What Can We Eat In Japanese Restaurants If There's No Sushi?

DingoGirl · December 15, 2008

Hi all,

Three people I don't know well are taking me to lunch this week at their favorite Japanese restaurant, and I just don't want to make a fuss (they know I'm Celiac but I told them it would be fine).

I did find out there's no sushi at this restaurant except for perhaps California Rolls and - I don' know if those are safe? It's been so long since I've eaten at a Japanese restaurant (other than sushi) that I assume most things are bathed in teryaki.

This is not an upscale new/faux Japanese - this is downtown and very old.....not even sure anyone working there speaks enough English to understand if I explain the diet, adn I don't want to create some sort of show-stopping diversion....

Hints? Thanks!

Lisa · December 15, 2008

Susie, I hope this is legible enough to use. You may be able to find a better translation for Japanese Dining Cards.

Open Original Shared Link

It might say "serve me yeti tartar" for all I know.

mhb · December 15, 2008

DingoGirl said:
Hi all,

Three people I don't know well are taking me to lunch this week at their favorite Japanese restaurant, and I just don't want to make a fuss (they know I'm Celiac but I told them it would be fine).

I did find out there's no sushi at this restaurant except for perhaps California Rolls and - I don' know if those are safe? It's been so long since I've eaten at a Japanese restaurant (other than sushi) that I assume most things are bathed in teryaki.

This is not an upscale new/faux Japanese - this is downtown and very old.....not even sure anyone working there speaks enough English to understand if I explain the diet, adn I don't want to create some sort of show-stopping diversion....

Hints? Thanks!

Sometimes tempura is made using corn starch rather than wheat. As long as the fryer didn't have gluten items in it that may work if you can communicate it to them. Call ahead if you can so you know what will work. If tempura, eat well before going and just have vegetable tempura. You could check the soups, but they may all have wheat.

missy'smom · December 15, 2008

If you're going to use one from the site mommagoose posted use the high resolution version she linked to. My husband(who's Japanese) couldn't read the other one, card form, on that site, when we printed it out-the details in the Chinese characters aren't clear enough to distinguish them from other similar ones so the meaning gets muddled(in his opinion). Kenlove posted some phrases in Japanese a while back I think.

Don't get miso soup or the ginger/carrot/veg. based dressing that often comes on the salads(it has soy sauce). Don't drink barley tea(mugi-cha). Mugi(pronounced moo-gee) means barley, Komugi means wheat. Bring your own soy sauce. The typical Japanese mayo has malt vinegar in it. The curry base for curry rice is not gluten-free. The seaweed(nori) that is sprinkled on dishes might not be gluten-free(it's called ajitsuke(flavored) and is different from the sushinori. The crab(fake) in the California roll is not gluten-free-sub for real crab meat if they have it. Ask about ingredients added to egg dishes.

These are some things that I get at more upscale places or places that serve alot of small dishes-I give them my soy sauce and ask them to prepare them gluten-free-

You could get cold tofu with grated fresh ginger and other toppings and pour some soy sauce on(hiyayakko)

sautee'd mixed mushrooms in butter sauce

spinach with sesame(horenso no gomae)

spinach ohitashi(provided that the dashi(broth) is gluten-free

hotpot(nabe)(the broth made only with konbu(kelp) and water

whatever meat they have, simply sauteed and served with steamed rice

vegetable stir fry(yasai-itame)

You're right to be wary of soy sauce. It's in SO MANY dishes. It is a staple seasoning, even when things are not obviously drowing in it. Some of those places that sell comfort foods have alot of fried items served with rice or omlettes and rice or curries and rice. They don't necessarily work with alot of fresh ingredients and their processed foods/ingredients have as much gluten in them as ours do.

DingoGirl · December 15, 2008

Momma Goose said:
It might say "serve me yeti tartar" for all I know.

:lol: you NUT!!!!!!!!

Thanks for the replies! Wow - this sounds even more challenging than I thought.....I want to eat something so they don't feel awkward but....can't imagine what that will be.

I'm going to call in advance and see if I can get an English-speaker.

kenlove · December 16, 2008

Dont think you have to worry about yeti tartar but basashi (horse sashimi) is a possibility -- well maybe not outside of Japan.

Don't get the Calif. Rolls. They usually have imitation crab meat which is surimi and contains wheat. The nori or seaweed, if the cheaper Korean made seaweed sometimes is processed with shoyu -- soy sauce which also has wheat.

Like missy'smom said,

spinach with sesame(horenso no gomae) if no soy sauce

spinach ohitashi(provided that the dashi(broth) is gluten-free with no soy sauce

should be ok -- Usually it's up to the chef .

Sometimes just grilled fish with salt and no soy sauce is doable in many places.

you can also bring your own wheat free soy sauce which you can get at most groceries.

Sometimes chefs don't know that there is wheat (komugi and merikenko) in soy sauce or soba noodles.

Ask them to check the labels if there is a question. Juwari soba is 100% soba which is ok for us.

Good luck

Ken

DingoGirl said:
:lol: you NUT!!!!!!!!

Thanks for the replies! Wow - this sounds even more challenging than I thought.....I want to eat something so they don't feel awkward but....can't imagine what that will be.

I'm going to call in advance and see if I can get an English-speaker.