Frontera Cocina Mexicana – Paleo and Keto Meals
If you are a regular follower of our blogs and posts, you know that Frontera Cocina Mexicana in Disney Springs is one of my favorite restaurants. It may seem strange to many people that a restaurant featuring tacos, refried beans, and chips would be high on the list for a paleo or keto diet, but you would be surprised. On my most recent visit, I had the pleasure of sharing dinner with my daughter and her best friend. Our Frontera Cocina Mexicana paleo and keto meals lived up to the hype we had shared with my daughter.
We were lucky enough on this visit to be catered to by another amazing Frontera chef – the spectacular Chef Valeria. We spoke in great detail about what could and could not be consumed on both paleo and keto diets. The primary change would be the removal of cheese for one of the side salads. If you have food allergies or are gluten-free, this is an excellent restaurant to visit.
One of the best things about the menus at Frontera Cocina Mexicana is that every item lists the allergens, so you do not need a separate allergy menu. It also makes it easy to speak with the chef about altering the dish to fit your dietary needs. The menu has changed since my last visit. Unfortunately, one of the dishes that called out to me, the Roasted Bone-In Beef Shortrib, Mole de Cacahuate, contains gluten, dairy, peanuts, and soy – all forbidden items, making this a hard no. Another change in the Starters and Entrees below is the addition of a Shrimp Ceviche Tostada appetizer.
On my last visit, I tried the Verde Guacamole & Chips. To begin our Frontera Cocina Mexicana paleo and keto meals, we decided to try the Mango Guacamole this time. Chef Valeria asked if I would like veggies for dipping rather than chips, and because the girls preferred the chips, we received both. I was delighted to find hefty slices of jicama, a refreshing vegetable. If you have never tried jicama with guacamole, be sure to ask for some. I cannot imagine eating guacamole any other way ever again; it was that amazing. For those who are not familiar with it, the only way I can think of describing it is like a harder, crunchy piece of watermelon, but without the flavor. Jicama just fills your mouth with a refreshing sensation, and it paired beautifully with the spiciness of the mango topping. The girls enjoyed the cucumber slices along with some chips.
The close up of the Mango Guacamole below shows the nice sized chunks of perfectly spiced mango. Chef Valeria left off the extra cilantro and made our guacamole from scratch without any salsa (which contains sugar). To be honest, I cannot tell you which guacamole I preferred the most. I am looking forward to trying the Bacon Guacamole on my next visit.
Frontera Cocina Mexicana Paleo and Keto Main Courses
The Salads and Tacos Menu has also changed significantly since my last visit and review. Since I reviewed the carnitas previously, this trip, we selected some different items off the menu. We decided to go with both the Pork Belly and the Carne Asada from the Tacos section. Because these dishes come with black beans, Chef Valeria and I decided on swapping them out for a side of the Taqueria Salad for each platter, omitting the cheese from one of the salads and the tortilla strips from both.
The first of our Frontera Cocina Mexicana paleo and keto meals was the Pork Belly Tacos – served paleo style, no cheese. The dish comes with a three chili-agave salsa as shown it the photo, which the girls were able to eat. Since it contained sugar and agave, I skipped it. Trust me when I tell you that the food here is so flavorful it does not need any sauce. There is also a side of guacamole that accompanies the dish. Make sure to tell the chef if you need it without sugar, so they make it fresh for you without the salsa. Since I already had the other guacamole, it was not necessary as the girls could eat this one.
The smoky bacon and grilled knob onions perfectly complimented the delectable chunks of crispy pork belly, as you can see in the photo below.
Our other dish was the Carne Asada Tacos, featuring grilled steak, poblano rajas, salsa verde, and of course, more guacamole. For this meal, we ordered the Taqueria Salad with the Cotija cheese, as you can see in the photo.
Below you can see a close up of the grilled steak and peppers. I could not believe how much food the dishes contained. Two meals and one appetizer were sufficient for three hungry people.
The girls received homemade, non-GMO corn tortillas to make their tacos. I enjoyed the meats with the salad.
Since this was my daughter’s first visit, we did get some of the amazing (and healthier than black beans) red beans for her to try. They were a hit, as I knew they would be. Of course, the beans typically come with cheese on top. If you opt to stay with the black beans refritos, they come with queso fresco.
There is also a seasonal menu that changes every few months. This time, it featured a Taste of Baja. The menu looked great except for the fact that my daughter is allergic to shellfish, and that is what the items contained this visit. No worries though, Frontera Cocina Mexicana takes allergies and special dietary needs extremely seriously, so I was never concerned about cross-contamination. As always, remember to speak with a chef to discuss any menu and dietary concerns.
Our Frontera Cocina Mexicana paleo and keto meals were the perfect endings to a wonderful Disney day.