going to Hawaii for Christmas and I was wondering if there were any gluten free stores or restaurants that offer a gluten free menu that anyone knew of on the big Island of hawaii. On christmas day we are going to a luahu (sorry I don't know how to spell it) I believe it is a pig roast?) I was wondering if anyone knew if that would be safe to eat? I am buying a little knapsack and lunch cooler and packing alot of my food I figure. We are staying in a condo with a kitchen so hopefully I can just carefully preplan and just bring my food with me as some tours offer lunch etc. aNY HELPful hints or ideas?

Aloha,
I live on the Big Island and there is a couple of health food stores here w/gluten-free stuff also there is Outback steak house has a gluten-free menu. Hope this helps, Suzanne

suzanne could you tell me what some of the health food stores are named. We are staying in Kona so if there is anythiing near by that would be great.

We just went there on our honeymoon a couple months ago.

Definately go to Roy's. They are very accomodating and will let you know what on the menu you can have, and will alter things accordingly for you. For instance there was a dish that was ok for me to have but I wanted the fish from a different dish instead so they simply made it with the one I wanted. But the biggest reason to go to Roys is the chocolate souffle. You must bet this!!! We got the recipe and make it at home now. It is the greatest desert ever!!

What hotel are you staying at? We stayed at the Marriott Waikoloa and I found they were very helpful.

Believe it or not I can't remember half the places we ate, but I found everyone wherever we went to be extremely helpful and nice.

We are going to the Big Island next month (March 12-24,2008) and am wondering about restaurants/gluten-free shopping also.

We are staying at the Hilton Waikoloa Village and have looked over most of the menus for their restaurants with great disappointment. I will definitely need to go to the Outback location! we have a timeshare, so I can cook most of our meals there, but we will want to eat out while exploring the island, and the last 2 days of our stay might have to be at a regular hotel and we will need to eat out for lunch and dinner one day and breakfast, lunch and dinner on Easter Sunday! Then we check out way too early before breakfast, so we will most likely snack for breakfast from our gluten-free stash.

Another issue is the flights back and forth from L.A., we are flying on hawaiin Airlines and they do not offer gluten-free meals. They said we can bring our own food...so I have to pack enough food to get us over there and then go shopping when I get there, so I need actual names of stores that sell gluten-free cereal, snacks, and such to supplement the naturally gluten-free foods from the regular grocery stores. And to be able to have enough left at the end of our trip to feed us on the way home!

I really appreciate any help any of you can offer.

Hi,
I'm one of 3 celiacs I know of on the Big Island although I'm sure there is more. Met #3 yesterday.
I work with the chefs here including those at the Hilton. I'm sorry I wont be here to show you around when your family is here as I'll be working in Asia for a month. I can say there are a number of restaurants and healthfood stores which all offer gluten-free meals with some advance warning at the restaurants.
Our favorite place is Merrimans in Waimea, about 30 minutes form the Hilton. My son is the chef so he knows what to do.
885-6822 is their number.
At the Hilton, Willie Pinegruber is the former executive Chef and no food and beverage manager. He or the chef Ken Oyama should be able to prepare gluten-free meals as they have done so for me when we have meeting there. Beware of the buffets here, soy sauce is on everything.
The orchid Farimont and Four Seasons also have gluten-free meals they prepare regularly for guests.
Chef Steve Roulle at the fairmont
Chef James babian at Four Seasons
Also Chef William Trask at Outrigger Keauhou Beach Hotel is very aware. In fact in a few hours we I have to go there for taste testing meals for a new gluten-free menu he's planning. Sorry the place wont be open until June.
Up here in the captain cook area at Hong Kong Chop Suey, they keep my wheat free soy sauce and are also very aware of what I can and cannot eat. I'm there often as its my favorite place and they do great job. Talk to Alan or his mom Lilly and and tell them you have the same problem as I do.

There are a number of sushi places if you carry your own soy sauce and san-j wheat free as well as braggs aminos are available at any grocery.

