Grillin' and Chillin'

I think other chain restaurants should take a hint from Brazilian-themed steakhouses like Rodizio Grill, where grown men are clad in traditional South American cowboy garb. The servers at Outback would be dressed like Crocodile Dundee; the staff at Cheeseburger in Paradise looking like they're heading out to a Jimmy Buffett concert after work.

Put aside the kitschy sartorial choices, though, and you'll find that Brazilian steakhouses are some of the most gluten-free-friendly restaurants around. The latest to open in the Philadelphia area is Rodizio Grill's location on restaurant row in the Voorhees Town Center (13109 Town Center Blvd., 856-344-5110).

If you're not familiar with the Brazilian steakhouse concept, diners basically act as air-traffic controllers at the main course. Guests are provided with red light/green light cards, which let the gauchos roaming the dining room with freshly cooked meats on skewers know whether they want more. Like Fogo de Chao in Center City, Rodizio Grill also offers a wide selection of salad bar items (which can be ordered a la carte).

My older son and I checked out the new spot for lunch on a recent Saturday. I was encouraged ahead of our visit because the menu on the restaurant's website notes all of the items that are gluten free, including the popular Brazilian cheese bread known as pao de queijo. Perhaps it was because the restaurant had just opened, but our hostess wasn't familiar with all of the gluten-free items and the on-site menus didn't list them. Instead, she brought us a one-page list of the gluten-free options, which we consulted throughout the meal.

The salad bar options were not as plentiful as those at Fogo, but there were enough to whet our appetite ahead of the forthcoming meat feast - all of the vegetables, fruit, rice, stews, and meats and cheeses are fine for gluten-free diets.

Pacing is a deft skill at Rodizio and its ilk, since you might be too full to sample a item you really want if you, um, beef up too early. Although not all proteins are available at all times, the top sirloin and bacon-wrapped turkey are among the more popular choices for lunch and dinner and were our favorites. Sides included the spongy cheese bread, polenta, and slices of grilled and glazed pineapple.

To counter the salty entrees, we shared a couple scoops of tropical-flavored ice cream. Also gluten free is a caramel flan and a lime pie mousse, complete with a gluten-free cookie.

Like most steakhouses, Rodizio Grill isn't going to be a regular dining spot for most people. It definitely is a place for occasion dining, though, especially if the occasion is enjoying a hearty gluten-free meal.

News & Notes: April 12, 2013

Add Old City's Race Street Cafe (208 Race St., 215-627-6181) to the list of gluten-free sandwich options in Philadelphia. The restaurant's new gluten-free menu also includes several appetizers, salads and entrees.

The Marketplace Cafe restaurants at Nordstrom's King of Prussia Mall and Cherry Hill Mall locations offer gluten-free pasta in two dishes: Chicken Pasta Rossa and Chicken & Artichoke Pasta.

The Southern-influenced Rex 1516 (1516 South St., 267-319-1366) has updated its gluten-free menu for the spring season (the excellent burger remains available) and there's a new dessert that is a favorite of general manager Heather Rodkey - the mint julep, comprised of a mint chocolate pot de creme, pecan macaron and whiskey cream frosting.

Newtown Bagel Company (31 Swamp Rd., 215-497-0220) and Mullica Hill's blueplate (47 S. Main St., 856-478-2112) are carrying Sweet Note Bakery's gluten-free bagels. Newtown Bagel has a dedicated gluten-free toaster.

Rittenhouse Square Mexican El Rey (2013 Chestnut St., 215-563-3330) has an refreshed its gluten-free menu (the $10 lunch special is a bargain) and the Landmark Americana chain - with spots in University City, City Line, Wayne, West Chester and Glassboro - has added roast beef sandwiches to its gluten-free menu.

Jules Thin Crust's newest area location will open in Ardmore (149 W. Lancaster Ave., 610-896-6100) on April 15.

Reader Kristen L. emailed me to let me know that Betsy's Bakery in Camp Hill (near Harrisburg) can ship gift baskets nationwide. All baked goods are gluten free and vegan.

