Married to a serious foodie, and being an amateur gourmand myself, receiving positive allergy test results (to gluten, dairy, and soy), was not easily accepted. Questions abounded, as well as annoyance, and even some curiosity. What can I eat? What will I cook? Are there any restaurants where I can find something safe to order other than a salad? While I eat greens daily, ordering salad as my entree at every restaurant until the end of time, was not acceptable. I quickly realized I had a lot of learning to do about food preparation, ingredient substitutions, and in which foods gluten, dairy and soy can be hidden.
Since that day of diagnosis, dining out has definitely been a different experience for me. Venturing out has gotten easier with time and experience, but it has consisted of a lot of trial and error, a lot of seemingly irritated wait staff, and consuming a lot of plain, green salads when I don't feel as if anything else is safe, or there are no alternatives.
I can't say that every dining out experiment has been positive, as I have consumed food at some locales that have left me in pain for days to follow. But, more often than not, my dining out experiences have proven positive, and my foodie husband and I have enjoyed meals out just as delicious as we did prior to my allergy diagnoses. I've found many restaurants (in Seattle and beyond), who are more than willing to accommodate my allergies, and who have gone out of their way to prepare meals for me that are more than just salad.
To be honest, I feel quite lucky to be living in today's culinary world rather than twenty or even ten years ago, when individuals with food allergies were not able to eat out as readily. Food allergies are slowly becoming mainstream knowledge, and the culinary world is finally starting to accommodate those of us with sensitivities and very serious reactions to a variety of foods. Let me share with you some of my gluten, dairy, and soy free dining experiences.
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