Foodie needs a good gluten free menu

[boxergirl801]

I will be in NYC in a few weeks for a celebration with a group of foodies. I am looking for suggestions to someplace with great food, nice atmosphere and a gluten free menu for one of our guests. All those that have gluten free menus, that I have found so far, seem to be lacking in atmosphere or great food that isn't gluten free. Suggestions?

[a_and_w]

My cousin is actually dating someone gluten free, and his advice is to avoid places that specialize in gluten free. Most regular menus already offer many options that are already gluten-free or can be with a small modification. By contrast, gluten free establishments resort to inferior substitutions for gluten (e.g., gluten free pasta, etc.) which he feels are never as tasty as the real thing. We avoid Chinese and Japanese (Korean is better if you want Asian food) but I've never seen him have a problem at high-end American or French places.

[RGR]

You do not have to look for a restaurant that has a specific gluten-free menu. At Dovetail, the cuisine is superb, service is attentive, and the atmospherics are pleasant. Our son-in-law is gluten intolerant, and he was able to eat exceptionally well when we had dinner there recently because they were very accommodating to his needs. Some dishes he ordered were fine just as they were. In the case of others, the kitchen made minor adjustments in order to meet his restrictions. He was particularly thrilled with dessert. In most restaurants, he is usually limited to sorbet and ice cream. At Dovetail, there were two items on the dessert menu that were gluten-free.

Photos of our dinner at Dovetail can be seen here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/11863391...

[nativeNYer]

photos are devine. you think i become a daughter-in-law?

[RGR]

Thanks for the compliment, nativeNYer. No sons, just one daughter. The interesting thing is that our son-in-law is more of a foodie than our daughter.

[nativeNYer]

you may find this link helpful: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/664700

i totally agree with the risotteria recommendation.

[polycultural]

You might want to try a raw vegan restaurant. I like Pure Food and Wine, it has great ambiance. Rockin Raw in Brooklyn is also very nice. You can also call the major steak houses like Prime Meats and ask if they can do gluten free.

[aw234]

Stanton Social! They have a gluten free menu. It was one of the few times i've gone out to dinner and not felt left out having to eat gluten free - and didn't have to drag my friends to a gluten free place. braised short ribs are esp good.

[okaygo]

Friedman's Lunch in Chelsea Market is also great (casual but charming), just started serving dinner, and has a phenomenal gluten-free menu. It's not on their website, but it was posted about at http://www.celiacchicks.com/2009/12/g... .

I've also found that any decent restaurant is willing to accommodate a gluten-free diner (I eat out often and cannot eat gluten). Recently, I remember my waiter at Craft being especially knowledgeable.

[jeffreylydon]

Check out Risotteria on Bleecker Street in the Village. It's not fancy but the food is good and there are lots of excellent gluten free choices - including beers.