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

Abuelo's In Plano Texas


home-based-mom

Recommended Posts

home-based-mom Contributor

I will be attending a short missions conference in Plano, Texas next week. I have been in contact with someone from the host church about food (it turns out she is diabetic so she isn't a total stranger to food issues!) and she informed me that on Saturday the group will be going to "Abuelo's high scale Mexican restaurant." I googled Abuelo's and it seems there are 3 of them in Plano and I don't know which one we will be going to or if that matters.

Their menu (I looked online) seems to consist of a lot of seasoned this and seasoned that. I e-mailed them but so far they have not responded. Not a very encouraging sign.

Anyway, if has anyone eaten there, could you give me some ideas as to what might be safe?

Thanks! :)


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



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



ShayFL Enthusiast

I found this online. And a few threads that said they actually have a gluten-free menu. Still...take some of your own food in your purse just in case:

Abuelo's Mexican Food Embassy located on University Drive offers a few gluten-free items on their menu. Their staff is well-trained and understands the specifics needs of a gluten-intolerant customer. The best method to eating safely at Abuelo's is to request to speak with the manager. Each manager and assistant manager identifies the fears of eating out and being allergic to gluten. They will further assist you in making a safe and enjoyable choice for your meal. You may contact the restaurant ahead of time by calling (979) 260-3400 and asking for a manager. You may also visit their Web site at Open Original Shared Link

ohsotired Enthusiast
I will be attending a short missions conference in Plano, Texas next week. I have been in contact with someone from the host church about food (it turns out she is diabetic so she isn't a total stranger to food issues!) and she informed me that on Saturday the group will be going to "Abuelo's high scale Mexican restaurant." I googled Abuelo's and it seems there are 3 of them in Plano and I don't know which one we will be going to or if that matters.

Their menu (I looked online) seems to consist of a lot of seasoned this and seasoned that. I e-mailed them but so far they have not responded. Not a very encouraging sign.

Anyway, if has anyone eaten there, could you give me some ideas as to what might be safe?

Thanks! :)

home_based_mom - you'll be in my neck of the woods! Small world........

I've eaten at Abuelo's before (yummy!) but not in a gluten free capacity. I agree with Shay, I'd be calling the manager at one of the restaurants. Is there any way you can find out which one you're going to?

If you need to do some gluten-free shopping while you're in town, head to Open Original Shared Link

I hear it's awesome (need to go check it out myself).

Also, we have Whole Foods, Central Market, Sprouts and several smaller health food stores that would be good places to shop if you need something while you're here.

Any chance you'll have any free time while in town? If so, don't hesitate to give me shout, ok?

home-based-mom Contributor
home_based_mom - you'll be in my neck of the woods! Small world........

I've eaten at Abuelo's before (yummy!) but not in a gluten free capacity. I agree with Shay, I'd be calling the manager at one of the restaurants. Is there any way you can find out which one you're going to?

If you need to do some gluten-free shopping while you're in town, head to Open Original Shared Link

I hear it's awesome (need to go check it out myself).

Also, we have Whole Foods, Central Market, Sprouts and several smaller health food stores that would be good places to shop if you need something while you're here.

Any chance you'll have any free time while in town? If so, don't hesitate to give me shout, ok?

Hey! Small world is right! I'm afraid there will be no free time. We get in Friday afternoon (a week from today) and it's pretty much non-stop until we leave Sunday morning. I searched all over Abuelo's website for anything regarding allergy or gluten concerns and there is absolutely nothing. Their menu is posted, but it doesn't give any clues. I used their "contact us" link but as I said no one has gotten back to me yet.

I will try to find out which Abuelo's but it's probably the one on North Central Expressway as that seems to be much closer to the host church and we do have to get back for the evening session!

Thanks for the input so far! Much appreciated!

larry mac Enthusiast

There are only two Abuelo's in Plano, east & west. The east one is on North Central Exprswy. I've eaten there. They are beautiful restaraunts, with an eclectic menu. I asked to speak with the manager, informed him I had Celiac, bla bla bla, and he told me the same story you will find at almost every single mexican place. Most of the sauces use wheat flour as the thickener. That effectively rules out enchiladas, and anything with ground beef.

