I needed a nosh on a mild spring eve after taking advantage of the Morgan Library's free Friday night exhibits, music and vino. In a walking mood, my friend Alissa and I strolled down 15 blocks to the Madison Square Park area. The line at Shake Shack wasn't bad, but it wasn't quite milkshake weather, and I had issues trying to make a gluten-free meal from their menu, so made our way to Mozzarelli's at 38 23rd Street, just east of the park. Alissa, who has no issues with wheat, was quite the sympathetic friend and only ordered from the gluten free offerings.
We each had a slice of cheese and a slice of sausage pizza, which my non-Silly (Silly Yak for you newbies) friend pronounced to be pretty good. She doesn't share my New Yorky need to fold a slice, and like all GF pizza, these were not foldable slices; on the other hand, their square shape distinguishes them from the restaurant's non GF slices to help avoid confusion. Once I got over myself I did enjoy the pizza, the crust of which was thicker than a typical NYC slice. More importantly, I did not suffer from heartburn after eating this pizza, the ultimate test of a GF product for me. I would guess it was low on potato flour or starch, and it had a texture that allowed for a bit of crisp on the bottom and a bit of chew on the inside. The crust, quoting from the menu, consists of a "secret blend of brown rice and beans."
I did not try out the pasta dishes, but they go beyond the spaghetti-and-marinara fare. The dishes are penne-based, from baked ziti to penne goat cheese primavera. The menu indicates that there is a 10 minute wait for pasta to be prepared. Only in New York are you warned that you might have to wait for your food to be cooked fresh.
The menu lists a variety of desserts, not the usual ice cream that is the only sweet solace of the gluten-free diner. I settled on a rainbow cookie cake. For those unfamiliar, a rainbow cookie is a layered cake-like cookie with very bright layers of pink, yellow, and green, which may be flavored and which may be just marzipan, with a chocolate frosting. I brought mine home and ate it the following day, and it had dried out a bit. That is the price paid for glutting myself on pizza to the point of loosen-the-belt fullness! The menu lists a tiramisu brownie I hope to learn more about, as well as carrot cake, a chocolate truffle and a biscotti chocolate chip cookie. The real temptation, however, is a baker's shelf full of cookies by My Dad's Cookies, out of Nanuet NY. Having filled my freezer with Shabtai non-gebrochts, I had to pass, but I won't make that mistake twice! My weakness is for a crunchy cookie with a creamy sweet frosting, and that was one of several varieties set out to taunt my waistline. One of the hardest lessons you learn living with Celiac Disease is not to go crazy with the GF sweets. If I can't get home to freeze something I try not to bring it home as it may not make it home at all. On the other hand, when the sweet tooth becomes bloodlust, I'll be on a 6th Avenue train for a fix.
Mozzarelli's (212) 475-6777) is located at 38 East 23rd Street in Manhattan. They also offer free delivery with a $15 minimum order .
My Dad's cookies is located at 119 Rockland Ctr #377, Nanuet NY.
On a scale of 1-10:
Attitude to GF Patrons: 10
Variety of GF Foods: 10
Quality of GF Foods: 9+ (I'm holding out for a slice I can fold!)
Kid-Friendly Food: 10
Kid-Friendly Attitude: 10
Overall grade: A
