Rialto (Cambridge, MA)

Last night, my father in law treated us to a very lovely dinner at Rialto, a restaurant in Cambridge Massachusetts. It is located in the Charles Hotel in Harvard Square, but it is by no means a "hotel" restaurant. It is a very upscale restaurant, run by chef Jody Adams. It is an Italian restaurant, but as far away from a red sauce joint as you can get. Indeed, there was only one pasta dish -- a ravioli -- on the menu at all. They have an extensive gluten free menu (which, unfortunately, doesn't seem to be online). However, many of their regular menu items are naturally gluten free, and they can modify a number of the other items to be gluten free. The restaurant does offer a prix fixe menu as well (3 courses for $40) and we were pleasantly surprised to learn that there were gluten free options for each course. My daughter (and several others at the table) ordered the Lettuces as a first course, Seared Char with mint and peas for the main course, and Hazelnut Meringue with lemon cream for dessert. Another gluten free entree that was enjoyed by others at the table (although not on the prix free menu) was Wolfe's sirloin steak with Portabello mushrooms, arugula, parmigiano and truffle oil. As befitting an upscale restaurant, the service was very gracious and they were able to accommodate our dietary needs smoothly. Oh -- and the food was delicious as well! It is definitely a place to keep in mind for a special celebration.

Fabulous Gluten Free French Bread

This recipe for gluten free french bread is on the Gluten Free Homemaker's blog. It is an adaptation of Carol Fenster's recip -- in particular, it uses Fenster's baking directions, which call for putting the dough directly into an oven, then turning it on -- no rising and no preheating. As a result, the bread can be prepared really quickly -- once you mix up the dough, it bakes for only about 35 minutes, with no additional rising time required.

I've been baking the gf french bread following the recipe on GFH's blog -- one slight change. Instead of using fresh egg whites, I use Just Whites (dried egg white powder) by Deb El -- this way, I don't have to feel guilty for not using up the yolks. I add the powdered eggs with the dry ingredients, then add the additional water with the other liquid ingredients.

The recipe makes two loaves -- we usually have one fresh, then freeze the other, sometimes preslicing into small slices, or larger sections for sandwiches.

Needham, Massachusetts -- a gluten free restaurant hotspot!

Needham, Massachusetts (a suburb fairly close to Boston) seems to have a surprising number of gluten free restaurant options for a town of its size. Options include:

Not Your Average Joes -- salad, chicken, fish
Rice Barn -- Thai restaurant with an extensive gluten free menu (although the menu isn't currently online)
Bertucci's -- part of a chain featuring Italian food -- no gf pizza or pasta, but a variety of other entrees and salads
Stone Hearth Pizza -- gf pizzas, pasta, salad and dessert
Wild Willy's Burgers -- burgers and grilled chicken on gf buns, ice cream and shakes, gf fries, Redbridge beer (gf menu not posted)

There is also the wonderful store A New Leaf in the heart of Needham Center, which has an enormous selection of gluten free food, including a lot of frozen items such as Udi's bread and Joan's Great Bakes bagels. The manager is extremely helpful, and if you are looking for a product that is not in stock, he will often be able to order it for you. Note that A New Leaf has three locations -- I don't know if the other two stores have as extensive a selection of gluten free options as the Needham store.

B. Good has gluten free buns!

We gave been going to B. Good for some time now -- they are a "healthy" burger restaurant. Although they don't have a specific gluten free menu, they have an allergen book with information about allergens, including gluten, and their burgers and fries do not contain gluten. Now, they are apparently stocking gluten free buns, so you can get a burger on a bun (instead of a lettuce wrap). They definitely have the buns at Legacy Place in Dedham, and in Coolidge Corner in Brookline. I asked the server in Brookline whether this was chain wide -- he thought it was, but you might want to call first if the bun is key! ) (Other locations include Harvard Square in Cambridge, Back Bay Newbury Street). Per the server, the bun is from Gillians bakery.

Editors note: The location in Brookline has closed. :(

Restaurants

Updated 3/2013

The following are some restaurants in the Greater Boston area that either have gluten free menus, or where we have had luck ordering gluten free.

