Yes, Really! Even MORE Vegan and Vegetarian Dining Reviews! May 8-15, 2010

[v_gan]

Ok, so I'm hoping that by using this method, you were actually able to get chef TJ! Don't get me wrong, my food was fantastic with Chef Julie, but there's just something about presentation that I'm a sucker for! I'm excited to hear how this turned out...I'm trying my hardest to go in the fall!!

We definitely were!

Yeah I've been waiting for your review. Just in time since we leave in 2.5 weeks for a two week trip. It will be my first trip to the world as a vegan. All of these vegan reviews have really helped.

I can't wait to read the rest.

Oh, wow. Two weeks! I hope you'll bring back food reviews!

Could I ask how you contacted Chef TJ? I really hope he's there when we eat at 'Ohana next month.

Looking forward to more.

P.S. nice polka dot dress/top- very Minnie Mouse!

The last time I ate there, he gave me his business card in case I ever "needed help getting reservations". So I used the e-mail address on there to let him know we were coming. But you can call the Polynesian, I believe, to get in contact with him. Or just have your dietary notations put on your reservation. I'm pretty sure he's off on Fridays and Saturdays.

And thank you It's actually my bathing suit!

holy crap....that kid in the fountain is ridiculous

Isn't he?

 

[v_gan]

We had reservations at 'Ohana around 6:30. We arrived at the Poly and checked in about 30 minutes early. I made sure to ask the hostess if Chef TJ was working, and she told me he was. So once we got our pager, we walked around the Poly for a bit (there wasn't anywhere to sit ). We were paged right around the time of our reservation, and we were seated on the right side of the restaurant, one table away from the window:

Our server brought out the regular salad, welcome bread, and dipping sauces:

Jon ordered a Coke, and I ordered the pomegranate lemonade.

Our server then went on to explain all the meat and stuff that would be brought to our table. I then explained to him that I was vegan and Jon was vegetarian. He said, "Oh, then I'll go get Chef TJ."

Once Chef TJ came out, he said it was nice to see me again, and said to Jon: "You're new." Hahaha. He then told our server to take away the salad and the bread, and told us that he would have something better coming soon.

We didn't see our server much after this, except for the occasional, "Everything going alright?" and a few drink refills.

He left the sauces on the table, letting me know which were vegan. The only one I remember eating was the peanut sauce, but it seems like one of the others was vegan, as well.

Not long after he left, these were coming out at us:

Beautiful, beautiful salads. He didn't take the time to explain everything about the food like he did last time. I guess the restaurant is a lot busier earlier in the evening, because he looked a bit rushed. The salads weren't as good as they were last time. They were still good, but the combination of the fruit was different, and I think there was a different dressing, as well.

Next we were brought the regular noodles and broccoli:

I ate the noodles with some of the peanut sauce, and it made them SO much better. It's really hard for me not to fill up on noodles when they're right in front of me.

The broccoli was ok, but I didn't eat much of it.

This was our next course. It took the place of the hummus and baba ganoush me and my sister had last time.

Char-broiled pineapple with a tangy vegetable slaw on top.

OMG. You would never expect this to taste the way it did. It was so savory, with a hint of the pineapple's sweetness.

Definitely one of my favorite parts of the meal. Jon really enjoyed it, too, which is suprising! He liked the pineapple more than the slaw on top, and he just kind of pushed that to the side of his plate.

Next we were brought our soup:

Spicy ginger soup with watercress, peanuts, and tomatoes. It was definitely as good as it was last time, but I don't think I enjoyed it as much with the weather being warm and me not being sick. Jon loved it, but he has a hard time with spicy food and couldn't finish it, even thought he wanted to.

Our next course was.. a lot of things. Chef TJ didn't really explain anything other than the sauce at the top was really hot. But I'm guessing it was all the same we had last time: Bok choy, potatoes, and mushrooms. I can't recall what the sauce was like, but it was definitely different than last time.

I was hoping the ukelele lady would call up some people other than kids to get some leis, but she never did. But after the 3rd or 4th time passing by our table, she finally put some around Jon's neck

Finally, our entree was brought out:

Same as last time, except.. undercooked The tempura vegetables still had wet batter on the inside of them. Well, not completely raw. But mushy, moist batter. So those were a bit of a disappointment.

But the tofu and vegetables underneath were still really good!

By this time, even though I was pretty much full, I think I paced myself well enough to be COMPLETELY READY FOR DESSERT!

