What follows is my dining review from January 6th through 11th. Diners included my DH (omnivore), Me (strict vegan due to medical issues), DS (vegetarian), DD (vegetarian), DS3, DS4, and DD2 (omnivores).
Let me begin by saying that, with help from this board, I had contacted Disney Dining and been sent an email that said all chefs in each of our reservation restaurants would be expecting us. They asked us to just remind the host/hostess at the door and a chef would come out to speak with us and work out something for us. We made all of our reservations for after the lunch rush so as to not inconvenience the staff more than we needed to. So, off we went with high expectations.
Our first stop was at Marrakesh. They told us they had no record of any special dining needs. The waiter informed me that they had only vegetable couscous but that it was made in a meat broth. I asked to see the chef (twice) and he eventually brought him out. The chef was heard loudly complaining about being asked to talk to us and then was visibly angry with us. He told me that he had nothing except plain white rice, or we could wait at least half an hour for him to make couscous (but made it clear that he did not want to). Because he was upset, I ended up just ordering a dinner salad. The waiter kindly brought me some tabbouleh and olives from Tangerine Cafe next door. DS and DD (the vegetarians) ended up eating the vegetable couscous even though it had meat broth in it, because they were too upset by what had happened to ask for anything else.
At Liberty Tree Tavern they did not have a note of our needs, but things were somewhat better, as there was one item on the menu we could order. However, the Chef declined to come and speak with us, and just told the waiter to tell me I could order the tofu and noodle dish and that was all. They also indicated that they had no veggie burger (which we had been told that all the sit down restaurants should have available). DD and DS ordered a chicken pasta dish without the pasta. I got the tofu and noodle dish, which was fine.
The next reservation was Yak and Yeti. Again the special needs were not noted on the reservation sheet. This time, the chef did come and speak with us, though he had little to recommend besides a salad or steamed vegetables (which is what I got). DS got the asian chicken salad (without the chicken). DD and I shared steamed veggies and a side salad. It was fine, though certainly nothing to write home about.
The following evening we went to Boma. This was far and away our best experience. Our dietary needs were noted on the reservation and the waiter brought Chef TJ right out. He walked us through the line, carefully explaining everything. He then told us to sample slowly. After a few minutes he arrived with a vegan soup for the three of us, and some vegan hummus. A bit later, he brought me altered versions of two of the salads (the hearts of palm and the radish and carrot) from the line that he had made vegan. I was almost full by then, when he arrived with an amazing entree (so beautiful that I took pictures) with tofu, veggies, rice noodles, fried mushrooms, pineapple, etc. The three of us all ate some and I had leftovers for dinner the next night! Just as we were about to pop, he dropped by and said that he would be out shortly with a vegan dessert. It was the fried oreo tower with pineapple and chocolate sauce. We were too full to really do it justice, but it was amazing. I was so impressed that I couldn't thank him enough. Next trip we will certainly go back to Boma!
The next day we had lunch at 50s Primetime. I was excited because I had heard that the stuffed pepper was fabulous and vegan. Again, the needs were not noted on the reservation. I asked the waiter, and he told me that the only thing they had that was vegetarian was the stuffed pepper, but he wasn't sure if it was vegan. He left to get the chef, but then came back and noted that it had whey in it, so they would just make it with white rice instead. I got a tofutti and silk milkshake (great!) and waited. The pepper arrived and it was a disappointment. The rice was undercooked and when I cut the pepper, water filled the bottom of my plate. So, everything was very watery and not seasoned at all. I pretty much just pushed it around. The waiter asked if it was ok and I noted that it was quite watery. He said "oh" and removed the plate and no more was said about it.
The final meal we had reservations for was at Crystal Palace. The needs were not noted on the reservation there either. After I asked the server, she brought out a chef. He pointed out the salad, couscous, bread, and steamed vegetables, noted that that "should be enough" and then left.
We had some good vegan snacks including pretzels and fries in the parks throughout the trip.
All in all, I would say that Disney is decent if you are a vegetarian who is willing to flex a bit on chicken broth in things (or just don't ask). If you have a dairy/egg allergy, it is tough, but as long as you like meat, you should still be ok there. If you are a strict vegan, it is not easy and the odds of getting a really good meal are slim.
I hope this helps someone a bit, as I know that information about vegan dining can be hard to come by!
