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You are here: Home / Archives for Dining Out Gluten Free

Review: Tom + Chee in Evansville, Indiana

August 28, 2015 by Joi Sigers Leave a Comment

Tom and Chee Grilled Cheese Sandwich on Gluten Free Bread

Tom + Chee Mushroom & Swiss Grilled Cheese Sandwich on Gluten Free Bread

As someone who has to eat a gluten free diet for health reasons and happens to have a daughter who has the exact same fate, I’m powerfully drawn to restaurants that “cater” to the gluten free crowd.

When I read about a chain restaurant or an locally owned restaurant that it “cool enough” to offer gluten free bread and has a great selection of gluten free options, you can count on one thing: I WILL check them out.

When  Tom + Chee opened a restaurant in Evansville, I was beyond excited to pay them a visit. Yes, this is a Kentucky blog and yes, I write primarily about Kentucky restaurants – but I also love to write about restaurants that are writing driving distance.

Last night, Michael and I were in Evansville around suppertime and thought Tom + Chee would be a deliriously fun place to enjoy a meal together.

Remember that phrase, “enjoy a meal together” for future reference.

First things first: First impressions matter. When entering a restaurant, the first person who speaks to you sort of sets the ambiance for the restaurant.  For this particular restaurant, this is not a good thing.  We talked about it later and I honestly cannot remember the last time I encountered such a rude, surly, genuinely unpleasant individual in a restaurant!

The girl at the cash register was the epitome of what you’d want your employee NOT to be. I watched as she treated each person who came in after us the same way. I thought, “Whew, it wasn’t just us she hated.”  Restaurants would really help themselves a lot if they’d tell their workers to smile and greet their “guests” as though they’re happy to see them.

Heck, tell them to fake it if they have to.

Okay. That was the bad.  Now the ugly (then we’ll wrap up with the good, to end on a good note).

Tom and Chee Tomato Soup

Absolutely Delicious Tomato Soup – DELICIOUS

We sat down with out table number. My husband was brought his grilled cheese sandwich after about 6 or 7 minutes.  The young man said mine would be out in a minute.

20 minutes later, mine had not shown up.  Yes. 20 minutes.  Remember when I said we thought we’d enjoy a meal together? Naturally, I told my husband to go ahead and eat because cold soup and a cold sandwich are disgusting.

After the 20 minute mark, Michael went up to the counter and asked if I could expect my meal any time soon. A woman came out, apologized and said, “He burned your’s and is having to make another one!”  I’m not sure where in the 20 minute process the burning took place, but it’d have been pretty cool to have been told about it.

Anyway, her initial proposal was to just refund that part of the order and send me on my way but I told her I was hungry and would prefer to actually eat.  A few minutes later, she came out with my sandwich and, after I told her that I’d also ordered soup, she brought that out as well.

Have you ever tried to eat a meal leisurely when your dinner companion has already enjoyed their meal? Yeah… not a lot of fun.

What’s frustrating is that I wouldn’t have batted an eye if they’d walked out to our table and told us my sandwich had been burned. Big deal! Accidents happen. Honestly, I would have just laughed and thanked them for telling me and waited for a fresh one – hopefully served at the same time as my husband received his meal.

But to allow us to sit there for 20 minutes wasn’t cool. Not for a sandwich – especially for one that didn’t even involve meat.

And they weren’t even busy!

Seriously, when we walked in, there were three other tables with guests. Another table had a man and a few other workers folding what looked like Tom + Chee t-shirts. I kept thinking, “Leave those t-shirts and go help make my sandwich. Someone can’t figure this part of the process out!”

Tom and Chee Bacon Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Tom + Chee Sandwich and “Dipper”

Okay. Let’s get to the good.  First of all, the woman who apologized and finally brought my food out was very friendly. I appreciate that she apologized. The decor was bright and friendly (no comment) and as clean as a whistle.

As for the food, the gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches are a little pricey, but they are really, really good. There are lots of choices available and I absolutely LOVE that they offer gluten free bread.

The menu is fun, the restaurant’s decor is fun, and even the Tom + Chee website is fun.  In fact, from what I’ve seen, the entire Tom + Chee culture is fun, upbeat, and very colorful.  As of now (I’ll preface it that way, because things can change), the Evansville location does not mesh up with the expectations.  I hope that they’ll iron out the kinks and learn from their mistakes.

