Eating Out Paleo Style....

Dining out Paleo in the south can be very difficult!  Almost everything is deep fried, swimming in a roux, or smoothed/covered in sauce and cheese.  So how do we do it you ask?  Well, first let me say that it may NOT be perfect Paleo, but there are things that will work for you.  Tanya and I are going to post our favorites places and items.  For those of you that may not be local, I'm sure you can find tips to use where you are as well.  Remember to check this blog post often because it is a work in progress and it will continue to grow as we dine out and remember to take pictures of our food!  ;)

Sushi-I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE sushi!  So how do you eat sushi without rice?  It is possible!  I will say that we all know that the crab meat is not REAL!  But again, we are making the best choices we can.  Some places are better than others.

Cate Street:
Note that Cate Street Sushi & Seafood Station is across the street from a Crossfit Box.  So a WONDERFUL person there went across the street and helped them design a Paleo Roll.  It is filled with crawfish, crab stick, and avocado; wrapped in nori paper (seaweed); and topped with salmon!  I also add asparagus b/c it is my favorite!  YUM!



Bonzai Sushi:
My favorite is a King Roll with a few adjustments!  The roll comes with no rice, but I change out the soy paper for nori (seaweed) and order without sauce.  The roll has salmon, tuna, crab, and avocado.  Bonzai is close to my work and easy to when I don't have lunch.  They really will work with you to adapt to any of your needs.

Most sushi places will allow you to make your own roll!  Look for meats, seafood, and veggies that you know work for your body.  I have to watch the sauces due to soy!  I LOVE eel sauce, soy sauce, and Ponzu sauce too, but they do not love me back.  I will sometimes take my bottle of Coconut Aminos with me to the restaurant.  I add a little to the dish that you would normally pour your soy sauce.  I always ask for the waiter for a few lemon and lime wedges to squeeze in your Coconut Aminos.  Stir.  There you have it, a soy free Ponzu sauce! (Paleo peep Tanya chiming in here...I plan to try sushi in Vegas this weekend or for Valentine's Day dinner. Don't know if I can bring my Amino's on the plane to Vegas, but I will definitely be bringing them to dinner for Valentine's day!)
There are times when I don't have my our sauce and will add a little to the end of my chopstick before picking up the roll.  I will tell you that I pay for it later.  I like soy, but it does not like me!


Steakhouse-What else does a Paleo person think of but steak, right?  Sirloin, ribeye, filet mignon, or my personal favorite~~N.Y. Strip!!  It is very unlikely that you are going to find grass fed beef in a restaurant.  However, you must work with what you got and with where you are!

Santa Fe:
I love the sirloin there, but order the cut you like the most.  I order it medium rare (It will come out med. in my opinion).  I also order a plain sweet potato (I add salt and pepper only) and broccoli with no butter.  I always ask for lemon and lime wedges to squeeze over my broccoli.  It will add a "pop" to your veggies!  Give it a try.



Texas Roadhouse:
I love the sirloin here too!  I order my steak medium here (it is a true medium here).  I also order the sweet potato plain here.  I order a great side salad here with no cheese, no croutons, add extra bacon!

Mexican:
Ninfa's:
Gotta love the meat at Ninfa's in Baton Rouge, LA! My family LOVES fajitas! So I had to figure out how to "Paleofy" them as much as possible for myself. As a family, we order the Fajitas for Two. I ask them to please not add extra butter over steak before serving. I also ask for them to ensure everything is in its own separate containers (ex: sour cream not touching my guacamole, etc.)  I eat the steak, grilled onions, grilled veggies, pico de gallo and avocado/guacamole. I will either toss it all onto a salad or ask for some lettuce leaves to use as my "shell". I will top my meal with a ton of cilantro and some salsa. YUM!

LaCaretta's:

So I'm not really a fan of the meat here at LaCaretta's, but they make an awesome Avocado Chicken Salad!  This salad has a bed of romaine lettuce and baby spinach.  It is topped with grilled chicken breast, fresh sliced avocados, cherry tomatoes, and roasted sesame seeds.  The dressing is an Cilantro Vinaigrette! 

If I'm not in the mood for salad or just want an appetizer, I order their Ceviche Al Oregano.  They have small chunks of pineapple that just makes it yummy! (This is paleo peep Tanya chiming in here...they have a rockin' ceviche! I love it so much I often order this for my meal!)

Chicken

Zea's Rotisserie

1/2 Rotisserie Chicken with some awesome broccoli hits the spot every time here!  A little squeeze of lemon adds a pop to the broccoli!  I always put sauce on the side just in case I would like a little (not Paleo).

Fat Cow

This is a fabulous place, and they have amazing burgers and salads. Any burger can be done without the bun. Saturday I had the Salmon Napa burger without the bun. (Sorry I forgot to take a photo of it!) But it was yummy, however, I was still a little hungry when I left. They also have fabulous salads that you can add grilled chicken or salmon to. The restaurant is casual, urban funky with upscale burgers. A must try near LSU.

Superior Seafood

Love starting off with some Gulf Coast Oysters!  I think I could have just eaten two orders of these by myself!

 

 

Although the following taste really AWESOME, stay away from the Frozen Pomeranate Mojitos!  LOL, trust me, the rum is NOT PALEO and I'm paying for it today!  Swollen and stiff joints, which I have not had since starting Paleo! 

 

 

Filet Mignon Salad was pretty awesome.  The steak was very tender and melted in your mouth.  The bed of mixed green was fresh and the texture was great mixed with the meat!  Watch your dressings!  Oh, no cheese!  Wonderful! 

Also, the Ahi Tuna Salad looked great!  I did notice that it has a Ponzu sauce, which contains soy!  Watch out for that and croutons and cheese!

Albasha

Of course, I love the Gyro Salad with their yummy dressing.  Oh, the dressing is Olive Oil, garlic, and seasonings whipped until creamy.  There is NO DAIRY in the dressing.  However, you must order without Feta cheese and no scoop of Grecian sauce on top.
 

Please comment and add your favorites!!!