Tuesday, February 17, 2015

T-Rex Cafe- Downtown Disney

Yesterday, we had lunch at T-REX at Downtown Disney.  T-Rex Cafe is a Landry's restaurant, like Rainforest Cafe and Yak & Yeti.  


In the 6 1/2 years we have lived in Orlando, we have never dined at T-REX, because my daughters were scared of the roaring dinosaurs.  Now that my girls are older, and after hearing some great reviews from blog readers and Pam from I'm a Celiac, I decided to make reservations for President's Day.  


The restaurant is huge, and has a variety of themed rooms, including my favorite, the Ice Cavern, which changes colors as you dine.  


The kitchen manager came out to speak to me about gluten free options on the menu.  They have gluten free buns for sandwiches, and salads are an option with the bread left off.  From the Carnivores section of the menu, I could order the rotisserie chicken, spareribs, or New York strip steak.  I was also told that the grilled salmon dish could be modified to make it gluten free.  Fried items, like the waffle fries, are not safe, because they don't have a dedicated fryer, but T-REX has gluten free pasta.



I decided on the Prehistoric Pasta after seeing a picture of it on I'm a Celiac's Facebook page.  


The Prehistoric Pasta is described as sauteed zucchini, yellow squash, and sun-dried and Roma tomatoes tossed with pasta, arugula, fresh mozzarella cheese, and basil oil.  For an additional $2, you can add shrimp or chicken.  


I decided to add some chicken for some added protein, but this dish would also be wonderful with shrimp.  


I was amazed at how flavorful this pasta dish was, and I didn't need to use any of the extra Parmesan I requested on the side.  The pasta itself was al dente, and tasted like I remember gluten-filled pasta tasting.  My dish contained a very generous amount of vegetables, and it had a slightly spicy kick, which I really enjoyed.  The chicken was cooked and seasoned well, and complimented the flavors of the pasta.  I enjoyed my Prehistoric Pasta so much, I would definitely order it again the next time we dine at T-REX.  


My girls both ordered the gluten-filled kid's pasta with alfredo sauce, and loved it.  


For dessert, T-REX offers sorbet, minus the cookie, and gluten free cheesecake.  I have had the cheesecake before at Rainforest Cafe and Yak & Yeti, and it is excellent, but my family wanted to go to Ghirardelli Ice Cream & Chocolate Shop for dessert.  Once we arrived, I was deeply disappointed to learn that Ghirardelli will no longer change their gloves or get ice cream from a new container in the back for allergy orders, so I went to Cookes of Dublin to order a gluten free cupcake.  


You can make advance dining reservations for T-Rex Cafe on Disney's website here.  Annual passholders can receive a 10% discount on their meal.


What are your favorite gluten free dishes at T-REX?  



4 comments:

  1. I love the rotisserie chicken and mashed potatoes at T-Rex Cafe. I haven't tried their cheesecake yet, but I'm going to this trip.

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  2. Love the salmon! Love your review on all the options they have and the special attention and care the chef comes out and gives you!

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  3. Do they have an option for a volcano dessert that's gluten free

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