Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: San Francisco restaurant closes and leaves angry note: "we don't give a f*** about gluten-free" [View all]REP
(21,691 posts)177. Wonton wrappers, potstickers, steamed buns, egg roll wrappers all contain wheat
It wouldn't be "easy" to accommodate a celiac patient in a Chinese restaurant kitchen as many wheat products are used in some of the most popular menu items. A separate deep fryer would have to be maintained for gluten-free items, and the prep areas would have to cleared and cleaned before preparing a gluten-free item to assure no contamination. Omitting MSG and substituting one type of soy sauce for another may be easy, but for someone with celiac disease, it may not be enough to prevent symptoms.
There is no amount of mango I can eat without going into anaphalys. If I go somewhere that might serve mangoes, I make sure I have an epi pen and a rescue inhaler in case my meal has come into contact with any.
Edit history
Please sign in to view edit histories.
286 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight:
NoneDon't highlight anything
5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
RecommendedHighlight replies with 5 or more recommendations
San Francisco restaurant closes and leaves angry note: "we don't give a f*** about gluten-free" [View all]
Liberal_in_LA
Sep 2014
OP
It took the UK to post this thing? I'm unsure how outraged to be, walked down Grant St. Friday....
NYC_SKP
Sep 2014
#1
So Chinese Restaurant is in South of Market. I used to work near it and it was pretty good.
Luminous Animal
Sep 2014
#16
That would be Sam Woo in LA. Not affiliated with Sam Wo in San Francisco. Oops.
Luminous Animal
Sep 2014
#93
Oh, totally! It was an experience! And I can understand missing that. PM me the neighborhood
Luminous Animal
Sep 2014
#92
I didn't see this post 'til now, thanks! I'm going to try that Sam Woo's in L.A.
R B Garr
Sep 2014
#278
Cheap, greasy Chinese food is one of my ultimate culinary guilty pleasures.
nomorenomore08
Sep 2014
#132
It's still there and there are a couple of other Hunan House's in the city, too.
Luminous Animal
Sep 2014
#35
I love to cruise Chinatown in San Francisco.. but if you should get bored there..
yuiyoshida
Sep 2014
#131
Nope. Informed consumers, where we expect to be told what's in a dish. Libertarians don't wanna.
freshwest
Sep 2014
#59
well no he can't. He has to at least comply with state and local regulations.
Warren Stupidity
Sep 2014
#40
Is it state and local regulation that you MUST serve gluten free, non-MSG, organic meals?
mainer
Sep 2014
#163
Um, in San Francisco "the food freaks" are also known as "your customers".
Warren Stupidity
Sep 2014
#4
Apparently he has weighed the risks of closing down and made his choice. nt
Nuclear Unicorn
Sep 2014
#6
You nailed it. Good restaurants care about serving good food and make an effort
pnwmom
Sep 2014
#125
That's ridiculous. There is no cuisine that is completely gluten-free, but Chinese food
pnwmom
Sep 2014
#267
I'm glad he's open about it at least, but what really bothers me are the intolerant
pnwmom
Sep 2014
#67
Tamari vs. Shoyu. Real tamari, not American labeled "tamari", is 100% soy. Shoyu or soy sauce
KittyWampus
Sep 2014
#140
Not true. Most good restaurants will accommodate even though they don't have a gluten free menu.
pnwmom
Sep 2014
#121
In my experience in Seattle, they usually already have it. But if they don't, they're happy
pnwmom
Sep 2014
#210
So, you want to ignore the fact that many more people than those who have celiac disease...
HuckleB
Sep 2014
#244
Why are Celiac people the only people with a right to be concerned about gluten in food?
pnwmom
Sep 2014
#247
According to you, people with Celiac and other gluten sensitivity should never be able
pnwmom
Sep 2014
#269
People who want to foist their food views on everyone else are food freaks.
former9thward
Sep 2014
#193
Where is this "elsewhere" that they can eat? Chinese restaurants have no more trouble
pnwmom
Sep 2014
#197
I posted the link from the government's own website about the requirements of the ADA
pnwmom
Sep 2014
#206
The restaurant in the OP is not stopping anyone from asking what is in the food.
former9thward
Sep 2014
#200
The owner of that restaurant was mad that night because someone said his food was too spicy
pnwmom
Sep 2014
#208
A group of people refused to pay because the food was too spicy at a place that is known
Luminous Animal
Sep 2014
#231
Or the customer could go to a restaurant that serves food more closely in line with their dietary
Aristus
Sep 2014
#38
i have plenty of food issues (migraine triggers) but i've eaten at many restaurants no problem.
unblock
Sep 2014
#48
A Chinese restaurant is typically one of the better options for a person with gluten sensitivity.
pnwmom
Sep 2014
#129
Oh God. Here we go again. I'm not a "trained diagnostician." Just a trained diagnostician.
Aristus
Sep 2014
#149
Uh, no. A restaurant chef is not one's personal chef. Read the menu; like it or leave.
WinkyDink
Sep 2014
#44
then the menu should say no substitutions or modifications or something, and the chef
unblock
Sep 2014
#53
It's a small family owned restaurant that does a robust lunch business. There are plenty
Luminous Animal
Sep 2014
#63
It is a popular restaurant and I've little doubt it will continue to be popular. Funny thing...
