Thai Restaurants

[dhiltonlittle]

Are they generally safe? What are some things to look out for/be aware of besides the fried items?

[AlysounRI]

Are they generally safe? What are some things to look out for/be aware of besides the fried items?

With Thai you are generally safe ... there is is soy sauce used in Thai food than in any other Asian cuisine.

The noodles tend to be rice based or the meal is served with rice.

Coconut milk is a staple to make curries.

If you have problems with nuts, you may have to avoid certain things, however, like pad thai.

You might have to ask you server what is in the sauces that come with appetizers.

But the spring rolls are served with rice wrappers and thai food is generally yummy, as is Vietnamese food.

You should be able to eat well at a Thai restaurant and avoid the gluten.

[ciavyn]

HA! I wanted to start a new thread on this, as all the ones I found were old. but glad to see someone else did. I just had pad thai and thai slaw, and I LOVED it! so I was curious as well if others found thai safe. Nice to know there's another restaurant option out there for us!

[kenlove]

I have a problem with most thai places here in Kona as the language barrier makes me uneasy.

ASked them to make sure they used no flour to thicken the curry and repeated it to make sure the waiter got it -- so he removed the flower on the table -- true story --

Some rice noodles sold here are 80% rice and 20% wheat -- Just have to be careful...

Are they generally safe? What are some things to look out for/be aware of besides the fried items?

[ciavyn]

kenlove -- good thoughts. I'm kind of spoiled, as our local Thai restaurant is owned by caucasian Americans...so the language barrier is not an issue!

[Skylark]

I just got glutened at a new Thai place I visited with a friend a couple weeks ago and I made sure the curry had no soy sauce. I asked here and other folks told me that as well as watching out for soy sauce, you can't count on fish sauce or oyster sauce to be gluten-free. Also someone said they asked to see the ingredients on rice noodles at one restaurant and there was wheat listed.

[kayo]

I love Thai food. It's one of the places where I feel fairly safe eating. I typically get pad thai or a curry (typically yellow) and ask for no soy or fish sauce and no tofu. I grew up in an area where we had a lot of Thai, Vietnamese, Cambodian people and restaurants so I've gotten to know the dishes well and which ones can be made to accommodate me, gluten-free and soy free.

[Skylark]

I love Thai food. It's one of the places where I feel fairly safe eating. I typically get pad thai or a curry (typically yellow) and ask for no soy or fish sauce and no tofu. I grew up in an area where we had a lot of Thai, Vietnamese, Cambodian people and restaurants so I've gotten to know the dishes well and which ones can be made to accommodate me, gluten-free and soy free.

Could you share some dishes that we could ask for? I'd be so grateful. You mentioned pad Thai and yellow curry. Any others that work well?

[conniebky]

OMG LOL! You were trying to tell him not to use flour and he took the flower centerpiece off the table? OMG that is hilarious!!!!!!!!!!!!

Not laughin' at you, but that is a REALLY funny story!

[kenlove]

We have many of them here but have a few bad experiences I most likely wont go back -- the good ones have very little English staff.. I used to bring them jackfruit and durian to trade for dinner before I got celiac 5 years ago...

kenlove -- good thoughts. I'm kind of spoiled, as our local Thai restaurant is owned by caucasian Americans...so the language barrier is not an issue!

[kenlove]

It really was funny -- The guy was just smiling and My wife and I just started at each other in disbelief -- a classic moment to be sure...

OMG LOL! You were trying to tell him not to use flour and he took the flower centerpiece off the table? OMG that is hilarious!!!!!!!!!!!!

Not laughin' at you, but that is a REALLY funny story!

[Mskedi]

Unless they make the rice noodles themselves, it's very likely there's some wheat in it. Dried noodles like those used in Pad Thai are generally safe, but fresh noodles like those in Pad See Ew and Lad Naa will likely have wheat.

Soy sauce, oyster sauce, and broth (frequently knorr) all have gluten, and even if you don't order these things, whatever you DO order is likely to be made in a gluten-contaminated wok. Seasoned woks only get cleaned with water -- I wouldn't feel too safe there.

Spring rolls at Thai restaurants are generally wheat, not rice wrappers (I've only seen rice wrappers used at Vietnamese places), thus making anything fried risky. (Plus, wontons would be fried in the same oil.)

Many curry mixes use wheat, but if they make it themselves it's probably safe.

So... as much as I love Thai food, I'd have to say it's probably not the best eating out option. I'm getting my info from someone who grew up in a Thai restaurant kitchen and knows his stuff. Luckily, he also has taught me how to make my favorite dishes at home, so I'm not missing out.

[seezee]

We go to a Thai restaurant that they know us at and they seem pretty good at telling us what has wheat. So far so good. There are two restaurants we go to and both are small places that they know us at. We have had really bad luck at corporate chain kind of places.

[kayo]

I haven't had any problems but they key is to ask questions. Things I love to get (sans gluten/soy of course):

spring rolls, fresh or fried (if made with rice wrapper)

pad thai

yellow, red or green curry

satay

ASked them to make sure they used no flour to thicken the curry and repeated it to make sure the waiter got it -- so he removed the flower on the table

This made me laugh out loud!!