More Dining-Out Choices for Celiac Patients in New Jersey

IN 2009, Deborah Gianelli, 58, of Montclair, was told she hadceliac disease, a disorder in which the immune system attacks the small intestine in response to gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye and barley.

The diagnosis was“devastating,” she said. Pasta and bread were among her favorite foods. She also enjoyed eating out, especially at Italian restaurants.La Riviera Trattoriain Clifton, where she and her family had been regulars for 15 years, was a favorite.

“I thought,‘Well, that’s the end of that,’ ” she said.

Then, a week after Ms. Gianelli’s disease was diagnosed, Maria Carlino, the daughter of Franco and Danica Carlino, the owners of La Riviera Trattoria, also learned she had celiac disease.

For Ms. Gianelli, being in the same dietary boat as Maria Carlino has helped restore her lifestyle.

“I’m at La Riviera once a week now, almost every Friday night,” she said. A gluten-free menu has been in place, along with the regular menu, since shortly after Ms. Carlino received her diagnosis.

Ms. Carlino, 32, of Bernardsville, is the manager of the 1,200-square-foot, 75-seat restaurant. She is also at the forefront of what Susan Goodstadt-Levin of Glen Rock sees as an effort to“normalize” the dining-out experience for celiac patients in New Jersey. Ms. Goodstadt-Levin is a leader, with Diane Caleca McGee of Paramus, of theNorthern New Jersey Celiac Disease Support Group, also in Paramus.

“A lot of restaurants have become aware of gluten-free products, and they see the value of having them on their menu,” Ms. Goodstadt-Levin said.

Several chain restaurants, includingP. F. Chang’sandUno’sChicago Grill, offer gluten-free selections, and a few independent New Jersey restaurants, including La Riviera Trattoria andHailey’s Harp&Pub, an Irish-themed bar in Metuchen, carryRed Bridge, a gluten-free beer introduced by Anheuser-Busch in 2006. (Park&Orchard, an eclectic restaurant in East Rutherford that offers a celiac-friendly menu, stocksGreens, a double-dark wheat-free beer from Belgium.)

“We started the gluten-free menu two years ago because we just had so many requests,” said Steven Chia, the owner of A Taste of Asia in Chatham; it serves mostly Malaysian cuisine and has been open since 2000.

On a recent afternoon tour of La Riviera Trattoria’s kitchen, Mr. Carlino, of West Caldwell, who is the restaurant’s chef— his son, Antonio Carlino, is the sous-chef— demonstrated what went into accommodating diners who avoid foods containing gluten.

A separate pot is used to boil thepasta. Stainless-steel vats of wheat-free farina, through which cuts of veal and chicken used for parmigiana dishes are dragged, are kept clear of the regular flour vats. Marinara sauces are prepared in a designated skillet with designated products. Even serving dishes are stacked separately.

“We don’t want anybody getting sick,” Mr. Carlino said.

Ms. Carlino hosted two invitation-only gluten-free dinners at La Riviera Trattoria last year. In June, 20 people came. At the second, in November, which included product presentations and sales— Ms. Carlino travels to Italy regularly to investigate new gluten-free foods— attendance swelled to 60. Monday, she will host a third dinner— $50 a person, including appetizers, entree, beverage, dessert and tip— and expects up to 80 people.“That’s all my father can handle,” she said.

The growth in the event may parallel a general increase in the awareness of and interest in gluten-free dining options. According to Diane Holtaway, associate director of client services at theRutgers Food Innovation Centerin Bridgeton, which is part of Rutgers University,“Europe has been ahead of us on gluten-free dining, but now it’s growing by leaps and bounds” in the United States. Dr. Schär U.S.A., a division of a European gluten-free food manufacturer, is making gluten-free bread at the center, she said, and building a production plant in Gloucester County.

“Everyone’s seeing there’s a critical need here,” said Ms. Holtaway, of Turnersville. That is evident at two gluten-free New Jersey bakeries. Kathie Schwarz of Millington openedGluten Free Gloriouslyin Stirling in 2009 after years of home baking.

Ms. Schwarz, 52, said her disease was diagnosed nine years ago.“I was baking out of my house, out of necessity, because anything you could get gluten-free nine years ago tasted like Styrofoam,” she said.“Now we have people coming from New York, from Pennsylvania.”

Ms. Schwarz, who specializes in Italian bread and wraps, makes her products at the 1,000-square-foot bakery but sells most of them frozen, to avoid staleness.“They defrost great,” she said.

AtFallon’s Gluten Free Bake Shopin Fords, the emphasis is on fresh-baked products.“We do biscotti, muffins, cupcakes, pizza shells,” said Bob Hyer, an owner of the 800-square-foot shop with his wife, Tina, and daughter Fallon.“They’re all fresh, not frozen, because that’s hard for people with celiac to find.” Fallon Hyer, 23, who has celiac disease, is the baker.

The cost of the New York crumb cake, a popular item there ($3.50 a slice), reflects the price of its ingredients.

“One of the hardships when you eat gluten-free is the cost of food,” Ms. Holtaway said.“It’s very expensive, and you have to use totally different ingredients and processes.”

At La Riviera Trattoria, some gluten-free entrees cost $2 to $3 more than their counterparts on the regular menu. Holding up a small package of gluten-free pasta during the kitchen tour, Ms. Carlino said,“A bag of this pasta costs $7 retail.”

Where to Go

These restaurants offer gluten-free options; the bakeries are entirely gluten-free. For a more extensive list of establishments:glutenfreeceliacweb.com.

LA RIVIERA TRATTORIA421-27 Piaget Avenue, Clifton;larivieratrattoria.comor (973) 478-4181. $16.95 for spruzzopastawith marinara, basil, garlic and olive oil to $21.95 for veal parmigiana.

HAILEY’S HARP&PUB400 Main Street, Metuchen;haileysharpandpub.comor (732) 321-0777. $8.99 for“naked” chicken wings to $12.99 for corned beef and cabbage.

PARK&ORCHARD240 Hackensack Street, East Rutherford; (201) 939-9292 orparkandorchard.com. $19.95 for dairy- and wheat-free lasagne to $27.95 for Jasper’s crabmeat pasta with rice penne or linguine (both include soup orsalad).

A TASTE OF ASIA245 Main Street, Chatham;atasteofasianj.comor (973) 701-8821. $11 for Asian bok choy (baby greens lightly stir-fried with ginger and garlic) to $18.50 for Asam fish fillet (turbot fillet simmered in tamarind broth with vegetables). 

GLUTEN FREE GLORIOUSLY267 Main Avenue, Stirling;glutenfreegloriously.comor (908) 647-7337. $1 to $2 each forcookiesand brownies to $16 for a 14-inch pepperoni pizza.

FALLON’S GLUTEN FREE BAKE SHOP339 Crows Mill Road, Fords; (732) 710-3338 orfallonsglutenfreebakeshop.com. $3.50 for a slice of New York crumb cake; $8 for a pound-and-a-half loaf of multigrain bread; about $65 for an eight-inch birthday cake.

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