Celiac Disease

Official Website of Celiac-Disease.com

You are here: Home / Archives for Foods & Products / Restaurants / Dine-In

Dine-In

Mimi’s Cafe Gluten-Free Menu

Last Updated on by the Celiac-Disease.com Staff 5 Comments

Wondering if Mimi’s Cafe offers a gluten-free menu? We recently got a new Mimi’s Cafe in my area and being that they are a national chain, I decided to look into the possibility of gluten-free offerings.

Official Website Menu Information: Mimi’s Cafe Gluten-Free Menu
Location Finder: Find a Mimi’s Cafe Location Near You

As of the date of this post, it doesn’t appear that Mimi’s Cafe has released an official gluten-free menu on their website, however after contacting the company I was directed to the following gluten-free menu information which should be good at any Mimi’s Cafe location. Of course, once this information is available on their official website I will update this post!

Mimis Café Gluten-Free Menu Offerings

Breakfast Safe Gluten-Free Offerings:

  • Low Fat Fitness Omelette: Egg Whites, Mushrooms, Steamed Broccoli, and Tomatoes Served With Tomato Slices
  • Ham, Cheddar, And Broccoli Omelet: Eggs, Diced Ham, Steamed Broccoli, and Cheddar Cheese Served With Seasoned Breakfast Potatoes
  • Monterey Omelette: Eggs, Jack Cheese, Smoked Bacon Strips, And Avocado Served With Seasoned Breakfast Potatoes
  • Smoked Bacon, Link Sausage, Or Ham And Eggs: Eggs Cooked Any Style With a Choice Of Bacon, Sausage, Or Ham Served With Seasoned Breakfast Potatoes

Lunch And Dinner Safe Gluten-Free Offerings:

  • Dinner Salad: Baby Greens, Carrots, Tomato, and Cucumbers Served With No Croutons, And a Choice Of Olive Oil, Lemon, Or Balsamic Vinegar
  • Mimis Chopped Cobb: Iceberg Lettuce, Diced Turkey, Tomatoes, Bleu Cheese ( Safe), Bacon Bits, Green Onions, Hard Boiled Eggs, and Avocado Served With a Choice Of Olive Oil, Lemon, Or Balsamic Vinegar
  • Bleu Cheese & Walnut Salad: Baby Greens, Walnuts, Bleu Cheese, Tomatoes, Bacon Bits, Dried Cranberries, and Strawberries With a Choice Of Olive Oil, Lemon, Or Balsamic Vinegar
  • Chicken, Fruit, And Baby Greens: Broiled Non-Marinated Chicken Breast, Baby Greens, Seasonal Fruit, Dried Cranberries, and Diced Tomatoes With a Choice Of Olive Oil, Lemon, Or Balsamic Vinegar
  • Petite Citrus Salmon: Broiled Non-Marinated Salmon With Baby Greens, Orange, Lemon, And Lime Wedges, and Strawberries With a Choice Of Olive Oil, Lemon, Or Balsamic Vinegar
  • Chicken, Fruit, And Baby Greens: Broiled Non-Marinated Chicken Breast, Baby Greens, Seasonal Fruit, Carrots, and Diced Tomatoes With a Choice Of Olive Oil, Lemon, Or Balsamic Vinegar
  • Salmon Hollandaise: Broiled Non-Marinated Salmon With Broiled Asparagus, Lemon Hollandaise Mashed Potatoes, Jasmine Rice, Or Baby Bakers
  • Broiled Mahi Mahi Dinner: Broiled Non-Marinated Mahi Mahi With Seasonal Vegetables And Mashed Potatoes, Jasmine Rice, Or Baby Bakers
  • Slow Roasted Turkey Breast: Roasted Turkey Hand Sliced, Seasonal Dinner Vegetables, Cranberry Orange Relish And Mashed Potatoes, Jasmine Rice, Or Baby Bakers
  • Cp (Children’s)Slow Roasted Turkey Breast: Roasted Turkey Hand Sliced, Seasonal Dinner Vegetables, Cranberry Orange Relish And Mashed Potatoes, Jasmine Rice, Or Baby Bakers
  • (Cp) Or Adult Naked Turkey Or Beef Chuck Burger: A Turkey Or Chuck Beef Patty Cooked To Order, Wrapped In Lettuce, Tomato, And Red Onion Served With Seasonal Fruit.
    11_2009
  • (Cp) Children’s Corn Quesadilla: Corn Tortillas Cooked In A Sauté Pan With Cheddar Cheese And Fruit.
  • Broiled Chicken Dinner: Broiled Non-Marinated Chicken Breast, With Seasonal Vegetables And Mashed Potatoes, Jasmine Rice, Or Baby Bakers
  • Broiled Spiced Flat Iron Steak: Broiled Choice Flat Iron Lightly Seasoned With Cajun Spice, Topped With Garlic Mushrooms And Red Onions ( Cooked In Separate Pan), With A Drizzle Of Au Jus ( gluten-free), With Seasonal Vegetables And Mashed Potatoes, Jasmine Rice, Or Baby Bakers
    Desserts:
  • Mimis Mousse Ensemble Or Individual Petite Treats: Lemon W Marinated Blueberries, Chocolate W/ Strawberries, And Raspberry With Whipped Cream
  • Ice Cream And Fresh Strawberries are Available If Ice Cream Is Ok. Also, We Can Hand Cut A Fruit Salad For You Consisting Of, Melon, Watermelon, Orange, Berries, And More.

