SOL Restaurant, Franklin, TN

Last night we rang in the New Year in Franklin rocking out to Mike Farris at the Franklin Theatre. Before the show, we had reservations around the corner at SOL. When we called for the reservation, I was excited to hear that they had a dedicated gluten free menu, so I was looking forward to ending the year with a great gluten free meal.

The entrance to SOL is a little confusing, it’s actually around the side of the building. They share the same space (and owners) as 55 South which is in the front. On the inside, the decor and atmosphere was great. We got a little corner almost all to ourselves so it was fantastic for conversation. Our hostess brought me a copy of the gluten free menu which was quite large to my surprise. After looking at the menu and then comparing it to the regular menu, it quickly became apparent that they did not keep up with the gluten free menu as much as the other and it was very out of date. My wife was looking forward to the coconut rice only to find out that they took it off the menu a while back.

For dinner I had the Cochinita Pibil: Pork Roasted for 8 Hours in Yucatan Spices served with Sour Orange Mojo, Poblano Rice & Fresh Tortillas. It was a nice sized portion, not too much, not too little. The rice was spicy, just the right amount of kick to it to add more flavor to the pork. The pork was really fatty and rich, which at times can be good, but I really wasn’t in the mood for the fatty part tonight. The one main let down is that I couldn’t have any tortillas. They have corn tortillas available, but the ones they have are not fully gluten free. I’m not sure why they would go through all the trouble to have a gluten free menu and not take a small step to have gluten free corn tortillas. Mexican food without tortillas… it’s just plain strange.

My wife had shrimp tacos. This is where we found out about the tortillas. They brought her taco’s out on lettuce which made it seem like they made the portion smaller.

Overall, we had a great night. The one really bright spot was that since they shared the bar with 55 South, I could order a Sazerac from their menu and it was perfect! I’d link to the menu on their site, but I noticed even their regular menu there was out of date from what we had at the restaurant. Sorry no photos, it was really dark and nothing turned out well enough to add.

Last words: If you are in the area, check it out, but don’t go out of your way. The staff was nice and helpful, the food was OK.

Location: 403 Main Street, Franklin, TN
Price: $$$

Visit SOL’s website: http://www.solonmain.com

Jason’s Deli – Sometimes on a rainy day you just need a soup and a gluten free sandwich!

Jason's DeliIt’s the rainy season in Nashville and well, what goes better on a rainy day that soup and a sandwich. Being Celiac, that’s not always an option. Thanks to Jason’s Deli gluten free menu though, it’s possible. Several months ago I was in Dallas for work and our driver overheard me talking about gluten free beer. His son worked at Jason’s Deli there and told us that they started serving gluten free bread and the whole staff was trained on how to handle the sandwiches to eliminate cross contamination as much as possible. As soon as I found this out I went straight down to the one on West End.

Today I enjoyed the Santa Fe Chicken Sandwich: Natural, grilled chicken breast, bacon, Swiss, guacamole, tomato, Russian dressing, on gluten free bread and a bowl of Tortilla Soup and it hit the spot. The folks behind the deli counter were great and asked me if I wanted my bread toasted warning me that it would contaminate it with gluten bread and made sure that I was safe.

Locations: West End, Cool Springs and Murfreesboro
Price: $$

See Jason’s Deli gluten free menu

Visit Jason’s Deli website

Sperry’s Restaurant – New Gluten Free Menu

So if you’re in Belle Meade or Franklin (Cool Springs) area and in the mood for a great steak, Sperry’s is the place for you. It’s on the pricey side, but Mmmm, it’s worth it. The staff is great with food allergies and the have a great gluten free menu. Watch out though, ask questions! They list their Shoe String Potatoes on the gluten free menu and they are not done in a dedicated fryer. I didn’t think about it when I ordered them and then when they came I asked. They double checked and much to my dismay, I couldn’t have them.

Price range: $$$$$

Sperry’s Gluten Free Menu

Sperry’s website

Matteo’s Gluten Free Pizza in Nashville

So I finally was able to try out Matteo’s Gluten Free Pizza out in Cool Springs. While I truly appreciate the trouble they went through to create this and know they use top quality ingredients, I have to say it is far from my favorite. I had the Italian sausage one and my wife had one with black olives. The sausage was large pieces, I generally prefer crumbled. The crust reminded me of a thick whole wheat crust, I prefer thin crust. So all in all, it was not a hit with me. I do, however, think this would be perfect for children or a party that you need to get something together quick for. If you truly want a great pizza in Nashville, I still think you need to take the time to go to Whole Foods and grab a pizza crust to make your own or go to Dad’s Gluten Free Pizza.