Takeout Chronicles: Eating Gluten Free at Rainbow Thai, OKO, and Pearl at Longshore

Restaurants in Connecticut are now open for outdoor and indoor dining. That being said, for those who aren’t yet comfortable leaving their houses and actually visiting a restaurant, most, if not all, establishments are still offering excellent takeout options. 

Now, I have Celiac Disease and have to follow a VERY strict gluten-free diet, and I know firsthand that ordering online or over the phone can be daunting and anxiety producing: how do I know that the chefs that are preparing my food are aware of the extent of my dietary restrictions? Mentioning an allergy over the phone or leaving a note in an online order isn’t as comforting as actually talking to someone in person and letting them know. HOWEVER, over this strange period of time, I have felt completely comfortable ordering online or over the phone at multiple restaurants with Celiac Disease! Here are a few of my favorite dishes from the restaurants I felt safe at:

Rainbow Thai

I LOVE Rainbow Thai. The staff is incredibly knowledgeable about Celiac and which of their dishes contain or are free of gluten. On top of that, they are quick to recommend modifications to a large portion of their menu in order to make a dish Celiac safe. They offer local deliveries as well as pick up through call orders, and I feel confident in their gluten free options and precautions. The restaurant as a whole is one of my favorites for the reason that it’s really Celiac safe. 

Shrimp Summer Rolls 

I am a fan of a good see-through roll. They’re usually a reliable gluten free option! The clear wrapper is made of rice, and therefore Celiac safe, and at Rainbow Thai, some of their dipping sauces are as well! 

The Shrimp Summer Rolls come filled with fresh shrimp, lettuce, cucumber, shredded carrots, cilantro, and basil all wrapped in this delicious rice paper. They’re a delicious gluten free appetizer that would be silly to skip over. While not chock-full of crazy flavors, they possess something summer rolls can often miss: the taste of freshness. The lettuce is always perfectly crisp, and the shrimp are perfectly cooked. The carrots aren’t dry either! This appetizer truly is something special. 

Although one of the sauces isn’t gluten free, the staff at Rainbow Thai will be quick to leave it off the dish! The Summer Rolls usually come with both sauces, but with the absence of the gluten-containing plum sauce, we just got the gf peanut sauce on the side. 

Basil Stir Fry

On the contrary, the Basil Stir Fry is an entree jam-packed with strong flavors. You will not want to miss it. It’s naturally gluten free and comes with an order of jasmine rice on the side as well. 

I ordered the stir fry with chicken, however, you get the option of choosing pork, shrimp, flank steak, tofu, or just vegetables. In the deliciously spicy sauce made with basil and chili paste, you’ll find peppers, mushrooms, and onions, however, although all sauteed together, the stir fry actually contains the perfect variety of textures. The sauteed mushrooms are soft and absorb the chili-basil sauce easily, making them the perfect catalyst for that spicy kick. The peppers and onions, on the other hand, are only lightly sauteed, leaving them with some of their original flavor and still slightly crisp. They deliver that bite and slight crunch that the dish would otherwise be missing. 

If you’re interested in ordering this dish gluten free, all you have to do is notify the person taking your order of your allergy or dietary restriction. Although no changes are made to the dish because it is naturally gluten free, your allergy will end up clearly marked on the takeout container, as well as on the receipt. 

Green Curry (above)

If you’re wanting some healthy comfort food, Rainbow Thai also offers an amazingly creamy, slightly spicy, and overall heavenly green curry. This dish also comes naturally gluten free (still notify the kitchen of your allergy, however) and with a side of jasmine rice. 

I also ordered this dish with chicken, but you have the option of shrimp, tofu, steak, or veggies, just like with the Basil Stir Fry. Inside the green curry, you’ll find zucchini slices, bell pepper, eggplant (although I ordered mine without), bamboo shoot, lime leaf, and basil, all drenched in the most amazing coconut milk and green curry sauce. The coconut milk makes the sauce slightly sweet, while the curry delivers the heat and the vegetables continue to provide a variety of different textures. This dish is by far my favorite at Rainbow Thai. The stir fry is delicious over rice, or on its own, and honestly, the sauce is amazing to just eat off of a spoon. It’s seriously that delicious. 

