The BOATHOUSE, a signature dining restaurant, recently opened in The Landing in Downtown Disney, soon to be known as Disney Springs. It is managed by the Gibsons Restaurant Group, so they don't have an allergy-friendly menu like restaurants that are owned and operated by Disney. I forgot to take a picture of their menu, but you can view it on Disney's website here.
After Debbie and I were seated, we were served a basket of bread, which we told the server we didn't need, because we both had celiac. Shortly afterwards, we were visited by a chef, who told us that most items on the menu could be modified to be gluten free. They have Ener-G rolls, so sandwiches are an option, but they do not have a dedicated fryer for their fresh cut fries.
I am not a huge fan of Ener-G rolls, so I would probably never order a sandwich at The BOATHOUSE, but it's great that they have them available.
I rarely pass up a chance to eat salmon, so I ordered the cedar plank salmon with frisee, roasted wild mushrooms, petite green beans, and grape tomatoes.
My salmon tasted so fresh, and was cooked to the perfect temperature. It needed a little more salt, which I easily rectified at the table.
Because the chef was so accommodating and willing to customize our meals, I should have asked for roasted potatoes instead of the frisee, which I have never been a fan of. I did enjoy the rest of my vegetables though, and overall, I was happy with my entree.
Debbie ordered the grilled Mahi Mahi tacos on corn tortillas, with jerk seasoning, crisp vegetable slaw, avocado, and serrano-chili cream. She told me that they were flavorful, and had just the right amount of spicy kick. She thought they tasted great, and liked them enough to order them again.
For dessert, I ordered the mango sorbet, which was so creamy, I was shocked that it did not have dairy in it. The gingered stone fruit compote with basil and lime perfectly complimented the sorbet, which might be the best I have ever had. The sorbet at The BOATHOUSE is made locally by Muse Gelato.
Overall, both Debbie and I really enjoyed the food at The BOATHOUSE, and I was impressed by the service and the nautical theming of the restaurant.
May 3, 2016 Update
Earlier today, I had lunch at The BOATHOUSE with my friend Ron. I ordered the salmon again, minus the frisee. My salmon tasted very fresh, and was cooked and seasoned well, and I enjoyed my vegetables.
Ron, who eats gluten and dairy free, chose the chopped salad minus the mozzarella, and jumbo lump crab and avocado. He said that everything was good, but not great, and he felt that his crab wasn't as fresh tasting as he would have liked.
My two big disappointments of our meal were the service and the lack of gluten free dessert options. Our server was nice enough, but he never offered to get a chef, he had no clue that The BOATHOUSE offered gluten free bread, and when he found out that they did, he never offered to bring us any. At least two or three different servers dropped off gluten-filled bread at our table, and we had to ask them to take it away, because we could not eat it. When I mentioned that there did not appear to be any gluten free dessert options on the menu, we finally had a chance to speak to a chef. The sorbet I loved so much on my last visit is a seasonal item that is no longer available. A blog reader shared with me a picture of an amazing looking chocolate dessert she had recently at The BOATHOUSE, but I was told that they had no gluten free flour in the restaurant today to make a gluten free version of the double chocolate bundt cake. We were offered fresh fruit, and the chef told me that he might be able to make me an apple crumble, but we were not willing to wait, so we went to Port Orleans - French Quarter for a beignet sundae bowl.
My friend Sarah from Gluten-Free & Dairy-Free at WDW recently dined at The BOATHOUSE. You can read her review here.
You can read more about The BOATHOUSE, make advance dining reservations, and view their menu and hours on their their website or on Disney's website.
What are your favorite gluten free dishes at The BOATHOUSE?
Oh that sucks, they had gluten free brownies available and the server offered to get some gluten free desserts from Erin McKenna''s Bakery which was just across the way!
ReplyDeleteShame they didn't still have the sorbet or any kind of consistency, it's not worth the price or 2 credits unless they get their act together better! -Amanda Y.
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