P.F. Chang's New (ish) Gluten Free Menu

Previously, I posted about PF Chang's GF Menu, and how I wish it had beef. Well, back in March of 2010, they listened and came up with a new menu with a lot more GF options.  They now have Mongolian Beef, Hong Kong Beef, Beef and Broccoli, and all the old favorites.  Here is a printable menu.  Expect to pay a bit more for GF food and receive smaller portions than the usual menu.

Here is the list of GF foods available, copied from their website on June 14th...

FYI - Look at the key.  Spicy is usually very hot (and even for people that like the heat).  They also have some GF soy sauce that you can request on the side.  Make sure that the server takes away the initial generic sauces, as they are not GF.

GLUTEN FREE CHANG'S CHICKEN LETTUCE WRAPS Quickly cooked spiced chicken served with cool lettuce cups and gluten free sauce	GLUTEN FREE CANTONESE SHRIMP OR SCALLOPS A light, mild blend of seafood, garlic and snow peas	GLUTEN FREE HONG KONG BEEF WITH SNOW PEAS Tender beef, crisp snow peas and water chestnuts together at last
EGG DROP SOUP A classic starter	GLUTEN FREE SHRIMP WITH LOBSTER SAUCE Garlic white wine sauce with Chinese black beans, mushrooms, scallions and egg	GLUTEN FREE SINGAPORE STREET NOODLES Asian "Street Fare" - shrimp, chicken and rice noodles stir-fried in our gluten free sauce
GLUTEN FREE CHANG'S SPICY CHICKEN Lightly dusted and stir-fried in a sweet Sichuan sauce. Our version of General Tso's and always a favorite	GLUTEN FREE SHRIMP WITH LOBSTER SAUCE LUNCH BOWL Garlic white wine sauce with Chinese black beans, mushrooms, scallions and egg served over a bed of rice	GLUTEN FREE FRIED RICE Wok-fried rice blended with egg, soy and sliced scallions. Choice of beef, pork, chicken, shrimp or combo.
GLUTEN FREE GINGER CHICKEN WITH BROCCOLI Served Cantonese-style on a bed of fresh steamed broccoli	GLUTEN FREE MONGOLIAN BEEF Our signature dish, quickly - cooked with scallions and garlic	GLUTEN FREE BUDDHA'S FEAST Vegetable medley served steamed
GLUTEN FREE PHILIP'S BETTER LEMON CHICKEN Lightly dusted and quick-fried chicken served with broccoli in a tart, sweet citrus sauce	GLUTEN FREE BEEF & BROCCOLI Served Cantonese-style, tossed with steamed broccoli	GLUTEN FREE BUDDHA'S FEAST LUNCH BOWL Vegetable medley served steamed over a bed of rice
GLUTEN FREE MOO GOO GAI PAN P.F. Chang's version of the classic Cantonese dish with chicken, shrimp, mushrooms and vegetables	GLUTEN FREE BEEF & BROCCOLI LUNCH BOWL Served Cantonese-style, tossed with steamed broccoli over a bed of rice	GLUTEN FREE SPINACH WITH GARLIC The name says it all
GLUTEN FREE DALI CHICKEN Our spiciest chicken dish served with sliced potatoes and leeks	GLUTEN FREE BEEF A LA SICHUAN Crispy beef strips with julienne celery and carrots. Our spiciest beef dish	GLUTEN FREE GARLIC SNAP PEAS Stir-fried with garlic
GLUTEN FREE MOO GOO GAI PAN LUNCH BOWL P.F. Chang's version of the classic Cantonese dish with chicken, shrimp, mushrooms and vegetables served over a bed of rice	GLUTEN FREE PEPPER STEAK Quickly cooked steak with red and green bell peppers, yellow onions, garlic and black pepper	GLUTEN FREE SHANGHAI CUCUMBERS Sliced, cold cucumbers sprinkled in gluten free soy sauce and sesame seeds
GLUTEN FREE CHANG'S LEMON SCALLOPS Dusted and quick-fired scallops tossed in a light lemon sauce	GLUTEN FREE PEPPER STEAK LUNCH BOWL Quickly cooked steak with red and green bell peppers, yellow onions, garlic and black pepper over a bed of rice	GF CHOCOLATE DOME DESSERT Served with fresh berries and raspberry sauce
GLUTEN FREE SALMON STEAMED WITH GINGER Served over stir-fried shiitake mushrooms, bok choy, tomatoes and asparagus

Gluten Free Pizza at BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse - Thin Crust, GF Beer, 2 enthusiastic GF thumbs up.

So, I just ate lunch at BJ's Restaurant and Brewhouse in Newport Beach, near the Balboa Pier.
BALBOA
106 Main St.
Newport Beach , CA 92661
949.675.7560
949.675.7567 FAX
At Balboa by the Pier

It is a small place, with friendly waiters and a nice ambiance.

They have some new menu items that are GF, and their new gluten free pizza is the feature item in a new promotional campaign.

Here is the table flyer...

I shared my concerns about cross contamination (why Whole Foods gluten-free pizza is to be avoided) with the waiter, who assuaged my fears by explaining that the GF pizza has a separate prep station, separate sauces, and is very obsessively kept apart from the normal pizza.   

According to their Gluten-free selections menu, they have 5 salads, some soup, 4 types of stuffed potatoes, steak, salmon, and roasted chicken that can be prepared in a gluten-free manner.  I opted for the Gluten-Free Thin Crust Pizza. 

  Their menu describes it as "A flavorful, herb-infused, 10-inch crust baked to a golden brown and topped with your favorite gluten-free toppings.  With the exception of our meatballs, all of BJ's Classic Ingredients are gluten-free."

I opted for Hawaiian with a twist. Ham, Pineapple, Roasted Garlic.  I ordered a gluten-free beer on the side (Redbridge, reviewed in another post).  It arrived looking good, and tasted better.

The entire meal, pizza with three toppings and a $4.50 beer, came to less than $20.  It was great to be out at a pizza place at the beach, with beer and without worries.  I hope that this brings BJ's some additional business so that they keep the gluten free pizza.  I know I will be back, and bringing other customers with me.

Here is a photo of the outdoor menu..

The official website is here.  The pizza toppings are here.