I can't remember what I had. I think it was a dish with beef medallions, or something not Tex-Mex, which I would prefer. I didn't get sick however. Good luck.

best regards, lm

Laurad- Apprentice

I ate at Abuelo's while in College Station, Texas last month. I wasn't in an explaining mood so I just told the waitress I have allergies and special ordered cheese quesadillas on corn tortillas (my back-up at all Mexican restaurants). It turned out great. They put an extra layer of cheese on top of them, so they were super intense and delicious and I couldn't even finish them, and they didn't make me sick. It was a good experience for me, so it might work for you too.

CaraLouise Explorer

This was posted by the leader of the CSA group in OKC on their message board. Hope this helps!

Here's the gluten-free menu as of July 1, 2008:

Abuelos Mexican Food Embasy

Gluten Free Menu

Items listed are gluten free or can be modified as noted to be gluten free!

Appetizers

Guacamole

Nacho Bowl


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



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



home-based-mom Contributor
Tilapia Veracruz
lovegrov Collaborator

Dupe. Deleted by author.

lovegrov Collaborator

I can't remember what I had at our Abuelo's (in Virginia), but the manager was extremely helpful. The choices are somewhat limited but I think they adjusted some things. I had a good meal.

richard

slmprofesseur Apprentice
I can't remember what I had at our Abuelo's (in Virginia), but the manager was extremely helpful. The choices are somewhat limited but I think they adjusted some things. I had a good meal.

richard

Hey! I am in Roanoke too. I am afraid to eat out because people look at me like I am crazy. It's good to know our Abuelos is ok.

home-based-mom Contributor

I am back and everything went so well! :)

On the plane trip I took frozen banana bread and trail mix. Tossed my pennies per bottle water on one side of security and bought dollars per bottle water on the other :ph34r: but I didn't get sick! :)

I had corresponded back and forth with the host church about my needs, and when we got there they had cooked my chicken separately, had me fix my salad myself - opened a new bag and cut my own tomato. There was also fresh corn and fresh green beans. I didn't get sick! :)

Breakfast Saturday was at the host family's home. She scrambled eggs with a previously unopened stick of butter. I didn't get sick! :)

For lunch they had actually bought me a loaf of gluten-free bread!!! Better yet it wasn't made with brown rice flour!!! The lunch meat was safe, I sliced my own tomato, the mayo was in packets and I didn't get sick! :)

I don't think those people have any idea what they managed to pull off! :lol:

Dinner was Abuelo's. I called to speak to the manager ahead of time and he said to just ask for the gluten-free menu. :huh::huh::huh: Why is it not posted on the web site that they even offer such a thing? :blink: Anyway, when we got there (party of 40-ish!) the gluten-free menu turned out to be more or less what was posted in Post #7. I had the Reynosa Salad which was very tasty and I didn't get sick! :)

We left very early this morning so food on the way home was more banana bread and trail mix.

Did I mention that I didn't get sick? :lol:

Stacey52783 Newbie

I don't know about the Abuelos in Plano, but I am going to the one in Lewisville, TX tonight for a non-profit benefit and called up the manager between lunch and dinner (I don't like calling when restaurants are at their busiest). The manager informed me that he himself has food allergies (iodine and shellfish) and the entire staff is very aware of gluten intolerance and cross contamination. He even told me to ask my waiter for the gluten free menu that they have available. I don't think all Abuleos are this good since the gluten free menu is not listed on their website, so I was pleasantly suprised. He went in to saying that they make sure pans, tongs, and gloves are clean, because of the cross contamination risk. I would advise anyone to just call up Abuelos they wish to go to and ask to speak to the manager. Sometimes I feel that the restaurant's understanding of gluten intolerance and celiac disease is better than a restaurant just having a "gluten free selection" on their site or menu. I'll post later about my experience!!

ShayFL Enthusiast

I got burned this weekend at Cheescake where the server informed me that the Manager himself is Celiac!! The server was oh so reassuring, but I got veggies cooked in pasta water.

Sooooo ALWAYS ask for the MANAGER. This is what I have learned.

babysteps Contributor
I am back and everything went so well! :)

On the plane trip I took frozen banana bread and trail mix. Tossed my pennies per bottle water on one side of security and bought dollars per bottle water on the other :ph34r: but I didn't get sick! :)

Did I mention that I didn't get sick? :lol:

Hooray for safe traveling!

