Gluten Free - Eating Out....

[katiev]

Hi

I'm a 19 year old girl with a wheat allergy, I don't suffer from Celiacs Disease but I can relate to people who do.

I find it very frustrating going out and about with family and friends and not being able to indulge in a slice of chocolate cake, or any form of cake for that matter! I've been looking out for somewhere that caters for people with needs like mine and yours for a long time and these places are few and far between.

So I've been thinking, it's a dangerous thing at times but this time I feel that I may be on to something!

I went to Newquay at Easter and came across a little tea room that did small lunches, quiche and salad that sort of thing, and puddings (waffles and pancakes) and a few different home made cakes. It was the cutest little tea room in the world and I couldn't eat a thing apart from the bloody lettuce leaves! It would have been perfect had they had a range of yummy foods that I could have eaten!

Recently my Grandmother baked me a gluten free carrot cake which tasted, dare I say it, like any beautifully yummy carrot cake you could get from your local Harvester! It was amazing, none of this sand like texture in your mouth which I've become used to when I eat Gluten Free foods (although I admit, the food is slowly getting better)!

So I've got the flour that makes amazing food that tastes like 'normal' food and I've got the idea of the cute tea room catering for people with regular stomachs and stomachs that are on the sensitive side like yours and mine......now all I need is for your opinions and suggestions!

If any of you could get back to me I would be so grateful!

Thanks

Katie x

[allie h.]

I have no trouble eating out. I go to resturants that I know I can eat at. For example my favorite place is a mexican resturant in my town. I usually get tacos (hard shell) and rice, its really yummy. My mom who also has celiac usually gets fajitas with corn tortillas. We've never had a problem.

I also research the resturants online and look at the menu's ahead of time. My standby is usually bringing my own bread and ordering a hamburger (no bun) and using my own bread as the bun. I've never had a problem with it, and don't even tell the waiter why I don't want a bun. I also will eat chicken, or salads (no crutons), soups (read the ingredients and alwasy ask to make sure they don't thicken it with flour).

Resturants don't want to get sued, so if you ask to speak with the manager and head chef they will accomidate you as much as possible. Just plan ahead.

As for deserts, I may get some ice cream. But I usually don't go for deserts, or wait tell I get home. For my b-day, my family will go out to eat and then go home for a gluten-free cake (amazing, I love the cake mix I found its called nasmate I'm not sure how to spell it).

I've given up on eating desersts and breakfast things like pancakes and waffles in resturants. I can make them at home and i'm fine with it.

[ShayFL]

Well I would love a place like that locally here in Tampa FL. And many others would as well. But keep in mind that the restaurant/cafe business is one of the toughest ones to pull off. I dont say this to discourage you from opening your own, but be realistic and only invest money you can afford to lose. Perhaps find a few others who are "for the cause" that will also invest with you.

Best of luck!