To read more about this restaurant, check out our recent review of Mimi’s Cafe’s gluten-free options.

As always, when dining out gluten-free, do your due diligence and make sure the staff understands your needs. There are very few restaurants that are 100% gluten-free, so cross-contamination is always a risk. If you don’t feel comfortable with what you are hearing from the staff, perhaps it is best to dine elsewhere.

For information about other gluten-free restaurants menus, check out our gluten-free restaurants page.

Jason’s Deli Gluten-Free Menu

Last Updated on by the Celiac-Disease.com Staff 4 Comments

For anyone who is familiar with gluten-free bread, you know that Udi’s is one of the top bread out there. It is a bread that tastes great straight out of the package, no heating or toasting necessary. Once I discovered Udi’s it has been difficult to try other bread because I love how I can just make a sandwich as easily as I did before being gluten-free with equally, if not better, amazing results.

Official Website Menu Information: Jason’s Deli Gluten-Free Menu
Location Finder: Find a Jason’s Deli Location Near You

On July 6th, I decided I would give Jason’s Deli a try. Before I headed out, I checked their allergen list online to prepare myself for what I could and could not eat. Unfortunately, I decided to go at lunchtime so it was extremely busy.  I have not been to a Jason’s Deli for years, so I looked at the menu, and could clearly see where items were listed with a ‘g’ for gluten-free, however on their regular menu it didn’t mention anything about sandwiches being safe, just salads and some of their potatoes.  I know when I looked online it showed that their meats and cheeses were safe, but it was not reflected on the menu.  I asked the server at the counter and he wasn’t sure either and said if it is not listed with a ‘g’ it would not be safe.  I was so confused.  He said they had gluten-free bread, and I could see the Udi’s loaves behind the counter, but if it didn’t list which meats and cheeses were safe, what would I have on my sandwich bread?

I asked to talk to a manager, and he showed me a special gluten-free menu they had behind the counter. He explained how since they just started it the previous day they were still pretty new to it.  I suggested that they keep the gluten-free menu in front so people could see it, and he replied that they only had 4 so they would wait until someone asked to look at them. I went ahead and ordered a roasted turkey and cheddar sandwich with a side of potato salad for myself and a tuna salad sandwich with hummus and chips for my husband, both on gluten-free bread.