Just like the Basil Stir Fry, it’s also super easy to order over the phone for takeout or delivery. All you have to do is notify the person taking your order! 

Pearl at Longshore 

This restaurant is actually a fairly new one to me! I’ve only been there a few times in my life, all more than several months ago, and it’s fair to say that since then the menu has changed, and so has the chef. I am THRILLED to report how amazing this experience was for me with Celiac. Everything gluten free on the online takeout menu is CLEARLY marked, and the staff is extremely knowledgeable! Being the foodie I am, I was extremely excited by my extensive list of options and it’s safe to say I ordered quite a bit. My family and I ended up eating everything, and we loved it. Not only was everything delicious, but as a person with dietary restrictions, I felt completely safe. 

The takeout was extremely easy too! We placed our order through a phone call, and then went and picked it up at the actual restaurant. The food came in brown cardboard takeout containers, leaving room for the truly beautiful plating that we could have experienced eating at the actual restaurant. Every single dish we ordered came looking absolutely gorgeous. It’s easy to feel like you’re missing out on presentation when you order takeout from a restaurant as nice as The Pearl, but this was CERTAINLY not the case! 

We ordered 3 appetizers: 

The Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail 

When you order the Jumbo Shrimp cocktail, you get one shrimp, a lemon wedge, and a side of cocktail sauce and horseradish. It certainly doesn’t seem like a lot of food right off the bat, however, this was some of the best shrimp cocktail I’ve ever had. I’m usually a HUGE fan of drenching my oysters or shrimp in any and all of the sauces I’m given, and I was expecting to do the same with this. However, I barely used cocktail sauce at all because of how fresh and delicious the actual shrimp was. If you’re looking for a fancy appetizer, this is definitely one to try. While it isn’t very filling, it’s worth it for the flavor. 

Hamachi Sashimi and Ahi Tuna Crudo 

When I first read the menu for takeout at Pearl, I was SO intrigued about this dish. I saw it was indicated as gluten free, and I knew I had to give it a try. I’m a huge sushi and seafood fan, and let me tell you, this was some of the best sashimi I’ve ever had! It comes with an avocado-yuzu agrodolce, a sesame miso emulsion, segmented grapefruit, chunks of avocado, and crispy rice crackers (GF!) on top. The fish was so tender it practically fell apart when I tried to pick it up on my fork, and the sauces were SO flavorful… truly the perfect blend of salty, creamy, and umami. While the rice crackers got a little bit soggy on the ride home, this dish still remains as one of my favorites from the night, and I cannot WAIT to go to Pearl and try it in house when this is all over. 

Roasted Beet and Goat Cheese Salad 

Everyone in my family loves a good salad, and this one is no exception. What sets this salad apart from any other beet and goat cheese salad is the construction of it, and the different amounts. The base of this salad was a bed of perfectly roasted and bright purple beets. On top of that layer was a sprinkling of largely crumbled fresh goat’s cheese, and then there were frisee leaves on top of that.  It’s easy to feel like you’re being cheated out of a filling meal when you order a salad, but because this salad was mostly composed of beets, I felt anything but. The vinaigrette was perfectly tangy, and when mixed with the creaminess of the cheese and the sweetness of the beets, it truly made one amazing salad. 

We also ordered 4 entrees: 

Amish Chicken Under a Brick 

This dish comes with mashed yukon gold potatoes and grilled asparagus and was everything I;d hoped it would be. The dish came with the juicy, spiced rubbed chicken on top of a dollop of the creamy mashed potatoes, and a few pieces of grilled asparagus under there as well. Overall, the dish was effectively simple. There were no over-the-top garnishes, nothing insanely innovative or modern, it was just a plate of good, classic comfort food. 

Miso Glazed Bass 

The Miso Glazed bass at Pearl comes with baby bok choy, crispy shallots, and sticky sesame rice. It’s safe to say that the star of this dish was the perfectly cooked piece of bass, as it really should be. Because we got takeout, the sauce came on the side, so it was easy to use just the right amount, which I appreciated. 

