Baja Fresh Mexican Grill
www.bajafresh.com
3/08

Reminder: The menu items listed below were reported by the restaurant. However, they should only be considered as a starting off place for choosing items. You must take the responsibility of being vigilant by always reconfirming the GF status of a menu item and addressing cross-contamination issues each and every time.

Baja Fresh is a fast food style restaurant. The following is an email sent on 3/25/08 from Chis, Baja Fresh Guest Response Line. RJ's note: Please note that the fryer is also used for wheat-containing items, and their information has not been updated since 2005. Also, concern has been expressed by posters on the web that the corn tortillas are warmed on the same grill as the flour ones. (see Comments below).

"Thank you for taking the time to contact Baja Fresh with your inquiry regarding gluten (wheat, barley, rye and oats).

The following menu items contain gluten:

Flour Tortillas
Tostada Shells
Flautas
Tortilla Soup
Breaded Fish
Aztec Chocolate Chip Cookie
Churros
Raspberry Iced Tea (where available)

The above information is based on standard product formulations and is current as of August 15, 2005. Variations may occur due to differences in suppliers, ingredient substitutions, recipe revisions, or product assembly at the restaurant level. We use only one fryer in each restaurant to fry both gluten and non-gluten items; Chips, Taquitos, Tostada Shells, Breaded Fish. All Baja Fresh menu entrees are prepared to order on food contact surfaces that may have small trace amounts of Gluten. Therefore there may be trace amounts of glutens on entrees prepared on these surfaces or cooked in our deep fryers.

Our ingredient listings are reported by the manufacturers. Baja Fresh® Mexican Grill, its franchisees and employees do not assume responsibility for a particular sensitivity or allergy to any food provided in our restaurants. We encourage anyone with food sensitivities, allergies, or special dietary needs to consult with a medical professional for informed answers relating to their specific sensitivities and the risks involved when dining out.

Chris
Baja Fresh Guest Response Line

Comments

Posted 7/06 by Jacqueline Pontious on the Celiac Listserv
"Baja Fresh is a great restaurant. But I just found out that they fry their tequitos in the same oil as wheat items. So no more for me. The rest of their menu as far as I know is straight-forward - corn or wheat."

Sent 11/4/04 by Sue Corning, Seattle WA
". . . I was very pleased with the help I received from the girl who took my order. I told her I must avoid gluten/dairy/soy. So she suggested the chiciken fajitas with rice, beans, gaucamole, tomatoes, lettuce and white corn tortillas. When my order came with cheese on the beans, they replaced them within 3 minutes. There was so much food on that entree that I took home more than half for another meal the next day. However, the beans were much too spicy."

Posted on the SillyYaks site 8/23/04 by M.
"I ate tacos with corn tortillas at Baja Fresh at first into my Gf diet with no problems. I am usually very sensitive, but I think the grill must have been pretty clean at those times, as I don't eat at peak hours. Still, after seeing another restaurant operating in a busy time, I finally decided that this was not such a good idea.

About the same time, I noticed (or they just came out with for the low-carbers) the bare burrito. It comes in a bowl. It comes with meat, but the meats are grilled on a different grill. It also has grilled beggies. Ithink these are probably prepared ahead fo time. I have never had a problem, and this is what I get now. I agree with you (a previous poster) I would not want to eat a corn tortilla that has even touched the same surface that a flour one has. I bring my own chips if I plan ahead.

Honestly, I rarely eat at restaurants because I usually end up with some sort of reaction, even if it is just nausea. I have not had that problem at Baja Fresh. I think because the only gluten items are the flour tortillas and breaded fish. I think if your food manages to stay away from those, you are fairly safe."

Locations:

Encinitas
194 El Camino Real Blvd. 92024
760-633-2262

Escondido
890 W. Valley Parkway, Ste. 400
760-480-9997

Hillcrest
120 W. Washington St.
619-497-1000

Mira Mesa
9015 Mira Mesa Blvd.
858-577-0590

Mission Valley
845 Camino De La Reina
619-295-1122

Point Loma
3369 Rosecrans
619-222-3399

Rancho Bernardo
11980-11976 Bernardo Plaza Dr.
858-592-7788

San Diego (downtown)
145 Broadway
619-702-2252

San Diego (Aero Dr. & I-15)
3737 Murphy Canyon Rd.
858-277-5700

Temecula
40688 Winchester Rd.
909-719-1570

Vista
620 Hacienda Dr.
760-643-011