Olive Garden Italian Restaurant

Went to the Olive Garden in Coeur d'Alene this evening. Food was great! I have a positive AND negative to share. I am gluten intolerant, but not severely so. I don't have any gut issues, just inflammation which leads to sore joints and some brain fog if I have too much. I ordered gluten free rotini with alfredo sauce. I was then directed to their gluten friendly menu and asked if I was sure of my choice...the alfredo has some flour. I said, "yes"...because I know what I can handle. A few moments later a kitchen staff came out to check and make sure I was warned that the alfredo has flour. I responded that I understand that, this is a special occasion, I just can't handle an entire bowl of regular noodles, a little in the sauce will be fine. After all of that, the food was good, but the server seemed suspicious and watched me like a hawk. So, my positive is that this location seems to be super careful with making sure allergies are being considered when customers order. That's great! My negative is that people need to understand that for some people, gluten allergies don't HAVE to be all or nothing. Don't judge them if they CAN allow themselves a little bit, on occasion, because their presentation of the allergy isn't as severe as someone else's. I understand thinking we are being hypocritical (I used to think the same way before I was diagnosed)...but some of us are lucky enough to be able to have a little, and we can pick and choose which little bit we can enjoy without getting too much pain. Keep watching out for people! Just don't judge if maybe they can mix and match and still enjoy a little bit of life without too much gluten.

Our server was prompt, knowledgeable, and so friendly! The food was great; even the gluten-free pasta was good.