Concerned About Eating Out

[ENF]

I'm planning to attend dinner at a Chinese restaurant with a group of people next month, before an event we're attending. Forget about asking to have it in a gluten-free place, that's not going to happen. I never eat out except in restaurants that have dedicated gluten free choices, and am considering either not going, or bringing my own food due to the possibility of cross-contamination. I do have the Triumph dining cards, but never had occasion to use them.. Has anybody had any success, or gotten sick, with just rice and steamed vegetables in a typical Chinese restaurant?

[Karen B.]

I'm planning to attend dinner at a Chinese restaurant with a group of people next month, before an event we're attending. Forget about asking to have it in a gluten-free place, that's not going to happen. I never eat out except in restaurants that have dedicated gluten free choices, and am considering either not going, or bringing my own food due to the possibility of cross-contamination. I do have the Triumph dining cards, but never had occasion to use them.. Has anybody had any success, or gotten sick, with just rice and steamed vegetables in a typical Chinese restaurant?

My favorite eating place is a Chinese restaurant that uses no MSG in their food. I can't have anything with their soy sauce in it, but I love curry and their curry sauce is gluten-free. If you don't like spicy foods, the basic white sauce at Chinese restaurants is also gluten-free (usually). Steamed chicken (or shrimp) and vegatables and plain white rice should be an easy dish for most restaurants.

I'd call or go by the restaurant during an off time (3-5 in the afternoon is usually good) and talk to the manager about their menu and what is safe for you there.

Like many ethnic restaurants, some Chinese restaurants are very westernized (menu all in English, all of the staff speaks good English) and some aren't (menu in Mandarin and English, staff speaks broken English). If your server can't speak and understand a lot of English it dramatically reduces your chances of communicating what you need. The manager can help you out here as well.

[Sandi]

is brown rice glutin free?

from a chinese take out?

sandi

[Lisa]

is brown rice glutin free?

from a chinese take out?

sandi

Brown rice is gluten free....from a take-out if the brown is from soy sauce, it is not. Sandi, go the the take-out place some time between lunch and dinner when they are not busy and talk to them about what would be safe for you to order. NO SOY SAUCE in a take-out, instead use LaChoy that you can buy at the store and it is gluten free.

[kbtoyssni]

I've never tried Chinese since going gluten-free, for some reason it makes me nervous. Have you called the restaurant and talked to the manager? You'll probably get a really good sense of how well they'll be able to accomodate you and if you feel at all not sure, go ahead and bring your own food. I do it all the time. Some days it's just too much effort to deal with waiters and managers and I prefer to eat my own.

[ENF]

I've never tried Chinese since going gluten-free, for some reason it makes me nervous. Have you called the restaurant and talked to the manager? You'll probably get a really good sense of how well they'll be able to accomodate you and if you feel at all not sure, go ahead and bring your own food. I do it all the time. Some days it's just too much effort to deal with waiters and managers and I prefer to eat my own.

Since posting my question yesterday, I've been giving this some thought.

I don't even know where we're going yet - but after dinner we're going to Carnegie Hall. This is not close enough to any of Manhattan's gluten-free Chinese restaruants.

So, I'm still considering rice, possibly plain chicken, steamed vegetables and maybe some of the sauces people here have suggested. It's a few weeks away, so I still have some time to figure out a strategy.

I doubt that the rice will be glutened - these places make huge vats of it daily and it is unlikely to have gluten contamination.

I'm sure that I won't be the first person to have food issues, wherever it's decided we're going. In NYC, restaurants are used to all kinds of different clienteles.

Thanks to everyone for the suggestions.

[Piccolo]

I have multiple food sensitivities and the last time I ate at a Thai resturant I ordered my meal plain and I still got a case of d.

Susan

[Glutenfreefamily]

Since posting my question yesterday, I've been giving this some thought.

I don't even know where we're going yet - but after dinner we're going to Carnegie Hall. This is not close enough to any of Manhattan's gluten-free Chinese restaruants.

So, I'm still considering rice, possibly plain chicken, steamed vegetables and maybe some of the sauces people here have suggested. It's a few weeks away, so I still have some time to figure out a strategy.

I doubt that the rice will be glutened - these places make huge vats of it daily and it is unlikely to have gluten contamination.

I'm sure that I won't be the first person to have food issues, wherever it's decided we're going. In NYC, restaurants are used to all kinds of different clienteles.

Thanks to everyone for the suggestions.

I was glutened at outback and I talked to the chef. There is always a chance of cross contamination. If I have somewhere special to go to I don't take a chance since it would ruin my night. Good Luck with the decision and I hope you have fun.

[Karen B.]

You may want to check with a local Celiac group and see if the restaurant has been reviewed by one of the members. Our group has an eating out event that goes to different restaurants as a group and a review by members that is published periodically in our newsletter.

Whatever your decision, isn't it great to have a forum to toss it around in? I always keep immodium in my purse because I've been glutened before by a cup of coffee (found odd sediment at the bottom, got very sick). You really never know and most people don't realize that if a stray cracker crumb winds up in the tea pitcher, it can cause a problem for someone. But I'm not willing to join a nunnery (assuming they would have me -- big assumption!!! :-) so I file it in the "Live With It" box.