My First Restaurant Experience

[queenofhearts]

Well, I took the plunge & went out for sushi. Brought my own soy, avoided eel, crab, "spicy" & anything with tempura or sauce... (all my erstwhile favorites of course! So it goes...)

Went out for dessert to a different restaurant & was so excited when the menu listed flourless chocolate cake... until the waitress checked with the chef & sure enough the pan was dusted with flour... so I ordered creme brulee after again checking with the chef-- still feeling quite hopeful as the waitress was being very helpful & patient-- & it was served with a pirolline cookie stuck to the caramel! Sigh. I took off the top & gave it to my husband & ate some of the bottom part, with misgivings.

It's hard to know if I got away with it really, since I'm only 2 weeks on the diet & still have symptoms. But at least I dared to get out of the house!

Leah

[kabowman]

Congratulations!!!! That is a big step for a lot of us.

[penguin]

Damn the cookie! I would have sent it back and gotten one without the cookie in the middle.

Creme brulee is generally gluten-free because good creme brulee should only have four ingredients:

Cream

Vanilla bean

Sugar

Egg

Since they have to caramelize the top at the last minute (or else the caramel gets soggy), it should be easy to get it without the cookie next time.

Most custards are gluten-free, of course you always have to ask. I've never seen a creme brulee or flan recipe with gluten though.

Congrats on taking the plunge!

[queenofhearts]

Yes, I thought I would be safe with creme brulee, because it was a nice place & didn't seem the sort to add ersatz stabilizers to the custard. But that garnish, oops! Next time I will probably have the nerve to send it back but this is so new to me, it took some guts just to talk to the waitress about it, & she was being so nice... didn't want to make a fuss or embarrass my dining companions... guess I'd better get over that!

Thanks for the tips,

Leah

[CarlaB]

Congratulations on getting out!

I would have sent it back. In fact, I was at a very nice restaurant right after diagnosis. They were very helpful. However, I could see that a cookie had been in my dessert, but was pulled out of it before I got it. I explained to them that I was sorry, but even those crumbs left behind could make me sick, would they please bring me another one. They were very apologetic, and it was no problem.

[MySuicidalTurtle]

Yay! I am glad you went out!

[queenofhearts]

I realise now that I really could have sent it back without coming off as a jerk. Still a little self-conscious about this I guess. Also, I hated to cause more trouble for the waitress, who was really being very solicitous & kind about it. (She did actually apologize for the cookie when I pointed it out to her!)

For the more assertive side of my personality, check out my post to CoverGirl! (In Products.) I thought they had some nerve to direct people to Celiac.com in one message, then completely pooh-pooh the lipstick problem in the next!

I still don't understand why they couldn't even tell me whether the lipstick contained outsourced fragrances!

Oh well,

Leah