While we have mentioned a favorite Walt Disney World restaurant for gluten free and allergy dining before, ahem…The Hollywood Brown Derby, this is our first review for another favorite, Toledo which is located at the top of Gran Destino Tower in Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort. Being at the top of Gran Destino offers expansive views of Disney’s Hollywood Studios to Animal Kingdom and beyond. It’s definitely worth it to arrive early for dinner, grab a drink from the lounge and enjoy the views on the deck outside of the lounge.
Toledo’s menu, we felt, had more to offer overall than some of the other Disney Signature Restaurants, with a generous amount of gluten free and allergy choices AND staff that were very accommodating and attentive to our allergies.
Let’s start with drinks! So many choices here, Toledo has a separate full bar and lounge that offers an extensive wine list, creative specialty cocktails and even a hard cider from Spain – going to have to see if that’s gluten free next time! First choice was a custom made Hendricks Martini, deconstructed so we could regulate the “dirty” factor. Second choice was the Gran Gin and Tonic with house made saffron-orange tonic which was light, refreshing and not too sweet.
Toledo does have a separate allergen menu that identifies gluten free items, but we found the staff (servers and chefs) to be very generous in modifying many menu items for us. Two appetizers that we loved, and ordered many times before, were modified to meet our allergies – gluten and xanthan gum. ‘Aceitunas’ Marinated Olives was a seemingly simple dish, but had so much flavor. Different kinds of olives are served warm with citrus, garlic and red pepper marinade. Charred Octopus was our other favorite. Cooked to perfection and not tough, this octopus is not to be missed if you’re a fan of octopus. Here’s where Toledo went over the top! The chef modified Flight of Four Pintxos, a quartet of mussels, tuna, potato omelet and blue cheese, for our allergies, gluten and xanthan gum. What a special treat for us! Believe it or not, the potato omelet was our favorite of the four.
Seven – yes, seven! – gluten free offerings for entrees. This last time we visited Toledo, the chef did not come out to speak with us, but the servers were very knowledgeable and put us at ease that our food would be created carefully with our allergies, gluten and xanthan gum, in mind.
We have to talk about the Scallops first, served with vegetable puree´, purple carrots, and an unforgettable harissa vinaigrette. We’ve had these many times, each serving has been tender and delicious. We deem these the best gluten free scallops we’ve tried. Being seafood fans, we’ve also ordered the Sustainable Fish multiple times. If the fish is grouper, then it’s ordered! Despite the cauliflower, the grouper was tender and tasty and served with delectable cippolini onions. Next, we tried the Marinated Hanger Steak. The steak was cooked properly to rare which kept it tender. It was served with potatoes, greens, and grilled peppers. While we enjoyed the potatoes and greens, the peppers were disappointing. Not sure why we disliked them, because at home we grill jalapeños often. However, the off tasting peppers would not deter us from ordering the Hanger Steak again.
Toledo has been one of the few restaurants to offer gluten free and xanthan gum free dessert options worth the calories. Chocolate-Avocado Mousse sounded strange, but at the server’s urging we tried it. Served with strawberry-basil sorbet and coconut crumbles, the mousse was an interesting treat. We would certainly order it again! Our other dessert was the Classic Crema Catalana. The Crema was similar to a creme brulee´ except a little more “meaty”. With its smooth cream, hint of orange with a chocolate tuile, we thought Toledo’s version was spot on.
Reservations at Toledo are readily available on My Disney Experience App until the word gets out what a great and allergen friendly Signature Dining Experience can be found here!