And, boy.. I was not dissappointed.. (Continued in next post due to picture limit.)

 

[v_gan]

I swear, it's like Chef TJ read my mind.

We got the same dessert me and my sister did the last time, except this time it had bananas lining the rim of the glass, and had cherries on top.

It was the frozen pina colada mix, which was wonderfully filled with chocolate Tofutti ice cream, and underneath it all was lychee fruit and a few other fruity surprises.

Oh, and this.. I was hoping for this.

A big hunk of pineapple, topped with a huge chunk of banana, vanilla Tofutti sandwiched between Divvies chocolate chip cookies, chocolate Tofutti sandwiches between Divvies chocolate chip cookies, another chunk of banana, and a large strawberry on top, all covered in delicious chocolate syrup.

Yeah.

"Are you serious?!" Jon was not prepared

Eventually we finished, and we asked Chef TJ for a picture and thanked him for our meal:

I was extremely happy with our meal. Jon was pretty amazed at the difference between this and the meal we had when Chef TJ wasn't there. There were a few disappointments, but they were made up for big time. I think my favorite parts of the meal were the char-broiled pineapple and the desserts.

I love Chef TJ, and he is such an amazing man for doing this. I hope Disney knows what a gem they have in him and that they keep him around for a long time. I also want to mention that I do think it's better to have a later reservation at 'Ohana if you're hoping for Chef TJ. He didn't seem as rushed the last time I was there with my sister, and he definitely took more time to talk to us after our meal. He was still very nice this time around, I could just tell he didn't have a lot of time to spare since he was so busy.

After dinner, we headed down to the beach to watch the Electric Water Pageant. (Finally!)

Is it normal for Wishes to be going on during the Electric Water Pageant? I thought they held off on the pageant when Wishes was at 9:00? Oh well. Jon enjoyed laying in a hammock and looking up at the stars. I might be able to convince him to stay at a deluxe one of these days

After everything was over, he headed to the MK for Extra Magic Hours. I have to say, EMH were a lot more crowded this year than they were last year. And we basically went to the same ones on the same days. Lines were longer, and there were more people walking around than before. But we still got a good bit done, so I guess it was worth it.

Up Next: Tangerine Cafe, Sunshine Seasons, World Showcase snacks

 

[MelanieC]

Oh, wow. Two weeks! I hope you'll bring back food reviews!

You can definately count on it!! I'm looking forward to contributing!!

 

[cavepig]

Love your reviews!

I ate most of the fries. And that barbecue sauce was awesome. It was good to have another condiment other than ketchup for once.

I wanted to let you know that unless they've change the Flame Tree BBQ sauce recipe it has worcestershire sauce in it. I know when it first opened years ago I asked if it was safe and I just looked at one of my Disney cookbooks and it lists it in the recipe. Maybe they've changed the recipe.

 

[v_gan]

You can definately count on it!! I'm looking forward to contributing!!

Yay! I'm looking forward to reading!

I wanted to let you know that unless they've change the Flame Tree BBQ sauce recipe it has worcestershire sauce in it. I know when it first opened years ago I asked if it was safe and I just looked at one of my Disney cookbooks and it lists it in the recipe. Maybe they've changed the recipe.

Ugh, really? I didn't even think to ask. I've never heard of BBQ sauce having Worcestershire sauce in it. It was just on the condiments bar and I grabbed some. There are some brands of Worcestershire sauce that don't contain anchovies. Maybe they use one of those? (Wishful thinking) That really sucks, either way. Thanks for letting me know. I'll be sure to ask for an ingredients list next time.

 

[v_gan]

I just wanted to say that I am loving the fact that there are seven vegan/vegetarian dining reviews on the first page of these boards.

 

[danyella522]

so excited for this thread! I'll be making reservations for our January trip soon. I'm newly vegan and my SO is macrobiotic

 

[mandibc11]

I just wanted to say that I am loving the fact that there are seven vegan/vegetarian dining reviews on the first page of these boards.

I know how awesome is that?! We may be annoying some people, but at least we're providing some great alternatives for them!

 

[Vegcentric]

I'm glad you and Jon enjoyed Chef TJ. I love Jon's expression in the picture with dessert. That gif of the kid in the fountain is insane, and hilarious! This is goin to be my first trip to the world as a vegan as well, since it didn't go so well last time and I was more flexible then (not anymore!), so these reviews are very helpful. All the reviews on the board are helpful, actually. They give me more confidence to really try to get what I want and need when I'm at Disney.

