CEO Frank Guidara explained in their press release that it took over a year of research and development to find just the right recipe “While we want to meet the needs of guests with allergies, we never forget that we are about great taste and choice, and that means developing new dishes that are healthful without sacrificing great flavor.”

This is exciting news, and they are making efforts to prevent cross-contamination when cooking and preparing the pies.  The dough is being prepared by French Meadow Bakery – which is certified gluten-free by the Gluten Free Certification Organization.  I called my local Uno’s to ask how they were preparing the pies and spoke with two different people.  Both were well-informed about the product and described a separate preparation area and toppings. They are cooked in the same oven but with separate pans and utensils to keep the gluten-free pizzas free from cross-contamination. I spoke with someone on Uno’s PR team to get even more info: “Each restaurant has monthly training programs for its chefs and employees to educate and train in order to prevent that cross-contamination.  They are certainly aware of the severe reactions that can occur if people with celiac disease consume food products containing gluten.  However, we understand that restaurants are run by people, so mistakes can be made but UNO is taking every step necessary (including speaking with people who have celiac disease) to prevent those mistakes as much as possible.”

I haven’t tried the gluten-free pizza yet, but the reviews on the Delphi Forums so far are good. At my location, it’s $10.48 for a gluten-free cheese pizza and $10.49 for a gluten-free pepperoni pizza, which is on par with their gluten pizzas. Since they deliver to my apartment, I may have to order some tonight…stay tuned for more details.

According to the Unos Website, here are the ingredients in the Gluten-Free Cheese Pizza:

INGREDIENTS: Gluten free pizza crust RICE FLOUR, FILTERED WATER, TAPIOCA STARCH, POTATO STARCH, ORGANIC EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL, VEGETABLE SHORTENING (CANOLA OIL, HYDROGENATED COTTONSEED OIL), SUGAR, CONTAINS LESS THAN 2% OF THE FOLLOWING: YEAST, SALT, EGGS, GELATIN, NATURAL FLAVOR, ORGANIC DEFATTED SOY FLOUR, EGG WHITES, LEAVENING (SODIUM ALUMINUM PHOSPHATE, BAKING SODA), SOY LECITHIN, XANTHAN GUM, GUM ARABIC, ORGANIC GUAR GUM., Mozzarella Cheese part skim Low Moisture Part Skim Mozzarella Cheese (Pasteurized Part Skim Milk, Cheese Cultures, Salt, Enzymes), Pasta Sauce Uno (tomato puree, tomato, carrot, olive oil, salt, onion, garlic, sugar, spices, sugar, citric acid), Romano Cheese grated (pastuerized sheeps milk, cheese culture, salt, enzymes, anti-caking agent). 

If you were lucky enough to sample the gluten-free pizza in the test markets or have more info – please leave a comment to let us all know!

And if you aren’t near one of the 200+ locations with the gluten-free pizzas, here’s even more gluten-free pizza info and recipes.

After meeting my friend Kris in London last year, he has accompanied me on many gluten-free dining excursions across the U.S. – Risotteria and a cookie party in NY, MF Sushi in Atlanta, and El Cholo in Santa Monica. His first attempt at picking a restaurant without my input led to an incredible gluten-free dinner at Chaya Venice. As embarrassing as it was for this native SoCal girl to be shown around California by a European, all pride was forgotten when the food arrived.

We both ordered the scallops wrapped in sirloin strips served with a grain mustard sauce. The sauce is usually thickened with a touch of flour so to ensure that there was no mix-up the server had the chef prepare both dishes without the gluten-based thickener. Kris was kind enough to oblige – he has said on more than one occasion “you don’t even miss the gluten” (with a note of surprise in his voice).

To finish, I opted for a simple cheese plate that included manchego, St. Andre, queso blanco (a fresh Mexican cheese), and fresh fruit. Much to Kris’s chagrin I didn’t let the server bring the bread that normally accompanies the dessert. But after going to my cheese course at Artisanal, and learning that bread is merely viewed as a palate cleanser, I didn’t feel obligated to include it and risk contamination.

Chaya’s décor is chic yet comfortable. I didn’t feel any of the “too cool” attitude I sometimes experience in LA. A remarkable meal is one that you remember long afterwards. I have no doubt that I will continue to mark this dinner among those most memorable.

Chaya Venice: Address: 110 Navy St Venice, CA 90291 Phone: (310) 396-1179

El Cholo, a fun Mexican restaurant in Santa Monica, initially took the latter approach, offering me a simple salad and no main course. However, after a second conversation with the manager, we were able to put together a tasty if not flavor-packed dinner.

I was told to avoid the chips, salsa and guacamole the rest of our group enjoyed, but I definitely didn’t leave hungry. I ordered the shrimp fajitas served with mixed vegetables and beans.

I saw mushrooms and corn on the menu in various main dishes, so I asked if it would be possible to get a side of each. They brought them together as one side. I can’t say that the flavors were incredibly harmonious but I appreciated the effort.

I also asked for a side of guacamole. They weren’t comfortable with all of the guacamole ingredients and instead brought fresh sliced avocado – which to me was even better.

I did enjoy my dinner, and I have full confidence that with a couple more visits from patrons like me they will be able to offer even more gluten-free options. And even if the food doesn’t strike your fancy, the outdoor dining in Santa Monica can’t be beat.

