GF Pasta at Luigi's House in Aurora

Big thanks to Luigi's House restaurant in Aurora for carrying gluten free pasta!

It used to be really difficult to eat gluten free at Luigi's. I remember a waiter telling me (years ago) that I came to the wrong restaurant to eat gluten free. He went on to be very helpful in guiding me toward a salmon dish. But still, that was a pretty telling description of the restaurant.

So, we hadn't gone back in quite some time. Now, to my surprise, when there last night I discovered that they offer a quinoa and corn based angel hair pasta. The server was very helpful in describing which pasta dishes would be gluten free based on all the remaining ingredients. I had the peasant pasta, with some modifications. It was excellent. Can't wait to eat the left-overs tonight.

As best I can tell, Luigi's House and their parent company Portillo's is not on Twitter. Here they are on Facebook.

Made in a facility that...ARGGH!

One of the most frustrating statements to see on the packaging of a gluten free item is, "Made in a facility that processes foods containing wheat." This statement is extremely vague. The customer has absolutely no idea what to expect from the product. I tend to avoid these products, but I'll occasionally break my own rule and eat them. The symptoms of Celiac disease are sometimes impossible to connect to a specific food and so it is almost impossible to "test" these items on yourself. 


We desperately need federal guidelines for the food and drug industry. Right now we're out in the Wild West of the gluten free market. What does "gluten free" mean on a product that was made in a facility that handles wheat? I assume this means that the product is made with ingredients that do not contain gluten. Does this qualify the product as "gluten free"? It shouldn't! Gluten free should mean that the final product has been tested to contain less than 20ppm of gluten (or even better, less than 15ppm or 10ppm).


For that matter, what does a restaurant mean when they say they offer a gluten free menu? At present, it simply means that they think they can offer meals that do not contain gluten. But what does the restaurant mean by this? It is rarely clear unless you ask the chef. There has been a recent spike in interest in the gluten free diet, but not because the Celiac population has exploded. Rather, this spike has been related to an increase in the perception that the gluten free diet is somehow healthier. If the restaurant thinks you are one of these voluntary gluten free diners, are they going to make sure that your meal is absolutely gluten free? I worry about this every time I eat out. It seems likely that the server or manager sees me as one of the wave of new dieters and not as a person with Celiac disease. I tend to trust restaurants that are run by people who have Celiac disease in their family (like Da Luciano's) or where I know that the chef is professionally trained and sensitive to the plight of those with food allergies (like White Chocolate Grill; on Twitter).


We really need to define standards for gluten free food. I can't see any way to achieve this without federal regulation.

BOGO Deal from Chipotle

NBC is offering a buy one get one deal from Chipotle, a popular restaurant for gluten free grub.

Click here to go to NBC's Facebook page. Watch a commercial to get the coupon.

(h/t Slickdeals)

Gluten Free at Jersey Mike's

Eating gluten free at the sub shop. What's the point, right? Well, when the food and service are as good as Jersey Mike's, it might just be worth it.

I had read online that this sub shop had some gluten free offerings so I decided to give it a try. We were lucky to go early enough in the day because it wasn't busy. The manager at the Naperville, IL location was great. He walked us through the menu and explained the "sub in a tub", which is the gluten free option. I could see crumbs all over the preparation area so I asked if he could take precautions to prevent cross-contamination. He immediately understood and made sure his staff used a different preparation area and changed into new gloves.

I ordered the Italian sub in a tub with all the oils and spices. It tasted great. Essentially, the sub in a tub is the sandwich fixin's (sans bread) served in a plastic clamshell thingy. My lunch-mate had the turkey and provolone on white bread. The bread looked and smelled amazing, so stay away you Celiacs if this is too tempting for you! Otherwise I highly recommend this sub shop.

What GF to eat at Taco Bell?

photo © 2008 Like_the_Grand_Canyon | more info (via: Wylio)
Taco Bell has been in the news recently because they are being sued over the term "taco meat filling."

It has been years since I have eaten at Taco Bell. I can't say that I miss it. Sure, convenience is sometimes a nice thing, but not worth sacrificing quality. Still, I like to know what options I have at my disposal should I ever have NO other choices available to me. So, what would I, as a Celiac, be able to eat at Taco Bell?

It's a short list: the tostada, mexican rice, and pintos 'n cheese. The two salsas to AVOID are the Border Sauce-Fire and the Green Tomatillo Sauce. Oddly, the allergens list from the Taco Bell website lists Wheat but not Gluten as present in the Border Sauce-Fire.

GF Gravy Coming (Back?) to Boston Market

According to a press release (PDF) from Boston Market,

"For guests with gluten sensitivities, Boston Market will also bring back poultry gravy formulated without products containing gluten to its restaurants by end of February 2011." (h/t Emily K. at Triumph Dining)
photo © 2008 thebittenword.com | more info (via: Wylio)

Well. That's interesting.

I wonder how/if they will make it known in the restaurants that the gravy has been switched over to the gluten-free recipe. I wonder if the general public will notice. Personally, I won't be comfortable until I have interrogated the manager. Even then, it requires a fair amount of trust to take the plunge into the gravy pool. Aw man, now I want a gravy pool, gluten free of course.