I wouldn't have thought to ask about the ingredients in the BBQ sauce, either. In fact, I had a really stupid moment the other week where I was drinking with a vegan friend (she's been vegan a lot longer than I have) and I was sipping on a clamato. She just stared at me and was like, "That isn't just tomato juice, you know. That has anchovies and clams in it." It didn't even hit me...CLAM...ato. Yeah. I was kind of upset with myself. Yuck.

 

[princessallegra]

Loving your reviews!! Everything looks super yummy!! Except those gnarly buns at B+C YUCK!! Can't wait to read more!!

 

[disneyfav4ever]

I LOVEEeee your Yellow Dress where did you get it?! A the girl in my is coming out there is food porn to be had and Im looking at your dress, but its so pretty!

I think it's a cute dress too.

 

[v_gan]

I wouldn't have thought to ask about the ingredients in the BBQ sauce, either. In fact, I had a really stupid moment the other week where I was drinking with a vegan friend (she's been vegan a lot longer than I have) and I was sipping on a clamato. She just stared at me and was like, "That isn't just tomato juice, you know. That has anchovies and clams in it." It didn't even hit me...CLAM...ato. Yeah. I was kind of upset with myself. Yuck.

Yeah, mistakes happen. I've had a few horrible experiences with wrapped foods (like samosas and pot stickers - not at Disney World!) where they were labeled wrong (they were supposed to be vegetarian), and I end up chewing on MEAT. Ugh, it was so nasty. You have to be really careful with things you can't see inside. You never know what you'll bite into I usually open up whatever it is first now, unless I'm watching while it's made.

And just the other day my parents fed me veggie burgers that had milk in them. I can't be mad at them since they really meant well, but you'd think after about 6 years of me being vegan they'd check the ingredients for me? They just tend to think Boca = vegan. Oh well.

 

[v_gan]

This doesn't have anything to do with food, but I just have to share this story:

So, we got up bright and early to get to Epcot before rope drop. We ended up sitting at the turnstiles for about 30 minutes before the park opened, and were one of the first to be standing up next to the rope in front of the fountain. Not long after we arrived at the rope, a lady came up to us and asked if we were excited to be there and stuff like that. Then she asked us if we wanted to help open the park! Um, YES! So, she let me and Jon through the rope, walked us over to the fountain, and explained that we were basically just going to stand there throughout the little opening show until it was over, and then we were going to be getting into a Test Track car and driving to the ride.

Then, shortly after the show starts, guess who shows up?!

I WAS SO FREAKIN' EXCITED TO GET THIS PICTURE!

We also got a bunch of Photopass pictures taken during this time, and Jon was recording the whole thing on our camera.

So, once the show was over, we were taken to the Test Track car and driven to Test Track, where we got to ride the first car of the day by ourselves.. TWICE! I have to tell you, riding around Epcot in a car is so much more fun than riding Test Track! Hahaha.

Once we exited the ride, we had our pictures put on our Photopass cards and were given a free printed photo of our choice. Then, as we were walking out, we were given two Family of the Day certificates entitling us to priority entrance to the attractions of our choice. We kept them as souvenirs And then we were taken to Mission: Space where we got to go into the control center and push (fake) buttons!

Then we were asked to sign a guest book, which we were told everyone who opens the park signs:

Then we were taken to the front of the line, and that was the end of our magical morning! Well, I mean.. the rest was still magical. But you know what I mean!

So.. Me and Jon have officially helped open two of the parks! Now we just have to have some kids to be able to open Animal Kingdom and Magic Kingdom

Anyway.. After all the hussle, me and Jon headed to Soarin' to get Fastpasses, and hopped in line since the stand-by entrance said 15 minutes. It was a little longer than that, but we didn't mind waiting since we had already done two of the bigger attractions. Afterwards, we headed towards World Showcase and waited for everything to open.

So that I don't get arrested for this post that's more like a trip report, here's what Jon had for breakfast..

This is from the little pastry/coffee cart in between Canada and the UK. Some kind of frozen coffee drink and a sugar cookie. I think he really enjoyed having this for breakfast!

Up Next: Tangerine Cafe, Japanese Snacks, and Sunshine Seasons!

