Restaurants

Eating out is something we found to be rather tricky.  With French fries it is important to ask if anything is fried in the same fryer, such as breaded chicken, as that contaminates the oil with flour and puts gluten on your fries.  Every now and then I will get sick after eating out due to cross contamination but most of the time when I do the things below or go to the restaurants listed below I am fine.  Here is a list of our favorite places to eat and any tips on ordering from them or information about what they offer to us gluten free eaters.

It is hard to go wrong at Mexican restaurants.  If you order enchaladas, tacos, or tamales all should be made with corn tortillas and are naturally gluten free without you even having to say anything.  The more traditional the Mexican restaurant the safer you will be.  The chips served with salsa are corn chips and salsa is also gluten free so eat up and enjoy.

I don’t eat at Café Rio due to their using a large hot plate to cook both the corn tortillas and the flour tortillas which causes cross contamination putting flour on the corn tortillas. 

Costa Vida has become extremely gluten free conscious and is willing to make any item on their menu in a gluten free way.   All of their staff is trained and should change their gloves when you mention gluten free so as not to cross contaminate with previously touched gluten.  They are even willing to make burritos gluten free by using multiple corn tortillas instead of the flour. 

In and out is a great place for gluten free.  The staff are trained in how to prepare the food in the safest way and they have a designated counter for preparing food for those with gluten allergies.  When ordering your burger, ask for it protein style due to a gluten allergy.  If you ask for it that way they will prepare it wrapped in lettuce instead of on a bun and it will be prepared away from any gluten.  Sadly, their grilled unions have gluten due to being grilled using the same spatula and area that the buns are toasted with but regular onions and all other toppings are fine.  The spread is gluten free as are their French fries (they fries are the only thing deep friend in the fryers) and milkshakes. 

Zupas has many gluten free options.  I have not eaten there often so I can’t recite them but each time I have gone in I have asked if certain salad dressings are or for advice on which soups are gluten free and if the person serving me does not know they can ask a manager who either knows or will find out for you.

India Palace is a great restaurant in Provo.  Everything on their menu is gluten free except for their breads so you can order what you want without even having to explain your allergy.  This is because Indian cooking naturally doesn’t use flour.  Other Indian restaurants may be completely gluten free as well (other than the breads) I just don’t have experience with them. 

Asian Food can be extremely tricky because most soy sauce contains wheat.  I have found a place that either use gluten free soy sauce or accommodate well and it is mentioned next.

Wild Ginger is a chinese restaurant and sushi bar in provo around 300-400 North University Avenue.  I have eaten sushi here and they have special sauces and soy sauce to use for those with gluten allergies.  They also will help you know which sushi you can order and which are deep fried with gluten.  They did serve us one roll that had a deep fried element but luckily my husband tried it first and realized the mistake so I didn’t eat it. 

Outback Steakhouse has a great gluten free menu.  Just ask for the menu and when ordering make sure to tell your waiter that you need it prepared gluten free.  The menu also has instructions as to certain things you may need to tell the waiter but if you follow them you will be fine.  They have a lot of gluten free options.  I would also recommend their dessert called something like The Thunder from Down Under.  It is a warm brownie topped with ice cream, fudge, and whipped cream.  The brownie that is used is gluten free.  I especially enjoy this dish because they use gluten free brownies for everyone who orders it weather they are gluten free or not and it is delicious!  One thing I would like to mention, when dining here with gluten eaters I found I was getting sick 75% of the time.  This last time I paid special attention to trying to figure out how I was getting gluten.  I noticed that when the bread they provide is cut the crumbs distribute all over the table, much further than I would have thought they could.  Someone eating bread on the opposite corner caused crumbs from the bread to appear on my menu right where my plate would have been.  I washed my hands and the table before my meal came and had no problems.  My advice would be either have no bread served at the table or make sure it is not eaten once the meals arrive and wash your hands and table as well just to get all crumbs off before you eat.

Tucanos, although a bit expensive, is a great place to go for the gluten free eater.  The only meats on the regular menu that have gluten are the breaded fish and anything with the teriyaki sauce.  Generally they have a few meats that are special for that time of year or season and those you have to ask the waiter to see if they are gluten free.  Their salad bar is great in that every item’s label says not only what it is but also weather it is gluten free with a small GF on the label.  They have a ton of salad bar items that you can enjoy.

Olive Garden has gluten free noodles but I have not eaten there, I have only heard that it is an option.

Pizza Pie Café has a gluten free menu that includes what items on the salad bar are gluten free.  When you go you have to pay $2 more but they will make you your own gluten free pizza with whatever toppings you want and bring it out to your table.  The pizza is pretty good and my husband even liked the gluten free crust better than the regular crust they serve.  They also have gluten free noodles you can ask for at the noodle buffet area and at least one sauce for the noodles will be gluten free and listed on the menu.  (I can’t remember the name of the sauce and I don’t want to tell you wrong)  The different cheeses are gluten free as well.

Thai Evergreen is a restaurant in Orem by walmart but these rules apply to most Thai restauarants.  Pad Thai and Curry are both often gluten free as they are soy sauce free and Pad Thai uses rice noodles.  However, check with your waiter if at a Thai restaurant other than Evergreen to make sure that their isn’t soy sauce or flour in the curry or pad thai and that they are rice noodles used not wheat.  Other dishes may be safe as well, I just usually stick to those two.