Ever since I can remember, one of my ultimate favorite pasta dishes has been Vodka Rigatoni. Sadly, gone are the days that I can enjoy my favorite meal from local Italian restaurants as many deter away from making a gluten free equivalent. The pasta of course is a big no-no and is full of gluten but the vodka can be as well, as many vodkas are distilled from wheat. Despite the overwhelming availability of gluten free pasta as well as vodka distilled from either corn or potato, a number of Italian restaurants have not quite caught on to the flexibility of altering dishes to be gluten free friendly.
Much to my surprise, after some googling I stumbled upon Palermo’s Restaurant and Pizzeria in Bordentown, NJ who offers an extensive gluten free menu.
Their menu offers a variety of dishes from pierogies and gnocchi to pizzas and burgers. When ordering gluten free at a non-gluten free restaurant I still approach eating with caution as many are sure to insert warnings on their gluten free menus indicating that there is always a chance for cross contamination. Although I appreciate honesty, this disclosure never leaves me at ease when eating out. When I do though, I try to make sure that everyone seems knowledgeable and understands my sensitivity so they might be a bit more careful (fingers crossed). During my round of 20 questions with the staff at Palermo’s, I was informed that the chef actually has a family member who has Celiac which immediately assured me that he understands the necessity for careful preparation and handling and also realizes the consequences of contamination.
I must admit with little one these days we mostly indulge in take out because of both the frigid winter we’ve been having and the brutal cold/flu season, so tonight was no exception. The food is always ready in a timely fashion and the staff couldn’t be friendlier, by now of course recognizing my husband as the gluten free family. As you can see, my Vodka Rigatoni was perfection! Gluten free rigatoni in a creamy vodka sauce with prosciutto!
Although I can appreciate and understand hesitation in allergy free cooking, I can’t help but hope other Italian restaurants would tackle the gluten free obstacle that exists and make many past and future patrons very happy. Hopefully someday we all can be treated to our classic Italian favorites when eating out at any local restaurant, but for now, I’m very appreciative of restaurants like Palermo’s who are making great attempts to make gluten free eaters feel welcomed!
TIP: Some restaurants may not have gluten free menus however they may still be able to accommodate by either swapping out pasta or changing a sauce so don’t hesitate to ask, it certainly can’t hurt to make a quick phone call before you stop in.
Sincerely,
Lindsay