As I waited and watched the sandwich makers make sandwiches I had a sudden panic about cross-contamination. I quickly went up and asked the manager if they use new gloves and a separate surface when making gluten-free sandwiches. He told me, no, but they could.  This worried me. I told him that yes absolutely, I would like them to use new gloves and a separate surface and when my sandwich was complete he assured me that he helped make them and made sure they used a clean area.  Again, I can understand they are new to this, but I would have hoped the staff would have been well-trained before the introduction because cross-contamination would be extremely easy here.

I took the sandwiches and set off to enjoy my lunch poolside. The end result was fantastic.  The turkey sandwich was just like the deli sandwiches I enjoyed when living in NYC..massive! The tuna salad was delicious too, and usually, I am not a huge fan of potato salad, but this one has got to be my favorite, it was kind of like a mashed potato salad.  It was so nice to be able to eat a sandwich from a chain like every other person.

In the end, I had a very good experience and will go back again; however, I can see how the opportunity for cross-contamination would be great, and it is necessary to ask them to change gloves and use a separate, cleaned surface from the rest of their sandwiches. Hopefully, once they have been doing this for a while, they will know to do this on their own.  I would also suggest that they make the special gluten-free menu readily available and that they mark the finished sandwich on the outside of the wrapper as being gluten-free, perhaps with a sticker or even a big ‘G’ written on it.  This would avoid any confusion when next to gluten sandwiches, and give some piece of mind to the customer.

A big thank you goes out to Jason’s Deli for providing to the growing gluten-free population! You can check out our Jason’s Deli gluten-free options review here.

Jason’s Deli Gluten-Free Menu

Soups

  • Tomato Basil

Salads

  • Mesa Chicken Salad
  • The Big Chef (request gluten-free dressing)
  • Nutty Mixed-Up Salad (request gluten-free dressing)
  • Chicken Club Salad (request gluten-free dressing)

As always, when dining out gluten-free, do your due diligence and make sure the staff understands your needs. There are very few restaurants that are 100% gluten-free, so cross-contamination is always a risk. If you don’t feel comfortable with what you are hearing from the staff, perhaps it is best to dine elsewhere.

For information about other gluten-free restaurants menus, check out our gluten-free restaurants page.

Gluten-Free Dining in Greenville, SC

Last Updated on by the Celiac-Disease.com Staff Leave a Comment

Several years ago, I remember people reporting that they drove to Atlanta from Greenville, SC to shop for gluten-free food. The pickings’ were quite slim in Greenville back then, apparently. My only other knowledge about gluten-free options in the area was about California Dreamin’. We used to eat there on the way to Charlotte before I was gluten-free and once I inquired about gluten-free options there, we never went back. So, when relatives moved to the area, right away, I assumed that gluten-free dining options would be quite limited and therefore, I’d need to pack a lot of food for visits up there.

Skip to last week, when we had one of the best gluten-free lunches we’ve had in a long while – in Greenville, SC! As always, I googled the city name with gluten-free to see what popped up. The Greater Greenville Celiacs support group came up and it was full of  helpful gluten-free information in the area. What was most impressive was the fact that so many of the dining options listed were not chains. There is nothing more disheartening to me, when searching for gluten-free dining options in an area, than finding only chains like Outback or Carrabba’s listed. No thanks. I can eat at those places at home.

Now that I had several gluten-free dining options for Greenville, I went to my next step – checking the ratings of any places that might be listed on Trip Advisor. Sure enough, several of the places were on Trip Advisor, but one in particular really intrigued me. Larkins on the River not only was ranked 19th out of over 400 ranked Greenville restaurants, there is an amazing gluten-free menu on their website! As it turns out, someone in the Larkins family has to eat gluten-free. Therefore, they make many of their signature dishes gluten-free, including their She Crab Soup! That was all I needed to know. I promptly made lunch reservations at Larkins on the River (via Open Table) and excitedly anticipated the trip.

