One thing that makes me extremely anxious is trying to avoid gluten while eating out. We don't eat out all that often, but it was nice sometimes if we had an extremely crazy day in store to either eat out or grab and go from one of our local favorites. The one thing I have learned is to just ask as many questions as I need to really ascertain whether something is going to be ok, make me sick, or falls into the horrible grey area of "we're just really not sure" meaning that the only way I will know is to try it. Most of those "uncertain" items have been filed away for future reference, and will only be tested when I decide that I really want to eat Item X.
When I find that someone in food service really gets what I am dealing with and doesn't just hide their eye roll thinking that I am just another loony bird doing another fad diet, I want to do a happy dance. Instead of torturing you with that visual, I will share with you some of my best GF experiences around Pittsburgh so far (remember, I don't eat out much, so the list is short...)
Mandy's Pizza
This cheerful, yellow, but otherwise nondescript building in Pittsburgh's West View neighborhood has a lovely collection of GF items that fool you into thinking you're eating the real deal. The owner's son has a host of food allergies, so he decided to create items that his son could actually enjoy--and for that I thank him. On my first visit, I tried the GF pizza, and it lived up to expectations. The crust is a thin, dense dough (so, you're not getting a fluffy, pan-pizza type crust) with a great flavor and texture to support the generous toppings. After that, I went for the hoagie (turkey) and it was love at first bite. I am a huge fan of a those sandwiches, and I didn't realize how much I missed biting into a freshly toasted hoagie until I had one at Mandy's. YUM. I have not strayed from my order since then, except the one day when I added a side of GF french fries. They are made from fresh-cut potatoes and Mandy's has a dedicated allergen-free fryer so I know I'm not accidentally ingesting a crumb from a mozzarella stick or the like.
Church Brew Works
When my in-laws came to town, they asked if we could go to the Church Works because they enjoyed it so much on their last visit. "Of course," we said, because it's one of our favorites, too. The last time I had been there, though, was pre-GF eating, so I wasn't sure what to expect. I will say that my choices were somewhat limited, BUT our server and the chef were extremely knowledgeable about what it meant to need a GF meal, what items contained gluten, and how we could construct a meal to work for me. I ended up having the quinoa salad with raspberry vinaigrette (the lemon dressing listed in the menu contains gluten) and topped with grilled shrimp. I enjoyed it thoroughly but more wanted to give the shout-out for them being so helpful and understanding.
P.F.Chang's
I realize that this is a national chain, not a local venue, but I was completely impressed with the size of their GF menu as well as their care in the kitchen for using GF pots, utensils, and plates. I felt as if my needs were definitely being addressed. I had the caramel mango chicken and loved every bite. Although I will say that I wished I had been able to help the family eat their plate of crispy green beans. They looked awesome (note to self: figure out how to replicate with GF flours).
As I find more gems around the city, I will post them here. I have also been keeping track of products and recipes that really impress. And the Italian husband (we'll call him Piatto...that's Italian for "dish" in case your translator isn't handy) is sticking around even though I can't eat semolina. I believe that might be punishable by witch trial back in the old country. {smirk}
Disclaimer: I have not been compensated by any of the above for my opinion. Just sharing what I think with you, free of any strings.
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