Glutie Foodie

Adventures of a Gluten-Free Gal Dining Out

Category Archives: Gluten-Free


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Ripple Effect

Ripple     

Everyone needs a Cheers pub in their life—a homey eating/drinking/socializing spot where the mood is alway right, the conversation easy, and the grub dependably nourishing. Ripple has been Cleveland Park foodies’ Cheers since opening it’s doors in May 2010. For Mr. Green Bean and I, Ripple is the casual night out for two, the restaurant to show-off to guests, and the nightcap detour (i.e. a glass of sparkling rose for moi and a plate of freshly baked cookies and milk for Mr. GB).

The waitstaff at Ripple shares their own love for food with menu suggestions and descriptive explanations of complex concoctions. Executive Chef, Logan Cox, is committed to creating seasonally changing menus featuring local ingredients. The plates (organized by small, medium and large), snacks and sides, and cheese and charcuterie all offer plenty of noshing combinations, like a “choose your own adventure” in dining. The wine by the glass and bottle list is smart, offering numerous reasonably priced options carefully chosen by Bar Manager, Josh Berner. Ripple accommodates the gluten-free diner like a good friend who wants to make you feel comfortable at her dinner party. The many naturally gluten-free items on the menu prove that gluten is often superflous to fresh and flavorful dishes.

Mr. Green Bean and I recently had the full Ripple dining experience with our good friend, Dr. Lobster. We constructed a delicious meal with lots to nibble, filling our small table with too many plates to fit! We started with a bottle of tasty wine, a selection of three cheeses, and hand cut fries with homemade apple ketchup (which I guiltlessly enjoyed after the waiter checked that nothing glutenous had shared the frier that evening). I cleaned the “composed seasonal vegetables” plate, garnished with dollops of goat yogurt and black cardamom puree. I can imagine now how Peter Rabbit felt tempted by all the delicious seasonal treats in Mr. McGregor’s farm! Poor disobedient bunny.

Left to Right: Cheese Plate, Hand Cut Fries, Composed Seasonal Vegetables

For our next course Dr. Lobster and I both tried the “delicata squash soup” poured at the table over “Lynnhaven oysters, sorghum, shaved chestnuts, and sorrel”. Total sensational pleasure. Each spoonful was sweet and slightly creamy, accented by the mild sorrel flavor. Were it not for the plump oysters, like anchors in the rich broth, this could have been dessert. Mr. Green Bean ordered the “pan-roasted strip loin” accompanied by “crushed sunchokes, radish, nasturtium, and marrow emulsion”. Though slightly scared by the foreign objects, I am proud to say Mr. GB bravely conquered the dish. The strip loin was cooked perfectly and well balanced with the plate’s unusual accessories. Admittedly my fork gravitated after the waiter offered that the dish was gluten-free.

Left to Right: Delicata Squash Soup, Pan-Roasted Strip Loin

Although already stuffed, our waiter talked us into a gluten-free sinful indulgance on Pastry Chef Alison Reed’s dessert menu, “baked butterscoth pudding, with spiced cream, and toffee pieces”. If I thought the soup could have been dessert, this was dessert they feed you in heaven. The smooth pudding and crunchy candy bits distracted me enough to not even consider Mr. Green Bean’s favorite “baked-to-order chocolate chip cookies and milk”, without which no Ripple dining experience would be complete.

Baked Butterscotch Pudding

Ripple, 3417 Connecticut Ave. NW, Washington DC


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Safety First!

Perrys     

Perrys in Adam’s Morgan describes their restaurant succinctly as “Eclectic/Sushi”. That just about sums it up. Explaining Perrys in more detail goes a little like this: “Well, the menu ranges from fresh sushi, to burgers and fries, to couscous with harissa, and mussels in coconut curry. The dining room is cozy, the rooftop’s a party, oh, and then there’s the Sunday Drag Brunch.” While sounding rather like a prepubescent boy lacking direction, somehow Perrys pulls it off. They have been a unique DC staple with a loyal fan-base since the restaurants inception in 1984.

