No More Gluten Free Menu At Bravo?!

[mesmerize]

For months, I've been SO excited to try out Bravo... I'd read so many good things on here about their gluten free menu! From what I'd heard, their Pittsburgh location at the Galleria (Mt. Lebanon) was supposed to be among the best and most accomodating -- and conveniently, that one's closest to me.

We were finally going to go last night, and I thought I'd call first just to check on things. I was so completely shocked when the girl who answered said "Um, I don't think we really do gluten free anymore." What?! She said she could ask someone just to be sure, and when she got back on the line she said "Yea, we don't have a gluten free menu anymore, and we don't offer gluten free items." I asked to speak with a manager (since this is just all too weird!) and the girl said she's take my number and the manager would call me right back. But of course they didn't.

Has anyone else heard anything else like this about Bravo?! All the comments on here made it seem like this chain was one of the most progressive ones out there in terms of offering gluten free stuff! I'm so sad!

Sara

[mommyagain]

Maybe they had too many problems with cross-contamination, or mistakes being made in the kitchen. I think a lot of places are scared to say something is gluten-free because they don't wanna get sued if someone gets sick.

[mesmerize]

Maybe they had too many problems with cross-contamination, or mistakes being made in the kitchen. I think a lot of places are scared to say something is gluten-free because they don't wanna get sued if someone gets sick.

Well it seems every restaurant that has a gluten free menu also has a disclaimer on it warning about cross-contamination and everything... Doing away with the gluten free menu entirely seems very extreme, especially for a place like Bravo that previously was so dedicated to serving gluten-free guests!

On the bright side, I ended up having a wonnnderful dinner at Outback instead.

[Fiddle-Faddle]

I wonder if the manager left? I've met the manager who started the gluten-free menu in Mt. Lebanon, she started one at Cranberry first, and she was just wonderful. They did not have an official gluten-free menu, but they had all kinds of options, including gluten-free pasta, and the chef came and talked with me and told me that nearly all the sauces were thickened with cornstarch, anyway.

Why don't you try calling again (maybe when it's not a busy time, like afternoon), and I'll try calling, too. Seems to me they're going to lose a lot of customers over this.

[crabhappychick]

For months, I've been SO excited to try out Bravo... I'd read so many good things on here about their gluten free menu! From what I'd heard, their Pittsburgh location at the Galleria (Mt. Lebanon) was supposed to be among the best and most accomodating -- and conveniently, that one's closest to me.

We were finally going to go last night, and I thought I'd call first just to check on things. I was so completely shocked when the girl who answered said "Um, I don't think we really do gluten free anymore." What?! She said she could ask someone just to be sure, and when she got back on the line she said "Yea, we don't have a gluten free menu anymore, and we don't offer gluten free items." I asked to speak with a manager (since this is just all too weird!) and the girl said she's take my number and the manager would call me right back. But of course they didn't.

Has anyone else heard anything else like this about Bravo?! All the comments on here made it seem like this chain was one of the most progressive ones out there in terms of offering gluten free stuff! I'm so sad!

Sara

...............................................

[crabhappychick]

For months, I've been SO excited to try out Bravo... I'd read so many good things on here about their gluten free menu! From what I'd heard, their Pittsburgh location at the Galleria (Mt. Lebanon) was supposed to be among the best and most accomodating -- and conveniently, that one's closest to me.

We were finally going to go last night, and I thought I'd call first just to check on things. I was so completely shocked when the girl who answered said "Um, I don't think we really do gluten free anymore." What?! She said she could ask someone just to be sure, and when she got back on the line she said "Yea, we don't have a gluten free menu anymore, and we don't offer gluten free items." I asked to speak with a manager (since this is just all too weird!) and the girl said she's take my number and the manager would call me right back. But of course they didn't.

Has anyone else heard anything else like this about Bravo?! All the comments on here made it seem like this chain was one of the most progressive ones out there in terms of offering gluten free stuff! I'm so sad!

Sara

...............................................

[crabhappychick]

I ordered from the gluten-free menu at the Cranberry Bravo's at the end of August - the gluten-free pizza was so good I nearly cried. The pasta dish I had was fabulous! Just 2 weeks ago I had lunch from the gluten-free menu at the Bravo's on McKnight Road.

Now the bad news...my husband and I went to the Cranberry location again just Friday night and we stunned when I asked for a gluten-free menu to be told they don't have one anymore. The manager came out and we talked. He said that there were 2 lawsuits filed last week because of reactions while dining at P. F. Chang's and also at Applebee's (I wonder if he was correct about Applebee's - didn't know they had a gluten-free menu!). The manager said their corporate attorneys were concerned about the liability issues and discontinued the gluten-free menu. Now he did say that they still had the rice pasta and would prepare the dinner as best they could, but could not GUARANTEE it was gluten-free because of cross contamination. Sounds like their lawyers were totally freaked out. Hope this doesn't signal the end of gluten-free menus at other restaurants. More and more are waking up to the gluten-free problem and I don't want to see our progress stopped. I can't tell you how disappointed I am that I can now longer get a REAL pizza!

[VegasCeliacBuckeye]

Sad.

Unfortunately, I dreaded this day was coming. Lawsuits would inevitably kill gluten free menus in many restaurants.