El Cholo Address: 1025 Wilshire Blvd Santa Monica, CA 90401 Phone: (310) 899-1106

Atlanta is a landlocked city, yet counter intuitive as it may seem, they offer some of the best sushi I have ever had. Magic Fingers or MF Sushi in Midtown provides an elegant environment and exquisite fare.Now for those of you thinking “eww, raw fish?” Three years ago I was of the same mindset. At the time I didn’t even eat cooked fish, why would I pay MORE for raw fish? Luckily my good friend Gareth claimed that he didn’t like cooked fish either but assured me that he had enjoyed amazing sushi from “the sushi nazi” in LA. This hole-in-the-wall restaurant in a strip mall serves some of the best sushi in LA. Chef Nozawa is called the Sushi Nazi because a la the Soup Nazi on Seinfeld, he will kick out customers that talk on cell phones and doesn’t accept any payment but cash. We sat down for lunch, never saw a menu, but various sashimi and sushi dishes were brought to our table. (This continues until you say stop and then they give you a check.)

How could a girl that didn’t like the fishy taste of a California roll make that leap of faith to eat big slabs of raw fish? I’m still not really sure where I got the courage. But thank goodness I did! The buttery, steak like taste of yellowtail and smooth rich flavor of salmon sashimi were unlike any of the rolls I had previously experienced. I discovered that the actual fish was delicious – it’s the seaweed used in rolls that I didn’t like. Since then I have developed a discriminating sushi palette. A perfect piece of hamachi or toro is an unparalleled luxury. If you can muster the courage, go to a good sushi restaurant (I still find most cheap sushi and rolls less than appetizing) and order a couple pieces of yellowtail (hamachi), salmon (sake) and tuna (maguro) sashimi, mix a bit of wasabi with your gf soy sauce and give the combination a try. You may be glad you did.

Once I was diagnosed with Celiac, sushi restaurants became a haven for my gluten free dining. It’s so much easier to ask someone if they want to go for sushi than look for other gluten free friendly dining establishments. I can just grab my bottle or packets of gluten free soy sauce and head to the restaurant.

For appetizers – the steamed or boiled edamame sprinkled with salt is always a winner.

While I know that some Celiacs have had success with more fancy rolls and sushi offerings, I keep it simple with a plate of sashimi.

Unfortunately eating sushi gluten free is not completely care-free and there are still things you need to be wary of in order to eat safely. Ask for your fish to be cut with clean utensils on a clean surface. The rising popularity of tempura rolls has increased the chances for cross-contamination here. Tell your server no crab unless they can assure you it’s real, most fake crab meat used in sushi rolls is made with wheat. Most roe (fish eggs) used to top sushi has wheat as an ingredient. Also, ask for no sauce, albacore sashimi usually comes with a forbidden sauce and many white fish are sprinkled with a gluten containing culprit. Eel (unagi) comes soaked in a sweet sauce that is a definite no-no. Double-check the wasabi, ginger and rice to make sure that there are no suspect ingredients. (I usually just forgo the rice since the combination of carbs, protein and fat wrecks havoc on my blood sugars.)I highly recommend MF Sushi in Atlanta if you want to sample fantastic sushi far from the sea.

MF Sushi 265 Ponce De Leon Ave : Unit B : Atlanta GA 30308 Telephone: 404-815-8844

Did you know that there are a few mainstream restaurants that have gluten free menus? That doesn’t mean you can completely relax when you dine at these establishments, but it does make navigating a bit easier. During a recent trip to Los Angeles for work, my Mom drove to the West side so that we could get dinner before I took the redeye back to NYC.

My Mom and Victor were so excited to eat at PF Chang’s that Victor skipped lunch in anticipation of our meal. Because Chinese food is one of the more difficult cuisines to adapt to gluten free, I am unbelievably grateful for the opportunity to eat at PF Chang’s. The first time I ate there was more than a year after my diagnosis, and I was practically in tears I was so happy to be eating Chinese fare.

I find the easiest way to dine family-style with a willing group is to have everyone start with the gluten free menu. That way you don’t even see the other gluten options on the menu. We were more than pleased with our selections.

We started with the Chang’s Chicken Lettuce wraps. This is my favorite thing on the menu. Just make sure the server brings you the gluten free soy sauce and that the other sauces haven’t been contaminated by the regular soy sauce.

The Cantonese Shrimp sautéed with garlic and snow peas was great. It’s a little bit lighter than the other menu options.

The Chang’s Spicy chicken is dusted with cornstarch. It’s so rich you won’t believe that it’s gluten free.

The Singapore Street Noodles are rice noodles stir-fried with chicken and shrimp and topped with fried scallions.

The healthiest item on the menu is Bamboo’s Feast – a dish of steamed assorted vegetables. Luckily my Mom doesn’t “do” vegetables so there were plenty for me.

You have your choice of white or brown rice to accompany your meal.

They also offer a flourless chocolate cake for dessert. Too bad I don’t like chocolate! I’m sure you gluten free chocolate lovers would enjoy this treat.

You must specify that you want the gluten free version of each menu item. I also always double check with the person delivering the item that it is the gluten free version. Stay vigilant when eating out, and then enjoy all of the mouth-watering choices!