Ben Pao, an upscale Chinese restaurant located a few short blocks from the Magnificent Mile in Chicago, has a reputation within the celiac community as a safe harbor for delicious asian cuisine. With a dedicated gluten-free menu, knowledgeable staff, and and rigid food preparation standards, Ben Pao calms the fears most celiac’s have while eating out.
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Ben Pao’s gluten-free menu [PDF] is more extensive than its GF counterpart Big Bowl, and runs the gamut from appetizer to desert. My basil chicken was delicious if not a little bland; ask for extra spicy. The lettuce wrap appetizers were crisp and presented with GF soy sauce. The only slip-up was a minor one; the server dropped off the traditional pair of fortune cookies when the bill came, out of habit I’m sure. The only reason I even noticed was because they had been so careful during the entire meal.
But just as important as the taste was the assurance that my meal was indeed gluten-free. With the exception of the fortune cookies, the server clearly stated, “gluten-free” every time a dish was presented to me, a nice touch for the those concerned about mix-ups in the kitchen.
After my recent meal I had a chance to speak with manager Emily Collins, who was eager to explain the steps they take to ensure a gluten-free dining experience. Much like process we wrote about in our review of Webber Grill, Ben Pao tracks your food from table to kitchen and back, with the manager signing off on the order. This ticket follows your order throughout the kitchen. Collins said the possibility of cross contamination is reduced by boiling cooking utensils before each order and using dedicated woks.
Unlike Webber, their kitchen and processes are not approved by the Celiac Disease Center, but by the time my interview was over Collins was pledging to look into it.
All in all, Ben Pao’s is an excellent go-to spot for celiacs and their GF brethren. The dining experience is almost as effortless as my pre-celiac days, a rare and welcome change.
This in from the hypochondriac haven known as WebMD.
Previous studies identified a genetic region on chromosome four associated with celiac disease. In this study, the same research group identified seven new genetic regions associated with an increased risk of celiac disease.
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The results, published in Nature Genetics, identified seven new genetic risk regions associated with celiac disease. Of those seven mutations, six involve genes that control immune responses.
What does this mean for us? Well, my genetics knowledge is a bit rusty. I just like to see progress being made, however big or small.
New Celiac Disease Clues [WebMD]
Sweet home Chicago. Julie Deardorff at the Chicago Tribune wrote this helpful article, one of many similar articles popping up more and more in our nation’s newspapers, big and small.
During my short time with this disease, I’ve asked many fellow celiacs about awareness and education on the subject, and every one of them has mentioned how much easier it is these days to find products, knowledgeable people, and restaurants. They are also quick to point out that everyone and their brother are getting diagnosed.
This makes me wonder when the tipping point will occur. When will a celiac’s dietary constraints become as well-known as, say, a vegetarian diet? When will CD awareness reach the same level of exposure as other autoimmune disorders? With 97% of the estimated 2 million with celiac disease unaware of their condition, and diagnosis rates increasing seemingly exponentially, it stands to reason that tipping point is closer than we might think.
Gluten- and dairy-free fare [ChicagoTribune.com]
This recent post by The Daily Aztec, San Diego State’s student newspaper, elequently states a common misconception of celiac disease.
People allergic to gluten have celiac disease. They have an “immune reaction to gluten in their GI track,” according to Dr. Susan Algert, a nutritional counselor at the Wm K. Warren Medical Research Center for Celiac Disease at UCSD. After consuming gluten, the body creates antibodies that can make a person sick.
One in 100 people probably have celiac disease according to Algert. She said that some people have it for years before it is officially diagnosed and that new symptoms are emerging.
People with celiac, as well as those who choose to live gluten-free, will of course see the error in the author’s logic.
But this got me thinking. In the interest of simplifying things, whether it be during a party when I pass on an appetizer, or when ordering dinner at an unfamiliar restaurant, I tend to say something to the effect of, “I have a wheat allergy.” I’ll dive into the details if someone probes, but that generally does the trick.
But I wonder if I’m doing a disservice to the CD community and CD education in general. Perhaps it’s our job to give a little 15 second schpeal as to the definition of celiac disease. If nothing else, that’s one more person that understands. And maybe that person tells another, and so on.
