Thailand and Abu Dhabi

[kickingfrog]

Brenda Ann
on Coeliac Society of Ireland message board

Thialand and Abu Dhabi-No problem!


I'm just back from my honeymoon and I had to pass on the good news that I had no problem dining out at all in either place!
In Thialand I had a wonderful selection of Thai dishes like chicken in cashew nuts or thai style rice with prawns, curries too.
All their soups were gf and the seafood was beautiful too.
I just informed the resort before we left of my requirements and got a Thai dining out card (free)off the internet which I used in the restaurants.

For Abu Dhabi I had printed an arabic card but it turned out that most people working in restaurants didnt speak arabic so I either explained or used my english version instead.
Overall, fantastic choice of food (much better than here!) and they were able to change ingredients to suit me.

I had expected to feel a little unwell at some stage but everything went perfectly!
Etihad supplied a glutenfree meal on each flight too!
Hope this will be helpful for somebody!

www.coeliac.ie/webboards/viewtopic.php?t=5239

[kickingfrog]

From GF -Gluten Free site:

*************

Thailand

In September 2006, I traveled to Thailand for 21 days. This was my first visit to an asian country and I was a little concerned about what gluten free food would be available, as well as the normal concerns with health issues you could expect going into Asia.

On my arrival in Bangkok the first thing that stood out was the amount of people in the city. Thai people have the knack of being able to balance anything on a push bike or motor bike. This city is vibrant and is ablaze of color, people, street markets and food stalls. Initially this can be a little over-whelming and can make you want to retreat to your hotel. Give yourself 24 hours to get over the jet-lag and to take in the new sights – before you know it you will be just like a local. I was wearing “fisherman pants” and a fake pair of “crocs” within 24 hours, after initially not wanting to leave our hotel in Bangkok.

When you are preparing for your trip to Thailand the travel guide books are invaluable. This resource will help you with all the cultural aspects but also give you information on the local food. Traveling to a foreign country has its challenges especially when you are not able to speak the language and you need to ask questions about the food before you order. My number one tip is to photocopy and cut out the glossary of food items from your guide book This, then, is a handy guide you can keep in your wallet for quick reference.

Travel cards available from the internet or your local celiac society are also very handy. These cards state you have a medical diagnosed condition and require a gluten free diet. Although these cards are helpful, I have found that for the street vendors they are too complicated, as it contains too much information. I found it very helpful to have another card saying – NO SOYA SAUCE. NO OYSTER SAUCE. I organized for the owner of our local thai restaurant to write this in 'thai' and then I had it laminated. This simple card was very useful. It still comes back to when you are ordering, you need to make wise choices just as you would when you are back home.

I have very fond memories of Thailand and the food that I was able to eat. Food that you experience on your holidays certainly will make or break your holiday. The Thai experience certainly will be one to remember. Here is a few guidelines to help you decide on what to eat.

Breakfast

In most hotels breakfast is served “western” style. I find this the most difficult meal because toast, cereals that are readily available are off the menu for celiacs. You can normally choose from yogurt, fruit and eggs. When eating fruit, you should choose fruit that has a skin and has been peeled. You should only consume bottled water and fruit juice – this is to avoid any contamination issues with the local water.

Curry dishes with rice are often available at breakfast that can be eaten with eggs to add a little bit of variety. It is always good to take your own savory gluten free biscuits that can be eaten with jam. Sometimes it is just the thing to finish up with or when you are not that hungry or are craving for bread. This is a good substitute if you did not pack any gluten free bread from home.

Lunch/Dinner

You will soon discover an amazing amount of gluten free dishes on offer.

Rice noodle dishes (Kuay tiaw). Most noodles are made from 100% pure rice flour. The most popular dish with travelers is Phat Thai. Rice noodles are also used in soups with chicken or beef stock (if their stock is home made, it should be gluten free but if it is a commercial stock you need to check). Meat and vegetables are then added to the noodle dishes.

