It's possible to follow your low-glycemic lifestyle and find choices in restaurants by asking for a few (sometimes creative) modifications. Maybe you see that the restaurant serves a lower-glycemic brown rice with one dish but a higher-glycemic potato with the dish you want. Asking the wait staff whether you can make replacements is not only perfectly okay but also a simple way to work your way through a menu.
Asking for replacements is generally no problem as long as your request seems reasonable and you're approaching it in a friendly manner.
For a pleasant low-glycemic substitution experience on your next restaurant visit, just keep these tidbits in mind:
If you don't see an item on the menu, the restaurant probably doesn't have it. You can always ask for the item anyway, but don't expect the restaurant to provide you something it doesn't carry.
Some menu options are prepared in advance, meaning they're already mixed together. Again, asking is okay so long as you realize that the restaurant may have certain limitations. For instance, it may not be able to replace white rice with brown in your chicken gumbo.
Being extra friendly goes a long way. Complimenting the chef and getting to know the servers mean they may be more willing to go the extra mile for you the next time you come in.
For the most part, making simple substitutions isn't a big deal. The low-glycemic diet allows you a lot more flexibility than other diet protocols.