Mr. Green Bean and I experienced Perrys for the first time recently with our friends Mr. And Mrs. Muffin. The schizophrenic menu proved perfect for a couple with opposing food preferences (which refers to me and Mr. Grean Bean, not the Muffins). While I honed in on nigiri and maki options, Mr. Green Bean was quickly lurred by the “10 oz short rib burger with benton bacon, cabot cheddar and Perrys fries,” He later eloquently described the dish as tasting like a “really juicy burger.”

Gluten-free sushi eaters are used to sticking with simple (some would say boring) rolls and providing our own packets of g-free soy sauce. However, Perrys is well versed in dealing with gluten allergies, was fully prepared to handle my inquisitions, and even had tamari sauce at the ready. I ordered the “Perrys Roll,” with tuna, salmon, surimi crab, and avocado, substituting fresh crab for the glutinous imitation stuff (better anyway). The waiter also suggested I have the roll made with their soy wrapper, as they do not guarantee that their seaweed is celiac safe.

Perrys Roll: Tuna, Salmon, Crab and Avocado

To accompany my sushi, I added a side of “Roasted Eggplant with Macadamia Nuts” from the American cuisine menu. The waiter piped in that he would omit the balsamic glaze, as the vinegar bottle mentions possible contamination in production. By the end of an arduous ordering process, I found myself in an interesting situation where the waiter was being more cautious about my allergy than me! The restaurant’s attentiveness proved suitable for even the most sensitive of gluties. And they certainly have made me think twice about the seaweed used at my favorite Japanese establishments.

Roasted Eggplant with Macadamia Nuts

The food was quite satisfying. While the soy wrapper on my Perrys Roll lacked seaweed’s fresh, earthy flavor profile, it acted as a decent binding agent with the right chewy texture to compliment the seafood’s soft, silky consistency. In the future, I would rethink the “Tako,” boiled octopus nigiri, that I ordered. Not only did it lack any flavor, but it was as tough as leather (imagining leather is pretty tough). But the eggplant side pulled its weight: rich and slightly sweet, roasted to a soft, buttery consistency, and balanced with a generous sprinkling of crunchy, salty macadamia nuts. I could sense what a balsamic drizzle would add to the dish, but as Mr. Green Bean always says, “safety first!”

Perrys, 1811 Columbia Road, Washington DC, 20009


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American Wat

Jackie’s Restaurant     

 It seems I have been hearing an awful lot lately about Ethiopian food. Or perhaps it’s a case of selective hearing. I have been tempted by the cuisine for a long time, but shied away from it when led to believe that the injera (a spongy flat bread essential to an Ethiopian meal) is often made with a blend of teff (a gluten-free grass indigenous to Ethiopia) and wheat flours. So, I filed Ethiopian food in my drawer of deprived pleasures.

Which brings me to the other night at the contemporary American restaurant, Jackie’s, in Silver Spring, MD. Our good friends, “The Oreos”, introduced us to this beacon of deliciousness in a sea of mediocre Silver Spring establishments. Located in a converted auto parts garage, the restaurant breaths a 60s industrial-chic ambience. The cocktail and food menu reverberates the same “cool” vibe and fuses an assortment of flavors from around the world with seasonal, organic, local ingredients. For starters, “Guacamole with fresh radish, cucumber and jicama slices” is listed right above “zucchini cups with halloumi cheese and spicy sesame sauce” (both gluten-free). Several items sounded tempting. But then my eye scanned down to the entrees and stopped at the very first one. Jackie’s offers an “Ethiopian inspired vegetable platter served on local teff injera.” This injera is authentically made on sight with teff flour only, and the day’s vegetarian wat (thick stews) were gluten-free as well. “Glutie Foodie”, I said to myself (maybe out loud a little), “now is your chance” (the Oreos looked confused).

The platter arrived and commandeered a good portion of the table. My eyes widened and I inventoried my winnings—scoops of green beans in a tomato base, sweet lentil puree, garlicky eggplant with chickpeas, salty collard greens, and spicy tofu, all on a giant g-free pancake. With a napkin in my left hand I dug in with my right. Each stew complimented the other with a diverse range of flavors, spices and textures. Ethnic authenticity is beside the point for this American, farm-to-table rendition of an Ethiopian meal. It did not disappoint.