There is also a clear noodle (wun-sen) made from mung bean starch and water which is gluten free. It is used in three different dishes – they use it in a hot and tangy salad, bean thread noodles that are baked in clay pots or it is used in soups.

There is a wheat flour noodle (bamii) (usually yellow in color) as it is made with egg that is NOT gluten free. This WHEAT noodle must be avoided.

Curries

Most curries are suitable to eat. When ordering your meal ensure soy sauce is not used in the curry. Usually fish sauce is added but it is better to double check. An example of some curries are: Masaman curry with chicken or beef or Chicken with green curry.

Stir Fries

The stir fry is classified as the simplest dish in Thai food. Stir fries are normally served with fish sauce and not soya sauce as this is more a chinese tradition. The list of stir fries is only limited by you. Stir fries comprise of a variety of meats and vegetables with ginger, garlic and chillies. Cashews are native to Thailand and are therefore a popular choice in stir fries.

.....I ordered fried rice in a little beach side restaurant in Koh Samui. When ordering I flashed the no soya sauce/no oyster sauce card – the waiter frowned and said “it will be very pale”!! I smiled back and said “I like it that way”!! Just for the record it was tasty and soon became a staple lunch meal.

The same caution should be used for all travelers in regard to fresh salad, unpeeled fruit, fruit juices with added local water and ice cubes. It is not recommended to consume the local water or products washed in it. Some people traveling to Thailand may experience intestinal troubles and this may be due to the quality of the water and food hygiene standards. Maybe your food has bacteria in it that gives you some form of food poisoning or you had ice in your drinks and you suddenly have diarrhea. The point to be made here is – do not assume you have eaten gluten, as it may be a bug that you or any one of your travel companions can pick up. Use your common sense when ordering food and do not be too scared to try different food – remember that is why you enjoy traveling!!

Some people, whether they have celiac disease or not, would rather eat only in 'western' hotel restaurants and not in local restaurants or from street vendors. I personally think it is a shame not to eat in a wide variety of outlets. To this day, the best Pad Thai I have every eaten was from a street vendor for 80 baht. That is less than $1 or one euro. Common sense must come into play.

A good tip – if eating from street vendors or local restaurants look for high turn over, food being freshly cooked and not sitting for long periods of time in pots. Look around for good hygiene standards. Eat where the locals eat for the true thai dishes and flavor. Some people who have only eaten in 5 star restaurants and not from street vendors or local eateries have still come down with the dreaded 'runs'.

Gluten free pre-packaged snacks such as muesli bars, rice crackers, nuts, packet soups, rice cakes, gluten free cereal, etc are very important to take on every trip if you have the room. These snacks will be very appreciated in times when a gluten free meal or snack is not available. It could be your gluten free meal has not been ordered on your flight or just at a local stop when gluten free is not available. It is always better to be prepared. I had no problems importing any of these into the country.

....
Thai Cooking School

One of my favorite days in Thailand was in Chiang Mai at a cooking school. We were taken to the local markets to see where the local people buy their daily food. We then headed back to the cooking school to start cooking. We cooked three different dishes and all dishes were able to be made gluten free with no problems at all. These dishes were:

Grilled fish salad,

Masaman curry with chicken

Fried bananas with thick coconut toffee

Both savory dishes were made with fish sauce instead of soya sauce and the dessert dish was just amazing. Do not think cooking classes are out of the question – it was some of the nicest food I have every eaten and a very enjoyable day spent with friends, learning new techniques.

All in all Thailand, its people and food are amazing. It is a great country for a celiac to visit and I can't wait to go back some day.


....


www.gf-glutenfree.com/celiac_disease_thailand.htm

[kickingfrog]

Thailand

Honeymoon destinations.

Posted by Polly on 10/3/2013
GF board

I'd recommend Riu palace las Americas in cancun, movenpick Phuket Thailand (the head chef Ameer made me gf df waffles bread cakes etc!!)....

