Restaurants in Calgary that don't use MSG?

[NSFL]

I don't tend to eat out very much anymore because I've been trying to eat healthier, so that includes, less MSG, less salt, less fat, so on and so forth. The less salt, less fat portion can be controlled by just being choosey with the items on the menu, but MSG is harder to control. So I was wondering, are there any restaurants in Calgary that try not to use MSG (notice I say, "try not to," as restaurants can't always control what is already included in some of their ingredients).

[Draug]

Believe it or not, McDonald's doesnt use MSG. However, that wont help you on the other health fronts...

[OracleOfCalgary]

MSG is healthy and delicious.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monosodium_glutamate

[tvp2003]

I believe Edo is MSG free

[cSpooge]

Originally Posted by OracleOfCalgary

MSG is healthy and delicious.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monosodium_glutamate

except when you're alergic to it like myself and break out in a full body rash when you injest even the slightest amount

[sadora]

Originally Posted by fotze

I think gravy mixes and canned soups have it, so cheaper restaurants that don't make soup from scratch.

I have worked as a cook all over the city. The gravy in most chain restaurants comes from mixes...but once you get to the smaller, independently owned, and most hotel restaurants you can bet that almost everything is made from scratch...your best bet to avoid MSG is just to avoid the chains like Kelsey's & Montana's (basically any place that gets their mashed potatoes from a bag), Pizza Hut and BP's...Joey's & Earl's are okay because following a top chef's menu makes them start from scratch.

You can also just phone ahead or ask the servers to ask the chefs to check on the ingredients...note that most chains have kitchen managers instead of chefs and a cooking brigade of high schoolers...which is why a lot of their food comes pre-prepared.

[FFR]

I work at Jack Astors in the SW and I know that we cook everything from scratch (gravy included) except for a few asian sauces that are shipped in. Nothing on our menu has MSG in it except two of the asian dishes becuase MSG is in the sauce that gets shipped in. Other than that, we are MSG free completely! (However, if you don't want salt, avoid the baked potato)

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Draug

Believe it or not, McDonald's doesnt use MSG. However, that wont help you on the other health fronts...

Oh yeah, that tradeoff totally isn't worth it, it'd be healthier to just eat spoonfuls of pure MSG straight from the bag....

[ken0042]

Originally Posted by sadora

Pizza Hut and BP's...

Can't speak for those two specifically; but when I used to work in the pizza business the only things that ever contained MSG were the beef and the Italian Sausage. (And that was if the sausage was the type that was clumps instead of what would look like sliced Spolumbos.)

I suppose if you really wanted to be safe you could stay away from pepperoni and salami; meaning the only safe meat would be ham. But at that point I think you'd only have to be that cautious if you were deathly allergic.

[notoepik]

If you have a sensitivity to MSG, you should also avoid maltodextrin, mushrooms, soy sauce and hydrolized protien.

My daughter gets migraines from those food additives and products. No meat on pizza, and the cheeses and sauces must be scutinized.

[cSpooge]

Originally Posted by notoepik

If you have a sensitivity to MSG, you should also avoid maltodextrin, mushrooms, soy sauce and hydrolized protien.

My daughter gets migraines from those food additives and products. No meat on pizza, and the cheeses and sauces must be scutinized.

Yeah thats like me... including those it also include most potatoe chips

[NSFL]

Wow, thanks for the info everyone!

It's really not a sensitivitey or allergy. Just a lifestyle choice. So I don't have to be really picky, but a reduction is nice.

It's good to know about the sauces and such. I guess it makes sense that a lot of food at the chains come prepared, considering how everything tastes the same...

[Dion]

Avoid the Chinese food buffets. Lots of MSG.

[stang]

Originally Posted by Dion

Avoid the Chinese food buffets. Lots of MSG.

alot of them are now advertising "NO MSG" now

at least in Lloyd they are...

[FlameCity]

There’s a vegetarian Chinese restaurant in Calgary (I posted this in another thread but useful here to ). Buddha’s Veggie. They use no MSG.