Jump to content

  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):

    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

We're Everywhere!

NoGlutenCooties

Recommended Posts

NoGlutenCooties Contributor
NoGlutenCooties
Posted

So there's this awesome Italian place near where I work that is a common spot for retirement parties, transfer luncheons, etc.  I take my team there every year for our Holiday lunch/party.  This year I was scared.  Like terrified.  A new Celiac trying to eat in an Italian restaurant???   :o   I scoped out their menu online and had decided to take a chance on their steak and a plain baked potato.  But I was still scared.

 

So we get there and the owner is there helping out - like I said my company sends a ton of business his way so he always takes good care of us.  I pull him aside and tell him I'm gluten intolerant and start asking him about the steak and baked potato... no flour?  nothing added to it? etc, etc.  He says, well you could do that... but we have a whole gluten-free menu now.  (Really??) But I'm skeptical... because as you know, "gluten-free" in a restaurant doesn't mean it is still gluten-free by the time it gets to your table.  So I tell him, I'm diagnosed Celiac so it's really important that I don't accidentally get ANY gluten in my food....

 

He tells me how he got tested but the tests came back "iffy" so he went gluten-free himself and how much better he feels!  He started eating gluten-free pasta and experimenting with different flours, etc. so decided to add it to the menu.  He cooks the gluten-free stuff completely separate and can guarantee there's no gluten in it.  No cross-contamination issues.

 

You could have knocked me over with a feather.

 

So I ended up getting the eggplant parm with penne.  :)   It was my first experience with gluten-free pasta because I've been sticking to just whole, natural food and haven't branched out into gluten-free processed stuff.  I honestly couldn't tell the difference.  It was awesome.

 

If this trend continues, I predict that one day the "regular" menu will be gluten-free and there will be a tiny little section in the corner for the gluten-eaters.

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


cyclinglady Grand Master
cyclinglady
Posted

Isn't a wonderful feeling? To eat out with confidence?

 

We ate in a chain Italian restaurant once at an out of town restaurant.  Even though we have eaten successfully at the chain in town, I was still leary (they offered a gluten-free menu).  When I went to explain, the waitress brought the manager over.  She had celiac disease too!  I was so relieved.  The meal was great.

 

But, here's the best restaurant experience….

 

Visiting in Tucson, Arizona and we dined in a 100% gluten free restaurant.  The owners are gluten free.  The breads (even French) are to die for!  I had a BBQ pulled pork sandwich, my husband a breakfast quesidilla and my daughter pizza and a salad.  It was terrific!

They have been in business for two years and every table was full.  I think they're going to last!  

NoGlutenCooties Contributor
NoGlutenCooties
Posted
  • Author

The best part was that in the past I always left the restaurant with that OMG-I-ate-too-much feeling, went home and slept 2 hours and woke up the next morning looking and feeling pregnant.  You know the feeling... you look down and say to yourself... Who the hell invited you???  (And where are my fat pants?)  Not this time!  :D

kareng Grand Master
kareng
Posted

maybe you could make a new topic in the restaurant section and tell everyone?  then people in the area could go there.

NoGlutenCooties Contributor
NoGlutenCooties
Posted
  • Author

maybe you could make a new topic in the restaurant section and tell everyone?  then people in the area could go there.

 

Great idea.  Thanks.

notme Experienced
notme
Posted

coots - you are my eyes and my ears - i go to nj every summer (i'm from west milford/oak ridge/ jefferson twp)  and i am needing places around hackensack - my neice lives in an apartment there and works in hackensack hospital.  every time we go to visit (rooftop pool!!  woo hoo!!  lolz) we always stay later than we mean to then try to get back to oak ridge during rush - UGH - and i am always starving!!!  would be nice just to eat dinner and let the traffic die down  :) 

NoGlutenCooties Contributor
NoGlutenCooties
Posted
  • Author

coots - you are my eyes and my ears - i go to nj every summer (i'm from west milford/oak ridge/ jefferson twp)  and i am needing places around hackensack - my neice lives in an apartment there and works in hackensack hospital.  every time we go to visit (rooftop pool!!  woo hoo!!  lolz) we always stay later than we mean to then try to get back to oak ridge during rush - UGH - and i am always starving!!!  would be nice just to eat dinner and let the traffic die down  :)

 

I'm new at this and haven't dared do the restaurant thing up until yesterday (with the exception of breakfast a couple of times).... but I'll definitely keep you in mind.  There is another Italian place in Clifton I've been wanting to try... the chef's daughter is Celiac and apparently they "get it" too.  I'll keep you posted.

