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Pei Wei’s Gluten-Free Menu

Last Updated on by the Celiac-Disease.com Staff

If you are a fan of Chinese food, you are probably already familiar with PF Chang’s, which is a very large restaurant chain that offers a very impressive gluten-free menu. However, if you get tired of PF Chang’s you may want to check out their other restaurant chain, Pei Wei Asian Diner, which can be found throughout many states within the United States.

Official Website Menu Information: Pei Wei Gluten-Free Menu
Location Finder: Find a Pei Wei Location Near You

According to my research, Pei Wei Asian Diner offers five gluten-free choices, many of which have special instructions to give your waiter when you place your order. Below I’ve listed all five choices and the special instructions for your convenience.

Pei Wei Asian Diner’s Gluten-Free Menu

  • Vietnamese Chicken Salad Rolls – (order without Thai peanut sauce)
  • Asian Chopped Chicken Salad – (substitute lime vinaigrette dressing and no wonton strips)
  • Pei Wei Spicy Chicken Salad – (shrimp can be substituted)
  • Pei Wei Spicy – (choice of chicken or shrimp)
  • Pei Wei Sweet & Sour – (choice of non-battered chicken or shrimp)

Because ingredients can change, I’m also going to suggest you also check out the most updated version of Pei Wei Asian Diner’s gluten-free menu.

Had a chance to try out the gluten-free menu at Pei Wei Asian Diner?  Please leave your review in our comments!

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.

Take Proper Precautions when Dining Out Gluten-Free

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

One of the biggest mistakes people make when dining out is trusting that all restaurants with gluten-free menus actually know how to safely prepare and serve gluten-free meals. It would be wonderful if this was the case but at present, it is simply not so. Why would a company go to the trouble of printing a gluten-free menu without also training their staff about safe gluten-free food service? That is something you need to ask the companies that are doing it.

When I ate gluten, I rarely ate at chain restaurants so when I was told that very few places were safe to eat out at gluten-free and they were all large chains, I was not exactly thrilled by the news. It was interesting that the first such place we tried did a good job several times on our take-out orders but couldn’t get my meal delivered to the table when we tried to dine in. In fact, they gave me a three-year-old menu. We should have left when that happened but live and learn as they say.

Because of my involvement in the gluten-free dining scene in Atlanta, I’ve come to a conclusion about why some locations of chains with gluten-free menus do an excellent job, and others locations (in the same chain) should cancel their gluten-free menu altogether. Almost every place that does a good job here with gluten-free service (large chains with printed gluten-free menus) has a gluten-free manager or employee – or a family member of the restaurant owner who has celiac disease.

Having a connection to someone who knows what gluten-free means, and the intricacies of safe food prep and service, seems to directly impact the level of gluten-free knowledge a restaurant has and the quality of service they offer. When you walk into a restaurant that has no such connection to someone living gluten-free, chances are no one there will understand their own gluten-free menu.

Here are some examples to consider. When dining at the Carrabba’s near us, our party of two ordered from the gluten-free menu. We discussed our salads being made in a clean bowl, with no croutons, etc. The server seemed to “get it” and then promptly returned with two bread plates and a huge loaf of gluten bread. That act proved she didn’t know as much as I’d given her credit for. When in Ocala, FL, we had the best experience we’ve ever had at a Bonefish Grill. The staff there ran rings around the staff at the locations in the Atlanta area, regarding gluten-free service. It was both shocking and amazing at the same time.

The most important thing you can do when choosing a restaurant is to confirm they know what they are doing in terms of gluten-free service. Generally, this is not something you want to do after you’ve been seated, but rather something you take care of before you ever leave home. It’s okay to just show up at a large national chain with a gluten-free menu and hope for the best, but it is not unusual for such places in more rural areas to have a hard time finding their gluten-free menu if they don’t get a lot of gluten-free customers.

Every chain with a gluten-free menu is not created equal and that is something we all need to keep in mind before choosing where we’re going to eat out. It’s unfortunate that every restaurant chain location with a gluten-free menu is not as fabulous as the Roswell, GA Outback Steakhouse – no doubt!

Let us know if you have experienced different levels of gluten-free awareness within the same chain restaurant with a gluten-free menu.

Carrabba’s Gluten-Free Menu

Last Updated on by the Celiac-Disease.com Staff

If you live in the United States, there is a good chance that you’ve got a Carrabba’s Italian Grill within driving distance of where you live. Although Italian restaurants tend to feature a ton of the typically gluten-filled pasta and pizzas, surprisingly the Carrabba’s Italian Grill restaurant chain does offer one of the more impressive gluten-free menus!