I’ll give them this – the soup was out of this world good. It was the best dang tomato soup I’ve ever had. EVER. Having a grilled cheese sandwich and piping hot tomato soup is a killer concept and they were delicious.

But here’s the thing: When you dine out (and pay for the honor of doing so), you’re paying for the experience as much as anything. A meal out should be relaxing, fun, delicious, and enjoyable.  Choosing a restaurant is the best compliment you can give to the restaurant… it’s like, “Of all the choices, we choose you!”  When rudeness with a side of disappointment happens, the restaurant puts itself in the hole.

They take the “experience” completely out of the equation and leave their guests with one thing and one thing only: Overpaying for food.

That’s not something any of us want to do.  Not twice anyway.

Tom + Chee Evansville
Tom + Chee Evansville

 

Filed Under: Dining Out Gluten Free, Restaurant Reviews Tagged With: Tom + Chee Evansville

Chick Fil A: Perfect For Lunch, Whether You’re Gluten Free or Not

August 6, 2015 by Joi Sigers Leave a Comment

Chick-Fil-A Waffle Fries and Grilled Chicken Nuggets

Chick-Fil-A Waffle Fries and Grilled Chicken Nuggets: Both Gluten Free and Delicious

Chick-Fil-A is just one special restaurant – no matter how you look at it. When one finally came to Owensboro, I was over the moon excited. Turns out the entire town and surrounding area must’ve felt the same way because our Chick-Fil-A on Frederica does exceptional business.

In fact, I know Owensboro could easily support a second location…. say, closer to where I live???

If you have to/choose to eat gluten free, Chick-Fil-A is a dream come true. Their Waffle Fries, Coleslaw, and Grilled Chicken Nuggets make a delicious meal (lunch or supper) and each is gluten free. I’ve never had a single issue at Chick-Fil-A which means cross-contamination isn’t likely (since I’m hyper-sensitive to gluten, I’d know).

Chick-Fil-A Sweet Tea

Even Chick-Fil-A’s Sweet Tea is Fantastic

Not only is the food always perfectly delicious, Chick-Fil-A restaurants are consistently spotless and the service is almost always what you’d expect from such a exemplary restaurant chain.

Even vegetarians can enjoy lunch at Chick-Fil-A. The waffle fries, with a side of coleslaw, is more than filling.

When it comes to dining out Gluten Free, Chick-Fil-A’s waffle fries are a real blessing – they’re some of the only fries that ARE gluten free. They’re also one of the few restaurants where you can actually go through a drive thru and come away with a gluten free meal.

It may seem like a small thing to most people, but to the gluten free crowd, it’s a pretty big deal.

Chick-Fil-A Waffle Fries and Grilled Chicken Nuggets

Chick-Fil-A Waffle Fries, Grilled Chicken Nuggets and Heavenly Chick-Fil-A Sauce!

If you’ve never tried the Chick-Fil-A Sauce, you should just leave your house right now and go get some… unless it’s  a Sunday, of course – in which case, you’ll have to wait a day.

The strongest Chick-Fil-A cravings hit on Sunday, don’t they?!?

The Chick-Fil-A Sauce is a little something we call magic sauce in our family. We eat it with the fries, the chicken, and have even been known to just use our fingers. Good manners fly right out the door when it comes to “magic sauce.”

Chick-Fil-A's Delicious Coleslaw

Chick-Fil-A’s Coleslaw is Some of the Best You’ll Ever Eat

Oddly enough, even though I’m OBSESSED with their coleslaw, I’d been eating regularly at Chick-Fil-A for months before I even realized they had coleslaw. My husband ordered some one day while we were having lunch at the Owensboro location. When I saw him take it off of his tray, my jaw dropped. It was like I had come face to face with Santa Clause.

Michael offered me “a bite” which may or may not have turned into about a dozen bites. I’ve never eaten there without a side of my own coleslaw since.

For which we’re both thankful.

Last of all… if you read my Kentucky Restaurant Reviews regularly, you know I’m a bona fide Ketchup snob. If it’s not Heinz or Hunt’s, I WILL turn all snobby pants. Chick-Fil-A avoids that little scenario by having Heinz Ketchup.

Good on them!

