Sunday, January 26, 2014

Be Our Guest Lunch & Dinner - Magic Kingdom

Update - You can view my most recent Be Our Guest review here

Our first dining experience at Be Our Guest Restaurant in the Magic Kingdom took place last January.  I called for hours on the first day that advance dining reservations were available to book dinner reservations. If you want to go to Be Our Guest for dinner, you should book your ADRs 180 days ahead of time.    


Dining inside the Beast's enchanted castle in the new Fantasyland is an experience that should not be missed.  In my opinion, as far as ambiance goes, it is the most impressive restaurant in Disney World.  At Be Our Guest, you will dine on French-inspired fare in one of three themed rooms.  If you are not able to get reservations for a sit-down dinner, make sure to stop in for the quick-service lunch.  


Last January, we dined in the West Wing for dinner.  This room contains the famous enchanted rose from the movie and a portrait above the fireplace that changes between pictures of the Prince and the Beast when lightening strikes.  I loved this room, but it can be a little chilly, and might be scary for younger children.  My dinner experience started with GNI gluten free rolls.  They were heated perfectly, and I quickly ate two, leaving the one lone roll you see in the picture.  The chef I spoke to said about 90% of the dinner menu is gluten free, and the rest can be modified to make it gluten free.  


After reading great reviews about the potato leek soup, I had to try it.  It did not disappoint, and I continue to order this soup every time I visit Be Our Guest for lunch.  


For an entree, I ordered the pan-seared salmon on leek fondue.  It was very good, but after my husband raved about his pork chop, I decided I would would have to try the pork with a side of pommes frites the next time we dine at Be Our Guest for dinner.


For dessert, I ordered the Lemon-Raspberry Cream Puff, which is filled with lemon custard.  I don't remember having problems with it that night, but I will never be ordering this dessert again.  It's gluten free and sugar free.  I spoke to a chef yesterday about the ingredients, because I noticed that I was not feeling well after eating at Be Our Guest for lunch when I ordered the cream puff.  Well, it turns out that it contains maltitol and sucralose.  Sucralose is in Splenda, which I have completely eliminated from my diet after reading some disturbing articles about it.  Maltitol is a sugar alcohol that can have some pretty nasty side effects that you can read about here.  Because I have experienced all of those side effects, I will not be eating the lemon-raspberry cream puff again.  I have had the same reaction to the OMG...It's Gluten Free Sugar Free Fudge Brownie, which is served at various Disney locations, so I will be avoiding that as well in the future.  Thankfully, many restaurants carry the OMG...It's Gluten Free Fudge Brownies with regular sugar, and they are delicious!  

Lunch Review


Yesterday, we dined in the grand ballroom for lunch.  Be sure to check out the beautifully painted ceilings and the snow that is falling outside the windows.


The line for the quick-service lunch can be pretty long, so we usually arrive around 10:30.  My kids are always ready to eat by 11:00, so this works out well for us.  I love to order at the self-serve kiosks, but yesterday I was directed to a cast member who took our order.  At the self-serve kiosks, you can choose to see all the gluten free options on one screen, which makes ordering very easy.  The cast member that helped us yesterday definitely did not mention all the gluten free options that are available.  After you order, take the rose you are given to your table so the cast members know where to bring your food.


When I asked for three bowls of soup, the cast member who took our order mentioned leaving off the bread and the cheese.  It turns out that he was talking about the French onion soup, but we wanted to order our favorite potato leek soup.


My daughters and I each had our own bowl of soup and shared the braised pork, which is described as eight hour slow-cooked pork with mushrooms, onions, carrots and bacon, served with mashed potatoes and green beans jardiniere.  This dish is amazing!  The pork is so tender and flavorful.  The green beans were cooked perfectly and the mashed potatoes were delicious!  


I foolishly ordered the lemon raspberry cream puff, which seems to have shrunk in size in the past year.  The chef I spoke to yesterday told me that they have raspberry and lemon-lime sorbet available, even though it is not on the menu.  If you are interested in the sorbet, just ask to speak to a chef.  


Here's a look at the lemon custard on the inside of the cream puff.  


We often have lunch in the Rose Gallery, which is usually only open for lunch.  There are Beauty and the Beast themed portraits on every wall, and a beautiful rotating music box in the middle with Belle and the Beast dancing.