For stores, up hear is Choice Mart. It's about an hour+ from the hilton but they have a decent selection as do the health food stores.
In Waimea I think the name is Healthways and its in the Parker Ranch Shopping Center.
In Kona near Safeway is Island Naturals
and at the Keauhou Shopping Center is also island Naturals.
Also at the shopping center is a Saturday Farmers market from 8 to noon which normally I'm at but not while your here.
Its too bad as my wife usually has a large selection of gluten-free baked goods to go with the fruit that I have. There are some others who have gluten-free tarts and such and fruit with fresh veggies. There is also farmers market in Waimea on Saturdays- You have to drive past the town towards Honokaa and its on the left side.

Again, the resorts are used to dealing with many guests with different food allergies and do offer different items. They are very aware of Cross contamination issues but you still have to be careful of buffet lines. Many of the restaurants, especially around the hilton are very good but do not have gluten-free meals. There is also a Merrimans Market Cafe in the Kings shops close to the Hilton and a Roys. They would need some warning too and make sure you tell them no soy sauce -- many of the ktichen staff dont know that its made from wheat.
If you can reach my son Rob Love at Merrimans he can give you an idea of what he can do as he creates the daily specials. He also helps out at the market cafe when needed. Daniel Theibolts In Waimea can also create gluten-free meals if you let daniel know ahead of time.
Good luck and enjoy your stay
ken

KEN, THANK YOU SO MUCH! God bless you!

I feel so much more informed and able to handle feeding my family gluten-free food in Hawaii for nearly 2 weeks! I will definitely follow your suggestions and advice. I am sorry that we will miss you. I would have loved to try some of your wife's baked goods.

I will print out all your great information! Are you going to Asia for fun or business? I hope you have a great trip either way.

Hi,
No problem at all!
I'm really working here to get chefs and especially my culinary students up to speed on everything. Its good for celiacs and good for our island.
I have an office in Tokyo and usually spend a few months a year there. In march they have the worlds largest Food show with 8 football field sized rooms with foods from every country! I usually write reports on how fruit is process and used or developed into products in all the countries. These days that includes gluten-free foods.

Just came from this meeting with Chef Trask at Outrigger Keauhou Beach Hotel and ate too much! tasted 15 different gluten-free entrees that they plan for the new menu. Inspected all the sauces and what goes into them and now need to write up a number of notes on everything.
I told him about your message too. By all means call him when your here and feel like going out south. The new place wont be open but they do a good job at the hotel and I'm sure they will prepare something special.

take care

Thank you both for your timely post. My husband and I are visiting the island March 1 - 8! Ken, I am sure you will not mind us hitting up your recommendations!

By all means!
I leave the 4th for Japan but if you feel like heading to the Chinese place in Captain Cook on the 2nd, let me know!
On the 1st there, if you get in on time, there is an avocado festival and Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden.

http://www.hawaiihealthguide.com/healthtal...21afefd89f97b05

tells more about it.
Where are you staying?
Ken

I finally got the last two days pinned down with a place to stay. I was getting nervous we wouldn't have a place to sleep for Easter Sunday! We will be at the Hilton Waikoloa Beach Resort the whole time. After the first week we may not have a car for all of the time, so I have to have gotten enough shopping for food done before then, or else I have got to get a car for short term use. I got a good deal for a weekly rental, but daily rentals are much more, and we can't return the car on Sunday, or as early on Monday as we fly out. I am a little nervous about it, but with Ken's suggestions and help I feel more confident about getting the Hilton restaurants to feed us gluten-free food, and I will have a kitchen the entire length of our stay. so we only have to eat out when we choose to eat out!

Pixiechixs, let me know how your stay was when you get back. I leave on the 12th, so we should have a few days to communicate about what worked for you on your vacation. It would be appreciated if you would share any helpful advice. Thanks in advance.

