Off the Menu: Gusto Italian Kitchen

For my friend Maha's birthday bash she chose Gusto Italian Kitchen off Burnet Road - and of course made sure they had some gluten-free for me (such a great friend!).

As usual I called ahead to make sure and got an overwhelmingly confident response about their offerings and understanding of the diet. Upon arrival, I felt the same confidence from our waiter and the manager so I successfully ordered a VERY yummy pizza!

They let me know that the following items (all toppings and sauces included) can be made gluten-free so I will definitely be back - I miss Italian food and the more places I can get it the better :)

Please let your waiter know when you are ordering gluten-free and be sure to ask and make sure none of the menu options have changed.





Pastas:
Gemelli Pollo
Spinach & Three Cheese Lasagna
Rigatoni Arrabbiata
Pappardelle Bolognese
Spaghetti Carbonara
Linguine & Mussels

Pizzas:
The Italian Job
Margherita
Four Cheese
Mushroom
Soppressata
Bacon

Then of course - there are salad, cheese and side options upon request. Bon Appetit!

Off the Menu: North by Northwest

North by Northwest Brewery at 183N and Mopac is a hidden gem. They have a fantastic atmosphere, good food, great happy hour specials and entertainment; but because they are slightly away from downtown (for my grad school friends who think 5 miles north is far!) I think many don't know about them. I've had fantastic experiences there because I have friends from college who LOVED NXNW and it is only fitting to talk about them during SXSW :) They also do a huge celebration for Oktoberfest and have a Brewer's Brunch every weekend.

Here is their gluten-free menu - and of course they have a variety of wines! Enjoy:

Starters

• Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail

  NXNW’s twist on delicious jumbo shrimp

Salads

• Silver Lake Spinach Salad

  cucumbers, green beans, red onion & citrus shallot vinaigrette

• Garden Salad

  cucumbers, snap peas, red onions, kalamata olives & tomatoes tossed w/ baby greens and a chive basil vinaigrette

• NXNW Cobb Salad

  a flavorful mix of spring and green leaf lettuce w/ chicken, avocado, olives, bacon, tomatoes, red onion & bleu cheese in a jalapeño-cilantro buttermilk dressing

• Pan Seared Salmon

  over silver lake spinach, green beans, cucumber & red onions w/ whole grain mustard sauce

• Sirloin Salad

  grilled sirloin sliced and served over spinach, cucumbers, red onions & roma tomatoes tossed w/ a balsamic vinaigrette

Entrees

• NXNW Chicken

  grilled chicken breast w/ seasonal vegetables & choice of green beans, lentils, black beans, sauteed spinach, braised red cabbage, spinach salad or garden salad
  $8^.95

• Grilled Duck Breast

  in marsala sauce, roasted garlic parmesan polenta & seasonal vegetables

• Fresh Vegetable Grille

  a delectable blend of grilled portabello mushrooms, zucchini, eggplant & carrots w/ mint-cilantro pesto, piled high over bell pepper lentil salad

• Atlantic Salmon

  cooked on cedar planks, served over sautéed spinach w/ blue cheese scalloped potatoes in a port wine demi-glas

• Smoked Pork Tenderloin

  w/ soy ginger sauce, wasabi mashers & spiced braised red cabbage

• Grilled Center Cut Sirloin

  w/ brandy mushroom cream sauce, caramelized onion mashers & seasonal vegetables – available at lunch only