Gluten-Free Thanksgiving Options in New York City

I am excited to share two gluten-free options for your Thanksgiving meal in New York City this year. I've had dinner at both restaurants and can assure you that you are in great hands for your turkey day meal. Even though I never ate out at a restaurant on Thanksgiving, I know this option is quite popular for New Yorkers who do not want to cook. This is also a great option for people coming to New York City for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade who want a traditional gluten-free Thanksgiving dinner. Don't delay, make your reservations today!

Pappardella 

316 Columbus Avenue at 75th Street

212-362-3200

http://www.pappardella.com/

Gluten-free Thanksgiving Menu

Primi First Course, choose one

• wild mushroom soup truffled mascarpone
• prosciutto di parma, warm lentil salad & parsley vinaigrette
• butternut squash ravioli brown butter, fresh sage & parmegiano

~~Chardonnay 446, Noble Wines, Monterey, California 2010~~
446 single vineyard  celebrates the most coveted burgundy vine stock. Complex & silky with fresh citrus & tropical pineapple notes

Secondo Main Course

• roasted free range turkey 
• sweet sausage & glutenfree bread stuffing, sautéed brussel sprouts with hazelnuts, sweet potato & parmegian puree & orange cranberry sauce

~~Cabernet Sauvignon, Black Stallion, Calfornia, 2009~~
Tucked away in the Silverado trail, this cab exposes dark cherry, plum & baking spices in the nose, followed by berry jam & dark chocolate on the palate. Lingering finish

Dolce Dessert

• chocolate pecan pie vanilla gelato

~~Moscato d’Asti, Marco Negri, Veneto Italy 2009~~
fresh nose, herbaceous, caramel & melon flavors

$45 per person plus tax & gratuity for 3 course prix fix
$65 per person for 3 course prix fix & wine pairing

For reservations please call  212-362-3200 or log on to http://www.pappardella.com/

Casa Pomona

507 Columbus Ave btwn 84th & 85th St 

212-362-3200

http://www.casapomonanyc.com

Gluten-free Thanksgiving Menu

Appetizer, choose one

• Butternut Squash puree, crispy capers, GF truffle crouton
• Tuscan Kale salad, jamon Serrano chips, golden raisins, blood orange

~Vina Esmeralda, Moscatel Blend, Torres, 2012, Penedes, Spain~

Main Course

• Oven Roasted Free Range Turkey, smoky chorizo stuffing, smashed sweet potato, roasted brussel sprouts, cranberry confit

Vegetarian Option

• Roasted Winter Vegetable, sherry–pomegranate molasses vinaigrette

~ Rioja Reserva, Marques de Riscal 2007, Rioja, Spain ~

Dessert

GF Chocolate Pecan Pie, olive oil ice cream

~Rich Old Oloroso,’Royal Corregidor’, Sandeman, 20 year, Jerez, Spain~

$35 per person

$20 Wine & Sherry Pairing 

For reservations please call 212-362-3200 or log on to http://casapomonanyc.com

Tommy Lasagna Review and Blogger Round-Up

Last week, I had the honor of hosting a gluten-free bloggers dinner at Tommy Lasagna. There are so many awesome gluten-free bloggers in the New York City area so I was excited to have all of us together. We often dine at the same restaurants, attend the same events, and know the same people but we are rarely all at the same place at the same time. It was Tommy Lasagna's new gluten-free menu that brought us all together.

GF foccacia

Tommy Lasagna first opened in 2011 when Chef Tommy Mosera decided to take his lasagna to the masses after insistence from lasagna-loving friends and family. When one of Tommy's biggest fans and his restaurant partner's wife was told she had a gluten intolerance, Chef Tommy decided to make it his mission to serve her gluten-free food at his restaurant. According to Chef Tommy, it took six months to get the gluten-free pasta recipe down pat and I can honestly say his hard work paid off. Using Bob's Red Mill in some pastas and Cup4Cup for lasagna, Chef Tommy's gluten-free chemistry shines bright in his delicious house made lasagnas, pastas, and breads.

Caprese salad with homemade mozzarella

When I first spoke to the chef on the phone to plan our gluten-free bloggers dinner, I asked him my usual rapid fire "do you know gluten?" question. Chef Tommy answered all of my questions about cross-contamination, ingredients, flour in the air, and more. It was obvious that he wasn't giving me lip service but truly understood the needs of his gluten-free customers. In order to try his best to avoid cross-contamination in the kitchen, all of the gluten-free pastas are made early in the morning (after a thorough nightly cleaning the night before) in a dedicated Kitchenmaid. When cooking the pastas, Chef Tommy makes sure all of the pastas are boiled in their own pots with clean water. Chef Tommy did warn that this is a gluten-filled kitchen so there could be airborne contaminants but they do their best to serve gluten-free meals safely. I appreciated his honesty and felt comfortable moving forward with the bloggers dinner. I did warn Chef Tommy that gluten-free bloggers (or any gluten-free/celiac people for that matter) are very critical of their meals and can get sick easily, but he didn't see a problem and welcomed us warmly.

