FRIENDLY FRIDAY: Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen

I was pleasantly surprised during a recent trip to Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen. Known for its fried seafood and rich sauces, it has not been the easiest place for me to find allergy friendly options. Well, that is until now. Pappadeaux's now offers a gluten free menu! While that doesn't take care of all my allergies it's a start, and the waiter at our local restaurant was very helpful. The menu was understandably limited, but there were some really tasty options. I had the Jumbo Sea Scallops with Lemon & Herb Olive Oil (since I can't have butter), and they were delicious. If you have any other food allergies be sure to tell your waiter. When it came to dessert, there really are no options on their menu for me (they either have wheat or dairy in them). Thankfully, our waiter was nice enough to put together a wonderful fruit cup for me.

Of course, like it says on the menu, Pappadeaux's prepares all food in a common kitchen so there is always the chance for cross contamination. 

Friendly Fridays: Chili's

Korry and I stopped at a Chili's during our long layover in Atlanta and I figured I'd be able to order a salad at the very least. As it turns out, rabbit food just wasn't going to cut it, so I ordered a burger minus the cheese and refrained from eating the bun. Had I done my homework, I would have known that Chili's actually has menus for various allergies on their website. They update it monthly with their different specials, so they recommend you check back frequently for up-to-date information. You can get their allergen menu by clicking on "Menu" from their home page and scrolling down to the bottom where it says "Download Allergen Menu". They are pdf files so you can print them out to use later. Chili's also offers a vegetarian menu and nutritional information in pdf form.

FRIENDLY FRIDAYS: KFC

KFC now offers grilled chicken and they have salads and veggies. Surely there's something that those of us with food sensitivies can eat. The truth is, there is surprisingly little on their menu that is free of all top 8 allergens. I was disappointed to see on their Allergies & Sensitivities page that even their grilled chicken has wheat in it. Really?! You can't just take a strip of chicken and grill it? I expected wheat in their fried chicken... it's breaded, but the grilled chicken is out too. You can however have a Caesar salad without the dressing and croutons or a house salad without the dressing. Their Light Italian dressing is free of the top 8 allergens, so that's a plus. You don't have to eat a plain salad! Their bacon, lettuce, tomato, green beans, and corn (both cob and kernel) are allergen free as well, but that's about it. So, if you have a craving for chicken... keep driving, but if it's salad you're after... or some bacon and green beans, then KFC is the place for you. 

FRIENDLY FRIDAYS: P.F. Chang's - Gluten Free

P.F. Chang's has a fairly extensive gluten free menu and if you choose items that are vegetarian as well you can pretty much avoid all the major food allergens. They do warn, as is the case in almost all restaurants, their food is all prepared in a common kitchen where other food allergens exist. If you are highly sensitive, consider yourself warned. I ate at the P.F. Chang's in Austin, TX and I have to say, I was impressed with both how accommodating they were and how knowledgeable our waiter was! He was able to offer me suggestions and personal opinions about the dishes. I had the GF Singapore Street Noodles, which consists of shrimp, chicken, vegetables and rice noodles stir-fried in a gluten free sauce. They were delicious and filling. I even splurged and had their GF Triple Chocolate Mousse Mini, which has three layers of chocolate ganache, milk chocolate mousse and flourless chocolate cake. It wasn't completely allergy free for me, but it didn't upset my stomach too much... and it was heavenly! 

P.F. Chang's is a great option for those of us with special dietary needs. They are knowledgeable. If you have someone in your party with other special dietary concerns ask to speak with a manager or the chef, and they will try to accommodate them as best they can. 

Allergy Eats

I was soooo excited to stumble upon this website! Allergy Eats is a 2012 About.com Reader's Choice site that allows you to search for restaurants across the country that can accommodate your dietary needs. The site is a peer review site, which means the ratings are given by people like you and me. You can select your allergens and location, and the site will generate a list of eateries in your area with allergy friendliness ratings based on 3 criteria: how comfortable was the rater with the establishment's ability to meet your needs, was the restaurant able to accommodate your needs, and how knowledgeable was the staff about food allergies. You can even view restaurant information like maps and directions, nutrition, ingredients, and allergy information (where availible). 

The site offers dining tips, links to other allergy friendly sites, and has their own blog to share information. If you're planning a trip to Disney World see their Allergy Eats Disney World section! Registration on the site is free and you receive email updates from them as well. BONUS: this site has an APP!!! SCORE!!!

FRIENDLY FRIDAYS

Fridays will be my day to feature allergy friendly restaurants or other foodie places. Be sure to check back and don't be afraid to comment and share your favorite allergy friendly establishment!