Going To Have Thai Food Tonight

[VegasCeliacBuckeye]

Ok,

So I am going to place in Vegas that is supposedly the "Best Thai Restaurant in North America" - Gourmet Magazine...(Boss is taking me out)

Anyway, I need some help.

I know I have been able to give out advice on just about every kind of restaurant there is. However, I have NEVER eaten Thai before.

My limited research tells me that much of the noodles used at Thai Restaurants are in fact, rice noodles. Also, I know the usual stuff, like no soy sauce, watch the thickening agents, cross-contamination.

My question -- Is there a particular dish that is infamous for being gluten free in Thai Cuisine?

Let me know, my dinner reservations are in 1.5 hours..

[dionnek]

Ok,

So I am going to place in Vegas that is supposedly the "Best Thai Restaurant in North America" - Gourmet Magazine...(Boss is taking me out)

Anyway, I need some help.

I know I have been able to give out advice on just about every kind of restaurant there is. However, I have NEVER eaten Thai before.

My limited research tells me that much of the noodles used at Thai Restaurants are in fact, rice noodles. Also, I know the usual stuff, like no soy sauce, watch the thickening agents, cross-contamination.

My question -- Is there a particular dish that is infamous for being gluten free in Thai Cuisine?

Let me know, my dinner reservations are in 1.5 hours..

My dining cards say that the curries (penang curry, etc.) are usually gluten-free - just need to make sure they don't use fish sauce that has wheat in it. Supposedly the soy sauce that thai restaurants use do not contain wheat (I found this interesting - Triumph said that Chinese and Japanese soy sauces contain wheat but Thai usually does not). You would want to verify though, especially if it is an Americanized thai place.

[elonwy]

Paraphrased from my Triumph card: (leaving out the obvious)

Bad: Oyster Sauce

Maybe Bad: Spring roll wrappers ( the vietnamese rice ones are ok, the clear ones they don't fry)

satay, curries, fish sauce.

I usually get a rice noodle dish like spicy Rad Na (spel?) and if they aren't sure about the sauce have them leave it out. Beware of beef that has been marinated. The dish is usually still quite good without the sauce or gravy, especially the mint ones, but beware the mint is really spicy.

Mee Krob is rice noodles. (thin tiny vermicelli) Pad Thai is usually NOT OK.

I would check and see if their soy sauce is ok, its probably not, but REAL thai soy sauce is not made with wheat.

As long as you get a clear line of communication, Thai food is usually easy.

The other option is the soups. The soups with clear broth are usually good, The bean thread they use in most of the soups is gluten free and quite tasty.

HTH

Elonwy

[jkmunchkin]

I believe Pad Thai is normally a safe choice. Ofcourse be careful of the sauces, etc., but I think generally this dish is safe and made with safe sauces.

[elonwy]

Looking at the Lotus of Siam menu online, heres what looks safe (obviously the asking still apllies, but I know you know that)

No Appetizers

Soups: Woon SEn Soup, Vegetable soup, Seafood soup with Tofu

MOst of the salads without the dressings ( be careful about the minced pork, also usually pre-marinated)

Specials: NUA NAM TOK

ALA CArte: PAD WOONSEN , CASHEW NUT , FRESH GINGER , GREEN PEPPER (Pad Prik Sod) Obviously check on their stir fry method, if they add something not listed.

Anything roasted or char broiled is suspicious on the sauce side.

Noodles: Rad Na's without gravy, RAD NA (Yellow Curry Noodle) check curry, Egg noodle BAD, White noodles?? no idea what that means.

If the curries aren't prepackages they are often safe.

HTHM

Elonwy

Every Thai restaurant I have been to with my Triumph cards says the Pad Thai is not ok, and all the pre-packaged Pad Thai Sauces usually have soy sauce, except for the one made by Thai kitchen. I believe the Pad Thai Sauce usually has soy sauce in it.

I make Pad Thai at home now and don't eat it out for this reason.

Elonwy

[Nancym]

Yum, Thai food! I go to the same Thai restaurant all the time, so they usually know about my issues with wheat.

I usually get Panang curry. In fact, I bought some pre-made paste from an online import store and it doesn't contain wheat. I've never seen a fish sauce that contains wheat.

I also like Tom Ka Kai (or sometimes I see it called Tom Ga Gai). It is a soup with coconut milk, chicken, mushroom and man, it is delicious. I make this at home sometimes.

[queenofhearts]

I've never seen a fish sauce that contains wheat.

There are DEFINITELY some that do. I shop at Grand Asia Market & about 1/4 to 1/3 of the fish sauces there have wheat. So you really do need to ask. The good thing is that unlike soy, MOST fish sauces are safe.

Leah

[dionnek]

Is the coconut milk soup usually safe? Last time I had thai I went over my requirements with the manager to help me pick my main course (he said the panang curry was fine), but we never discussed the soup. It came with the coconut milk soup and I love it so I ate it, and was sick the next day. I'm wondering which it was - the soup or the curry....

[queenofhearts]

Is the coconut milk soup usually safe? Last time I had thai I went over my requirements with the manager to help me pick my main course (he said the panang curry was fine), but we never discussed the soup. It came with the coconut milk soup and I love it so I ate it, and was sick the next day. I'm wondering which it was - the soup or the curry....

The problem is, recipes vary, ingredients vary, chefs sometimes make changes, so you just have to ask. And even then it's a little risky, which is why I don't eat out all that often!

Leah

p.s. Don't forget to ask about the broth since some contain gluten.

[VegasCeliacBuckeye]

Well,

I went...it was one of the best meals I have ever had!!!

Thai food is strange in that it is very spicy, but very good. Almost everyone at my table was sweating, but we could not stop eating.

Truly a bizarre (but awesome) eating experience.

We had Pad Thai, Pepper Grilled Shrimp, Sauteed Garlic Squid, some type of coconut curry with rice noodles, ground pork dish, Tom Kung soup and grilled spicy beef.

I told the waiter "no flour, no soy sauce, no wheat, no breadcrumbs, etc"

I had some stomach issues last night, but nothing bad.

This morning I have been to the Loo around 5-6 times. I don't know if this is a gluten reaction or just a reaction to the spicy food. I don't feel as bad as I normally do after injesting gluten (though it has been a while).

If I could do it over again, I would not get the pad Thai and the curry thing. Everything else was WONDERFUL.

Also, it was not very expensive -- for being the "Best Thai Restaurant" in N. America, it was pretty damn reasonable...

Bronco

p.s. I wanted to order the "Whole Charbroiled Catfish" (with head on and everything), but my girlfriend wouldn't let me (haha)

p.p.s. Thai Iced Tea is the bomb!!!