I thought I'd share some of our experiences at the places we have found to eat out. Granted the list is very short, but we have yet to have problems at any of the following:
Teds Montana Grill
Teds Montana Grill makes everything from scratch when you order it. They offer up Buffalo (for those who are BPI and not just MSPI) as well as Cow and they use Canola Oil in their fryers. This means that platter of fries, side of veggies, patty of meat, and/or steak are all either safe or can be made safe here.
The prices are about on par for a middle to high end lunch/dinner (expect about $6/person at lunch and $8-10/person for dinner). Kids of course are less expensive.
Every time we have been to a Teds the cooks have gone out of their way to make sure Chance gets a good helping of quality food. They even custom make him baked apples for desert (nope, its not on their menu, but that's how much they care about your experience).
Chick Fil A
Ok, can't believe I'm able to recommend a fast food chain, but I can. Chick Fil A uses Peanut Oil for all of their frying and their french fries are made from potatoes (not that powder stuff other places use) thus the fries are safe (and the best fast food fries around if you ask me). The Grilled Chicken is also safe as long as you tell them when you order what your needs are. Make sure you let them know that its a "Glove Change Allergy Meal" so they can take the extra care necessary.
Texas Roadhouse
You can read about Texas Roadhouse in my previous post. It's been a long time since we have been to Texas Roadhouse, but I hear that they are still a quality restaurant. I have heard that it depends on the location as to the quality of your server, but the foods can still be made safe (if you have problems with your server, try asking for a manager they tend to listen better).
Red Robbin
Red Robin's patties can be made safe and so are their veggies if you ask them to make them special. Stay away from the fries and other sides though as they will give you problems. Pricing varies but expect to be in the $8 range.
Dairy Queen
HOT DOG! Seriously, Dairy Queen's hot dogs are safe, add on a bag of Lay's Potato Chips and a drink and you got yourself a $6 meal! I know the last place you would think of would be a Dairy Queen for MSPI safe foods, but truth is you can eat there from our experiences.
Noodle Company
Word of warning if you think Texas Roadhouse or Teds is expensive steer clear of the Noodle Company, average is about $10 a person (including drink). The quality is excellent and they have a special screen that pops up telling the cooks about your allergy needs (It's BIG AND RED so they can't miss it).
If your a light eater splitting a large serving is a great way to go then your cost is down to about $5 per person with a drink.
Denny's
Here in the Mid-west Denny's still exist (don't know about other places). We have eaten at them from Wisconsin to Texas and never had a problem. Breakfast is typically fruit and grits (with jelly mixed in for flavor), Lunch/Dinner depends on the location but they have always managed to find or create something (usually their fish is safe and they will bake it for you if you ask).
General Do's and Dont's
When we eat out we watch the place very carefully! If either my wife or I doesn't think the staff is paying attention we ask for a Manager, if that doesn't work we leave and go some place else.
Tipping (though in some peoples eyes dated) is a good thing, believe me if your wait and kitchen staff are doing their best for you they will appriciate a little something extra. Not to mention that they WILL REMEMBER you then next time (either way).
Taste and Test. If your going with a child with allergies make sure you taste the food, then test it on your child before letting them go to town.
STAY AWAY FROM CRAYONS! 90% of the companies on the market making Crayons are using Soy in their products, in fact the ONLY safe company we can find is Crayola. So, play it safe and stay away from the Crayons (we take our own with us).
Always ASK, REMIND and don't ASSume! Remember, your dealing with people and people forget or change, Recipes change, and so do base ingredients. So, make sure you reiterate and ask questions every time. It may safe you a trip to the Hospital.
Finally, "You catch more flies with Honey than with Salt" is what my mother always used to tell me. We have found that if you are kind to the staff they will go out of their way to help you out (most of the time). While if you demand and push your just asking for problems!
- Jeremy
And now, our typical (or not) recipe
Non-SourCream/Cream Cheese Frosting
1/3 Cup Shortening
1 tsp Vanilla
1/2 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar *
t Tbl Cinnamon
3-4 Cups Powdered Sugar
1/4 Cup Apple Juice (100% works best)
Place shortening, Vanilla, and Vinegar into mixing bowl and mix with a stand or hand mixer until light and fluffy. Add in Cinnamon and mix thoroughly into existing ingredients. Alternate between adding Apple Juice and Powdered Sugar until you have the quantity and/or smoothness that you are looking for.
* You may have to adjust the amount of Vinegar depending on your taste, you can always start lower and add more later.
This recipe goes great on Apple Cake, Carrot Cake, or really any cake that your looking for that sour frosting taste.
