Gatlinburg/pigeon Forge Tn

[lynnelise]

I haven't found any recent posts regarding this area so I thought I'd start a new one! My family will be renting a cabin in Pigeon Forge from the 16-20th. I wondered if anyone had any experience with gluten free dining in this area. I see some good possibilities online but I'd like some first hand accounts if possible! I will have a cabin with a kitchen so I know if all else fails I can eat all my meals in but I would really like to enjoy a few out!

Thanks!

[Roda]

I'm not real familure with the dining.. but here is my three experiences. First was at a steak house at the Tanger outlets called the Chop house (eaten there twice) and they were more than accomidating. The server went to ask the chef personally if an item I was inquiring was safe and I got real honest answers to yes or no. I never got sick. The other time was in on the strip along where Wonderworks was and I had a horrible experience. It was Bullfish and the waiter was horrible. It probably wasn't the best choice for me, but I had three hungry kids and a husband so we stopped. I asked for some steamed asparagus plain no seasonings on it at all. When I recieved it it had parsley all over it. I know parsley is gluten free, but that wasn't the point, I asked for it plain. So as I began to eat I noticed a "brown chunk" on my plate an had no idea what it was. I refused to eat it. Luckily I didn't starve since I always have a cooler with me. I don't know if you were plannning on going to Dollywood or not but they have a policy that you can't take any food into the park, but you are welcome to go back to your car and eat. I didn't eat at any of the vendors at the park but my family did. I sat there starving watching them eat before I got to go out to my car and get my food. I was ill as a hornet because my blood sugar dropped. When I finished eating, I packed my bag full of snacks and didn't give a rat's behind if someone said anything to me..I felt with food restrictions that the policy was crap! Ooh, what's the worst they could do to me? Throw me out? I didn't care at that point.

Not sure what kinds of things you like to do but there is no lack of entertainment. We have been to Dollywood, Wonderworks, Ripley's Aquarium and Ripley's museum. All were good times. So far my favorite was the aquarium. I've never stayed in the area since we live close enough to make a day trip out of it.

[lynnelise]

I survived my trip so I thought I'd post a quick update on the dining situation!

Upon arrival we had dinner at Tony Roma's. Due to traffic there was literally no other option but luckily the waitress was VERY familar with gluten-free! She said all the BBQ sauces are safe and the sides are all safe except the rice and those that go into the fryer. She made sure to point out that the green beans are cooked in the fryer! I ordered the chicken and ribs combo w/ steamed brocolli and mashed potatoes. No issues. Everyone loved their dinner!

We got groceries so I could eat breakfast in the cabin and have stuff for meals if nothing safe was available. Krogers on Wears Valley Rd. had a great selection of gluten-free items including Udi's bread AND Cookies!!!! The best chocolate chip cookies I have EVER had. I didn't even know they made them. I can't stress enough how good they were! lol!

The next night we went to Golden Corral which I know was a super risky move. I was traveling with my husband and parents and they really like this place. Their website has a listing of which bar items contain wheat so I used that to make selections. I also only picked items that were wheat free and were seperated from wheat containing items to reduce the risk of someone dropping something in or using the wrong spoon. I had salad, steak, corn, and ice cream. I even took a chance on a chocolate dipped macaroon cookie that was wheat free. No issues...I may have dodged a bullet there!

The next day was Dollywood. Their website has a listing of gluten-free items. I had a turkey leg from the Hickory BBQ place for lunch and a bunless burger from Red's for dinner. The staff was really great, they had a list of which restaurants had gluten-free offerings and at Red's I asked if the fries were in a dedicated fryer and the guy immediately asked if I had a gluten allergy because the fries are seasoned with a gluten containing seasoning and are not safe!!! He also yelled back to the kitchen that I had an allergy and to make sure to change gloves! All this without my asking! Very impressive! Did not get sick and was even able to ride the Mystery Mine after!

Our last night we ate at Bennett's Pit BBQ. There was some confusion with the waitress as she didn't seem to understand gluten. She said the sauces had ketchup so I couldn't eat them(maybe they were going by the old vinegar belief, not sure?). I told her ketchup usually doesn't have gluten so she went to the manager and got a laminated sheet that shows all the ingredients they use for everything. Turns out only one sauce was unsafe, the honey bbq because of wheat containing soy sauce. I ended up ordering the pork shoulder, corn on the cob, and a baked potato. As per their allergy sheet I asked for the potato uncut (they use a common knife to cut them otherwise). I used their house bbq sauce on the pork. Felt great after! No issues.

There were a lot of things I wanted to try but didn't get a change including Bubba Gump's which had a really good looking gluten-free menu and Mellow Mushroom which advertised their gluten-free crust pizza. I should be going back in November so I'm looking forward to these!

[Roda]

Glad you had a great trip. I never gave it a thought when I went to Dolly Wood to see about gluten free dining on their web site. DUH on my part.

