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This is a great discussion! I waited five years - gluten-free - before I
dared to eat out. All [three] restaurants were chef-owned. My logic was:
owner-chefs are more likely to care about the customer.

My first two experiences - while visiting Los Angeles - were fabulous. We
ate first at Real Food Daily in West Hollywood, and felt totally safe. The
food was fresh and delicious - so good, in fact, we went back twice, for
lunch and for dinner. The staff was obviously trained to accommodate food
sensitivities [no eye rolling].

Our second venture was at The Border Grill in Santa Monica [owned by the
famous Two Hot Tamales]. Chef Ishmael came out of the kitchen and spoke to
me directly with kindness and attention, even returning mid-meal to ask how
the meal was, and to suggest a dessert [a flourless Aztec chocolate cake
that was melt-in-your-mouth chocolatty goodness]. The food was not only
gluten-free, it was the best meal I had ever eaten out - bold, flavorful and
gorgeous.

The third experience was in Moab, Utah. I e-mailed the restaurant ahead of
time and requested two gluten-free meals. I received a quick, positive
response from one of the owner-chefs. Doable. Great! We drove all day to get
to Utah, and arrived in town an hour and a half before our dinner
reservation [this was a quiet Monday night]. We thought we'd scope out the
place and possibly talk to the chef, just to be sure we were all set.

The hostess was sweet, and unaware of our on-line reservation with the
gluten-free request. She suggested we speak with the manager. The manager
approached us, paper menu in hand, circling the items "You can order". First
one circled was crab cakes. [My intuitive heart sank.]

"Crab cakes?" I asked her. "Are you sure? Crab cakes are usually made with
bread crumbs, but," I hastened to add, "if these are not, I'd be thrilled."
My questioning did not make her happy. She disappeared into the kitchen,
arriving back with an X over the crab cake entre. No explanation.

Although she was technically polite, it was clear to me I was "A Problem".
There was little on the menu I was interested in [I don't eat beef, lamb, or
pork] so the two possible choices left were one salmon dish and one chicken
dish. Both looked problematic [spice blends or possible flour in the gravy].
I asked about the spice blends. She disappeared again, returning to tell me,
"They're fine." We left to go freshen up at our hotel. I was wishing we had
an alternative plan for dinner.

When we arrived at the cafe, we were seated, then met our server. The Crab
Cake Woman. The manager. She offered no indication she recognized me,
launching into "Our specials tonight are..." as I got a sinking sensation in
the center of my [very hungry!] stomach. I tentatively began my request, "As
I mentioned earlier, I have celiac disease and need to eaten gluten-free..."
and her gaze hardened. It was very clear she regarded me as "High
Maintenance".

I ended up asking for plain salmon, grilled on a clean piece of foil - and
mentioned I'd forgo the spice rub if she could ask the chef to use simply
olive oil, some lemon, salt and pepper. I was served a plain piece of salmon
- nothing on it - with an unidentified sauce in a cup on the side, and a
scoop of plain white rice and some unseasoned, plain green beans. No lemon.
No salt and pepper. Not even on the table. And no information on what the
mystery sauce was. No communication.

Like the previous poster, I felt like I was being PUNISHED.

I ate a few bites of this totally bland thirty dollar meal, deflated,
feeling I was somehow "difficult". "A Problem". This is not how a customer
should be made to feel.

I love to cook, and I love to cook for others. I even blog about it and
share recipes. I don't understand why an individual's dietary restrictions
are a "problem". As a cook, I find it challenging. It's fun to problem
solve, to be creative. To come up with something delicious. Cooking for
someone is a privilege.

I don't expect chain restaurants to care - but a chef-owned restaurant? Why
wouldn't they thrive on the challenge of creating a delicious meal for a
client with a request?

Obviously, some do care - like The Border Grill, which served an incredibly
delicious gluten-free meal - from appetizers to dessert. Chef Ishmael - You
ROCK.

The Center Cafe in Moab? Save your money.

-- 
k a r i n a

http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com

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