Ethiopian inspired vegetable platter served on local teff injera

My chosen liquid pairing furthered the meal’s cultural confusion. The blackberry lime margarita, made with Hornitos Reposado, triple sec, blackberries, lime juice, and a salted rim, is surprisingly more tart than sweet. This refreshing cocktail provided a nice buzz and a smile, rather than a cavity. Topping off our world tour was the I-can’t-believe-it’s-gluten-free “Bittersweet Pavé”—flourless chocolate cake with sesame caramel and orange whipped cream. The sesame surprises the senses as a welcome compliment to the fluffy chocolate cake, which was just rich enough to split four ways.

Bittersweet Pavé–flourless chocolate cake with sesame caramel and orange whipped cream

Chef Diana Davila-Boldin creates confident dishes that flatter rather than imitate traditional cuisines. Her culinary riffs celebrate ethnic inspirations in American food. Ingredients and menu items change seasonally, which means come the winter months, a whole new list of inventive concoctions are in store. Despite menu change-ups, the staff knows their stuff and is happy to provide accurate gluten-free information. The kitchen is agreeable to modifications, as we found out when Mr. Green Bean ordered his Amish Chicken sans “bleu cheese potato mash, beets, fennel and watermelon”. He just wanted a side of green beans. Oye.

Jackie’s turned out to be a great baby step in my challenge to eat ethnic safely. I am now inspired to investigate further into gluten-free Ethiopian dining and hope to report back soon…

Jackie’s Restaurant, 8081 Georgia Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20910


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Pining for Pi

District of Pi   

When the DC branch of the St. Louis Pizzeria first rolled into town, Mr. Green Bean and I had high expectations. Hailing from the Mr.’s hometown and claiming to fire-up delicious g-free pie’s, we couldn’t wait to try it. Now we’ve been back on several occasions for the better than average food and the lively, laid-back vibe. Pi scooped up some serious real estate in the jam-packed Penn Quarter neighborhood, making this pizzeria a great place for large parties.

Mention your gluten allergy at Pi and the servers will confidently help you navigate the menu from GF beers and starters to pizza pies. There are actually only a few items on the Pi menu that one should avoid. The hummus plate can be served with gluten free pita wedges, the wings are surprisingly safe, and the selection of “Pi Snacks” offers plenty of munching options. The only pizza topping off limits is the meatballs, fine by me (Meatballs belong in a pasta bowl anyway). Coming from a family that always pairs pizza with salad, I recommend the Bada Bing, with field greens, toasted almonds, gorgonzola cheese, dried bing cherries, and a not-too-sweet raspberry vinaigrette.

Bada Bing Salad with toasted almonds, dried bing cherries and gorgonzola cheese.

District of Pi takes serious precautions to avoid pesky wheat flour drifting onto wheat-free crusts. They start with Rich’s 10 inch, GF certified dough, and train the staff to use separate utensils and clean work surfaces. GF pizzas are cooked in the same deck oven as other pizzas, but a designated pizza peel is always used for safe maneuvering. The result is a crispy, buttery, thin crust much like many others I’ve tried. Pi excels in their unique topping combinations such as my favorite so far, the Lincoln Park, with mozzarella, garlic olive oil, zucchini, fresh tomatoes, feta and fresh basil.

Gluten-free Pizza, with half Lincoln Park, half Central West End toppings.

For non-allergic patrons, Pi’s specialty is their deep dish crust (I drool). I would love to see Pi experiment with creating a g-free version—tricky no doubt, but not unfathomable. If that’s biting off more than Pi can chew, perhaps they could attempt a g-free house-made dough that more closely resembles their wheat-based thin crust, which Mr. Green Bean highly recommends.

One word on dessert and a pre-caution to those avoiding wheat: While ice cream provides a sweet finale, don’t get excited about the “Apple Pi” made in a deep dish cornmeal crust (which would personally be my dream dessert)…it is not gluten-free. Work on that too, Pi.

District of Pi, 910 F Street NW, Washington DC 20004