Chick-Fil-A Waffle Fries and Grilled Chicken Nuggets

Chick-Fil-A Grilled Chicken and Magic Sauce (aka Chick-Fil-A Sauce)

The Owensboro Chick-Fil-A is at 4601 Frederica St. and it’s a perfect 10. If there are lots of cars in the parking lot, don’t fret – they move the line along very quickly. The restaurant is so incredibly popular, they’ve learned to move super-humanly quick!

Heinz Ketchup at Chick-Fil-A
Heinz Ketchup… Yay!

Filed Under: Dining Out Gluten Free, Owensboro Gluten Free Dining, Owensboro Restaurants, Restaurant Reviews, Where to Eat Lunch Tagged With: Chick-Fil-A Owensboro, gluten free dining in Kentucky, gluten free dining in Owensboro, Restaurant Reviews, Where to eat lunch in Owensboro

Firehouse Sub in Owensboro: Beautiful Fresh Salads!

July 16, 2015 by Joi Sigers Leave a Comment

Firehouse Salad with Grilled Chicken

Firehouse Salad with Grilled Chicken

A while back I wrote a quick Firehouse Subs in Owensboro Review. As we visit this location more, I’ll add more information to the site about it.

Today I just want to showcase a beautiful, fresh, crisp salad from Firehouse. It’s the Firehouse Salad with Grilled Chicken and, like everything else they seem to make at Fireshouse Subs, it’s delicious.

I’m thrilled to have a new restaurant to add to the “lunch rotation.”  Unfortunately they don’t have gluten free bread or a wonderful Unwich like Jimmy John’s – but their salads are fantastic.

They have several options for gluten free dining, in fact, and your bread-eating buddies will FLIP over the subs. See Firehouse Subs for menu information.

Filed Under: Dining Out Gluten Free, Owensboro, Owensboro Gluten Free Dining, Owensboro Restaurants, Where to Eat Lunch Tagged With: eating gluten free in Owensboro, Firehouse Subs Owensboro, Firehouse Subs review, Firehouse Subs salads, Owensboro gluten free restaurants

Wheatless: Gluten Free Restaurant in Bowling Green!

June 30, 2015 by Joi Sigers Leave a Comment

Wheatless Mushroom Swiss Burger and Onion Rings

Wheatless Mushroom Swiss Burger and Onion Rings

There are restaurant reviews I’m happy to write about, then there are restaurant reviews I am thrilled to write about. Count this review of Wheatless in Bowling Green among the “thrilled” reviews.

Whether you have to eat gluten free (like moi) or, for health conscious reasons, choose to eat gluten free all or most of the time… Wheatless is going to leave you just as speechless as it did me.

Heck, even if you have never even thought about the phrase gluten free – let alone followed the restricted diet – Wheatless will blow you away.

Excellent food does that after all.

Back when I could eat gluten/wheat, one of my favorite things on the planet was the Mushroom Swiss Burger at Hardee’s, so when I saw the Mushroom Swiss Burger on the menu at Wheatless, my plan was set.

When you order one of their burgers or sandwiches, you get your choice of a side.  Another of my pre-gluten free obsessions were onion rings, so when I saw them on the menu, I practically sang the words to the adorable girl behind the counter.

Michael ordered the Down Under Chicken Sandwich (chicken, bacon, mushrooms, cheese, honey mustard, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, onions) and a side of Macaroni and Cheese. He also added a side of Cheesy Bacon Potatoes to our order because he’s my hero.

{Review Continued Below…}

Wheatless Gluten Free Restaurant Bowling Green Ky

Wheatless: Bowling Green’s First Gluten Free Restaurant

When I know I’ll be writing a review, I love to try as many different menu items as possible. Most of the time (as is certainly the case with Wheatless), I know I’ll be going back often enough to try the rest!

Before getting to the actual review, I just want to say that this type of restaurant is both a blessing and a dream come true to people like me, my oldest daughter, and the many other people who have to eat a gluten free diet.  For so many of us, even a crumb can lead to days of pain and sickness. Yes… one crumb.

Serious business.

So, to have a restaurant where you have zero fears of cross contamination, zero questions like, “Well, the menu says this is gluten free, but what if it’s on the same griddle as food that isn’t…”

No worries. No fears. The only question? What do I eat first?!

Everything was so uncommonly delicious, the only way to do this review is to take it one thing at a time.

