GlutenFreeSpot.com » Gluten Free Restaurants

Corbett Fish House

Eric — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 23:38:37 +0000

For those of you in he Portland, OR you are near a great fish food place that is entirely Gluten Free. Corbett Fish House is located off I-5 on Corbett Ave. They bread this fish in rice flour and offer an entirely free Gluten Free menu.

Here is an excerpt from their website:

So, what makes our fish so good? Well, we simply dip it in brown rice flour and flash fry it.The breading is super thin and light, with perfect fish inside, instead of the thick, greasy batter found on most fried fish. We also use a very high quality rice bran oil (no trans-fats!). And we filter the oil twice a day for an extra clean taste.

We are proud to be the only restaurants on the West Coast serving lake perch and walleye, freshwater fish that perfectly lend themselves to frying. Of course, to please everyone, we also offer halibut, oysters, catfish, calamari, and a variety of non-fried seafood, plus Dana’s great soups and chowders. But when you stop in, you owe it to yourself to try the perch or walleye.

To cater to a rapidly growing segment of the population, the gluten intolerant, most of our menu, including soups, dressings and sauces, is gluten-free.

I will provide a review of Corbett Fish house in the upcoming days!

Gluten Free Restaurant in New Orleans

Eric — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 05:08:14 +0000

In honor of the Super Bowl Champions New Orleans Saints, I would like to show you a Gluten Free restaurant in New Orleans. I have not been but I would love to go there one day. Bonefish Grill has quite a Gluten Free Menu.

They have a nice selection of starters, grilled fish, other grilled items, wines and cocktails. So if you ever get a break from Bourbon street head to the Bonefish Grill!

Click on the link for some reviews: Bonefish Grill Reviews

Bellagios Interview

Eric — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 06:56:24 +0000

Recently I sent an email to a Bellagios Pizzas representative to get some answers about their Gluten Free Pizzas! I was impressed with how quickly I got a response and I will just paste their answers below, please read through and let me know if you have anymore questions that I could ask them! Here is my Review of Bellagios for those interested: Bellagios Restaurant Spotlight.

What events impacted the decision to start serving Gluten Free pizzas? We
catered many events that had people attending that “haven’t had pizza in
years” and it became something that happened very frequently. While meeting
with a company that wanted to produce all our dough for us, the gluten free
topic came up and after a lengthy discussion, we all agreed there was a
significant need in the market. When we began researching food allergies
and Celiac disease specifically, we quickly realized how this issue was
becoming a major issue in our market.

How was the staff trained to handle these pizzas that need special
attention? We tried to make it is basic as possible. First, we removed all
wheat flour in our stores and went with rice flour. We then brought in
specific cooking pans and all the required utensils to keep everything
separate from our standard process. We also did the research to determine
gluten content in ALL our products in order to put together a gluten free
menu. As for training, we worked with our teams and impressed upon them the
significance of avoiding cross-contamination and how this could impact
someone if we were not cautious. Our employees genuinely care about our
customers and took this gluten free responsibility very seriously. Our
employees were TOTALLY on board from day one and find it gratifying to serve
this new customer base.

What precautions are taken to ensure these pizzas are Gluten Free and avoid
cross contamination? See above response.

How do you make your crust? We have it made by a company in Eastern Oregon.
They produce HUGE volumes of pizza dough for other companies. Every Sunday
night they clean their plant to clean-room level cleanliness. Before
introducing any wheat in to their plant on Monday mornings, they produce our
gluten free dough. We worked with this company for over a year finalizing
the recipe while at the same time evaluating other products. Our final
product was far superior to all the other products we tested. This company
is totally committed to us and our success with this product. They are
terrific to deal with and are only making this dough for us although they
have been contacted by restaurants all over the country to order this
product after hearing about or trying our product.

What kind of response have you gotten from the arrival of these pizzas on
your menu? Verbal? Any sales figures? We have had great response and even
have a customer testimonial on U-Tube. We have only had one customer that
had any reaction to our product but that was determined to be a response to
their soy allergy. Our crust does contain soy. We have many customers that
buy this pizza just to avoid white flour as well. We also have customers
that live in other parts of Oregon that buy our crusts by the case to make
pizza at home. Company-wide in our 13 stores, we sell an average of 400
gluten free pizzas a week at an average price of about $13.00.

Restaurant Spotlight: Bellagios Pizza Offering Gluten Free Menu

Eric — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 05:59:53 +0000

Not even 5 years ago was it easy to find a decent pizza crust to make my own pizza at home. This evening I was able to call and order a Gluten Free pizza and have it delivered to my house! I was so happy to hear that Bellagios Pizza is offering Gluten Free options. For those of you who live in the Portland area I suggest you give it a shot.

