working out for Disney

Songbird76

Well-Known Member
Skipper Canteen is the only definite, and it looks like there are a number of things I can eat since they work a lot in rice noodles. The dairy-free component looks like it's going to be the more difficult one for a number of other places, but I'm hoping some of my maybes can work with it.

Case in point, I'm thinking about California Grill because I'd like a meal with a view and I tend to prefer it over Narcoosee's, but it looks like Narcoosee's standard menu works better for the dairy-free/gluten-free person. My friend and I have also discussed Sanaa and I understand they offer a naan bread that's GF and DF, but I've also never tried Jiko and this might be the perfect time to do so. Beyond that, I think we're going to do one character meal (probably a breakfast), but I've found those to be very accommodating in general. We may just play some of it by ear too and rely on last minute ADR drops and lounges. Some will also hinge on where we stay...and that's a whole different list of pros and cons. LOL
AJ from Disney Food Blog just said in one of her videos that if you are on any specific diet for allergies or whatever, Sanaa is about the best at working with those and has stuff for everyone.
 

Figgy1

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Skipper Canteen is the only definite, and it looks like there are a number of things I can eat since they work a lot in rice noodles. The dairy-free component looks like it's going to be the more difficult one for a number of other places, but I'm hoping some of my maybes can work with it.

Case in point, I'm thinking about California Grill because I'd like a meal with a view and I tend to prefer it over Narcoosee's, but it looks like Narcoosee's standard menu works better for the dairy-free/gluten-free person. My friend and I have also discussed Sanaa and I understand they offer a naan bread that's GF and DF, but I've also never tried Jiko and this might be the perfect time to do so. Beyond that, I think we're going to do one character meal (probably a breakfast), but I've found those to be very accommodating in general. We may just play some of it by ear too and rely on last minute ADR drops and lounges. Some will also hinge on where we stay...and that's a whole different list of pros and cons. LOL
Make an ADR for Sanaa the gf/df bread and sides are excellent and they can make most of the other dishes gf if need be and the bread service and most other items can be had at the lounge but IMHO it's worth the ADR, it was one of our best meals, Jiko has been getting mixed reviews from what I've seen lately. We did CP last trip and other than my boys running the poor chef ragged making Mickey waffles we had an excellent time. Dairy free is as easy as GF with the allergen safe menus
 

HouCuseChickie

Well-Known Member
AJ from Disney Food Blog just said in one of her videos that if you are on any specific diet for allergies or whatever, Sanaa is about the best at working with those and has stuff for everyone.

That's good to know. We've been there three or four times with the kids and they were great with my older one's allergies. Of course, peanuts and tree nuts aren't usually as limiting as my issues, so I wasn't sure what it would be like for me.
 

HouCuseChickie

Well-Known Member
Make an ADR for Sanaa the gf/df bread and sides are excellent and they can make most of the other dishes gf if need be and the bread service and most other items can be had at the lounge but IMHO it's worth the ADR, it was one of our best meals, Jiko has been getting mixed reviews from what I've seen lately. We did CP last trip and other than my boys running the poor chef ragged making Mickey waffles we had an excellent time. Dairy free is as easy as GF with the allergen safe menus

That's also a concern...Jiko's reviews used to be consistently positive, but now it's more mixed. It's my understanding that the head chef at Jiko moved over to California Grill, which has led to some consistency issues back at Jiko. I've always loved Sanaa and have never had a bad experience. So, that may be the best way to go. Plus, my friend has younger kids, so I don't think she's gotten to enjoy Sanaa the way we have.
 

MinnieM123

Premium Member
That's also a concern...Jiko's reviews used to be consistently positive, but now it's more mixed. It's my understanding that the head chef at Jiko moved over to California Grill, which has led to some consistency issues back at Jiko.

I've also read similar reviews recently about Jiko. (Please note, I've never eaten there, but through the years, it was always very highly recommended by others.)
 

HouCuseChickie

Well-Known Member
I've also read similar reviews recently about Jiko. (Please note, I've never eaten there, but through the years, it was always very highly recommended by others.)

And that's part of why I still might opt for Jiko. I used to look heavily into reviews, but I've found that personal experience is the only way to really know if you'll enjoy a place. Too often, I love places others hate and vice versa. So, I'm trying to let menu options and things like setting/location guide my choices. Now, if only I could make my mind stop thinking about the negative reviews. :hilarious:
 

Songbird76

Well-Known Member
I've also read similar reviews recently about Jiko. (Please note, I've never eaten there, but through the years, it was always very highly recommended by others.)
I've never eaten there either, but I've read the same, and DD and I always watch the DFB videos together when they come out, and AJ has mentioned that, too. That Jiko used to be really great, but she's been hearing from others that it's about 50/50 now...some people still have fantastic experiences, but it's not quite as reliable as it used to be. Isn't Jiko a signature? We never do signatures as it's not worth it on the dining plan, which our package from Europe comes with the dining plan. We could pay out of pocket, but with as picky as DS is, it's just not worth it to spend that kind of money on a place where we won't all eat. But then, we're wary of any of the AK TS options...Tusker House was terrible, and Sanaa was just passable, and those two are supposed to be the highlights. We're lucky we aren't restricted by allergies or special diets.

