![\"carluccios\"](\"http:\/\/www.free-from.com\/blog\/wp-content\/carluccios.png\" "\\"carluccios\\"")
<\/a>However – and you knew this was going to end up well, didn’t you? – we walked into Carluccio’s. We’ve not been there before, though we know of it, of course: it’s an Italian foodshop with a cafe attached, isn’t it?<\/p>\nTurns out to be rather more than that.<\/p>\n
Could they feed us? Yes<\/em>. Even though one of us was a coeliac? Yes – tell your waitress<\/em>.<\/p>\n So we sat, and did the usual picking out of items that might possibly be acceptable, only to discover a note that said they had a dedicated gluten free menu. Could we see that?<\/p>\n Oh the joy.<\/p>\n 3 starters; 4 salads; 6 different pasta dishes (yes – pasta!); 2 meat-based dishes; and 6 side dishes.<\/p>\n Such a delight to go somewhere where my daughter has a choice – and more than a choice of salad, salmon or baked potato. And the staff were delightful: helpful when we needed it, and sincerely apologetic when the children’s choice of dessert wasn’t available.<\/p>\n We loved it. All five of us chose a different pasta dish; my coeliac daughter chose a simple tomato and basil one – gluten free. Perhaps next time she’ll choose something more adventurous now they’ve earned her trust.<\/p>\n Because we’ll be back. Not only as part of our north-south travels – because Bicester is ideally placed halfway – but also to Carluccio’s other branches. There’s one in the Trafford Centre…<\/p>\n The only thing I’d suggest for improvement is that they develop a gluten free dessert menu as well, as the current dessert menu isn’t clearly marked up for GF or not.<\/p>\n