Here is a link to their Gluten Free Menu

They have classic options but also have build your own pizza’s.

The lady taking my order was very knowledgeable and assured me that my pizza would be cooked separately and in a different oven that the other pizzas to make sure cross contamination was not a risk. The Gluten Free pizzas only came in a small size however but it was a perfect amount for me, I even have one slice for snacking later. At about $12.00 I was not overwhelmed with the price because of the convenience and how good it was. The receipt even said Gluten Free on my order which made me even more comfortable with eating it and I felt fine after eating it.

I ordered a sausage and green pepper pizza and it was delivered within the hour. I was very happy with my order and I will be looking forward to the next time I make an order from Bellagios. If you have one of these chains in your area I suggest you try them (they are locally owned), let me know what you think when you do!

Restaurant Spotlight: Go Healthy Cafe

Eric — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 05:20:15 +0000

Recently I was driving down a main street in Eugene and I noticed new cafe with a sign for “Gluten Free Sandwiches”. I was really surprised and happy to see this. Even though it was closed when I drove by I went back a few days later because I just had to try it. The place is called Go Healthy Cafe. They offer many local, organic healthy options. They have a wide variety on their menu. Sandwiches, burritos, bowls, quesadillas. All of their ingredients are fresh and organic and usually local. I went in and asked about their Gluten Free options and they said I could pick any sandwich and they just substitute the bread with their Gluten Free bread. It was $1.00 for this option but well worth it. I asked about cross contamination issues and the lady who took my order was very informative and told me that they have a separate toaster and utensils for their toasted sandwiches. I was very pleased to know they are knowledgeable about my needs and had taken measures to prevent cross contamination.

I ordered the Chicken Pesto. Here is their Menu. Take a look I am sure you will find something that you would like. I was impressed with the meal! Coming into it I was a little skeptical about how the bread would be but I was very pleased to find out how delicious it was. Our order came out pretty quick and I felt fine afterward. I had a good experience here and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a good healthy meal.

Another great thing about this place is they serve Gluten Free Pastries. I came at a time when they were just about to start making them so I did not get to try any. I asked and they said they have brownies, coffee cake and lemon bars to name a few.

I really liked this new cafe and I will definetely be going back and will try something new! Does anyone have a Go Healthy Cafe in their area?

Restaurant Spotlight: P.F. Changs, Eugene, OR

Eric — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 19:48:00 +0000

My last Restaurant Spotlight was of Romio’s in Seattle, WA.

My next Restaurant Spotlight will be theP.F. Chang’s in Eugene, OR. I recently had the opportunity to eat at one of the finest Chinese restaurants around, P.F. Chang’s. The atmosphere is really relaxed and they have their lights fairly low so its an intimate setting. More importantly, they do a great job with Celiacs and Gluten Free menus. In the past I have always asked for a Gluten Free menu and they bring out a 1 page menu with appetizers, soups, rice, sides,entrees and desserts. When I went more recently the Gluten Free menu was actually on the back of the regular menu. I see this as an upgrade because they must have been getting a lot of requests for a Gluten Free menu so they just decided to include it with every menu. The waiters and waitresses are very smart about the diet and are very helpful when it comes to ordering and getting the food you need.

P’.F. Changs is one of my favorite restaurants because of their options and how great the food is. I ordered an appetizer and an entree. For my appetizer I had the Gluten Free lettuce wraps. These are part of the reason why I like going here so much. The appetizer is about $8.00. The lettuce wraps are healthy and make my mouth water.

For my entree I ordered Chang’s Spicy Chicken and a bowl of white rice. The chiken is “lightly dusted and stir-fried in Sichuan sauce”. Again, one of the reasons why I like to eat here. The chicken was perfect and not too spicy and not to plain. Each order gives you quite a bit of food so I never have to worry about leaving the restaurant hungry. The chicken was about $14.00.

I am very pleased with P.F. Chang’s both for their compliance with the Gluten Free diet but also the quality of the food. I would recommend eating there to anyone who is looking for a great Gluten Free meal!

Click here for the Gluten Free Menu.

Gluten Free Fast Food: Qdoba

Eric — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 16:38:58 +0000

Last night I was with some friends and they wanted to go to the Qdoba that is on campus, I felt unsure about ordering there so I decided to not take a chance with anything besides the chips and salsa.

