This week’s spotlighted restaurant is Southern Californian Korean spot Friend’s House. Established in 2005, the restaurant used to function as more of a fast-food spot, but throughout the years, transitioned into the cozier, healthier place it is today. Some of their featured dishes include Hot Pot, Kimchi Pancakes, various special rice dishes, all different types of steaming and fried dumplings, and more! It’s promise to deliver a genuine and authentic taste of Korean culture and lifestyle rings true for every guest they serve—will it pass the allergen test, though?

How many allergies does Friend’s House accommodate to? Well, many of their dishes include prominent allergens including shellfish, eggs, gluten, and soy, due to the nature of the cuisine. In fact, every dish at Friend’s House includes gluten, and a majority of dishes have soy sauce within them. On the other hand, all soups the food establishment offers can be made without egg. Ingredients can be omitted upon request, but there are no substitutions are noodles or rice, which makes them non-inclusive to gluten, unfortunately.

As specifically for peanuts, Friend’s House becomes an immediate great option. Many of their most popular dishes come without peanuts, making it easy for anyone with this allergy to make a stop by this establishment! Some of these dishes include Spicy Rice Cakes, Spicy Tofu Stew, and Hot Stone Bibimbap. Their Sweet Bulgogi, a house favorite, comes only with ingredients B.B.Q. Short Rib, green onions, and white onions, making it a sweet and savory entree pick for a peanut-free patron. Their well-known kimchi fried rice is also a great choice, as it only includes white rice, spam, egg, sesame oil, kimchi, and veggies!

Now for Nutripair’s overall rating! We have decided to give Friend’s House a Low Rating for Allergy Friendliness. The Korean food spot does not currently offer a legend key for popular food allergies such as peanuts, shellfish, and soy, and their staff could be more accommodating when it comes to being knowledgeable about their menu and nutrition facts. Friend’s House can also improve its allergy friendliness by offering substitutes for some more items than they currently do, and they can also offer. They still do a great job of offering dishes that appeal to some allergens, including tree nuts, fish, peanuts, and dairy, which are four of the prominent allergens for individuals facing allergen difficulty. The qualities in which make this rating low have the opportunity to be adjusted—with the help of Nutripair’s platform, navigating a menu like the likes of Friend’s House makes a restaurant such as this one easier to visit!

Below is our rating breakdown:

LOW/MEDIUM Pear Rating – Criteria 1/4, Two to Three Menu Items for each of the Top 8 Allergens

LOW Pear Rating – Criteria 2/4, Accommodating with Substitutes

LOW Pear Rating – Criteria 3/4, How Clearly Dishes are Labeled on Menu

LOW Pear Rating – Criteria 4/4, How Trained Staff Are When Handling Dietary Restrictions

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