Pappadeaux

[texas]

What would you order at Pappadeaux and do they have a gluten free menu

[gfpaperdoll]

They do not have a gluten free menu, I eat their beans & rice, plank grilled salmon, shrimp cocktail, they also have baked potatoes, & they will make you plain grilled shrimp. I am sure you can get other plain grilled stuff... They have other sides, but I am not sure what they are. Fries are not gluten-free.

but beware if you eat at Pappasitoes, that you cannot eat the chips, they do have baked chips - but I bring my own if I have to go there, no rice, no beans, & if you get the grilled chicken fajitas you have to make sure it is without the marinade.

Much easier to eat at Pappadeaux...

[imouse1]

Went to Pappadeaux today for Mother's Day. They have the freshest fish in NM and my grandmother is from Portugal so we thought we'd treat her.

After much searching on the internet I was very hopeful because many of the sites said they had a gluten free menu. Not the case here in Albuquerque. My parents went ahead to get the table while my brothers and I brought my grandmother. My parents asked for a gluten-free menu and were told that there was no such menu from corporate but that the cook could make separate sauces. I was so excited!

Then I get to the table and have my miserable fresh shrimp with strange parsley bits and lemon. It was bland, even with the lemon. Ate some of the cocktail sauce that comes with the calamari since no one else was eating it and that was the highlight of that.

When I met the waitress she seemed a little...miffed that I was having to specially request. She was all smiles with the other tables but greeted me with the stone-cold face of "WTF?". Turns out by "make separate sauces" she meant "order a fresh fish" "naked" (no sauce or special seasonings) and "without anything fried". I mean, I'm grateful that she knew that I couldn't have anything with gluten in it and what products therein contained gluten BUT I was not pleased with how she had told my parents one thing and then pressured me into something else. They will not make you separate sauces because the sauces come pre-packaged. So, if you're eating there for the fresh fish just know that it's the only thing fresh there.

Wound up eating the scallops without the french-fried onions. Sauce was strange, came with capers. It was good, don't get me wrong, but not really filling. It's four large scallops on a plate with maybe half a cup of green beans. It was good but certainly not what I would want if I were thinking Cajun. Does Cajun cuisine even cook scallops? I know they have crawfish but can't speak to the scallops. Anyway, the meal turned out to be unsatisfying as a whole because it's not a lot of food (especially for the price) especially after the disappointment about the sauce. Worst part being I don't feel good after eating it--my stomach is already swelling and I feel like vomitting. The dish was cooked through and through so I can't say it's food poisoning. I have half an inkling that there was soy sauce in the strange braise. So even though she said my fish was going to be naked it didn't come so. Yeah, it's Mother's Day and it's busy but I get to live with the consequences. Figured after all that talk about what I can't have I wouldn't walk away sick from the meal.

[OkieGirl]

I eat at Pappadeaux locations in Houston and Dallas/Ft. Worth on a regular basis. I admit the menu is pretty limited for those with gluten intolerance but they do have one sauce that is gluten free and I usually can pick my choice of fish to have it over. It is the beurre blanc sauce that is served with the Costa Rican Tilapia Lafayette. It is very good and I have had it at two different locations and verified with the manager at each location that it is in fact gluten free. I have also had the Cedar Plank Salmon mentioned in an earlier post. Two decent options but menu options may vary in other states.

Unfortunately, it depends on the waitstaff and the manager at each location and how educated they are on food allergies. My best suggestion is to always ask for the manager. I hope you have better luck next time.

[aggieceliac]

I went there recently for a friend's birthday dinner, of course not expecting to be able to eat anything. It was a surprise party so we had quite a bit of time before the guest of honor arrived. I took that time to ask the waitress about gluten free options and to speak to the manager. They were both very nice about it and simply asked what I was thinking of ordering. The manager let the chefs know to take extra caution with my meal and they deal with special food allergies/sensitivity requests often. I can't remember what exactly I ordered but I think it was the "naked" tilapia baked, with steamed veggies and a simple butter sauce. It was delicious! I highly recommend this restaurant and will be revisiting again.

I have been realizing lately that (while it depends on each restaurant) asking for the manager and communicating clearly will get you a safe, delicious, gluten free meal. It's easier than it seems and doesn't always put all the attention on you (which has always been my fear). Enjoy!

-Monica