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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To ask what coeliacs can eat at a Chinese all you can eat

100 replies

SneakySnackySquirrel · 30/09/2019 22:03

My friend is allergic to gluten. Tbh I don't know if she's allergic, allergic or just sensitive to it if that makes sense. We live in different parts of the country and I haven't seen her since all this was identified.

We are meeting up for a weekend away next week (I'm soooooo excited!!!) and I'd like to go to an all you can eat Chinese that I've heard lots about. Thing is, she's lovely but has always been a bit of a martyr about food even before she was diagnosed. I'd suggest going there but she'd rather sit there with an empty plate than say she can't eat there.

So... are Chinese all you can eats suitable for coeliacs or even someone who is sensitive to gluten but not enough to worry about cross-contamination if that makes sense.

OP posts:

CampingItUp · 01/10/2019 08:50

OP, you are getting a hard time and are clearly excited to be seeing your friend.

As feedback I think it is because you described her as ‘a bit of a martyr’ and out the ‘sigh ‘ in your second post.

Original poster

SneakySnackySquirrel · 01/10/2019 09:15

Thank you for your suggestions. She works nights and texted me this morning. We are going to Wok and Go one day. By her suggestion. I asked her if she could eat there and she said yes. I'll ask her again when we are there. I'll suggest we stick to chains otherwise.

As I have said the "martyr" comment was because she has ALWAYS refused to say she doesn't want to eat somewhere. It's unusual for her to suggest somewhere.

The sigh was because the all you can eat sounded good and has good reviews. It was nothing to do with her.

OP posts:

Original poster

SneakySnackySquirrel · 01/10/2019 09:27

Wok and Go does sound yummy.

OP posts:

GreytExpectations · 01/10/2019 11:01

As I have said the "martyr" comment was because she has ALWAYS refused to say she doesn't want to eat somewhere. It's unusual for her to suggest somewhere.

People who suffer with intolerance/allergies or other dietary issues can find it awkward to ask people to change their restaurant choice- or they may think the menu might have something for them and then find out after everyone has sat down. Maybe she just feels a bit shy and didn't want to put you out? Perhaps, an honest conversation with your friend and some consideration to how she feels would be helpful in these situations.

On a side note, seriously stop wanting to waste your money on all you can eat buffets. They are just full of badly cooked microwaved dishes. I dont understand people wanting to stuff themselves silly with loads of bad quality food.

RachelEllenR · 01/10/2019 11:13

Don't take the negative comments to heart OP. Personally I love Asian buffets - my favourite has live cooking stations so it isn't microwaved bad food, it's fresh and delicious. I take my mother in law who has recently diagnosed herself with a gluten intolerance (they have a menu that says what contains gluten - it's a like a book as well as allergens listed on all the dish signs). I don't go with my coeliac friend because of the cross contamination risk - but she isn't remotely a martyr about it, just says where she can and can't eat!

HeadfirstForHalos · 01/10/2019 12:49

I thiught you were being considerate asking for advice first! Unless youhave coeliac disease or a close relative with it, it's unlikely you'd know all about it. It was a steep learning curve when I was diagnosed.

I will say again though that CD is not an allergy or an intolerance. I don't know which your friend has.

Original poster

SneakySnackySquirrel · 01/10/2019 12:53

I wish people would read what I've written and see the context rather than jump on one line/word.

I didn't ask for general opinions on all you can eats and don't appreciate the suggestion that I gorge myself on them. I like them because it means I can have a few bits of lots of different things and quality wise they are no different to the majority of take aways.

Anyway, we are going to chains and Wok and Go.

Thank you for the HELPFUL comments.

OP posts:

HeadfirstForHalos · 01/10/2019 12:53

Unlikely, but if anyone with CD lives near Newcastle under Lyme I can recommend here for decent gluten free Chinese food. It's gorgeous, they fully understand cross contamination and all types of gluten in foods.

www.peachesrestaurant.co.uk/

Original poster

SneakySnackySquirrel · 01/10/2019 12:55

@RachelEllenR yes, this one apparently has open kitchens with different "stations" where you can see the food being cooked in front of you in smallish batches.

OP posts:

JustDanceAddict · 01/10/2019 12:59

If your friend avoids gluten for any reason then go somewhere where she can eat.

I do know the difference between coeliac and a desire not to eat gluten as if gives you a belly ache! In fact I once had a party and asked my friend who was gf if she knew there was gluten in the food she was eating (she knew what it was) and she said it was ‘fine’ - I’m
Ok with a bit of it’. It’s that sort of thing that makes people confused re intolerances.

