New Orleans gluten-free

[clarkpowers]

I am in New Orleans for work next week and must admit that after some research I am a bit nervous about my Gluten Free options.

Does anyone have any suggestions for gluten-free meals in New Orleans?

Thanks

[tgrahek]

We travel a lot and found New Orleans to be our most challenging city yet. We found a few good places in the French Quarter...we didn't venture out beyond that.

Napoleon's- Red beans and rice with sausage.

Bubba Gump's- several options, they were very aware.

Marriott on Canal Street- we stayed here and let them know ahead of time about our dietary issues. They went out of their way to make things for us including pasta and pancakes. If you don't let them know ahead of time, you can at least be assured that they know what they are doing.

Lucky Dog Stand- we had several chili dogs with no bun. I talked to the company before our trip and double checked the ingredients.

Arby's- when we were tired and hungry we got a few roast beefs with no bun. It works in a pinch.

[pricklypear1971]

I haven't been to NOLA since gluten-free so I can't really help on specifics. Have you googled "new Orleans gluten-free"? You may find restaurant tips.

I can give you a few pointers based on being a LA cook, though. No gumbos, nothing with a sauce - they will generally be roux based (wheat flour/oil).

Stick with high end restaurants that have chefs not cooks. They use fresh food and can tweak their offerings to accommodate you.

Call the hotel and get a fridge or cooler in your room to keep food you buy.

If you tell me where you're staying and where you'll be I might be able to point you to restaurants. Pm it to me if you're uncomfortable.

Off the top, if you go to an Emeril's restaurant you'll probably have good luck. Call ahead to Commander's Palace and ask what they can do for you. I bet they can accommodate.

Resorts like the Casino will probably do an ok job if you call ahead. I've found hotels/resorts are good at food problems since they see so many people from all over the world.

I hate to say this but don't drink coffee at the Cafe du Monde. There's flour all over that joint (or maybe it's a powdered sugar cloud?) and as much as it would kill me, even id skip that one.

Here's an online review I found, and it lists a few places. They did drink coffee at cafe du Monde but I repeat my warning. Open Original Shared Link

If you go to the Times Picayune website you'll probably find a "best of" restaurant list. I'd take that list and pull out the restaurants with "chefs" and concentrate on those. Call them and ask what they can do for you.

And remember raw oysters, boiled shrimp, roasted oysters will all be safe, and boiled crawfish should all be safe. Tabasco is gluten-free, most ketchup is gluten-free, but the horseradish may not be so make your own sauce don't use any premade.

Take snacks with you or cab it to Whole Foods in NOLA. Kind bars are good, fresh fruit and veggies, get a loaf of gluten-free bread or buy some gluten-free crackers and eat cheese/meats in a bind. When in doubt eat before you go out do you aren't starving if you're in a crowd that decides to go to a joint that only serves fried foods.

Drinks - hard distilled liquor is safe. Well, it's gluten-free not safe . So stick with stuff you can easily screen. Watch out for mixers that come in tubs. Usually they are ok but typically they don't know what's in them so it's better to pass.

[clarkpowers]

I haven't been to NOLA since gluten-free so I can't really help on specifics. Have you googled "new Orleans gluten-free"? You may find restaurant tips.

I can give you a few pointers based on being a LA cook, though. No gumbos, nothing with a sauce - they will generally be roux based (wheat flour/oil).

Stick with high end restaurants that have chefs not cooks. They use fresh food and can tweak their offerings to accommodate you.

Call the hotel and get a fridge or cooler in your room to keep food you buy.

If you tell me where you're staying and where you'll be I might be able to point you to restaurants. Pm it to me if you're uncomfortable.

Off the top, if you go to an Emeril's restaurant you'll probably have good luck. Call ahead to Commander's Palace and ask what they can do for you. I bet they can accommodate.

Resorts like the Casino will probably do an ok job if you call ahead. I've found hotels/resorts are good at food problems since they see so many people from all over the world.

I hate to say this but don't drink coffee at the Cafe du Monde. There's flour all over that joint (or maybe it's a powdered sugar cloud?) and as much as it would kill me, even id skip that one.

Here's an online review I found, and it lists a few places. They did drink coffee at cafe du Monde but I repeat my warning. Open Original Shared Link

If you go to the Times Picayune website you'll probably find a "best of" restaurant list. I'd take that list and pull out the restaurants with "chefs" and concentrate on those. Call them and ask what they can do for you.

And remember raw oysters, boiled shrimp, roasted oysters will all be safe, and boiled crawfish should all be safe. Tabasco is gluten-free, most ketchup is gluten-free, but the horseradish may not be so make your own sauce don't use any premade.

Take snacks with you or cab it to Whole Foods in NOLA. Kind bars are good, fresh fruit and veggies, get a loaf of gluten-free bread or buy some gluten-free crackers and eat cheese/meats in a bind. When in doubt eat before you go out do you aren't starving if you're in a crowd that decides to go to a joint that only serves fried foods.

Drinks - hard distilled liquor is safe. Well, it's gluten-free not safe . So stick with stuff you can easily screen. Watch out for mixers that come in tubs. Usually they are ok but typically they don't know what's in them so it's better to pass.

PricklyPear...your wealth of knowledge on this forum is trully wonderful and I thank you for your in depth responses. I look forward to digging through some of the information you have posted for me this evening.

2 days on this forum and I am happily amazed at how inclusive and helpful this community really is. I have to travel often for work and look forward to when I can become a resource for others.

Thank you again

[pricklypear1971]

You're welcome.

I know you're new to this so I'm going to tell you something that will probably elicit frowns.

If you don't already experience urgent symptoms from gluten - d, c, vomiting, nausea, headaches, etc. you get it....you're going to probably be ok going gluten light through NOLA.

Now, I am not a proponent of "gluten light" because it doesn't work to relieve the problems of Celiac. But what it will do, in the short term, is not send you into gluten withdrawal triggering gluten reactions when you get glutened.

Another way to put it - once you go 100% gluten-free you will likely have severe reactions when you get glutened.

Now, you travel alot so you're in a tough situation...and you'll really have to work at screening your restaurants. So you'll probably be "gluten light" for a while simply due to learning curve - and that's ok, you'll get there. The goal is 100% and you should strive for it. But don't stress about this trip and just start practicing your gluten-free skills. You'll mess up. We all did. But you'll get there.

You also will want to get some restaurant cards. I think they sell them on Celiac.com - its a prewritten note to restaurants explaining what your restrictions are. Makes it much easier to communicate. Your server can take it to the kitchen and show the chef.

[pricklypear1971]

Oh, and don't eat any veggie souffles or casseroles. They'll put flour in there, usually. When I make LA recipes I'm constantly subbing a tablespoon here or there. Ask what form the veggies are in when you order. Don't assume spinach is saut

[clarkpowers]

Liquor and Oysters can carry one far...thanks again.

Tim