(I'm actually not too far from Hackensack Hospital myself.)

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


notme Experienced
notme
Posted

I'm new at this and haven't dared do the restaurant thing up until yesterday (with the exception of breakfast a couple of times).... but I'll definitely keep you in mind.  There is another Italian place in Clifton I've been wanting to try... the chef's daughter is Celiac and apparently they "get it" too.  I'll keep you posted.

(I'm actually not too far from Hackensack Hospital myself.)

coolio :)  there is a pizza place in oak ridge that is safe, if you happen out that way.  also, mama's (but that is closer to the delaware than the hudson lolz) out in hackettstown.  annnd the restaurant my sister works at is finally making things 'safe' so there is another place in sparta (sussex county, tho) 

 

yep, she is an r.n. at the hospital, her apartment is within walking distance.  she likes it there, we like to say 'we're going to swim in the rooftop pool' lolz  i always sing her the hackensack song  :D

WestCoastGirl Apprentice
WestCoastGirl
Posted

Wow, I'm originally from New Jersey and am loving hearing all the place names. :) Moved from Bergen County (River Vale) but am very familiar with Hackettstown - my aunt lives in that area. And I lived in Sparta for a year. :)

NoGlutenCooties Contributor
NoGlutenCooties
Posted
  • Author

A friend and I tried the place in Clifton last night... La Riviera Trattoria... it was awesome!  A bit pricey, IMO, but worth it.  The gluten-free menu is an actual, 2-sided, full menu!!  All of their pasta is imported from Italy and they sell it there too.  I'll post it in the restaurant section.  My friend is not gluten-free and she said the gluten food was really good too.

C-Girl Contributor
C-Girl
Posted

I've been constantly surprised and to be honest, floored by the restaurant managers here. I went to my favorite local Chinese place and asked if they could make things gluten-free, didn't believe it when she said just about everything but noodles. So I asked to talk to the manager, and for sure - the owner's best friend is celiac, and they made special arrangements so that all sauces have gluten-free versions, they only fry in corn starch, etc. She was so sweet - it really made my day since I was really, really tired of my own cooking. Another one of my previous favorites has a celiac manager, and a third has an entire gluten-free menu. 

 

While I don't agree with all the paleo-fad followers and gluten hypochondriacs, I do appreciate that they've made our plight much more visible.

notme Experienced
notme
Posted

Wow, I'm originally from New Jersey and am loving hearing all the place names. :) Moved from Bergen County (River Vale) but am very familiar with Hackettstown - my aunt lives in that area. And I lived in Sparta for a year. :)

small world, lolz - i bet you know where the st. moritz is, then (lake mohawk) <i lived there and on sunset lake (off of glen road) when i lived in sparta.  got married in blairstown, where hope is never far away (because it's the next exit haha)  i had cousins and aunts who lived in maywood :)  both of my parents grew up in wayne.  if you get out to visit your aunt, you can eat at mama's <their cheesesteak is nom nom nom !

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Celiac.com:
    Join eNewsletter
    Donate
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):



    Celiac.com Sponsors (A17-M):



  • Recent Activity

    1. Scott Adams
      - Scott Adams replied to HAUS's topic in Gluten-Free Foods, Products, Shopping & Medications
      7

      Sainsbury's Free From White Sliced Bread - Now Egg Free - Completely Ruined It

      In the U.S., most regular wheat breads are required to be enriched with certain B-vitamins and iron, but gluten-free breads are not required to be. Since many gluten-free products are not enriched, we usually encourage people with celiac disease to consider a multivitamin. In the early 1900s, refined white flour replaced whole grains, and people began...
    2. Scott Adams
      - Scott Adams replied to deanna1ynne's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      13

      Inconclusive results

      Keep in mind that there are drawbacks to a formal diagnosis, for example more expensive life and private health insurance, as well as possibly needing to disclose it on job applications. Normally I am in favor of the formal diagnosis process, but if you've already figured out that you can't tolerate gluten and will likely stay gluten-free anyway, I wanted...
    3. JoJo0611
      - JoJo0611 replied to JoJo0611's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      6

      CT with contrast.

