The Dive Bar And Grill in Lawrenceville

Dive Bar & Grill in Lawrenceville

Not very accommodating to customers with dietary restrictions.

Why do I feel like they cooked my food with peppers?  Maybe because three quarters of the way through this meal I started to feel dizzy and nauseated.  I had really bad indigestion and my chest tightened up.  I had to go lay down for a few hours after this meal.  I almost threw up, but didn't.  This is what happens when something is cooked with peppers.  I specifically told the server that I was allergic to peppers.  And when I said that, I meant it.  Not like the people who tell you that because they don't like things, but really.

First I asked the server to ask the kitchen if they could do the citrus glazed salmon on risotto without gluten or peppers.  She came back with a yes.  After ordering about 10 to 15 minutes ago, she came back and told me that the citrus glaze has red pepper flakes in it and asked if that was okay.  I told her no, just to be safe.  Red pepper flakes are usually made from a variety of ancho, bell, cayenne, and other dried red peppers with a high quantity of seeds to intensify the heat.

She looked at me with a blank look and asked what I wanted to do without offering any options.  I said just skip it, although I'd rather have them make something similar or put lemon on it or something.  But it seemed like there were no chefs in the kitchen, only cooks who are heating up pre-made sauces with no creativity of their own.  First they say no peppers can be done, then they wait until they are making it to realize that there was peppers in the sauce.  Great!  I wonder what they don't know is in the risotto that they didn't make.  

The salmon was cooked perfectly.  It looked nice on the plate.  I was a little skeptical of the rice.  It had chicken broth in it, which may contain gluten and the carrots and zucchini looked like peppers.  Green onions garnished the plate.  I happen to love green onions in small quantities.  

The green & reddish orange bits in the rice seemed to be carrots & zucchini.  But when I started to not feel so well, I got the feeling that they picked the peppers out, added the glaze to the salmon & then wiped it off, or just plan old cross contaminated my food with peppers. 

Although everything was tasty, the feeling it gave me to eat here will cause me to not come back.  I didn't feel like they could accommodate people with dietary restrictions very well. 

5147 Butler St Pittsburgh, PA 15201

http://www.divebarandgrille.com/