My latest pet peeve is boring gluten free restaurant food.  If there is anything gluten free on the menu it is often simplistic and there are very few choices compared with the rest of the menu.  This is a major bummer.

Last weekend I was eating supper at one of the few restaurants where I feel truly safe in eating gf, BigBites BBQ located along Route 309 in Quakertown. Not boring food, just plain delicious!  They make the majority of their food GF, have dedicated areas for GF food assembly and cooking and they specially order their Udie’s GF buns for their sandwiches directly from the factory. The owners have 3 family members with celiac disease so they know what they are doing to make food safe and gf.

Plus their BBQ is the best in the entire area.  Love their pulled chicken, their ribs with ruby red sauce and their sides: smoky baked beans, cornbread and coleslaw.  The owners were telling me about their plans to add gf tacos to their menu. They are going to make their own tortillas from scratch. Just hearing the owner describe those tacos made my mouth water. Can’t wait!

What I am getting around to spelling out is that we were also commiserating on why no restaurants make really complex gf foods.  I had been thinking that but it was interesting to hear the owner of a mostly gf restaurant making the same point. The few places that serve gf raviolis or pasta seldom dress the gf food up with fresh herbs or other additions, like the rest of their entrees have.  It is like they think we celiacs don’t like gourmet tasty food; that we just want it bland and plain.  No, no, no! We love fresh basil on our pasta, spices, cheese and all the yummy things that can fancy up a dish to make it delightful and memorable.

The only other place I have gotten some really tasty and well made gf food is Bella’s Restaurant here in Hellertown.  I wrote an entire blog post on their fantastic shrimp with pink vodka sauce, a few months back.  I just wish they would translate more of their incredible entrees into gluten free versions. Same for Nick’s on Main Street in Bethlehem.  Their gf baked ravioli is very nice but I think it could be fantastic with a few added flavor touches. 

Maybe 2015 will be the year more restaurants get that concept and expand their gf menu making dining out gluten free a better experience. I am personally hoping to find somewhere that has gf perogies as their nightly special. Heavenly!