texas visit

Well, I would ask if you are going to Dallas or Fort Worth. I am from there, although I live in the Houston area now. I could point you to a whole hoard of places.

Before I tell you about individual restaurants, you might want to print out my questions in Spanish in the Travel section. I occasionally have to use them, but I recommend that you go places where you don't. I have only run into a couple of places that use peanut FLOUR in sauces and tortillas in Dallas (tiny really authentic mom & pop places). None of the places below use it last I checked. There was a place in the Dallas Farmer's Market that did--but really it's found more around the San Antonio area. [b]BUT ASK.[/b]

Blue Mesa Grill has an Allergy Menu, and there is one location in Fort Worth (not far from TCU/the Kimball) and a few in Dallas (one across from NorthPark at Central and Northwest Highway and one on Beltline and the North Dallas Tollway).

I absolutely love that restaurant and very much miss it. DS ate there all the time. They have these sweet potato chips that are fabulous dipped in the two salsas they bring you. You can look at their menu online and ask for their allergy menu in teh restaurant (they'll probably fax you one this week). I have posted about it in the restaurant section if you do a search.

Mi Cocina has been safe for DS--several locations, one on Lovers and Tollway in Dallas (in Highland Park area), one on Beltline, one in Galleria right off ice rink.

Taco Diner is one of my absolute favorites, too!!! In Dallas, there are two: one at Northwest Highway and the North Dallas Tollway (north Park Cities area) and one in a very cool area in Uptown, close to where I used to live--in West Village (across from Magnolia Theatre--indie films). It's hip and cool. The best guacamole I've ever eaten. Great mango margaritas.

La Madeleine is a Dallas-based company. DS eats there safely (even here in Houston). There may be some items that you have to ask about--do not eat bakery items, but he eats the quiche all the time, and the tomato basil soup with teh 7 grain bread is pure happiness (I can't eat the 7 grain bread anymore because of sesame allergy). Inexpensive. Dallas locations: Mockingbird near SMU, Lemmon Avenue, elsewhere, Fort Worth: Camp Bowie

Cafe Express--all over Dallas (FW location on Camp Bowie??)--in Uptown on McKinney (by the Trolley), on Lovers/Tollway(next to Inwood Theatre--indie films), Mockingbird Station (near Angelika Theatre--indie films),l on Beltline. Inexpensive. Very fresh and intersting food. Two summers ago they had an Asian chicken sandwich and even then after getting a detailed description of their practices (which I posted in restaurant forum), I felt comfy taking DS. It's been off the menu for sometime. There are sometimes PB cookies, but DS has never had a problem there. We've eaten at Houston locations for the past two Sundays.

Dream Cafe--only go to the Uptown location in the Quadrangle off of McKinney--don't go to Beltline. There are some dishes with peanut sauce, but DS has never ahd a problem, and we used to go almost weekly. I used to talk with the staff a great deal about how they handled the sauces in the kitchen. It's not that we took this huge risk everywhere. DS truly loved this free-spirited place where they have an outdoor lawn and house for kids, vegetarian options, and a free-spirited menu. It's the kind of restaurant that could thrive in Austin. I adore it and miss it, and when we go back to Dallas, it's one of two places that DS wants to go to--here and Taco Diner.

Really--if you tell me where you're going to be, I can be more specific. You can contact me offline. I miss the restaurants in Dallas.

Reread your post--you can buy La Madeleine's tomato basil soup to take back, and it's absolutely fabulous. My 9yo ds loves it (especially after reading The Tale of Despereaux).

Take back Wolf Brand canned chili if you're wanting to take back a taste of TExas. It's been a while since DS has eaten it because he's vegetarian, but it used to be safe, and DH and I eat it. No beans. Beans are an aberration in Texas chili.

El Galinda tortilla chips are the best--made in Austin. DS has recently had them (we don't always find them here--used to find them in Dallas easily). They're really good.

Hmmm--I'll give that more thought.

[This message has been edited by McCobbre (edited May 21, 2007).]

awesome stuff - thanks -- I will be going to Bedford - kinda in the middle closer to fort worth

this is a great list and i will print out all your stuff and save it for future trips too! My dad lives there and loves to eat out -- much easier for the grand kids when it is safe! I fiqured i would do well starting here instead of floundering once i was there!

thank you thank you thank you thank you