Thai Village Cuisine

going to a thai restaurant advice please of nut allergy?

i have severe nut and coconut allergy. i have been invited along for dinner tomorrow night at a thai restaurant in soho, london, busaba eathai. is there anything on the menu that is nut free and coconumt free. it is an important invitation so i cannot afford to say no, otherwise i would have. so any help for me please before i make the most embarrassing mistake of having an allergy fit in front of prominent people i be dining with. thanks.

Public Comments

1. If you know the restaurant you're going to you can phone ahead and ask them what is on the menu that you can eat and explain your food allergies. If not, you can always ask your waitress when you get there and she can ask one of the cooks for you. You can never be sure unless you specifically ask people in the restaurant. Also, if it's that severe you may need to specify that they cook your meal separately due to allergies because even the cooking oils they use could be nut oils and if they cook your meal on the same surface as someone else's you'll get sick.
2. i hope you like rice. consider that they may well be using peanut oil in the woks. and most thai curry is coconut based. may i suggest the Tom Yum? with prawns, chicken, fish, or mixed seafood, mushrooms. classic is tom yum goong (prawns). ADD. just checked their menu, good lord are you people rich? $17.33 USD for a bowl of soup? they have Tom yam talay, still i'd ask in thai for tom yum goong. at those prices they should make you anything you like. 80 baht in bangkok.
3. Call ahead and ask about the ingredients, and specific dietary accommodations before this dinner meeting. If they can't or wont accommodate you I suggest eating before your dinner, and explain your lack of appetite to these important people. If they are any ounce human they will understand. Also beware that many of their desserts use coconut and some rice dishes use coconut milk in them.
4. You absolutely cannot touch anything with curry, no matter what. I had an Indian wedding and my photographer BELIEVED the Indian caterer when he said the food was nut free (HA!). DOn't believe anyone. Stick to rice but make sure it is PLAIN white rice with no nuts or anything added. Even the salad might have a peanut sauce so avoid that too.
5. Yes, agree with the comment that you should phone the restuarant letting them know your allergy.. Also recheck the ingredients again before eatting any dish. Some Thai dishes that are popular to be served at Thai restuarant, you should difinately avoid are.. Satay Chicken, Satay Pork(coconut milk's on grilled meat and sauce's made of peanut) Any Green or Red curry (this curry's made of coconut milk) Fish Cake (sauce's peanut) Pad Thai (it's crush or ground peanut) Som Tam or Thai Papaya Salad (it's peanut) Hope you enjoy other Thai dishes i.e. Tom Yum or Hot and Spicy Soup :)