Picky meat eater and quality of meat served?

[amg35]

Well, if this helps, the pork at California Grill was AMAZING. Very tender, just delicious. Melt in your mouth. Not fatty/rubbery, at least I didn't notice!

The veal was also fantastic, but I think you might not want to eat that if it bothers you.

I can't say enough good things about California Grill.

 

[singastory]

OP, I want to sympathize with you. Not many people understand my meat preferences, my family especially. I don't like steak but I like brisket and hamburgers. I prefer to only eat VERY DRY white meat chicken/turkey (I get a lot of crazy looks when I put my chicken in the microwave and cook it a little longer than everyone else). I love beef jerky but I don't like deli/lunch meats. I don't like hot dogs or bratwurst but I like italian sausage and pepperoni (NOT salami). The only pork I like is bacon (extra crispy please). If someone asks me how I want my burger prepared I will often say "extra well done" or "no pink" because even if I order it well done it sometimes comes out still pink. I like fish, but up until recently I could only eat white fish. I tried salmon a few months ago and was surprised, but I'm taking baby steps. I like sushi but not sashimi. I like shrimp, lobster, crab, and scallops, but only when they're not too "fishy". I don't want to be a vegetarian, I don't want to be a vegan, I like the meat that I eat, I just am extremely picky about it. I used to like all of those things, but now I don't. There's nothing wrong with that. There wasn't any catastrophic event that made me stop eating anything, except with hot dogs and McDonald's Chicken McNuggets, haven't eaten either of those since I was a kid. When I eat with others and they are serving a meat dish, all of the above goes out the window and I will eat everything put in front of me, EXCEPT if it is red/bleeding. I rarely order a meat dish at a restaurant because of my laundry list of criteria, I usually opt for a pasta or fish dish. I don't want to burden anyone and PREFER to eat other things when I'm eating at a restaurant. I also try my best not to express my distaste with someone else's meal unless they start picking on me about how crazy I am with meat. That makes me mad! My family and my DBf's family are meat-a-holics. To each her own!

 

[Colleen27]

I know exactly what you're getting at - I used to be the same way as a teen. It isn't even really about the taste, it is about the visceral awareness that your food used to be alive. I'm not nearly as picky as an adult but I still have issues with certain styles of preparation/service that look a little too much like animal for me to think of it as food (for example, any whole fish preparation where the head & tail are included on the plate), and I'm choosy about my ground/formed meat patties. And I still have a hard time with peel & eat shrimp, crab legs, whole lobster, etc. even though I love shrimp & crab as a rule.

Practically every Disney restaurant has a steak option, and many have chicken in boneless/skinless preparations, pork loin, or both. And they all have at least one vegetarian selection that you could try if there aren't meats on the menu that you're comfortable with. Look over the menus and some review threads and I think you'll be pleasantly surprised at how many options are available to you.

 

[danceintherain]

I have similar meat issues, and I haven't run into problems at WDW. Also, the portions are normally large enough that I can cut off any fatty parts, if there are any, (and the surrounding meat) that make me cringe. The only major difference is I don't do burgers, at all. Just the smell of ground beef makes me gag. Though I do enjoy the occasional hot dog, but only all beef the other kind are nasty...so I don't normally get them while out, except at 5 Guys, because they're Kosher, I LOVE Kosher hot dogs.

I definitely suggest looking at the menus. If you're really worried, then order things without meat in them.

The biggest issue I had was at 1900 Park Fare (dinner). In addition to the cuts of meat not being very good, they weren't kept warm very well. It wasn't a big deal to pick some other items from the buffet though.
Biergarten also posed similar problems, but I got my fill by eating bread and desserts.

Good
Honey Chicken at the CS place outside Yak & Yeti
Lemon Lavender Chicken at CRT
Filet Mignon at Le Cellier (my favorite Disney meal ever)
Pot Roast - 50s Prime Time - soo tasty, though I was a bit afraid to not clean my plate

OK
Steak at Coral Reef - it was a little dry, but the cut of meat wasn't bad.
Chicken Sandwich at Sci Fi - again dry

Doable, but probably not again
Chicken at Jikos. It's on the bone, but there's so much meat that I didn't have to get down to it and it wasn't as greasy as a lot of meat still on the bone. My main issue with it was how spicy it was...
Chicken Pot Pie - Rose & Crown - I can't find it on the menu anymore, so now I'm thinking I ordered the pot roast. Either way I was not impressed by the meat

That's all I can think of...ultimately I LOVE Disney fries, so no matter what I order as long as it comes with fries I'm happy.

I'm sorry very few people are taking you seriously. I have a suspicion that I'm a "super taster" (it's a real thing, look it up), which means every taste is far more powerful. I can literally taste fat in my food, so if I see any visibly I have a hard time convincing myself to take even a bite. If something is on the bone it seems to have a higher fat content, or at least be very greasy, which is basically fat in liquid form, so I avoid that as well.
Then there's a whole texture issue, so if food isn't cooked properly it becomes difficult to chew, which keeps the taste in my mouth longer.
I didn't even eat steak until a few years ago.

