As I've mentioned in previous posts, adjusting to dining out has perhaps been the most difficult aspect of my new gluten-free lifestyle. Granted becoming unemployed around the same time as my diagnosis definitely helped me quit my habit of $30+ entrees at Boston's best restaurants pretty much cold turkey, but it's still been a challenge. Meeting friends for a quick, cheap meal like a burrito or sandwich is no longer possible; even salad dressing often has gluten in it. I've taken to suggesting ice cream or coffee (which I do not drink) instead. In case of emergencies (or snack attacks) I bring food with me everywhere I go (I even chowed down on a LaraBar while rocking out to Wolf Parade at the House of Blues earlier this month).
As a passionate foodie and aspiring chef, I have the utmost respect for chefs with the talent, skill and stamina to work 18 hour days in tiny, windowless sweatbox kitchens. So even though I am paying good money to dine at their respected establishments, I find myself feeling terrible when inquiring about the gluten status of menu items. For the most part, my servers have been attentive to my dietary needs and I have not had any issues. But not wanting to inconvenience anyone in any way, I still wonder how servers and chefs truly feel about needs of their patrons. So much preparation is done long before a diner even sits down at the table that many modifications are not possible. The SF Gate article combined with a Reader's Digest article (shared with me by my dear friend Jessica) titled "20 Secrets Your Waiter Won't Tell You" (sorry, industry folks, apparently RD does not like the term 'server') has me in quite a untrustworthy tizzy. I already knew quite a few of these so-called secrets (one not mentioned: don't order pasta after 9pm - the water has been used for dozens of other patrons and is quite nasty). It's apparent blatant lying to diners is quite rampant.
When debating these issues in my head, my first thoughts relate to people who make choices about their dietary restrictions vs. people told by a doctor to restrict certain foods and ingredients. For example, I know a great number of vegetarians and vegans who choose not to eat animal products. I also know many people who are lactose or gluten intolerant, or have medical conditions such as diabetes or heart disease which affect their ability to consume certain foods; they have no choice but to restrain. But this is the United States of America and we live in a modern world where people have the freedom to elect special diets; we also have amazing medical care which is helping people lead longer, healthier lives than previous generations. So whether by choice or by fate, what rights do we have to request special treatment when dining out?
I don't really have the answer to this question, but absolutely agree with Chef Charlie Hallowell's statement "When people come to Pizzaiolo and say, 'I don't eat wheat or cheese,' I'm like, 'Why did you come to a pizzeria?'". As much as I miss ordering delivery from The Upper Crust, I understand there is absolutely nothing they can do to create a pizza I can eat. So I make my own pizza at home and try to forget about the perfection that is Upper Crust thin crust. (Expect me to soon trek to Cambridge to try gluten-free pizzas at Zing! Pizza and Stone Hearth Pizza). So for someone allergic to shellfish, wheat and dairy to attempt to eat an upscale restaurant with a busy kitchen, then get angry about the restaurant's inability to accommodate them, is mind-boggling to me. Accept the dietary hand you have been dealt and find ways to enjoy foods you can still eat.
The other issue these questions brings up is the responsibilities of food service establishments who are boldly and kindly offering allergen-friendly options on their menus. While many places I have been take extreme care to prevent error, we're all human and mistakes are made. Unfortunately, I appear to have been mistakenly "glutened" yesterday when visiting the very new, very hip Treat Cupcake Bar in Needham. Treat is not just another cupcake shop popping up on the corner; Treat is a cupcake BAR, where customers can either order pre-made cupcakes or create their own flavor combination at the bar (a sort of Coldstone Creamery for cupcakes). They also very thoughtfully offer a gluten-free cupcake variety every day which can be customized with their gluten-free, dairy-free vanilla buttercream frosting. Obviously, it was worth a trip to adorable Needham Center for this cupcake queen. The bakery is gorgeous, the staff is friendly and the cupcake was divine. Too divine.
My midnight snack after a wonderful evening at the DCR Hatch Shell for a free performance by the Boston Landmark Orchestra and Boston Lyric Opera, I was blown away by how much like a 'regular' cupcake it tasted. It was not granular or heavy, but moist and light. I thought to myself "This can't be gluten-free." And sure enough, my stomach agreed with me this morning. And all day long. My terrible headache, shaky hands, achy body and exhaustion further proved to me that there was a mix-up at Treat and I got my wish for a 'real' cupcake. Be careful what you wish for, as they say. As the cupcake from Treat was the only food I ate yesterday not prepared by me in my kitchen and I was feeling completely fine earlier, I have to attribute my illness to the cupcake (oh, how it pains me to write that).
I contacted Treat via email and received a very apologetic response within hours. I will absolutely go back to Treat again soon and give them another chance (anyone want to tag along?) but the incident only fuels the fire of my distrust of food service establishments and their inability to accommodate patrons with special dietary needs (especially when advertising they can do so). But despite my concerns, I am not going to let it impede my appetite for life, and gluten-free food. And I'm very curious what others with self-imposed or medically diagnosed dietary restrictions think about these issues - please comment!
