Gluten Free Travel Blog

In Terms of Restaurants with Gluten-Free Menus, Burton's Grill Can't Be Beat

I'm a huge fan of Burton's Grill. You probably are, too, if you're gluten-free and live in the Northeast. 

Even though our family isn't lucky enough to have a Burton's Grill near where we live (in a suburb of Washington, DC), we always look forward to dining there when visiting relatives in the Boston area.

Burton's Grill has locations in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut, and even a bit further away in Virginia Beach. Their Gluten-Free Lunch and Dinner Menus rank high on our family's list due to their wide range of great-tasting options -- and the fact that you don't feel you have to "go without" (as in ordering a burger without the bun or being a denied the choice of pasta as an entree). Burton's offers their gluten-free guests both gluten-free buns with their burgers and sandwiches as well as delicous gluten-free pasta (just take a look at this incredible gluten-free Lobster Pasta!) Another sumptuous gluten-free pasta choice: Chicken and Wild Mushroom Pasta -- medallions of chicken pan-seared with asparagus and cremini mushrooms in a sherry cream sauce over gluten-free pasta. How often do you see something like THAT on a Gluten-Free Menu?! My mouth is watering right now!

And that's just the beginning. Their extensive Gluten-Free Menu -- which features contemporary American cuisine with a focus on fresh, high-quality ingredients -- includes choices such as filet mignon, chicken, seafood, fish, salads, sandwiches and burgers. They even have several gluten-free options for dessert, including a warmed chocolate torte (which we've never had room to try, since we're always so full from our other courses!). My personal favorite menu item? Their fried calamari appetizer (yes, fried -- and totally gluten-free!). It's the best I've ever had -- gluten-free or not!

At Burton's Grill, there's little reason to be concerned about safe gluten-free meal preparation. That's becasue the CEO himself requires a strict gluten-free diet due to Celiac Disease. This is a restaurant group that takes their commitment to guests with dietary restrictions to the highest level!

If you haven't had the pleasure of dining at Burton's Grill, be sure to put it on "your list" of places to try when near one of their MA, NH, CT, or VA locations. I think you'll agree it's at the top of the food chain when it comes to gluten-free dining. But be prepared to feast...there's very little that's "off limits" at this restaurant. They make sure gluten-free guests have just as satisfying an experience as others when dining at their restaurants.

Have YOU been to one of Burton's Grill's locations? If so, please share your own thoughts -- and favorite items from their Gluten-Free Menu -- by clicking on Comments below. Or you can Submit a Review to our website, GlutenFreeTravelSite. Thanks for sharing your opinion!

 

Rockfish Restaurant Offers a Gluten-Free Menu of Fresh Fish and Seafood

If you're gluten-free, you've no doubt tried many of the well-known chain restaurants that were among the first to offer gluten-free menus...places like Outback, Legal Seafood, P.F. Chang's, and Uno Chicago Grill. But it's always exciting to discover a lesser-known regional restaurant chain that takes its gluten-free customers just as seriously -- and offers them an extensive gluten-free menu.

Rockfish Seafood Grill is just that type of place, and if you live in -- or happen to be traveling to -- Texas or North Carolina, you'll have to make a point of stopping in to one of their 14 locations. You won't even need to ask for the Gluten Free Menu, since they bring it to each table, along with their "Body and Sole" (cute play on words!) health-conscious menu. 

As you'd expect, you'll find mostly seafood options on the menu. Want to start with a unique appetizer? Try the Mexican Shrimp Martini (shrimp with avocado, pico de gallo and salsa) or the Ahi Tuna Nachos -- both consistent crowd-pleasers. Another special choice is the Roasted Jalapeno Cream Soup, thickened with corn starch so it's totally gluten-free.

Fish entrees can be either grilled or blackened and are served with your choice of four gluten-free sauces. Their Cedar Plank Salmon is a popular choice, topped with roasted corn salsa nad blackened shrimp. Steak options are available if you're not in the mood for seafood, as is a Chicken Caesar Salad. But it's the seafood selections -- including many entree salads topped with shrimp, Ahi tuna, or grilled salmon -- that are most in demand. 

