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

The Old Spaghetti Factory

Juliebove

By Juliebove
in Gluten-Free Restaurants

Recommended Posts

Juliebove Rising Star
Juliebove
Posted

Now granted this wouldn't be my first choice for dining, gluten or not. But due to our food allergies my daughter and I are getting tired of eating at the same few places. So I was quite interested when I learned that The Old Spaghetti Factory now has the gluten free pasta at the location near us.

When I told my parents (they prefer to dine out) that we wanted to dine there, we were met with resistance. First, they didn't believe they had gluten free pasta. It does say so specifically on the website for that location, but even if that is not correct it's not a biggie because there are other restaurants around there where we can go if need be. We can't really eat the other options aside from the salad because of our other allergies.

Second, they tried to tell me that the pasta would not really be gluten free because they will throw it in the pot that was used for regular pasta. To which I replied, "Then it wouldn't be gluten free!" I was then met with a smug, "YEEEEEEEES!" I just think they don't get it. I can't fathom how a restaurant can advertise gluten free pasta and then do something like that. Surely they would cook it in a separate pot? I should hope.

Then they responded, "But they will put bread on the table!" As though no other restaurant we've gone to has ever put bread on the table. I realize that they don't serve gluten free bread.

I just don't understand their attitude. We dine at other restaurants and they don't have all these objections to them. My mom also has food allergies and while she's not allergic to wheat she finds that it bothers her arthritis so she isn't supposed to eat it. I thought she would be happy about the pasta. I don't know what to think.

But my question is... Has anyone had the pasta there? Could it be as bad as they say?

The only thing I can think of is the bad experiences we had at a gluten free restaurant that used to be in this area. The owner lied to us about one of her baked goods, telling me it was egg free. So I bought it and then wondered why my daughter got sick. It contained eggs! Each time we dined there the service was horrible and they repeatedly gave us foods we were allergic to despite our being careful when ordering. And after finding out once they'd lied to me, I wasn't even convinced that the food was truly gluten free. They are no longer in business at that location but the owner is still selling her baked goods elsewhere. At least now she is labeling them with the ingredients. But I will no longer buy from her after paying a lot of money for a loaf of bread and finding it to be raw in the middle. *sigh* Perhaps this is why my parents are so reluctant to try another place that advertises gluten free food?

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


misscourtnie Newbie
misscourtnie
Posted

I just called the Spaghetti Factory in Fresno and they said that they had a lot of people call and ask if they cooked the noodles in a separate container. They said that they understood it was similar to a peanut allergy and that the noodles can't even touch something with gluten in it. Unfortunately they were out of the pasta and won't have it in for another week. Hope this helps

Courtnie

Juliebove Rising Star
Juliebove
Posted
  • Author
I just called the Spaghetti Factory in Fresno and they said that they had a lot of people call and ask if they cooked the noodles in a separate container. They said that they understood it was similar to a peanut allergy and that the noodles can't even touch something with gluten in it. Unfortunately they were out of the pasta and won't have it in for another week. Hope this helps

Courtnie

Thanks! Perhaps I should call mine before we go there just to make sure they have it. My mom had wanted me to call because she felt that I could not trust what it said on their website. I just hate calling and sounding like an idiot. Or worse yet calling and getting an idiot on the other end of the line who has not a clue what I am talking about.

GeoffCJ Enthusiast
GeoffCJ
Posted

Where does it say anthing about gluten on their website? I couldn't find it? Link?

Thanks,

Geoff

eleep Enthusiast
eleep
Posted

It sounds like they need to do a better job educating their employees at the individual franchises -- if they don't take this seriously, they're really just catering to the gluten-free-as-fad myth.

Juliebove Rising Star
Juliebove
Posted
  • Author
Where does it say anthing about gluten on their website? I couldn't find it? Link?

Thanks,

Geoff

Not all locations have it. Here's a link for the lunch menu at my location:

Open Original Shared Link

Near the top at the right hand side, it says "Pasta-bilities" and then says you can have whole wheat or gluten free pasta.

