Glitter&Gumbo attended the Disneyland Park grand celebration in honor of Princess Tiana, Disney’s first African American princess, as she embarked upon the grand opening of her quick service restaurant, “Tiana’s Palace,” in Anaheim, California Thursday, September 7, 2023.
Guests formed multiple lines to enter Tiana’s dream establishment as early as 8:00AM. Although Tiana’s Palace was actually scheduled to open at 10:00AM for quick service seating, Disneyland representatives allowed the crowd to enter 10 minutes ahead of schedule. Two separate menus were presented to accommodate patrons with allergies and those without food accommodations.
People were literally coming from everywhere to taste the Creole/Cajun dishes that are not only a menu staple to the culture and ancestry of Louisiana, but also uniquely highlighting the cuisine of New Orleans. We must also note that Princess Tiana’s story is based off of the late chef extraordinaire and civil rights activist Leah Chase, whose restaurant Dooky Chase is still standing strong and operating in New Orleans.
Princess Tiana also made a special appearance donned in a two toned green 1920s era inspired dress with a gold headband to accent her fairytale style.
When the moment finally arrived for us to enter “Tiana’s Palace,” as promised, Disneyland did not disappoint with the decor and construction when building this establishment. The only addition I would add is possibly adding a backlight or lighting that highlights the food on the serving line. Simple, yet profound details from the film provided Easter eggs for guests to view while waiting to order their food.
Immediately, everyone began to ask one another, “What are you getting?” As our eyes became bigger than our stomachs in that moment. The food attendants inside were eager to help and take our order as the food lay inside chaffing dishes to keep the food warm.
Without hesitation I knew adding a bowl of gumbo to my purchase tally is nonnegotiable. Our brand, Glitter&Gumbo, is half rooted in a dish that is most known for bringing people from all walks of life together. As one of the staple dishes on Tiana’s menu, the House Gumbo version contains chicken, andouille sausage, and heirloom rice with a dark brown roux for the ingredients to swim in.
One specific note that Disneyland representatives who tasted the food prior to the public stated the house gumbo has a little kick, or in other words it’s a little spicy. These words rang true as the andouille sausage provided that little spunk I wasn’t expecting. Although, I appreciated the texture and color of the roux, in my opinion it was missing a distinct flavor profile.
Nevertheless, not all gumbo pots are the same, and this is Disneyland’s version of Princess Tiana’s fairytale gumbo. Therefore, I encourage all to try the House Gumbo for yourself and the Shrimp & Grits to determine if your palate agrees.
No matter what, I will always support Tiana and verbally expressed to her how honored I was to attend the grand opening of her restaurant. Princess Tiana represents the dreamer in all of us, and to see phase one of her vision come to life with help from Disney Imagineers makes this opening super remarkable.
Watch our YouTube video as I share more items I tasted from the regular menu.