Scarlett555 · 01/10/2019 13:08

If you have a Pho near you it is great for gluten free options (and a million times nicer than a Chinese buffet)

Original poster

SneakySnackySquirrel · 01/10/2019 13:10

@JustDanceAddict "If your friend avoids gluten for any reason then go somewhere where she can eat."

That is what I am trying to do. Once again, I'm not asking her to explain herself. I am not challenging her or judging her. She's my friend. Of course I want her to eat something that isn't going to bother her in any way.

OP posts:

Original poster

SneakySnackySquirrel · 01/10/2019 13:14

We're definately going to Wok and Go one day. I have no idea what she'll actually eat there looking online but she'll have to figure that out. I'm flexible whatever.

OP posts:

GreytExpectations · 01/10/2019 13:50

I know its off topic but I've not come across any all you can eats that are good quality...I'm pretty sure they wouldn't make any profit if they spent time or money on making sure the food is freshly cooked with good ingredients. It's designed to feed the masses, similar to hospitals, school canteens, prisons ect. People I know who love them just go on about all the amount of food they can pile their plates with, not about the quality of it but to each to their own.

Glad you have found a good solution OP. Hope you enjoy the catch up- sometimes just speaking directly to the friend will give you the best answers

LoveGrowsWhere · 01/10/2019 14:21

GreyT It's all in the choosing. There's one not too far from us where there is a lot of fried chicken but the thai seafood curry, szchechuan mussels and garlic prawns with peas are dishes that would stand up anywhere.

Slightly bizarrely another one close to us in the evening makes sushi and cooks teppanyaki at open stations.

Original poster

SneakySnackySquirrel · 01/10/2019 16:30

Wok and Go have gluten in every one of their boxes. Friend is adamant she can eat there despite me asking her about that. I'm very confused (and a bit cross about the chinese) but as I said, I don't want to make a fuss about it because if that's where she wants to eat, then that's where we'll go.

OP posts:

TwoPupsandaHamster · 01/10/2019 17:03

My DH can't tolerate gluten and sticks to a gluten free diet. Yet every year he insists we go to a Chinese restaurant for his birthday. He pays for it the next few days after but says it's worth it 🤷‍♀️

WineOrGinOrBoth · 01/10/2019 17:10

@Andysbestadventure it’s not flaked pasta- it’s vermicelli. It’s used in lots of Greek & Turkish home cooked rice dishes as well as in bulgar wheat. It’s how you know a good Greek or Turkish restaurant. If they use vermicelli then it’s more authentic.

WineOrGinOrBoth · 01/10/2019 17:10

But yes it’s a type of pasta.

FrenchyQ · 01/10/2019 18:21

SneakySnackySquirrel
I had a look at the wok&go menu. From what I can tell you can mix and max a box with the meats and gf noodles and gf soy aswell. Not sure i'd trust them as alot of the menu has gluten in but if your friend has eaten there before she'd probably know better.
My DH is a coeliac so I'm pretty good at analysing menus!

Andysbestadventure · 01/10/2019 20:09

I know what vermicelli is @WineOrGinOrBoth that is not what they use in the restaurant I'm referring too. But thanks for trying to teach me to suck eggs.

Figgygal · 01/10/2019 20:10

My dh has CD and we wouldn't go near a place like that

WineOrGinOrBoth · 01/10/2019 20:19

I wasn’t actually @Andysbestadventure.

I’m Greek with lots of Turkish friends & was trying to explain about vermicelli being added to home cooked food as a matter of course.

I’ve never heard of flaked pasta being added before - it’s definitely not a Greek thing as as I know so will ask one of my Turkish friends when I next see one of them as I’m intrigued now!

LizB62A · 01/10/2019 20:22

Any sort of buffet is a no for anyone with allergies, intolerances etc. due to the inevitable cross contamination

cancelledtrains · 01/10/2019 21:59

I think you're getting a hard time OP because you define your friend as coeliac in your thread title but then say "Tbh I don't know if she's allergic, allergic or just sensitive"

It comes across as dismissive. And your friend can absolutely eat a gluten free meal at wok and go if cross contamination isn't an issue. I know a coeliac for whom only direct ingestion is a risk.

I have an intolerance so a build up produces joint pain and mental and physical fatigue, but nothing on the scale of those with the AI disease.

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