Its about a 15 - 20 minute walk to Kings shops where they have Merrimans Market Cafe, Roys and a few other places including a steak house-- stay away from the food court though-- junk! Across from Kings shops is queens shops which Ive not seen yet but DK's sansei is opening next week. He has a few places in Honolulu and it should be really good. Didnt hear who the chef was but if I do before I leave I'll post something. It's worth it to call these places and ask for the chef to see if they know how to prepare a gluten-free meal -- If they go Whats that, its time to hang up! () I know the other Merrimans is not a problem and I've been to this one with my son who's trained some of the chefs there but he went into the kitchen and fixed us something different from the menu.

In between the shops and the hilton is waikoloa beach grill which I used to love and the chef owner is a good friend but the kitchen is so small and they bake all the breads fresh daily and there is just too much flour in the air for me to go in the kitchen. I miss the place and have not asked my friend to prepare something special although I'm sure he would.

The kids will love watching the dolphins at the hilton.
have fun!

Almost forgot

For those of you staying at the Hilton, the former executive chef who is now the head of the food and beverage dept.
is Willie Pirngruber (wilhelm_pirngruber@hilton.com)

The executive chef
Ken Omiya (Ken_Omiya@hilton.com)
and
Waikoloa Beach Grill
David Brown (Waikoloab001@hawaii.rr.com)

Can't hurt to send them a email ahead of time. David used to be at the Hilton too and is one of the top pastry chefs in the world.

Tell them your staying at the Hilton and that you have celiac and cant have gluten etc. They can contact me if they have any questions too.

Ken

Thanks Ken. I will certainly email them ahead of time.

I was reading an article about Celiac Disease in a Honolulu paper last night and they quoted you a lot. I really appreciate all that you are doing to spread the news about Celiac in Hawaii (and beyond!).

Wanda who wrote the story is really good and sensitive to all food issues.
She is pretty good about answering email too. Last week she referred two other families to me, because they saw the story. Like you and others they are coming to Hawaii and unsure about gluten-free options. I think I'll write a grant to do a gluten-free Hawaii brochure or something!

take care

Hi Ken

We arrive fairly late on the 1st - the festival sounds fun. Sure, my husband and I are staying right near Captain Cook on the 2nd and are up for meeting up for dinner on the 2nd. Does the place have vegetarian options? Can I borrow some wheat free soy sauce?

I made reservations for Merriman's - later in the trip. I emailed Outrigger Keauhou Beach Hotel but their menu doesn't have a lot of options yet (I know it is coming soon).

Victoria (& Parker)

Hi,
Just came from a culinary event with a number of chefs including David Brown at Waikoloa Beach Grill who said that the demand for gluten-free meals as increased so much that they now have dedicated space and will create something special for those who call in advance. By all means call David and tell him we talked. Great guy.

Chef William Trask at Outrigger Keauhou Beach too. He and I work together often and talk many times a week. By all means call him too. I'm sure he would create something great for you that is vegetarian.

Lily at Hong Kong Chop Suey gets fresh veggies delivered daily. I usually get either Singapore Noodles without meat or shrimp (very spicy) or mixed veggies or sometimes just bean sprouts and peapods. No problem to use the soy sauce.
Yeah lets meet there the 2nd for lunch or early dinner. Outrigger is ok too and I can ask the chef to join us. Would be good for him to hear from someone besides me <G> 323-2417 is my number.

After talking to many of the ches today I learned that often 10% of the guests now have some food allergy, usually celiac so more and more they are waking up to the idea of having dedicated work spaces and utensils.

take care

Hi Ken
We will phone you when we arrive tomorrow night or early Saturday morning... to perhaps do a early dinner if you are still available.
Victoria and Parker

Hi,
Look forward to seeing you late today or tomorrow.
I'll be at the avocado festival at Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden all day, I think its over at 6 tonight.
Dinner after that or tomorrow would be great, whatever is best for you guys.
take care
ken

Hi, It was great to see you guys tonight and have the gluten-free Chinese dinner. Lots of fun. Look forward to seeing you in the morning before you head to the Volcano.

Take care