Suggestions for another TS or two for my ADRs (allergies + VEGAN)

[ls15]

Hello everyone!

I am excited that my third trip is coming up, and I'm super excited to make my ADRs. Last year was so worrisome with the changes, but after each chef called me at home months before, it turned out great, so I am pretty confident this year will go smoothly (knock on wood!)

I have a few spaces in my ADRs that I would like to fill up with NEW places that I have never been to. Though our restrictions come into play, I've found that the majority of restaurants can provide a good meal because their chefs are good. The more difficult thing is for vegan meals!

This is where I have set up ADRs so far. If you have more input, I would love it! One of us is celiac and vegan. The other is gluten, dairy, egg, and soy-free (not vegan).

These we ate at our first year, didn't love them enough for a second year, but thought we would try again:
Tusker House Lunch
Jiko

These ones we have NEVER eaten there before. So if you have a warning for it, please let me know.
Be Our Guest
Coral Reef (we know the chef who moved here, that is why we are eating here)
Kona Breakfast
Flying Fish
SciFi lunch
Cape May Cafe clambake
Whispering Canyon Cafe

These are yearly repeats and favourites:
Citricos
Boma dinner
Boma breakfast
Kouzzina
La Hacienda
Sanaa

 

[clanmcculloch]

Looking at your list of places you haven't tried, here are a few thoughts.

Whispering Canyon Cafe made us the best corn bread we've ever had. OMG it was delicious. DH much preferred ours over his regular loaf. I don't know if it was vegan or not but it was definitely milk and egg and many allergens free (I have no idea if there was honey or anything else that vegans wouldn't eat). We also had some amazing milkshakes including a couple unusual flavours like mango and berry that were milk free (tofutti ice cream and pacific rice milk with pureed fruit). Our entrees definitely would not have been vegan but the mashed potatoes were delicious and they served the corn on the cob with Earth Balance margarine. I'm sure the chefs will be able to put together something tasty for you.

Sci Fi's menu is very limitted. With a long list of allergies plus being vegan I doubt I'd book the ADR. When we go, we get the ribs or chicken tenders.

Cape May Cafe for dinner was wonderful but I'm trying to remember how many vegan options there would have been. I remember a delicious quinoa salad and a variety of raw fruits and vegetables but other than that, I don't recall anything else. I was focussed mainly on the seafood. The chefs will work with you to make sure you don't leave hungry.

I'm shocked that you didn't have good experiences with Jiko or Tusker House. They have so much to work with for vegans and those with allergies. I haven't tried Jiko yet but I'd love to because of all of the great reviews I've read and looking back at our lunches at Tusker House, several of the options we were served were meatless and everything was definitely free of milk and eggs so I would think most like vegan.

 

[ls15]

Thanks so much for the details! Everything you said sounds great.

As for Sci-Fi, the reason we were doing that was (a) for the novelty (my mom really wanted to, as well, and she does love burgers), and (b) I wanted a milkshake, and don't like how they make them at Prime Time. Now... since I am getting one at Canyon, I'm thinking we'll figure this one out.

We are giving Jiko and Tusker House another try, though - I can explain what the issues were!

Jiko we went in our first year, and it was very, very good. However, at the time, there was only one option for gluten-free/vegan on the menu, and it was so spicy for me that I remember not even tasting the actual dish - just the spice. Now, I do love me some good spice, but it was too intense for my celiac stomach. Also, there was no protein in the dish at all, so it wasn't a huge win. Their menus have since expanded and I'm confident it will be delicious.

For Tusker House, I am not sure if it was just the chef or what... but as he was leading me through the buffet, he mentioned cous cous three times (each time I said, "it isn't gluten-free" and he would say, "right!"). Then when I asked about prepping food in the back (because that is how the buffets had done it, and we were new to that). He said, "I guess I could." I actually got sick there (celiac) and didn't want to risk it a second time. But, again, given all the good reviews, I'm confident that the chef (whether the same or different) is more knowledgable, or I just got them on a bad day.