 

[Cin]

Wow, so many others with the same food issues. I'm glad to see that there are lots of other options for my dining out. Do you think at a sit down restaurant if it is a dish usually served on the bone I can ask them to serve it without? And yes, I too order it very well done and cooked until there is not the slightest hint of pink. It seems skirt steak is all over the menus and I won't eat that cut at all too tough for me so I am hoping for some decent cuts at WDW places. I loved loved loved the food at Boma I got so full from salads, hummus and lavash and the soups I barely got any of the meat entrees. I had good turkey and dressing at All Star Music too. Thanks for all the suggestions!

 

[Planogirl]

Flank steak is actually not a poor quality cut of meat. It's actually extremely lean and quite expensive, at least in our area. I like it because it holds way less fat than most other meat and is quite yummy when cooked properly.

But to each their own! Good luck figuring this out.

 

[BriarRosie]

Wow, so many others with the same food issues. I'm glad to see that there are lots of other options for my dining out. Do you think at a sit down restaurant if it is a dish usually served on the bone I can ask them to serve it without? And yes, I too order it very well done and cooked until there is not the slightest hint of pink. It seems skirt steak is all over the menus and I won't eat that cut at all too tough for me so I am hoping for some decent cuts at WDW places. I loved loved loved the food at Boma I got so full from salads, hummus and lavash and the soups I barely got any of the meat entrees. I had good turkey and dressing at All Star Music too. Thanks for all the suggestions!

Well, you just answered my unasked question about why you wouldn't like flank steak or skirt steak. You cook it too much, it becomes shoe leather. I like my steaks medium rare, so they are tender enough for me to enjoy.

I won't judge you because my food aversions are few and random. I don't like cottage cheese, cream cheese (unless it's doctored up in the form of cheesecake or part of other dishes), black licorice, rye bread (can't stand the aftertaste) and Indian curries. (Odor literally turns my stomach.)

I can pretty much eat anything else served in restaurants.

 

[Lynne M]

PLEASE, try going vegetarian or vegan. It will be the best choice you will have made. You don't have to worry about E-coli, salmonella or other intestinal/bacterial problems. They have delicious meat-free food at Disney..just some of my faves:

Oh, my, no....it is very, very possible to get food poisoning, including E.coli and salmonella, without ever eating meat. Please, don't stop being concerned about food safety just because you're eating vegetarian or vegan. ANY food can be contaminated with bacteria/viruses/etc.

There have been many salmonella outbreaks due to contaminated fruits and vegetables. A friend of mine became extremely ill for weeks because of salmonella-contaminated lettuce that wasn't cleaned properly in a restaurant. One particularly bad E.coli outbreak was due to contaminated drinking water. People have gotten botulism from improperly canned vegetables.

 

[LisaTC]

It seems skirt steak is all over the menus and I won't eat that cut at all too tough for me so I am hoping for some decent cuts at WDW places.

If the skirt steak doesn't say marinated or braised...skip it. It is prized for it's flavor rather than it's tenderness. While it can be prepared well, it's a cut that needs marinated or tenderized to break it down to the appropriate tenderness. It comes from right in front of where flank steak comes from.

Flank steak is actually not a poor quality cut of meat.

The same with Flank Steak...needs to be marinated, braised or manually tenderized. Think London Broil or Fajitas.

As far as becoming a vegetarian to skirt E. coli or Salmonella sp. or other contaminant issues, that would be the worst reason to be vegan or vegetarian. Produce related poisoning is far more prevalent than meat borne illnesses, which brings up a whole plethora of things most of which are environmental. FNO People take more care preparing meats, yet do not with vegetables and fruits, for one. There are lots of good reasons to be vegetarian (& I was raised on a farm!) -- Crone's disease, diabetes related vascular disorders, personal choice, etc., but food related poisoning shouldn't be one of them because it isn't evidence based.

 

[disneybex]

Wow, I didn't think there could be anyone worse than my DF. He is a vegetarian and is so because he got poisened by chicken when he was in hospital with a broken arm when he was young.

He also doesn't eat white bread because it reminds him of chicken. Nothing which obviously has eggs in (cakes are okay). Then the big ones, no goat cheese or mushrooms, both of which seem to be staples in a lot of veggie meals.

I feel your pain - I have to spend hours checking menus to find places that he will like

 

[babyrich]

What about Teppan Edo. You can order the chicken breast, its boneless, its served in chunks but you watch it being prepared. It starts out as a whole breast and than its cut while its cooking. You get veggies and noodles with it. In fact, even the beef starts off whole and is "chunked" while it is on the flat top. Or you can just get a vegetarian dish.

Plus there will be choices for your DH.

Just beware, you may see shrimp!!!! you will have to turn your head

 

[kdawg8762]

PLEASE, try going vegetarian or vegan. It will be the best choice you will have made. You don't have to worry about E-coli, salmonella or other intestinal/bacterial problems. They have delicious meat-free food at Disney..just some of my faves:

-Veggie burgers/wraps
-Vegetable sushi
-Fresh fruit salads
-A Mecca of pasta and pizza dishes
-Couscous
-Breads/spreads
-Dairy free milkshakes
-Popcorn, pretzels

Tell that to the people in Europe who got e-coli from vegetables. Anything if not washed or cooked properly can carry a contaminate.

