Gluten-free in DC?

[jcanncuk]

Anyone out there with some recs for excellent food in DC (staying in Dupont Circle, but will cab or metro anywhere)? NO chains please - we are NOT interested in Legal Seafoods, Outback, etc. Also not really interested in the classic steak house. We tend to go to smaller, chef-run restos that are sympathetic and careful with food prep so that would be the ideal. Any recs considered though.

[BuckyinDC]

My sister must eat gluten free meals -- and every time she visits DC she loves to go for Ethiopian. Injera made from millet flour is gluten free. We went to Etete last time.

[jcanncuk]

Agree on that one - have been to Dukem and this time will give Queen Makeda a try. FYI - injera is made from teff flour, not millet, but both are happily gluten-free :-)

[jcanncuk]

BEWARE - since my DH's celiac disease is a new thing, I called Queen Makeda and Dukem and they BOTH use teff AND wheat flour in their injera - hugely disappointing as it can be made gluten-free with just teff......oh well !!! Better to know than for him to get sick afterwards!

[kdbarlow]

As pointed out above, Jose Andres' restaurants have separate menus listing only gluten free items and the waitstaff is supposed to trained to accomodate customers who have the need for a gluten free menu.

I dined at Oyamel this past Saturday with a friend who suffers from celiac disease and she was quite happy with the gluten free offerings.

[celestialsoul5]

Meskerem Ethiopian Restaurant in DC also uses wheat flour in their injera. I think with the current economic situation more and more restaurants are moving in that direction because it's much cheaper.

[botnot]

I recommend checking out Sticky Fingers in Columbia Heights. It's a vegan bakery/coffeehouse that serves an awesome vegan breakfast and they serve a lot of gluten free things.

[tracy_dc]

Probably not a good recommendation for you while staying in Dupont...
but if anyone else is looking for gluten free ideas, I've seen gluten free sweets at Buzz Bakery in Alexandria.

[chocolatstiletto]

Definitely not in the same range as Equinox, etc., but Nirvana is a lovely vegetarian Indian Place over by Farragut West, I think, and every dish is labeled for vegan/gluten tastes. My mother has a wheat allergy, and we've never had any problems- plus the owner would be totally happy to assist you in pulling together something if you were unsure. Fun for lunch or a more informal dinner.

[ktmoomau]

I would call Equinox, they have a chef-run resto that is smaller and very careful to do seasonal and careful food prep, but I don't know about the gluten, I am sure they would.

[Elyssa]

I 2nd this recommendation. I have found Equinox to be very accomidating. Many times the higher-ed restaurants will be willing to create a special menu for you if you give them enough time to prepare.

I have never eaten at CityZen but I have heard they will create special menus for people with special dietary needs especially vegans. So perhaps they will do this for a gluten-free meal.