{Review Continued Below…}

Wheatless Mushroom Swiss Hamburger and Gluten Free Onion Rings

Delicious Mushroom Swiss Burger and Onion Rings

The Mushroom Swiss Burger

First of all, the buns at Wheatless are simply outstanding. They aren’t just the best gluten free bread I’ve ever had – they are the best hamburger buns I’ve ever had, period. They were perfectly lightly grilled – leaving them warm but soft enough to enjoy each bite along with the delicious burger.

The burger, itself, was extra special. It certainly didn’t taste like any burger you can get out anywhere. It was just an excellent burger and I thoroughly enjoyed and celebrated every bite. We won’t tell Hardee’s, but it blew their Mushroom Swiss Burger out of the water.

{Review Continued Below…}

Wheatless (Bowling Green, Ky) Mushroom and Swiss Burger and Onion Rings

Gluten Free Onion Rings Mean a Renewed Obsession

The Onion Rings

If you’ve read many of my restaurant reviews, you know that I used to be obsessed with onion rings – to the point of insanity.  I could have gone to the swankiest restaurant in the world and only raved about their onion rings (if, that is, they were rave-worthy).

Thanks to Wheatless, the insane obsession is back! These gluten free onion rings blew my mind. In fact, they’re blowing it again right now, just remembering them. They smelled like Heaven to this onion ring fanatic – as soon as they were put in front of me, I nearly melted out of my seat. Appearance and taste-wise, they remind me a great deal of the legendary Bloomin’ Onion at Outback.

Except I can eat these!

In fact, I personally think these onion rings are better than any Bloomin’ Onion I’ve ever had – or any onion rings for that matter.  They’re perfectly seasoned and perfectly cooked.

It’s like Santa came early.

As I sat there in front of a Mushroom Swiss Burger and Onion Rings, I was very much like a kid on Christmas morning… with “toys” I was convinced I’d never have.

{Review Continued Below…}

Cheesy Bacon Potatoes

Cheesy Bacon Potatoes

Cheesy Bacon Potatoes

One word… bacon. I love it when restaurants have plenty of options for sides. Unfortunately, most don’t, do they? They’ll offer you onion rings, fries, or coleslaw.  At Wheatless, your choice of sides for lunch or dinner are…

  • Cheesy Bacon Potatoes
  • Mac and Cheese
  • Onion Rings
  • Fries
  • Fresh Fruit
  • Steamed Vegetables

The cheesy bacon potatoes were extra delicious, but surprisingly enough, I’ll tell you something that was even more delicious.. the Mac and Cheese.

Wheatless Down Under Chicken Sandwich and Mac and Cheese
Down Under Chicken Sandwich with Mac and Cheese

Macaroni and Cheese

Holy cats, the Mac and Cheese was so out of this world delicious it made my jaw drop. I kept having to pick it back up off the floor after each bite. I’ve never had better mac and cheese ever – with gluten or without.

It is just exceptionally, spectacularly, uncommonly delicious and that’s all I have to say about that.

Creamy, delicious, warm, and wonderful. I guess it wasn’t all I had to say after all.

{Review Continued Below…}

The Down Under Chicken Sandwich

I was glad Michael ordered a chicken sandwich because I was anxious to taste their chicken. You can tell a lot about a restaurant simply by tasting their chicken – if it’s bland, it’s a sign the cook’s heart isn’t in it. If it’s flavorful and could, if it had to, stand on its own – creating a delicious experience all by itself – then you know the cook is in it to win it.

This chicken was rockin’ the Casbah.  It was delicious and so was the honey mustard.

Michael eats a lot of chicken sandwiches, so when he said, “This is the best chicken sandwich I’ve had in a very long time,” I only had one thing to say… gimme a bite.

He was right on the money.

Seriously, every bite we had was memorable and worth writing home about.

{Review Continued Below…}

Wheatless Lemon Blossoms

Deliciously Lemony Lemon Blossoms

Gluten Free Mixes, Croutons, Pizza Crust, Bread, Cookies…

I also love the fact that they have a lot of different gluten free mixes (Pancake Mix, Flour Blend, Fish Breading), breads, and desserts for sale.  They even sell big, beautiful gluten free pizza crusts!

On this trip, I tried to reign myself in. I bought a bag of Lemon Blossoms and one bite told me I’d made an excellent decision.

