New Here

[leelee20]

Hi, I'm new here, I'm starting college in boston in the fall and I was wondering if anyone knows of any sushi places that cater to people with celiac. I'm fine with bringing my own soy sauce but I mean, and this may sound very politically incorrect, the problem is that whenever I've gone to a good sushi place I am unable to communicate well with the waitor/waitress because of a language barrier and I really feel like I need to be sure that there is no grain vinegar in the rice etc etc. I already steer clear of fake crabmeat and of the pickled ginger and wasabi, but I dont want to have to give up the maki (sushi rolls with seaweed and avacodo and salmon) itself...I love it....except I never know for sure if it's gluten free. sorry this was long winded.

[gfgypsyqueen]

I think there are some free translation sites you could go to. Write a brief blurb about Celiacs and what you need to avoid and see if you can get a translation on one of those sites. The problem is sometimes these translations aren't 100% accurate.

Another option is your college may have a Japanese class? The teacher might be able to help you translate something or verify what you had translated on a site and then use that as your Japanses restaurant card. You might want to learn a few phrases too. Hello, I have a food allergy, and thank you...

You might be able to purchase a book with pre-written celiac blurbs in a variety of languages.

Best of luck!

[missy'smom]

OOPs double post.

[missy'smom]

Hi, I'm new here, I'm starting college in boston in the fall and I was wondering if anyone knows of any sushi places that cater to people with celiac. I'm fine with bringing my own soy sauce but I mean, and this may sound very politically incorrect, the problem is that whenever I've gone to a good sushi place I am unable to communicate well with the waitor/waitress because of a language barrier and I really feel like I need to be sure that there is no grain vinegar in the rice etc etc. I already steer clear of fake crabmeat and of the pickled ginger and wasabi, but I dont want to have to give up the maki (sushi rolls with seaweed and avacodo and salmon) itself...I love it....except I never know for sure if it's gluten free. sorry this was long winded.

If it's just plain vinegar it should be fine, unless it has additives. Can you ask to see the bottle without a long explanation why? The imported products usually have an English label attatched to them. I use regular Japanese rice vinegar at home. The seasoning for sushi rice is usually made with vinegar, sugar and salt. But you are wise to check.

The kind of nori to avoid is called ajitsuke nori-which means flavored nori but if the restaurant is staffed by Japanese and fairly authentic, they wouldn't use it.

Get the Triumph dining cards-international pack, they have one that's written in Japanese.

Tell them you have "Komugiko allergy" and Mugi allergy" the gi is pronounce gee the g doesn't have a j sound

komugi means wheat the ko means flour and mugi means barley

ajinomoto is the word for MSG

The word for Celiac is "Celiac" plus the Japanese word for disease and they've never heard of it so it's not helpful.

hope this helps

[hathor]

I already steer clear of fake crabmeat and of the pickled ginger and wasabi ...

I know about fake crabmeat. But, do you know something I don't about pickled ginger & wasabi? Why would they contain gluten? I have them all the time and don't react.

I also haven't reacted to grain vinegar. It used to be folks said one had to stay away from that, but I thought that recommendation had been dropped with additional study (i.e., no gluten escapes the distillation process). Or have you found that, personally, you DO react to it?

Here is a free food translation service I used when I visited several countries in Europe last summer. Open Original Shared Link You can also download something in Japanese here: Open Original Shared Link (The latter is just for gluten, which is why I used the first one.)

[leelee20]

I know about fake crabmeat. But, do you know something I don't about pickled ginger & wasabi? Why would they contain gluten? I have them all the time and don't react.

I also haven't reacted to grain vinegar. It used to be folks said one had to stay away from that, but I thought that recommendation had been dropped with additional study (i.e., no gluten escapes the distillation process). Or have you found that, personally, you DO react to it?

Here is a free food translation service I used when I visited several countries in Europe last summer. Open Original Shared Link You can also download something in Japanese here: Open Original Shared Link (The latter is just for gluten, which is why I used the first one.)

Thanks everyone for the suggestions! I think I will print out one of those japanese restaurant cards, that would help a lot. I have a friend who also has celiac who eats/drinks distilled vinegars and distilled alchohol from wheat, but I grew up avoiding them, I'm not sure if they make me sick or not. Also if I don't know for sure that the ginger is pickled in gluten-free vinegar I'd rather not take the risk. I just read on this site that even balsamic vinegar can contain gluten...that would explain why I got sick after eating a salad at au bon pain last night. sigh... I've heard conflicting reports about whether or not the wasabi contains gluten. I have no idea what I'm going to do as far as eating at college. None of the food in the cafeterias has ingredients listed and the potential for contamination is pretty high. And I would sound neurotic if I called and asked for a list of the ingredients in everything lol.

[hathor]

Hmmm ... my understanding is that pickled ginger is made with rice vinegar.

Have you run across anybody that has been definitely glutened by a grain vinegar? Like I said before, I thought that was an old fear that had been disproved. As far as safety is concerned, see:

Open Original Shared Link

https://www.celiac.com/st_prod.html?p_prodi...-44107143020.1c

Open Original Shared Link

All the above say the only problem is malt vinegar (or vinegar with flavors added, which you would have to check).

I'm not trying to be argumentative. Obviously, it is up to you what you want to eat. I just hate to see someone eliminating food choices when they don't have to. The diet can be difficult enough as it is.

I did a search about wasabi and I'm finding a difference of opinion. It may depend on whether you get the real stuff? Anyway, I always eat at this one place, that is the closest to where I live and has the best variety of veggie sushi I've seen anywhere. I know I can eat their stuff, so that is pretty much all I need to know.

They look at me funny, because I just spread the wasabi on my sushi because I can't have soy.

