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Depending on where one lives ... P.F. Changs caters to gluten free and has a fairly decent size menu dedicated to their GF options. They claim to use different woks in the kitchen etc., and serve the GF orders on different style plates. The condiments placed on the table are changed if a gluten free dish is ordered. Most people here on this chat have reported not encountering a problem with Changs service -- as long as gluten was their only issue.
Another approach to looking for restaurants that may be more collaborative as far as gluten is concerned, is to try to find a Celiac support group in one's area. They are very good at reporting on various eating establishments which serve their specific needs.
This is getting scary. Pancake batter in eggs??? We were in a non familiar area and walked into a non familiar restaurant which was a buffet, and asked if they had a GF menu (no), so I asked if there was something at their buffet that was GF, and the cook stated that everything you see in the buffet line has flour added. Of course, we left.
I do like to eat at Ruby Tuesday, as they have a GF menu that has appetizing items. Their veggies mostly are GF, grilled away from other foods. I have never had a problem there. I particularly like their speg squash, and their portions are quite large. I order everything plain with any add-ons on the side.
They call me the chicken lady at out Ruby Tuesday's. They usually take good care of me. They cook my chicken in 100% olive oil (what they use on the salad bar) not the veg, oil they usually use. I get a plain baked potato and bring my own soy free margarine.
We don't have a lot of restaurant choices here. I do like Outback but it is 45 minutes away. We have a special server there. We used to go over to a movie and dinner almost every Sunday before the arrival of the dogs. The movies were way too loud and we stopped going (I even wore earplugs and yes, we complained.)
DISCLAIMER: I am not a doctor and don't play one on TV.
Anytime I eat out, which isn't often, I always plan on feeling mildly blah. I still don't experience a change in the D pattern for me since I don't have good control of that yet. But I know something made it to my plate that shouldn't have if I wake out of my sleep in the early AM to use the bathroom. That scares me very much since I used to have nocturnal D problems. That and I usually get a stomach ache and extreme fatigue.
I find myself envying those who only have to watch for gluten. That would be so simple (it took me years be able to honestly say that). It's the soy that a killer- iti's in absolutely everything. I've stopped getting excited about shelved GF products in the grocery store. I rarely find one that is also DF/EF/SF- but that too is beginning to be less and less devistating.
I just returned from a tour of 3 countries in South America. I was VERY worried about eating in "who knows what kind of restaurants" but was pleasantly surprised that I could eat 3 large meals a day ( I gained 3 pounds) and never had one problem! Lots of fish, potatoes, veggies and beef. The third day I was home the D started. I can only guess that I ate a very additive-free, fresh diet whie I was gone and going back to The processed stuff we eat here made me react. I'm Just now getting back to semi-normal.
I have 2 or 3 tried and true restaurants here at home - no national chains- and I am careful to order the same 1 or 2 menu items that I've eaten previously without a problem. I also love to cook and although having to cook with limitations is not quite as fun as it used to be, I find most dishes can be altered to be gf, df, sf and ef.
Christine
Another approach to looking for restaurants that may be more collaborative as far as gluten is concerned, is to try to find a Celiac support group in one's area. They are very good at reporting on various eating establishments which serve their specific needs.
