NYC: Center of the Gluten-Free Universe

It is already well-established by scientists that New York City is the center of the universe.  But after just three weeks of living here I've come to my own conclusion:  New York City is also the center of the gluten-free universe.  There's just no debate.

Now, I am not/will never be a "food blogger" in the traditional sense of the term.  The number of people reviewing restaurants on the internet is already well past its saturation point, and quite frankly I know that no one cares what I ate for lunch last Tuesday, and how good it was, etc.

Having said that, I am utterly blown away by the amount of gluten-free friendly restaurants within walking distance from my apartment in Greenwich Village.  I feel compelled to share this information, if only so that desperate celiacs around the country will know where to migrate.  Not to my apartment... I meant to the city.  I should probably clarify that.  Moving on...

First, there's S'MAC (345 East 12th Street).  Sarita's Macaroni & Cheese eatery allows you to order ANYTHING from their menu gluten-free.  Brown rice elbow macaroni can be substituted for an additional charge, and they even use gluten-free cornflakes rather than actual bread to make the breadcrumbs for every dish.  And instead of Small, Medium, and Large, they've taken a play out of Starbucks' book and gone with their own sizing system: Nosh, Major Munch, Mongo, and Partay!  For a restaurant that only serves macaroni they do extremely well, but it's easy to understand why.

The majority of Indian food is naturally gluten-free, so when it comes to Indian restaurants celiacs can usually just pick one and not have to worry.  But Panna II Garden (93 1st Ave) is not your typical Indian restaurant.  For one, the dining room is like New Delhi on acid.  Their motto is "Where Christmas Tree Lights Meets Chili Pepper Lights" and nothing has ever been more accurate.  If you suffer from seizures I warn you to exercise caution when entering the labyrinth of low-hanging bright flashing light bulbs.  And make sure you tell them it's your birthday.  The waiters will serenade you with a masterful techno-Bollywood rendition of "Happy Birthday" before serving you a complimentary mango sorbet.  Also, like any fine establishment Panna II is BYOB.  It's the little things that count.

Although potatoes are gluten-free, eating french fries is nearly impossible as a celiac.  Most restaurants use the same frialator and do not change the oil when cooking different things; as soon as a breaded chicken finger or mozzarella stick is fried, the oil is contaminated with gluten.  At that point only a celiac with a death wish would eat anything from that frialator, including the otherwise safe french fries.
But at Pommes Frites (123 2nd Ave) this is not an issue; the only option on the menu is authentic Belgian french fries.  Nearly 30 Tasty Sauces cover the entire spectrum of flavors.  Not all of the sauces are gluten-free, but the shop is well aware of gluten and will provide you with a menu that clearly identifies the contents and allergen information on request.  Unfortunately, I had to choose something other than Vietnamese Pineapple Mayo, as I learned that it contains soy sauce... I guess I can't expect to get everything I want.

Risotteria (270 Bleecker Street) is the self-proclaimed "gluten-free heaven" and I can't really argue with them.  Unlike many restaurants that stock frozen gluten-free bread to offer as an alternative, at Risotteria everything is baked fresh in the kitchen.  Every gluten-free menu item is clearly marked with a "g", meaning that even the semi-literate celiacs are in luck.  Your food comes adorned with a little flag that reads, "The Celiac Seal: Certified Gluten-Free" with a picture of a baby seal.  In addition to being clever, Risotteria offers gluten-free pizzas, gluten-free risottos, gluten-free paninis... even the breadsticks are gluten-free.  And all of the desserts, too.  Lastly, they serve no less than FIVE gluten-free beers (RedBridge, Bard's Tale, New Grist, Green's, and St. Peter's).  So yeah, I'd say they make a pretty good case for gluten-free heaven.

Alright.  I know you've been wondering for the last two minutes, and I don't want to ruin anybody's

We are open!

day, so I'll tell you.  Last Tuesday I had a Pondicherry Dosa for lunch.  And it was really, really good.  NY Dosas (50 Washington Square South) is a South Indian street cart vendor that sets up shop in front of Washington Square Park just a block away from the law school.  My new best friend Thirukumar, or Dosa Man as he's more commonly known, assured me that all of his Dosas (except Rava) as well as the vegan soy drumsticks are gluten-free.  But the best part?  Dosa Man is on twitter; you can follow him @nydosas.  Everyday at about 8:30 AM he tweets, "we are open".  It's like clockwork.  Except, of course, during Hurricane Irene, when he tweeted, "we are not open".  High comedy.

So as you can see, I live in the center of the gluten-free universe.  If you still don't believe me, yelp has my back on this one.  New York City is a mecca for celiacs, and all of you gluten-eaters better watch out.  We're taking over.  You've been warned.  Now excuse me while I bury my face in my macaroni.