Heck, without wasabi I don't think I would even WANT sushi ... it is the whole point for me

I've never gotten sick from balsamic vinegar. The stuff I buy has never contained anything but the vinegar (and I've bought a variety of brands). Yes, I read that discussion about cheap brands containing gluten ... I'll have to check them all out next time I'm at the store. No one has been able to point me to a particular brand with this problem. The sites I mentioned above said that balsamic vinegar was safe.

However, assuming you didn't just get balsamic vinegar by itself, you were probably glutened by another ingredient in a vinagrette. My old favorite, Marie's, contains soy sauce, for instance. Or there could have been cross contamination in your salad -- I can see that easily happening in a place like Au Bon Pain. If the staff cuts sandwiches, for instance, and then doesn't change gloves before making or serving up the salad ... lots of flour in the air ... etc. OK, I'm showing MY paranoia, now! But I guess if one gets sick from salad enough, it isn't paranoia anymore. I recall getting a salad once, where I discovered the kitchen had just picked the croutons out -- I found that out when I bit into a small flake of one.

I hope you are feeling better. It is so difficult to get glutened, particularly when you think you are covering all the bases.

As far as college is concerned, you should talk to them. I remember when I first was diagnosed, I was doing some research and finding advice for college students. (I'm long past college age, so I can't give you my personal experience.) If the food service knows, they should (and legally have to, if I'm not misremembering) accommodate you. They will have experience dealing with celiac students and those with food allergies, religious restrictions, vegetarians, etc. Of course, you don't spring this on the folks dishing up the food; you contact the director. Try googling on something like "celiac college." Here are a couple hits I found to get you started:

Open Original Shared Link

Open Original Shared Link

Open Original Shared Link

[mommyagain]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions! I think I will print out one of those japanese restaurant cards, that would help a lot. I have a friend who also has celiac who eats/drinks distilled vinegars and distilled alchohol from wheat, but I grew up avoiding them, I'm not sure if they make me sick or not. Also if I don't know for sure that the ginger is pickled in gluten-free vinegar I'd rather not take the risk. I just read on this site that even balsamic vinegar can contain gluten...that would explain why I got sick after eating a salad at au bon pain last night. sigh... I've heard conflicting reports about whether or not the wasabi contains gluten. I have no idea what I'm going to do as far as eating at college. None of the food in the cafeterias has ingredients listed and the potential for contamination is pretty high. And I would sound neurotic if I called and asked for a list of the ingredients in everything lol.

You won't sound neurotic, as long as you explain WHY you need the information. Like hathor said, I'm sure they deal with students with dietary restrictions all the time. Will you be living somewhere that you can prepare your own food? I know some colleges/universities will allow people with severe allergies to opt-out of the "mandatory" meal plans rather than risk someone getting sick from their food. Definately contact the school's food service director and explain your situation. Better to do that than risk being sick when you're away at school.

[Mango04]

Hi, I'm new here, I'm starting college in boston in the fall and I was wondering if anyone knows of any sushi places that cater to people with celiac. I'm fine with bringing my own soy sauce but I mean, and this may sound very politically incorrect, the problem is that whenever I've gone to a good sushi place I am unable to communicate well with the waitor/waitress because of a language barrier and I really feel like I need to be sure that there is no grain vinegar in the rice etc etc. I already steer clear of fake crabmeat and of the pickled ginger and wasabi, but I dont want to have to give up the maki (sushi rolls with seaweed and avacodo and salmon) itself...I love it....except I never know for sure if it's gluten free. sorry this was long winded.

I would recommend getting some Triumph (or similair) dining cards...They should help you communicate with any restaurant staff when a language barrier can be an issue....

[leelee20]

My school has on campus apartments with kitchens---but I didnt think to request one until very recently---and I probably wont be able to get one now, and if I could I think I would have to be in the international dorm and I'm not sure I'd want to live there. I did call the school (Northeastern) earlier in the summer, and they are AWFUL as far as food allergies go---I called several different people in the health department, and at least 5 at the company that provides the food and nobody even knew what gluten intolerance is. They kept sending me back to people I had already talked to. This is annoying because my best friend (just diagnosed with celiac) is going to UNH and she got information about their accomodations for food alllergies in the mail, and when she went to the welcome day there was an enormous gluten free section (has its own kitchen to prevent X-contamination). Our schools are about the same size, too. ehhh . So my mother is calling the school now lol. I'm not assertive enough to actually get some answers myself.

[Sterndogg]

Where in Boston are you studying? There are some fantastic places in Brookline including Fugakyu, Tsunami (which is BYOB), Ginza, and Mr. Sushi. Osushi in the Copley Mall is really good too. Douzo which is on Dartmouth Street is on my list to hit up. Ma Soba in Beacon hill is decent as well.

[Sterndogg]

Where in Boston are you studying? There are some fantastic places in Brookline including Fugakyu, Tsunami (which is BYOB), Ginza, and Mr. Sushi. Osushi in the Copley Mall is really good too. Douzo which is on Dartmouth Street is on my list to hit up. Ma Soba in Beacon hill is decent as well.

From a previous post...Douzo uses gluten free soy sauce...

Open Original Shared Link

[leelee20]

Thanks so much for all the restaurant suggestions! I'll be sure to find out how to get to them. I hope I meet lots of people who like going out for sushi...I'm at Northeastern, across the street from the Museum of Fine Arts. I move in tommorrow. I still havent quite figured out the dining hall situation yet, they have brown rice and veggies though (not a big meat eater---mostly fish, preferably raw---not that I can afford to be picky) so I should be set for a while at least lol, on the brightside I wont gain the freshman 15.