I recently stopped by the Friar’s Nook in the Magic Kingdom to try their vegan brat and tots. To say I was disappointed would be an understatement. Before I start my review, I have to say that I’m thrilled that Disney is offering more options for vegans and vegetarians. Some have been executed wonderfully. This, however, cannot be said about the vegan bratwurst at the Friar’s Nook. It sounds like an appetizing option. The brat is served on a pretzel roll and is supposed to come with sauerkraut.
First, I was surprised when I saw the messy and unappetizing presentation of the vegan brat. I’m not a good photographer at all, but the picture is an accurate presentation of what they served. The vegan bratwurst is a little over $10. It’s on the cheap end for Disney, but that’s no excuse for serving the broken, over cooked brat that came without sauerkraut. I’m guessing that the cast members didn’t know how to cook this. Maybe they don’t get too many orders for it, or I just came on a bad day.
Nevertheless, looks can be deceiving so I decided to give it a taste. The brat had a nice flavor, but was very dry (sauerkraut could have helped). I like the pretzel roll, which is the only positive thing I can say about it. About half way through eating it, my stomach started to turn. There might have been some cross contamination in the preparation of the brat, but I can’t say that with certainty.
I think the Friar’s Nook needs to make some major improvements to this vegan offering. My local vegan restaurant serves a vegan bratwurst for about the same price. You can see in the picture below what a good vegan brat SHOULD look like. In the meantime, I would suggest that vegans and vegetarians skip the brat at Friar’s Nook and get a plant-based dog at Casey’s Corner instead.