Corporate Chef and Culinary Operations Manager Matt Baum, who's been with the company for almost 10 years, says that, with the exception of anything fried, they try to make as many menu items as possible gluten-free. For example, at many other restaurants, a rice pilaf would be off-limits to gluten-free diners, if the restaurant uses a chicken stock that contains gluten. But not at Rockfish...they switched to a vegetable-based stock which is not just gluten-free, but vegetarian as well. (The mashed potatoes recipe was recently altered to make them gluten-free as well...in fact, it was so recent that it is not yet printed on the GF menu...but you can request them.)

Chef Matt said he goes to great lengths to check every single ingredient from suppliers to ensure it's gluten-free. It's this effort that was behind the relaunch of an expanded Gluten Free Menu over this past year. Rockfish was already offering a GF Menu, due to the previous Corporate Chef's daughter needing to avoid gluten. But when they realized the growing need for gluten-free options as a result of fast-rising Celiac Disease rates, they put even more effort behind examining ingredients used in their "regular" menu so they could expand their GF selections.

Unfortunately, Chef Matt said they aren't able to offer gluten-free fried options on their menu, due to lack of space to add dedicated fryers. But you won't be lacking for choices at this eager-to-please restaurant, and Chef Matt stressed that they always try their hardest to make any new items added to their regular menu available on the gluten-free menu as well. In fact, they roll out a new version of the menu about every six months. Every ingredient for a new menu item is checked, and gluten-free ingredients are used whenever possible. (They also have a policy of using products that don't contain MSG.) For example, a new menu item, which will be printed on menus in February (but the servers already offer to all guests) is Barbeque Chicken, which is completely gluten-free.

Even though Rockfish is not a dedicated gluten-free restaurant, both the kitchen staff and servers are thoroughly trained by Chef Matt himself regarding proper precautions for gluten-free food preparation. So if you live in Texas (or Durham, NC) or have reason to travel there, you're in luck...you have a choice of a regional chain that takes its gluten-free guests' needs seriously. 

And to thank their customers, Rockfish rewards them with occasional special offers. Just sign up for their Email Club on the Home page of their website. Another great way to stay in the loop about Rockfish's special offers and events is to Like their Facebook page. 

If you've dined at a Rockfish restaurant in Texas or North Carolina, be sure to share your thoughts about the experience by submitting a review to our website, GlutenFreeTravelSite. 

 

 

Chef Aaron Flores Continues To Blaze Gluten-Free Trails in the Restaurant and Hotel Worlds

Chef Aaron Flores may not be an everyday name in many gluten-free circles, but he should be. And it's surprising you don't hear more about him. Aaron's work has helped blaze many trails in the gluten-free world, and his energy and enthusiasm for helping people following gluten-free diets is unmatched -- especially given that he himself does not suffer from Celiac Disease or gluten intolerance. 

Chef Aaron's crusade to help people on special diets began at least 10 years ago when he was approached by a little girl, while working as a sous chef at Disneyland's Grand Californian Hotel. She was on vacation with her grandmother and had run out of the "bag of food" she'd brought with her (we all know about that "bag of food," right?!). Her mom had told her that, if that happened, she should give her gluten-free restaurant card to a man with a big white hat...so that's how she ended up talking to Aaron. 

At the time, he didn't know anything about gluten-free food preparation, but after reading the explanation of safe gluten-free practices on the card, he was able to prepare her a simple meal of grilled chicken, a baked potato, and vegetables. Boring, but safe. Later that night, his curiosity took hold, and he did an Internet search to learn whatever he could about the term "gluten free."

That began a journey for Aaron that continues to this day. In fact, he became an early advocate for people following special diets while at Disneyland and was instrumental in starting them down the track they're so well known for today (i.e. being the "gold standard" of accommodating special dietary needs). While there, the Disney corporation had decided that they wanted to become a "food destination," as Aaron refers to it, not just a theme park. So Aaron's push to make sure this included all guests -- even those with restrictive diets -- had corporate support. 

