Ted’s Red Hots has been an institution in these parts for many years. Since I went gluten-free, I’ve been to Ted’s but with a gluten-free bun in my purse! We just stopped in for a quick dinner recently and were thrilled to see the sign that they now have gluten-free buns! They are 50 cents each and are kept sealed in individual plastic bags. They are warmed before serving. They do not place them on the grill, and they are held with a napkin under them. While I am so sensitive to gluten that cross-contamination bothers me, I know others are, so I watched closely. If you are concerned, I would ask the server to change gloves before filling your order. Get your own ketchup out of the dispenser. The other condiments are used with a spoon the may sometimes touch buns, so you might want to avoid those if you are concerned.

Ted’s fries their onion rings and French fries in the same oil.

Ted’s Red Hots has been an institution in these parts for many years. Since I went gluten-free, I’ve been to Ted’s but with a gluten-free bun in my purse! We just stopped in for a quick dinner recently and were thrilled to see the sign that they now have gluten-free buns! They are 50 cents … Read more →

You know you’ve got a fighting chance for a safe GF meal at a Mexican restaurant since corn tortillas are (usually – you should always ask!) gluten-free. La Tolteca on Transit Road in Williamsville was a regular joint for us before we became GF. We headed there recently again.

First, let me shout and stomp about one of my pet peeves. If you have a gluten-free menu, please put it on your web site! La Tolteca does not and you wouldn’t know you could eat there unless you made the effort to call ahead.

And then there is my second pet peeve. If you have a gluten-free menu or special gluten-free options, please mention it on your menu! Even a little box that says “ask about our gluten-free menu” would be enough.

La Tolteca has gluten-free options, but you wouldn’t know it from looking at their menu. We asked

and while they do have gluten-free options, there is nothing in writing to guide you. Instead, our waitress pointed at various areas of the menu. It was very, very confusing. In fact, it was so confusing, I can’t even remember what was and wasn’t GF. There was something craziness about how you can order an enchilada but only with burrito sauce, or the other way around. And corn tortillas cannot be substituted for all flour tortillas on the menu. I asked why and was told “because they are smaller.” This made no sense to me at all. I really wanted a quesadilla, which would be completely GF since it has cheese and veggies and meat in it, no sauces, but was told that couldn’t be done. Instead, we were told to look for menu items that said they could be made with flour or corn tortillas, then ask if the ingredients are GF.

I ended up with the fajitas. My husband had either an enchilada with burrito sauce or a burrito with enchilada sauce (neither of us can remember which).

The refried beans are GF. The chips are GF. The Spanish rice is GF. There are a fair number of options here, but the problem is trying to determine what exactly they are. They really need to print up a sheet listing what is available for clarity. We had to ask our waitress to come over several times to answer questions. All of this could have been avoided with a printed GF menu.

We find the food here to always be acceptable. It’s not fantastic, but it is reliable. I’m still mourning my quesadilla, but we will probably be back again in the future if the craving for Mexican hits us.

You know you’ve got a fighting chance for a safe GF meal at a Mexican restaurant since corn tortillas are (usually – you should always ask!) gluten-free. La Tolteca on Transit Road in Williamsville was a regular joint for us before we became GF. We headed there recently again. First, let me shout and stomp about one … Read more →

The quest for a good gluten-free pizza continues. One of our first stops was Rocco’s Wood-Fired Pizza on Transit Road in Amherst. I’d heard that Rocco had GF pizza, but you wouldn’t know it from their online menu. You also wouldn’t know it unless you asked the waitress. Sigh. How do they expect diners to even know to ask if they don’t let us know they have options?

We started with a Caesar salad (sans croutons) which was good. We ordered a GF pizza. I think this is the same crust used by other local pizza parlors – I do not think they make their own. It was thin and cardboard-like. It’s the identical size that you find in every restaurant that offers it. I think they’re all ordering it from the same supplier sadly. Yes, it’s made in the wood oven, but it didn’t do much to help it. The toppings and sauce were all good.

We also tried their Wood Oven Roasted Chicken Wings which are GF. These sounded delicious (marinated in lemon, olive oil, garlic and herbs then roasted in the wood oven). They were a bit rubbery however, as the skin did not crisp. The flavor was great, but they were very oily. I would love to try a chicken breast marinated then cooked in the oven this way, but wings are too greasy I think.

Rocco’s is a bit loud, with big screens playing the sporting event of the day. The tables feel a bit crowded together and it’s quite loud inside.

I’m still looking for a good GF pizza.

 

The quest for a good gluten-free pizza continues. One of our first stops was Rocco’s Wood-Fired Pizza on Transit Road in Amherst. I’d heard that Rocco had GF pizza, but you wouldn’t know it from their online menu. You also wouldn’t know it unless you asked the waitress. Sigh. How do they expect diners to even … Read more →