      Thank you.
    4. deanna1ynne
      - deanna1ynne replied to deanna1ynne's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      13

      Inconclusive results

      Thank you all so much for your advice and thoughts. We ended up having another scope and more bloodwork last week. All serological markers continue to increase, and the doc who did the scope said there villous atrophy visible on the scope — but we just got the biopsy pathology report back, and all it says is, “Duodenal mucosa with patchy increased int...
    5. cristiana
      - cristiana replied to HAUS's topic in Gluten-Free Foods, Products, Shopping & Medications
      7

      Sainsbury's Free From White Sliced Bread - Now Egg Free - Completely Ruined It

      Thanks for this Russ, and good to see that it is fortified. I spend too much time looking for M&S gluten-free Iced Spiced Buns to have ever noticed this! That's interesting, Scott. Have manufacturers ever said why that should be the case?
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):


  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      132,438
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    rednecksurfer
    Newest Member
    rednecksurfer
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.5k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):


  • Who's Online (See full list)

    • There are no registered users currently online

  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • Scott Adams
      Sainsbury's Free From White Sliced Bread - Now Egg Free - Completely Ruined It

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      In the U.S., most regular wheat breads are required to be enriched with certain B-vitamins and iron, but gluten-free breads are not required to be. Since many gluten-free products are not enriched, we usually encourage people with celiac disease to consider a multivitamin.  In the early 1900s, refined white flour replaced whole grains, and people began developing serious vitamin-deficiency diseases: Beriberi → caused by a lack of thiamin (vitamin B1) Pellagra → caused by a lack of niacin (vitamin B3) Anemia → linked to low iron and lack of folate By the 1930s–40s, these problems were common in the U.S., especially in poorer regions. Public-health officials responded by requiring wheat flour and the breads made from it to be “enriched” with thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, and iron. Folic acid was added later (1998) to prevent neural-tube birth defects. Why gluten-free bread isn’t required to be enriched? The U.S. enrichment standards were written specifically for wheat flour. Gluten-free breads use rice, tapioca, corn, sorghum, etc.—so they fall outside that rule—but they probably should be for the same reason wheat products are.
    • Scott Adams
      Inconclusive results

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      Keep in mind that there are drawbacks to a formal diagnosis, for example more expensive life and private health insurance, as well as possibly needing to disclose it on job applications. Normally I am in favor of the formal diagnosis process, but if you've already figured out that you can't tolerate gluten and will likely stay gluten-free anyway, I wanted to at least mention the possible negative sides of having a formal diagnosis. While I understand wanting a formal diagnosis, it sounds like she will likely remain gluten-free either way, even if she should test negative for celiac disease (Approximately 10x more people have non-celiac gluten sensitivity than have celiac disease, but there isn’t yet a test for NCGS. If her symptoms go away on a gluten-free diet, it would likely signal NCGS).        
    • JoJo0611
      CT with contrast.

      By JoJo0611 · Posted

      Thank you. 
    • deanna1ynne
      Inconclusive results

      By deanna1ynne · Posted

      Thank you all so much for your advice and thoughts. We ended up having another scope and more bloodwork last week. All serological markers continue to increase, and the doc who did the scope said there villous atrophy visible on the scope — but we just got the biopsy pathology report back, and all it says is, “Duodenal mucosa with patchy increased intraepithelial lymphocytes, preserved villous architecture, and patchy foveolar metaplasia,” which we are told is still inconclusive…  We will have her go gluten free again anyway, but how soon would you all test again, if at all? How valuable is an official dx in a situation like this?
    • cristiana
      Sainsbury's Free From White Sliced Bread - Now Egg Free - Completely Ruined It

      By cristiana · Posted

      Thanks for this Russ, and good to see that it is fortified. I spend too much time looking for M&S gluten-free Iced Spiced Buns to have ever noticed this! That's interesting, Scott.  Have manufacturers ever said why that should be the case?  
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.