This newly opened eatery is tantalizing us with some imaginative dishes we don’t often see in the suburbs. Some include the house-made sage & apple sausage patties used in their breakfast sandwich, or the Mango Coconut Chicken, Pulled Pork Tacos entrees and many soups such as the Roasted Veggie, Lasagna Soup, Butternut Pear Soup, Country Onion Soup topped with pumpkin bread croutons, or the French Onion Soup topped with toasted bread and Gruyere cheese (dairy-free cheese is available too!).

Moving on to the diverse baked goods we can choose from Corn Muffins stuffed with fig jam, cinnamon drizzled Banana Coconut muffins, Blueberry muffins and numerous pies (Blueberry, Dutch Apple, Coconut Chocolate Ganache Pie, to name a few..).  Carrot Cake, Rice Crispy Treats, Chocolate Crackle Cookies and peaNOT Butter bars are just a sampling of what might be offered on any given day. 

Find them in Millis, MA at the Roche Brothers Plaza.

Phone:  (508) 376-1163

Surprisingly, this Italian restaurant doesn’t offer gluten-free pasta but does serve many hearty entrees (most feature meat,  but hopefully vegetarians can be accomodated with the Wild Mushroom Risotto).  Also on the menu are Assaggi or “small plates”, Antipasti and Salads. The latter have the option of being prepared with some protein such as Rosemary Hanger Steak, Wood Grilled Salmon, Giant Grilled Shrimp or Rosemary & Garlic Grilled Chicken.  We were pleased to see the nice selection of sides, especially the Truffle Parmigiano Fries.   However, upon further investigation, we discovered these are cooked in a shared fryer and therefore  NOT an option for my family.

Oh well, I do think it is still worth the trip to check out this magnificent, two-storied restaurant with roaring fireplaces.  Sometimes, ambiance is as much of a draw as the cuisine!  If you plan to visit, be aware that reservations are only allowed for parties of seven or more.  Call ahead seating is available for smaller parties.

The Tew-Mac Tavern, located within the Tewksbury Country Club , is quite accomodating when it comes to helping customers with food concerns as each dish is made to order.

The impetus for our visit was the successful substitution of a gluten-free meal during a function I’d attended.  How surprised I was to discover that the Tew-Mac tavern actually had a gluten-free menu (not available online)! Though the selection is limited, there are salads,  seafood, chicken and vegetarian options.   The real prize here though seems to be the daily specials, some of which are gluten-free!

Our eggplant dish was listed as one of the daily specials and noted as gluten-free. It consisted of thinly cut eggplant slices that were ” battered” with egg and parmesan cheese. Between each layer was fresh mozzarella cheese and tomato slices. This was topped with a balsamic glaze. Delish!  I wish they’d include this every day on their standard gluten-free menu!  Other dishes that have been listed as daily specials include the Seared Herb Crusted Salmon (farm raised salmon served on a cauliflower puree with fingerling potatoes and lemon butter sauce), Tuscan Pork Chops (2 grilled center cut pork chops topped with cipollini onions braised in a red wine & honey reduction served with mushroom risotto) or the Lobsters & Steamers (Yes, gluten-free, obviously, but still worth mentioning.  This includes 1.25 lb pre-cracked lobster and 1 lb of Maine steamers and an ear of corn).  It’s best to call ahead to know what the daily specials are, or to find out what’s in the pipeline for a future visit.

Seasonal outdoor dining is available on their patio with incredible views of the golf course while charming fireside dining is available during the off-season.

The burgers and sandwiches are made with rolls from a dedicated gluten-free bakery (Gillian’s) and are also dairy-free (contain soy, egg whites and yeast).  Fries are available and these are cooked in a dedicated fryer! Important to note is the Morningstar Farms Veggie burger, which is not gluten-free.  This was erroneoulsy pulled over from their standard burger menu and, I was told, will be removed from the gluten-free menu.  Let’s hope they find a suitable replacement.  A veggie burger is always a welcome menu item and often a necessity for some!

