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I just thought I should comment on my experience to maybe assist anyone else that might consider trying what I did last evening. I'm from Atlanta and have been diagnosed Celiac for over a year now. I've become pretty acclimated to dealing with my condition and confidently eat out on a regular basis. I'm always willing to try a new restaurant and feel that it's people like me (the adventurous ones) that help spread the word about our dietary dilemma. Well to make a long story short.... My husband got invited to a conference held in Nashville and I decided to come along. The hotel (The Hermitage) and all their staff was wonderful and very very accommodating. I can't say as much for the place we attempted to have dinner last night. This was a large group of conference people and our dinner had been pre-arranged. I notified the staff from the conference and was told my dietary needs would not be a problem. I took the initiative to call the restaurant myself as well to make sure there would be no issues. We arrived at the restaurant a little after 7pm gave my server my card and proceeded to anticipate a lovely dinner. I sat through appetizers, bread, salads (of which they never offered to modify for me in any way) waiting for my entree which I was promised would be no problem. All this time my husband is begging our server to bring out my entree early. Finally the entrees start arriving and lo and behold in the vegetables on my plate are pieces of angel hair pasta. By this time I have been sitting there for 2 hours watching the rest of the conference goers munch on anything and everything. It was now 9pm and I was starving (hadn't eaten since noon). I then had little to no option. I either had to let them re-make my dinner in hopes that it would be correct or find another place for dinner. I left the restaurant and took a cab back to my hotel where I enjoyed a lovely dinner at the Capital Grille. I guess the moral of this story is that no matter how hard we try there are always going to be those disappointing experiences. This has not stopped my from trying to find new places to eat, it has however taught me that just because it's a fine-dinning establishment doesn't mean they can and will be accommodating. I will never recommend the Merchant restaurant on Broadway in Nashville to another Celiac nor will I ever enter that establishment again. I learned another valuable lesson last night. One that I intend to never forget. If anything I've said here assists anyone in any way than I've accomplished a secondary goal.

PS - I highly recommend the Hermitage Hotel as a get away for Celiacs (and pets are welcome too......)

Rebekah Marsh
Atlanta, Ga

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