AND I'M AN ATTORNEY! LOL

Listen people, restaurants are not 100% sterile environments. They can't gurantee you a 100% gluten free meal! Its a fact of life. Life has risks. You can try and control and diminish risks as much as possible, but its always a risk to eat out.

Lawsuits are not the answer - all they do is lessen the chances for the rest of us to get a gluten free meal somewhere.

SIGH....

[mamaw]

wow, I too just ate at the Bravo's ( galleria) a few months ago. And Janet Smarra (manager) was really careful about cc. I'm so surprised...They used kinnickinnick crust which I thought were way to sweet & more like a bisquick type crust than an Italian real deal crust.But the toppings was excellent. Janet also spoke at the seminar in Pittsburgh in Oct07. I missed what she had to say as I was helping a vendor...

I was told by Applebees, Texas Roadhouse, Tgif's that all their chicken now comes in a freezer glaze & it contains gluten. Texas Roashouse said the only chicken that is ok is the chicken they use for chicken critters without the breading...in other words they can cook that chicken naked & use it for grilled c. salad. SO be careful when you order grilled chicken as alot of it is now glazed & some waiters have no idea.... most will say it is just chicken but that is not the case. Ask them to check the big box it comes in. Eat n Park in our area has chicken that is not glazed & is still safe.....

I'm upset I loved Bravo's & they had a large gluten-free menu.... It seems like gluten free goes one step forward & two steps backward.......

mamaw

[Fiddle-Faddle]

Gee. It seems like all any restaurant has to do to CYA is to have an official statement on their gluten-free menu, like "We take great care in preparing gluten-free food for you, but due to the facts that gluten IS in our kitchen, and that human beings DO work here, we cannot absolutely guarantee the gluten-free-ness of our food. Please help us by asking to speak with the manager before ordering your gluten-free meal."

I wonder if we all email Bravo, we might accomplish something????

[mamaw]

Yesterday I felt sad that things like this happens....... today I'm angry that lawsuits are being filed ...... I think that we all have to be responsible for ourselves.... I don't care where we are in life we must take care of ourselves!!!Lawsuits generally filed like this is to make a quick buck...but it is also at the expense of others in this case. Because of a few greedy , unrespondsible, people who choose an easy way out.... they have set all celiacs back in time. I can see why business doesn't want to serve us... they do not want the hassle by a few who can destroy there livelyhood...

You know how it goes....... one bad egg.................

I do enjoy eating out once in awhile, yes for the convience and I know everytime I do there is a chance that I may get ill... RESPONDSIBILTY.... that is a chance I'm willing to take.Heck we can gluten ourselves -- we don't need outside help.... do we!!! So do we sue ourselves or our spouse???

I can't imagine a celiac thinking this is helping the celiac population..... I guess we must be careful what we wish for.... the new labeling laws are wonderful but again set-backs have been caused by this new law....

I hate to rant but I'm very angry with these money hungary few...

Fiddle-Faddle I love your idea but I truly don't think it will work, we need petitions signed stating we disagree with the lawsuits.... Broncobux we need you to help right this wrong.....

In the world today no one wants to accept RESPONDSIBILITY..... it is just easier to blame someone else.....

PEACE

mamaw

[kbtoyssni]

I doubt emailing Bravo would help if it's lawsuits they're worried about. I love when places offer gluten-free menus. It helps me eliminate all the foods on the full menu that I shouldn't even consider. At least I know ingredients have been checked for the foods on a gluten-free menu, and it saves a ton of time because I don't have to ask a bunch of questions and have my waiter check the packaging.

That said, I have no problem with restaurants putting a "we do our best, but cannot guarantee no contamination" statement on the menus. I know it's a kitchen, I know they're doing their best, but there is always a risk and celiacs should be aware of that. Bronco - do you know if these "we can't guarantee it's gluten-free" statements hold up in court??? If not, well, I expect gluten-free menus will become more and more scarce.

[crabhappychick]

Gee. It seems like all any restaurant has to do to CYA is to have an official statement on their gluten-free menu, like "We take great care in preparing gluten-free food for you, but due to the facts that gluten IS in our kitchen, and that human beings DO work here, we cannot absolutely guarantee the gluten-free-ness of our food. Please help us by asking to speak with the manager before ordering your gluten-free meal."

I wonder if we all email Bravo, we might accomplish something????

I emailed Bravo with my concerns and never heard a word back. Did anyone else email and get a response?

[kellynolan82]

One thing I would like to add to this, however is that here in AUSTRALIA it is ILLEGAL for businesses to advertise food items as gluten free unless they contain ABSOLUTELY :

NO detectable gluten,

NO oats,

NO cereals containing gluten that have been malted.

Many food service businesses have 'half-heartedly' come to play recently suddenly offering options that THEY advertise as 'gluten free'.

It is ridiculous! AND ILLEGAL! ILLEGAL! ILLEGAL!

It doesn't matter that they're trying, or making life easier, or anything like that! FULL STOP. I have taken many businesses to task on this specific matter (including Domino's Pizza, McDonald's, and more) and will continue to do so (link is in my profile).

[kellynolan82]

I might also add that many restaurants I've complained to (about gluten free menus containing a disclaimer) have now resorted to the 'gluten friendly' label. Have these establishments not a clue? THE GLUTEN FRIENDLY TERM IS ILLEGAL in Australia. The business could go bankrupt yet many insist on participating in this whole stupid marketing ploy!