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Hi all. Sorry this took so long to send - I know a lot of people are
interested in the responses. The overall sense is that celiacs should be
able to eat safely in Hong Kong if they are careful. Refer to _Against the
Grain_ for a restaurant card in Chinese - I need to run it past a Chinese
friend still to make sure it makes sense, and maybe to expand it a bit.

Thanks to everyone who responded!

Chris

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        I went to Taiwan (not to HK or Thailand) in November, 3 months after being
diagnosed and starting a GF diet. I was with a Chinese friend in Taiwan, so
he would translate. The biggest challenge was to stay away from soy sauce,
since it often contains wheat. We knew what kinds of noodles to stay away
from; and of course dumplings were out. I had wonderful rice dishes and
fruits and fresh vegetables for every meal. I came back feeling better than
I had felt in 3 years!
        If you have good translations, I think you'll have a fabulous trip. In
both HK and Thailand, as in Taiwan, corn starch is widely used instead of
flour. You're going to have a great time. Enjoy.
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        I know nothing about traveling in these two places, but I do a fair amount
of Thai cooking, and most of it is GF. A few dishes have soy sauce, so that
is the thing to watch for, but otherwise rice and rice noodles are the
starch of choice.
        I hope you go, and give us a report! I spent a bunch of time in an Asian
grocery store yesterday and I find it fascinating.
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        I have just returned from a trip to Hong Kong, Singapore and Sydney. In
Hong Kong, of the three dinners, two with a set menu ( I did not know about
the first until I arrived) and the third at the Hong Kong Country Club,
where I ate grilled fish, no problem. For the other two, I was able to be
accomodated, even at the last minute. Foods are not pre marinated. One can
always eat steamed vegetables and shrimps, stir fries without sauces,
grilled fish. There are rice based societies which makes it easier. For
lunches, I was able to find restaurants that served salads, grilled
vegetables and had no problems. I used an English celiac card. I had one
lunch at the Peak, a trendy Western-style restaurant (cannot remember the
name, but it is well known and another lunch at the Penninsula Hotel (salad
and grilled vegetables). I brought muffins and crackers with me and used
them for breakfasts. I probably ate too many poached eggs; fruits were
wonderful. You are also better off at upmarket restaurants like in North
America where they are more willing to make adjustments to the meals. I
would not eat on the street in either place; I did not do that even before
being on a GF diet.
        I was in Bangkok years ago, so I cannot give advise on foods, only to say
it is a wonderfully interesting city and one not to miss. I love travelling
and have been to also to Italy, England and Ireland in the last year since
starting this diet without any problems. I would not allow the diet to
restrict me from visiting any country I was interested in going to.
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        Hmmm...I had often wondered about a celiac travelling in Asia. Scary
thought--even with a restaurant card in Chinese, I don't know that he'd be
able to avoid everything bad for him. At least, here on the mainland in
south China, resaurants cook from scratch and the meat and vegetables are
okay--its the sauces that you have to be leery of. They are made sometimes
with starch, sometimes with flour to thicken. The seasoning is often based
on chicken or beef boullion, and if it is a dish with a little vinegar
thrown in, they themselves couldn't tell you how that vinegar was
processed. And labels of snack foods are often in Chinese--and sometimes do
not even tell you what is is in something. Now, if you want to survive on
rice and fresh fruit, and if restaurants can understand you don't want any
sauces or spices in your vegetables (might as well eat them raw, which is
not suggested here!), you might do okay.
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        Last year I have been to Taiwan and, useless to say, there are problems
with food (it's not true that in China they only eat rice!). You have to be
careful to the sauces they use because they could contain wheat! Ask them
and show the translation card you have, they are all very gentle people and
if it's clearly written they will be glad to help you.
        Please..do not give up to your trip only for the GF diet! I have had
sometimes the same feeling and I didn't like it! We do not have to think
like that! Never!
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        I have travelled extensively in both HK, China and Thailand. No problems
providing normal precautions taken. Eat local as addatives are few. English
widely spoken. Rice noodles OK avoid all others. Plenty of places to eat
where they cook in front of you. If you are sensitive to MSG this will be a
major problem. Sauces both cooking and addatives to the meal are thicked