[lynnelise]

The real fun is eating a giant turkey leg while trying to look remotely ladylike!

[Gluten Free in Toledo]

This past weekend we stayed in Gatlinburg and had some great gluten free dining experiences.

The Mello Mushroom is a pizza place with gluten-free pizza (prepared and cooked seperately from not gluten-free food. It was fantastic.

The Cherokee Grill has a gluten-free menu, and it was good with many options.

The Steak Peddler does not have a gluten-free menu, but the hostest understood our needs, sat us in the section of the waiter that used to work in the kitchen. He was fantastic and we had a great meal!

[Roda]

Here is another update on the Pigeon Forge area. I went with my oldest son's 5th grade class trip yesterday and we had a really great time. We visited the Titanic, Wonderworks and Dixie Stampede. As far as food, we ate breakfast before we went, lunch at Tony Roma's and the dinner at Dixie Stampede. I had called both places earlier in the week to see if they could accomidate.

I was able to talk to the kitchen manager in charge of their group at Tony Roma's and set up ahead of time what my son and I would eat. All we had to do was say something to our server when we got there. Son got a plain hamburger with bacon and corn on the cob. He ate the burger on a toasted glutino english muffin we brought with us. He loved his meal. I had a sonoma salad that had romain, blue cheese, pecans, cranberries and a grilled chicken breast with red wine vinegarette. Again, food was good and neither of us had any problems.

I called ahead of time to Dixie Stampede also and they said they could do gluten free. They explained in detail how the meals were prepared separate from the rest and that we would be brought out our plates separate. For the normal meals the waiters come around and serve you and put your food on the plates at your seat. Our main meal was pretty much the same as the rest, but without the seasonings on the cornish hen. Food was decent, but the show was the WOW factor. We did not eat the soup, biscuit or turnover, for obvious reasons. Both of us ate and didn't have any issues there either. I left them a comment card and praised them for the gluten free meal. I did suggest maybe a gluten free desert option, something simple as a scoop of icecream or something.

So all in all, we had a great trip yesterday and good dining experiences!! I do not eat out often, so for me to do so twice in one day and NOT get sick, is a great day! Oh, and seeing Dolly Parton live at the Dixie Stampede was a great bonus too!

[1974girl]

Hey Roda! I was at Dollywood yesterday, too! Let me tell you about the most awesome celiac dining experience we have had so far in our 5 months since diagnosis. Yes..it was at a theme park. In Dollywood is the Backstage Restaurant. They were listed on their website as having gluten-free-choices. So we found it after trying to figure out the map(near the entrance) and they were incredible. I told them that we had a "wheat allergy" as I usually do and they gave us a seperate gluten-free menu, complete with prices which you guys know is rare. Then they told us to wait while they "sanitized" our table. Then they came back and apologized that they had sanitized the wrong one....their policy it to make it as far from the kitchen as possible. So they re-cleaned another table. Then, they sat out brand new salt and pepper shakers with the covers still on them. They said they would bring out her silverwear from the back. They let my 11 yr old celiac daughter order first because it will take longer to prepare using extreme caution. ($6.99 kids meal for kids under 11)By now, I am feeling really good about this place and a little worried that I haven't care if my table was "santitized before". I had ordered the skillet fried potatoes smothered in cheese and bacon and sour cream. That was on my dd gluten free menu, too. When I got it, I said outloud.."Wow, I can share these with you!" The waitress quickly said, "Oh, no...these aren't gluten free unless she ordered them because they are fried with everything else." She apologized to me for not making MY meal gluten-free....when I didn't even ask for it to be! (So if you want to share your food, ask for all items to be prepared gluten-free) I have never felt so safe in a restaurant before with her! SO please feel free to eat at Backstage Restaurant at Dollywood. (Also...I saw a whole family eating their own picnic lunch inside the park...loaf of bread out and all. No one has ever asked me one thing if I have taken in something. I think you could sneak your own food in. I know I have before and not even aware of their policy. Just maybe not a blantant cooler. We also did Dixie Stampede on Tuesday night (No Dolly though!) and ordered the gluten free meal. (I sure didn't mind eating her soup!) But you are so correct, they should have something for dessert. We let her take in a Reeces. Also, they read me the bbq sauce ingredients over the phone yet told me her food would be prepared without seasonings. Not really sure why. I think it would be been safe. I wish I had snuck in some sauce for her food. But she was so obsessed by the horses that she didn't even care. Anyway...I just wanted to add this for those worried about Dollywood. We left before dinner for the long ride back home but I wouldn't have hesitated to eat there again.

[BabsV]

Wow, this is all great info. My in-laws live only about an hour away from Pigeon Forge and we usually take our daughter to Dollywood. Nice to know it shouldn't be a problem if we do it again this year!