Re: Picante: what to check for at a Mexican Restaurant

[Guest guest]

They definitely fry their chips in the same oil as things with wheat at Picante. I think the corn tortillas are just corn. I haven't spoken to anyone in detail there so I am not sure what else to look out for, other than avoiding the fryer and wheat tortillas.

As for Cactus, I asked a lot of questions a year or two ago, and it seemed that just about everything there is made without wheat -- the chips are bought, not made fresh on site, so they should be safe too. They do warm the corn tortillas on the same steamer as flour tortillas -- that and maybe the jalapenos (what kind of vinegar is used?) are the only potential problems I know of there. The salsas, beans, sauces, meats, etc. should be ok, unless they have changed ingredients. But I might not be as sensitive as some other folks so its hard to say 100%.

On Fri, Feb 26, 2010 at 1:27 PM, Pam Newbury <pknewbury@...> wrote:

 

Did you eat the tortilla chips?  Often they are fried in

the same oil as items made from wheat (flour tortillas for chimichangas, chili

rellanos) and are thus contaminated.  Other areas of concern are enchilada

sauce (other sauces should be checked as well, just in case, but sauces for enchiladas

frequently contain flour) and tamales (sometimes flour is mixed in with the

masa or in the sauce).  Cross contamination can be a concern (if lots of

loose flour is in frequent use around the kitchen), especially if they make

hand-made tortillas or even on the griddle.

Pam

 

From:

[mailto: ] On Behalf Of blick48

Sent: Friday, February 26, 2010 10:14 AM

With respect to Berkeley Mexican, I tried Picante and got sick. Not sure

what it was from...maybe the magaritas? Or I thought maybe the spanish rice? I

have to admit I didn't ask many questions other than with respect to the corn

tortilla. Do you have any problems or suggestions for eating at Cactus, what to

watch out for? I'm still kind of new to this and my gluten symptoms are not

always so clear and looking for Berkeley restaurants that are safe.

,_._,___

[Guest guest]

I spoke with the chef of a local Mexican

restaurant (in Sebastopol) after giving her my

celiac card. The only items I can have on the entire menu are salsa fresca (not

the regular salsa they serve with chips), guacamole, whole black beans, and

shrimp/steak with vegetables (a fajita without any tortillas). She said nothing

else was safe, including any chicken or pork dish since marinate with soy sauce,

they deep fry all in the same fryer, etc.  They know me well now and are very

careful with my food. They have even caught themselves adding sauce to the

finished dish or putting tortilla chips in the guacamole for a festive look,

and they have redone so the food is safe.  

I am especially careful in Mexican

restaurants.

From:

[mailto: ] On Behalf Of Luther

Sent: Friday, February 26, 2010

3:08 PM

Subject: Re: [ ]

Picante: what to check for at a Mexican Restaurant

They definitely fry their chips in the same oil as

things with wheat at Picante. I think the corn tortillas are just corn. I

haven't spoken to anyone in detail there so I am not sure what else to look out

for, other than avoiding the fryer and wheat tortillas.

As for Cactus, I asked a lot of questions a year or two ago, and it seemed that

just about everything there is made without wheat -- the chips are bought, not

made fresh on site, so they should be safe too. They do warm the corn tortillas

on the same steamer as flour tortillas -- that and maybe the jalapenos (what

kind of vinegar is used?) are the only potential problems I know of there. The

salsas, beans, sauces, meats, etc. should be ok, unless they have changed

ingredients. But I might not be as sensitive as some other folks so its hard to

say 100%.

On Fri, Feb 26, 2010 at 1:27 PM, Pam Newbury <pknewburyearthlink (DOT) net>

wrote:

Did you eat the tortilla chips?

Often they are fried in the same oil as items made from wheat (flour tortillas

for chimichangas, chili rellanos) and are thus contaminated. Other areas

of concern are enchilada sauce (other sauces should be checked as well, just in

case, but sauces for enchiladas frequently contain flour) and tamales

(sometimes flour is mixed in with the masa or in the sauce). Cross

contamination can be a concern (if lots of loose flour is in frequent use

around the kitchen), especially if they make hand-made tortillas or even on the

griddle.

Pam

From: [mailto: ]

On Behalf Of blick48

Sent: Friday, February 26, 2010

10:14 AM

With respect to Berkeley Mexican, I tried Picante and got sick.

Not sure what it was from...maybe the magaritas? Or I thought maybe the spanish

rice? I have to admit I didn't ask many questions other than with respect to

the corn tortilla. Do you have any problems or suggestions for eating at

Cactus, what to watch out for? I'm still kind of new to this and my gluten

symptoms are not always so clear and looking for Berkeley restaurants that are safe.

,_._,___

[Guest guest]

's Bakery in Gualala has done well by my GF needs for many years now.

H

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

From: driley99 <driley99@...>

Sent: Fri, Feb 26, 2010 5:02 pm

Subject: RE: [ ] Picante: what to check for at a Mexican Restaurant

I spoke with the chef of a local Mexican

restaurant (in Sebastopol) after giving her my

celiac card. The only items I can have on the entire menu are salsa fresca (not

the regular salsa they serve with chips), guacamole, whole black beans, and

shrimp/steak with vegetables (a fajita without any tortillas). She said nothing

else was safe, including any chicken or pork dish since marinate with soy sauce,

they deep fry all in the same fryer, etc. They know me well now and are very

careful with my food. They have even caught themselves adding sauce to the

finished dish or putting tortilla chips in the guacamole for a festive look,

and they have redone so the food is safe.

I am especially careful in Mexican

restaurants.

From:

[mailto: ] On Behalf Of Luther

Sent: Friday, February 26, 2010

3:08 PM

Subject: Re: [ ]

Picante: what to check for at a Mexican Restaurant

They definitely fry their chips in the same oil as

things with wheat at Picante. I think the corn tortillas are just corn. I

haven't spoken to anyone in detail there so I am not sure what else to look out

for, other than avoiding the fryer and wheat tortillas.

As for Cactus, I asked a lot of questions a year or two ago, and it seemed that

just about everything there is made without wheat -- the chips are bought, not

made fresh on site, so they should be safe too. They do warm the corn tortillas

on the same steamer as flour tortillas -- that and maybe the jalapenos (what

kind of vinegar is used?) are the only potential problems I know of there. The

salsas, beans, sauces, meats, etc. should be ok, unless they have changed

ingredients. But I might not be as sensitive as some other folks so its hard to

say 100%.

On Fri, Feb 26, 2010 at 1:27 PM, Pam Newbury <pknewburyearthlink (DOT) net>

wrote:

Did you eat the tortilla chips?

Often they are fried in the same oil as items made from wheat (flour tortillas

for chimichangas, chili rellanos) and are thus contaminated. Other areas

of concern are enchilada sauce (other sauces should be checked as well, just in

case, but sauces for enchiladas frequently contain flour) and tamales

(sometimes flour is mixed in with the masa or in the sauce). Cross

contamination can be a concern (if lots of loose flour is in frequent use

around the kitchen), especially if they make hand-made tortillas or even on the

griddle.

Pam

From: [mailto: ]

On Behalf Of blick48

Sent: Friday, February 26, 2010

10:14 AM

With respect to Berkeley Mexican, I tried Picante and got sick.

Not sure what it was from...maybe the magaritas? Or I thought maybe the spanish

rice? I have to admit I didn't ask many questions other than with respect to

the corn tortilla. Do you have any problems or suggestions for eating at

Cactus, what to watch out for? I'm still kind of new to this and my gluten

symptoms are not always so clear and looking for Berkeley restaurants that are safe.

,_._,___