I’m still all abuzz with my newfound freedom, so please excuse me if I sound disproportionately excited about eating fish and rice. Which, I will. You see soy sauce has gluten in it, which is just so crazy. I don’t understand these fermented things one little bit. This means Chinese food and Japanese food have been off my safe list, and Thai comes in a close second because honestly, I don’t know what’s going on there. (Give me a break, I grew up on a farm . . . in Oklahoma.) While I bust out the wheat-free tamari when I’m at home, I never feel safe waltzing into a restaurant and saying, “Garcon, please bring me your most fanciest gluten-free delights from Asia!” Until now.

Whooo-hoooo Katsu-Ya! I just had the most amazing experience at your strip mall sushi joint in Studio City. That’s right, a strip mall. In the valley. Which is apparently where magic happens.

My husband decided he really wanted to go out for sushi and we arranged a lunch date that even took place in the middle of the week. Keepin’ the romance alive, you guys! I decided to smuggle in a bottle of wheat-free tamari and be prepared to only drink green tea. But I forgot my tamari and instead was forced to put on my big girl panties and ask the waiter if they had any wheat-free tamari available. He said yes, and as he went to get it my husband reminded me that I hadn’t checked on any of the things we ordered to see if they contained gluten. He was right, but I was sort of in the mind-set that I wouldn’t be able to eat anything, so why even bother? Bad defeatist, celiac, bad!

So imagine my surprise when the waiter came back with the wheat-free tamari and an extensive list of notes. He turned to me and went through our list and told me what I could and could not order. Two of which, I was pretty devastated about, but not surprised (see above lack of shock at edible food from Asia). But then, he tells me he has a fantastic gluten-free dish for me of crispy rice and something something. I didn’t even ask I was so blown away by his thorough delight in taking care of gluten-free me. You guys, it was the most amazing sushi roll selection and crispy rice what-not I have ever had. Un-freaking-believable! And all safe to eat! But it gets better.

As we were leaving, I was gushing to our waiter about how fantastic the food was, and how much I appreciated his efforts and he said the chef wanted me to know that they are putting together a gluten-free menu. Score! I’m starting to feel like maybe people really are, by nature, good instead of evil. Do you think?

Have you been afraid to eat sushi and all those delicious rice and soy dishes?