[kickingfrog]

Thailand

Posted by Prakash on 23/4/2013
GF board


...you can download and print a translation card from this link.
Enjoy your holiday, look forward to hearing from you when you get back.

www.celiactravel.com/file_uploads/cards/thai-gluten-free-restaurant-card.pdf

***********

A family member who is not GF (but is vegetarian) says the staple food is white rice & many dishes are rice-based....

However, there are also noodles which may not be GF & a lot of sauces etc which are not GF, either.

It seems there are supermarkets in eg Bangkok with quite a big range of 'Western' foods and advice is to go self-catering & cook from scratch yourself to be quite safe since special diets are not easily understood in Thailand generally speaking.

I understand Thais try to help Western tourists/visitors but may not fully understand special diets & may politely assure you they do understand when in fact they don't!

There are a few Indian restaurants where staff generally do understand English well & GF meals are available.

Also staff in the better hotels will understand special diets.

*************

Thailand -

Posted by Polly on 22/4/2013

...I just recently spent two weeks in Thailand! ....

Generally they don't use soy sauce/oyster sauce in their Thai green curry it's more the other dishes you have to be careful with. I am a seafood lover so actually I tried to stick to grilled marinated fish with rice to be on the safe side, I'd rather enjoy my holiday that be ill which I was in the first week because I did have some trial and error. I did have green curry loads and was fine!! Like I said its the other dishes

I downloaded google translate on my phone and entered what I can and cannot eat in a clear manner into the translator and it relayed it back in Thai characters.. I wouldn't attempt to use the words gluten or coeliac more like I can't eat wheat flour, soy sauce oyster sauce as it makes me very sick kind of thing, I can't have dairy either so more complicated but I've learnt when I'm travelling to make the translation as simple as possible and it does work!! It's been a lifesaver I had a few actually I found it beneficial to either choose what I want and have one saying 'I would like this without..' You just have to keep it simple as possible! It's easier to choose a safeish dish and adapt rather than ask what you can and can't have, you'll get used to it!

If you're in Phuket the movenpick was excellent I stayed there and chef ameer made me gf waffles in the morning they had gf bread cupcakes etc!!

...also in the airport they have these biscuits that are gf made of coconut flour I think, coconut rolls or something... Lovely !!!! I did take some snack foods with me tbh some nuts haribo etc but also in Dubai airport bought some sweet sesame seed biscuit type things too!!

**********

[kickingfrog]

Posted by Calvin on 23/4/2013

Gf board


I had 2 weeks in Phuket, The Thai people speak english and I did not have a problem with eating out as most meals are with rice or rice noodles, the menus are in english. Enjoy yourself, I did.

[kickingfrog]

THAILAND

Monday, 10 September 2012

ThangLong Restaurant Bangkok
Another great find in Bangkok was actually a Vietnamese restaurant called ThangLong and it is within walking distance from the BTS Chit Lom station. ThangLong is open for lunch and dinner.
The restaurant has been operating since 1987 and recently undergone a renovation and is very chic and smart. It does get quite busy so booking is recommended.
The menu is extensive and many of the items are Gluten Free and you are spoilt for choice in what to select.

Make sure you try the Pomelo Salad and the Minced Shrimp on Sugarcane. Both were wonderfully fresh and flavorsome.
The restaurant also has a great wine list and drinks menu.

