Interesting experience

[Tiggykanga]

Just been to eat at a local (near Newcastle, County Down) country club establishment having rung first to check GF option's were available. Having turned up we carefully went through GF menu options (very little for non meat/ fish eater) with waitress who liaised with Chef twice at least. Decided to accept vegetarian GF curry with rice. Whilst waiting the Chef sent someone to ask if I could eat cream. Considering nothing other than GF was mentioned it rather perturbed me as to what was going through his head.

When my curry arrived it had poppadums on the plate. Made me very nervous as many makes contain small amounts of normal wheat flour despite being predominantly GF flours from chick peas or lentils.

Internet advice was to ask to see packet but decided to leave them rather than upset the Chef.

[Hidden]

I have to confess I wouldn't have batted an eyelid as I buy them at home and thus far I've never found any poppadoms that have any gluten in them. When I go to Wetherspoons curry club the best bit is getting double poppadoms to make up for the naan bread.

[Lynilou]

It all depends on your possible reaction to any gluten over night! Poppa doms are often only lentil flour, however I have learned to still ask.. Don't be embarrassed. This is your health after all and you are the one who will be ill later.

I once asked in an excellent restaurant, 'are you sure this is gluten free bread' with my starter, on being told 'definitely' I complimented them on it, but then asked about the dessert, 'what are these crumbs made of?' And it was quickly whisked away with huge apologies, the dessert chef had missed the brief!

Make friends with the waiter, apologise if you must, but see it as an opportunity to inform them about coeliac, in the nicest possible way! And to ensure you have the best experience. Hope you're ok today!

[Lynilou in reply to Lynilou]

PS you can always tip generously afterwards

[Lexy]

Hi Tiggykanga - just thought I'd mention that I'm frequenty asked (after I've mentioned GF) whether I am ok with mustard seed and celery (it so happens that I am). I don't mind being asked further questions by restaurant staff! I see that as a good, proactive thing. Also, in Sweden (where I'm from and where I spend a lot of time) just about everything that is GF is also lactose-free because so many coeliacs are also sensitive to lactose (including me), so I would really value the query about cream! It took me two years to figure out the lactose bit but I feel so much better if I steer clear of 'normal' dairy. Anyway, I hope you felt ok after your meal (I find Indian restaurants amongst the best to eat at, as long I check re certain ingredients). Take care

[freelancer]

The cream thing seems quite reasonable as so many coeliacs etc are lactose intolerant. That would make me think they were very on the ball. But I too would have been wary of the poppadoms - some of the ones in shops definitely aren't GF.

Every time I have a restaurant meal I order sorbet and ask at length if it is GF, which it always is. Every time it turns up with a biscuit on top!

[nico111]

I have been to a couple of places and checked before hand. Once I got my meal with croutons, when I asked to check that they were gf bread my plate was promptly whisked away! Another time my curry turned up with naan bread and the same happened. Always best to ask!

[poing in reply to nico111]

I have found the opposite... when I ask about the bread on the plate, it turns out to be GF. I rarely eat GF bread though and then feel guilty that they've served up expensive bread that I'm not going to eat.