Bad Restaurant Service

[overratednormal]

I have celiac disease, which means I am intolerant to anything with gluten. Obviously, it can be limiting especially when dining out at restaurants, which is why I try to go to restaurants I know either have a gluten free menu or can cater to people who are gluten free

Comments

[philstar22]

Ug. My sister has Celiac, and it pisses me off when restaurants do this. It has happened to her several times too.

The big thing here in Texas is peppers. It is invariably in nearly everything, even when the menu doesn't specify. While my reaction is obviously not as bad as Celiac, even bell peppers make me really nauseous. I've gotten in the habit of always asking, but sometimes even if you say no peppers they still put it on. Really irritating.

[greensquiggly]

Same for me with regards to sulfur. I know what I can and cannot eat that's sulfuric, so most of the time it's just a matter of "no onions, please" but SOMETIMES. Like if the garlic in roasted garlic mashed potatoes isn't actually roasted. e.e

I have the added bonus of getting massive intestinal pain on top of nausea, too.

[philstar22]

I get the intestinal cramps if I eat any pepper stronger than a bell pepper. Lots of fun.

I can't imagine not being able to eat garlic. It is my favorite flavoring in the whole world.

[greensquiggly]

I can eat roasted garlic in moderate quantities, if prepared right. Minced, garlic powder, and otherwise I have to be careful with. It either has to be very heavily cooked, light handed, or done without. My mom recently, forgetting this, made an excellent dip, but put waaaaay too much minced garlic in it, uncooked. One bite had me in massive pain.

[onna_kenkaku]

This is why half the time I end up ordering plain steak and veggie. I'm sure there's a way that could be messed up too though...why's it so hard to get it when someone really really needs something not to be there?

People who pretend to be allergic because they don't like something ought to be dragged out and beaten with a clue-by-four...I think it contributes to the problem.

[philstar22]

My sister has had pretty good luck with steak. Most other meats there is a strong risk of them being breaded or in some way mixing with gluton. But she says that steak is usually pretty safe. Let the restaurant know, of course, but if you are still worried then steak is a good way to go.

[avenginglioness]

Yes, unfortunately, a lot of times seasoning mixes have wheat in them as an anti-caking agent or a thickening agent.

I know it isn't the best food ever, but I have always had great luck with Outback Steakhouse. They have a gluten free menu that lets you know specifically which foods to avoid and which foods are safe substitutes. They also have a separate gluten free seasoning for the steaks, clean the grill where they are putting your steak, mix your salad separate from other salads so there is no cross-contamination. They have some excellent dedication to their customers' health as far as the gluten free thing goes.

[aertyn87]

Oh man that is terrible :/

Please let the manager know too, who knows how many people they could do this too...what happens if it really is a life or death situation?

Also reminded me of a restaurant that my family went to a few years ago (and haven't been back too since). My mum ordered a Prawn, Green Salad + light mayo main meal. It came out with SURPRISE WASABI PEAS in it! My main meal was a grilled chicken breast, with macadamias and light tropical fruit salad salsa. I specially asked that no onion be used (at the time I had a stomach ulcer). The salsa? Was Mango + SPANISH ONION! And it was smeared all over everything else on the plate.

[overratednormal]

Once the big event in town dies down, we will probably call the restaurant to tell them it is NOT okay to give someone who says "no flour, wheat, or gluten" (I don't even know how to be anymore clearer) something that might potentially have gluten.

[caitykitola]

Ohhhhh that sucks. One of my best friends is gluten intolerant, as well as vegetarian. Her orders get screwed up ALL of the time.

[overratednormal]

I bet! Some places just can't deal with even the slightest changes to menus.

[allybally12345]

Not to mention the chefs who seem to take it as an offense if you dare ask for something to be slightly altered. A friend of mine can't eat nuts, and once she ordered a salad without nuts at this seemingly nice little restaurant we had never been to. She ended up getting her salad...and about 60% of it was nuts. I swear the chef must have done it on purpose. There's no way a salad (which advertised a small side of nuts) would have over half a plate of nuts. :(

[remuslives23]

My daughter has coeliac disease and it's like pulling teeth to try and get waitstaff to understand that no, it's not just her being a brat and not wanting to eat your lovely meal which, despite me asking otherwise, is covered in products made from gluten. And no, she can't just pick 'those bits' off and eat the rest because the sauce we asked to be put on the side is also made from flour which contains gluten, or eat it just this once to save you having to redo it. Well, she could, but within a few minutes, she'll be going full Linda Blair in your public toilets (from both ends). That is, if we can get to the toilet in time.

It's amazing how quickly they bring the correctly made meal out after that.

[sleepywarlord]

Sometimes even if you pick off the bits (even if the sauce was on the side) the traces are enough to set some celiac's off :( So just picking it off isn't good enough. You wouldn't tell someone with a severe allergy to peanuts to just pick them off, sheesh.

[remuslives23]

Exactly. I just couldn't get that through the server's head. It took resorting to TMI before she got her butt back in that kitchen.