Fifth Group in Atlanta recently implemented gluten-free menus in all their restaurant concepts. The press release about the menu rollout was covered in this article. After that post was published, some of our readers inquired about how to find the gluten-free menus for the Fifth Group restaurants online. As often happens with companies, websites are not always up to the minute, but gluten-free menus are now available online. To view them, visit the Fifth Group restaurant you’re interested in and click on “menus”. Then scroll to the bottom of the menu to click on “gluten-free” menus.
Even though many of my gluten-free friends in the area have eaten at South City Kitchen and love the gluten-free options there, we’ve never gotten around to dining at either location. When offered the chance to enjoy a complimentary meal at any Fifth Group restaurant, the obvious choice for us was South City Kitchen. Of all the Fifth Group concepts, South City Kitchen has the most impressive gluten-free menu overall. At least that is my personal opinion after reviewing them all. We visited the Vinings location of SCK (the local nickname for the restaurant), which is located in a unique complex of John Wieland townhomes and shops. This particular area of Metro Atlanta is extremely gluten-free friendly in terms of dining options.
Quite a few starters at South City Kitchen are gluten-free, but we decided on the Low & Slow Smoked BBQ with slaw. I’m not a fan of slaw of any kind so my husband ate all of it and liked the spicy kick it offered. The meat was “fall off the bone tender” with a sauce that was delicious and not too tangy. There is a fine line between a sauce that is perfectly tangy and one that is much too tangy. As we enjoyed the sumptuous pork, I thought about how great it would be on a delicious gluten-free bun. The large Challah roll from Katz Gluten-Free, for example. The way the appetizer is presented, with the slaw on top of the meat, offers a really nice presentation. However, since I don’t care for slaw, I’d request it is served on the side of the meat in the future.
We split a Caesar salad in the regular (largest) size, which is quite a generous serving. A small salad would have been ample for us to share, but it was really one of the best versions we’ve had in a while so we finished every bite. The Parmesan cheese on the salad was grated instead of shaving, which was a really nice touch. Obviously, there were no croutons on the salad, but we didn’t miss them at all. None of the Fifth Group restaurants currently offer gluten-free bread of any kind.
My husband ordered the Seafood Jambalaya for dinner and I had the infamous shrimp and grits. Actually, the entree is called Sauteed Shrimp and Scallops, but my gluten-free friends refer to it as “shrimp and grits”. Some gluten-eating friends have also raved about this dish at South City Kitchen. The jambalaya was one of the best versions my husband has ever ordered. He shared one spicy bite with me and I agreed it was an extremely tasty dish. My entree was delicious and the seafood was not even slightly overcooked. The tender scallops and shrimp served over stone ground grits with a light tomato sauce were simply divine!
Gluten-free dessert offerings at South City Kitchen are fairly limited. Options include fresh fruit, ice cream, and creative sorbets that are made in-house. Maybe I won’t complain the next time I’m offered only creme brulee for dessert. During warmer months, ice cream and sorbet are more appealing to me than in cold weather. Since we were overly full from our wonderful dinner, we didn’t miss not having dessert. South City Kitchen has an impressive wine list and an excellent tawny and port selection.
If you live in the Metro Atlanta area and are gluten-free – or even if you’re not – be sure and check out South City Kitchen. Gluten-free diners should note their needs when making a reservation. Trust me – not all restaurants in the area that are jumping into the gluten-free dining arena understand what safe gluten-free service means. Some places are interested in catering to the trendy gluten-free set. Fifth Group restaurants seem to have done their homework and understand what gluten-free means and just as importantly, what cross-contamination is. As I’ve said many times before, restaurants with real chefs that utilize real ingredients are without question, the safest places to find consistently safe gluten-free meals. There are exceptions to this rule, but they are very far and between.
Special thanks to Fifth Group for inviting us in to try the gluten-free menu at South City Kitchen. We also love Ecco in town – another wonderful Fifth Group eatery!
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