It was my birthday a couple weeks back.
My first gluten-free birthday at that. This made the choice of where to eat a bit more of a challenge. Since my birthday falls on International Talk Like A Pirate Day…the normal go-to spot was Joe’s Crab Shack. But…two years ago I became a vegetarian and back in February, I was instructed to go gluten-free (and, wow…I feel SO much better)…so the fried fishes at Joe’s were no longer an option for me. At all. And who really just wants a salad on their birthday?
I had found out via quite a few blogs about how BJ’s Restaurant and Brewhouse had added a gluten-free menu to their restaurant. And…it just so happened that we have a BJs in the Louisville area. So, my roommate suggested it to her mom, who was treating me to the birthday meal out, and the decision was made.
BJ’s was a busy place that day. We had to wait a couple minutes to be seated, but that was fine. With one of the major bridges closed between Southern Indiana and Louisville, KY…half of the dinner party was still trying to get into Kentucky. So…the wait was a good thing. We were seated, everyone made it, and we all began to peruse the menu. While the gluten-free at BJ’s is small (for the moment), it did have quite a few options for me.
Plenty of salads…a vegetable stuffed baked potato…a huge baked potato…soups (Tuscan tomato bisque or broccoli cheddar)…or a thin-crust pizza with any choice of their gluten-free toppings (which is all of them except the meatballs…which this vegetarian wasn’t interested in anyway). There is even a dessert option (something rarely seen in restaurants around here) for a gluten-free “pizookie” or basically a giant chocolate chip cookie served in a deep-dish pan and topped with vanilla ice cream. Pause for a moment…to drool.
I went with the pizza. After all…that would mean leftovers because…there was no way I could eat a 10-inch thin-crust pizza in one sitting. Well, I could, but I wouldn’t feel too good afterwards. I opted to top mine with mushrooms and roasted garlic…because that sounded really good. Everyone else did a variety of things…from sandwiches to pork chops, to a deep-dish pizza….to fish and chips. So, we had quite the variety on our table when all was said and done.
Food was delivered and my pizza looked and smelled amazing. I have always preferred thin-crust pizzas to pan or deep-dish pizzas, so this was exquisite! I waited for everyone to get their food, then as we all dove in for our first tastes, I picked up a slice, moved it to my plate (it was hot), and picked up a fork and knife to have my first taste.
It was…delicious. The gluten-free pizza crust was crispy, yet still had a bit of give to it. Just how I like my pizzas. I want them to hold up to the sauce and toppings and not fall apart when picked up. But I don’t want to be crunching on my crust either. And BJ’s had just the right consistency with theirs. The cheese, tomato sauce, roasted garlic, and mushrooms just melted together, the flavor just incredible. Pair it with the herb-infused crust and it was gluten-free magic. Honestly…this pizza was something to rave about. And I do…often. Because this experience made me want to go back to BJ’s and bring other people with me to try it out.
With leftovers in hand, we skipped dessert (but I will go back with a couple people and get that gluten-free chocolate chip pizookie!) as I had some homemade strawberry shortcakes at home for my birthday treat.
The service was fantastic. The restaurant caters to people with food allergies. And I felt safe eating there. I knew…what was put in front of me would not make me feel sick or hurt after eating it. And that was a confidence I wish I had when I ate out at more places. Big kudos to BJ’s Restaurant and Brewhouse for their foray into the gluten-free market and helping gluten-free diners like me feel confident in eating there.
Can’t wait to come back and try another gluten-free treat!
The Celiathlete 