Because I know how difficult it is eating out when you are celiac, I wanted to create a space where I can share tips and tricks to eating out, anywhere in the world. This post will mainly focus on eating out in Phnom Penh, because that's where I live, but the tips I will begin with should be able to apply anywhere.
When ordering food, specifically in Phnom Penh, it is very difficult to ask for substitutions, and so what is on the menu is what you get, meaning you need to be able to find meals that are naturally gluten free, or specified as gluten free, on the menu. For example at Carl's Jr. you can ask for a burger low carb style and it will be a lettuce wrapped burger. And when going out for Mexican you can check what is made with corn tortillas or corn chips before ordering, so you know you can eat what you order. When going out to an Italian restaurant or pizzeria that has gluten free pizza and pasta options. It is always best to check what kind of sauce they use (as wheat can be used as a thickener) and whether or not they prepare their pizzas on the same counter as this can lead to cross contamination. Because, as I mention on my Celiac Disease page, if even 1/50 ppm of gluten enters a celiacs system then they can become very sick.
One important thing to note in Phnom Penh is that if you ask what kind of flour they use for something the answer will most likely be cassava flour, which is naturally gluten free, however, this is mixed with wheat flour meaning it still contains gluten.
Because we're in Asia there are a variety of asian options around us. Most of which are gluten free, or have gluten free options – because the main grain is rice, not wheat. However, you do need to be careful if the dish contains soy or oyster sauce because many are not gluten free and the server and cooks will probably not be able to tell you whether they are or not. However, if it contains fish sauce it should be gluten free.
There are many places you can go to eat out, but it is still nice to have places that you know you can go and get food you can eat. So here is a list of places in Phnom Penh that I have compiled based on my own personal experiences, suggestions from my dad, and a family friend who is celiac:
As you could probably gather, this is Ethiopian cuisine. Most dishes here are naturally gluten free. The majority of dishes come with a side of injera (they look a bit like crepes), which is made with teff flour and is gluten free. The food is authentic, delicious, and you have no need to worry about cross contamination. It is located on St. 172, # Eo1.
Bahn Mi and Bro's is a Vietnamese sandwich place. They have a variety of delicious flavor combinations, and even though they mainly do sandwiches, you can order any sandwich with rice instead of bread. They are located on St. 63 between Sihanouk Blvd. and St. 278.
Sher E Punjab is where we order our Indian food. Most of their curries are gluten free and delicious. Your order will often come with papadums which are gluten free as they are made out of chickpea flour. We order from them each time we plan to have a big group over. (Just don't order the nan because that is not gluten free.) They have two locations, 16Eo St. 130 and 13ab St. 258 off St. 3.
This is a khmer restaurant that does not specify that anything is gluten free but many options are. As I have said before, because it is local khmer cuisine, and many of the curries and amoks are coconut based and dishes are served with rice. They are located at #20 St. 334 and #37 St. 460.
Dos Besos is a Mexican restaurant. They only have one gluten free option which are the enchiladas which are made with corn tortillas. Each meal also comes with a side of rice and beans. They are #33 St. 123 between St. 454 and 456.
This is another Mexican restaurant. They offer a variety of burrito bowl, which mean instead of having your food in a flour tortilla it is instead in a rice bowl. Their tacos are made with corn tortillas. They are 198B St. 19 on the back side of the Royal Palace.
This is southwest style food, or Tex-Mex. Their menu is clearly marked as gluten free (below each item they say whether it is gluten free, vegetarian, or both) and they have a large variety of options. They are located at #40 St. 154.
On the Pelican menu, gluten free options are clearly marked with a GF next to the item, but when you order you do need to specify that you want the item gluten free (as it is an option but the meal itself is not naturally gluten free). They have a variety of options including sandwiches with gluten free bread. You can also buy gluten free bread from them. They are located at # 52B St. 282 between St. 63 and Monivong.
Their menu is clearly marked with a GF next to the item. They focus on making healthy food and have a variety of options. They also have a wide range of vegan, vegetarian, raw, and sugar-free options – as well as gluten free. They are located at # 11b St. 246.
Vive cafe is a sister cafe to Backyard Cafe. And so they too have a clearly marked menu, however, one main difference between Backyard Cafe and Vibe is that their entire menu is vegan. Both cafes are very conscientious about the environment and so have a variety of naturally sourced, healthy options. They are locate at #26 St. 446.
Their menu is clearly marked with a GF next to all gluten free item. ARTillery is an art gallery and creative cafe. Their main focus is healthy living. And there food is plant-based. Their dishes are customized to fit many different dietary needs. They are located on St. 240.
They are continuously creating more and more gluten free options. Their menu is clearly marked with a GF, meaning it is gluten free, and GFO meaning it has an option to become gluten free. They are located on St. 454 between St. 106 and St. 123.
It doesn't specify on their menu what is gluten free, but they do have gluten free options. When you go to the cafe you can ask them what options are gluten free and the staff can tell you. They also serve gluten free bread. They are located on the intersection between St. 294 and St. 9.
Romdeng is connected to My Friend's Cafe and Bakery as a sister cafe. They focus on serving traditional Cambodian dishes. Most of which are naturally gluten free. It doesn't specify on their menu what is gluten free, but they do have gluten free options. When you go to the restaurant you can ask them what options are gluten free and the staff can tell you. They are located at #74 St. 174.
Comment below where you like to go and good gluten free menus and options you know of. (These can be from anywhere in the world.)