Let me begin by saying that, with help from this board, I had contacted Disney Dining and been sent an email that said all chefs in each of our reservation restaurants would be expecting us. They asked us to just remind the host/hostess at the door and a chef would come out to speak with us and work out something for us. We made all of our reservations for after the lunch rush so as to not inconvenience the staff more than we needed to. So, off we went with high expectations.
Our first stop was at Marrakesh. They told us they had no record of any special dining needs. The waiter informed me that they had only vegetable couscous but that it was made in a meat broth. I asked to see the chef (twice) and he eventually brought him out. The chef was heard loudly complaining about being asked to talk to us and then was visibly angry with us. He told me that he had nothing except plain white rice, or we could wait at least half an hour for him to make couscous (but made it clear that he did not want to). Because he was upset, I ended up just ordering a dinner salad. The waiter kindly brought me some tabbouleh and olives from Tangerine Cafe next door. DS and DD (the vegetarians) ended up eating the vegetable couscous even though it had meat broth in it, because they were too upset by what had happened to ask for anything else.
At Liberty Tree Tavern they did not have a note of our needs, but things were somewhat better, as there was one item on the menu we could order. However, the Chef declined to come and speak with us, and just told the waiter to tell me I could order the tofu and noodle dish and that was all. They also indicated that they had no veggie burger (which we had been told that all the sit down restaurants should have available). DD and DS ordered a chicken pasta dish without the pasta. I got the tofu and noodle dish, which was fine.
The next reservation was Yak and Yeti. Again the special needs were not noted on the reservation sheet. This time, the chef did come and speak with us, though he had little to recommend besides a salad or steamed vegetables (which is what I got). DS got the asian chicken salad (without the chicken). DD and I shared steamed veggies and a side salad. It was fine, though certainly nothing to write home about.
The following evening we went to Boma. This was far and away our best experience. Our dietary needs were noted on the reservation and the waiter brought Chef TJ right out. He walked us through the line, carefully explaining everything. He then told us to sample slowly. After a few minutes he arrived with a vegan soup for the three of us, and some vegan hummus. A bit later, he brought me altered versions of two of the salads (the hearts of palm and the radish and carrot) from the line that he had made vegan. I was almost full by then, when he arrived with an amazing entree (so beautiful that I took pictures) with tofu, veggies, rice noodles, fried mushrooms, pineapple, etc. The three of us all ate some and I had leftovers for dinner the next night! Just as we were about to pop, he dropped by and said that he would be out shortly with a vegan dessert. It was the fried oreo tower with pineapple and chocolate sauce. We were too full to really do it justice, but it was amazing. I was so impressed that I couldn't thank him enough. Next trip we will certainly go back to Boma!
The next day we had lunch at 50s Primetime. I was excited because I had heard that the stuffed pepper was fabulous and vegan. Again, the needs were not noted on the reservation. I asked the waiter, and he told me that the only thing they had that was vegetarian was the stuffed pepper, but he wasn't sure if it was vegan. He left to get the chef, but then came back and noted that it had whey in it, so they would just make it with white rice instead. I got a tofutti and silk milkshake (great!) and waited. The pepper arrived and it was a disappointment. The rice was undercooked and when I cut the pepper, water filled the bottom of my plate. So, everything was very watery and not seasoned at all. I pretty much just pushed it around. The waiter asked if it was ok and I noted that it was quite watery. He said "oh" and removed the plate and no more was said about it.
The final meal we had reservations for was at Crystal Palace. The needs were not noted on the reservation there either. After I asked the server, she brought out a chef. He pointed out the salad, couscous, bread, and steamed vegetables, noted that that "should be enough" and then left.
We had some good vegan snacks including pretzels and fries in the parks throughout the trip.
All in all, I would say that Disney is decent if you are a vegetarian who is willing to flex a bit on chicken broth in things (or just don't ask). If you have a dairy/egg allergy, it is tough, but as long as you like meat, you should still be ok there. If you are a strict vegan, it is not easy and the odds of getting a really good meal are slim.
I hope this helps someone a bit, as I know that information about vegan dining can be hard to come by!
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Maybe you eat at certain resturants so often that the Chef knows you and wants to come and say Hi. Other than that this does not make much sense to me.
Do you KNOW any chefs? I do and believe me they do not enjoy coming out to chat - that is why they chose to be chefs- in the back in the kitchen. And yes they love coming up with new things but not when they are trying to get 100 dinners out in the next 20 minutes.
