The Old Spaghetti Factory

[Juliebove]

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?

[misscourtnie]

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]

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]

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

Thanks,

Geoff

[eleep]

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]

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]

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.

[GeoffCJ]

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]

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]

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