If dinner lasts three hours it means two things, one the company is super fun and second the food is fantastic. That is exactly what happend at Bella Monica Saturday night when I had the pleasure of having dinner with Jenni from Spoon Full at a Time. We have been blog friends for about a year now so it was great to actually sit down and have a Gluten Free meal together! I suggested we meet at Bella Monica because I have had such great experiences there. Real food made by people who care about Gluten Free!
Once we were seated I let the waitress know we were both Gluten Free. She quickly returned with Gluten Free menus and the salmon colored plates to put beside us to let all the staff know we were Gluten Free!! Jenni ordered the Parmasen Chicken and I went with my favorite the Cheese Ravioli. Both dishes came with a salad and the house vinaigrette. I also ordered extra GF focaccia bread to be served with our meals. Whenever a Celiac can get fresh bread we jump on it! I tried a bite of Jenni’s chicken and I almost questioned whether it was GF because it was so good! The ravioli was amazing and the Nana’s Gravy or house red sauce never disappoints. I used the focaccia bread to wipe my dish clean!
 |
| Cheese Ravioli |
For dessert Jenni got the Tiramsu and I went for the Creme Brulee – again my favorite! Both dishes were great but the Creme Brulee is still the winner. The last two times I’ve had the dish it did not have the hard sugar coating on top and this time it did! There is something fun about breaking through that sugar layer to get to the tasty custard.
Our dessert was taken to the next level when Marlow from Gluten Hates Me joined us! She was eating with another group and came to chat with us when they were done. We chatted for an hour talking about blogging, GF food, GF products, GF restaurants, our stories and so much more. The best part about blogging is the community. I had never sat down with either of these ladies before but it felt like we were old friends just because we know each other through our blogs!
 |
| Me, Jenni, and Marlow |
While we were chatting Trevor, one of the owners, came to talk to us. He is so much fun to talk to and does so much for the Gluten Free Community! Have you tried their frozen pizza? Look in your freezer section at your local grocery store.
Trevor even packed Jenni and I a goodie bag to take home of their Eggplant Rollitini. I ate it for lunch Sunday! Wow! It is thinly sliced eggplant filled with cheese, breaded, and baked with the gravy and covered in cheese. It is actually an appetizer on the menu. I will get this next time!
 |
| They even have Gluten Free stickers for left overs!! |
 |
| Eggplant Rolltini |
I love having a restaurant that I know will be safe for me to eat at. I love having GOOD GF options that go beyond a salad. I love having appetizers, entrees and dessert OPTIONS! I love having fresh GF bread. And I love GF blog friends!
Thank you sooo much for setting it up, it was really fun getting to know you better over such a wonderful meal š