 

[FireDancer]

Wait, I thought people outgrow this kind of thing?

 

[Danibelle]

Her's my dilemma, I am extremely choosy about the meat I eat and only eat chicken, beef, and some pork. Fish on rare occasion. I will not tolerate seafood of any type even touching my food and I won't eat meat unless it is a solid piece (meaning no chopped formed pressed meats), not on the bone like ribs or with carcass attached like a half chicken - so gross. I won't eat anything unless it is very lean or white meat chicken or pork. Where in WDW can I get a decent meal both counter service and sit down? I wanted to try Ohana but wasn't sure the quality of meat served.
I liked Wolfgang Puck's Express salads and pizza and pasta. I liked the burgers okay at Pecos Bill's. Not the buns though....blech.

You are missing out on a lot of good eating. I hope you will learn to expand your horizons. Many restaurants (and not just Disney) are serving real meat, fish, etc. Good luck!

 

[MickeyNicki]

If I were you I would stay away from CS and just go with TS and order pasta dishes or go to signature restaurants and get the filet every single time

 

[Minnesota!]

Wow, so many others with the same food issues. I'm glad to see that there are lots of other options for my dining out. Do you think at a sit down restaurant if it is a dish usually served on the bone I can ask them to serve it without? And yes, I too order it very well done and cooked until there is not the slightest hint of pink. It seems skirt steak is all over the menus and I won't eat that cut at all too tough for me so I am hoping for some decent cuts at WDW places. I loved loved loved the food at Boma I got so full from salads, hummus and lavash and the soups I barely got any of the meat entrees. I had good turkey and dressing at All Star Music too. Thanks for all the suggestions!

Boma is my fave place b/c of the great things for veggie eaters.

I am a pescatarian 95% of the time - I eat fish/seafood....and a whole lotta veggies.

I have real texture issues with meat. I will taste meat if it's shredded. I can't do burgers, hot dogs, most steaks, meat loaf, etc. But even when shredded, more than a bite and I start gagging. It's the thought of eating an animal. For some reason I don't have the same reaction to eating fish/shrimp, etc.

You will be able to find stuff...just look at menus and keep an open mind!

 

[Gonzo82]

The same with Flank Steak...needs to be marinated, braised or manually tenderized.

Flank steak is also all about how you cut it. Slice it thinly against the grain and you get a tender bite of meat. Slice it with the grain and it's tough shoe leather.

 

[Agri]

Wait, I thought people outgrow this kind of thing?

Not everyone does, but I can appreciate someone who can be honest about it. I can also appreciate when someone tries to work with their shortcomings and doesn't just avoid what they don't like - she's managing to cope with her problems fairly well, it seems.

I have a friend who doesn't like the texture of hamburgers, but will eat steak. she doesn't say "I don't like hamburgers" she says "Ugh. Hamburgers are gross they make me throw up. I'm allergic." Clearly she's not allergic if she eats steak. I learned ages ago not to say "I'm having a hamburger for lunch" because she'll go on her tirade about how she's allergic to it - even though she isn't eating lunch with me and isn't exposed to the hamburger anymore than just hearing the word. (One of my peeves is when people say they're allergic to something they can't tolerate. I understand it in a restaurant setting - I say the same thing about chocolate since it can trigger migraines for me - but not in casual conversation.)

I have texture issues with certain foods, but I'm aware of them and try to work around them - much like the OP does. My teeth have always been sensitive, so I've never particularly liked raw vegetables because they're hard and cold. I don't avoid foods because I've had them raw, I just know that if I'm going to try something new, I need to look up a method of preparation that will work for me.

I'm a very adventurous eater, but I know cold crunchy foods are not appealing to me, so I might manage to try a bit and if I don't like it, I know to try the food again prepared a different way. Chances are though, I'll take someone else's word for it and just make a note of the food and fix it myself a different way when I come across it in the grocery store. To me, this is the "grown up" way of handling my food issues.

 

[BEASLYBOO]

Terribly intertaining thread, thanks cin and the replies, even better!

I can't say that I have much to contribute, other than you don't appear to be that "picky". With all that you are willing to eat, you should do fine!

Remember: No matter what's on the Disney menu, you can alway ask for it to be served w/ w/out sauce, sauce on the side, grilled, plainly grilled/broiled , no seasonings, just salt and pepper! You just have to ask!

Just one odd observation: You're picky about your meat but you'll eat Pecos Bill Hamburger, how interesting!

 

[Mickey'sApprentice]

Boma is my fave place b/c of the great things for veggie eaters.

I am a pescatarian 95% of the time - I eat fish/seafood....and a whole lotta veggies.

I have real texture issues with meat. I will taste meat if it's shredded. I can't do burgers, hot dogs, most steaks, meat loaf, etc. But even when shredded, more than a bite and I start gagging. It's the thought of eating an animal. For some reason I don't have the same reaction to eating fish/shrimp, etc.

You will be able to find stuff...just look at menus and keep an open mind!

My steak (sliced from a cutting station) was riddled with gristle. I like meat and it grossed me out.