It was another busy weekend in the Gluten Free Mom To Be’s house filled with our niece’s first communion festivities, swapping out spring for winter clothes, packing for our Disney vacation next week, and doing a little yard work. For a little break in the kitchen, we decided to order from one of our favorite local Italian restaurants. Palermo’s Restaurant and Pizzeria has been a family favorite since our childhood and has thankfully made a triumphant return to our lives by catering to my gluten free diet.
Tossing around the idea of ordering my all time favorite dinner, vodka rigatoni, or one of their other standout dishes, the gluten free gnocchi, I opted to go with door number two. The chef, who has a child with Celiac, is well versed on the gluten free diet and all that goes into safely delivering a gluten free meal, so as per usual my fears of being glutened with dining here were minimal. Along with the understanding of what gluten free really entails, the chef delivers quality gluten free meals that surpass my expectations each time. The gluten free gnocchi certainly have done just that. For a little bit of a change from the norm, I went with the gluten free gnocchi smothered in a flavorful scampi sauce of lemon, garlic, butter, and additional seasonings.
First and foremost, whatever pasta and gnocchi they use at Palermo’s is delicious. The gnocchi specifically though are soft and pillowy, and are the perfect base for my beloved scampi sauce. Typically the gnocchi can come with a vodka sauce, but I just love the lightness of a scampi sauce that just seems to embrace the gluten free gnocchi. In my own experience, I must say that Palermo’s goes above and beyond when they are catering to the gluten free diet. Most restaurants merely adjust their dishes to be gluten free by omitting one or many components or supplying a gluten free pasta substitute. One of the downfalls for many restaurants though comes to the sauces. For many, sauces typically are a no go to be adjusted gluten free, but Palermo’s goes the extra mile in this department by making a number of gluten free sauces from vodka, to pesto, to scampi. And from personal experience, each have been equally as delicious as the other!
It is truly a delight to order a meal with the comfort that the chef who’s making it takes the necessary precautions for safety but also the extra steps to ensure excellent quality. The gluten free gnocchi with scampi sauce is superb and has even been made to be dairy free as well for my sister. Either way, the garlic goodness emitting from the sauce is the perfect complement to each soft and tender bite of gnocchi. Palermo’s Restaurant and Pizzeria had certainly done it again in my book, producing a fantastic gluten free pasta dish that anyone could enjoy! To check out my other favorite Palermo’s dish and their entire gluten free menu check out my gluten free vodka rigatoni post here.
With our bellies full and energy refueled, we were able to finish out the beautiful weekend with gusto. It was a great Spring weekend that was filled with family, good food, and lots of fun outside. Thank you Palermo’s for adding a perfect gluten free touch to an already amazing weekend!
Sincerely,
Lindsay