On water at security - I simply empty any liquid in my water bottle before security, go through with it empty (and uncapped). There is almost always a drinking fountain someplace inside security where I can refill my bottle & put the cap back on. Much less annoying for me than the "dollars per bottle" that is indeed the norm these days :)

Archived

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

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Celiac.com:
    Join eNewsletter
    Donate

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):





    Celiac.com Sponsors (A17-M):




  • Recent Activity

    1. - cristiana replied to Scatterbrain's topic in Sports and Fitness
      5

      Feel like I’m starting over

    2. - knitty kitty replied to Jmartes71's topic in Related Issues & Disorders
      8

      My only proof

    3. - Wheatwacked replied to Jmartes71's topic in Coping with Celiac Disease
      8

      Related issues

    4. - NanceK replied to Jmartes71's topic in Related Issues & Disorders
      8

      My only proof


  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):



  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      132,298
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748

    drewbee2294
    Newest Member
    drewbee2294
    Joined

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):


  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.5k
    • Total Posts
      1m

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):





  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):



  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • cristiana
      Hi @Scatterbrain Thank you for your reply.   Some of these things could be weaknesses, also triggered by stress, which perhaps have come about as the result of long-term deficiencies which can take a long time to correct.   Some could be completely unrelated. If it is of help, I'll tell you some of the things that started in the first year or two, following my diagnosis - I pinned everything on coeliac disease, but it turns out I wasn't always right!  Dizziness, lightheaded - I was eventually diagnosed with cervical dizziness (worth googling, could be your issue too, also if you have neck pain?)  A few months after diagnosis I put my neck out slightly carrying my seven-year-old above my head, and never assigned any relevance to it as the pain at the time was severe but so short-lived that I'd forgotten the connection. Jaw pain - stress. Tinnitus - I think stress, but perhaps exacerbated by iron/vitamin deficiencies. Painful ribs and sacroiliac joints - no idea, bloating made the pain worse. It got really bad but then got better. Irregular heart rate - could be a coincidence but my sister (not a coeliac) and I both developed this temporarily after our second Astra Zeneca covid jabs.   Subsequent Pfizer jabs didn't affect us. Brain fog - a big thing for people with certain autoimmune issues but in my case I think possibly worse when my iron or B12 are low, but I have no proof of this. Insomnia - stress, menopause. So basically, it isn't always gluten.  It might be worth having your vitamins and mineral levels checked, and if you have deficiencies speak to your Dr about how better to address them?    
    • knitty kitty
      @NanceK, I do have Hypersensitivity Type Four reaction to Sulfa drugs, a sulfa allergy.  Benfotiamine and other forms of Thiamine do not bother me at all.  There's sulfur in all kinds of Thiamine, yet our bodies must have it as an essential nutrient to make life sustaining enzymes.  The sulfur in thiamine is in a ring which does not trigger sulfa allergy like sulfites in a chain found in pharmaceuticals.  Doctors are not given sufficient education in nutrition (nor chemistry in this case).  I studied Nutrition before earning a degree in Microbiology.  I wanted to know what vitamins were doing inside the body.   Thiamine is safe and nontoxic even in high doses.   Not feeling well after starting Benfotiamine is normal.  It's called the "thiamine paradox" and is equivalent to an engine backfiring if it's not been cranked up for a while.  Mine went away in about three days.  I took a B Complex, magnesium and added molybdenum for a few weeks. It's important to add a B Complex with all eight essential B vitamins. Supplementing just one B vitamin can cause lows in some of the others and result in feeling worse, too.  Celiac Disease causes malabsorption of all the B vitamins, not just thiamine.  You need all eight.  Thiamine forms including Benfotiamine interact with each of the other B vitamins in some way.  It's important to add a magnesium glycinate or chelate supplement as well.  Forms of Thiamine including Benfotiamine need magnesium to make those life sustaining enzymes.  (Don't use magnesium oxide.  It's not absorbed well.  It pulls water into the intestines and is used to relieve constipation.)   Molybdenum is a trace mineral that helps the body utilize forms of Thiamine.   Molybdenum supplements are available over the counter.  It's not unusual to be low in molybdenum if low in thiamine.   I do hope you will add the necessary supplements and try Benfotiamine again. Science-y Explanation of Thiamine Paradox: https://hormonesmatter.com/paradoxical-reactions-with-ttfd-the-glutathione-connection/#google_vignette
