Re: The Plant cafe on Steiner - talking with the manager

[Guest guest]

What is CS?

-----Original Message-----

From: j. hogle <jjhogle@...>

Sent: Thu, Jul 16, 2009 3:48 pm

Subject: [ ] The Plant cafe on Steiner - talking with the manager

My CS wife and I have eaten some excellent GF dishes at the Plant Cafe on Steiner several times without a problem. BUT, she recently was hit with herpetiformis dermatitis a short time after the last time we ate there. We can't be sure that she was gluttened at the Plant, but she is completely GF at home and we had not eaten at other restaurants in the mean time.

I called the restaurant to inquire about their cooking and cross-contamination issues. I talked with Lucy, the General Manager at the Steiner branch, who was very helpful, concerned, and straightforward. She said several important things, particularly for severely CS people such as my wife:

The small kitchen at the Steiner restaurant makes it difficult, particularly at busy times, to be absolutely

sure that there is no cross-contamination.If someone comes in who is severely CS, they probably should not eat there.If someone does want to eat there, they need to tell the staff that they are very CS or very gluten intolerant, so that the staff can tell the people in the kitchen to be absolutely.sure that there is no cross-contamination of wheat/rye/oats/barley into any of the GF dishes being ordered.The owners are planning a revised menu, and she would pass on my suggestion that the warning be added to the menu that severely gluten-adverse people probably should not eat there or, at a minimum, to ask the staff to advise the kitchen to be extra careful.I appreciate Lucy's forthrightness. I also learned from Kelsey, a hostess at the Embarcadero branch, that she and some of the chefs and waitstaff at both branches were gluten-intolerant.

One other problem: The last time we ate at

the Plant Cafe on Steiner wheat-free cookies were adjacent to wheat cookies in the same glass case.

Conclusion: Very good food, but I would be hesitant to go there if you have severe CS.

HogleFreelance academic librarianInstructor, online researchEmail: jjhogle Web: www.blueroom.com

Reality ain't what you think it is

Art Graphics & Photographs

[http://www.blueroom.com/realityaint.htm]

From: Luther <l@...>

< >

Cc: Mariska <m@...>

Sent: Thursday, July 16, 2009 9:19:26 AM

Subject: [ ] The Plant cafe in SF

Someone just gave me a copy of the menu for The Plant Cafe Organic. Its on Pier 3, which is just north of the Ferry Building on Embarcadero. The menu marks which items are gluten-free -- basically, all the salads and two entrees (quinoa bowl and green curry).

They are a bit on the pricey side for take-out lunch downtown but not too bad ($8-10) and they are open from 7:30am-10pm (i didn't see any GF breakfast options other than smoothies and juices, unless they happen to have any GF pastries). www.theplantcafe. com, 415-984-0437

[Guest guest]

Celiac Sprue AKA Coeliac Disease or Celiac Disease HogleFreelance academic librarianInstructor, online researchEmail: jjhogle@...Web: www.blueroom.comReality ain't what you think it isArt Graphics & Photographs[http://www.blueroom.com/realityaint.htm]From: "TrVerb@..." <TrVerb@...> Sent: Thursday, July 16, 2009 6:34:27 PMSubject: Re: [ ] The Plant cafe on Steiner - talking with the manager

What is CS?

-----Original Message-----

From: j. hogle <jjhogle (DOT) com>

Sent: Thu, Jul 16, 2009 3:48 pm

Subject: [ ] The Plant cafe on Steiner - talking with the manager

My CS wife and I have eaten some excellent GF dishes at the Plant Cafe on Steiner several times without a problem. BUT, she recently was hit with herpetiformis dermatitis a short time after the last time we ate there. We can't be sure that she was gluttened at the Plant, but she is completely GF at home and we had not eaten at other restaurants in the mean time.

I called the restaurant to inquire about their cooking and cross-contamination issues. I talked with Lucy, the General Manager at the Steiner branch, who was very helpful, concerned, and straightforward. She said several important things, particularly for severely CS people such as my wife:

The small kitchen at the Steiner restaurant makes it difficult, particularly at busy times, to be absolutely

sure that there is no cross-contamination .If someone comes in who is severely CS, they probably should not eat there.If someone does want to eat there, they need to tell the staff that they are very CS or very gluten intolerant, so that the staff can tell the people in the kitchen to be absolutely.sure that there is no cross-contamination of wheat/rye/oats/ barley into any of the GF dishes being ordered.The owners are planning a revised menu, and she would pass on my suggestion that the warning be added to the menu that severely gluten-adverse people probably should not eat there or, at a minimum, to ask the staff to advise the kitchen to be extra careful.I appreciate Lucy's forthrightness. I also learned from Kelsey, a hostess at the Embarcadero branch, that she and some of the chefs and waitstaff at both branches were gluten-intolerant.

One other problem: The last time we ate at

the Plant Cafe on Steiner wheat-free cookies were adjacent to wheat cookies in the same glass case.

Conclusion: Very good food, but I would be hesitant to go there if you have severe CS.

HogleFreelance academic librarianInstructor, online researchEmail: jjhogle (DOT) comWeb: www.blueroom. com

Reality ain't what you think it is

Art Graphics & Photographs

[http://www.blueroom.com/realityaint.htm]

From: Luther <l@...>

< >

Cc: Mariska <m@...>

Sent: Thursday, July 16, 2009 9:19:26 AM

Subject: [ ] The Plant cafe in SF

Someone just gave me a copy of the menu for The Plant Cafe Organic. Its on Pier 3, which is just north of the Ferry Building on Embarcadero. The menu marks which items are gluten-free -- basically, all the salads and two entrees (quinoa bowl and green curry).