After 12 years with Disney, Chef Aaron moved on to several interesting jobs in Chicago, including a stint as Executive Chef at the renowned Walnut Room in Marshall Field's flagship store, in the year leading up to the store's closing. While in Chicago, he also continued to work with the Celiac community through his former company Chef Aaron, Inc., helping hotel chefs cater to large groups of gluten-free guests.

Again, serendipity was at work here. In 2005, he arrived to speak at the Celiac Sprue Association (CSA) annual conference in Oklahoma, only to immediately learn that the event organizers desperately needed his help in the kitchen. The Executive Chef had left, and none of the other chefs had a good handle on how to prepare gluten-free fare for the hundreds of guests at this important annual conference. The day after the event concluded, he found himself with several new clients and continued to help both the CSA and the Gluten Intolerance Group (GIG) with their annual conferences at various hotels. 

Chef Aaron is now with Hilton Hotels, the Executive Chef at their Embassy Suites Convention Center property in Washington, DC. Since arriving here in 2008, just before the Presidential Inauguration, he has done things no one has ever done at an Embassy Suites, and Hilton is beginning to see how the magic he works for guests on special diets is good for business. The hotel's restaurant, Finn and Porter (which also has three other locations), has a following among the gluten-free community -- and offers a Gluten Free Menu for both lunch and dinner. Depending on the staff he has working for him in the kitchen at any given time, he will offer what he has described as a Level 1 through Level 6 Gluten Free Menu. Level 1's basic preparations of GF fare keep things easy for the kitchen staff if they are just getting up to speed on GF food preparation. If he's working with more seasoned staff members who have been with him for a while, he'll offer a Gluten Free Menu incorporating more sophisticated techniques. 

Chef Aaron wants all guests at Finn and Porter (named for "fish" and "steak") who are following special diets to feel welcome and to have virtually the exact same experience others have. He doesn't "settle" for the easiest solution, but rather blind taste-tests many products and recipes until he finds the best-tasting option. For example, to find the best hamburger bun, he blind tested numerous gluten-free buns on the market. He now keeps several different ones on hand, both because different ones complement different types of burgers or sandwiches -- and also because some brands are also casein-free or rice-free for guests that have other restrictions beyond just gluten. 

Because opportunities to help the gluten-free community are always presenting themselves to Chef Aaron, in November 2010, he and business partner/protege Aleatra Jones launched I Eat What I Want! Hospitality. (Aleatra also owns I Heart Cupcakes, a wholesale bake shop located on K Street in Washington, DC and available for special orders.)

I Eat What I Want! Hospitality works with gluten-free companies to improve the taste and quality of their products or to help them get their products to market. Chef Aaron and Aleatra are also planning to open the Washington, DC area's first completely gluten-free restaurant -- in Penn Quarter -- in 2013. In addition to the full-scale restaurant, they will offer the cupcakes and baked goods out of the new location. Their approach to gluten-free food will be fairly sophisticated (Chef Aaron says the restaurant will offer what he calls a Level 7 Gluten-Free Menu, including a "Tasting Menu" option and special Chef Table), but he also wants the restaurant to be approachable and "family friendly."

For guests with other dietary restrictions beyond gluten, he will easily be able to accommodate their requests by nature of designing the kitchen with separate areas to avoid cross-contamination. (The restaurant will be completely tree nut free as well.) Chef Aaron is excited to create a new standard in gluten-free dining, as this restaurant will be the culmination of 18 years of experience for him. He feels that the "opportunity is ripe" for a restaurant of this nature at this particular time. They will channel their passion and focus -- and strive to live up to their company motto: "Be amazing every day." 

In spite of all his success, Chef Aaron's humility is evident as he continually talks about making people happy. Having been trained in the "Disney way" as he calls it, you can see the fruit doesn't fall far from the tree. Disney should be proud to call Chef Aaron Flores one of its "alums"...and the gluten-free community should be proud to now call Chef Aaron one of its own. 

If you've been fortunate enough to know Aaron or dine at one of his restaurants, please share your thoughts by clicking "Comments" below...

