Good gluten-free Chinese?

[John Rosevear]

I know where to get lousy gluten-free Chinese food: PF Chang's. I also know where to get thoroughly mediocre stuff: Nancy Chang's in Worcester. I'd like to find some better options, preferably with a Sichuan or Hunan focus.

The trick is to find a place that is very good AND both willing and able to work within the gluten-free limitation. I am tempted to call Sichuan Gourmet in Billerica and walk them through the requirements, but before I do, does anyone have any recommendations within an hour or so of Providence or Boston or Worcester? They don't need to have a formal gluten-free menu, just a demonstrated willingness and ability to accommodate a patron's gluten sensitivity.

[John Rosevear]

Best place found so far: Uncle Cheung's, on Rt 9 (eastbound side) in the midst of Framingham/Natick retail hell and right across the street from Sichuan Gourmet (266 Worcester Rd in Framingham if you're GPSing).

Solid Shanghainese menu (see their website), well-executed. (They also have a second, more conventional menu with the typical Chinese restaurant standards, also well-executed if not particularly extraordinary -- the Shanghainese menus have green bindings, the other is red. Ask for both.) They are willing to make any menu item gluten-free, aside from the obvious (lo mein, etc.) Service was very good and seemed scrupulous about the gluten-free thing -- and I felt fine later, which is good.

They have a sign out front that says "Gluten-Free Options", which has apparently brought in a ton of new customers in recent weeks. Perhaps Sichuan Gourmet will follow suit...

Edited April 10, 2010 by John Rosevear (log)