Have you ever had the Lemon Loaf Slices at Starbucks? Oh, man, I fondly remember them. These Lemon Blossoms remind me of those Heavenly beauties – but with the delicious sugar glaze all over each blossom. Ridiculously delicious.

On my next trip, I’m going to grab the Fish Breading, some of their buns, a pizza crust, and more lemon blossoms.

I’ve decided not to reign myself in next time.

{Review Continued Below…}

Wheatless Gluten Free Mixes

Gluten Free Mixes, Pizza Crusts, and Desserts

Vegetarians will also find Wheatless to be a dream come true, as will people who have to follow their own restrictive diets due to health concerns. Their menu is clearly marked and easy to follow – you can find plenty of wonderful things to eat while dodging your own personal allergens.

In addition to the delicacies raved about above, Wheatless also has…

  • BBQ Roadhouse Burger (beef, bbq, fried onion, cheese, lettuce, onion, tomatoes, pickle)
  • Portabella Burger (portabella mushroom, Swiss cheese, spinach, sauteed onions and peppers, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles)
  • Kona Chicken (chicken, ham, Swiss cheese, pineapple, lettuce, onions, tomatoes, pickles)
  • Club Sandwich (ham and turkey, bacon, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, onion)
  • Pulled Pork BBQ Sandwich (pulled pork, pickles)
  • BLT Sandwich (fried bacon, lettuce, tomatoes)
  • Potato Soup
  • Vegetable Soup
  • Cobb Salad
  • Southwestern Salad
  • Summer Salad
  • Chicken Noodle Soup
  • AND MORE!!! All. Gluten. Free.

Wheatless Also Offers Breakfast!

The breakfast menu at Wheatless sounds as extraordinary and delicious as the lunch/dinner menu is. Here’s a small sampling:

  • Omelettes
  • Toaster Sandwiches
  • French Toast
  • Banana Nut Pancakes
  • Pancakes with Chocolate Chips, Chocolate Syrup, and Whipped Topping
  • Eggs
  • Bacon
  • Sausage
  • Country Ham

Wait. Chocolate Chip Pancakes with Chocolate Syrup and Whipped Topping? That is everything that is good and pure and decent in the world.

Next time.

I 110% recommend you head to Wheatless in Bowling Green for your next meal (or meals… heck there are plenty of places to shop, make a day of it!). Whether you have to eat gluten free or simply love GREAT food, this will quickly become one of your all-time favorite restaurants.

Read more about Wheatless on their website and check out their great menu. I’m just so excited to actually have a gluten free restaurant within reach!

Be sure to tell everyone you know all about Wheatless – especially the gluten free crowd. Like I said before, this is really and truly a blessing for us, and a delicious one, at that.

ADDRESS: 760 Campbell Lane (in Buckhead Square)

PHONE: 270-904-1033

HOURS: 6:00 A.M. – 8:00 P.M. (Monday – Saturday) and 8:00 A.M. – 7:00 P.M. (Sunday)

Wheatless: Bowling Green's First Gluten Free Restaurant
Wheatless: Bowling Green's First Gluten Free Restaurant
Wheatless: Bowling Green's First Gluten Free Restaurant
Wheatless: Bowling Green's First Gluten Free Restaurant
Gluten Free Mixes, Bread, Desserts, and Pizza Crust
Wheatless: Bowling Green's First Gluten Free Restaurant
Wheatless: Bowling Green's First Gluten Free Restaurant
Wheatless Lemon Blossoms
Gluten Free Mixes and Gluten Free Croutons
Wheatless: Bowling Green's First Gluten Free Restaurant
Gluten Free Mixes, Bread, Desserts, and Pizza Crust
Wheatless: Bowling Green's First Gluten Free Restaurant

Filed Under: Bowling Green Restaurants, Dining Out Gluten Free, Restaurant Reviews Tagged With: Bowling Green restaurant reviews, Bowling Green restaurants, eating gluten free in Bowling Green, eating gluten free in Kentucky

Dining Out Gluten Free: Tougher Than You’d Think

June 15, 2015 by Joi Sigers Leave a Comment

Chick-Fil-A Gluten Free Fries and Gluten Free Grilled Chicken

Chick-Fil-A Fries and Grilled Chicken: Gluten Free and Delicious!

