La Maison du NOM NOM NOM...

Gluten free treats at La Maison du Macaron.

One of my favorite gluten free treats is the macaron.  (NOT to be confused with macaroons, of which I'm not a big fan.)  Macarons are a meringue-y French confection made from egg whites, sugar, almond paste, and food coloring.  They're light, sweet, colorful, and absolutely satisfying.

As its name implies, La Maison du Macaron in Chelsea specializes in these treats.  Walking through the door of this small bakery, the first thing that grabs your attention is the display case.  It looks like a 64-color box of Crayolas with almost every color in the rainbow.  Each color represents just as many flavor varieties: Cassis, Jack Daniels, Fleur de Sel Caramel, Tiramisu, Champagne, Pistachio, Tarte Tatin, Nutella, and the list goes on.

On this visit, I tried three flavors: strawberry, kirsch/cherry, and Tahitian vanilla (all pictured here.)
The strawberry was sweet and fragrant with a nice visual touch of sesame seeds on top to replicate strawberry seeds.  The kirsch/cherry was my next favorite--full of dark cherry kirsch flavor without any hint of booze coming across.  But the surprise winner was the vanilla.  It had this amazing burst of true, vanilla bean flavor that tasted like a perfect slice of birthday cake.

While others may disagree, I think the consistency of La Maison's macarons is perfect.  There's a light crunch on the outside and a sponginess inside that makes you want to savor every bite.

In truth, the price also makes you savor every bite.  Each macaron is $2.50--a price that is indicative of the premium ingredients and skill that goes into making each confection.  While it's not an expenditure I can justify every day, the macarons at La Maison du Macaron are well worth splurging on when you want a unique gluten free treat.


132 W 23rd St
(between 6th & 7th avenues)
(212) 243-2757
www.nymacaron.com

Eastern Europe Meets Gluten Free

Saro is a tiny bistro on the LES that features
"cuisine from long lost empires."

It's small, cozy, and (I can't believe I'm going to use this word) cute.

All of these adjectives describe an eatery named Saro Bistro, a tiny (maybe 12-seat) restaurant on the Lower East Side, just off Delancey.  

Touting its food as the "cuisine of long lost empires," Saro features dishes from the former Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian empires, aka the Balkans and Eastern Europe.  Glancing over the menu, I saw a number of dishes that sounded like items that I've heard my Hungarian grandfather describe, but just never knew their names.

I went to Saro for the first time for brunch a few Sundays ago and instantly warmed to the place.  From the (purposely) mismatched tea & coffee cups to the fresh flowers on every table, it feels like dining in someone's front parlor rather than a restaurant.

The friendly staff is quite knowledgeable and accommodating to those of us with gluten allergies, too.  

Case in point: They bring a basket of complimentary doughnuts to the table at brunch (for any of you out there who can eat gluten, I was told that they were dynamite.)  Our server let the affable chef/owner Eran Elhalal know about my allergy, and he arrived at the table with a plate of Gluten Free corn fritters, which he made with "a surprise inside."  They were perfectly fried with just a hint of bacon grease to give them a little bit of smokiness.  Inside, he'd snuck in a dollop of fruit preserves--my guess is currant--for a subtly sweet compliment to the hint of smoke.  Delicious.

I had a fairly traditional Peasant Breakfast with two scrambled eggs, smoky thick-cut bacon, and a perfect mixed herbs salad, dressed with a splash of lemon juice.  It was the perfect portion--hearty without being too filling.  A complete win.

I am determined to go back and try the Satarash, which came highly recommended by our server.  Basically, the dish is two eggs baked atop chunky pepper relish with a side of their delicious gluten free corn fritters.
I'm also determined to save room for a slice of their flourless, gluten free Hazelnut-Chocolate Cake next time, too!
Also, it bears mentioning that the total bill for 2 people was about $30.  A complete STEAL when it comes to brunch ANYWHERE in the city.
A true gem worth seeking out on the LES.

(DEFINITELY call ahead for reservations.  As I said, the place is tiny.)

Saro Bistro

102 Norfolk St

212-505-7276

www.sarobistro.com