Luminous Animal
Sep 2014
#81
It isn't actually such a small number. And don't those people matter, too? They do under the ADA.
pnwmom
Sep 2014
#47
I have fibromyalgia and it is not a fad disorder. It is diagnosable and It is no fun.
yellowdogintexas
Sep 2014
#69
Nobody wants it. I certainly don't want bleeding and cramps every time I eat gluten,
pnwmom
Sep 2014
#127
Nope. The majority of the reviews have been very positive since the local reporting a few days ago.
Luminous Animal
Sep 2014
#23
The best Chinese food served in San Francisco is in the Richmond District.
Luminous Animal
Sep 2014
#25
Dim Sum to die for and some of the best spicy Chinese food to make your hair stand on end.
Luminous Animal
Sep 2014
#65
Seems there are more people asking for gluten-free than there are people who are allergic to it.
RandySF
Sep 2014
#28
How would you know? And what difference does it make? I'm glad more people are asking for it
pnwmom
Sep 2014
#51
Gluten gives me the symptoms of ulcerative colitis, including bleeding and cramps.
pnwmom
Sep 2014
#119
Its part of the "paleo" fad diet. Which is pretty much the old Atkins diet, with more pseudoscience
Erose999
Sep 2014
#174
Ever hear of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)? It covers restaurants, too.
pnwmom
Sep 2014
#68
The link you are asking for is what I just gave you -- the government's own website
pnwmom
Sep 2014
#112
I never said it did. But in the Seattle area anyway, most Chinese restaurants can easily omit MSG
pnwmom
Sep 2014
#165
The accommodations for real Celiac Sprue and not the fad disease everyone claims to have
MattBaggins
Sep 2014
#82
I guess I am one of those fad people because I only have gluten-sensitive Crohn's disease,
pnwmom
Sep 2014
#113
It is no hardship not to put MSG in food or to substitute a wheat-free brand of soy sauce. n/t
pnwmom
Sep 2014
#124
I dont think the chef is sprinkling msg on the dish as it leaves the kitchen
Travis_0004
Sep 2014
#262
They use base sauces. Either bought in or made in-house. Then they add flavorings to make each of th
Erose999
Sep 2014
#265
Because fruit doesn't have gluten, it is a dumb label. Rather like cholesterol free hard candy.
uppityperson
Sep 2014
#100
Why not? They are already labeled 0% protein and 0% fat -- right on the standard label.
pnwmom
Sep 2014
#162
Do you think it fair to require things obviously not there to be listed. Like that h2o bottle?
uppityperson
Sep 2014
#167
Of course it's fair to have a standard label, even though some of the answers may be ZERO.
pnwmom
Sep 2014
#201
I would have expected a nurse to be more understanding. Sorry if you view that as an insult. n/t
pnwmom
Sep 2014
#233
Expect a nurse to have knowledge and common sense, not to blindly go along with silliness.
uppityperson
Sep 2014
#236
Because I've never known a nurse to take that dismissive attitude about gluten sensitivity.
pnwmom
Sep 2014
#245
The "dismissive attitude" is towards labeling plain water as gluten and cholesterol free.
uppityperson
Sep 2014
#248
Yet you said you want it on bottled water labels,even though it is not in there.
uppityperson
Sep 2014
#256
I want it listed on the standard label. Even bottled water comes with standard labels,
pnwmom
Sep 2014
#268
But juice drinks sometimes have gluten added as a thickening and flavor agent.
Enthusiast
Sep 2014
#284
This isn't just about people with Celiac disease. But most of them can still be accommodated
pnwmom
Sep 2014
#122
Same with peanut allergies. And Chinese cooking uses peanut oil, which gets into everything.
mainer
Sep 2014
#179
So? I can eat most stir fry dishes, and it's not too hard for them to use a clean wok.
pnwmom
Sep 2014
#191
At a guess, I'd say it's a matter of whether you believe so-called "organic" food...
Silent3
Sep 2014
#64
Its a Chinese fucking restaurant! Don't go there if your food allergies are a problem!!
riderinthestorm
Sep 2014
#49
So? MSG isn't a key part of traditional Chinese food. My mother learned to cook it from
pnwmom
Sep 2014
#55
Would all these nasty posts against people with food sensitivities/allergies be tolerated
pnwmom
Sep 2014
#56
I was responding to YOUR post about traditional Chinese restaurants. Should all Chinese restaurants
pnwmom
Sep 2014
#71
it's based on an--interesting--cafe that appeared on Gordon Ramsay's "Kitchen Nightmares"
MisterP
Sep 2014
#96
Thanks for enlightening me to a subcultural reference I had no idea existed.
KittyWampus
Sep 2014
#143
i have problems with lactose-so i do not go to ice cream stands--i do not demand that
dembotoz
Sep 2014
#144
So now one is forced to honor diversity by catering to vegans who REFUSE diversity?
mainer
Sep 2014
#166
When I go to a vegan's house, I have to eat vegan. When he comes to my house, I have to cook vegan.
mainer
Sep 2014
#178
Are you sure it was the MSG causing your symptoms and not something else? It's ubiquitous
mainer
Sep 2014
#157
I told a neighbor that the trash behind one "organic" themed restaurant was full of SYSCO boxes
KurtNYC
Sep 2014
#159
MSG is awesome. And its not just in Chinese food, its used in Indian and Mid East food a lot as well
Erose999
Sep 2014
#168
I get annoyed by people who ask stupid questions. Like, is your bread Gluten Free?
dilby
Sep 2014
#190