As I’ve said here, before, for health reasons I’ve had to begin eating completely gluten free/wheat free – so a lot of places I once ate at religiously have become just that… places I once ate at religiously.  If a restaurant doesn’t have a “gluten free menu” or at least options I’m sure are “gluten free,” I don’t gamble with health. Not even my previously favorite food in the world (fried catfish!) is worth two weeks of pain and agony…. and that’s on top of damage it does on my insides that’ll last a lot longer than two weeks.

As someone who writes a lot of Kentucky restaurant reviews, I knew things were going to be rocky when I had to start eating like this. I knew there’d be certain restaurants I couldn’t enjoy any more (How have you been, Fazoli’s? How about you, KFC?) and knew that some of my favorite foods would now be as big a part of  “history” as Abraham Lincoln.

Hush pupppies, fried catfish, pizza, spaghetti, bread… doughnuts, pancakes, waffles… it wasn’t you, it’s me… well, actually it’s a little bit you, too…

Fortunately, a lot of restaurants make life easier for people like me who have to eat a gluten free diet. Some have even added special “gluten free” items to the menu, such as TGI Friday’s Gluten Free Hamburger buns, Olive Garden’s Gluten Free Pasta, and Pizza Hut’s Gluten Free crust.

Another Broken Egg has a Gluten Free Pancake on their menu that’s the size of a plate and as delicious as any pancake ever made.

{Continue reading below the Unwich!}

Jimmy John's Unwich

Jimmy John’s Delicious Unwich – Any Sandwich Wrapped in Lettuce

Others, like Jimmy John’s have simplified things for us with their wonderful “Unwich.” Their chips are also gluten free, meaning they’re one of the best lunch options imaginable.

Wendy’s and Chick-Fil-A are also darn good to us GF Peeps. Chick-Fil-A’s fries, coleslaw, and grilled chicken are all gluten free, meaning we can have an entire meal… and a delicious one, at that.

Restaurants like this allow us to eat out and feel normal again. The first time I ordered a “gluten free” pizza at Papa Murphy’s and carried my treasure home, I was on top of the world. Then when the pizza ended up tasting better than I remember any pizza tasting, I was on cloud nine.

The Coolest of the Cool

There are a lot of things we SO take for granted and, trust me, being able to eat ‘”normally” is one of them. Just imagine if you had to suddenly give up your favorite foods and had to stop going to restaurants that had become a huge part of your life.

At least this is allowing me to see the restaurants that are willing to take extra steps to welcome “everyone” instead of just the majority. When a restaurant goes the extra mile and creates a list of gluten free food available on their menu, they instantly rank as “cool” in my book.

When they THEN go even further and create special food or “modify” methods and ingredients, they rank as the absolute “coolest of the cool!”

Why This Matters to You

Whether you are a GF Peep (or have one or two of your own) or not, you should care how restaurants are handling this growing situation.

For one thing, you, yourself, may become a GF Peep yourself, one day! You also have to factor in your loved ones. The more people in your family, the greater your odds of “this” one day touching you. As research continues, more and more diseases are being connected to gluten as well as underlying wheat or gluten allergies.

Many people are finding that health issues (such as thyroid disease, infertility, migraines, allergies, asthma, hiatal hernias…) can be tied directly to their diet and that many symptoms can be alleviated by eliminating gluten/wheat.

Due to the fact that 5-10 years ago people who were sitting where I am now spoke out, things are a lot better today. They didn’t mind being pests if that’s what was needed and, because of their boldness, there are a lot of people today who have A LOT more options available. They’re why there are so many gluten free foods available at the supermarket. They’re why so many restaurants are “cool” and a growing number are entering “coolest of the cool” status.

They weren’t speaking out (or being pests when that was called for!) for themselves as much as they were others. I’d wager that 9 times out of 10, they were thinking of their children… I can relate to that strongly. My oldest daughter (Emily) is also a GF Peop.. and a cute one, at that. Her reaction to wheat is, literally, life-threatening.   I also have no good reason to believe that my other two daughters won’t also have to eat this way one day. They very may well may be GF Peeps masquerading as normal peeps!

I want them (as well as everyone else) to be able to go out and enjoy a meal wherever they please and be perfectly safe doing so.

I want children and teenagers who already feel “different” enough to be able to sit right down beside their friends and eat something other than a salad, without croutons.

