I had heard that 900 Wall in downtown Bend had a gluten-free menu, often a good sign, so on Mother’s Day, my husband and I stopped in for Happy Hour. We got the Happy Hour and GF menus and went to work deciding on some small plates, of which there are many. We ordered the beef carpaccio, the house-made mortadella, oysters and shrimp.
The carpaccio proved to be a bountiful plate of melt-in-your mouth thinly sliced beef topped with a nest of crisp arugula and shredded parmesan. A squeeze of lemon sealed the deal.
The Pacific Northwest oysters were satisfyingly meaty and came with a tangy champagne-vinegar mignonette. The peel-and-eat wild shrimp were a bit severe in their simplicity, but a tasty house-made cocktail sauce brightened them up.
My husband liked the mortadella more than I, but he’s the Italian in the family so I will yield. He received some crisp flatbread to accompany it, but sadly no GF crackers were to be seen.
As always, I was excited to see french fries on the GF menu. As a precaution, I asked if they were made in a dedicated fryer. The server said no, so she was informed but mildly indifferent about the item’s placement on the GF menu. I also noted at the bottom of the GF menu the deadly disclaimer that inspires fear in any celiac diner. In this case, it read, “For most of you who want to lessen your exposure to gluten in our food, this menu will suffice. For those of you with acute sensitivities and celiac disease, I’m sorry but we cannot guarantee that we are 100% free of cross-contamination.” Fair enough. Accidental cross-contamination can occur, but when there’s no doubt an item will be compromised, as with fries cooked in a shared fryer, please don’t include it on a GF menu.
All in all, a bit of a mixed bag. There are plenty of GF options to choose from here, but ask questions, be selective and don’t expect any handholding.
900 NW Wall Street , Bend, OR 97701, 541-323-6295