Juliebove Rising Star
Juliebove
Posted
  • Author
It sounds like they need to do a better job educating their employees at the individual franchises -- if they don't take this seriously, they're really just catering to the gluten-free-as-fad myth.

I did not mean to imply that they do not take this seriously. In my mind if they are going to offer a gluten free pasta then they would of course take steps to KEEP it gluten free. It was my dad who told me they would just throw it in the same pot as the other pasta. I presume that his recent interest in watching cookiing shows would lead him to say this. AFAIK he has never worked in a restaurant. He told me in restaurants they have one pot of boiling water and they throw everyone's order into the same water. He also does not cook and presumably does not know that you can not keep using the same water over and over repeatedly without it getting really funky. Now perhaps they could use the same water a few times. I don't know. I've never worked in a restaurant either but I have cooked a lot of pasta.

And it stands to reason that in a restaurant that serves mainly pasta, they would have to have more than one pot to begin with or the orders would take forever to cook! I can not see why they would not have one (or at least one) pot for regular pasta and another for gluten free. That just makes sense to me. But my dad is insisting they would not do this. Why? I do not know. But he has been known to make sweeping declarations like this in the past and come off as an expert when in fact he is way off base.

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


GeoffCJ Enthusiast
GeoffCJ
Posted

Bummer. It looks like none of the ones near me have it. Maybe it's time to make a few phone calls...I always enjoyed the asiago sauce....

Geoff

Juliebove Rising Star
Juliebove
Posted
  • Author

We had lunch there today. Actually it was "dinner" since they don't serve "lunch" on the weekends. My dad went there prior and asked about the gluten free pasta. He was told it was cooked in the microwave. Weird!

Daughter had the marinara sauce. I had the meat sauce. She felt she didn't get enough food and I got too much. I gave her some of mine. Problem solved!

I thought the first couple of bites of pasta were mushy, like overcooked. But then as it cooled, it firmed up. Very good. Daughter loved hers. We will be going back. We had macaroni today. Don't know if they do different shapes or not.

AndreaB Contributor
AndreaB
Posted

The following is a post from Rita Kam that was accidentaly done as a report.

i would like to know if anyone has had pasta at this resurant in Winnipeg manitoba canada

Archived

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

Go to topic listing
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):


  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      131,554
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    Becky 0163
    Newest Member
    Becky 0163
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.4k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):


  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • Scott Adams
      Taken Seriously

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      Your post demonstrates the profound frustration and isolation that so many in the Celiac community feel, and I want to thank you for channeling that experience into advocacy. The medical gaslighting you endured for decades is an unacceptable and, sadly, a common story, and the fact that you now have to "school" your own GI specialist speaks volumes about the critical lack of consistent and updated education. Your idea to make Celiac Disease a reportable condition to public health authorities is a compelling and strategic one. This single action would force the system to formally acknowledge the prevalence and seriousness of the disease, creating a concrete dataset that could drive better research funding, shape medical school curricula, and validate the patient experience in a way that individual stories alone often cannot. It is an uphill battle, but contacting representatives, as you have done with Adam Gray, is exactly how change begins. By framing it as a public health necessity—a matter of patient safety and protection from misdiagnosis and neglect—you are building a powerful case. Your voice and your perseverance, forged through thirty years of struggle, are exactly what this community needs to ensure that no one else has to fight so hard just to be believed and properly cared for.
    • Scott Adams
      Looking for a gluten-free roomie in Denver CO

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      I had no idea there is a "Louisville" in Colorado!😉 I thought it was a typo because I always think of the Kentucky city--but good luck!
    • Scott Adams
      Allergy medication: cetirizine by the HealthA2Z is it gluten free?

