Welcome to Picky at Seat 2
I’m not trying to add one more thing to my plate here, but with the launch of the latest podcast episode, my recent nutrition certification, and my husband constantly telling me for years I need to do it…I thought it would be fun to start blogging about some of our favorite restaurants and what we get when we go, and secretly I’ve always wanted to be a restaurant critic. If you’re reading this you’re either interested in Houston restaurants or maybe just how to go about ordering the food that you really want, or you’re a fan and I’m all for that!
But, before I get into it, let’s just talk food at restaurants in general on this first go around...
What do I actually eat?
It’s easier to start with what I don’t eat: I don’t eat dairy (all kinds - including whey), gluten, or nightshades (that’s like tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, etc). When I’m at home, I don’t ever cook with canola oil or other seed oils, I try not to eat oats or quinoa, and recently I found out that I’m also super sensitive to yeast and aspergillus mix (that basically the fungus that is in dried fruits and other pantry type items.) All of that to say, I do try and follow what I eat to the best of my ability both in my kitchen and someone else’s. My main concern and what I always tell the server/staff member, “I’m very allergic to dairy and I don’t eat gluten.”
I eat everything else. I love anything from super small fish like anchovies and sardines, to big apex predator fish like tuna and swordfish. I eat all the meats, including game, and I will try any vegetable. I’m super adventurous when it comes to trying something at least one time, but for some reason, the dairy and gluten avoidance really get into people’s heads.
What’s the easiest thing on the menu to order when you have food allergies?
First, you have to prep. After you book your dinner reservation (or before) you have to see if they have a menu posted online. From there you can go through and see what’s possible. I usually like to have at least one option for each: appetizer, salad, and entree. I don’t expect everyone to carry gluten-free bread or pasta. Educating yourself on what’s in certain basic sauces like aiolis, vinegarettes, romesco, pesto, etc is also a great idea and can help determine certain foods. If we are with a big group and we are all just “sharing plate” I always order my own foods, and if it’s a pre-determined set menu, I always notify the host. If it’s a big charity luncheon, I most definitely always drink a smoothie and honestly, I keep a protein bar in my purse too.
What’s my go-to order?
The easiest things that I don’t ever have to modify are usually a crudo (just make sure its gluten-free), raw oysters, shrimp cocktails, green salad, fish cooked with oil, or steak with no butter. I always ask about these dishes even though they are usually safe, but for everything else I have the server go through the menu with me, or have them ask the chef for their recommendation.
How do I know the restaurant will accommodate my allergies?
Lol, if you listened to my podcast, Episode 9, you’ll realize not all restaurants are accommodating. However, I find NOT accommodating is now quite rare, this tends to be for restaurants that serve multiple coursed meals with no a la carte options. Everywhere else, including fast food, tends to have some sort of allergen-friendly meals. I will note that going overseas to the UK and Europe, they take food allergies MUCH more seriously, and in all of our travels I’ve never had any issues with not being able to accommodate. On our trip to Italy in 2019, many of the restaurants had hand-made gluten-free pasta. Even on our recent trip to London this past Summer, the pub in a small village we went to had an entire menu with allergens listed.
If the restaurant doesn’t explicitly say online, or you’ve looked at the menu and there are no immediate options for items you could order, the best is to call or head to Google!
Why do I think this is important?
First, when we go out to eat with friends everyone treats me like I’m a very delicate, breakable alien. I don’t expect anyone to remember my allergy, but I do want the people I’m having dinner with to be comfortable and also know that I’m not sharing any of my food, ha. Second, I want other people with food allergies to know that you can go out to eat, and it’s scary as sh*t, but it’s totally possible.
Third, there’s not a lot of other people doing this that I know of. I haven’t seen many articles or blogs written about my favorite restaurants or restaurants I want to try that can/cannot accommodate. I think a lot of people want to eat a certain way, but then just don’t know how to take action or know what exactly to order. I’m not afraid to ask 100 questions and I’m not afraid to send food back!
Follow along and send me some of your favorite restaurant recommendations to try!