Best. Chicken. Ever. 

When I arrived at Tommy Lasagna, it was great to see familiar faces like Anya, Carolyn, Judith (the only non-GF blogger), Katie, Kristen, Mike, and Molly and to finally meet Candice in person. We all made our introductions and quickly started chatting like old gluten-free friends. Chef Tommy and waiter Zach came over and greeted us, walked us through the beverages for the meal. The chef asked if we had any additional allergies and because with celiac there is always something else, we all piped up with our other intolerances and allergies. Chef Tommy paused for just a moment before saying "No problem!" This is when his staff started started serving the food. And serving and serving. Yep, they kept the food coming all night long with six gluten-free courses!

Not one, but two gluten-free lasagnas to try!

I ate so much, I am not even sure I can remember everything but I do remember foccacia, a caprese salad with olive oil and tomatoes, a pear and pine nut salad with goat cheese and arugula, two different lasagnas: a garden vegetable lasagna and a bolognese lasagna, fettuccine with vodka sauce and one with bolognese sauce, the most AMAZING crispy chicken with hash browns and Brussel sprouts, and then not one but TWO desserts: flourless chocolate cake and cheesecake. If I didn't tell you we rolled out of that restaurant stuffed to the brim, I would be lying. Chef Tommy went above and beyond my expectations and his gluten-free menu launch was a big hit.

Flourless chocolate and cheesecake

Here are some of the other blogger write-ups from the Tommy Lasagna Gluten-Free Menu launch night.

Based on a Sprue Story: Gluten-Free Food: Two Chefs Get It...
Another Gluten Free Blog: Tommy Lasagna
Gluten Free Mike: Don't Tell My Mother
London to NYC: Tommy Lasagna’s Gluten Free Menu
Pasta's Kitchen: Tommy Lasagna launches extensive gluten-free menu
Fooditka: Going Gluten Free with Tommy Lasagna
Gluten-Free Blondie: That Time I Ate Gluten Free Lasagna in an Otherwise Normal Restaurant.

Interested in Tommy Lasagna? The NYC Celiac Meetup group is having a prix fixe dinner on December 3 for only $36 per person. Join us! http://www.meetup.com/Celiac/events/150540152/

Gluten-Free at P.F. Chang's

Living in New York City, I am spoiled with the number of amazing gluten-free friendly restaurants I can choose from for any meal, day or night. I realize this is not the case for many people eating gluten-free across the country. I normally shy away from large chain restaurants because often you cannot get the personalized attention you need as a gluten-free diner. On the flip side, many of my readers enjoy dining at select gluten-free friendly chain restaurants since that is the only choice available in their area. P.F. Chang's is one of these restaurants. P.F. Chang's has a gluten-free menu and they serve all gluten-free dishes on a special plate to differentiate from other gluten-filled meals.

The nearest P.F. Chang's is about 25 miles away from my apartment and since I don't have a car, it is not easy for me to get there. I did take my celiac sister to P.F. Chang's for her 30th birthday a few years ago, but I haven't been back to that location since then. I did, however, have the opportunity to recently dine at P.F. Chang's in Portland, Oregon and I was not disappointed. There are so many gluten-free menu items (click on gluten-free), I didn't know where to start. Actually, that's a lie. I did know EXACTLY where to start and that was with the amazing chicken lettuce wraps. These things are so good that I could eat them all the time. I continued to share a few more gluten-free dishes with a friend and by the end of the meal you had to roll us out of the restaurant, we were that stuffed!

For a limited time this summer, P.F. Chang's is serving a seasonal summer menu featuring six new dishes. I am heading back to Portland, Oregon next week and definitely plan on checking out the summer menu before it is too late. One of the dishes I am excited to try is the Summer Vegetable Quinoa "Fried Rice" which is exclusive to this summer menu. P.F. Chang's has graciously provided me a gift card for this dining experience and I am excited to use it. Thanks P.F. Chang's!

Do you eat at P.F. Chang's? What is your favorite gluten-free menu item?


Financial compensation was not received for this post. A gift card was gifted from the company. Opinions expressed here are my own. 

