Thursday, July 23, 2009

Eastside Mexican Food Just Got Easier: Don Tequila

I've lived around the corner from Don Tequila for about a near now, and still hadn't eaten there. Sure I like Mexican food, but being a vegetarian celiac in the land of cheese, rice, tortillas, and well, more cheese is not only calorie crazy version of dinner but decidedly heart unhealthy one. Plus, like so many of you, I have a fragile tummy and there's only so much sour cream or guacamole I can eat before I can eat no more (it's about five bites, if you're keeping count).

Sure, authentic Mexican is great, veggie laden, full of protein rich beans, but authentic Mexican food is harder to find than it's Americanized, cheese covered cousin. But this isn't about bad Mexican food, it's about good Mexican food, it's about Don Tequila on Green Road in University Heights.

Taking over Jack's Deli's old space, this unassuming Mexican restaurant has thrived where once a Jewish deli reigned supreme. Their menu is extensive and options plentiful (so you can your dinner, and smoother it in cheese too, should you wish). Best of all, though there is certainly a language barrier, they very clearly understood me when I said "I have a serious allergy to flour. Corn is okay but no flour. Can I eat this?"

Sometimes, when I get the head nod or when waiter assures me something "will be fine", I just don't feel so secure. You've had similar experiences, no? You want to believe them that those corn chips really are just corn, but your gluten-free paranoia takes over and suddenly your sipping water and pushing food around your plate to make it look like you've eaten something. We've all been there. Sure, I was worried, too, but when I ordered spinach enchiladas (actually filled with spinach, not gobs of cheese with a bit of spinach mixed in), I double checked to make sure the sauce didn't have flour in it, too.

"Oh. Yeah, enchilada sauce is made with flour," the waiter with a sudden wash of understanding of just how pervasive the whole wheat allergy thing is. I bit my lip trying to figure out how to navigate the menu, not being sure what was safe."Don't worry. We'll just put another sauce on it. One with no flour." With that, he took my menu. Problem solved!

When my food arrived - smothered in a delicious green sauce - it was not only gluten-free goodness, but one great meal. Actually two great meals, considering I took my leftovers home and had 'em for lunch! Not bad a bad deal for $6.75, not a bad deal at all.

15 comments:

maybelles mom said...

have you tried Jerusalem grill across the way? It is veg friendly. I wonder if it is also gluten friendly.

Emily said...

Oh man. I hate that you have to struggle with this when you eat out. It makes me want to develop some gluten free recipes - which I will.

Chris DiAlfredi said...

I just ran across your post. If you're not above a day trip out here to the snowbelt, I fully recommend El Patron in Chardon for authentic (and excellent!) Mexican. I'm GF, and this restaurant has become my default "safe" dining spot. In over four years, I've only had one minor cross-contamination episode, and it was my fault because I got lazy and didn't inform my server of my GF needs.

Anonymous said...

If you get a chance, you should post these restaurant suggestions on http://innatehealthfoundation.org/wiki/index.php?title=Restaurants
It is a wiki-based site that provides resources for the food allergy/intolerance community and users can add their own suggestions/recommendations to the site.
Thanks for the suggestions!

Unknown said...

I LOVE LOVE LOVE Mexcain food. Need more gluten free Mexican options though!

James said...

If you get a chance, you should post these restaurant suggestions on

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It's like going into a Cold Stone or Krispy Kreme only to find "low fat" or maybe even "healthy" options on the menu

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