I went to a lecture where the speaker said that the one place where American celiacs routinely cheat on their diets is on a date. It’s embarrassing to play twenty questions with the waiter and then still have to refuse to kiss your date goodnight because she ate the bread. The evening’s conversation becomes all about celiac disease and not about getting to know each other.
Yes, there are chains that cater to us. There is P.F. Changs for Chinese, Zapatista for Mexican, Bonefish for fish, and Outback Steakhouse for ribs. But every one of these places will require that you explain your gluten-free status to get the menu. Every one of these places will offer your date gluten containing items and every one of these places has a children’s menu and crayons.
For a middle-aged mom like me, these places are great. But for a childless single person trying to make a good impression? Once you get married you can join us here, but in the beginning you might prefer a place where very few of the diners use sippy cups.
Enter Senza.
Senza is located on Broadway north of Diversey where Boys Town meets Lincoln Park. There is a parking garage nearby as well as meters across the street. They have a pretty full bar, two kinds of gluten-free beer and the entire place is gluten-free. Whatever your date eats, if you spend the night, you can be sure you won’t be spending it in a ball on the bathroom floor. You can get cocktails and a high end, glamorous dinner without wondering if the chef knows what he doing. It is an elegant, spare, grown up place where people without children can feel comfortable.
Senza serves brunch and dinner. The brunch is counter service and the dinner is table service. I went during the day and the place had a clean, modern, yet romantic feel to it. They open at 7am for take out or a business breakfast. The brunch includes amazing beignets (think enlarged munchkins) that are crispy on the outside soft and warm on the inside and can be rolled in cinnamon sugar, powdered sugar or drizzled with chocolate. I found the chocolate one messy and the other two to be amazing. I believe the server said they are also dairy free, I have never has a better donut or beignet and I have been to New Orleans. They also had an English muffin breakfast sandwich (I had it without the cheese) which was also perfect and warm. The English muffin is fantastic. Again, it is better than anything I had in my gluten eating days.
The staff was friendly and competent and answered my questions about other food allergens quickly and politely.
My one complaint is that the dairy-free options are somewhat predictable (salad again) which is a bit disappointing as I find dairy-free to be easier to do than gluten-free. With half of celiacs needing to be casien and corn-free I would like to see more dairy and corn free choices.
I have not been there for dinner yet, but I am already looking forward to eating there again. The food was outstanding.
They take reservations through their website, which I am linking to here.
FYI, I don’t know the owner and I paid for all my own food.
If nothing else you have got to try the beignets. Everyone should try the beignets.