    • Wheatwacked
      Your goal is not to be a good puppet, there is no gain in that. You might want to restart the ones that helped.  It sounds more like you are suffering from malnutrition.  Gluten free foods are not fortified with things like Thiamine (B1), vitamin D, Iodine, B1,2,3,5,6 and 12 as non-gluten free products are required to be. There is a Catch-22 here.  Malnutrition can cause SIBO, and SIBO can worsen malnutrition. Another possibility is side effects from any medication that are taking.  I was on Metformin 3 months before it turned me into a zombi.  I had crippling side effects from most of the BP meds tried on me, and Losartan has many of the side effects on me from my pre gluten free days. Because you have been gluten free, you can test and talk until you are blue in the face but all of your tests will be negative.  Without gluten, you will not create the antigen against gluten, no antigens to gluten, so no small intestine damage from the antigens.  You will need to do a gluten challange to test positive if you need an official diagnosis, and even then, no guaranty: 10 g of gluten per day for 6 weeks! Then a full panel of Celiac tests and biopsy. At a minimum consider vitamin D, Liquid Iodine (unless you have dermatitis herpetiformis and iodine exasperates the rash), and Liquid Geritol. Push for vitamin D testing and a consult with a nutritionist experienced with Celiack Disease.  Most blood tests don't indicate nutritional deficiencies.  Your thyroid tests can be perfect, yet not indicate iodine deficiency for example.  Thiamine   test fine, but not pick up on beriberi.  Vegans are often B12 deficient because meat, fish, poultry, eggs, and dairy are the primary souces of B12. Here is what I take daily.  10,000 IU vitamin D3 750 mg g a b a [   ] 200 mg CoQ10 [   ] 100 mg DHEA [   ] 250 mg thiamine B1 [   ] 100 mg of B2 [   ] 500 mg B5 pantothenic acid [   ] 100 mg B6 [   ] 1000 micrograms B12 n [   ] 500 mg vitamin c [   ] 500 mg taurine [   ] 200 mg selenium   
    • NanceK
      Hi…Just a note that if you have an allergy to sulfa it’s best not to take Benfotiamine. I bought a bottle and tried one without looking into it first and didn’t feel well.  I checked with my pharmacist and he said not to take it with a known sulfa allergy. I was really bummed because I thought it would help my energy level, but I was thankful I was given this info before taking more of it. 
    • Wheatwacked
      Hello @Scatterbrain, Are you getting enough vitamins and minerals.  Gluten free food is not fortified so you may be starting to run low on B vitamins and vitamin D.   By the way you should get your mom checked for celiac disease.  You got it from your mom or dad.  Some studies show that following a gluten-free diet can stabilize or improve symptoms of dementia.  I know that for the 63 years I was eating gluten I got dumber and dumber until I started GFD and vitamin replenishment and it began to reverse.  Thiamine can get used up in a week or two.  Symptoms can come and go with daily diet.  Symptoms of beriberi due to Thiamine deficiency.   Difficulty walking. Loss of feeling (sensation) in hands and feet. Loss of muscle function or paralysis of the lower legs. Mental confusion. Pain. Speech difficulties. Strange eye movements (nystagmus) Tingling. Any change in medications? Last March I had corotid artery surgery (90 % blockage), and I started taking Losartan for blood pressure, added to the Clonidine I was taking already.  I was not recovering well and many of my pre gluten free symptoms were back  I was getting worse.  At first I thought it was caused a reaction to the anesthesia from the surgery, but that should have improved after two weeks.  Doctor thought I was just being a wimp. After three months I talked to my doctor about a break from the Losartan to see if it was causing it. It had not made any difference in my bp.  Except for clonindine, all of the previous bp meds tried had not worked to lower bp and had crippling side effects. One, I could not stand up straight; one wobbly knees, another spayed feet.  Inguinal hernia from the Lisinopril cough.  Had I contiued on those, I was destined for a wheelchair or walker. She said the symptoms were not from Losartan so I continued taking it.  Two weeks later I did not have the strength in hips and thighs to get up from sitting on the floor (Help, I can't get up😨).  I stopped AMA (not recommended).  Without the Losartan, a) bp did not change, after the 72 hour withdrawal from Losartanon, on clonidine only and b) symptoms started going away.  Improvement started in 72 hours.  After six weeks they were gone and I am getting better.  
×
×
  • 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.