Bill and I were on a motorcycle adventure (one of the last of the season) and we saw the restaurant Baton Rouge in Halifax. Hmmm, I wonder if they have keto options there. Baton Rouge is a Canadian restaurant chain that tends to offer steaks and seafood options. I decided to do some research and see if we can eat at Baton Rouge on keto.
The Nutritional Information at Baton Rouge
Here’s the thing; I could not find nutritional information on their website. They have lots of information about allergens, which is great, but nothing about their actual nutrition that I could find. I did find a page about their nutrition from 2016. The page was not bad information. It listed all the sides and sauces separately, so that was nice. The issue is that half of the selections are no longer on their menu. So, how much of the information is still correct?
I wanted to give them the benefit of the doubt. As a woman in my late 40’s, I’m certainly no technology genius. Maybe the information is somewhere else on the website I’m just not seeing. So, I emailed them. I went down to the “contact us” selection and sent an email asking for their nutritional information. In the email, I stated that I wanted to go to their restaurant, and my husband and I had dietary concerns. I received an email saying “Thank you for contacting Baton Rouge.” That was the last I heard from them.
Appetizers at Baton Rouge on Keto
Obviously, if I go to Baton Rouge (and that’s a big “if” now), I will need to ask lots of questions to my poor server. Some of the appetizers and salads look like they may be keto friendly. The tuna tartare is served with avocado so it looks good, just without the crostini. Likewise, the salmon tartare may work. You have your typical Caesar salad or starter salad with no croutons on either. They also have seared ahi tuna if you like seafood as an appetizer.
Burgers and Sandwich Options
All sandwiches and burgers come with fries, so you will need to ask to switch that side with a side salad – either a house salad or Caesar with no croutons. Of course, you ask for the burger or sandwich with no bun. I would go towards the prime rib sandwich (with no caramelized onions), the Baton Rouge burger, or the club sandwich. The information from 2016 says that the au jus that comes with the prime rib only has 2 grams of carbs in it.
Main Dishes at Baton Rouge on Keto
There are a few options here to ask about. Of course, Baton Rouge is known for the steaks, and that tends to be a safe bet for keto. You can get a side salad with no croutons and maybe a side of mushrooms to split, if you have someone else with you. The grilled Mediterranean sea bass comes with cauliflower rice, so that might be a nice option. You can also ask about the Santa Fe chicken and Atlantic salmon. Both come with rice, but maybe ask if they will substitute cauliflower rice or a salad.
A Final Thought About Eating at Baton Rouge on Keto
Bill recently did a blog that addressed how to eat keto at a local cafe. I would incorporate the same techniques if you eat at Baton Rouge. It makes me cranky that we have to do that, as it is a larger company who owns the restaurant chain. One of the advantages of eating at a larger chain rather than a locally owned place is that we can do our research ahead of time.
I realize that this is a franchise, however the menu options are mostly the same, and other head offices provide that information to their customers as a benefit. So, my irritation is not with the franchise in Halifax, it is with the head office who should have the information available to me as a consumer.
Can you eat Baton Rouge on keto? My final thought is…maybe? Honestly, the easier you make it to find the nutritional information I need, the more likely I am to eat at your establishment. After struggling to find the information, you could have the best food in the world, and I may never try it.
Wendy