with either soya or rice flour. Stacks of really interesting fresh foods.
Try the Tom Yam Koom! it will blow you away. Oh this after some 33 years
experience. Only problem I have ever had has been with western type foods.
Recomend you avoid as much as possible. Look out for warnings about certain
fish or crabs in both countries. Major polution problems hit locals first
(they get the really fresh stuff) Have a great time. If you want more
please let me know.
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        I'd be interested in what you find out as I may be going to Singapore in
November. I, too, am a little hesitant about the food but in that the
Eastern cuisines are basically rice based, I guess we shouldn't have too
much trouble. Then again, I've never been one to let just the food stop me
from travelling (I generally carry enough reserve(i.e., body fat) to get
through most situations).
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        Where did you get your GF restaurant card in Chinese. I will be going to
China towards the end of May and would love to get a copy of this card.
        My husband, not a CD, has been to Hong Kong many times and he claims it is
one of the most beautiful cities. Know you are going to love it. Will
follow up with my husband and see if he has any recommendations for you.
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        I've been both places - absolutely you should go! In Thailand I got a
hotel emloyee to write me a note for restaurants which worked fine. They
serve rice noodles at almost all restaurants, rice is everywhere, and no
one uses additives or hardly any thickeners. I never got sick once! Hong
Kong has an enormous range of culinary styles, but many of the local places
have chinese dishes with no wheat. There also they seem to use almost all
natural-state ingredients which are much easier for me to handle than the
chemical-filled replacements, and hotel staff are very helpful about making
inquiries and recomendations. Also the cooks in many places will make you
food to order if you ask in a friendly way.
        I have travelled quite a bit in some places that are considered quite
primative, and in my experience I am likely to have a much better time
eating in the smaller cheaper places than thoses that are recommended for
the usual tourists. The cooks usually can and will tell you exactly what is
in every item on the menu, and not having the commercially-prepared
additives takes a lot of pressure off my system, so that any trace of
bacteria which would normally send me to the toilet immediately, is dealt
with easily. I have eaten in Thailand at street vendors stalls and
boat-deck cook-shops and never regretted a bite.
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        I haven't been to either of these countries but we do have a lot of
authentic Thai food here in the SF Bay area and the food is wonderful and
mostly gf! I would definately go on your trip!
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        I live in Hong Kong and have done so for 15 years. And I'm going to live
in Thailand in September.
        There is a health food shop in Hong Kong called Health Gate. The tel
number is (852) if you're calling from overseas, and then 25452286. The fax
is (852) 28540770. They get a lot of products from E-nergi (spelling?) in
Seattle.
        As far as restaurants are concerned - um. If you're going to a restaurant
where you have to use the card because they don't speak English, you might
not have much luck. They're not used to dealing with people who have
allergies/ intolerances. Having said that, corn flour (I think this is what
you call corn starch) is usually used as a thickener. Chinese vegetarian
restaurants might be an easier option. If you go to a more up market place,
you can speak to them in English.
        But, you don't just have to eat Chinese food here - there's great Indian
food - and if you go to a proper restaurant - as opposed to a hole in the
wall - you can speak to them about your requirements. Gaylord in Ashley
Road, Tsim Sha Tsui is one example.
        For me it's quite easy as I've lived here a long time. Also, I don't have
to worry about vinegar and I don't have any problems with other foods eg
diary products etc ( I don't know if you do, but a lot of people on the
list seems to)
        Actually, Thai restaurants are very safe. Apart from some bottled sauces,
they don't use wheat much at all. The Thai restaurants near the airport in
Hong Kong (well it will be the old airport by the time you arrive) are the
best and most traditional place to eat Thai in Hong Kong. But then if
you're going to Thailand, you probably won't want to eat Thai in Hong Kong.
        Don't worry about not coming - if you want to eat cheaply, you'll just
have to put a bit more effort into finding out what's in the food. There
are restaurants of every description and price in Hong Kong.
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        I went to China and Hong Kong just before the hand back. I ate lots of
rice, eggs, lettuce, cucumbers, and when in restaraunts I bought steak,
plain. I missed the ethnic diet, but I didn't get sick.