Being locals here in Orlando, we are fortunate enough to dine on Disney property quite often. We go for the food, not the entertainment or characters, and we have our favorite spots that are usually more off the beaten path. Our hands down favorite spot to dine is Olivia’s at Old Key West. It’s usually pretty easy to get an Advance Dining Reservation last minute or even a walk-up reservation so next time you crave something delicious without having to decide 180 days in advance, give Olivia’s a chance.
On this day, we were dining with family members with allergies to eggs, dairy, gluten and onions. Chef Corey (our favorite chef there – don’t tell Matt or Julie!) came out and took our order and prepared several delectable selections for us. Our appetizer of tomato-mozzarella salad was modified slightly to be safe for everything but dairy. The balsamic drizzle is the right amount of kick for the ripe tomatoes and tasty buffalo mozzarella.
The gluten allergy kid had the Mallory Cobb Salad and loved it. The salad comes with shrimp, crab salad, bacon, egg, avocado and bleu cheese with a tangy key lime dressing. Chef Corey tweaked the tomato pasta dish for my onion allergy and added in extra fresh tomatoes and arugula.
For dessert, the dairy and eggs kid had a special ice cream sundae with Tofutti ice cream, chocolate syrup, candy and sprinkles. Two of us ordered the banana bread pudding sundae with non-dairy ice cream to split and practically licked the bowl clean. This is one of the best desserts at Disney. Banana bread topped with vanilla ice cream (or Rice Dream) and smothered in a butter caramel sauce. That’s right – BUTTER sauce! You may or may not want to share one. Next time I am getting my own.
If banana bread sounds good to you, check out their breakfast menu here too. Banana bread French toast. It’s every bit as good as it sounds.
Olivia’s also has a full bar next door so there is a nice selection of mixed beverages on the menu. The place is a hidden gem for sure.
Have you dined at Olivia’s? Did you even know it was there? I’d love to hear your thoughts, suggestions or tips in the comments below.
You must be logged in to post a comment.