The restaurant is on the river, of course. However, it is also located in the bustling (but not too large) downtown area of Greenville. Who knew that Greenville was such a  happening place? Probably people that live in the charming city! The area really has a lot to offer the locals and tourists alike. Anyway, the restaurant has both gluten-free sandwich bread and hamburger buns. They bread is baked off -site and I already knew from other reviews that it was indeed gluten-free. I ordered the half sandwich and soup special, which was only $8 plus a $1 upcharge for gluten-free bread. Our delightful server arrived back at the table with a basket of gluten bread and a plate of gluten-free bread for me. I also got my own plate of flavored olive oil for dipping. Since I was only having a half sandwich, I determined that I could eat at least some of the table bread. It was wonderful and it wasn’t toasted or anything! The slices were pretty thick and I immediately thought about how great it would be to use for French toast.

When my meal arrived, the smell of the She Crab Soup alone was enough to send me into a giddy state of mind. I have not had this particular type of soup out in a restaurant in well over four years. The Monte Cristo sandwich was beautifully golden from the parmesan cheese coating on the outside. I’m not sure I’ve ever had a Monte Cristo sandwich of any kind before, but now I’m hooked on them! The smoked ham and Fontina cheese, plus the crispy cheese on the wonderful bread was almost too much gluten-free goodness to take in at once. Add the factor of the best She Crab Soup (yes, better than the gluten version at Uncle’s Ernies in St. Andrews Bay, FL) I’ve ever enjoyed in my life and you have one amazing gluten-free experience!

The gluten-free bread at Larkins was just like bread. It was unlike most other gluten-free breads I’ve had, including those I love. There was no odd taste or texture to it and no aftertaste. The server told us that one of the flours used to make the bread is – you’ll never guess – cactus flour! Yes – that’s one of the flours they use to make the great tasting bread! It also contains garbonzo flour and there is no rice flour in it. Strangely enough, I did not detect the bean flour at all. Now I can’t wait to go back for brunch to enjoy gluten-free French toast!

Review: BJ’s Brewhouse Gluten-Free Options

Last Updated on by the Celiac-Disease.com Staff 2 Comments

Today we took my dad out to celebrate a belated Father’s Day and birthday. We decided to give BJ’s Brewhouse a try, as it is right up the street and they had just added gluten-free pizza to their menu. I wrote an article a few weeks back talking about the new pizza and other gluten-free menu items.

There are a couple of things I want to point out about this menu. There is a note at the bottom of the menu that says “Items marked with F share fryers with other products that contain gluten.” The items marked with F are all of the appetizers, so stay clear of those. While I was disappointed that there was not a true gluten-free appetizer choice, I was pleased to see that BJ’s understood the importance of cross-contamination and noted it on the menu.

My son ordered the gluten-free cheese & pepperoni pizza. The pizza crust is an herb-infused 10″ thin crust that can be topped with your choice of toppings. **Meatballs are not gluten-free. My son was nice enough to share his pizza and allow me to have a bite. I was super impressed! The pizza crust was awesome! If I hadn’t known it was gluten-free, I would never have guessed it. I think it may be right up there with Zpizza!

As much as I wanted a pizza, I just had one at Zpizza the other night, so I opted for the garden medley salad with grilled salmon. The salad came topped with fire-roasted red peppers, tomatoes, artichoke hearts, feta cheese, and balsamic vinaigrette. I asked them to add avocado, too. The salad was great, but the salmon was overcooked. I loved the flavor combinations. I asked for the dressing on the side, as I always do, and it didn’t really need it with the avocado and feta cheese. The server and manager offered to get me a new piece of salmon, but I declined. They ended up taking it off of the bill. My dad ordered salmon and he was fine, so hopefully, mine was just a fluke.

My stepmom, Christy, ordered one of BJ’s giant stuffed potatoes. While Christy doesn’t have to eat gluten-free, her meal happened to be on the gluten-free menu, so I wanted to share it here. I couldn’t believe the size of the potato!! I took a picture of it with my Blackberry in the picture so you can get an idea of the size.

