Cafe Platano - Salvadoran restaurant in Berkeley

[Guest guest]

On Friday night we had planned to go to Bobby G's for GF pizza and

beer, but when we got there it was packed and no one was leaving

because they were all watching the debate (they have big TVs there).

One my friends suggested we check out Cafe Platano just up the street.

We ended up eating there -- it was interesting as I had never had this

type of food before and most of it was either rice based or corn based.

http://www.cafeplatano.com/

The atmosphere was a little sterile, but it wasn't too expensive and

it was kid friendly with a small play area with toys. Fortunately one

of my friends speaks Spanish pretty well and asked them about dishes

possible containing soy sauce, wheat, boullion cubes, etc. The refried

pint beans have Maggie boullion in them -- not sure if that is safe or

not -- and they have a couple beef dishes where soy sauce is used but

pretty much everything else on the menu was fair game.

I had some pupusas, both rice and corn, with black beans and cheese

and I also shared a salad with my wife. I really enjoyed everything -

especially the cilantro dressing on the salad (they said they used

apple cider vinegar for the dressing).

Anyway, I think everything was ok -- I haven't been super sure

recently as to when I get CC'd or not -- but I haven't had any

noticeable reaction. I'd be curious if anyone else goes there and and

if anyone else has had experience with south american food in general.

-Luther

[Guest guest]

Hi there,

I'm going to Cafe Platano in Berkeley tonight for pupusas and did a

search of this group and found your message. Thanks for making this

posting Luther.

Sounds like you felt safe with the basic pupusa. That's a bummer that

they use soy sauce in the meat though.

Let me know if you have eaten there again and can recommend or rule

out any other dishes.

Also, if anyone has any thoughts on pupusas in general, let me know.

I'm just worried about the chance that they use a small amount of

wheat flour to make the dough.

thanks,

p.s. Please email me today if you can -- I'm going tonight

(Thursday).

>

> On Friday night we had planned to go to Bobby G's for GF pizza and

> beer, but when we got there it was packed and no one was leaving

> because they were all watching the debate (they have big TVs there).

> One my friends suggested we check out Cafe Platano just up the

street.

> We ended up eating there -- it was interesting as I had never had

this

> type of food before and most of it was either rice based or corn

based.

>

> http://www.cafeplatano.com/

>

> The atmosphere was a little sterile, but it wasn't too expensive and

> it was kid friendly with a small play area with toys. Fortunately

one

> of my friends speaks Spanish pretty well and asked them about dishes

> possible containing soy sauce, wheat, boullion cubes, etc. The

refried

> pint beans have Maggie boullion in them -- not sure if that is safe

or

> not -- and they have a couple beef dishes where soy sauce is used

but

> pretty much everything else on the menu was fair game.

>

> I had some pupusas, both rice and corn, with black beans and cheese

> and I also shared a salad with my wife. I really enjoyed

everything -

> especially the cilantro dressing on the salad (they said they used

> apple cider vinegar for the dressing).

>

> Anyway, I think everything was ok -- I haven't been super sure

> recently as to when I get CC'd or not -- but I haven't had any

> noticeable reaction. I'd be curious if anyone else goes there and

and

> if anyone else has had experience with south american food in

general.

>

> -Luther

>

[Guest guest]

I hate to say it but these days I am not really sure when I am

reacting to stuff and when not... so take everything I say with a

grain of salt.

BUT, they don't have any wheat pupusas and the rice and corn ones are

just rice and just corn. I also asked about the cabbage side dish they

server with everything and that is made with apple cider vinegar. The

salad dressing with cilantro should also be safe based on my

questioning -- and it is delicious! Also the sangria is very tasty and

I think its just red wine and fruit / fruit juice. The first time I

dined here my friend who speaks Spanish fluently did some explaining

and I asked again the next time myself, so I think it should be pretty

safe. From what I remember there was something they said they used soy

sauce in I can't remember which dish it was, and something else that

they used Maggi boullion cubes in which I am not sure if its gluten

free or not -- it might have been one of the types of beans.

I don't have any reason to think I have been glutened here yet -- and

I have eaten here several times -- but I have been having some

symptoms in general that I think might be related to eating too many

starches (my mother went onto the specific carbohydrate diet and this

has worked wonders for her, so I think I should prob ably do the same,

but I haven't tried to tackle it yet).

In any case, I wish I could be of more help. Please report back and

let me know how it goes for you. Also, you can get a GF beer down the

street at Bobby G's, even if you are afraid to eat the pizza there

(I've heard of some folks getting glutened at Bobby G's and others

not, so it must be hit and miss).

-Luther

On Thu, Feb 12, 2009 at 11:34 AM, redchickn <redchickn@...> wrote:

> Hi there,

>

> I'm going to Cafe Platano in Berkeley tonight for pupusas and did a

> search of this group and found your message. Thanks for making this

> posting Luther.

>

> Sounds like you felt safe with the basic pupusa. That's a bummer that

> they use soy sauce in the meat though.

>

> Let me know if you have eaten there again and can recommend or rule

> out any other dishes.

>

> Also, if anyone has any thoughts on pupusas in general, let me know.

> I'm just worried about the chance that they use a small amount of

> wheat flour to make the dough.

>

> thanks,

>

>

> p.s. Please email me today if you can -- I'm going tonight

> (Thursday).

>

>

>>

>> On Friday night we had planned to go to Bobby G's for GF pizza and

>> beer, but when we got there it was packed and no one was leaving

>> because they were all watching the debate (they have big TVs there).

>> One my friends suggested we check out Cafe Platano just up the

> street.

>> We ended up eating there -- it was interesting as I had never had

> this

>> type of food before and most of it was either rice based or corn

> based.

>>

>> http://www.cafeplatano.com/

>>

>> The atmosphere was a little sterile, but it wasn't too expensive and

>> it was kid friendly with a small play area with toys. Fortunately

> one

>> of my friends speaks Spanish pretty well and asked them about dishes

>> possible containing soy sauce, wheat, boullion cubes, etc. The

> refried

>> pint beans have Maggie boullion in them -- not sure if that is safe

> or

>> not -- and they have a couple beef dishes where soy sauce is used

> but

>> pretty much everything else on the menu was fair game.

>>

>> I had some pupusas, both rice and corn, with black beans and cheese

>> and I also shared a salad with my wife. I really enjoyed

> everything -

>> especially the cilantro dressing on the salad (they said they used

>> apple cider vinegar for the dressing).

>>

>> Anyway, I think everything was ok -- I haven't been super sure

>> recently as to when I get CC'd or not -- but I haven't had any

>> noticeable reaction. I'd be curious if anyone else goes there and

> and

>> if anyone else has had experience with south american food in

> general.

>>

>> -Luther

>>

>

>