You have until Sunday night to enter another goodies giveaway; five winners will get to try both varieties of Pepperidge Farm's new gluten-free Baked Naturals tortilla chips.

My updated Delaware gluten-free dining e-guide is available for purchase. Featured in the Wilmington News Journal and Delaware Today's 302Health blog, the guide includes hyperlinked listings for restaurants, bakeries, markets and attractions throughout the First State, including Wilmington, Newark and resort towns like Rehoboth Beach and Dewey Beach. Updated editions published within 30 days of initial purchase will be emailed to purchasers free of charge.

Have a great weekend!

- Michael

Goodies Giveaway: Pepperidge Farm Baked Naturals

One small step for Pepperidge Farm, one giant leap for gluten-free eaters. Perhaps gluten-free Goldfish crackers are on the horizon, but in the meantime Pepperidge Farm has introduced the first gluten-free addition to its Baked Naturals lineup – Simply Tortilla and Nacho Cheese tortilla chips.

The new products have less fat per serving than the average tortilla chips (4.5g-5g total fat per 28g serving (24-25 chips) compared to 8g total fat per 28g serving) and 16 to 17 grams of whole grain per serving. Most importantly, the Nacho Cheese chips won't turn your fingers bright orange.

The Baked Naturals tortilla chips are processed in a facility where a gluten-free clean is validated at every production run, every two hours, and test at less than 20 parts per million of gluten.

The ingredients for the Simply Tortilla Chips are:

Stone Ground Corn Masa Flour, Yellow Corn Flour, Vegetable Oils (Corn, Sunflower and/or Safflower), Whole Grain Yellow Corn Flour, Cornstarch, Millet, Toasted Corn Germ, Contains 2 Percent or Less of: Salt, Teff, Soy Lecithin, Whey (Adds a Trivial Amount of Cholesterol) (Milk) and Sesame Oil.

The ingredients for the Nacho Cheese flavor are: 

Stone Ground Corn Masa Flour, Yellow Corn Flour, Vegetable Oils (Corn, Sunflower and/or Safflower), Whole Grain Yellow Corn Flour, Cornstarch, Millet, Toasted Corn Germ, Contains 2 Percent or Less of: Salt, Dehydrated Whey (Adds a Trivial Amount of Cholesterol), Teff, Buttermilk Powder (Adds a Trivial Amount of Cholesterol), Cheddar Cheese (Adds a Trivial Amount of Cholesterol) (Milk, Cultures, Salt, Enzymes, Annatto), Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Spices, Sugar, Tomato Powder, Whole Milk Solids (Adds a Trivial Amount of Cholesterol), Soy Lecithin, Corn Maltodextrin, Natural Flavors, Autolyzed Yeast Extract, Citric Acid, Gum Arabic, Soybean Oil and Sesame Seed Oil.

This week, Pepperidge Farms is offering five Gluten Free Philly readers to opportunity to win one package of each tortilla chip flavor in the latest Goodies Giveaway. To enter up to three different ways, follow the instructions below. Entries are being accepted through Sunday, April 14. You must enter a valid email address so that I can contact you if you're the winner.

Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

News & Notes: April 5. 2013

Two more Philly eateries are using Taffet's gluten-free bread for sandwiches: Fishtown's Soup Kitchen Cafe (2146 E. Susquehanna Ave., 215-427-1680) and Red Hook Coffee and Tea in Queen Village (765 S. 4th St., 215-923-0178).

Triumph Brewing Company's Princeton location (138 Nassau St., 609-924-7855) now offers a gluten-free menu.

The crab cakes, sesame tuna and several soups are listed as gluten free on the menu at Steam Pub in Southampton (606 Second St. Pike, 215-942-6468). Other items may be modified.

Seasons 52's Spring 2013 gluten-free menu is now available at the Cherry Hill Mall and King of Prussia Mall locations.

Burger 21's first area location, in Voorhees (13109 Town Center Blvd.), is set to open at the end of April. The gluten-free menu include burgers with buns, fries and salads.