They are a bit on the pricey side for take-out lunch downtown but not too bad ($8-10) and they are open from 7:30am-10pm (i didn't see any GF breakfast options other than smoothies and juices, unless they happen to have any GF pastries). www.theplantcafe. com, 415-984-0437

[Guest guest]

Hi, Pam!

I have done some restaurant reviews lately and posted them various celiac groups

and websites (including the CeliacSF.org site under their Restaurant section).

I apologize - I didn't realize there was a restaurant review on the " Database "

of this group. When I get some time, I will post the reviews of the restaurants

I have been to lately. We really do want to frequent restaurants who are going

out of their way to accommodate our diet!

Now, if we could only get the Valencia Orange Cakes back at Starbucks.......

I have contacted Starbucks twice about this the past couple of weeks. I loved

those muffins (especially with cream cheese)!

Sue

>

> and Luther,

>

> It would be really great if you (and all the others who have recently done

> great restaurant reviews on this list) could add a review of The Plant Cafe

> to the database on the Celiac Bay Area site. So far no one has added

> any restaurants to the list but me, and I'm not sure why. This could be a

> great resource for our group, especially for newcomers and visitors (when

> someone new comes on the list and asks for restaurants, we could just refer

> them to the database).

>

>

>

> I know we have the Google map, which is very handy, but this gives us an

> opportunity to give more information about a restaurant and what it offers

> as well as any problems people encounter, such as with 's wife and the

> CC. Plant Café would be an excellent entry, as we could warn the sensitive

> ones about the cross contamination issues: there is space for comments both

> positive and negative.

>

>

>

> It is easy to update if new information comes along. I have added a few

> restaurants I go to frequently plus couple of restaurants that were

> recommended by others on the list (although I think it would be better for

> the person who went to the restaurant to complete the information).

>

>

>

> To get to the database, go to the group site

> / and click on " Database " .

> This should take you straight to the database; then select " Add Record " and

> a page will come up with the field names and blanks. Enter your data, click

> on " add record " , and you are done. You can add as much or as little

> information as you like. Others are welcome to add information if they have

> had a different experience.

>

>

>

> If you have tried to add a record and had a problem, let me know off-list.

> Anyone who is on this list should be able to add records. Or if you all

> don't think we need this, I'll drop the idea and stop harping about it.

>

>

>

> Thanks,

>

> Pam

>

[Guest guest]

Oh, thanks, of course - I forgot about "sprue." Which I have!

-----Original Message-----

From: j. hogle <jjhogle@...>

Sent: Thu, Jul 16, 2009 8:30 pm

Subject: Re: [ ] The Plant cafe on Steiner - talking with the manager

Celiac Sprue AKA Coeliac Disease or Celiac Disease

HogleFreelance academic librarianInstructor, online researchEmail: jjhogle Web: www.blueroom.com

Reality ain't what you think it is

Art Graphics & Photographs

[http://www.blueroom.com/realityaint.htm]

From: "TrVerbaol" <TrVerb@...>

Sent: Thursday, July 16, 2009 6:34:27 PM

Subject: Re: [ ] The Plant cafe on Steiner - talking with the manager

What is CS?

-----Original Message-----

From: j. hogle <jjhogle (DOT) com>

Sent: Thu, Jul 16, 2009 3:48 pm

Subject: [ ] The Plant cafe on Steiner - talking with the manager

My CS wife and I have eaten some excellent GF dishes at the Plant Cafe on Steiner several times without a problem. BUT, she recently was hit with herpetiformis dermatitis a short time after the last time we ate there. We can't be sure that she was gluttened at the Plant, but she is completely GF at home and we had not eaten at other restaurants in the mean time.

I called the restaurant to inquire about their cooking and cross-contamination issues. I talked with Lucy, the General Manager at the Steiner branch, who was very helpful, concerned, and straightforward. She said several important things, particularly for severely CS people such as my wife:

The small kitchen at the Steiner restaurant makes it difficult, particularly at busy times, to be absolutely

sure that there is no cross-contamination .If someone comes in who is severely CS, they probably should not eat there.If someone does want to eat there, they need to tell the staff that they are very CS or very gluten intolerant, so that the staff can tell the people in the kitchen to be absolutely.sure that there is no cross-contamination of wheat/rye/oats/ barley into any of the GF dishes being ordered.The owners are planning a revised menu, and she would pass on my suggestion that the warning be added to the menu that severely gluten-adverse people probably should not eat there or, at a minimum, to ask the staff to advise the kitchen to be extra careful.I appreciate Lucy's forthrightness. I also learned from Kelsey, a hostess at the Embarcadero branch, that she and some of the chefs and waitstaff at both branches were gluten-intolerant.

One other problem: The last time we ate at

the Plant Cafe on Steiner wheat-free cookies were adjacent to wheat cookies in the same glass case.

Conclusion: Very good food, but I would be hesitant to go there if you have severe CS.

HogleFreelance academic librarianInstructor, online researchEmail: jjhogle (DOT) comWeb: www.blueroom. com

Reality ain't what you think it is

Art Graphics & Photographs

[http://www.blueroom.com/realityaint.htm]

From: Luther <l@...>

< >

Cc: Mariska <m@...>

Sent: Thursday, July 16, 2009 9:19:26 AM

Subject: [ ] The Plant cafe in SF

Someone just gave me a copy of the menu for The Plant Cafe Organic. Its on Pier 3, which is just north of the Ferry Building on Embarcadero. The menu marks which items are gluten-free -- basically, all the salads and two entrees (quinoa bowl and green curry).

They are a bit on the pricey side for take-out lunch downtown but not too bad ($8-10) and they are open from 7:30am-10pm (i didn't see any GF breakfast options other than smoothies and juices, unless they happen to have any GF pastries). www.theplantcafe. com, 415-984-0437