Cacio E Pepe 

I know what you’re thinking: Cacio e pepe? Gluten free? YES!! To say I was ecstatic at finding this option on the meu would be the understatement of the century. The cacio e pepe at Pearl is always made with the gluten free pasta, so really, I had NO fear when it came to ordering it! Usually I’m apprehensive to order a pasta dish: what if the gluten pasta and the gluten free pasta get mixed up? However, I was completely confident with this. The cheese sauce was SO creamy, and the pepper flavor was just the right amount of present. IOverall, this entree is Celiac safe AND delicious for those without dietary restrictions as well! 

Ahi Tuna Bowl 

This meal was pretty similar in flavors to the Hamachi Sashimi and Tuna Crudo, so needless to say the fish was incredibly fresh. The poke bowl comes with sushi rice, avocado, sesame, pickled ginger, spicy mayo, daikon, carrot, and cucumber. The bowl came beautifully assembled as a little cake with the rice at the bottom, then tuna, avocado mash, and other components on top. It works together to make an incredibly refreshing entree. If you’re looking for a bit of a lighter entree at Pearl, this is definitely what you should order.  

OKO 

Oko is very well known in Westport. Everyone has either heard of it and seen the pictures of the delectable sushi, or have actually eaten it. And let me just say… it really lives up to the standards that the people of Westport have given it. It’s amazing. Truly. AND especially if you’re gluten free. 99% of the menu is GF, and by far the most exciting factor is that the soy sauce they serve at the tables or on the side (if you get curbside pickup) is always GF tamari… and I can’t forget to mention the gluten free fried options. Tempura, crispy rice, etc! Deep fryers at Oko are not cross contaminated with any form of gluten, meaning that they are completely celiac safe!! 

The Tempura 

Okay, for any of my fellow gluten free or Celiac people, this is a must try. Truly, the GLUTEN FREE tempura is crispy, spicy, and perfectly cooked. I ordered a few different options for fried tempura vegetables: broccoli, japanese sweet potato, and asparagus. The purple potato tempura is by far my favorite; it’s so soft on the inside, however, the outside is just so crunchy it’s hard to believe it’s gluten free. This tempura comes with two delicious dipping sauces: tetsuya, and a miso aioli. Both are perfectly savory and create the PERFECT balance with the sweet purple potato. 

Crispy Spicy Salmon and Tuna 

This dish is SO special to me as a foodie with a dietary restriction. I’m a very adventurous eater. I love cooking new recipes, experimenting in the kitchen, but most of all I love trying new foods. Before I tried the Crispy Salmon and Tuna at Oko, I had never had anything like it. I’ve never been able to get a spicy salmon or spicy tuna roll at any Japanese restaurant because they all have soy sauce, but here, it’s celiac safe. And not just the spicy marinated salmon and tuna, but the crispy fried rice as well! It makes me feel like a kid in a candy store. Seriously, it’s amazing. The fried rice has a real crunch to it, and paired with the rather soft texture of the spicy tuna and or salmon, it’s heavenly. The Crispy Spicy Salmon comes with a ponzu aioli, and a furikake on top, and the Crispy Spicy Tuna comes with a gojuchang aioli. Both are creamy, spicy, and perfectly seasoned. 

Assorted Sushi 

I’m a huge sushi fan, so I had to get some assorted nigiri. We ended up getting 4 different types (from left to right): Bluefin Tuna Akami, Kanpachi Amberjack, Hamachi Yellowtail, and Ora King Salmon. At first, the price per piece of sushi seems high, however, it is evident through the texture of the fish that you are paying for freshness. Every single bite I took was so tender it fell apart in my mouth. The rice was the perfect light amount of sweet, and each type of sushi is seasoned in a different way that compliments that classic sushi rice taste. Each piece of nigiri was delicious, however, I have to specifically mention my top two: the Bluefin Tuna Akami, and the Hamachi Yellowtail. I love the tuna because of the seasoning and other ingredients. The ginger, scallion, and sesame all work together to upgrade the classic tuna nigiri we all know and love. And as for the hamachi: I’m always a fan of a classic yellowtail nigiri, however, this one was different. It’s topped with some scallion aioli and sesame gomashio (a fancy word for toasted sesame salt), but the real star of the dish is the fish. It’s visibly tender and fresh, making it the most perfect piece of sushi. If you’re only ordering one type of nigiri, the Hamachi Yellowtail is my recommendation.