Dining out should be a joy, not a challenge, especially for those with food allergies. At Rio Grande Mexican Restaurant, we understand the stress of finding a safe place to eat. That’s why we’ve crafted a special allergen menu, ensuring everyone can enjoy our delicious Mexican dishes without worry.
Plus, most of our extensive menu can be modified to be gluten-free, making it easier than ever to dine safely.
Understanding Common Allergens in Mexican Food
Mexican food is delicious, but someone with allergies should proceed cautiously (like always!). The creamy, cheesy dishes often contain dairy. Tacos, tortillas, and burritos are usually wrapped in high-gluten breads. Shellfish dishes can also lead to severe reactions.
And those are just the obvious items. Sometimes, you wonder about allergens you’re not aware of. That’s why we ensure every diner knows what they’re ordering so they can eat safely.
Tips for Dining Out Safely
Not every establishment has an allergen menu, and hidden allergens make eating out even scarier. However, using the following approach can ensure you can dine out safely:
- Communicate Your Allergies to the Staff: Inform the staff that you have food allergies. This will ensure that you are not served dishes that can cause a reaction.
- Ask Questions About Food Preparation: Allergens may be present in kitchens despite not being included in specific dishes. For example, the food may be prepared in a kitchen that cooks with shellfish. Ask questions about food preparation to ensure you dine safely.
Asking questions is the best way to help ensure your meal stays allergen-free!
Allergy-Friendly Orders at the Rio
Need some ideas on what to order for allergen-friendly dishes? We’ve got you covered!
Allergy-Friendly Appetizers to Start
Our allergen menu features various allergy-friendly items. Start with a delicious appetizer that provides a worry-free start to your meal. Your options include:
- Chips and Salsa: Our delicious varieties of table salsa are all gluten-free!
- Chile Con Queso: This hot, melty, spicy dish will get your meal off to a decadent start. Available with chips or house-made corn tortillas.
- Guacamole: Our cool, healthy, and refreshing guacamole is free of gluten, wheat, soy, and shellfish.
Tacos & Fajitas
Tacos and fajitas make terrific main courses. Sink your teeth into our flavorful Carne Asada tacos. The flank steak will melt in your mouth. Our gluten-free Mexican option (delicious house-made corn tortillas) ensures a safe experience.
We also offer customizable fajitas. When you choose your ingredients, you can feel confident you are not adding anything that will cause a reaction. This meal is also a favorite for kids who love to get creative with food!
The Ultimate Nacho Experience
Our B.A.P. carnitas nachos are a sharable favorite. Everyone can indulge in the carnitas, crispy chips, melted cheese, and hearty beans. We offer a Mexican gluten-free menu option that is gluten-free!
Hearty and Safe Entrees
We offer several entrees that are healthy and safe for allergy sufferers.
Our Rio Classic Chile Rellenos are the perfect example. This classic dish dates to the mid-1800s and is described as a “green chile pepper stuffed with minced meat and coated with egg.” Order it light-fried or baked—both are gluten-free!
Sides Without Surprises
Are you looking for sides to round out your meals? We have several choices to fill your stomachs without upsetting your immune systems.
For example, beans and vegetables are naturally gluten-free. They are also packed with vitamins and nutrients, making them a healthy addition to any meal!
How the Rio Takes Allergies into Consideration
Let us explain how we accommodate your allergies or dietary restrictions and preferences.
Gluten-Free
We have been very proud of our ability to accommodate gluten-free diets. Over the years, we have made many menu, ingredient, and procedural changes to ensure this.
- We have a designated gluten-free fryer.
- We have “roux-based” sauces that we make each day with gluten-free flour.
- We have a gluten-free beer that we use for our relleno batter.
- Our house-made corn tortillas get cooked on a “comal” that also cooks flour, but we always sanitize between batches of tortillas.
- However, wheat flour is used in our kitchens, and we teach our staff to be as transparent and informative about our ingredients and procedures as we are about guiding our guests to safe choices.
Dairy Free and Vegan
These requests are common in Rio and are another area where we have extensive experience and expertise.
- Our black beans, refried beans, and Spanish Rice are all vegan and delicious.
- Both our flour and corn tortillas are also vegan. {no butter, no lard, we do use a bit of corn oil}
- We have several vegan salsas and sauces made fresh daily.
- Most of our menu items can be modified to meet our guests’ dietary considerations.
Tree Nuts, Cooking Oils, and Shellfish
Increasingly, our guests have concerns in these areas, and we are very well suited to accommodate avoiding these items with our guests. {just ask your server or a manager.}
Let’s Eat!
At the Rio, we have a wealth of experience dealing with guests looking to avoid allergens in their food and other dietary wants and necessities.
Don’t hesitate to communicate your needs with our friendly staff. We’re here to help you navigate our delicious menu without risking your comfort.
Book your reservation today to try our delicious allergen-safe items!
