Universal Hub Reactions

I was speaking with my interactive news teacher, the class that prompted the start of this blog, thinking of ideas to get the Pnutfree name out there and how to continue this after the class is over. He suggested to me that I send the link to Adam Gaffin at Universal Hub, who came into the class one week as a guest lecturer. To my pleasant surprise, Adam liked the blog and linked it on his website right here www.universalhub.com/2011/guide-peanut-free-dining-boston. Needless to say this multiplied my traffic a great deal, and prompted some interesting discussion both on the blog and the UH website. Some of that conversation did surprise me, however.

Some people seemed to believe that in my post about P.F. Changs, my most recent one at the time and my only negative one at that time, suggested that I wanted the restaurant to move the world in order to be able to eat there. This could not be further from the truth. I actually don’t get discouraged from not being able to eat somewhere because of my allergy. It is a part of my life and there is no use in fighting that, and frankly being alive is way better than risking that by eating somewhere that isn’t necessarily safe. So when I reviewed P.F. Chang’s, I simply told my experience there, which was an environment I was not comfortable eating in, and a management staff that was not friendly or knowledgeable in the moments that they were talking to me.

I created this blog to inform those with peanut allergies like mine to have a list of places that are safe to go, and not safe to go. I simply retell my experiences, and what the place was like at the time I was there. Some places are so good that I am a repeat customer and the people working know right away that I’m the “peanut allergy guy.” Other places will never see my face again, not because it’s a bad joint or the food sucks, but because I simply don’t feel safe eating there. That’s the mission, in text for all to see.

Finale

A place that’s known for its desserts usually is a mine field for someone with a peanut or nut allergy. Finale, while extremely famous and popular in Boston, is no exception to this train of thought. Located in the Back Bay/Downtown area on Columbus, Finale offers some of the best desserts you can find in the city of Boston.

When dealing with a place where they are known for the desserts, it’s tough to expect them to be able to be peanut free in the kitchen because they can be a large ingredient in some of the desserts. Being extremely used to not being able to eat dessert at restaurants anyways (if you look at most of the other posts on here) so I didn’t have a problem with this at all. But Finale is more than just desserts (no pun) and that was my concern laid.

From what the management at Finale told me, every effort is taken to make sure that people with food allergies, especially peanut and nut ones, are able to eat from the dinner menu, but they still recommended to stay away from dessert if the allergy is serious. So what saves Finale’s score from being too low is the fact they are aware enough to keep diner and desert separated for those with allergies.

Pnutfree Safe Rating: 6.5/10

Cinderella’s

Moving the Pnutfree search to Cambridge, a late night decision for some delivery prompted a call to Cinderella’s in Central Square, and the inevitable allergy questions. They stay open for delivery until at least 1 am (2 am on the weekends) which is a saving grace for hungry college students who don’t sleep.

Upon calling Cinderella’s, my first question before ordering was whether or not their food was kept away from any peanut products, and if there were any in the kitchen in the first place. This question fell on an unfortunately clueless hostess, who did the right thing in getting a manager on the phone to answer my question. Thankfully this manager had a quick and definitive answer for me, and I was able to order without any trouble. Even better news was that he could confirm that the bread was totally safe for me to eat, which is a rarity for many restaurants in general.

Cinderella’s is a great, quick Italian joint that will deliver most anywhere in the city. Of course, desserts are a red flag (seems to be a theme with most every place that I go) but they always seem to be kept separate so that’s no reason not to try it out.

Pnutfree Safe Rating: 9.5/10

P.F. Chang’s Chinese Bistro

First thought about this post, Chinese is like the kryptonite for those with peanut allergies. But I decided to go with a group of friends after a show to see if they did anything differently than classic Chinese places since P.F. Chang’s isn’t exactly your typical run of the mill Chinese joint. Being a huge chain and fairly American-ized, I had some hope for my visit. I also have yet to post about somewhere that isn’t exactly safe, so here we go.

Thankfully, I wasn’t the first person trying the Chinese thing with a peanut allergy they had seen, so the waitress made sure the manager came out to see us (I was too scared to sit inside for sake of possible peanut oil fumes). Before he made it outside, I looked at the menu and there were peanuts everywhere. Like worst nightmare everywhere. The manager finally came outside and informed me that there was a peanut free menu that I could look at. Feeling a little bit better, I asked if there was still peanut oil used in the vicinity of the peanut free stuff being made. He then told me that the menu is simply a list of the food that is made without peanuts, and everything in the kitchen is cleaned, but it all isn’t necessarily separate. Knowing that my meal officially wasn’t happening (cross contamination is one of the scariest things to me) the manager put the icing on the cake. He said that if I had an allergy so bad that I would have anaphilaxis (which I would) that I shouldn’t be eating out…at all.

So with this friendly display of allergy ignorance, I can’t advise anyone with a peanut allergy to come anywhere close to P.F. Chang’s. If you brave the chance of cross contamination and eat off of the peanut free menu anyways, power to you. I just can’t condone going there after such a brutal experience.

Pnutfree Safe Rating: 3/10

Pizzeria Regina

Pizzeria Regina is a Boston classic. Calling itself “Boston’s best since 1926″ I figured a trip there was all but necessary to see if it really lived up to the title. And if I could eat there safely or not.

