mediaseth

Mtndog, I'm also on the North Shore and while the first time I ate at Uno's in Swampscott I was fine, the second time I was severely sick afterwards. Since I never liked chain restaurants to begin with, they probably lost a customer.

I also checked out Not Your Average Joe's. Their gluten-free menu does not include proper vegetarian meals. Another one ruled out. It's a chain, anyway.

I have to agree, though, on Trader Joes and Whole Foods. Neither store offers everything I like, so I have to go to both! But, I just visited a WF in Providence, RI. this weekend and they had way more to choose from than the one by me!! I think I'm going to write a little letter, because then I won't have to jump between supermarkets to do a complete shopping.

Don't be timid to talk about your situation and don't let anyone give you attitude about it, either. Besides, the more people demand gluten-free options while out and about, the more they'll start to offer them places. For example, I always ask bars if they have Bard's, New Grist or Redbridge beers before settling on something else.

I've had better luck with Mexican than Chinese places. QDoba and Chipotle are good. There are a couple of independent Mexican sit down places I've had good luck in, one in Gloucester MA and the other in Providence, RI. Unfortunately, I can't trust the gazillion of them in my own neighborhood because they're too authentic and speak little English. I also don't eat meat and don't want pork fat, chicken broth and other stuff they put in EVERYTHING. When I try to explain, I just get a look like I'm from another planet.

I grew up in Wayne, in North Jersey and although I don't live there anymore, I'm down there often enough to make checking this thread worthwhile. I hope to learn where to go for a good meal next time I'm there! Last time, I went to a pizza place with lots of gluten-free options on Allen St. in the L.E.S. (not in NJ).

I was vegetarian for eighteen years before being forced to go gluten-free. I was lactose intolerant for about ten years. Even with my further restrictions, I can't bring myself to eat meat. The funny thing is, people look at me more strangely for the wheat that I can't have than for the meat I choose not to.

It's funny, but I was buying SAN-J Tamari wheat free soy sauce since before even the thought of having a gluten intolerance entered my mind. I came to a conclusion on my own, accurate or not, that they must put wheat in the cheap soy sauce, since it's just supposed to be soy sauce. I just wanted to buy the good stuff.

I've had good luck at Asian restaurants in general, except I had a different waiter during my last visit to one I frequent and I definitely got gluttened. There was no soy sauce, as I asked. It was vegetables, tofu, and made spicy..but SOMETHING had to be in it. Maybe MSG...