<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>
Hi Folks, Well I'm back from my travels and here's what I have to say about
New Orleans and places to eat gluten free:
#1 on my recommendation list is Bennachin's African & Moroccan Restaurant,
1212 Royal Street. You can walk there from anyplace you are staying in the
French Quarter, it's on the north end of Royal, or take a short cab ride if
you are lazy. It is a tiny little restaurant with limited seating and on a
first come first served basis, no reservations needed. Very casual and very
interesting décor. There is no gluten free menu per se. You just tell them
what you want and almost everything can be made gluten free. The food was
FABULOUS and served home-style. My friend (non-celiac) and I were able to
share our dinners without even trying to stay gluten free. They seem to
really "get it" about gluten free and also dairy free. It could be that
most of the food is basically gluten free anyway. I had Grilled Talapia
fish served on deliciously seasoned rice, with the best sweet fried
plantains I've ever tasted in my life (my friend said so too), and spinach
with some sort of seasoning I couldn't identify but was also delicious. My
friend had the lamb stew which was also delicious if you like lamb and she
also had the rice and spinach. The prices were ultra reasonable for the
French Quarter. The bathroom is outside in the back; you have to walk
through the kitchen to get to it. Place was clean, music was interesting, I
loved it and this would be my first place to go to again. Kind of a hippie
style restaurant, patrons looked very local.
#2 Muriel's Restaurant, 801 Chartres, just off Jackson Square. We went
there the first night. They do have a gluten free menu, a very extensive
wine list which you can also get by the glass. Much more upscale, but
still, the prices were not too bad. I had 1/2 baked chicken which was
extremely moist and delicious. I had some sort of potatoes I forget and a
salad to start with a very interesting and tasty vinaigrette dressing. I
forget what my friend had but she was sorry she didn't get what I had, not
that hers wasn't tasty, but mine was better. The only thing I have to
complain about is that there were only three items on the gluten free menu
and they wouldn't "bend" their rules to make the "special fish of the day"
for me gluten free. Maybe because it was Monday night and the regular chef
wasn't there. Otherwise I would definitely go back here too.
#3 Emeril's the one south of Canal Street, as there are two in New Orleans.
We took a cab there as we were staying on Canal & Bourbon, but we walked
back in the dark and it seemed to be safe enough for two women. For most of
the walk you can truck through the Casino which was interesting. They don't
have a gluten free menu, but the waiter told me that anything I found
interesting he would talk to the chef and "make it so" if at all possible.
I started with a Spring Mix fresh salad with the most delicious walnut and
vinaigrette dressing I've ever tasted. Then I had Grilled Red Drum (local
fish from the Gulf) served on a bed of very thin fried potatoes which were
quite delicious. I also had steamed veges which were excellent too, not
your run of the mill type steamed veges. The coffee was excellent. The
complaints I had was it was extremely noisy, and I mean ultra noisy, and we
waitied forever for the check which sort of ruined things for me.
Thumbs down on Landry's Restaurant, which is very close to the riverboat
area. I think the waiter was new - when I told him I had to be gluten free
he gave me the "deer in the headlights" stare. He really didn't have a clue
what I meant and that reflects on the management that he wasn't properly
trained. I have several Landry Restaurants here (rather upscale) in the
Houston area and I've never had a problem at any of them and they were more
than happy to accommodate me in the Houston area locales. I had peel and
eat cold shrimp and a salad. He just about refused to tell me what the red
dipping sauce for the shrimp was made of, saying it was "proprietary" LOL.
I chanced it and didn't become ill. I had the most delicious lemonade I've
ever had there. I was so upset at the waiter he didn't get a tip and my
friend and I argued about it, but I wanted to make my point. My friend and
I argued about it for days actually, and I finally shut her up and told her
she would feel differently if I was stuck in the hotel room for 4 days
because I was poisoned. Again, she's not a celiac and she just doesn't get
what "gluten free" is, because on the way home we stopped to gas up and she
tried to tell me I could share her "banana muffin" with her - duh.
For breakfast I just snacked on fruit, and made sandwiches for lunch with
stuff I had carried in a cooler.
I stayed at the Astor Crowne Plaza which is a 600+ bed hotel, the doormen &
front desk once I got there were fantastic, made reservations months in
advance, and then when I called to confirm our room 2 days ahead they
started giving me a hard time about being insured there would be a small
refrig in the room. I had to spend 20 minutes on the phone making sure it
would happen. When we arrived though they brought it up within 5 minutes.
I'll tell you don't bother telling hotel people you're a celiac and you need
a refrig. Just tell them you need it for your insulin. Don't like to lie
but that's the only thing that gets through to them. The room was very nice
and large but not much of a view, but very quiet.
There were several other options for meals, I just didn’t get to them all.
I found that New Orleans is a lot more gluten friendly that I thought it
would be.
Thanks so much to all the people who responded to me, you were a huge help
and I really appreciated it. I would go back for a visit again, stay in the
same hotel as it was very convenient, and eat more often at Bennachin's and
Muriel's.
Best celiac regards, Dorina
* Please include your location in all posts about products *
*******
To unsubscribe, email: mailto:[log in to unmask]
*******
|
