Re: Japanese restaurants and soy sauce

[Guest guest]

i have found that when I can communicate clearly in English with the sushi chef or the restaurant owner, I can determine if they use a wheat free soy sauce in their ingredients (Like at Ha Ru in Alamo who is almost all GF). When I can't ensure clear communications I bring my own.

[Guest guest]

If the restaurant's soy sauce is incorporated in the dish, then bringing my own soy sauce wouldn't help. That's my concern, if I can't communicate well and trust the kitchen to know the seriousness of my request.

H.

In a message dated 10/1/08 10:34:21 PM, tanya_lombardi@... writes:

i have found that when I can communicate clearly in English with the sushi chef or the restaurant owner, I can determine if they use a wheat free soy sauce in their ingredients (Like at Ha Ru in Alamo who is almost all GF).  When I can't ensure clear communications I bring my own.

**************Looking for simple solutions to your real-life financial challenges? Check out WalletPop for the latest news and information, tips and calculators. (http://www.walletpop.com/?NCID=emlcntuswall00000001)

[Guest guest]

I have rarely had difficulty communicating at a sushi restaurant, even

at the most authentic (Japanese-run) place. (Just don't expect to get

a clear answer on things like " spicy roll ingredients. " ) They should

be able to answer questions like " Does this have soy sauce? " However,

I would never expect a restaurant to use gluten-free soy sauce so I

would avoid any dishes containing soy sauce. From living in Japan I

learned, to my dismay, that there are basically no wheat-free soy

sauces or tamari available on the general market. The only source

there would be a macrobiotic health food store that MIGHT have a

wheat-free tamari. That being the case, most authentic Japanese places

would not have wheat-free tamari- although I did find one in Seattle

that offered wheat free tamari on the side for those with allergies.

However, to my knowledge their regular dishes using soy sauce would

not use that special tamari. The best defense is to know your Japanese

ingredients well and stick to simple dishes like raw sashimi or plain

veggie sushi (avocado, cucumber, NOT the veggie rolls which may have

marinated ingredients), or at most, salt grilled fish that would not

contain suspect ingredients.

-

>

> If the restaurant's soy sauce is incorporated in the dish, then

bringing my

> own soy sauce wouldn't help. That's my concern, if I can't

communicate well and

> trust the kitchen to know the seriousness of my request.

> H.

>