Harrah's Cherokee, Nc

[Kasey'sMom]

I'm going to Harrah's and I was wondering if anyone has had experience with a gluten free diet at the resort?

Thanks!

[moving on]

I'm going to Harrah's and I was wondering if anyone has had experience with a gluten free diet at the resort?

Thanks!

We visit Harrah's every 3 to 4 months. Eating out is not the easiest thing to do there but we do manage. If we have free rooms, we stay at Harrah's. When this is the case, I take cereal or muffins and have breakfast in the room. They do have small refrigerators in the room and DH goes down to the coffee place and gets a cinnamon bun. If we stay at the Fairfield across the road I take cereal and/or English muffins with toaster bags and suppliment with what they offer.

We may carry items for picnics or sandwiches for lunch since we have a refrigerator available in the room at Harrah;s - also a small car refrigerator.

Cherokee does have a Wendy's and McDonald's. I can get by on a baked potato, not opened or a burger at McDonald's. I have taken a hamburger bun and just ordered a burger at the snack bar. I explain my situation and have had no problem. We have eaten at the buffet and I've not had a reaction- I look everything over carefully and stick to boiled shrimp, carved beef, salad - plain veggies. It is taking a chance but so far, so good. If things look as if they might be cross contaminated, I avoid them.

On our last visit we were celebrating our 38th anniversary and enjoyed dinner at the casino steak house. I gave them my restaurant card and they were very kind in accommodating my needs. The ribeye was very good. We have eaten at the Holiday Inn in town but did not care for our meal. There is a Ponderosa but do not know if they have gluten-free items. There is also a new BBQ place in town that we have not checked out.

I cannot vouch that the truffles at the casino are gluten-free but I've never had a reaction and I'm very sensative to gluten. We could not visit Harrah's without enjoying a truffle. Show them your players card and they are a bit discounted.

Wherever you decide to eat - enjoy. Good luck on in the casino. We are now penny and nickel players since retirement but still enjoy going occasionally. We only spend our evenings in the casino and enjoy the area.

If you have other questions- I'll try to answer them.

[Kasey'sMom]

moving on,

Thanks so much for your help! I tried contacting them but I haven't gotten a response yet. I didn't realize there was a Wendy's in the area.

Breakfast does seem like the biggest challenge when traveling, doesn't it? I think bringing some fruit, bars and Kinnikinnick dounuts should work great. I'm glad to know there's a refrigerator!

The boiled shrimp and ribeye sound wonderful! Did you make reservations at the steak house? Also what kind of dining cards do you use?

My dh had mentioned eating at Bonefish or P.F. Chang's in Knoxville on our way to Harrah's. We'll be celebrating our anniversary as well! We're looking forward to a mini-getaway.

The truffles sound wonderful! Is there only one type, will I know what to look for?

Thanks again!

[moving on]

The Wendy's is in town and usually very busy. I would try to hit it on the off hours. The same goes for the buffet - in fact, lunch prices are much less so it is possible to eat a very late lunch or early dinner. I've never asked for gluten free at the buffet but just try to use common sense. Many of those staffing the buffet are from Europe and there is a bit of a language barrier. I had boiled shrimp at the buffet and ribeye at the steakhouse. The steakhouse is not open 7 nights a week = I think we were there on a Wed or Thurs. night. It was not very busy and we did not have reservations. The veggies were not very good but salad, baked potato and steak were more than I needed. May have to use comp points the next time to eat there. DH had baby back ribs and it was a full rack rather than the usual half rack.

We travel during the week since they do not comp the small time players on the weekends. There are many lovely drives if you are interested in that. We drove to Asheville once and had lunch at a American/Mexican restaurant near the Biltmore. The manager made me safe fahitas and they were wonderful.

The truffles are in many flavors and some of the biggest I've seen ($2 each). I usually stick with those flavors I know are normally gluten-free like Irish Creme. May not be the safest way to do things but it has worked so far.

If you have other questions, please ask.

[Kasey'sMom]

Sounds great! We're going on a Sunday evening and just staying one night so I should be in great shape. We're not too far from Asheville and I'd love to take another quick trip back to Asheville. We have'nt been there in a couple of years and I've heard they have another health food store or two. I'd really like to go to the Biltmore and I'll definately check out the rest. you mentioned.

Thanks again!

[moving on]

The restaurant in Asheville was LaPaz on Biltmore Square. We went after the lunch rush and the manager was very kind. They fixed fahitas without the soy sauce they use and with corn tortillas. They also brought warm corn tortillas with my own sauce to enjoy before my meal. We had hoped to enjoy lunch at the restaurant on the Biltmore grounds but it requires paying the admission to the grounds which we've seen many times. What a shame that they restrict the restaurants in this manner.

We were trying to pick up part of the Blue Ridge Parkway we missed last year because it was closed. Will have to make this trip again on one of our visits and visit the Highlands Craft Center.

[par18]

We visit Harrah's every 3 to 4 months. Eating out is not the easiest thing to do there but we do manage. If we have free rooms, we stay at Harrah's. When this is the case, I take cereal or muffins and have breakfast in the room. They do have small refrigerators in the room and DH goes down to the coffee place and gets a cinnamon bun. If we stay at the Fairfield across the road I take cereal and/or English muffins with toaster bags and suppliment with what they offer.

We may carry items for picnics or sandwiches for lunch since we have a refrigerator available in the room at Harrah;s - also a small car refrigerator.

Cherokee does have a Wendy's and McDonald's. I can get by on a baked potato, not opened or a burger at McDonald's. I have taken a hamburger bun and just ordered a burger at the snack bar. I explain my situation and have had no problem. We have eaten at the buffet and I've not had a reaction- I look everything over carefully and stick to boiled shrimp, carved beef, salad - plain veggies. It is taking a chance but so far, so good. If things look as if they might be cross contaminated, I avoid them.

On our last visit we were celebrating our 38th anniversary and enjoyed dinner at the casino steak house. I gave them my restaurant card and they were very kind in accommodating my needs. The ribeye was very good. We have eaten at the Holiday Inn in town but did not care for our meal. There is a Ponderosa but do not know if they have gluten-free items. There is also a new BBQ place in town that we have not checked out.

I cannot vouch that the truffles at the casino are gluten-free but I've never had a reaction and I'm very sensative to gluten. We could not visit Harrah's without enjoying a truffle. Show them your players card and they are a bit discounted.

Wherever you decide to eat - enjoy. Good luck on in the casino. We are now penny and nickel players since retirement but still enjoy going occasionally. We only spend our evenings in the casino and enjoy the area.

If you have other questions- I'll try to answer them.

Hi,

I actually went there 2 yrs ago before I was Dx'd. My wife went to school close by (Western Carolina). While she was at a school function I went over to the casino with a couple of the other husbands otherwise known as "significant others". We did not come away millionaires but did mange not to lose our shirt. The two things I remember was there was no " firewater "on the reservation and there was a Harley Davidson rally that weeked. It was the most motocycles I have ever seen in one place. Everyone seemed well behaved.

Tom