Gluten free eats in west Edmonton
By Tyler Grant
EDMONTON- With food allergies and intolerances on the rise, it’s becoming more difficult for sufferers of food problems to go out on the town for dinner.
Even when you can find a place that caters to allergies and intolerances, the menus can be misleading. Normally, I wouldn’t put myself into a story, but an experience I had caused me to write this.
My girlfriend is a celiac. This means she can’t eat anything with gluten in it. No bread, no pasta and no beer. There are numerous products containing some form of wheat that people consume daily.
While visiting a restaurant, my girlfriend had ordered a salad with asiago crisps. These are thin slices of cheese baked on a cookie sheet. The problem is, whoever made this for my girlfriend didn’t realize this was how it was made. Instead of what she thought would be asiago crisps, she got two slices of bread with cheese spread on them.
The crisis was averted when management changed her order, but it got me to thinking how many places in the west end of Edmonton served up gluten free items on their menus.
These are the ones I’ve found. If you would like to add places, email me and I will update the map.
View Gluten Free Eats in West Edmonton in a larger map
You can check the website http://www.theceliacscene.com/ for maps and restaurants that are endorsed across Canada. Great for when you travel too.
Getting fed poison happens more often than I care to think about. Sometimes, depending on the establishment and level of trust I have in them, I will start by speaking with the manager instead of trusting the server.
I also recommend carrying a recipe card or 5×7 laminated sheet that outlines what I *can* have and what good alternatives would work (i.e. potato flour, starch, tapioca etc.) You can purchase those online. Search online, (http://glutenfreeinsd.com/restaurant_cards.html) or check with the local Canadian Celiac Association chapter. Never know what they might have in the kitchen. Some restaurants there isn’t a chance of it. The Keg tried valiantly for me, making me a white wine cream sauce (not perfect, but better than nada). I’m done accepting a salad or naked chicken breast because I can’t eat the pre-prepared or packaged sauce. (After 22 years, it gets a little tired)
My favourite phrases are: “Are you sure I can eat that?” and “That’s Gluten-Free, right?” Sometimes they turn ashen and back away immediately fixing the error. Sadly, sometimes it’s when the manager or owner comes out from behind the counter or kitchen AFTER you’ve eaten.
Authentic Mexican restaurants are a great place to go as well. On the west side there is Mexico Lindo near the Mayfield Inn.