I rarely write reviews but I feel this experience is important to share, especially for anyone with celiac disease or severe gluten allergies.
I was in Grand Falls recently due to a family emergency and chose Hilltop Restaurant because fellow travelers recommended it for having a gluten free menu. Earlier in the week I had eaten there, spoken with the cook, and that meal was prepared properly with care which I appreciated.
However, on my return visit for breakfast things went very wrong. I explained to the waitress who was in training that I am celiac, provided very specific instructions for avoiding cross contamination, and ordered a simple breakfast of eggs and bacon. My wife also ordered a basic breakfast. Neither of us ordered potatoes because we were told earlier that they are not gluten free.
When our meals arrived both plates had potatoes on them. The trainee confirmed she did not order them and said it was a mistake. The plates were taken back to the kitchen to be remade. At that point I decided to follow and speak to the cook to ensure the new meal would be safe.
What I witnessed next was shocking. At the kitchen door I saw four staff members, the trainee, her trainer, another waitress, and the cook. The trainer who had her back to me and did not realize I was there took my plate from the trainee and brushed the potatoes off with her hands back into the main bin of potatoes for future customers and told the trainee to send the plate back out.
I immediately said "Are you kidding me? You can make me very sick if I eat that and putting those potatoes back into the serving bin by hand is unbelievable." The trainer saw me, walked away without an apology, and said nothing.
I asked to speak to the manager and expressed my concerns. During our discussion it was clear the restaurant manual had no guidance on celiac safety and the staff did not fully understand cross contamination. I suggested using this as a teachable moment and that the trainer's actions were unacceptable and dangerous.
We were staying at the Hilltop Motel for another four days and breakfast was included, but after this experience I only went back so my wife could eat and I stuck to coffee. Even after several days the trainer never apologized even though she served my wife breakfast one morning.
As someone with celiac disease I cannot recommend this restaurant for anyone with severe gluten sensitivity. Cross contamination protocols are not in place and staff training on food allergies is lacking. This situation could have made me seriously ill and that is not something any guest should have to worry about. read more