Tripadvisor has reviews though....most of them for Jiko are glowing, so who knows.
 

Sans Souci

Well-Known Member
That's also a concern...Jiko's reviews used to be consistently positive, but now it's more mixed. It's my understanding that the head chef at Jiko moved over to California Grill, which has led to some consistency issues back at Jiko. I've always loved Sanaa and have never had a bad experience. So, that may be the best way to go. Plus, my friend has younger kids, so I don't think she's gotten to enjoy Sanaa the way we have.


I went to Jiko in December 2017 and I absolutely adored it. I had the maize-encrusted halibut. My only complaint is it was much too big! LOL I went there again a year ago and I ordered the much vaunted filet. It ordered it medium-rare. It was tough to cut. I thought maybe my knife was dull and requested a new one. The new one wasn't cutting it, either. I also tried my friend's knife and no dice. It was supposed to come with some South African wine reduction for the sauce. It didn't taste like red wine at all, it was more like tamarind. It was much too sweet. The mac and cheese that accompanied it was flavorless. I was not worth the $50 at. all. I remember posting about it in the dining board here last year and someone had the audacity to suggest it was a knife issue and not a steak issue. Blinded by the dust.✨ I would try Jiko again, I would not order the filet.

I did go to California Grill during that same trip and I ordered this ahi tuna entree. It was served on top of rice noodles with a bonito broth with different pickled veggies. It was a very fresh and clean tasting dish. That was amazing and worth every dollar spent.

I love Sanaa. I haven't been there in years. I need to correct that.
 

HouCuseChickie

Well-Known Member
I went to Jiko in December 2017 and I absolutely adored it. I had the maize-encrusted halibut. My only complaint is it was much too big! LOL I went there again a year ago and I ordered the much vaunted filet. It ordered it medium-rare. It was tough to cut. I thought maybe my knife was dull and requested a new one. The new one wasn't cutting it, either. I also tried my friend's knife and no dice. It was supposed to come with some South African wine reduction for the sauce. It didn't taste like red wine at all, it was more like tamarind. It was much too sweet. The mac and cheese that accompanied it was flavorless. I was not worth the $50 at. all. I remember posting about it in the dining board here last year and someone had the audacity to suggest it was a knife issue and not a steak issue. Blinded by the dust.✨ I would try Jiko again, I would not order the filet.

I did go to California Grill during that same trip and I ordered this ahi tuna entree. It was served on top of rice noodles with a bonito broth with different pickled veggies. It was a very fresh and clean tasting dish. That was amazing and worth every dollar spent.

I love Sanaa. I haven't been there in years. I need to correct that.

It's funny you bring up the Jiko filet, because I've been hearing people rave about it for years. I order my steaks rare, which tends to be harder to cut, so I'd be in serious trouble with that Jiko steak you got. Ultimately, I vowed that if I ever get to Jiko, I'd order something other than steak. I know their menu can change periodically and there are usually so many interesting looking dishes being offered. I've had similar responses to some of my negative dining experiences. I want to be caught up in the magic as much as the next person, but if it's bad...it's bad. Food is tough because you've got a blend of consistency issues and individual tastes that factor into all of these opinions. Heck, my friend traveling with me in January has several places that she loves that I have completely written off, but we both have some restaurant industry experience and get it when one of us isn't fond of something the other one likes.

I think I have had that same California Grill dish. Did yours look anything like my dark and blurry 😁 picture below? When I had it, the tuna was phenomenal and the veggies were good, but the broth was too salty for my tastes so I skipped eating the noodles. I don't know if it was me or if the broth was actually over-salted that evening.

15125366933_e13f69fe3d_z.jpg


I adore Sanaa. If we end up at AKL for lodging, I must just throw it in since it's right there. It would also mean I could easily work in breakfast at Boma. I just don't know if I can get over my mental hangups with AKL. It was our big car accident trip when we stayed there and it's hard for me to shake that.
 

