The Old Spaghetti Factory - Restaurant Review

This was my first trip to the Old Spaghetti Factory. Of course when I heard that they have both gluten free pasta and a cable car for the kids to dine in, I had to go check it out. My son is a huge train and cable car fan. I think I've rode every train and trolley within a hundred mile radius of Pleasanton. I have to admit though that I'm always reluctant about new places. I guess I prefer to spend my money on a sure bet but I'm really glad we took a chance on this place. The food was good. I like Macaroni Grill's pasta and marinara sauce better but this was a special treat for Sammy. He was ecstatic when he spotted the cable car and came totally unglued when he realized we were going to dine in it. 

Seating inside the cable car

They offer a full gluten free menu with many nice options but the gluten and dairy free options boiled down to about three dishes. Gluten free spiral pasta (corn and rice blend) with either marinara sauce or "rich meat" sauce (tomato based) and a gluten free marinated baked chicken (available in the evening only).

My meal, the adult portion of gluten free pasta with marinara sauce, came with a salad dressed with balsamic (gluten free) vinaigrette. It was good but was a typical iceberg lettuce salad with carrots and red cabbage. Even though I usually eat much healthier lettuce varieties, it was fun to have one of these. It reminds me of my childhood.

Salad which comes with adult meal. Balsamic GF Dressing

Adult portion of GF pasta with dairy free marinara sauce

When our meals came out, I was delighted to see a little "gluten free" flag. This gave me a warm and fuzzy feeling that I was getting what I ordered. Kudos to the Old Spaghetti Factory. It's the small details that matter. I noticed at the end of the meal that our receipt noted "gluten free." When a restaurant doesn't do this, I often wonder how exactly the kitchen knows. I'm sure they have a system but it always makes me feel better when I see "gluten free" or "allergy alert" on the bill. 

Receipt with the "gluten free" notation

I ordered the GF pasta with marinara sauce. It was fine. Again, I like the sauce at Macaroni Grill better but it was good enough for me. Sammy had the children's portion of GF pasta with the "rich meat" sauce which was served on a cute "Wally Trolley" plate. It came with applesauce as an appetizer. He loved the pasta and gobbled it all up. He did allow me to have one taste. It was a bit saltier then my sauce but was good.

Child portion of GF pasta with dairy free rich meat sauce. I thought the trolley plate was cute.

Dessert, Wild Cherry Fruit Bar

For dessert, the only GFCF option was the wild cherry fruit bar. It was tasty and they did not charge for it which I thought was a nice gesture. We definitely enjoyed our visit here. Again, it's not the best food on the planet but considering the unique ambiance and cable car dining, I have to say, it was a one of a kind experience. I think we'll take Sammy here for his 6th birthday dinner. I am hoping they will let us bring GFCF birthday cake. I'm sure they will. They seemed very nice and accommodating. I was also happy with our waiter's knowledge of the gluten free menu. I give the Old Spaghetti Factory a thumbs up!

Book Review - Healthier without Wheat

"Did nature ever intend for us to eat what we eat?," Dr. Stephen Wangen. I love this question. This is how Dr. Wangen starts out his book, Healthier without Wheat. This is also how I start out when I'm coaching someone. I explain that I'm not advocating some "outlandish" eating style. I'm actually recommending to go back to the roots of our eating. 

Many people comment to me about the GFCF diet and how hard it must be. Many call it a "fad" and wonder how I stay healthy on it. This is a common Thanksgiving dinner discussion with family. Can you relate? I tell people I'm actually eating more like my grandfather ate years ago - organic vegetables, minimal processed foods and some lean protein. They ate just "some protein" because they could barely afford meat. They ate a lot of home cooked beans and fish caught from a local pond or lake. My grandfather was very healthy. He died shortly after his 90th birthday. Below is a photo of him gardening. Wherever he lived, he managed to grow a garden even well into his 80's.

My grandfather (referred to as Papaw) gardening. 

He was 80 something in this photo.

 

Dr. Stephen Wangen

Dr. Wangen says, "We eat what we want to eat, or what we are told is good for us, without truly understanding how food and its components affect our bodies...You may be surprised to learn that what makes up our diet has more to do with economics than with health." Isn't that the truth. I'm glad somebody finally said it that simply. He goes on the say, "Until around 10,000 years ago, humans were hunters-gathers...depending on the environment and the time of year, this included foods such as fish, wild game, nuts, berries and other fruits, vegetables, leaves, roots, and grass seeds." He claims that grass was not a major source of food. First, it was sparse and provided very little seed for re-germination compared to the wheat that we know today. In addition, he says the wheat back then, in its raw form, was toxic to the human system. It was when we learned to cook it (which is when it became edible) and when we realized how easily it was stored and transported that it became a staple in our diet. This was the birth of agricultural. Now here are some useful history facts. Why don't they teach this in high school? Maybe I was asleep during that portion.

He goes on to say that for two million years, humans survived on very little grain and virtually no wheat. We currently eat and produce more wheat than any other country. I wonder if IBS, Crohn's Disease and other autoimmune disorders are prevalent in other countries where wheat consumption is less common.


He also provides streamlined tips on identifying gluten intolerance and transitioning to a gluten free diet. He offers guidelines for overall good health and facilitating healing of the gut lining. He also discusses dairy intolerance. It's my "gut" feeling that most people who cannot tolerate gluten, also cannot tolerate dairy. I've read that the protein structure of each food is very similar. Dr. Wangen also describes how various intolerances can manifest so differently with each individual and the symptoms can change over time making it hard to clearly identify which foods are causing issues. Dr. Wangen lists in this book the top 15 allergens. I was surprised by some of the foods on the list. 


1. dairy (including butter, cheese and yogurt)
2. eggs
3. bananas
4. gluten (wheat, spelt, barley, and rye)
5. cane sugar
6. peanuts
7. almonds
8. pineapple
9. garlic
10. goat's milk
11. soy
12. baker's yeast
13. brewer's yeast
14. vanilla
15. nutmeg

Sugar, garlic, vanilla...nutmeg? I did not know these were considered top allergens. This truly makes one think harder about the foods they are consuming. I also think a sensitive person with an allergy or intolerance is very rarely allergic or intolerant to just one food. Usually, if they dig deeper, they may find that there is a whole list of allergies/intolerances. It requires being somewhat of a detective and being very aware of what's happening with your body in relation to eating. Some symptoms can arise within 20-30 minutes but others can take 2-3 days to manifest. I always suggest journaling your food intake and taking notes of anything unusual that happens with your body or moods. I have found that gluten depresses both Sammy and me as well as causing gastrointestinal issues.

This is a great book to add to your collection. It reveals some surprising facts and is especially useful if you need to continue to build your argument for adhering to a gluten and dairy free lifestyle. This next family holiday, I'll be fully prepared for my next GFCF diet debate.