Sober Dining at WDW

[NOLA_Tink]

My grandmother is highly allergic to alcohol, so we always ask. I'm not sure if it's still made with red wine, but the steak's sauce at Garden Grill was something she couldn't have during a previous trip. Best wishes & congrats on your sobriety!

 

[ChanduTail]

I don’t feel bad about asking but I’m also not concerned with protecting my anonymity. I have a couple of executive coaching clients for whom disclosure in a business setting could be problematic.

Sometimes it’s obvious — like the beer cheese soup or items that indicate a reduced wine sauce. I’ve been surprised sometimes — for example some of the sushi at California Grill.

I appreciate everyone’s comments here.

A lot of Japanese food incorporates a rice wine called mirin. The alcohol content is usually extremely low but I imagine that it could still be an issue, particularly if a stronger version is used. It's found in or on things like grilled fish, sauces & glazes such as teriyaki sauce and eel sauce, and even ramen. Sometimes it's served as a drink with sushi.

As for sushi, the traditional way to make the rice involves the use of rice (wine) vinegar, which is also often an ingredient in salad dressings that have a sesame or ginger component.

I don't know if Morimoto Asia or Disney's Japanese restaurants use these items but I thought I would mention it since they're not ingredients you'd necessarily expect to find in these foods

I am glad that you asked this question here because I had no idea that this could be an issue for some people.

 

[rg35]

This was an eye opening thread for me. I never knew that foods prepared with small amounts of alcohol could pose issues for people in recovery. Thank you for teaching me something

 

[SirDuff]

This was an eye opening thread for me. I never knew that foods prepared with small amounts of alcohol could pose issues for people in recovery. Thank you for teaching me something

Me as well.

A question - is vanilla extract in baking an issue? Pure vanilla extract does contain alcohol (imitation stuff may not). It seems like such a small amount, but reading this thread, I'm not so sure now.

 

[mster425]

Me as well.

A question - is vanilla extract in baking an issue? Pure vanilla extract does contain alcohol (imitation stuff may not). It seems like such a small amount, but reading this thread, I'm not so sure now.

It's so kind of you to worry about this. It's different for everyone though, I suspect. I've been sober for 13 years and at this point as long as it's not blatantly cooked with alcohol and I don't taste alcohol I don't worry about it. Newly in sobriety I was much more careful, because ingestion by accident could send me out into the wild. I remember my inlaws used to put Guinness into their mustard, not telling me and me being really irritated bc we'd only told them 1,000 times I couldn't have alcohol.

Long way of saying, if someone you care about is sober, just ask what their comfort levels are. And try not to put beer in their condiments .

 

[Tigger's ally]

I thought this was a breakfast thread. I do understand the OP's dilemma as I often go out to dinner with a friend who is doing a great job in his quest for sobriety. Even though I drink a lot, I never do when out with him as I respect the challenges he is facing. Glad to read the thread and I too have learned a few things...not a Sake fan and maybe that is why I have only found one sushi place I like. As others have said, the chef's at WDW are great about talking it over and I don't think they would even question why you are asking.

 

[DisLiss]

This was an eye opening thread for me. I never knew that foods prepared with small amounts of alcohol could pose issues for people in recovery. Thank you for teaching me something

Same here. Plus I didn't realize that so many items were prepared with alcohol without mentioning it at all. That surprises me. I don't view alcohol the same as I do any other type of flavoring. I would have really expected it to always be mentioned. I'm sorry that it is not.

 

[Jadyreen1282]

I detest things with alcohol as an ingredient or cooking method. I can taste it. The flavor doesn't cook off. I don't drink...not for any other reason than taste. Blech. I don't enjoy the feeling of being altered either. I avoid any wine based sauces and ask when I'm unsure.

The flavor is not supposed to cook off. That's the point of putting wine in food.

 

[TiggerTrigger]

I guess depending on your sensitivity levels, you'd probably have to avoid most desserts since the majority of the extracts used in baking contain alcohol. Ex. I'm looking at a name brand vanilla extract and it is 41% alcohol. Edit- even on some edible decorations, alcohol will be used to adhere luster or glitter treatments because enough of the liquid evaporates...still, I know there's some left behind.

 

[Jennasis]

The flavor is not supposed to cook off. That's the point of putting wine in food.

I meant the nasty burning that alcohol has.

 

[JennyDrake]

Congratulations on your sobriety!! (I have frequent flyer miles in Al-Anon!) I'll echo what you said about all of the alcohol NOT evaporating with cooking. IN ADDITION to personal and religious reasons for not drinking, at least one medication (often used by persons undergoing chemo to deal with secondary infections) Metronidazole when mixed with even small amounts of alcohol can produce violent vomiting.

On a personal note, I have a severe allergy to capsaicin (in peppers it's what makes hot foods hot) and I've had excellent results telling Disney servers and chefs and getting instant feedback on what to avoid.

 

[KateP85]

I used to be a server at WDW and remember a few people saying they were allergic to alcohol. I never gave much thought as to why they couldn't have alcohol, we just treated it as an allergy. It doesn't necessarily mean the chef has to come to the table, and they're not going to pry, but it's the best way to make sure no alcohol goes near your meal.

 

[crabbygal902]

This thread has been eye-opening, I had no idea.