Lactose-Free Nashville

Fleming's Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar

Friday, November 04, 2005

Fleming's Steakhouse and Wine Bar is an upscale restaurant for special occasions. Whether it's a business deal, a rehearsal dinner, a special family occasion or "just because", the dark wood ambiance, four-page wine list and top-flight menu items make this a special choice for a destination dinner.

The Lactose Line

Most of the menu items are not lactose-free. All of their steaks are finished with butter, bernaise sauces and milk-loaded stuffings, but Fleming's does something that every restaurant should take notice of. On their website, Fleming's has dietary guidelines for adapting the majority of their entrees to match your diet. Almost every entree is described in terms of its lactose content and whether or not it is adaptable.

When we placed our reservation, the woman on the phone asked "do you have any special requests?" I took the opportunity to mention the lactose intolerance issue, but it seemed to fall on deaf ears. She said, "well... I can make a note of that on your reservation." Our waiter took our order and he and the kitchen delivered it correctly, but I'm not sure that he really understood what "lactose intolerant" meant.

Best Lactose-free options:

Appetizer: shrimp cocktail
Salad: The Wedge or Fleming's Salad (ordered without cheese or croutons) with the vinaigrette dressing
Sides: Shoestring potatoes, asparagus or broccoli (without hollandaise), steamed vegetables
Entrees: any entree (without butter, stuffing or sauce)
Dessert: Mixed Berry cobbler without ice cream (according to the website, the crust is safe... but you may want to avoid it just to be certain.)

Map and Directions:

at the Fleming's site

Rating:

4 out of 5 lactose-free stars. Because there are issues with many of the entrees, this would normally be a three-star place to eat, but the detailed information on the website for ordering and the error-free experience warrants an extra star.

posted by Patrick @ 9:46 AM