Other gluten free lunch options include the tuna nicoise salad and the quinoa salad, which are both dairy free as well.  I have not tried the tuna, but the quinoa salad with green beans, potatoes, olives, roasted bell peppers, golden beets, and tomatoes, is very good.

















I had the carved prime chuck roast beef sandwich on gluten free rolls last spring.  I have heard that it is now being served on a tasty millet bun.  I am sure some of the other sandwiches are available on gluten free bread as well.


From now on, after eating at Be Our Guest, I will be heading over to Aloha Isle for a pineapple Dole Whip for dessert.  It has been a favorite of mine since our first trip to Disney World in the late 70s.  You can read my review here.  

March 16, 2014 Update


Yesterday, we ate lunch at Be Our Guest and I took some pictures of the gluten free options that are available on the menu.  Gluten free entrees include the Tuna Nicoise Salad, Quinoa Salad, Carved Turkey Breast Sandwich on Millet Bread, and the Carved Prime Chuck Roast Beef Sandwich on Millet Bread.  


The Potato Leek Soup and French Onion Soup (no cheese or crouton) are also gluten free options.  


Gluten free items on the kids' menu include the carved turkey sandwich on millet bread, Feast a la Beast (slow-cooked pork with sauteed green beans and mashed sweet potatoes), grilled cheese on milled bread and tomato soup, and pommes frites (french fries).  


I ordered my usual, the braised pork with mashed potatoes and green beans.  It was as amazing as usual and well worth the 30 minutes we waited in line to order our food.  


I was a little jealous that the rest of my family got to try the new Master's Cupcake, which has the grey stuff (a cookies and cream panna cotta that has been whipped into a creamy dessert) on top of a chocolate cupcake.  I enjoyed some vanilla and chocolate soft-serve at Auntie Gravity's Galactic Goodies instead.

February 15, 2015 Update

Starting February 25th, you will be able to make lunch reservations for a fast-casual meal at Be Our Guest up to 180 days in advance by calling 407-WDW-DINE (939-3463) or by using My Disney Experience.  Walk-in's will still be accepted for lunch, based on availability.  Lunch hours are 10:30 am to 2:30 pm.

September 30, 2015

Be Our Guest recently adopted an allergy-friendly dinner menu, which lists options for people with gluten/wheat, milk, egg, soy, fish/shellfish, and peanut/tree nut allergies.  Gluten free options include:
  • Tapioca dinner rolls
  • Appetizers - potato leek soup, garden salad with champagne vinaigrette, mussels provencal
  • Entrees - grilled strip steak with seasonal vegetables and pommes frites, pan-seared chicken breast with seasonal vegetables and fingerling roasted potatoes, thyme-scented pork chop with seasonal vegetables and fingerling roasted potatoes with red wine jus, pan-seared salmon with seasonal vegetables and fingerling roasted potatoes, layered ratatouille
  • Desserts - raspberry sorbet, lemon-raspberry cream puff (a no sugar added dessert)
All of the entrees listed above are safe for people with milk, egg, soy, peanut, and tree nut allergies.  The three appetizers are also egg, peanut, tree nut, and soy free.  All of the appetizers and entrees are free of fish/shellfish except the mussels provencal and pan-seared salmon.  You can view a picture of the menu on The Celiac Pack's blog.  

You can read my breakfast review of Be Our Guest here.  You can read more about Be Our Guest, and make advance dining reservations on Disney's website here.

What are your favorite gluten free dishes at Be Our Guest?  


6 comments:

  1. Is the braised pork available on the lunch menu? Noticed you didn't list it as such, but did say you ordered it. Does that mean you ordered the children's meal? Would really like to try it!

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    1. Yes, you can order the braised pork for lunch. It was mentioned in my part of the review about lunch options. It's so good! I always order the adult portion. I think the kids portion is a little different.

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  2. I love your website - it's helping us plan my (Celiac) wife's first trip to Disney World!

    I noticed with reservations for the quick service lunch you can now order ahead, including from the allergy menu. Do you have any experience ordering ahead for gluten-free items?

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    1. Thanks Kyle! I have not ordered ahead myself, but I know people with allergies have successfully used the new system from reading posts in the Disney Facebook groups I belong to.

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  3. I see the creme puff is no sugar added. Does that mean it has that fake sugar taste?

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    1. The last time I had it, I thought it did. Other times, I did not notice it.

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