Gluten-free menu changes

I noticed a couple of changes on gluten-free menus at restaurants I visited in the last few days -- one positive and one negative.

The negative was during my visit to P.F. Changs China Bistro. Now don't get me wrong, I still love P.F. Changs and the efforts they make to prevent cross-contamination. However, I did not notice that the gluten-free menu had shrunk a bit. There were fewer items available than on my last visit.

I asked the waiter about that and he told me that the menus change seasonally, and that may be why some items were removed from the menu.

I still have a very enjoyable meal and would still highly recommend P.F. Changs, however.

The positive change was during a visit to Jason's Deli. It's menu, which it calls "gluten sensitive," includes a build-your-own sandwich option on gluten-free bread, which is what I always get there. In fact, that's why I go there -- to get a sandwich on gluten-free bread.

The new item was actually on the kid's menu, which I probably wouldn't have noticed except for a sign promoting it near the door. It's called "J.D. Nuggetz" and is a gluten-free chicken nuggets meal breaded in cornmeal and baked. It looks like a pretty good option for kids.

If you've never been to Jason's, you may be scared off about their warnings that their gluten-free menu is not recommended for people with celiac disease because they are concerned about cross-contamination. However, I've made numerous visits to both Jason's restaurants in Jacksonville and if you tell them you have a gluten allergy, they seem to make a good effort to try and prevent cross-contamination. I have no issues eating there.