This past weekend, my husband and I decided to spend Friday night and all of Saturday in Traverse City, Michigan, to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary. We found a reasonably priced but very nice motel room. Then we went out to eat a nice dinner. Before leaving on Friday afternoon, however, I had checked out restaurants in the Traverse City area (online). If you Google gluten-free restaurants and your city, you will likely find, as I did, a few websites that list establishments that are gluten-free or gluten-free friendly. I found an organic restaurant that was very gluten-free friendly, but I decided it was a bit too expensive for us.
I ended up settling on The Outback Steakhouse. They have a wonderful menu, separate from the regular menu, that is filled with gluten-free items, as well as suggestions you can make to the wait staff concerning how you want your food prepared. For example, you can order the mixed veggies but ask for them to be prepared without seasoning. The menu includes items such as grilled asparagus, sweet potato, and fresh steamed green beans. It also includes lots of meat. While I generally do not eat meat, I did end up getting a small chicken breast piece, grilled, with a gluten-free barbecue sauce. I really wanted to have barbecue, which I normally do not have. I didn't finish the chicken but gave some of it to my husband, a real carnivore, who had a steak as well.
The next afternoon we ate at the Olive Garden. This restaurant also has a gluten-free menu. Their menu, however is about half the size of the one at The Outback. I had a difficult time finding something other than salad without croutons. I settled on a pasta dish with no meat. The pasta they use for the gluten-free people is made with corn. They also cook it al dente, which is not the best tasting but is edible.
If I had to choose between the two restaurants, I would choose The Outback ten times over. The prices are very, very close when comparing the two establishments' menus.
Now for the week's plan. You'll see there is no eating out this week. We shot our wad for the next month or two.
Monday
Rigatoni with Meat Sauce
Salads
Tuesday
Fruit
Wednesday
Thick & Hearty Chili (use beef stew meat)
Salads
Crusty Bread
Thursday
Sloppy Joes
Roasted Cabbage
Peaches
Friday
Pizza & Pop
Saturday
Fish Fry (walleye & northern pike)
French Fries
Peas
Fruit
Easter Sunday - our Lord's Resurrection Day
Baked Ham (my guilty pleasure on Easter)
Mashed Potatoes
Corn
Green Beans
Pineapple
Pie - not sure what kind yet
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