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Just a heads-up, a warning, if you will.
I've been gluten-free for about 10 years, with no known attacks (maybe some unidentified). Last week, I went to a local fish restaurant where they know me well. They even have the Living Without gf card posted over the chef's work area, and the head waiter/manager, refers to me as the wheat-free lady. He personally greets all of his customers and knows many by name...so we're not talking about an anonymous chain store. The owner does the cooking. The wife and daughter man the front counter.

A teenage waiter, also there for quite awhile, came over to take my order. I ordered some of my usual items, including sauteed mushrooms, which are always in butter and spices (never reacted), nothing more. Despite the fact that they know me, I leave little to chance, and I went over the diet and ingredients with the kid, who rudely yelled across several tables of customers to the head waiter whenever he had a question.

Out came my meal with the mushrooms. The butter is always alittle brown, but when it tasted like beef broth...and yes, I ate a few on the top, before I noticed the brown gravy under the pile, I called the waiter over and asked about ingredients. He yelled to the head guy again (all customer heads turned to me), and confirmed...butter and spices. As I was insisting that this had something more on it, the head waiter nonchanlantly yelled back...oh, and beef broth. Eeeeek!

It took 3 insistent requests to get the waiter to find out what was in the broth. The owner just looked on with no comment as if totally mute, which she's not. When the waiter brought out their broth mix, the third ingredient was wheat! My exclaims of displeasure were greated with an unusual defense (unusual for them) that they don't know what their ingredients are.....I've been going there for several years, and they've even alerted me to when something has changed and told me what to order and what to not order...automatically. They knew their ingredients before.

1. They did not comp the meal, but we gave the waiter no tip and made it clear we (regular customers!) were never coming back.
2. The head waiter came flying out to my car and leaned in....I thought he'd apologize or ask how I was. Nope, he came out to chastise us for being upset and he was very protective of his waiter.

And yes, the chef/owner was part of this too. Although they chose total silence...just dumbfounded looks, and let their waiter hang.

My husband and I usually tip very well and treat restaurant personnel with the upmost courtesy, so that other celiacs who follow me are treated well, but this place took the cake, no pun intended. If they now opt to not honor requests for special diets, despite the fact that the menu claims they do, it will be safer for all of us in the long run.

Yes, I'm reacting. It took a few days to get really uncomfortable. Luckily, we don't end up in the ER within minutes, like our peanut allergy friends.

Thanks...and beware. Even our trusted, educated local mom and pop places can screw up! 
Lin

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