A branch of Luke's Lobster will be opening in Rittenhouse Square (130 S. 17th St.). According to the company website FAQ, the lobster, crab and shrimp are gluten free without the bread. (BYO bread is welcome.) The soups are made gluten-free (Hurricane Soups have potato starch) and the Empress claws are safe.

Another Harvest Seasonal Grille & Wine Bar is slated for the area, this one planned to open in North Wales in July.

Two Philly restaurant closings to report: Percy Street BBQ's Center City location at the Comcast Center and Kris in Bella Vista.

*ndulge, a new specialty cupcake shop in Bryn Mawr (1039A W. Lancaster Ave., 484-380-2162), offers gluten-free cupcakes. Executive pastry chef Rebecca Altmann tells me that the night before a gluten-free bake, the kitchen, equipment and utensils are cleaned. The following morning, the gluten-free orders are made first thing. She keeps a separate set of measuring cups and spoons solely for gluten-free baking, as well as a separate supply of butter, sugar and cocoa. Once assembled (for example, her gluten-free vanilla cupcake is topped with a Glutino vanilla sandwich cookie), the gluten-free orders are packaged and wrapped.

The next gluten-free day at *ndulge is Sat. April 13. The shop will be offering vanilla and chocolate variations of conventional cupcakes, available only by pre-order. For vanilla, there will be Candy Apple Caramel, Snickerdoodledoo, Amaretti for Cherry, Coconut sCream, Boston Cream, Florida Key Lime, Lemonardo da Vinci and Realli Vanilli. For chocolate, customers have a choice of the Chocoholic, Peanut Butter Cup, Chocolate Nymph, Chocolate Orange, Chocolate Pistachio and Chocolate Toffee. The specialty flavor will be an April Shower cupcake - orange cake filled with a mixed berry compote, topped with a blue Curacao Italian buttercream icing and blue “raindrop” sprinkles.

Concessions stands at United Artists and Regal movie theaters will have four gluten-free varieties of GoPicnic snack boxes beginning this month: Turkey Stick & Crunch, Hummus & Crackers, Turkey Pepperoni & Cheese and Black Bean Dip & Plantain Chips.

And speaking of gluten-free concessions, Aramark debuted its newest gluten-free ballpark stand at Citizens Bank Park last weekend, as I wrote on Tuesday. The Phillies home opener is tonight and the stand is ready to roll.

Have a great weekend!

- Michael

Phinally!

I confess that I've been jealous of sports fans in cities like New York, Atlanta and Denver, who have been able to eat worry-free at Major League Baseball games for several years thanks to dedicated gluten-free stands at Citi Field, Turner Field and Coors Field. This season, it's Philly's time to join the club.

Located at Citizens Bank Park on the main concourse (Section 136), a dedicated gluten-free concessions stand brings together all of last year's offerings in one place. Phillies fans can get freshly grilled cheesesteaks and Hatfield hot dogs, pulled pork sandwiches, Seasons pizza, chicken fingers, peanuts, cookies and brownies. (The rolls and sweets are made by Sweet Christine's in Kennett Square.) In addition to soft drinks and water, the stand has Woodchuck hard cider on tap, Angry Orchard hard cider in cans and Redbridge beer in bottles.

Elsewhere at the ballpark, the Chickie's & Pete's Crab Fries in Ashburn Alley are cooked in a dedicated fryer (and the cheese sauce is fine), and all flavors of Philadelphia Water Ice (available in Ashburn Alley and stands at Sections 106, 116, 132, 208/308 and 316/416) are gluten free. Hot dogs and salads are available at the Market Express stand (Section 321/421).

The Phillies' home opener is this Friday afternoon against the Kansas City Royals. Expanded food selections are expected at Celiac Awareness Night on Friday, Aug. 16, when the Phillies take on the Dodgers at 7:05 p.m. Proceeds from sales of group tickets in the gluten-free sections will benefit celiac awareness.

Kudos to Aramark, particularly Kevin Tedesco and Jeremy Campbell, for expanding the gluten-free choices at the ballpark and dedicating efforts to making the stand a reality this season.