 

[clanmcculloch]

I was told as Sci-Fi that they have a dedicated milk free milkshake machine. I'm with you on the 50s PTC milkshakes; not all the chefs do nearly as good of a job as others at cleaning the manchine and one trip all 3 of us weren't feeling well after eating there and I suspect it was the milkshakes. At WCC I was told that they make them in a blender for people with allergies because the regular milkshakes are actually premixed in a big machine that just gets dumped into a cup for each serving so no cross contamination with other milkshakes.

Scary about your TH experience. I really hope this experience is a better one. I had something along those lines at Crystal Palace. I'm not sure how the chef didn't understand that the lemon poached salmon had citrus in it but I had to point it out several times. I know it's not a common allergen but it's not like it was a hidden ingredient. This same chef also didn't understand why I was concered about deli meats on the buffet not being safe for people with milk allergies when they were lying on sliced cheeses. I should have walked out but we stayed. In the end we got safe meals but only because we ordered very simple foods and I was all over the chef with questions. I was definitely nervous.

I just want to make sure you know that the soy milk at WDW is not gluten free. At AoA the chef ordered in some Silk for us but you're not going to find Silk at many locations. Many TS locations do carry Pacific rice milk and our milkshakes and mashed potatoes and things like those are always made with that.

 

[snorris49]

Looking at your list of places you haven't tried, here are a few thoughts.

Whispering Canyon Cafe made us the best corn bread we've ever had. OMG it was delicious. DH much preferred ours over his regular loaf. I don't know if it was vegan or not but it was definitely milk and egg and many allergens free (I have no idea if there was honey or anything else that vegans wouldn't eat). We also had some amazing milkshakes including a couple unusual flavours like mango and berry that were milk free (tofutti ice cream and pacific rice milk with pureed fruit). Our entrees definitely would not have been vegan but the mashed potatoes were delicious and they served the corn on the cob with Earth Balance margarine. I'm sure the chefs will be able to put together something tasty for you.

Sci Fi's menu is very limitted. With a long list of allergies plus being vegan I doubt I'd book the ADR. When we go, we get the ribs or chicken tenders.

Cape May Cafe for dinner was wonderful but I'm trying to remember how many vegan options there would have been. I remember a delicious quinoa salad and a variety of raw fruits and vegetables but other than that, I don't recall anything else. I was focussed mainly on the seafood. The chefs will work with you to make sure you don't leave hungry.

I'm shocked that you didn't have good experiences with Jiko or Tusker House. They have so much to work with for vegans and those with allergies. I haven't tried Jiko yet but I'd love to because of all of the great reviews I've read and looking back at our lunches at Tusker House, several of the options we were served were meatless and everything was definitely free of milk and eggs so I would think most like vegan.

I think the Quinoa salad at Cape May has shrimp in it--at least it used to. I can't recall off the top of my head.

You might also consider Boma and Sanaa, Sanaa especially. Chef Trish is wonderful there, and a lot of Indian food can easily be made vegan. If you like Indian, it's the place to go.

I have also heard that Chef TJ over at 1900 PF has been making some good vegan things, but not sure how good it is when he's not on duty!

 

[ls15]

Thanks for the replies.

clanmcculloch - The first year at PTC I got a milkshake and it was fine. Second year, I got a milkshake and I got sick. I was 100% sure it was the chef -- he was a huge jerk.

That's "funny" about Crystal Palace. I mean, I could give cous cous a pass once (but three times?!) but LEMON as CITRUS? Hello?!

I do know the soy milk isn't gluten-free. Last time I went they already had switched to all the new stuff, including Kikkoman soy milk, so I always was asking for Pacific when they had it on hand.


snorris49 - thanks for the info about Cape May. We are mostly going so my mom can enjoy the clam bake, but I figured if I am spending 40$+ on dinner, I would like to have more than steamed veggies. I know the chefs will call me beforehand, so I'll make sure, and I can always cancel it.

Both Boma and Sanaa are on my list. Chef Trish is wonderful, I agree! We've been to both multiple times on both trips.

