Sushi Out?

[SaraKat]

I think I am going out for sushi this weekend. I know a lot of sushi is gluten-free- when you go out for it do you tell them you are celiac or have an allergy or just order what you know is safe?

What are some good rolls to order? What should I be aware of with sushi (I know no tempura and soy sauce, what else)? This is my first time going out for sushi since being dx'd.

Thanks!

[Skylark]

I usually keep it simple. Tuna roll or a Philadelphia roll, and then some nigiri like tuna (maguro), yellowtail (hamachi), shrimp (ebi), or toro. I sometimes order scallop nigiri, if I can make sure it's whole scallops and not chopped scallops in sauce. And don't forget the edamame. As far as I know, the pickled ginger is safe. If you can find it, San J makes packets of gluten-free soy sauce you can carry with you. You can also order vegetable rolls, like cucumber, avocado, or pickled daikon.

I have a lot of trouble finding fancier rolls without gluten ingredients. Americanized sushi all seems to have either tempura, fake crab meat, or something teriyaki in it. Ponzo sauce is also not gluten-free as it has soy sauce in it. Sadly, some of the really good cooked sushi like unagi, salmon skin, and tamagoyaki (eggs) often also have soy sauce. I've been avoiding wasabi because it can have flour added to it, and since someone here said that masago and ikura (roe) can have soy sauce added, I've avoided those.

Some of the more exotic foods like tako and uni should be OK, although I don't know for sure.

One thing I've done is sat at the bar and told the chef that I am allergic to the wheat gluten in soy sauce, ponzo and fake crab, and could he make a roll that has only fish, rice, vegetables, and seaweed? I have gotten some wonderful concoctions that way.

[foodiegurl]

I just had sushi last night, and the first place we went to, we ordered, got our drinks and then he waiter tells us there is wheat in the seasoning they put on the rice for the sushi. Ugh...so we left and went to another sushi place. I was shocked and never would have expected it in the rice. I posted it on Twitter and others responded that they had, had similar experiences, so be sure to ask about anything being added to the rice.

Good luck!

[Skylark]

I just had sushi last night, and the first place we went to, we ordered, got our drinks and then he waiter tells us there is wheat in the seasoning they put on the rice for the sushi. Ugh...so we left and went to another sushi place. I was shocked and never would have expected it in the rice. I posted it on Twitter and others responded that they had, had similar experiences, so be sure to ask about anything being added to the rice.

Good luck!

OMG. It's supposed to be rice, salt, sugar, and rice vinegar. How the heck to you add wheat to that.

[i-geek]

Avoid California rolls unless they are made with real crab meat. Imitation crab often has wheat starch added as a binder.

I ate sushi last night: salmon roll and chili tuna roll (restaurant specialty: tuna meat mixed with chili sauce (Sriracha) and sesame oil. I skipped the wasabi and brought my own soy sauce. Good stuff and no problems. I also ate a TON of sushi in Japan because it was both delicious and a reliably safe way to eat. I stuck to fish/veggie combos with no sauces, used the soy sauce I brought from the USA, and had really good luck that way.

[Nor-TX]

I love sushi but stick to sashimi now. We have some wonderful sushi buffets and I eat only the sashimi, steamed rice. I bring my own wasabi (without wheat) and my own little packets of soy sauce. Other than being full, I have never experienced any problems.

[brendygirl]

I eat out frequently and hate to say that I've been glutened several times at sushi places, to the point where I don't go anymore.

Even watching them right in front of me, some chefs do not speak English and when I tell a translator that when they are cutting the sushi rolls with fake crab and tempura "crunchies" and stuff, I can get sick if they don't use a clean surface and a clean knife. Then they take the towel they've been wiping their hands and stuff on all night and wipe the counter/cutting board. And I'm like- that is not clean!

And they roll all the rolls with that bamboo thing. They could use clean saran wrap to roll it, but do they?

Once, I was unaware about the roe, so it was my own ignorance.

And it is just no fun to watch everyone eat the cooked stuff and the fancy rolls with sauces and all I have is a dry piece of tuna and rice with lemon.

The edamame is good, but I have that at home all the time, so not a big deal.

[SaraKat]

I went to Koi in NYC a couple weeks ago and they told me all the white rice has gluten in it there (I guess it is in the stuff that makes the rice sticky). So, I ordered steamed Chilean sea bass with vegetables, it was good, but not the sushi I wanted.

Coincidentally I have a BDAY dinner at a sushi place tonight, I guess I will either be ordering steamed plain food or sashimi and edamame.

[joey1011]

I went to Koi in NYC a couple weeks ago and they told me all the white rice has gluten in it there (I guess it is in the stuff that makes the rice sticky). So, I ordered steamed Chilean sea bass with vegetables, it was good, but not the sushi I wanted.

Coincidentally I have a BDAY dinner at a sushi place tonight, I guess I will either be ordering steamed plain food or sashimi and edamame.

They may be confusing glutinous rice with gluten. Sushi rice has no gluten when prepared with the proper ingredients. Koi is upscale, so I doubt they would be cutting corners like many of the Chinese run lunchbox sushi places do in NYC.

Personally, I've never had an issue with sushi anywhere, and I usually get a 3 day reaction from even the tiniest bit of cross-contamination.