While there weren’t any desserts on the gluten-free menu, the Kid’s Sundae appeared to be gluten-free. On the reverse side of the gluten-free menu, BJ’s has an allergy list for all of its menu items. The sundae doesn’t have any wheat listed and after speaking with the server about the ingredients, we ordered it for my son. He inhaled it in under 2 minutes, so there is no picture. That is a teen boy for you!

We really enjoyed our meal at BJ’s and will be heading back in the future. I can’t wait to give one of those potatoes a try and then a pizza, too!

Have you had a chance to try the pizza at BJ’s? What did you think?

BJ’s Brewhouse Gluten-Free Menu

Last Updated on by the Celiac-Disease.com Staff Leave a Comment

There has been some chatter across the web in the past few weeks that BJ’s Brewhouse has added gluten-free pizza to its menu. I emailed the company to ask for the gluten-free menu, as I couldn’t find it on their website. The initial email I received back had a gluten-free menu attached, along with a listing of all allergens in their menu items, but no mention of pizza on the gluten-free menu. I sent an email back asking specifically about the pizza. Turns out the gluten-free pizza is on the regular pizza menu! Who knew?

The menu is pretty extensive as far as gluten-free menus go. There are many salads on the menu, including several dinner salads. It is not common to see restaurants offering gluten-free soups, but there are 2 on BJ’s menu, a Tuscan Tomato Bisque, and Broccoli Cheddar. If you like potatoes, BJ’s has giant stuffed potatoes on the menu, just make sure to leave off the alfredo sauce, as it is not gluten-free. On the upside, it will make your potato a little healthier. Entree choices include 2 chicken dishes, steak or salmon. Then, the beloved pizza. Gluten-free pizza has just been added to the menu in May. All of the ingredients on the pizza menu page, with the exception of meatballs, are gluten-free. I may have to go every week or several times a week in order to sample all the varieties that I want to try! As far as viewing the gluten-free menu online, the only part I found online was the pizza on the regular menu pizza page. The entire gluten-free menu can be seen at the restaurant. I was able to get a copy via email.

BJ’S Brewhouse has locations in 14 states. BJ’s was started in 1978 by 2 guys who opened the first BJ’s Chicago Pizzeria in Santa Ana, California. In 1996, the first BJ’s brewery began production in Brea, California. The guests loved the handcrafted beer and the restaurant was renamed “BJ’s Restaurant & Brewery”. From BJ’s website:

Our passionate desire to provide extraordinary value for our guests in a high-energy, fun, child-friendly environment, along with a sincere commitment to support the communities in which we do business goes to the heart of what differentiates BJ’s from other restaurants. It is because of you, our guests, that we have been able to realize a dream and create the company and culture that thrives today. Thank you for being the biggest, and most important, part of what keeps our dreams alive!

Our Vision
To be the very definition of “WOW” for the casual dining experience.

Our Promise
Be the Best – Never Compromise!

The BJ’s Gold Standard of Operational Excellence
Our genuine commitment is to take pride in passionately connecting with every guest, on every visit, through flawless and relentless execution of every detail during every shift – to create and keep fanatical fans of BJ’s concept and brand.

I don’t know about you, but I am thrilled with another gluten-free pizza option out there. Uno’s Chicago Grill, Z Pizza, Boston’s Gourmet Pizza, Mama Mimi’s Take & Bake*, Mellow Mushroom*, and now BJ’s are just some of the locations where gluten-free pizza is available. It is awesome to be able to go out with friends and family and be able to eat pizza when they eat pizza. For children and teens, this experience can be priceless. The opportunity for your child not to stand out because of their diet restrictions means more than I could ever tell you. Sure, there will still be special ordering involved, but not many other kids will notice that. The experience of eating the pizza & giggling over it with friends will remain in their memories forever.

*Mama Mimi’s only offers gluten-free pizza on Thursdays
*Mellow Mushroom is only offering gluten-free pizza in select restaurants right now. They hope to go nationwide if the response is good. So, all of you with a Mellow Mushroom that serves gluten-free pizza – get busy eating pizza!