Gluten-Free Menu Planning with Sweet Roots NYC

Join the NYC Celiac Meetup Group for a GF menu planning workshop hosted by Marisa Smith, founder of Sweet Roots NYC, that will give you the tools to kick packaged, processed foods to the curb and start eating fresh, whole foods with ease. Learn how embracing home cooking and a real food diet can make eating less treacherous and more joyful.

Marisa will share Sweet Roots NYC strategies for planning, shopping and prepping so that you can get healthy, home cooked meals on the table in 30 minutes or less. She'll cover the tactical - from planning turnkey menus to storing food for shelf-life - as well as the emotional.

You'll walk away knowing how to:

• Plug seasonal vegetables and alternative grains into 3 menu templates - Stock your refrigerator for maximum shelf-life
• Prep your meals to cut down cooking time
• Repurpose leftovers so that none of your kitchen time goes to waste

The workshop will be 45 minutes, followed by a Q & A. Sweet Roots NYC will provide healthy GF snacks!

About the presenter: Marisa Smith is the founder of Sweet Roots NYC, a farm-to-table food delivery and menu planning service that helps busy professionals get out of the take-out and processed food rut, so that they can be healthier, more productive and, ultimately, happier. On a weekly basis, Sweet Roots NYC delivers all of the ingredients clients need, already washed, cut and measured, so that it's a cinch to get dinner on the table in 30 minutes or less.

Marisa received her degree in food studies with a concentration in cultures of home cooking at the Gallatin School of Individualized Study at NYU. She honed her culinary chops in the kitchen at Eat, as an assistant to food writer Molly O'Neill and on her own as an avid home cook. She is an advocate of home cooking as a means of fostering physical, emotional and social well-being.

Tuesday, August 14, 2012
6:30-7:30 PM
Basement in Think Coffee at 248 Mercer Street (between 3rd and 4th)

$10 per person 

Click here to purchase your ticket today

Gluten-Free New York City Map

Many of my gluten-free friends and readers ask me for restaurant suggestions. Almost two years ago, I started putting together a Google map of places to eat in New York City. Until my redesign of this site is complete, it is hard to find the link to my gluten-free map on Google. I apologize for this. In the meantime, you can see my updated Google map below. It includes restaurants with gluten-free menus, GFRAP restaurants, supermarkets with gluten-free markets, and bars serving gluten-free beer. I love getting tips from readers, so if I am missing anything please let me know.

I am excited to announce that I now have 151 restaurants, markets, and more on this map. Additionally, you can subscribe to the RSS feed for this map to be alerted whenever I update it.

All of these places are suggestions based on me going there myself, articles I have read online, or tips from readers. It is up to you to be diligent and call ahead! Restaurants in New York City come and go very quickly sometimes. I suggest you call or email any place you plan on visiting to see if it is still open. You might also want to call ahead for both a reservation and to confirm that they can accommodate a gluten-free diner.

Gluten-Free in New York City Map by Erin Smith at Gluten-Free Fun


View Gluten-Free in New York City in a larger map

Lettuce Help You Be Gluten-Free, Says Tossed®

Over A Dozen Gourmet Salad Options—Plus Tips On Designing Your Own Wheat-Free, Gluten-Free Salad Entree—Put Tossed Atop Crop of Lunchtime Favorites




FT. LAUDERDALE, Fla., Aug. 10 /PRNewswire/ -- Tossed®, home of garden fresh salads, crepe wraps and sandwiches, today announced its lineup of wheat-free and gluten-free menu suggestions for customers. Consisting of over a dozen fresh, healthy salads including all three of Tossed's Signature Salads, Tossed's gluten-free menu provides a welcome and diverse alternative for diners who suffer from gluten sensitivity, including those with celiac disease or wheat allergies*.

A growing number of Americans are avoiding gluten, the protein in wheat, rye and barley, because of an allergy or sensitivity. According to research studies, one in every 100 to 200 Americans is sensitive to gluten. Many of those with gluten sensitivity suffer from celiac disease, a life-long condition that causes an abnormal auto-immune response in the digestive tract to products containing gluten. In addition to severe gastric distress, celiac disease can stunt growth and weight gain in children; both adults and children with the disease carry a higher than average risk of lymphoma and other forms of cancer.

In addition to its broad variety of gluten-free chef-designed salads, Tossed also helps guests who prefer to make their own salads while following gluten-free guidelines. Tossed's "Design Your Own" salad alternative offers tips for making gluten-free salads from over 50 lettuces, toss-ins, chicken and seafood toppings, cheeses and dressings.

