How to stay gluten free, even if the restaurant isn’‘t.
Terry took one of her business clients, Heather, to lunch at her favorite restaurant
the other day. When they arrived, the host greeted Terry by name and in a moment,
her favorite waiter had seated them and taken their order. Terry decided on her
"usual"— the polenta cakes with tomato salsa, and Heather ordered a pasta salad.
For dessert they each ordered a slice of decadent flourless chocolate torte with
strawberries.
It seemed like a perfectly ordinary meal to Heather. To Terry, who has celiac disease,
it was anything but. Taking out a client to lunch — or indeed, eating any meal that
someone else prepared — used to be a huge source of stress for her, between finding
a restaurant that offered gluten-free options and worrying about the kitchen being
able to prepare and serve her food safely.
Like many people with celiac disease, Terry once avoided
restaurants. But now she’‘s mastered a few simple techniques that help ensure she’‘ll
have a great experience. Here are her tips:
— Seek out celiac-friendly restaurants. Thanks to growing awareness of celiac disease
and gluten intolerance, more and more restaurants are catering to customers who
must avoid gluten—and getting easier to find. Websites such as glutenfreerestaurants.com,
operated by the Gluten Intolerance Group of North America (GIG), and glutenfreeregistry.com,
provide searchable listings for restaurants all across the country that offer gluten-free
options. (GIG’‘s Gluten-Free Restaurant Awareness Program2 also provides resources
and training for restaurants on gluten-free cooking and serving techniques, helping
to put even more restaurants on the gluten-free map,) Local organizations and support
groups for people with celiac disease are another terrific resource for restaurant
recommendations.
— Browse the menu ahead of time. Many restaurants post their menus online, so you
know what to expect even before making a reservation—check them out! If you have
a mobile digital device such as an iPhone or iPad, it’‘s even easier: You can download
gluten-free menu applications that allow you to browse gluten-free offerings from
hundreds of restaurant and fast-food chain menus and, in some cases, even order
your meal in advance. Visit http://glutenfreepassport.com/apps/ieatout/ for more information.
— Call ahead. Call the restaurant at an off-peak hour (usually between 3 and 5 p.m.)
and ask to speak to the chef, to make sure he or she is familiar with gluten-free
cooking and is able to accommodate your needs. If the chef isn’‘t available, speak
with the kitchen manager instead. Make sure you speak with those personnel who will
be on duty the day you visit. They’‘ll likely be pleased to work with you — remember,
restaurants are in the business of satisfying their customers! Be polite but firm
in your requests, and if you don’‘t feel satisfied with the answers, choose another
restaurant.
— Avoid coming during rush hours. Try to schedule your visit when the restaurant
isn’‘t overly busy. Your server will have more time to answer questions and the kitchen
will be calmer and better able to handle a special request. Leave plenty of time
for your visit, too, expecting that it will take the kitchen a little longer to
prepare your meal. Once you arrive at the restaurant, check in with the chef or
kitchen manager again to reconfirm that you’‘ll be having a gluten-free meal. Check
with your waiter to make sure he or she understands that your meal must not come
in contact with other people’‘s dishes.
— Bring a card - and a script. Bring a few key pieces of information about what
you can and cannot eat, to inform the kitchen and wait staff. Several organizations
produce helpful wallet-size cards for this purpose; some are available in different
languages to use when traveling abroad. Good examples can be found at Triumph Dining
or the Celiac Traveler. It’‘s also a good idea to have a quick speech at the ready
that explains your needs in a few sentences—for example, that you’‘re on a special
diet because you will become very sick if you eat anything made with flour, bread,
or soy sauce, or if your food touches anything that has been in contact with those
items. Prepare to give it more than once.
— Be clear - and flexible - when you order. Ask your waitperson to stand next to
you while you order, so you can have your questions easily heard and answered. If
anything’‘s unclear about a food’‘s preparation, don’‘t hesitate to find out. Questions
such as "Does the salad have croutons?" "Is the marinade made with soy sauce?" or
"Are the potatoes fried in the same oil as other, breaded foods?" can spell the
difference between a delicious dinner or a disaster! See "Best Bets," [below], for
tips on what to order. In general, the simplest (unsauced, unstuffed, uncoated)
preparations are usually the safest. Keep in mind that you might not be able to
order your first choice, so have a back-up order just in case. When in doubt, go
without! Chances are you’‘ll find at least a few satisfying options on any menu,
but if you don’‘t, leave and try another restaurant.
— Become a regular. Once you’‘ve found a restaurant you like, visit regularly so
that you’‘re well acquainted with the menu and have some safe meals you can always
order. Become familiar with the host so you are recognized when you visit and your
needs can be accommodated more readily. Likewise, if you have a good experience
with a waitperson who safely handled your gluten-free meal, request that person
on your next visit.
— Vote with your fork. The best way to ensure that more restaurants offer gluten-free
choices is to give your business to the ones that do. If a restaurant has gone out
of its way to be accommodating to people with special dietary needs, be sure to
let them know you appreciate it. Take the time to thank (and tip) your server and
host and make a point of telling your friends and family about your great experience.
Lastly, don’‘t forget make a date to visit again!