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

While visiting their official website, I was able to locate an online version of Carrabba’s gluten-free menu (PDF), which provides an impressive list of options for an Italian restaurant. The gluten-free menu includes any special instructions you will need to give your server when you place your order and also features an entire page of gluten-free beverages which are safe for someone on a gluten-free diet to consume.

Have you tried Carrabba’s gluten-free menu? Please write a quick review and share your experience in the comments!

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.

Review: Gluten-Free Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwitch on Udi’s Bread

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

When was the last time you pulled out two soft pieces of bread and made yourself a peanut butter and jelly sandwich? Udi’s bread stays fresh and soft on the counter top for a week. The slices are smaller than the traditional gluten-filled slices you may remember, but when you are comparing gluten-free breads this one is the best.

This peanut butter and jelly sandwich was made using Smart Balance peanut butter and Welches reduced sugar jelly. Smart Balance peanut butter is really great because it is made with natural ingredients and no added sugar. It is also labeled “gluten-free” which is an added level of comfort for celiacs.

PeanutButterandJellyforDEUdi’s gluten-free bread is made in a dedicated facility in Denver, CO. Chad White is the master behind this amazing bread. He has single-handedly created Udi’s gluten-free breads and expanded the line to include pizza crusts, muffins, cinnamon rolls, and gluten-free granola. The blueberry muffins are a big hit with anyone that tries them, especially since they are large and soft. The pizza crusts are perfect. They are prebaked and ready to top and warm. The bottom of the crust is “dusty” with gluten-free flour, like the old-style pizza crusts.  Chad has really worked hard on this line. His goal was to offer gluten-free consumers a great (not just good) option. This modest, kind man has struck gold.

Most people who have tried Udi’s gluten-free bread have loved it. What makes it so great? First of all, the ingredients are simple. No long ingredients that are hard to pronounce. Second, it stays fresh on the counter for up to 12 days. You can keep the bread in the fridge, but then you want to bring the slices to room temperature for things like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Plus, unlike most breads, this is good at room temp.

If you are along the front range, Udi’s products can be found at Whole Foods and King Soopers (and many more stores as the weeks go by). They are also available nationally at various grocery stores. If you can’t find Udi’s products locally then check their website to order. http://www.udisfood.com/glutenfree.php

Review: Gluten-Free at P.F. Chang’s China Bistro

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

P.F. Chang’s is somewhat known for their gluten-free menu. Celiacs count on P.F. Chang’s because they are a nationwide chain with restaurants in many major cities. Traveling celiacs can search for the nearest safe chain restaurant when visiting friends, family, or traveling for work. Check out these favorites from P.F. Chang’s China Bistro.

The egg drop soup is a lightly seasoned soup with mild but good flavors. The soup is thicker than one might expect, more like a thickened broth than a thin, watery soup. This is a great treat for lunch on a chilly day. Have a cup before the meal or a bowl to share with friends, either way, it is a nice treat.

friedriceforDE

Fried rice is a new addition to the gluten-free menu at P.F. Chang’s. Like most Chinese restaurants, fried rice can be ordered with your choice of meat. The veggies are a nice addition, as are the fried egg pieces. This dish is a great reminder of the days with traditional Chinese food before gluten was something to worry about. P.F. Chang’s has gluten-free soy sauce for dishes like these, and for the table, so you can add it to your favorite dishes as you wish.

The Singapore Street Noodles is a great dish, made with thin, gluten-free rice noodles, chicken, and shrimp. The noodles are a great treat for celiacs who are used to skipping noodles at commercial restaurants. The sauce is mild and flavorful, with a light spice and sweet note.

pfchangs

The Chang’s Spicy Chicken is a favorite. The chicken is lightly dusted with gluten-free flour and fried. This dish is actually naturally gluten-free, meaning it is always gluten-free, even on the regular menu! (I order it with broccoli, it does not normally come with broccoli). Also, note that the dish has P.F. Chang’s logo stamped on the edge. The “regular” or gluten-filled dishes are served on plain white dishes. Gluten-free meals are served on these dishes with the P.F. Chang’s logo. This is just another way to be sure you are getting the safe, gluten-free version of the dish you have ordered.

The chocolate dome is a fantastic dessert unique to P.F. Chang’s China Bistro. The dome is served chilled, and is a flourless, almost fudge-like dessert, with no cake-like texture. It is more like a rich, sweet fudge mold. The dish is garnished with berries and raspberry sauce. The sour sauce is a great compliment to the sweetness of the chocolate fudge. This dessert may look small, but the rich flavor makes it more than enough for one, and maybe more than enough for two! If you do share, be sure to cut it in half and avoid eating after someone who has not been gluten-free at the meal. It is terrible to contaminate your own meal with the shared dessert at the end!

You can check out the P.F. Chang’s China Bistro gluten-free menu.