I did a post a few weeks ago about Gluten Free Fast Food Menus and I wanted to add another: Qdoba. Qdoba is basically a Subway for Mexican food. I would not consider Qdoba your typical “fast food” becuase there is no drive through but it is close enough. You choose what you want and they take you through a line of toppings much like at Subway. Flour tortillas are automatically out of the question, but if the Qdoba in your area serves corn tortillas or tacos you may be in luck. I would ask the person who is preparing your food to use a new pair of gloves to avoid any cross contamination from their hands. Also, since they are taking your meal along the same path of counter as wheat tortillas I would ask them to be especially careful and place something down so there is no cross contamination. I also worry that the toppings that they use might have came in contact with some Gluten. Preparing these tacos and burritos takes a lot of hand contact and when people are reaching for toppings with the same gloves as they are touching a flour burrito is might cause problems. It might not cause problems for some though.

I would make sure to call ahead and speak to the manager and let him or her know you might be stopping in later, also ask if the meat and other toppings are Gluten free just to be safe. I am pretty sure they are safe for the most part, the most important part of your visit will be communication with the person who prepares your food. Let them know your situation and that you are needing them to wear new gloves and be careful about what your meal touches. If anyone has had an experience at Qdoba please let us know!

Tip: Fast Food Restaurants

Eric — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 19:22:20 +0000

Eating at fast food restaurants might be one of the most frustrating things about living with a Gluten Free diet. The small kitchen combined with employees who are not extensively trained about eliminating cross contamination and what kind of preparation food needs for a special diet can lead to a problem. Many restaurants have tried to be a little more helpful by proving nutritional information in either a brochure or a poster with nutritional information on it. Eating at a fast food restaurant is a big risk and I recommend staying away from fast food joints if at all possible.

Of the fast food restaurants I think Wendy’s does the best job at catering to those with a Gluten Free diet. I would always recommend staying away from french fries because most cookers are not dedicated to french fries, there might be breaded products cooked in the same oil. McDonald’s used to have a dedicated cooker for their fried which made them Gluten Free but a few years ago they stopped that and they are no longer safe. Obviously stay away from burgers, and I would be hesitant to try any patty’s just cause I would fear for cross contamination from back in the kitchen. Wendy’s has a decent menu for those allergic to Gluten. Here is their Gluten Free Menu. They have some chili that is pretty good and some good salads. I noticed recently that their chicken on their BLT salad switched over to breaded when it used to be grilled. I was pretty disappointed when I got my salad to find strips of breaded chicken on my salad.

When eating at fast food restaurants be safe. Stick with items that you are certain with and you can even talk to your order taker to tell them about your concerns with your dietary needs. Communication is key! I will do a post tomorrow about Gluten Free options at other fast food restaurants.

Restaurant Spotlight: Romios Pizza and Pasta; Seattle, Wa

Eric — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 16:29:34 +0000

While vacationing in Seattle, WA I was able to find Romios Pizza and Pasta on Google. Seattle has a large celiac community and the options at this restaurant were amazing, I will get into this in a future post. I recommend going to Romio’s or at least looking at the menu to check out what they have. Right away I was able to get a 7-page Gluten Free Menu complete with appetizers, salads, pizzas, subs, grinders, gyros, desserts and even beer. They have such a wide variety of gluten free food plus a menu for those who do not need a gluten free menu. The gluten free items are a little bit more expensive than the regular items but this is due to the higher cost of specialty items I believe.
This is one of the first times I have been in a place like this it was awesome! I was able to order an appetizer for one of the first times ever. I got a half order or gluten free garlic bread with marinara sauce. The garlic bread was delicious! I had never had bread like that before and I was very happy! It was about 6 dollars. After, I ordered a 12in gluten free pizza with pepperoni, green peppers, Italian sausage, and mushrooms. It was about 23 dollars. It was a large pizza so I ate half of it and saved the other half for lunch the next day. Again, delicious! For the first time I was able to eat a great gluten free pizza in a restaurant. It was more expensive than the wheat pizza but I am not as worried about that as getting great food. Plus I can eat the rest for lunch! I really enjoyed my time at Romios and the food was great, if you are in the area you should definitely check it out. Have any of you found any good gluten free pizza places?

Introduction to Restaurant Spotlight

Eric — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 16:13:42 +0000

As a part of this blog I am going to do a review of a restaurant that I eat at. I am planning on making this a bi-monthly thing, just depending on how often I can get out to various restaurants. I will make these places that have several gluen free options and it will be a plus if they have a Gluten Free menu.

These reviews will talk about my experience at the restaurant, my approach to ordering, what I ordered and the approximate cost, taste and my overall experience. I hope I can provide helpful information and if you are in that area you will be able to check out the restaurant and let me know what you think also.