"Tossed is pleased to be able to offer so many delicious and healthy choices to individuals who must restrict their gluten intake, or avoid gluten altogether. Between our Signature and 'Design Your Own' choices, there are literally thousands of ways to enjoy a flavorful, gluten-free meal at Tossed," said Eric Clark, Chief Operating Officer of Tossed Franchise Corporation.

Tossed's gluten-free lineup includes eleven chef-designed salads: Caesar, Apple Walnut, Summer, Asian Chicken, BBQ Chicken, Southwest Blackened Chicken, Greek Salad, Cayenne Shrimp, Spinach, Garden and Cobb. All three of Tossed's Signature Salads also qualify as gluten-free:

* Tuna Salad: Baby field greens, tuna salad (mixed with apples, dried cranberries and mayo), avocado, shredded carrots and cucumber with fat-free cucumber dill dressing.

* Tossed Signature Salad: Baby field greens, roasted chicken, goat cheese, toasted almonds, mango, jicama, cucumber and dried cranberries with Tossed Vinaigrette.

* Tossed Chef Salad: (order without croutons) Crisp hearts of romaine, bacon, smoked turkey, cheddar, apples, and hard-boiled egg with honey balsamic vinaigrette.

For complete nutritional information on all of Tossed's menu items, visit the Tossed website at www.tossed.com.

*This menu is offered only as a "guideline" of suggested appropriate menu items for people who need a wheat-free, gluten-free restricted diet. Menu items and ingredients may change at any time. Staff may have not been necessarily thoroughly trained. We cannot guarantee that cross contamination may not occur. Not all locations have the same ingredients and methods of preparation. Ask your usual detailed questions to the restaurant manager and disclose if you have individual food sensitivities before you make a final decision. No responsibility is assumed by Tossed® for any errors in labeling or changes in ingredients or prepared products used in recipes and menu items that are the direct or indirect result of the actions and activities of the suppliers, distributors, and purveyors of said ingredients and products.

About Tossed: Since 1998, Tossed has been the home of made-to-order salads featuring dozens of gourmet ingredients and unique dressings. Now also offering whole wheat crepe wraps made fresh throughout the day as well as sandwiches, melts, soups and smoothies, Tossed has grown from its original location on Manhattan's Park Avenue to include restaurants across the United States. Tossed Franchise Corporation, based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, offers franchises to companies and individuals interested in one of the freshest, most exciting concepts in fast casual dining. To learn more about Tossed, go to www.tossed.com.

Tossed NYC location
295 Park Avenue South
New York, NY 10010-4503
(212) 674-6700

Gluten-Free on LI: La Bottega

I haven't been to the Roosevelt Field Mall in years, but it is nice to know if I am ever shopping there I would actually have a gluten-free lunch option right in the mall. La Bottega's offers gluten-free paninis in their Roosevelt Field Mall location. The Garden City South location (corporate) offers Gluten Free panini, soups and weekly changing gluten-free pasta. The Roslyn location offers all the same as Garden City South, plus Gluten Free Pizza! Other locations such as Floral Park, Long Beach and Roosevelt Field Mall all offer gluten-free panini only as of right now.

La Bottega Italian Gourmet was established in 2003 by Giuseppe & Marisa Ruta who started this panini trend with their first location in Garden City South, New York. Both lovers of traditional Italian cuisine, their dream was to create a store where customers would come, shop for specialty items and enjoy their most cherished Italian food… Panini!

Today La Bottega offers a menu of over 60 Panini, 25 Salads, and a weekly changing menu of dishes inspired by the cuisine in Italy. Growing beyond their expectations there are now 11 La Bottega restaurants, and 1 sister restaurant Caffe Barocco, across Long Island.

Source: http://www.labottegagourmet.com

UFood Grill Gluten-Free Menu

Although there are no UFood Grill's in NYC, there are four locations in Boston and one location in California, Texas, and Florida. There is a decent gluten-free menu. Check out UFood Grill next time you see one!

Fired-up Burgers
All meat burgers, just order bunless

UBowls
Southwestern Chicken
Portabella Chicken with Broccoli

Wraps (without tortilla)
Buffalo Bleu Chicken
Portable Portabella
Santa Fe Veggie Burrito
BBQ Steak Tips & Broccoli

Grilled Entrees
Fire-Grilled Sirloin Tips
Turkey Medallions
Citrus Grilled Chicken
Enticin’ Bison

Sides
Whole-Grain Brown Rice
Fresh Steamed Broccoli
Steamed Veggie Medley
Sweet Potato Mash
Seasoned Black Beans

Specialty Salads
UFood Bistro Salad
Café Salad
Crispy Chicken Chopped Cobb (w/grilled chicken)

Chili
Hearty Three-Bean Chili