ThangLong
Soi Lang Suan
Bangkok, 10330, Thailand
02-251 3504

www.glutenfreeinsingapore.com/search?q=thailand

**********************************************************

Friday, 10 August 2012

Nahm Bangkok

Having read and cooked from David Thompson's wonderful Thai cookbooks , I have always wanted to try his restaurant Nahm in Bangkok. David's food is authentic Thai food that is unlike what you find at most standard Thai restaurants. Many of the dishes incorporate rare ingredients from all regions of Thailand.
When making my booking I did mention that I require a Gluten Free meal just to give them advanced notice.Well that not was not required as the very well informed staff guided me through the menu as to what was available for me to dine on and the list of items was extensive. It was going to be a hard choice as to what to order and then I spotted a tasting menu that was about 6 courses and although expensive for Thai Standards amazingly good value for the standard of food compared to Singapore. A quick question to the waitress as to if I could partake in the tasting menu with my partner came the response of "we can adapt the menu for you" and here are your options.
The food lived up to and exceeded all expectations and the servings were generous. At one point the waitress could see that the soup was to spicy for me and offered to bring a different soup that was milder. It is always hard to judge food in terms of spiciness as I do like spicy food and this soup was classified as "mild ".
I would recommend a night out at Nahm for authentic Thai Food that is worlds apart form your standard red and green curries. Nahm also gets points for their attention to detail on people with food allergies especially in a country where English is their second language.

www.glutenfreeinsingapore.com/search?q=thailand

*****************************
Eating Gluten-Free in Thailand
by LAUREN on NOVEMBER 4, 2012

With a little extra planning, it’s possible to eat gluten-free in many international locales. Here’s my take on Thailand, which will give you the general lay of the land. These photos are from my travels in Bangkok:

General Tips:
1) Bring gluten-free restaurant cards with you, spelling out your condition in Thai.
2) Talk to the vendors if you have a question about ingredients.
3) While tipping is not widely practiced, do tip those showing sensitivity to your situation.
4) If the language barrier is too difficult, rely on the stash of back-up food you brought with you.


laurenschaad.com/2012/11/smile-youre-in-thailand/

***********************************************************
MONDAY, MARCH 1, 2010

Eating Gluten-Free in Thailand, Part 1

,,,At restaurants you can almost always have green curry, yellow curry, masaman curry or sweet and sour. Also, coconut lemon grass soup with chicken (Thom khao gai.)
Fruit shakes with or without yogurt are a delight and are offered on many street corners and also at restaurants.
Fresh fruit is readily available almost everywhere and quite tasty.
Rice porridge is a traditional SE Asian breakfast dish that is normally gluten free. You can get this with or without chicken.
You can make a good breakfast out of two fried eggs over white rice with butter and jam. It's better than it sounds.
If it's hard to tell at a street market what you can eat, look for fried eggs, white rice and fruit.
Mango sticky rice is often available on the street or at a restaurant and is a wondeful GF dessert.
Grilled bananas on their own or swimming in sweetened coconut milk make a great snack and are sold on the street.
If you are going to take an overnight train, your best bet is to get food ahead of time to take with you. The only thing I could find that was gluten free was the green curry and it was lackluster and expensive.
Convenience stores routinely carry a variety of gluten-free snacks including pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, nuts, the Original Lays Potato Chips, Fritos, dried fruit, etc.
7-11s in Thailand are a treasure trove of gluten-free eating. They almost all carry ready to eat boiled eggs in two or four packs. Just don't eat the soy sauce included in a small packet. Also, there is the most wonderful yogurt in the world. It has small cubes of young coconut in it and is incredibly rich. When you get to the checkout, they'll give you a small plastic spoon to eat it with.
I had cards from Select Wisely printed in Thai and they worked fairly well, but lots of people aren't familiar with hidden sources of gluten. For instance, one cook didn't know soy sauce was an ingredient in plum sauce.
Bring any protein bars you want to have, I never found any the whole time I was travelling.
I always poke my head into any food store just to see what they have and one day in Ao Nang - in the southern tip of Thailand - I found a tourist specialty store that sold gluten-free cereal and peanut butter. What luxuries! So, keep your eyes open.,,

gfdfw.blogspot.co.uk/2010/03/eating-gluten-free-in-thailand-part-1.html

********************************


glutenfreedairyfreenj.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/gluten-free-thailand-gluten-free.html

[kickingfrog]

Thailand

GLUTEN FREE THAILAND
A Survival Guide for Celiacs in Southeast Asia

glutenfreethailand.wordpress.com/