase, the CMs appeared to be from Mexico or other spanish speaking countries. Incomplete mastery of English appeared to be a bigger problem there than in other World Showcase restaurants I have been at. I'm wondering if there was a language or cultural barrier that perhaps kept the chef from understanding about food allergies and nut allergies.

For clarification: did you actually stay and eat?

 

[momsavealot]

Jane'smommy,
Thanks for the warning! We had ressies there for August but frankly I've seen so many bad reviews on this board about the food that I was already on the fence about canceling. Now, I'm definitely canceling. I have 2 kids with peanut allergies and if the chef looked at you like you were crazy (and I know that look) then I'm not chancing it!! If you have any more negative experiences with your allergy and dining, please warn the rest of us with food allergies here on the board. Keep up the good work and do tell customer service so they can train their staff at that particular restaurant!

 

[disfan07]

the response that i have heard adn seen in many places (i cant rememebr exactly where) is that the only places that use peanut oil are the chinese restaurants and the restaurants at the Poly....im not sure if this is really the case but ive been goin gto WDW for 19 yrs adn i have never had a problem wiht any of the restaurants

Now.....as some one else has said, you coul dhave left to go eat at a CS restaurant if you felt unsafe at th emexican restaurant but if you chose to stay there and not eat at a CS b/c you didnt want to, than that was your choice...to me, it would have been worth wastin gthe 2 credits adn to have gone to a CS to eat

When you made the reservation, did you call the restaurant directly? Every time i make my reservations i ALWAYS call the restaurant directly that day just to make sure they can handle my request of peanut and egg allergy adn if they cant or im not sure, than i change my reservation

Yes, i wish that all the restaurants we always so sure about what i can and what i cant or eat etc....but i also realize that at Disney i am so lucky that they are so accomidating 99.9% of the time that it is my responsibility to just double check and to plan ahead to make sure my needs are met

JMHO

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

If you have any kind of food allergies, you need to call in advance. Tell them where you have reservations for, and they will make sure that the restaurant has what they need to accommodate you. I have even heard of a chef being assigned to a family who had very specific food needs. He bought the groceries and made sure to deliver them to the restaurant they were at. You can't just show up and expect it to be okay. While most restaurants can and will accommodate at the last minute, clearly not all of them are able to. You'll get a better response with prior warning.

 

[james'mommy]

I called ahead of time and had every single adr noted that I have specific allergies.

 

[disfan07]

but when you made the ADR an told them your allergies, did they give you a direct number for the restaurant?
Thats what they did when i called last week and the CM i talked ot specifically said to call them just to make sure that they can handle the allergy request ESPECIALLY in world showcase

 

[Selket]

The # you are given to call the restaurants is usually a central number if it is a restaurant in Epcot - so you really are not speaking to the chef at all but someone who works for Food services or whatever they call it. Honestly a peanut/tree nut allergy is one of the most common ones so will usually claim to have a good handle on it when you call that # - and most restaurants do fine.

We ate at two World Showcase restaurants in March and the # I was given for both was the same phone number - a central location - and was not a chef.

I have had issues with not feeling comfortable with the chef - and their claims that this or that was safe. I've had a chef tell me that something was safe when I know for sure it is a "may contains" and he was like "oh well...do what you want!" Um......OK!!! I never feel as comfortable with the meal when this happens - sounds like that is what happened to the OP.

 

[james'mommy]

I was not given the numbers for any of the restaurants except Narcoossee's