How I Order Off the Menu

[jesse_the_k]

I know that the pandemic means many of us haven’t been inside a restaurant for a while, but I’m hoping that will change in the next year.

As folks have mentioned, eating out with food allergies and sensitivities can be risky — even when a restaurant has an allergen specific or gluten free menu.

There’s another approach: to "order off the menu."† You imagine a meal that’s as safe as possible and which uses foods that the restaurant already has on hand. You check with your server to see whether this is possible. You provide your server with specific instructions. They confer with the kitchen staff and then come back to confirm or deny. If they confirm, then shortly you’ll be eating food! If they deny, then it’s time to hunt in your bag for emergency food.

Here’s what this looks like when all goes well:

1. Check if it’s possible

To the server: "I have some food sensitivities (allergies … whatever word you prefer). Can I order off the menu?" If you get the go-ahead…

2. Decide what to ask for

I’ve had good luck with poached or steamed food. These wet cooking methods are least likely to include cross-contamination with breading or marinades.

3. Place the order deliberately

I tell the server, "I want naked food. Place any sauces, dressings, or spices on the side in a separate cup. I want a poached chicken breast with steamed rice. I would like a side serving of Italian dressing."

The server has to write down a lot of detail — give them time to work and have them read it back to you.

Other protein possibilities include: fish (U.S. restaurants often serve salmon) or eggs. Sides could be potatoes, broccoli stems, Brussel sprouts.

4. Eat and enjoy

Have you used this strategy successfully? Has this approach let you down?

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† English idiom is confusing: when you read menu items aloud to a server, you're "ordering from the menu." When the chef decides to go vegetarian, they're "taking meat off the menu."

Comments

[sonia]

Great tips!

There was a cafe down the street from me called Bridges where they occasionally did this for me when I was having tea with someone. Salmon & spinach, yum! Sadly they closed a couple of months ago. :-(

[jesse_the_k]

Oh darn. I'm afraid that local cafes are least likely to survive the return.

[loligo]

I was forced to do a lot of this while traveling in Ireland a few years ago. It was more collaborative, though. I would describe what I can and can't eat, and the server would suggest something from the ingredients they had on hand. I ended up with a lot of poached chicken on salad with oil and vinegar.

[jesse_the_k]

I'm glad you could eat something!

[writedragon]

This is really helpful. As a celiac myself, I can't believe I never thought to ask for "poached or steamed" meats/fish, because, you're absolutely right, as long as they don't boil the meat/veg in pasta cooking water or something, it's a safer bet. Thanks for this. I almost never ever eat out but I'd really like to be able to travel without always having to rent a place with a kitchen (which isn't always possible).

[jesse_the_k]

So glad to be helpful!

[gatheringrivers]

While I don't have celiac, I have my own collection of bizarre food allergies to work around.

I've had luck telling servers to throw down a fresh piece of foil (on the grill) and cooking my meat on THAT instead of directly on the grill, and telling them to use just salt (since I can add pepper at the table, or bring my own spice shaker thingie).

It doesn't look as pretty, but it's been SAFE for me, and is an alternative to poaching (which I forget can even BE a thing...)

[jesse_the_k]

A fresh, clean surface with foil!

That's brilliant!

[gatheringrivers]

It saves the whole time to scrub down the grill problem! :)

Usually I go right around opening when the crowds are low - but if I'm there during busy times, foil is the faster option for the kitchen staff.