Cheeseburger in Paradise

Sometimes when a restaurant says that it now has a gluten free option, that is code for "We bought ourselves some prepackaged pizza crusts/buns/croutons and think that's all that's needed for a gluten free option. Cross contamination? What's that? Is it bad that there's flour in the sauce/on the grill/in those fried wontons on the salad?"

This makes me crazy.

But sometimes... sometimes when a restaurant says that it now has a gluten free option, that is code for "No really, we do."

Enter: Cheeseburger in Paradise.

A casual dining chain that has its own dedicated fryer for French fries and, as of a few weeks ago, a gluten free bun! 

We stopped by the one in Downers Grove, Illinois, on our drive home from the east coast. The staff there was very conversant in all things gluten free, including our server and the manager who came over later to check on us. Even the host was excited as he led us to our table.

"Have you heard?" he asked. "We now have a gluten free bun!"

 

How was it? It was great. Mostly rice flour, I'd guess, but it was toasted nicely and it did just what a bun should do - carry a burger without falling apart. It didn't have the interesting, creative flavor of Meet 27's bun, but instead faded into the background nicely allowing me to taste my Jamaican chicken with roasted peppers.

My husband chowed down on a cheeseburger quite happily.

The fries were tasty, too. I'm a sucker for extra-thin fries. Also, as a side note, I have no idea what is going on with my hair here... Too much time in the car!

And hours later, no tummy rumblings were to be heard.

Cheeseburger in Paradise charges $1 extra for gluten free buns, which I think is more than fair, considering most gf buns cost that or more.

A great, affordable stop.