Safe Restaurants

[Guest Stepha]

I was just curious if anyone could tell me of large chains or restaurants in CO that provide a gluten free menu or adapt to the disease.

[lovegrov]

Do oyu have Outback or PG Chang's? Also McDonald's and Wendy's.

richard

[wildones]

PF Changs actually has a gluten free menu !!

I was so excited when I saw it !!! My boys even liked the gluten-free food

Are you in the Denver metro area ?

There is a PF Changs at Flatirons Crossing mall and at Park Meadows mall, and probably other places in CO too.

There is a bakery in Colorado Springs too called outside the breadbox owned by a couple with a daughter w/ celiac. I order some stuff from there, and it was pretty good.

www.outsidethebreadbox.com

I really like the gluten free pantry mixes that I have found at Whole foods too.

I will also be interested in hearing about more restaurants we could try.

[Guest Stepha]

Yes I do live in metro Denver! And my dad lives in Colo. Sprgs.! Thank you for those great places, if anyone else has suggestions let me know. I am curious in finding out what Richard has to say about places like Wendy's we have them but what can they do?

If I find any restaurants I'll let you know wildones. Love the name by the way!

[gf4life]

Open Original Shared Link

Wendy's has a printable list of their gluten free foods on their website. You can find it at the link above. They actually have quite a few more items on their menu than McDonald's. I haven't tried them yet, so I hope that the cross-contamination issues can be kept to a minimum when we do eat there. I hate getting sick from eating out.

God bless,

Mariann

[Guest Stepha]

Thank you for clearing up the Wendy's thing. I have more questions about P.F. Chang's and Out of the Bread Box.

When you go to P.F. Chang's do you ask a waiter or waitress for a gluten-free menu?

What are your favorite foods from Out of the Bread Box?

Thank you.

[oreyes]

Mariann,

Thanks so much for the information about Wendy's. I didn't realize they had a gluten free menu. It's nice to know there's a quick stop chain that carries gluten free products. If there are any others, please post them. I live in Oklahoma City but we don't have some of the chains that are on the east and west coasts. Thanks bunches.................Judy

[Guest jhmom]

Not sure if this chain is in your area or not but Chick-Fil-A also has a gluten free menu and can be found on their website Open Original Shared Link

I hope this helps

[oreyes]

Stacie..........

Thanks so much for the information. Yes, we do have Chic-fil-A restaurants here. It's nice to know there are some fast-food restaurants that aren't forbidden.

Judy

[jaimek]

I wrote Chilis an email asking if they had any gluten-free items on their menu. Here is their reply:

Thank you very much for your email. We are very happy to provide you with a list of suggested items.

Please be aware that we cannot guarantee that any item is completely wheat-free due to cross-contamination possibilities in the preparation of our food items. Therefore, the list we have compiled is based on information obtained from our supplier ingredient:

Bacon Burger with no bun, no dill pickles, no mayo

Baked Potato Soup

Chilis Filet Steak- no garlic toast

Chips- no salsa

Chocolate Shake

Citrus Fire Chicken and Shrimp

Flamed-grilled Ribeye- no garlic toast

Salmon and Rice with steamed veggies- no ginger citrus sauce

Kid Burger- no bun

Margarita-grilled chicken- no black beans or kettle beans

Mashed Potatoes

Mushroom Swiss burger- no mayo, no dill pickles, no bun

Old Timer Burger with or without cheese- no mustard, no bun, no dill pickles

Side of Sauteed mushrooms

Tuna Steak Sandwich- no aioli dressing, no bun

French fries do not have a dedicated fryer so they are not safe to eat.

Hope this gives you one more place to eat out.

[lovegrov]

You can print out PF Chang's gluten-free menu from their web site. It's under cuisine. The only one I've been to also had it printed out. Some PF Chang's might stick strictly to that menu, but the reality is that most of their menu items can be made gluten-free. I know people who have had the lettuce wraps even though they're not on the list. In many cases, all the chef has to do is substitute a gluten-free sauce for the regular one.

[oreyes]

Jaimek............

I feel as if I've opened Pandora's Box with the responses I've received. Thank you so much. We do have Chilli's in my area. I've not eaten there very often the past three years, not knowing what might be gluten free. One of my favorite restaurants has a Baked Potato Soup (my favorite) but I was told it had flour as an ingredient so I'm thrilled that Chilli's has one that's gluten free.

As I've posted on another site, I've not researched this as I should. This site has really spured my enthusiasm. I didn't realize restaurants would be so receptive. I do feel as this becomes more recognized in the U.S. there will be many changes. Thanks to all of you that have given me suggestions..............

Judy

[lauderdalehawk44]

I love eatting at Wendys and now that I have celiac disease I had to switch my eatting habbits a bit now I get the spring salad, baked potato, and fries. Question is I didnt see fries on the gluten free list anybody have any problems with the fries from Wendy's ?

