Dining Out

Before a planned dining out experience, I diligently scour the restaurant's web site to learn of their ingredients and plan my order ahead of time. This alleviates a stressful situation for me and an awkward discussion with strangers about my food sensitivities. The goal is to feel as "normal" as possible! However, life's unplanned events throw me a curveball, and unfamiliarity with a restaurant's menu and ingredients instantly throws me in panic mode!

For this reason I would like to thank P.F. Chang's for proactively offering several gluten-free items on their menu. I recently had the pleasure of dining at the local Chinese Bistro, and the staff was extremely supportive and mindful of my food sensitivities. Even though I continue to avoid sauces that contain vinegar (which is most, if not all sauces), I was able to order steamed veggies and rice. While this may sound bland to some, I was able to enjoy an unexpected dining treat with co-workers without suffering from what could have been some very unpleasant reactions.