Zydeco Kitchen & Cocktails Bend, OR
As a Celiac, eating out can be challenging to say the least. There is the constant worry that your food will not be handled correctly and, at least for me, that nagging feeling has a way of not letting me fully enjoy the dining experience. Zydeco Kitchen & Cocktails in downtown Bend not only takes away any worry you might have, but they go above and beyond to cater to individuals with food allergies/intolerances, especially celiac. The husband and wife owners are very familiar with food issues - she has a gluten allergy, he has dairy allergies and their kids have issues with both gluten and dairy - and their dedication to creating a gluten free dining environment is obvious as soon as you sit down.
They have a full gluten-free menu, complete with appetizers, entrees, salads, desserts and multiple beer options. It was great being able to order off of a "regular" menu, and I could have even had some fries if it weren't for a small mishap with their dedicated GF fryer the night before. Apparently something containing gluten was accidentally dropped in it, so they shut it down and were giving it a thorough cleaning prior to using it again. I loved the fact that, rather than simply emptying it, refilling it and firing it back up, they had drained it and were cleaning it before using it again. It's this kind of attention to detail that demonstrates the great lengths Zydeco goes to to help minimize cross contamination issues. As a matter of fact, as soon as an order is placed, there is ample food allergy/intolerance notice sent to the kitchen. Click here to see a copy of one of their take out receipts. If only every restaurant included as much allergy detail as Zydeco does.
Of course, even with all the amazingly good gluten-free food to choose from, what impressed me the most was their incredibly friendly and knowledgeable staff. I did not talk to one staff member that was not familiar with Celiac (or other food issues like dairy allergies). They were all very patient and took as much time as I needed to answer any questions I had. They do an excellent job of making you feel extremely comfortable, allowing you to simply relax and enjoy the great food and excellent atmosphere.
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