So what say you, dear reader? Do you walk the path of least resistance like I do, or do you educate your audience whenever you can?
You know the drill. You’re enjoying a tasty sandwich. Soft bread that weighs less than three pounds a slice. Maybe some fries that share a fryer with the dreaded breaded chicken fingers. Maybe, just maybe, you’re enjoying a beer.
Suddenly, about 2/3rds through your sandwich, it hits you; you are NOT supposed to be eating this. How could this happen, I know better than this. How did I slip up? You throw the sandwich to the table, push away the beer. Maybe you even gulp some water, swish it around a bit to rid your mouth of any remaining glutonium.
This is about the time I wake up. Wide awake, mouth dry as dirt.
I was diagnosed back in October 2007, and I easily still have three to four of these wheatmares a week. Sometimes they are so convincing I’m positive I’ve eaten something on the bad list, and just sit and wait for the repercussions.
So, I’d like to hear some of your wheatmares in hopes they might calm my own. Feel free to comment away and maybe getting it on “paper” will help you too.
Celiacs now have another choice when it comes to replacing some of the nutrients missed in the gluten-free diet. The Gluten-Free Certification Organization (GFCO) announced today that it has certified Country Life Vitamins as certified gluten-free.
This is great news, as there are limited GF options when looking at all the colorful bottles in the Whole Foods aisle. My celiac dietitian pointed me towards Pioneer vitamins, which I try to take 3 times a day. Despite my urban surroundings, Country Life might be the way to go; it looks like you only have to remember two dosages.
While looking at Amazon’s various sub companies for some start-up research, I ran into Amazon Fresh. Those of you in the Pacific Northwest may have heard of it, but this is news to me here in Chicago. At first swipe, it’s a Peapod competitor that, for now, serves only the Seattle/Tacoma area.
“That’s great Bill, but what does this have to do with the task at hand?”
Glad you asked. Hopefully, it’s a glimpse into the future of gluten-free shopping:
From the get-go, Amazon Fresh lets you filter products based on its nutritional characteristics. Unlike other eCommerce sites I’ve used, this filter can be applied at any time. Meaning, if you check that little gluten-free box when you first arrive to the site, you are presented with gluten-free items (774 items if you’re counting). This effectively makes Amazon Fresh a boutique gluten-free grocer. A quick glance at Peapod and I see no such feature.
Even though it’s virtual - not to mention only serving Seattle for the time being - it was a great feeling to peruse the site knowing everything on the shelf was OK for me to eat. Now if I could only say the same for my local Dominick’s.
Clean Coffee & Smoothies is getting some press in Chicago. Owner Brian White discusses the gluten-intolerant options to munch on while sipping his highly-regarded coffees and teas. From the Daily Herald…
Brian Smith is offering a healthier alternative at his new shop, Clean Coffee & Smoothies in Glen Ellyn.
The shop at 546 Crescent Blvd. offers organic, fair trade coffees from around the world and more than 20 organic and natural teas.
All natural smoothies along with organic fruits and gluten-free snacks are also offered at the shop, which opened earlier this year.
Read the full story by Kim Mikus. [Chicago Daily Herald]
Suzanne Mangini at the TimesUnion.com Celiac Blog wrote a nice review about “crepeless” crepes at Ravenous, a restaurant in Saratoga Springs. Looks like they offer quite a selection, and any day I see some gluten-free options on a desert menu is a good day.
Ravenous in Saratoga Springs
This in from the Salt Lake Tribune; one of the more elusive finds for a celiac, a pizza joint offering wheat free crust. As a celiac myself, pizza has been one of the more difficult items to give up when I’m out with friends - not to mention the beer that compliments it. From this excerpt, it’s obvious I’m not alone.
“On several different occasions people have started crying,” said Herrera, who decided to offer the wheat-free crust nine months ago after a family member was diagnosed with celiac disease, the most severe form of intolerance.
“One woman gave me a big hug and said, ‘I haven’t had pizza for 20 years,’ ” said Herrera. “She was thrilled to be able to enjoy pizza again.”
Herrera’s gluten-free offering is part of a growing dining trend, both in Utah and nationwide.
A gluten-free slice of heaven [Salt Lake Tribune]