{Continue reading below the catfish!}

Catfish Kitchen's Gluten Free Fried Catfish and Baked Potato

Catfish Kitchen Gluten Free Fried Catfish

Smaller, Local and Non-Chain Restaurants

I understand that a lot of smaller “non-chain” restaurants can’t afford new menus or “gluten free flour,” but pretty much anyone can offer grilled chicken, right? Catfish Kitchen (one of the most popular restaurants at Kentucky Lake) now offers fried catfish – with gluten free flour! Talk about setting a whole new standard for cool… they went and nailed it.

Even restaurants operating on tight budgets (like all of us, huh?!) can educate themselves and their staff on what gluten is and which of their ingredients contain gluten. Very often, turning a menu item from gluten-y to gluten free is as simple as replacing a guilty ingredient with a safe one. Mayonnaise and soy sauce are two examples of ingredients that can be easily and inexpensively replaced with gluten free versions.

Also, any restaurant on any budget can offer an option of a hamburger dressed and wrapped in lettuce instead of on a bun.

And, yes, having this listed on a menu makes a difference. A 17 year old, for example, doesn’t want to stand at a restaurant counter with their friends and have to iron out the details of having their sandwich without bread or, worse yet, be the recipient of a funny face made by the person taking the order.  Heck, I don’t know that anyone, any age would consider that fun.

Problems Can Arise Even When You’d Least Expect It

So, how can an already tough situation get even tougher? When restaurants who offer “gluten free” options drop the ball and/or workers get lazy and you get cross-contaminated.  For those of us with serious reactions to gluten, even a crumb can make us sick for weeks. If the kitchen workers don’t handle and prepare gluten free food correctly, it can lead to pain and suffering for days.

You have to always be on your toes when you are, or love, a GF Peep. If a restaurant messes up, let them know! It may be too late for you to avoid a stomachache from the depths of hell, but think of the next diner and complain. Not just to the server (if you catch it in time), but also to the manager. If it’s a chain restaurant, also complain at the highest level.  This “mistake” can prove fatal for some people – report it!

Whether you have to eat gluten free, someone you love has to eat gluten free, or you simply want to help others, what are things you can do?

  1. Just about every restaurant on earth (except for the smaller ones) has a website with a contact form. Many ask for suggestions – offer them some helpful “gluten free” suggestions. If they’re doing a great job, commend them and thank them. If they have a “few” gluten free options, acknowledge those and ask if they could possibly add more. If they don’t have a gluten free list, ask if they could provide one.
  2. If you don’t see a contact form, e-mail them!
  3. For those who don’t have websites, they more than likely have a Facebook. Leave a polite message right on their Facebook, asking them if they have any plans to add more gluten free items.
  4. Use comment cards in restaurants.
  5. This is extreme… but in honor of those who went out on a limb years ago (when they must have been thought to be the oddest birds of all time… can you even imagine?!)…  I have to bring it up – simply stop going to restaurants and fast food places that aren’t even reaching “cool,” let alone “coolest of the cool.”  I hate to name names, but sometimes bold is called for.   Years ago, Subway announced they were working on gluten free bread. They still don’t have it available in their restaurants, so obviously it wasn’t very important to them. They have enough resources, they could have done this by now. I also have to call out Arby’s here. A few years back, I contacted them and VERY kindly asked if they had any plans to add gf options to the menu. I heard from a ridiculously friendly nutritionist with the company who said this was something that was “very” important to them.  Since all this time has passed and lots of new promotions and menu items have been added without a single step in the “gluten free” direction, all I can gather is that it wasn’t important enough.

Is it extreme to stop going to particular restaurants? Sure. But usually when nothing else is working, that’s when it’s time to tell extreme to put his cleats on and get into the game!

If you’re one of those families who usually go through one drive thru for one member, then Wendy’s, Chick-Fil-A or Jimmy John’s for your gluten free peeps, start getting everything at the cool restaurant.

Support them for caring about your gf peep! As for the rest… well… Why support them at all if every member of your family isn’t welcome there?

[shareable]Why support any restaurant if every member of your family isn’t welcome there? #glutenfree[/shareable]

Another Broken Egg's Gluten Free Pancake with Berries

 

Another Broken Egg’s Gluten Free Pancake with Berries

Filed Under: Dining Out Gluten Free, Owensboro Gluten Free Dining, Restaurant Reviews Tagged With: gluten free dining, gluten free dining in Kentucky, gluten free restaurants

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