I go to 1900 Park Fare and see TJ each year but this year we decided not to. As much as he is kind and his meals are filling, we love his appetizers but my stomach has trouble with all of the deep-fried foods he brings out. The main course is so sweet (and the same each year), and just a little too much for me. I was uncomfortable for the dessert because it had gummies all over it, and if they are the gummies that are throughout the park, it says they "may contain traces of..." the allergens. I am extremely careful with my celiac (and I have a dairy allergy) so after that, I just didn't really want to go back. I love all the appetizers he puts out, and they differ every year, but for a third year... I think it is just too much. We've met other chefs who have done similar (and, dare I say, better) meals for us that I would rather visit multiple times. Thanks for the suggestion, though. I do agree he is really fantastic. Just not for us three times in a row!

 

[snorris49]

Thanks for the replies.

clanmcculloch - The first year at PTC I got a milkshake and it was fine. Second year, I got a milkshake and I got sick. I was 100% sure it was the chef -- he was a huge jerk.

That's "funny" about Crystal Palace. I mean, I could give cous cous a pass once (but three times?!) but LEMON as CITRUS? Hello?!

I do know the soy milk isn't gluten-free. Last time I went they already had switched to all the new stuff, including Kikkoman soy milk, so I always was asking for Pacific when they had it on hand.


snorris49 - thanks for the info about Cape May. We are mostly going so my mom can enjoy the clam bake, but I figured if I am spending 40$+ on dinner, I would like to have more than steamed veggies. I know the chefs will call me beforehand, so I'll make sure, and I can always cancel it.

Both Boma and Sanaa are on my list. Chef Trish is wonderful, I agree! We've been to both multiple times on both trips.

I go to 1900 Park Fare and see TJ each year but this year we decided not to. As much as he is kind and his meals are filling, we love his appetizers but my stomach has trouble with all of the deep-fried foods he brings out. The main course is so sweet (and the same each year), and just a little too much for me. I was uncomfortable for the dessert because it had gummies all over it, and if they are the gummies that are throughout the park, it says they "may contain traces of..." the allergens. I am extremely careful with my celiac (and I have a dairy allergy) so after that, I just didn't really want to go back. I love all the appetizers he puts out, and they differ every year, but for a third year... I think it is just too much. We've met other chefs who have done similar (and, dare I say, better) meals for us that I would rather visit multiple times. Thanks for the suggestion, though. I do agree he is really fantastic. Just not for us three times in a row!

I hope they can whip you up something good at Cape May! I do love their house salad--they make it in the back for me; has cranberries, candied walnuts (OMG so good), and a citrus dressing...yum!

Sorry, helps if I read that you were planning on Boma and Sanaa. Yes, Chef Trish is awesome! Those two restaurants are soooo good.

I hear ya on the repeats for chefs and getting the same meal over. I can understand wanting something a little different. I just couldn't remember if you had seen Chef TJ or not. Doesn't sound like he's switching up his repertoire! lol

 

[rani8600]

Have you ever thought about splitting up for some of the meals? My mother is like yours, she loves the clam bake and wanted to go. But at 40 dollars it is soooo not worth it for a vegan. No matter what veggie dish they can make its not going to be worth that much. So on the night she goes, my sister is going with her and my father and I are going elsewhere. Sanaa this trip i believe.

 

[ls15]

Have you ever thought about splitting up for some of the meals? My mother is like yours, she loves the clam bake and wanted to go. But at 40 dollars it is soooo not worth it for a vegan. No matter what veggie dish they can make its not going to be worth that much. So on the night she goes, my sister is going with her and my father and I are going elsewhere. Sanaa this trip i believe.

If there were four of us, perhaps, but there are just two of us and I would go just for my mom to enjoy it -- after all, I love her more than anything! But in reality, that would be impossible, as my mom is in a wheelchair anyway. What makes it soooo not worth it? Is there really nothing at all? I would be surprised that at a place like Cape May they wouldn't make me something anyway, considering that is what they do for all of the allergies?