 

Gluten Free Restaurant Menus: An Interview with Biaggi's Corporate Chef

Two years ago, while on a ski vacation in Utah, our family had the pleasure of dining at a restaurant that was new to us: Biaggi's Ristorante Italiano. This  21-location chain, which was founded by Corporate Chef Peter Schonman and two other partners 13 years ago in Bloomington, Illinois, has locations mostly in mid-sized towns in the Midwest and West. After several days of skiing in the Park City area, we decided to take a "day off" and head into Salt Lake City for some sightseeing and a stop at the Discovery Gateway Children's Museum in the Gateway Mall area. While there were numerous restaurants in this area -- and many with gluten-free menus -- it was Biaggi's that caught our eye. Our research beforehand revealed that they had an extensive gluten-free menu, including gluten-free pasta with plenty of gluten-free sauce choices. What more could hungry skiers ask for? 

Needless, to say, we had a wonderful dinner -- trying the gluten-free Pasta Di Mare, among other gluten-free and "regular menu" items. We left wishing Biaggi's had more of an East Coast presence, so we could add them to our list of "go to" restaurants back home! The meal still lingers in our minds...

So I was thrilled this week when I had the good fortune to speak with Peter Schonman, the Corporate Chef and co-founder of this unique Italian restaurant. In the course of our conversation, I learned a bit more about their gluten-free philosophy and what makes their food so wonderful. 

Chef Peter shared that he's always had a passion for Italian food and was excited about casual Italian fare, even though he'd come from more of a fine-dining background. He even had the opportunity to live in Italy, where "less is more" when it comes to making sauces and other traditional Italian food. It was here that he gained an understanding of Italian ingredients and how to put them together -- and where he developed a true appreciation for quality ingredients. 

With Biaggi's -- really more of an Italian/American concept -- he's kept that focus on quality at the forefront of everything they do -- whether it's choosing the perfect blend of cheeses or the perfect tomato that offers a consistent balance of fruitiness and acidity without any preservatives. In his opinion, too many restaurants settle for ingredients that aren't that good, and it makes a difference in their recipes. 

Biaggi's is what Chef Peter describes as a "chef-driven" restaurant with 80% of their products made in-house. They'd even make their own pasta if they had the space! 

He believes the average diner is far more sophisticated today, due in large part to the rise of the Food Network's popularity. People have developed a better understanding of food -- and are more intrigued with food. Guests at Biaggi's count on Chef Peter and his team to be creative. This is one reason why Peter prefers not to put things on the menu that people can make at home. 

Their gluten-free menu, which they first launched about 5 years ago, was the direct result of customer demand. After hearing a larger number of people asking for gluten-free pasta, Chef Peter pushed to offer a full gluten-free menu. The number of gluten-free diners served has gone from about one per month to 8-10 people every day in each of their 21 locations. 

The entire staff -- from kitchen workers to servers to the host staff -- goes through a thorough and ongoing training in the gluten-free menu offerings. The spaghetti used is Tinkyada's spinach brown-rice pasta, so the green color helps them differentiate it from the "regular" pasta. The gluten-free penne, also Tinkyada, has a slightly different color and size than "regular" penne, so that prevents confusion as well. And if you miss wonderful pasta, this is something you'd definitely want to order at Biaggi's, because they know how to do it right.  It's not surprising that their pasta dishes are among the most popular items on their gluten-free menu.

I remember tasting their gluten-free pasta two years ago, and it left an impression on me...they cook the pasta so perfectly you can't tell it's gluten-free. And best of all...all the sauces are gluten-free -- and there are lots to choose from: sun-dried tomato cream, scallion cream, marsala, pesto, and bolognese, just to name a few. 

Biaggi's gluten-free menu also has a wide range of interesting gluten-free pizzas. They use a par-baked crust from Venice Bakery and take great care to use different pizza screens and pizza wheels -- and even prepare the pizzas in a separate area of the kitchen with their own sauce and oil. The staff also wears gloves to avoid any chance of cross-contamination.  Entrees on Biaggi's menu include several preparations of chicken, seafood, pork, lamb, and beef. And you don't have to forgo a multi-course dinner...there are plenty of gluten-free appetizers, salads, and even a few desserts (be sure to inquire about their Gluten Free Molton Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake, which they occasionally feature). 