HouCuseChickie

Well-Known Member
I got up a little early this morning so I could get in a workout before my older one's 7am orthodontist appointment. Houston has been covered in storms since about 4am, so the thunder helped get me up a little bit earlier than my normal wake up time. Yeah...I've never been one to sleep well in stormy weather. The upside of that was that I was wide awake and ready to go when I hit the gym. I upped the tension on the bike today to focus on my legs and still wound up coming in just a hair under 16 miles (15.96 to be exact). I was feeling strong, so I worked on arms with my 12lb weight set. I still had all kinds of good energy when I got to abs, so I was upping my times for holding certain positions/poses. Even my finish on the treadmill was pretty strong...12.40 mph pace. Hopefully, this will make up for going out with coworkers tonight. Not that I plan on being particularly bad, but dining out and having a few drinks before a holiday weekend where we'll be celebrating my hubby's bday (belated), Passover and Easter...well, maybe I need to work out a bit more! LOL
 

HouCuseChickie

Well-Known Member
I got in my basic workout today, but I think the real feat is me getting it in...period. I went out with several coworkers last night. We had a great time and I wasn't out too late, but it's been a while since I've had alcohol. I was really dragging when I got up and even ate breakfast before working out. That never happens, but I was hungry.

Things were busy today. I had to take both puppies to the vet for their next round of shots, I had to go to the market for Easter and Passover things, the older one had her last appointment with the orthopedic surgeon, and since I'm not in a caking place right now...I took a discounted supermarket sheet cake (originally white with yellow flowers) and turned it into a bday cake for my hubby. The edible image is this video game that he and the kids have been playing. Not exciting, but I guess it's better than the Batman ring cupcake I got for him on his actual bday.

47646408871_30d6315cf8_c.jpg
 

Sans Souci

Well-Known Member
It's funny you bring up the Jiko filet, because I've been hearing people rave about it for years. I order my steaks rare, which tends to be harder to cut, so I'd be in serious trouble with that Jiko steak you got. Ultimately, I vowed that if I ever get to Jiko, I'd order something other than steak. I know their menu can change periodically and there are usually so many interesting looking dishes being offered. I've had similar responses to some of my negative dining experiences. I want to be caught up in the magic as much as the next person, but if it's bad...it's bad. Food is tough because you've got a blend of consistency issues and individual tastes that factor into all of these opinions. Heck, my friend traveling with me in January has several places that she loves that I have completely written off, but we both have some restaurant industry experience and get it when one of us isn't fond of something the other one likes.

I think I have had that same California Grill dish. Did yours look anything like my dark and blurry 😁 picture below? When I had it, the tuna was phenomenal and the veggies were good, but the broth was too salty for my tastes so I skipped eating the noodles. I don't know if it was me or if the broth was actually over-salted that evening.

15125366933_e13f69fe3d_z.jpg


I adore Sanaa. If we end up at AKL for lodging, I must just throw it in since it's right there. It would also mean I could easily work in breakfast at Boma. I just don't know if I can get over my mental hangups with AKL. It was our big car accident trip when we stayed there and it's hard for me to shake that.


Mine had more noodles and the tuna was thinly sliced. The noodles were the wider, too, like linguini.

Did you have a car accident during your trip? I feel like I might have read a TR where you had an accident before your trip, but I could be thinking of someone else?
 

Sans Souci

Well-Known Member
I got in my basic workout today, but I think the real feat is me getting it in...period. I went out with several coworkers last night. We had a great time and I wasn't out too late, but it's been a while since I've had alcohol. I was really dragging when I got up and even ate breakfast before working out. That never happens, but I was hungry.

Things were busy today. I had to take both puppies to the vet for their next round of shots, I had to go to the market for Easter and Passover things, the older one had her last appointment with the orthopedic surgeon, and since I'm not in a caking place right now...I took a discounted supermarket sheet cake (originally white with yellow flowers) and turned it into a bday cake for my hubby. The edible image is this video game that he and the kids have been playing. Not exciting, but I guess it's better than the Batman ring cupcake I got for him on his actual bday.

47646408871_30d6315cf8_c.jpg


Not every birthday can be a whoopee cushion birthday...

BTW, congrats on getting a place in the 2020 marathon.
 

Sans Souci

Well-Known Member
Hello-

I took a rest day today. I didn't mean to, but I just feel so exhausted. I have no idea what's wrong with me, but I think I might call my doctor to discuss it. I think it might be my sinuses. One side of my face feels tender and my eye feels sensitive if I put slight pressure on it. I usually feel so energized this time of year, but I am feeling like I do when the days get shorter. I am craving carbs in the worst way, too.

I am in a workout funk, too. I don't know what I want to do in the AM.

I got a "keep warm" email from United a few hours ago. It started with "Thank you." My heart stopped, because I thought it was a "thanks, but no thanks" email, but it just letting me know they've had a lot of applicants and they haven't forgotten about me. :)

I totally forgot Easter is Sunday. It's not a big deal, since it's only three of us and we're pretty low key. Tomorrow I am baking a lemon cake with a lemon mascarpone filling. :inlove:
 

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