The Blue Moon Grill in Wakefield, Ma offers breakfast and lunch daily with many gluten-free friendly choices..including pancakes!  These pancakes (contain milk), are generously served (three per order) and are available in the following flavors;

Plain, Apple Cinnamon, Banana Nut, Blueberry, Cranberry, Strawberry, Strawberry Banana, Chocolate Chip, Raspberry and Corn.  These are prepared on a separate, designated gluten-free griddle! 

Also offered on the menu are a plethora of omelettes, frittatas and house specialties which are gluten-free.  We tried the Irish Eggs Benedict which was somewhat like a traditional eggs benedict with hollandaise sauce,  but corned beef hash was substituted for the Canadian bacon and potato skins took the place of the English muffins.  Feeling rather gluttonous after this meal, there was no need (nor desire) to eat the rest of the day!! 

This cozy restaurant tends to get quite busy. We did well going  after the  morning rush.  If inclement weather presents, you’re encouraged to leave your cell phone number at the door if there is a wait.

The Blue Moon Grill

The pizza crusts are brought in from a dedicated gluten-free bakery and are also egg and dairy-free (contain corn starch).  The gluten-free pasta dishes are  prepared with rice pasta and gluten-free cornbread and crostini (the latter contains corn starch, eggs & dairy)) are also on the menu!  Weekly specials are also offered and are sometimes gluten-free as well. Some examples of past specials include;  Pesto Chicken- chicken sauteed in a cream pesto sauce served over pasta, Cilantro Chicken- chicken and peppers with a cajun cilantro lime cream sauce, Buffalo Chicken Dip- a spicy and cheesy dip served with crostini and Chicken Satay- a marinated and grilled chicken satay in peanut sauce served over jasmine rice.

Care is taken to decrease the risk of cross-contamination by preparing gluten-free orders in a separate area of the kitchen, using dedicated utensils and wearing gloves.  The specially prepared dishes are flagged with a toothpick to alert servers (and customers).

Don’t miss the weekend entertainment!

They serve gluten-free breakfast, lunch and dinner and all sandwiches can be made on gluten free bread. They  also accomodate vegan  diets and “no sugar” requests ( no high fructose or corn syrup allowed here!). You won’t find fries on the menu but more healthy side  choices like kale, broccoli, brussel sprouts and plantains. Don’t miss out on the seasonal specials!

Custom orders are available with two days’ notice. These include cakes, cup cakes, cheesecakes (almond crust) and an assortment of savory dishes like quiche, lasagna and pot pies ( vegetable, chicken or turkey).

The Scottish Bakehouse acknowledges that because they are not a dedicated gluten-free bakery, they are careful to thoroughly wash all the equipment and utensils and prep gluten-free foods separately from “regular” orders. Items also available as take-out. Open year round!

Many items are made to order, making it a bit easier to accomodate other dietary concerns. And if you’re watching your carbs,  there are many choices including the Broiled Scrod or Scallops which are offered with or without the addition of a gluten-free crumb topping.  In addition, there are no gluten-free hamburger buns or fries to go with Jackie’s Juicy Angus Burger, which, of course, may pose a problem for others.  Available sides include baked potato, spinach, rice and the gluten-free pasta.

This casual eatery also offers function space and seasonal outdoor seating.

I contacted the Natick, MA location to inquire about measures taken to decrease the chance of cross-contmaination. I was told that the pizza is prepped on a clean, separate surface and is placed on a pizza-sized foil sheet so it never comes into contact with the oven surface. These crusts are prepackaged and the seal remains intact until an order is placed.  The ‘regular’ pizza  is pressed into the pan as opposed to being tossed in the air, in hopes of decreasing the presence of airborne wheat flour.  Also, specially designated utensils and pizza cutters are used for the gluten-free pizza. 

In addition, we’re waiting to hear more from the California Pizza Kitchen corporate office in regards to the issue of potential cross-contamination of toppings and shared pizza sauce ladles.  At this time, I was told that they are “working on their kitchen procedures in regards to gf pizza”, and that I should “stay tuned”!  Well, let’s hope to hear back from them soon.