The first thing I noticed was the classic Boston attitude in the management staff. When asking if the kitchen was peanut free, I received a strange look, something said in a heavy Boston accent that I still didn’t fully understand, and a gesture to go sit down anyways. Feeling confused and a little concerned, I went and sat down anyways. When the waitress came over to the table, I asked again, and at least this time she said she would go into the back and check. So up to now, finding out had been like pulling teeth. After what felt like way too long, she came back and told me that everything was good for me to eat. It might just be pizza places, but for some reason trying to find out about allergy stuff is either way too hard or seems way too obvious for the staff there to bother finding out for you. This was definitely the case at Regina, which was one of the toughest places to find out if it was peanut safe, which it was in the end.

The food was okay, I’ve definitely had a better pizza while in Boston, but I guess the point is that they are peanut free in their pizza. So if you want to check out some Boston history and have a safe bite to eat with a decent pie, Regina is there for you.

Pnutfree Safe Rating: 8/10

Dolce Vita

Next stop on the North End tour is a little bit nicer of a place for those of you looking for a fancier date or just a more expensive meal. The Dolce Vita (cleverly named and themed after the film) is right at the beginning of Hanover Street, among all of the restaurants that call the North End home. My favorite part of the experience (and yes, I call it an experience) is being greeted, and usually seated by the friendliest owner that I’ve ever met in all my experiences of eating out. He greets you like he’s known you for years and makes sure that the table is perfect in every way. He’s even told me just to say what I want and the cooks will make it for me.

To go hand in hand with the wonderful experience, is the attention to food allergies they pay. While being a little old fashioned and looking at me a little strange when I mentioned the peanut allergy, they were quick to accommodate, assuring that there are no peanuts or peanut products used in any of the meals prepared in the kitchen. What’s even better is that the bread is totally safe, which is something very rare when going out to eat.

Of course the one issue is the desserts, which is always a judgement call and I always judge to not have them.

Pnutfree Safe Rating: 9/10

Dino’s

Today is going to be North End themed, reaching back into memory and finding places I’ve eaten before for the good of the Pnutfree community. First up is one of the smaller places tucked away on Salem Street called Dino’s. This place is even more hidden if you take into account the fact that the famous 24-hour Bova’s Bakery is right across the street from it. But none the less it is a great place, but here’s the verdict on it being Pnutfree.

Dino’s was one of the easiest places for me to find out if they were peanut free. The place is so small that the cooks in the back heard me when I asked, one came up to the front, and assured me that there would be no problem with any of the food that he was making. I then watched him move into the “kitchen” after ordering, wash his hand (love that) and proceed to make what my family and I had ordered. There is no better piece of mind than that, literally watching the people practicing the safety with food allergies that you want.

The food here isn’t too shabby either, with massive chicken parm sandwiches and really good Italian dishes. If you’re out there looking for a quick, authentic North End bite  that’s safe to boot, Dino’s is one of the places to do it.

Pnutfree Safe Rating: 10/10

New York Pizza

Being such a popular spot for the Emerson community (and sitting right across the street from my building). New York Pizza, or NYP, has been a regular spot since my freshman year. There are two locations, one on Tremont Street (which is the one I will be focusing on) and the other on Mass Ave. I’ve been to the Mass Ave. one once, they’re the same place pretty much.

NYP is your typical New York-style grease ball. Big slices of any kind of pizza you could possibly want, steak and cheese, burgers, fries, and every other fried food under the sun. Thankfully there isn’t any peanut oil, flour, or otherwise in sight, which makes this place a nice and quick in and out for someone on the run. The only concern, of course, is the desserts, they have a mini fridge with a couple different kinds of cake in there, and I have no idea where it’s made, but it definitely isn’t done in house. So my usual warning, be wary of the dessert monster.

There isn’t much in the seating department in NYP, so be prepared to stand or carry your food out during peak hours. You can only use cash for anything under $10 dollars, after that cards are a go. Here’s the best part, NYP stays open till 3 am, and after about 1:30 they throw all the tables in the back and sell all the slices for the same price. Hello late night pepperoni.

Pnut Free Safe Rating: 9/10

Legal Seafood

Goodness, I love seafood. Going out with my parents for my dad’s birthday, this place was an obvious choice for a family of fish lovers. Since none of us had ever been there before, my mother was obviously worried about the whole peanut situation. The result was the best one we could have hoped for.

The first glance at the menu had a message at the bottom of EVERY page that you should inform the server of any food allergy before placing the order. Upon telling my server that I have a peanut allergy, she told me that she would inform both the kitchen and the manager, and that the manager would be handling my food from here on out. While I thought that just meant the manager would be looking after the cooking process, I was very pleasantly surprised when the manager himself delivered the food to me directly and personally guaranteed that what I was eating was completely safe for the peanut allergy. That’s the kind of service that you look for, the fact that allergies are taken very carefully.

If you are a seafood fan, Legal is one of the better places I’ve been to period. Their attention to detail with the allergies is beyond most restaurants that I’ve eaten at here in Boston or at home. The only red tape is the dessert, which is not made in house, but as always that is a judgement call.

Pnut free safe rating: 9.5/10

Food Allergy Video!

Here’s a news reporting package I did for a class, all about food allergy awareness in Boston. I interviewed managers at Boloco and Maria’s Taqueria, two places I’ve already reviewed on this blog. Enjoy!