Re: Oh My Gosh! - Lunch at Carino's Italian Grill was fabulous!

[Guest guest]

Thank you so much for the detailed message. I live in Hollister so this is perfect for me. I had the same tearing up experience at Estebans in Monterey. When I told the waiter that I needed gluten free he said let me check with the chef and came back with a basket of gluten free bread. So impressive. I hear Monterey is good for shoe shopping! Tania Hersom <susan.hersom@...> wrote: Only another celiac can truly understand how much it means to eat out at a restaurant

and absolutely enjoy your meal! That is what happened to me today, and I couldn't wait to share with you.I had lunch at Carino's Italian Grill in Gilroy this afternoon. I went shopping at the Gilroy outlets, and this fine restaurant was only one exit down on Highway 101 from the outlets! Carino's is also located in Fremont and Antioch - and other locations further outside the Bay Area.Carino's Italian Grill (or ny Carino's) is a chain of restaurants that works with the the GIG group (like Outback and pfChangs) to provide a gluten-free menu for us. On Carino's website (just type www. and then carinos.com in your web browser) and you will be brought to their website. Right there under menus are the magic words "Gluten Free!"I spoke with Carino's manager, Castro, and even though he was not familiar with gluten-free, I gave him a print-out of the website gluten-free menu, and he read it

thoroughly and was so accommodating! He even suggested that he should tell the chef to use clean tongs when he took a piece of chicken to cook so I knew that he understood the perils we face when eating out. (They always use clean pans for each order.)Okay, now to the good stuff. What is Gilroy noted for - their garlic, of course! They brought out a plate of little roasted garlic pieces and then poured their wonderful concoction of oil, vinegar and herbs for us to dip our bread in. Of course I couldn't eat the bread, but thinking ahead, I had toasted and buttered a couple of pieces of Kinnikinnick english muffins and had kept them warm so I asked for a separate plate of garlic and oil to dip my bread in. It was absolute heaven, not too garlicy - just absolutely delicious. I then had a bowl of Italian chili soup (their garlic potato and Italian chili soups are gluten-free). I began to tear up a little bit

at that point because I was so happy - SOUP! The manager even brought out the ingredients to the soup so I could I be sure!Now on to the entrees! Well, they don't have g-f pasta yet, but will substitute veggies or potatoes for the pasta. I ordered the chicken scaloppini with roasted red potatoes. Their sauce of sliced mushrooms, diced roma tomatoes and bacon in a lemon butter cream sauce is to die for! Okay, by then I was absolutely euphoric! The only thing I would do different is ask for the potatoes on the side because they put the chicken on top of the potatoes and then poured that wonderful sauce on top of it all (like they do the pasta). The manager was so sweet - he ordered another plate of red potatoes for me! They have ice cream for dessert, but I was so full and happy by that time, I didn't have room!They have other wonderful entrees - grilled chicken diavolo, lemon rosemary chicken, chicken marsala,

grilled strip steak, cedar planked salmon, etc. You should have to be sure to tell them not to flour the chicken and substitute sauteed green beans, garlic sauteed spinach or roasted red potatoes! Who knows! Maybe if enough of us go there to eat they might even bring in some g-f pasta!! I'm secretly hoping the pair of shoes I bought at the outlet doesn't fit so I can use that as an excuse to head back down there and enjoy another meal very soon!Hope you make it to one of the restaurants and have such a great experience like I did. The usual disclaimer - eating out is risky!Enjoy!Sue