I quite often find it hard to eat when I leave the house. Too many allergies!
I’ve stood at countless counters asking all sorts of questions, trying to satisfy my empty belly. Food courts are difficult places to navigate for the hard of eating. Uber busy servers and people who don’t understand that allergies are a real problem can make it seem impossible to eat out. I quite often end up eating a banana just to get by.
There had to be a solution and in the end I settled on fish and salad. It’s a staple I go to at home and with a little bit of discussion and some trust I found a meal I can eat.
I’ll often end up in the Martin Place end of Sydney city and eventually made my way to the counter of Baby Barramundi Oyster Bar, a fast food fish establishment in the food court at Chifley Square. One day after the lunch rush was over I spoke to the over worked and very tired chef about which cuts of fish were cooked without flour and butter. In the end, he assured me that the John Dory and Salmon Steaks were grilled with olive oil and were 100% gluten and butter free. We also discussed the salad situation and settled on green salad with a simple dressing he had made himself with only balsamic vinegar and olive oil.
I told him I was seriously allergic and that this was not a fad thing. He looked me in the eye and assured me. I trusted him.
My trust was not misplaced. I ate the fish and salad and did not get sick. I was so happy and was (FINALLY) no longer hungry and weak.
Now, whenever I’m in town I know I can get a meal at lunch time and it’s delicious as well as good for me.
It takes a lot of research, some frank conversation and well placed trust. I find that most proprietors are really scared of being sued or slammed on social media and will do their best to be honest with you.
Start a conversation and see if you can find an allergy free solution in your town 🙂
