Review: Firecrust Neapolitan Pizzeria (Dallas, TX)

Sometimes I crave pizza. Shocking, I know. Not! Everyone likes pizza... why wouldn't you? There's the tang of the tomato sauce, tasty toppings ranging from crisp or sauteed veggies to savory meats and herbs, lots of cheesy goodness, and the garlic. I love garlic. Most of the time I end up just having to suck it up and deal with the consequences of eating a slice or two from the local pizzeria but the other day I went to Firecrust again and it was pretty amazing. I have been to Firecrust before, I got a fairly traditional pie with ricotta and mozzarella cheeses, basil, tomato sauce, olive oil and mushrooms. It was pretty fabulous. The crust was thin and crisp, perfect for the lightness of the toppings. All the toppings were fresh, from the ball of mozzarella they tore a chunk off of for my pizza to the basil and roasted mushrooms. I was a happy camper... but still had some tummy upset later.

This time when I went I saw that they had gluten free pizza crusts now! Hurray! I was pretty excited to try out my same pie but on their new crust. It did cost $2 extra but $2 and no consequences later? Totally worth it. The procedure to make the gluten free pizza went beyond just grabbing a gluten free crust and assembly lining it to the end though. They pulled special utensils out for my pizza, made sure to get ingredients from beneath the counter so there was no cross contamination from the wheat flour pizzas, and even checked to see if their pepperoni was gluten free (it isn't *sad trombone*)... all without me even asking or saying a word about it. The manager put my pizza in the oven and chatted with me while I waited... she was very knowledgeable about why the gluten free pizza crusts took longer and made sure that the box she put my pizza in didn't even get the packets of cheese and peppers 'just in case'... and never once did they make me feel like I was putting them to extra effort in any way. The customer service was fantastic! I got my pizza and felt very confident that it wasn't cross-contaminated in the slightest. I just have a sensitivity but if I had Celiac I would feel comfortable eating something these guys had whipped up for me, they were that on point with what their procedure should be. They even have a gluten free flat bread now for their salads I was informed as I picked up my order. 

On to the flavors and textures. The toppings were as on point as they ever were, of course... creamy ricotta, flavorful mushrooms, tangy sauce... basically perfection on a pie. The crust wasn't the best I've ever had but it was far from the worst as well. The flavor was actually pretty good but I'm a big texture person. Flavor-wise, it was a little sweeter than traditional wheat flour crusts but very mild in flavor which was a plus as sometimes these crusts can taste quite nutty. I was told that they use tapioca starch as a main ingredient in the crusts so this could be reason for the more neutral but slightly sweet taste. The biggest issue I had with the crust was that it was a little too thick in my opinion which made it somewhat chewy in the center. This isn't an uncommon problem by any means and I've come to expect it from gluten free pizzas but if they would make the crust just a little thinner I think this issue would go away completely. It would also help solve the issue of needing to be cooked longer than their other pizzas which causes a little singe on the outside edge (it didn't taste burnt though!). It was a pretty good pizza all in all and was very filling. I would likely split this pizza if I went again as it is equivalent to a small pizza but, as with most gluten free 'breads', more calorie dense so you get filled up faster. As it was I ended up saving half to eat later in the day as a second meal. It was pretty tasty cold as well. 
Oh! And for you vegans and vegetarians out there... they have vegan cheese and plenty of non-meat only toppings to try on their pizzas! I have not tried that cheese as I don't eat soy and I assume that it is soy based (I didn't ask but many of them are) but they do have it. They even have a sauce-less 'white' pizza if you can't have tomatoes. Auto-immune protocol people this could work for you. I'm not sure about the ingredients in their crust though, I'd suggest calling to ask if you were interested in going to make sure. They are pretty accommodating to various eating styles and needs I'd say.
I recommend this restaurant for both my gluten eating and non-eating friends as the pizza, and the customer service, is top notch.

Review: Nikhil's Roti by Sensible Solutions (Dallas, TX)

I live in Texas. Texas is famous for a lot of things but BBQ and Tex Mex are the two big food things we are known for. BBQ was an easier fix when I went to a more Paleo/Primal lifestyle as the main part- meat- was still on the 'yes' list. I just had to make my own rubs and sauces without sugar which didn't take too long to work out and I was able to enjoy summer BBQ's without a problem. Tex Mex was another issue altogether. Chips, tortillas, rice, beans... all pretty much out or at least seriously limited. I have a couple different enchilada recipes I worked on for years to perfect that I can no longer eat since I don't eat tortillas any longer. It wasn't ok... I love enchiladas, enchiladas were something I was famous for in my little world. I needed enchiladas in my life. I tried Paleo Wraps and I tried making my own 'tortillas' at home (an epic failure). I tried so many recipes but I still haven't figured out a perfect replacement that holds up with enchiladas... I will keep trying though! This search led me to purchase some of Nikil's Roti at my local farmer's market when I saw them. While they didn't really work out as the perfect enchilada wrapper they were pretty tasty. I enjoyed them heated and used as scoops for dips and curries.

Pros:

• These wraps/roti come frozen so I don't have to use them right away... but they aren't full of preservatives either.
• They are easy to heat and taste really nice. I'm not a huge hummus fan but I can see these going really well with some hummus or a curry.
• They make a pretty good wrap for quesadillas and other hot sandwich type entrees made in a skillet.
• They are gluten free.
• The price point isn't quite as high as other wraps, especially after shipping.
• They have a piece of parchment paper between the roti so that they do not stick to each other... an issue I have run into with other types of wraps. This is more a packaging issue but can be quite a pain and really sad when you rip a wrap into pieces and feel like you are wasting money because you can no longer use it as you intended to. So I was quite happy with this small helping aid. 
• The owner is super sweet and told me just to call if I ever need some and she can make a batch fresh if I give her a day's notice.

Cons:

• They are a touch greasy, not horrible but more than I was expecting since I had never had roti before. This isn't really a con just an fyi if you are, like me, a roti novice.
• They didn't hold up well in casserole format... to be fair this is not what they were meant to be. I was looking for a replacement for a very specific thing and it didn't work as that. That's ok, for what they are supposed to be they are really good- and tasty!
• They have xanthum gum as well as buckwheat in them... take that how you will, some eat those ingredients but others don't. I will likely limit how often I let myself eat these due to this fact though so wanted to add that into my review.
• They aren't available online yet so they are only available in the DFW area. You have to call and let her know you need some if you don't see her at the market or need some right away. 

I will purchase these roti again most likely... I just won't use them to make enchiladas. On to new adventures!