Gluten. Sounds like a funky item, right? No one was ever concerned about eating gluten free back in the ’50s, and yet here we are, with everyone talking about making sure they eat the right items to stay healthier. So what is this stuff, and why is Chompie’s – a deli famous for its excellent bread and bagels – offering a gluten-free menu?
Gluten is, according to Merriam-Webster, “a tenacious elastic protein substance of wheat flour that gives cohesiveness to dough.” But what you really need to know is that it’s what makes bread chewy. It’s also something to be avoided if you have celiac disease, a nasty condition that can put you in pretty serious pain. Avoiding food with gluten has other health advantages as well. But taking gluten out of your diet can be a tricky thing to manage, since it’s found in so many different foods for one reason or another. And if you want to be gluten free, eating out is very difficult because there aren’t many restaurants that offer a gluten-free menu. This is where Chompie’s enters the picture.
The gluten-free craze is catching on, and after hearing this from its customers, Chompie’s decided to devote a portion of its menu to foods without the elastic protein. Does this mean the new section is just a stripped-down version of the regular menu? Not at all. In fact, it’s quite rich. To find out just how rich, we spoke to Frank Lara, the area general manager for Chompie’s. What do they serve? “It’s a mix of breakfast and lunch items,” Lara says. “We have chicken fajita omelets and homemade gluten-free Belgian waffles.” They even offer sandwiches on gluten-free rolls.
And there’s so much more. They have gluten-free bagels, available with all the favorite toppings such as sliced Nova Lox and cream cheese. Then they have the open-faced pastrami Reuben, one of their signature sandwiches, which is hot pastrami and grilled sauerkraut (you can order it without the Swiss cheese) served on a grilled gluten-free roll with coleslaw. Want the same thing with corned beef ? No problem, they’ve got that too.
If you are seriously sensitive to gluten, there is a catch, albeit a small one, and it has to do with the process of making the food. “We have a different pan that we use when we cook these (gluten-free) items, (because) we don’t want any allergens to transfer,” Lara says. “We do our best to make sure there’s no cross-contamination, but we can’t be 100 percent.” Basically, because they sell both gluten-free and traditional items, there’s
a slim chance that one item could touch another. If you’re extremely sensitive to gluten, this is something to consider. For the rest of us though, this shouldn’t be a problem.
For everyone who is looking for the health benefits of going gluten-free, Chompie’s has lots to offer. Plus, they’re open seven days a week in four locations: Scottsdale, Tempe, Paradise Valley and Chandler. If you feel like ditching the gluten and trying something new, or just want to try one of the best delis in town, head on over to Chompie’s. They’ve got something for everyone.
For Chompie’s locations in Phoenix, Chandler Tempe and Scottsdale, visit www.chompies.com.
