Enchilladas

Recently I met my friends at an old stopping ground that we frequented when I was able to eat gluten.  I was a bit hesitant to go as I didn’t have the time to call ahead and could only recollect my all time favorite-the flour tortilla filled California Burrito.  Alas, there was no reason to hesitate.  I was so well taken care of by the chef!  This is not what I expected to happen at Oscar’s Pinatas on Route 38 in Tewksbury, MA., but was so pleasantly surprised with the experience I thought it worthy of a post.  Inititially when trying to figure out what I could eat,  I noticed that my usual ”safe” choice of salad was on the menu, but I also noticed that there was a LowFat/Low Carb portion to the menu that had some items which were gluten-free, or had the potential to be.  The Pinatas Burrito has all the fillings of a burrito, but without the tortilla.  The Pinata Veggie Burrito is a gluten-free, vegan meal consisting of sauteed peppers, onions, mushrooms, zucchini and squash and is served without a tortilla.  After explaining my needs to our sweet server Debbie (she was aware of gluten-free!), I opted for the Enchillada which was a delicious corn filled tortilla.  A few substitutions had to be made to make it gluten-free and Debbie was great to return to our table numerous times to inform me. Rather than the Mexican Sauce, a Ranchero Sauce had to be  used and a double portion of refried beans was put on my plate because the rice was not safe for me.  The chef even double stacked my plates to help ensure no mix up with my friends’ entrees.  Anything fried should be avoided as the fryer is shared, so things like the corn tortilla Flauta would not be an option.  The dishes are made to order (though not some of the sauces) so it is relatively easy to make substitutions if you’re needing dairy or gluten-free foods.  Knowing that the Chef did such a wonderful job on a busy Saturday night encourages me to return.  Maybe even with the kids-they eat at half price Monday-Wednesday from 4-8pm!