Can someone with a shellfish allergy eat at Japan's hibachi?

[ssidiouss@mac.c]

My wife and I were looking forward to taking my dad to Tapan Edo or whatever they call the hibachi in Japan now. But, we are traveling with a friend and his girlfriend and my friend is allergic to shellfish. How would the hibachi at Japan handle that? Do you it would cause too much trouble and maybe I should tell my friend to go to La Celliar instead? All of us together at the hibachi sounded kind of fun though. Argh :brick:

 

[BSikor]

How sensitive is their allergy? If they can't eat anything that has been cooked on a surface that has been in contact with shellfish at some point in its life (which is rare) then Tempan Edo would be a bad choice even though the chefs usually quarantine any shellfish. If its not as severe, than you could just inform the chef to make sure to separate any shellfish from the rest of the food. I have seen this done before and they are usually very accommodating. I would also make sure they had an epi-pen on them just in case.

 

[tigsmom]

Allergies and sensitivities are two very different things. If it is a true allergy (as in they can die from it) then I would avoid it.

 

[DizWiz]

I am allergic to shellfish, and a friend of mine was celebrating his birthday and wanted to go to this restaurant, so I decided to try it, although I was a bit nervous. When the reservation was made, we informed them that one member of the party of four was allergic to shellfish. When we got to the restaurant to check in, we reminded them of the allergy, and they had a note on record about it. When we were seated, they politely asked which member of the party was allergic to shellfish, and I told the waitress that it was me. The chef prepared and served all of my food first, then he began cooking everyone else's with the shrimp included. I had no problems at all. I think they're used to dealing with food allergies and it's not out of the norm. Overall, it was a very pleasant experience.

Hope this helps.

 

[jim1051]

It can be done. Just advise your chef and waitperson as soon as you are seated. They will prepare the meal on a separate portion of the griddle and use separate tools.

My daughter in law is extremely allergic to shell fish also.

 

[lunalovegoddess]

I am allergic to shellfish, and a friend of mine was celebrating his birthday and wanted to go to this restaurant, so I decided to try it, although I was a bit nervous. When the reservation was made, we informed them that one member of the party of four was allergic to shellfish. When we got to the restaurant to check in, we reminded them of the allergy, and they had a note on record about it. When we were seated, they politely asked which member of the party was allergic to shellfish, and I told the waitress that it was me. The chef prepared and served all of my food first, then he began cooking everyone else's with the shrimp included. I had no problems at all. I think they're used to dealing with food allergies and it's not out of the norm. Overall, it was a very pleasant experience.

Hope this helps.

Thanks for your input.

We've eaten at the teppanyaki table before. Since the food is prepared in front of you, there is less chance of cross-contamination or hidden ingredients.

I've found that dining with food allergies can be tricky in general, but that the staff at each Disney restaurant are very good at accommodating special dietary needs (better than most chain restaurants). Our daughter has a severe milk allergy which could result in anaphylaxis, so we take the following precautions when dining out:

1. Share information
Inform the host/hostess who seats you, the waitstaff, and the chef about your allergy.
2. Ask about substitutions.
Discuss hidden allergens; for example, butter is used on the teppanyaki grill, so we ask for the chef to use lemon juice and soy sauce instead on our daughter's vegetables. When it comes to desserts at the theme parks, the chefs have come up with some interesting variations on menu items.
3. Carry an Epi-pen and wear an alert bracelet.
I can't stress this one enough...

Even if your meal is fine, depending on the allergen, there is a chance that your companions might accidentally transfer allergens to your clothes or skin. It may sound like :lookaroun being overly cautious, but we've had enough experiences that it is a wise choice. Example: as a rule, I wash my hands and face before hugging her after meals, and encourage her younger brother to do the same. Trace amounts of [insert allergen here] can be enough to provoke a severe reaction. The longer that you are left untreated, the more the symptoms worsen.

 

[DisneySaint]

La Celliar

:lookaroun