Eating Paleo/Whole30 at The Monarch (Wichita KS)

The Monarch is a favorite local Wichita KS restaurant and bar. It features cool decor, with lighting fixtures made from salvaged wood and upcycled bicycle parts, and the walls boast a mix of flea-market finds and unique art from local artists. It's a convenient location if you're downtown, in the Delano area, or trying to bring east-siders and west-siders together in a central location. I've ordered salads a couple times and been underwhelmed, but other than that, everything I've ordered there has tasted great. I believe they smoke their own meats, or buy from local suppliers, so these menu items may be less processed than something you'd get at a chain like Chili's, for example.

Based on just looking over the menu and making some guesses (with the exception of salad dressing, explained below), here are some dishes you could order at The Monarch and be mostly Whole30 compliant. I haven't verified what oils things are cooked in, and as I've noted below, there may be hidden sugars.

Mushroom caps without the cheese.*

Potato skins with smoked chicken, without the cheese.

Any of their meat soups,* probably, except for ones with noodles, pasta, corn chips, cream or cheese.

These sandwiches without the cheese and the roll, eaten knife-and-fork: Cuban, Chicken Caprese, Brisket Royale,* Monarch,* Reuben, Italian Sausage*, and Grilled Hot Link*. (Is it still worth eating? That's your call!)

Sadly, there are no sides that are okay. Cole slaw would certainly have sugar. A side salad would only work without dressing. Read on...

I called to make sure, and all of the salad dressings have either sugar or dairy in them. (Ranch and blue cheese being the sugar-free ones.) If you're bold enough to bring and discreetly use your own salad dressing, you could order the Smoked Chef without croutons, or the Greek salad -- both without dressing.

*There's probably some sugar in all of the red meats: Brisket, corned beef, ham, hot links, and sausage -- in the brine, the seasonings, or both. It's less likely in the chicken, but still very possible. You'll need to make the choice whether you think the amount is neglible, as far as eating out goes.

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Eating Paleo/Whole30 when eating out

This post is especially for my husband, who is getting ready to try the Whole30 thang, and needing some Paleo-friendly lunch options. And as such, it focuses mostly on his tastes. So there may be a lot of other options out there, but this list caters to someone who's not crazy about chicken or salads. And its scope is also limited to restaurants on the west side of Wichita, KS. But there are a few national chains here, as well as guidelines for any Mexican restaurant, or any burger, so there should be help here, no matter your locale.

(Please note: this list may not be 100% Whole30 compliant; I was not able to track down which oil most things are fried in, for example. But it seeks to avoid grains, dairy, sugar, and legumes.)

Applebee's

Beef: The Ribeye and NY Strip are the only two steaks that aren’t cooked in soybean oil.

Seafood: Garlic Herb Salmon

Sides: steamed vegetables; or sweet potato fries??

Burger places, or any place that serves 'em

Bunless burger topped with grilled onions and mushrooms. Or grilled onions and jalapenos. Served on spinach? Or get a side of broccoli, cauliflower, or sweet potato, if available.

Chili's

Beef: Cajun Ribeye, Guiltless Carne Asada Steak, Flame Grilled Ribeye, or the Classic Sirloin – ask for no savory steak butter as this contains gluten. If you want a burger, the Bacon Burger or the Old time Burger (ask for no bun or onion strings) are good choices.

Seafood: Guiltless Grilled Salmon or the Salmon with Garlic & Herbs
Fajitas; skip the tortilla, sour cream and cheese.

Chipotle

Order two sides of steak or carnitas with guacamole, and any salsa you want, except for the one with corn and beans. Depending on how much food you want, you can order extra sides at $2.25 a pop.

Note: Occasionally you’ll get a new employee who might put the sides in a sides container. If they do this, ask them if they can put it in a bowl. If they do that, they’ll often realize it’s not actually that much meat and give you more for free.

Jason's Deli

Pollo Mexicano, without cheese and sour cream, - add guacamole; try to eat less of the white part of the potato

Mighty Wild Salmon Salad, without beans, with Italian dressing (NOT Leo's fat-free Italian)

Mexican places (go local, not chain)

Ask for no chips when you're seated. (If you order carryout, specify no chips.)

Fajitas; skip the tortilla, sour cream and cheese.

Order a tostada topped with meat of your choice, guacamole, salsa, lettuce, tomato, and/or onions. Eat everything but the tortilla.

Panera

Sorry, but there's nothing Paleo here that isn't chicken and/or salad...

Power Mediterranean Chicken Salad (this is on the "hidden menu"; just ask for it) - antibiotic-free chicken, romaine lettuce, baby spinach, ripe tomatoes, crisp apple-wood smoked bacon, chopped hard-boiled eggs, extra-virgin olive oil, and freshly squeezed lemon juice.

Chicken Cobb with Avocado - antibiotic-free chicken, romaine lettuce, tomatoes, applewood-smoked bacon, fresh avocado, Gorgonzola  and hard-boiled eggs are all tossed with herb vinaigrette; vinaigrette contains minute amounts of corn.

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General guidelines

Always ask for NO SEASONING SALT in restaurants. MSG is often added to this, as is sugar.

When you see the following adjectives on the menu, ask lots of questions and be prepared to take a pass on foods that don’t meet your standards:

• Deep fried
• Crispy
• Battered
• Coated
• Breaded
• Sauced
• Meatballs/Meatloaf/Croquettes (probably include breadcrumbs)
• Sausage
• Fritter
• Dumpling

Sources:
http://thepaleomama.com/2013/01/the-paleo-mamas-guide-to-dining-out-paleo-style/
http://fentresscrossfit.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/FAST-FOOD-OPTIONS.pdf
http://theclothesmakethegirl.com/2015/02/26/paleo-tips-eating-restaurants/
https://www.panerabread.com/en-us/menu-categories/salads.html
https://www.panerabread.com/en-us/articles/access-into-paneras-hidden-menu.html