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      Navigating medication safety with Celiac disease can be incredibly stressful, especially when dealing with asthma and severe allergies on top of it. While I don't have personal experience with the HealthA2Z brand of cetirizine, your caution is absolutely warranted. The inactive ingredients in pills, known as excipients, are often where gluten can be hidden, and since the FDA does not require gluten-free labeling for prescription or over-the-counter drugs, the manufacturer's word is essential. The fact that you cannot get a clear answer from Allegiant Health is a significant red flag; a company that is confident its product is gluten-free will typically have a customer service protocol to answer that exact question. In situations like this, the safest course of action is to consider this product "guilty until proven innocent" and avoid it. A better alternative would be to ask your pharmacist or doctor to help you identify a major national brand of cetirizine (like Zyrtec) whose manufacturer has a verified, publicly stated gluten-free policy for that specific medication. It's not worth the risk to your health when reliable, verifiable options are almost certainly available to you. You can search this site for USA prescriptions medications, but will need to know the manufacturer/maker if there is more than one, especially if you use a generic version of the medication: To see the ingredients you will need to click on the correct version of the medication and maker in the results, then scroll down to "Ingredients and Appearance" and click it, and then look at "Inactive Ingredients," as any gluten ingredients would likely appear there, rather than in the Active Ingredients area. https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/   
    • Scott Adams
      Protein or fat?

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      What you're describing is indeed familiar to many in the Celiac community, especially in the early stages of healing. When the intestinal villi are damaged from Celiac disease, they struggle to properly digest and absorb fats, a condition known as bile acid malabsorption. This can cause exactly the kind of cramping and spasms you're seeing, as undigested fats can irritate the sensitive gut lining. It is highly plausible that her reactions to dairy and eggs are linked to their higher fat content rather than the proteins, especially since she tolerates lean chicken breast. The great news is that for many, this does improve with time. As her gut continues to heal on a strict gluten-free diet, her ability to produce the necessary enzymes and bile to break down fats should gradually return, allowing her to slowly tolerate a wider variety of foods. It's a slow process of healing, but your careful approach of focusing on low-fat, nutrient-dense foods like seeds and avocado is providing her system the best possible environment to recover. Many people with celiac disease, especially those who are in the 0-2 year range of their recovery, have additional food intolerance issues which could be temporary. To figure this out you may need to keep a food diary and do an elimination diet over a few months. Some common food intolerance issues are dairy/casein, eggs, corn, oats, and soy. The good news is that after your gut heals (for most people who are 100% gluten-free this will take several months to two years) you may be able to slowly add some these items back into your diet after the damaged villi heal. This article may be helpful: Thank you for sharing your story—it's a valuable insight for other parents navigating similar challenges.
    • Beverage
      Diagnosed celiac for 1-2 months ago and everything makes me bloated.

      By Beverage · Posted

      I had a very rough month after diagnosis. No exaggeration, lost so much inflammatory weight, I looked like a bag of bones, underneath i had been literally starving to death. I did start feeling noticeably better after a month of very strict control of my kitchen and home. What are you eating for breakfast and lunch? I ignored my doc and ate oats, yes they were gluten free, but some brands are at the higher end of gluten free. Lots of celics can eat Bob's Red Mill gluten-free oats, but not me. I can now eat them, but they have to be grown and processed according to the "purity protocol" methods. I mail order them, Montana Gluten-Free brand. A food and symptoms and activities log can be helpful in tracking down issues. You might be totally aware, but I have to mention about the risk of airborne gluten. As the doc that diagnosed me warned . . Remember eyes, ears, nose, and mouth all lead to your stomach and intestines.  Are you getting any cross contamination? Airborne gluten? Any pets eating gluten (they eat it, lick themselves, you pet them...)? Any house remodeling? We live in an older home, always fixing something. I've gotten glutened from the dust from cutting into plaster walls, possibly also plywood (glues). The suggestions by many here on vitamin supplements also really helped me. I had some lingering allergies and asthma, which are now 99% gone. I was taking Albuterol inhaler every hour just to breathe, but thiamine in form of benfotiamine kicked that down to 1-2 times a day within a few days of starting it. Also, since cutting out inflammatory seed oils (canola, sunflower, grapeseed, etc) and cooking with real olive oil, avocado oil, ghee, and coconut oil, I have noticed even greater improvement overall and haven't used the inhaler in months! It takes time to weed out everything in your life that contains gluten, and it takes awhile to heal and rebuild your health. At first it's mentally exhausting, overwhelming, even obsessive, but it gets better and second nature.
×
×
  • 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.