Burtons Grill (GF menu) --Burlington, Hingham, North Andover, other locations.  Great gluten free menu
Walnut Street Grille (GF choices listed on menu) -- vegetarian restaurant with lots of gluten free options.  Lunch, dinner and brunch.  Newton Highlands
Not Your Average Joes (GF menu) -- Watertown, Needham, other locations too
Legal Seafoods (GF menu) -- numerous locations
PF Changs (GF menu) -- downtown Boston, Natick, other locations
The British Beer Company (GF menu) -- Framingham, other locations
Wild Willy's Burgers -- Needham location has a gluten free menu, including burgers, chicken, gf buns, fries and Redbridge beer; Worcester location might also have a gf menu
Woodmans of Essex (Seafood, Clambake) Clam Shack -- Essex (no specific gluten free menu, but per their website their menu items are gluten free except for sandwiches, clamcakes and onion rings)
UBurger -- Kenmore Square (no gf menu, but per the manager, the fries and burger itself are do not contain gluten and the fries are fried separately from onion rings); other Boston locations now open, I haven't checked with them as yet
B. Good -- Harvard Square, Dedham, Newbury Street, several other downtown/ Back Bay locations, Hingham (there is a book which lists allergens; per this book, burger and fries do not contain gluten) (now offering gluten free buns -- this is confirmed at the Dedham and Brookline locations -- call to confirm at the other locations too)
Stone Hearth Pizza (GF menu) -- Needham, Porter Square Cambridge, Belmont
Zaftigs Delicatessen -- Coolidge Corner Brookline (no gf menu, but are willing to accommodate gluten free; apparently now have gluten free bagels)
Fire and Ice -- Harvard Square, Newbury Street (no gf menu, but can have items prepared separately, with gf sauce)
Rice Barn (Thai) (GF menu) -- Needham
The Elephant Walk (Cambodian, French) (GF menu) -- Boston/Brookline, Watertown, Cambridge  Extensive gluten free menu
Fresh City (GF menu) -- Newton, Kenmore, other locations
Five Guys Burgers and Fries -- Dedham, other locations (no gf menu, but per company, the fries and burgers themselves do not contain gluten)
Nebo (GF menu) -- North End Boston
Red Lentil Vegetarian Restaraunt (GF items indicated on menu) -- Watertown
Myers+Chang (GF menu) -- South End Boston
Bertucci's (GF menu) -- Newton, other locations
Rialto (GF menu) -- Cambridge (upscale, many dishes are gluten free, kitchen is willing to modify others)
Peace o' Pie -- Allston -- gluten free pizza on Thursdays
Abby Park -- Milton -- modern American, gluten free menu (upscale)
Om Restaurant -- Cambridge -- trendy Asian fusion, gluten free menu
The Friendly Toast -- Cambridge (Kendall Square) -- gluten free pancakes (also eggs, salads)
The Fireplace -- Brookline, upscale, gluten free menu (see positive reader comment, below)
Al Dente  -- North End Boston, aparently has a gluten free menu
Beneventos -- North End Boston, apparently has gluten free pizza and pasta
Four Burgers -- Cambridge, theatre district Boston, locally sourced burgers, veggie and fish options, fries, gluten free buns

Favorites

We've now had a primarily gluten free household for 3 years and have definitely developed some preferences. The following are suggestions about some of our (totally subjective) recommendations for gluten free specialty items (some of which buy in bulk form Amazon, as noted):

Places to buy GF food

• A New Leaf -- Needham -- this health food store has a fantastic selection of gluten free food, and the owner is very accommodating and willing to special order items
• Whole Foods
• Trader Joes
• Stop and Shop -- Newton, Watertown -- Stop and Shop seems to have some of the best prices around for the gluten free items that they stock
• Amazon -- many gluten free items are available via Amazon, although usually you must order 6 or so packages, so you should make sure you like it first. If you use the Subscribe and Save option, there is an additional discount and the shipping is free
• Shaws -- although Shaws does seem to have higher prices on gluten free foods than Stop and Shop and Whole Foods, sometimes they sell items that aren't available in other mainstream supermarkets. For example, the Auburndale Shaws sells Conte brand stuffed gluten free ravioli (frozen)
  

Breakfast

• Vans frozen waffles
  
• Pamela's Baking Mix (for pancakes) (Amazon)
• Trader Joes Gluten Free Granola (also, Bakery on Main)
• Homemade muffins (we use Better Batter flour, which subs for regular wheat flour in recipes; we've also had success with Gluten Free Pantry (or Whole Foods brand) muffin mix, or Namaste mix if you are avoiding other allergens too)
• Chex cereal
  

Lunch/Dinner

• Tinkyada Pasta
• Thai Kitchen rice pastas
• Contes gluten free ravioli
• Bell and Evans gluten free frozen chicken products (tenders, nuggets, patties)
• Against the Grain pizza crust
• Amys gf mac and cheese (frozen)
• Glutinos gf mac and cheese (frozen)
• Annies gf mac and cheese (box) (Amazon)
• Lundenberg rissotto mix
• Qinoa (instead of couscous)
• Kettle Cuisine frozen soups and chiles
• Udi's pizza crusts
  

Breads/ crackers

• Pamela amazing wheat free bread mix (Amazon)
• Bread mixes by Anna
• Udi's sandwich bread
• Udi's bagels
• Rudi's sandwich bread
  
• Against the Grain frozen rolls and baguettes
• Joans Great Bakes Bagels, English Muffins and Italian Bread
• French Meadow tortillas
• Nut Thins (especially plain almond)
• Marys Gone Crackers
• Corn Thins
• Chebe brand frozen breadsticks, mini rolls and pizza crusts
  

Baked goods and snacks

• Whole Foods Gluten Free Bakehouse pie crusts
• French Meadow prepackaged brownies
• Homemade cookies and cakes (using Better Batter flour)
• Trader Joes brown rice marshmallow treats
• Trader Joes (or Namastes) gf brownie Mix
• Gluten Free Pantry or Pamela's brownie mix
• Betty Crocker Brownie mix (Amazon)
  
• Hains brand mini cheddar rice cakes
• Glutino pretzels
• Green Mountain tortilla strips
  

British Beer Company (Boston area)

We had dinner tonight at the British Beer Company, a small chain of restaurants with locations in Massachusetts, including Framingham (the location we visited). It is a casual, reasonably priced restaurant, with a British "pub"style ambiance; the menu includes American and British favorites, such as burgers, salads, pizzas, fish and chips, bangers and mash, pasties, steaks, fish, etc. Their gluten free menu is quite extensive, and includes pizza (with toppings!), ribs, a number of salads, burgers (no buns, alas), fish, steak and -- most unusually -- gluten free wrap sandwiches. The manager brought out the gluten free dish we had ordered herself, and without prompting offered an explanation of the extra care that they take with the gluten free orders, starting from the time that someone requests the gluten free menu. It made for a very relaxed restaurant experience (and the food was good too!)