<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

Our attempt at writing a gluten-free Restaurant Guide to San Francisco
(perhaps a model for other cities) is coming along well.

We already have fairly detailed information on about 40 San Francisco Bay
Area restaurants of various price ranges and cuisines, including some
excellent local treasures, two restaurants that sell tasty gluten-free
pizzas, some chain restaurants found throughout the area (and in other cities
too) and even one local chain of top-quality ice creams and sorbets. At this
point, about a third of our reviewed eateries are in San Francisco, a third
are in the East Bay (across the Bay Bridge) and a third are in Marin (across
the Golden Gate Bridge).

We are trying to decide how to distribute this information, which frankly has
been expensive and time-consuming to acquire. We are asking people to
consider contributing in one of two ways if they want to share this
information:

1) Visit, ask questions, and contribute well-researched information about a
restaurant to be included in the guidebook, including names of gluten-free
dishes, or

2) Donate $10 or so to help share the costs (some folks have pledged $20, not
tax-deductible).

For more information, contact Jeff Golden at [log in to unmask]

Below is a sample review from the Guide, although please note our DISCLAIMER
that we make no guarantees about the gluten-free status of anything; that
there is always the possibility of error, change in staff or ownership,
cross-contamination and changes in ingredients over time, and that you should
consider our opinions and then check things out yourself to make your own
decisions, etc. etc.

Many of our restaurant reviews are much longer than this sample (and include
very detailed information about the sauces and condiments used in the
kitchen, which we obtained by calling the manufacturers):

* Jennie Low's Chinese Cuisine, 38 Miller at Lytton Square in downtown Mill
Valley (415-388-8868) or 120 Vintage Way in Vintage Shopping Mall, Novato
(415-892-8838). Jennie's rice-noodle soup in a huge bowl (with wide and
wonderfully textured noodles, shrimp, chicken, mushrooms, eggs and veggies; I
bring my own Shillings brand pepper in case their white pepper has gluten
anti-caking agents). Ask for Jennie or her daughter Cindy, who will gladly
take your Chun King or San-J Wheat-Free Soy Sauce or Dynasty brand Hoisin or
Dynasty Plum Sauce -- which you can buy at the Lucky, Safeway  or Whole Foods
markets nearby -- and create any gluten-free dish you want from the many
different seafoods, chicken, meats and very fresh veggies available. You can
bring your own Asian rice pancakes or corn tortillas for mu-shu.  Delicious
healthy and high-quality food; very accommodating restaurant if they aren't
too busy. Moderately priced, or inexpensive if all you buy is the wonderful
(and filling) soup. 5/97