[lovegrov]

It's my understanding that while the Wendy's fries are gluten-free, not every single restaurant

richard has a dedicated fryer. You have to ask.

And remember that even at the best restaurants, contamination is always a risk.

[lauradawn]

I just wanted to let you know.... Im in COLO too.! I contacted our local Carrabbas Italian Grill since they are owned by the same company as OUtback. They said they do not have a specific gluten-free menu, but they do everything they can to accomadate those with special needs. She suggested talking to a manager when you go it, and explain the situation. They will make sure the grill has been cleaned before making your food, and that anything special you need they will try to accomadate. They also said that if you need your own pasta, they dont' mind making your own pasta for you if you bring it in! I thought that was pretty cool. Mind you I've never been there to see if it is a succesful dining experience, but it sounds like they are willing to help.

[wildones]

PF Changs has a gluten free menu, that you will need to ask for. I have asked, and so has a friend of mine, about a 'dedicated area' for gluten-free foods, and both restaurants (Flatirons and Park Meadows) said they did have that. I haven't ordered anything besides what is on the gluten-free menu, to be made gluten-free, but I think they are glad to do that.

Here's a link to ouside the breadbox

www.outsidethebreadbox.com

I liked the chocolate and carrot cakes, but it is pretty hard to go wrong with desserts . I was at my first Denver area CSA ?- celiac association meeting, and outside the breadbox brought some new crackers they were working on. I though they were both pretty good. I didn't really care for the bread I ordered from them, but haven't found any bread I like yet. The best so far is the gluten-free pantry breadmix that we make in our breadmaker. If you slice it very thin, and toast it it is pretty good.

We haven't tried Outback yet, but I have no desire to cook tonight, so maybe we will tonight.

Lorraine

[irishmick777]

Regarding dining at OUTBACK STEAKHOUSE. Each restaurant recently received 2 gluten free menus, they look just like the regular menus. When ordering your salads without the croutons beware of the salad maker. His hands or gloves have touched the croutons for all the other salads he makes. He is also the one who makes the desserts, so that means he has to pull that gluten-free brownie out of it's plastic wrap. If your salad arrives with croutons on it and they take it back there is a tendency to just remove the croutons, so when you send it back ask them to now put the dressing on the side. Your best bet for non cross-contamination is to ask for the manager as soon as you get seated, he/she should be able to help you.

[lauradawn]

Just as a side note, I found a bread mix that is really really good. I am a newly diagnosed celiac disease and have not been experiementing much yet. However, in our Safeway and also our local health food store, there is a mix, called A wonderful gluten-free bread mix. It's about $4. It is so easy to make. I think it can be made in the bread maker, but I have been making it in the oven. I would never know it's SPECIAL bread.

[Guest Stepha]

Thank you all for your responses they have helped a lot!

[Jo Ann]

Dear Laura,

Could you please check the bread mix you mentioned "A Wonderful gluten-free Bread Mix" and give me the name of the manufacturer. We don't have Safeway store in our area, but the health food store could possibly order it for me. I've been trying to make a decent bread for years. I bake for my 11 yo grandson, and he likes to take sandwiches to school. Thanks so much! Jo Ann

[lauradawn]

Hey Joann,

No problem, I love this bread. It freezes well, easy to make, and tastes really good in my opinion. Im so bad with breads, but this one turns out 100% of the time. It's made by Bob's Red Mill, and it's called " a Wonderrful gluten-free bread mix". Im sure your health food store would have it. Bob's Red Mill is a main company producing the alternative flours.

Hope you find and it, and like it!

[celiacfreeman]

Coming to Colorada

estes park 1 day

vail area 1 day

aspen area 1 day

glenwood springs 1 day

ouray 2 days

durango 2 day

denver 1 day

Any stopped over places for meal beside the chain store would be greatly appreciated. Is the Carballas on the way out town from the Denver airport to

estes park. I'm making a gaint circle of the state and am so excited, live on the

flat east coast. Going to bring my george forman and camp in koa camping cabins.

some night were in a hotel so need foor near Aspen and Vail and Denver.

Any suggestion at all would be greatly appreaciated, even if there not all on the food topic.

thanks

[catfish]

Not sure if you have already had your trip or not, but I thought I'd chime in. There is a Carrabba's a few miles off of 36 which would be your most likely route from Denver to Estes Park.

I have not had any experience yet with eating gluten-free in restaurants, but in my opinion Carrabba's has incredible food (I am especially fond of their chicken Marsala) and they are very professional- you can observe most of the food preparation as it is done in plain view, so you could probably even talk with the chef as your food is being prepared. I would think them capable of handling special needs very professionally.

[tom]

Another fast-food place w/ a full ingred listing online

Open Original Shared Link

[KAthyB]

I found a Carraba's gluten-free menu online and brought it with me to the restaurant.

Kathy