Traveling gluten free has always been something I could plan for with my corporate job. When it comes to traveling with the health and wellness company with whom I am partnered, it means planning ahead with a group of amazing driven individuals who think any which way, but inside the box. Planning can sometimes be a challenge, especially when it comes to planning fairly far in advance. Throw in a city like Las Vegas where anything goes and this gets interesting fast. I was able to maneuver my way through though and find some great places to eat, using the Find Me Gluten Free app and being a bit more vocal at times than normal about which places were and weren't safe for me.
One of the things my roomies and I heard to do ahead of time was to utilize Amazon Now to order bottles of water and snacks to be delivered. Yes, there's a tip the driver expectation, but compared to the markup of items in hotel gift shops or trying to haul groceries down the Las Vegas Boulevard, this was a life saver and money saver too. The other tip that really came in handy where there's an up-charge for everything was to request a fridge in the room for food allergies when I made the reservation. Our hotel happened to run out of the allergy refrigerators, but because it was a medical necessity, they made a note to turn off the sensors in the fridge for the stocked bar. We took everything out, placed it in a safe place and returned it at the end of our visit, requesting house keeping come to the room before checkout to ensure it was fully stocked and there weren't after charges showing up on credit cards.
Then we went out for dinner. One of the things that I love about being partnered with this health and wellness company is that yes, in general, we tend to eat pretty healthy, but we don't have to feel like we're on a diet or deprived. We get to enjoy going out and every now and then, splurging. And the energy this company attracts is amazing! We might all still have a wee bit of jet lag in this pic, as it was the first day there.
First on my list was the ability to be able to enjoy some real fried chicken, which I had heard about being so good at Yardbird! Somebody please explain to me how it's necessary to leave the south in order to get really good (gluten free) southern fried chicken. It can take up to half an hour, as they make it in a dedicated fryer and take proper precautions, despite the busy restaurant. It's completely worth the wait though! The sides are served family style. I enjoyed mashed potatoes and green beans with the fried chicken. It was a bit like heaven being able to reminisce on an old time favorite I have missed so dearly.
Next up, I enjoyed Canonita in the Venetian hotel with several of my awesome teammates! I would love to share the awesomeness of what all we enjoyed here, but I did some research and discovered that this restaurant is no longer a safe option. This is one of the challenges with how fast the tables turn over on the Las Vegas strip. They are often going to do what helps their tables turn the fastest. Back in the day, this was a great option.
And here's one of the challenges of big events. We had an awesome team event with a closed off rooftop area and pool. It was so much fun!! BUT, the wait staff basically had nothing safe and gluten free for us. Our leadership has an amazing administrative assistant, but planning a set menu for hundreds of people and keeping it safe for everybody isn't always an option and in this case, I unfortunately probably had more calories in beverages than in food this night. I went back to my room afterwards and had some of my snacks that I had brought with me, just in case.
On our final day, we chose to meet up at Senor Frogs for a filling meal before everyone headed to the airport for the long flights home for most of us.
I enjoyed shrimp tacos with corn based tacos and was assured at the time that these were safe. Again, as I am checking for updates to ensure that the restaurants I enjoyed are still gluten free, I am finding other locations of Senor Frogs offer gluten free options, but I cannot find any updated reviews showing that Senor Frogs is still a safe option for those with celiac. Just as everything else can move and change quickly, so too can the availability of gluten free safe options for dining out. I would plan much more in advance of any trips to Vegas to ensure safety.
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