Going gluten-free French-style (Updated)

November 11, 1:20 PMNY French Restaurants ExaminerHoward Portnoy

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November is National Celiac Awareness Month. The goal is to heighten awareness of Celiac Disease, an autoimmune disorder that results in damage to the small intestine when grains and othger glutinous foods are ingested. The Celiac Sprue Association estimates that every minute, 2.5 persons are born with a genetic predisposition to this disease.

One French restaurant dedicated to helping spread awarenss is Bar Breton, which makes a point of indicating gluten-free dishes on its menu. The restaurant's name will immediately summon up for French food lovers thoughts of galettes—the remarkable buckwheat crêpes for which the region of Brittany is justifiably famous. The versions here are appropriately crispy and light, though the fillings provide the necessary ballast. Among the gluten-free galettes is one filled with braised lamb shank, the meat falling-apart tender from a long, slow cooking. Another item designated "(GF)" is duck leg confit salad, crisp shards of the preserved meat teamed with romaine and wafer-thin slices of radish, moistened with red wine and garlic aioli.

Bar Breton, 254 Fifth Avenue (bet 28th & 29th Sts), 212-213-4999

UPDATE: I was just informed by reader cattygranny that October was National Celiac Awareness Month, not November as stated here or in a followup to this article on the same subject. I apologize for the error.