 

[v_gan]

Once World Showcase opened, we explored Canada, the UK, and France, watching the movies, browsing the shops, and meeting characters. I was sad to find out that the Salt and Vinegar chips in the UK now contain milk. I got them the year before and was SO excited to find dairy-free salt and vinegar chips to snack on at Disney World. I guess it was too good to last

Once we made our way around to Morocco, I decided I wanted to eat at the Tangerine Cafe. Easier said than done this time around.

Once inside, I asked if the falafel wrap had any kind of dairy or eggs (I knew it did, but I had to ask to see if they had any alternatives). I waited forever until eventually the chef came out to tell me that, yes, it had dairy (can't remember about the eggs). Then the chef just stood there and stared at me until I asked about the vegetarian platter.

I was hoping he would offer a suggestion on substitutions, but it never came. He kept saying a lot of stuff, but I had a really hard time understanding what anyone was saying because, along with their accents, they were talking ridiculously fast. Eventually I said I guess I would order the vegetarian platter without the lentil salad.

Apparently, "without the lentil salad" means "without the lentil salad, falafel, and hummus" to them.. Because this is what I was given:

The things that normally come on a vegetarian platter: Couscous salad, olive salad, and tabbouleh.. Plus shredded lettuce, a pile of onions, and some saffron rice.

What the heck was I supposed to do with the shredded lettuce and onions?! And where was my falafel and hummus?! They never said anything about me not being able to eat those, or leaving them off the plate. I was so annoyed at this point, I didn't even want to go back and dispute the matter. I just sat down and ate. Jon ended up eating the lettuce and onions, because he's weird like that. Everything else was ok, but I was just mad I didn't get the hummus or falafel that I was supposed to.

I was really disappointed in how they responded the my questions, and with my meal. I had such a different experience the first time I ate there.

So, I ate what I felt like and we left to go explore some of the flower gardens in Future World and to get some more Photopass pictures taken. We eventually made our way back to the middle of World Showcase and into the main shop in Japan. Once we left, we went to the smaller food cart outside of the store and got a few snacks:

I got an orange drink called Junsui Mikan, and Jon got some Japanese potato sticks. I wasn't sure what some of the ingredients were in those, so I didn't eat any. He enjoyed them, though! I loved my drink. It was awesome.

Up Next: Sunshine Seaons!

 

[MelanieC]

Wow - I would have taken the plate back and demanded my hummus and falafel, lol. I know they have a tortilla like bread they can give you? So they said the flatbread wrap itself wasn't vegan? It looks like a pita and pita is usually vegan.........but we all know that sometimes they add the strangest things to items.

I'd be mad, the hummus and falafel are the best part!!

How very cool about opening Epcot. We almost got picked once to open Epcot, but when he started to ask us another CM next to him asked another family. He quickly figured it out and stopped talking to us. How cool to get to ride the car!

 

[Mortlives]

I thought I'd read on another thread that the falafel wasn't vegan? Even if that's the case, what did they do to the hummous?

 

[v_gan]

Wow - I would have taken the plate back and demanded my hummus and falafel, lol. I know they have a tortilla like bread they can give you? So they said the flatbread wrap itself wasn't vegan? It looks like a pita and pita is usually vegan.........but we all know that sometimes they add the strangest things to items.

I'd be mad, the hummus and falafel are the best part!!

I agree - they're the best part! I did get Jon to go back to see if he could order a side of falafel and hummus, but they said that wasn't possible. I can't remember if I was charged the same amount as the regular veg. platter or not. I'm sure I could have handled the situation better than I did, but I was just way too annoyed to talk to them any more than I already had. They weren't very helpful to begin with, and I couldn't imagine them wanting to fix their mistake at that point.

I thought I'd read on another thread that the falafel wasn't vegan? Even if that's the case, what did they do to the hummous?

As far as I know, the falafel is vegan. I can't imagine there was anything wrong with the hummus, either. I have absolutely no clue why I wasn't given these two items.

 

[Vegcentric]

No falafel or hummus?

Deal breaker. I would have gone back and demanded it, lol! I love that vegetarian platter, but it -must- have the falafel...I love falafel so much.

 

[v_gan]

No falafel or hummus?

Deal breaker. I would have gone back and demanded it, lol! I love that vegetarian platter, but it -must- have the falafel...I love falafel so much.

I was just so tired of talking to them and not getting anything out of them at that point. I didn't even notice the hummus and falafel weren't on there until I sat down. I just didn't have the energy to get back up and talk to them about it. I was hungry and wanted to continue with my day.