Top Spots in Tosa Offer Great Gluten-Free Dining

For those on gluten-free diets, whether diagnosed with celiac disease or not, there is good news nearby: Some of Tosa's top chefs and most popular dining spots now offer extensive gluten-free menu options or special preparations on request.

First, though, what is celiac disease and what has gluten got to do with it?

Before there were gluten-free diets, there were bananas.

Although today the connection between gluten and celiac disease is well known, in the early 20th century, children who displayed signs of celiac disease, which in its severe stages resembled the symptoms of starvation and which had been identified as early as the second century, were hospitalized for months, and fed nothing but bananas.

The culprits in this so-called “wasting-away disease” were thought to be carbohydrates – except for the kind in bananas – and fats.

A flour shortage led to the identification of wheat as a target, when Dutch doctors observed that the number of children dying from this disease dropped to nearly zero. When bread became plentiful again, mortality rates returned to their previous figures. Further research in mid-century showed that a protein called gluten, which is also present in rye and barley, was in fact the trigger for celiac disease.

Although initially thought to be quite rare, symptoms of celiac disease vary widely, and experts think many people remain undiagnosed, with at least 1 percent of the population having the disease. In addition, many people who do not have the disease nevertheless are intolerant of, or unable to digest, gluten.

That’s the bad news. The good news, especially for celiacs in Wauwatosa, is that a growing number of local restaurants are committed to providing gluten-free options.

Moving right past the low-hanging fruit of dishes that are easy to make gluten-free, such as unsauced meats and vegetables, Miles Borghgraef, sous chef at Ristorante Bartolotta, goes right for the pasta.

“I feel a personal joy feeding a guest with celiac, because they haven’t had ravioli in a long time,” said Borghgraef. “And we have an in-home tagliatelli that we make every day.”

The ravioli recipe was created for a gluten-free event, and Borghgraef experimented with several different flours before hitting on the specific blend that he says is “something that guests don’t even know is gluten-free.”

Ristorante Bartolotta staff work to provide confidence that the food will be prepared without any contact with gluten. “We want to eliminate confusion the first five minutes the guest walks in,” said Borghgraef. “We want them to come in, relax, and we take care of the rest.”

He described a process in which a server, learning what the guest wants, consults with the chef, making adjustments where necessary, ensuring that most of the menu is available to guests who eat gluten-free.

Michael Feker, chef-owner of Il Mito Trattoria & Enoteca, is animated in describing his approach to gluten-free dining.

“It’s not only an allergy, it’s truly a disease,” he said. “These customers have as much right to flavorful dinners as anyone else.”

Il Mito offers gluten-free pasta, panini, bread and pizza, and Feker uses a variety of flours to create the textures and flavors that are hard to find for gluten-free diners.

“My pastas are mainly cornmeal and egg,” he said, whereas for breading, he notes that “chickpea flour gives a great crust.” He’s also begun to experiment with almond meal as a flour replacement.

Feker has also created a gluten-free pizza crust. “Pizza dough is very tricky,” Feker said. “Many of the gluten-free flours don’t have the elasticity.”

Feker is dedicated to avoiding cross-contamination in his restaurant, noting that “It’s not just saying ‘We’re not using flour.’ Just because you’re busy, you don’t cut corners.

“Everything is made in the house. You can really eat gluten-free.”

Il Mito maintains separate stations for the preparation of gluten-free food, including using separate water for cooking pasta and a separate part of the oven for baking.

Feker uses many gluten-free ingredients throughout his kitchen. “The question is, ‘How can you make something that everybody uses, and still tastes great?’” He added, “I love these challenges. They make me a better chef.”

As knowledgeable diners know, gluten is present in many foods besides bread and pasta, and celiacs and others avoiding gluten can be tripped up by sauces, dressings, and distilled alcoholic drinks, including beer, which is made with wheat and barley.

Although some restaurants offer a gluten-free brew, Café Hollander is one of the few places that offers a variety. Assistant manager Jennifer Cherry points to the four gluten-free brews on Café Hollander’s menu, including a Belgian amber and a tripel ale, as well as a cider.

The restaurant also has a gluten-free menu, and its sauces and dressings are made in-house. “The menu includes burgers and sandwiches served without the bun,” Cherry said. She notes that some foods, although technically gluten-free, are not prepared in separate fryers, so diners with extreme sensitivity to gluten should discuss their choices with staff.

Pizzeria Piccola has offered gluten-free crusts for over a year, and these are made in-house.

“Chef Juan Urbieta created the recipe. It’s very challenging. He went through a lot of recipes, and we’re extremely proud of our dough” said general manager Irene Lannoye. “We do take extra measures for cross-contamination. We prepare the crusts first thing in the morning, when everything is clean. Then we par-bake the crusts.”

Although customers can order any of the toppings with a gluten-free crust, Lannoye said that the same oven is used for regular and gluten-free crusts, which might deter those with especially severe allergies. “The oven is heated to 600 degrees, so most of the flour is burned away.”

Pizzeria Piccola also offers a gluten-free pasta, which is cooked in separate water, and makes its sauces and dressings in-house to avoid thickeners. She has even experimented with using the gluten-free pizza crust to make a panini sandwich.

Even though gluten-free is becoming mainstream, diners should continue to advocate for themselves. To ensure getting the level of safety needed, and to avoid dangerous additives, Il Mito’s Feker advises, “Stay focused on eating at small mom and pop restaurants. Ask questions; don’t be shy about it.”

 With innovative pastas, mouth-watering pizzas, and more tailored to a gluten-free diet, the banana has been all but banished from these restaurants, only showing up in a place that even a banana-weary child might love: on the dessert menu, in a sorbet.