Even though it's already one of the best, you can be sure that Biaggi's gluten-free menu will continue to evolve. Chef Peter explained that gluten-free is always in the back of his mind when creating a new menu item. He recently made a slight alteration to the tomato soup to make it gluten-free, and the chefs have been experimenting with "naked ravioli," which is the cheese filling in ravioli served on a bed of sauce, sans pasta (thereby making it gluten-free!). 

If you're lucky enough to have dined at any of Biaggi's locations, please share your experience -- and the dishes you'd recommend -- either as a comment below or by submitting a review to our sister website, GlutenFreeTravelSite. 

Gluten Free Restaurants: Picazzo's Sets a High Bar for Gluten Free Menus

Fortunately for people with Celiac Disease -- and others following gluten-free diets -- restaurants offering gluten-free menus keep growing in number. But there's a difference between a restaurant offering "stripped down," bland versions of their regular offerings (often resulting in nothing more than a grilled chicken breast, baked potato and steamed veggies) and restaurants that really invest the time in creating amazing offerings especially for their gluten-free guests. Picazzo's Organic Italian Kitchen is an example of the later.  With locations throughout Arizona, Picazzo's sets the standard for gluten free dining with their extensive gluten-free menu that includes house-made gluten-free pizza. 

I had the opportunity to speak with Rick Freedman, the founder, owner, and Executive Chef of Picazzo's, earlier this week. His philosophy centers around offering his guests with the healthiest food possible. The result has been a new menu unveiled in the past year that incorporates more organic, local, and gluten free ingredients. Rick explained, "I'm all about eating healthy. And I want to be able to put bona fide healthy products out to our customers." 

Currently, 85% of Picazzo's menu is gluten-free. In fact, if you view their menu on their website, you'll notice they don't have a separate gluten-free menu...the "regular" menu is just filled with "gf" notations next to most of the items. The offerings range from appetizers (including their wings and sauces that are all gluten-free) to unique entree salads to gluten-free pasta with a wide range of sauces (and even gluten-free homemade meatballs) to house-made gluten-free pizza. A nice range of dessert options is also available for those diners that still have room!

Picazzo's has been using Ancient Harvest gluten-free quinoa pasta but will also begin offering a gluten-free brown-rice pasta from Goldbaum's soon, just so that people can have a choice. In fact, Rick is so committed to helping his guests eat healthier that he is planning to phase out "regular" wheat-based pasta and solely offer the two gluten-free varieties. 

Their hand-made gluten-free pizza and various gluten-free breads (including foccacia and flatbread) are made using a gluten-free flour blend from Tom Sawyer, an Arizona-based company that has worked with Picazzo's to develop its recipes. It was actually the chance encounter of meeting founder Tom Sawyer in Picazzo's Sedona restaurant years ago that launched Rick on his mission to introduce his first gluten-free offerings in the restaurant, something he'd already been thinking about for a while. 

This serendipitous event was just the beginning. Over the years, Picazzo's had expanded their gluten-free menu, and their devoted gluten-free clientele continues to grow. Rick is fastidious about avoiding cross contamination, saying they are "very, very aware" of how important that is. They have a separate area of the kitchen devoted to building the gluten-free pizzas, and there is a special washdown process on all the mixers. They even have a special brick in their oven for gluten-free pizza. All staff members -- from kitchen staff to servers -- are extensively trained in person, and all gluten-free orders are "flagged" from when the order is taken until it comes out of the kitchen with a special American flag toothpick as an identifier.

When asked if they planned to take their successful concept to a wider geographic area beyond Arizona, Rick said he'd love to do that at some point, but expansion would have to allow for the same stringent requirements with regard to local, gluten-free, and organic sourcing. I, for one, will keep my fingers crossed that this fantastic concept makes its way eastward!

If you've been lucky enough to dine at one of Picazzo's locations, please take a moment to share your experience by posting a review to GlutenFreeTravelSite -- or sharing your comments below. And if you'll be traveling to Arizona, take a moment to search reviews of Picazzo's and other "gluten-free friendly" restaurants on our Search/Mapping page.