Thursday, December 15, 2011

Red Robin. YUMMM!

Red Robin in Cary has always been very accommodating to our family's gluten intolerance. They clearly take it seriously, always asking, when we order sandwiches without buns, and fries without seasoning, whether there is a gluten allergy. I love that they will lettuce-wrap a burger, and it always makes me really wish other restaurants would catch onto this simple workaround. And now, making Red Robin highest on my "family date night restaurants" list, they recently began stocking a gluten-free hamburger bun.

The manager came over to our table one night, after noting that our order had an allergy alert on it (most likely checking on how the staff handled it). He informed us of the new bun, and asked if we'd like to try one. I haven't asked who makes it, but the bun is delicious! It is so incredible to go out locally and be able to eat a sandwich on a bun, at long last. Thanks, Red Robin!

Red Robin Gourmet Burgers
2260 Walnut St., Cary, NC 27511
Centrum at Crossroads
(919) 854-5415

Monday, December 12, 2011

Tom Yum Thai -- Restaurant Review

For over a year I've been meaning to share this hidden gem with Cary celiacs and their families. Located in the Village Square Shopping Center on Cary Towne Blvd., near the mall and Cary High School, Tom Yum Thai has no gluten free menu, but the friendly and attentive owner will recommend dishes and ensure your food is prepared with gluten free soy sauce, if you speak with him directly. The pleasing atmosphere, with dark cherry and jade colored furnishings, soothing East Asian background music and nature sounds, and plenty of room between tables, makes for an enjoyable business lunch or dinner out before movies at the neighboring Galaxy Cinema.

Our family had dined at Tom Yum in pre-diagnosis years, and shortly after my daughter received her celiac diagnosis we brought our own bottle of gluten free soy sauce and cautiously asked the owner if there was anything he could prepare without wheat. As always, we explained that even the smallest amount of cross-contamination would make her sick. Tom Yum, it turned out, had another customer who was also gluten free, and the owner was familiar with the intolerance. He recommended several of the stir-fry dishes (available with a choice of chicken, beef, pork, tofu, vegetables, or shrimp), which he said he could prepare with the gluten free soy sauce. For months, we brought our own gluten free soy sauce with us each time we went to Tom Yum, but now the restaurant keeps gluten free soy sauce in stock especially for their GF clientele.

Our daughter has stuck mostly to two dishes she loves: chicken with fresh ginger shreds prepared with chicken, peppers, baby corn, mushrooms, onions, scallions, carrots, and ginger; and chicken with Thai cashew nuts, made with chicken, scallions, carrots, peppers, nuts, and celery. Non-celiacs would be remiss not to try some of the delicious but non gluten-free curries and authentic Thai soups, but I think it's important to say that we've been to other restaurants that have promised to prepare gluten free food and our daughter has gotten violently ill from hidden gluten or cross-contamination. We've been to Tom Yum once or twice a month for almost two years, and she's never gotten sick afterwards. What's more, we've always enjoyed our meals there.

Tom Yum Thai
Village Square Shopping Center
685 Cary Towne Blvd.
Cary, NC 27511
919-463-5523

Hours
Monday-Thursday11:00AM - 2:30PM
5:00PM - 9:30PM
Friday11:00AM - 2:30PM
5:00PM - 10:00PM
Saturday12:00PM - 3:00PM
5:00PM - 10:00PM
Sunday5:00PM - 9:30PM