<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>
Thanks to all the people who responded to my Tucson AZ / Claremont CA
query a few weeks ago! I really appreciate it and will use all the
data in my Christmas trip.
Rather than miss out on all the useful data below by summarizing, I've
attached the messages (sans names, since I think that is the policy
for the group). The first three messages are for Tucson and the
second three for Claremont/Southern CA in general. Search for the name
Tucson or Claremont to get to the different sections.
-Amy in MA
-------Tucson------
...message 1...
In AZ if there is a Carraba's restaurant, great Italian and garlic, all
fresh herbs and spices. On 3 trips there I have asked for the kitchen
manager and they always accomodate Celiac, and are very attentive and offer
many different ideas.
...message 2...
Hi Amy. Tucson Arizona has three good places to shop for GF products;
New Life Health Centers, Trader Joe's and Wild Oats. I believe all
three have web pages.
New Life Health Center has four locations. The best and largest is at
4841 E. Speedway. They have the freshest bread (Food for Life brand,
white rice, rice pecan, raisin pecan and my favorite, brown rice) in
their refrigerator case whereas some of the other stores in town,
especially Wild Oats has the bread in their freezer and sometimes tastes
as if it has been there "too long." It is worth a longer drive to go to
the Speedway New Life. They stock brown rice (I like the short grain),
GF cereals, crackers, etc. The clerks are friendly and will probably
point out many GF products. They have wheat-free low sodium Tamari (Wild
Oats also has it in large bottles). New Life will order products for
you. Their website is http://www.newlifehealth.com/. Their e-mail
address is [log in to unmask] and possibly they will order things
not in stock that you need and have them ready for you.
Trader Joe's has a paper which lists all their Gluten-Free products--I
thought I had one here, but can't find it. They have toaster waffles
that are wonderful. The two best Trader Joe's are the ones at 7912
N. Oracle Rd and 1101 N. Wilmot Rd. The one on Grant Road is new and
not many people shop there and I have found some products not very
fresh. Hopefully they will take care of that problem--or may have
already. Trader Joe's website is http://www.traderjoes.com/ Trader
Joe's is a great little store--not very many things, but good anyway.
I do have Wild Oats shopping guide which lists breads and baking
mixes, cereals, pasta, salad dressings, soups, soy milk and sauces,
and wild oats deli products. Wild Oats also has a website. They
bought the three Reay's Markets which used to be wonderful. I am
disappointed since Wild Oats bought and took over the stores. It is a
full market and deli which is great, but be careful about the
freshness of the fruits and vegetables and some of the frozen
products. Wild Oats also is higher priced than other stores. If you
aren't interested in organic produce, then get regular produce at
other stores.
I don't eat out much because I also can't eat sugar, tomatoes, citrus,
citric acid, pineapple, chocolate, etc. There is a new small
restaurant called the Iron Grill which I love. They only serve a
Mongolian Bar-B-Que. A person takes a bowl from the buffet bar and
selects the vegetables and meats of their choice; carrots, cabbage,
bean sprouts, onions, broccoli, mushrooms, tofu, beef, chicken and
pork (fill it as high as you can and pass up the noodles) and then
adds sauces--I bring my own San-J Wheat-free Tamari and add about a
half teaspoon of their chili oil. You hand the bowl to the chef who
grills it and you can ask him to be extra careful about cleaning the
grill and keeping your food away from any other. They have two choices
of soup and their Hot and Sour which is thickened with cornstarch has
not bothered me; also choice of brown or white rice--each person is
also given a grilled sesame tortilla which I give to whoever I go
with--usually my daughters. The San-J Wheat-Free Tamari sauce does
have some alcohol to preserve freshness, so I don't know if that
bothers you or if you've found a gf soy sauce. When I travel, I pack
quite a few of my favorites if I think they won't be available where
I'm going.
...message 3...
Wild Oats, Trader Joe's and Tucson Co-op all carry gf items in Tucson.
-------Claremont------
...message 1...
Try contacting Mimi's Restaurant. The managers are usually very helpful and
the food is pretty special! They seem to keep current on what's changed in
the menu. I just show them my celiac restaurant card and they take good
care of me. Also, there is the Outback which you have probably heard about
on the list a few times. This is a steak and fish place. Very Pricey, but
delicious. At the regular places such as Dennys and Cocos I usually order
salads, plain meats, and breakfast foods. Stay away from the french fries,
cottage fries etc. as they are all usually coated with forbidden items.
However, I do order hash browns and these are fine. (that goes for Mimi's
too!)
...message 2...
I do not have the El Pollo Loco list in front of me, but there are several no
no's including, I think, their rice. I would suggest in Calif. if there is a
KooKoo Roo chicken place near where you will be, they make wonderful chicken
and turkey and except for the creamed spinach, all their food is GF. I ise
them all the time. Also, in Calif., you should be able to find Trader Joe's
market and maybe Whole Foods market. They both have printed lists of GF
itmes they carry. Not everything that is GF is listed, but they are good
lists. Calif. is not a difficult place to work with rewstaurants. Most of
them are used to people with special needs, wants, diets, etc. and are very
coopertive. We eat out all over and rarely find anyone uncooperative. By
the way, Thai food is usually easy and is Indian food. Renee C.
...message 3... there are a lot of restaurants in Southern California
that you can feel fairly safe in ordering.
Just use good sense in what you order.
At Pollo Loco just let them know that you want corn tortillas.
Their chicken is OK and the beans are gf. I question whether their
"southwestern chicken is gf".
For variety try their Pollo bowls (rice, beans and chicken).
They also have have Pollo Salad bowls ( again I would avoid the
southwestern chicken")
There are Trader Joe Markets with gf shopping lists (in San Dimas)
Also near by are Whole Foods and Wild Rice markets that have many gf
supplies.
There is also Vitamin City at 642 W Arrow Hwy in San Dimas. They have a
pretty good variety of products like gf pasta etc from a variety of good
suppliers.
---the end---
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