Last weekend we went out with a group of our friends for dinner – of course I was allowed to pick the restaurants as I tend to know the best gluten free restaurants in Denver. After doing a little research and getting some recommendations from friends and family, we settled in on MAX’s Wine Dive-Denver off Sherman St. I Googled the restaurant and knew there were plenty of gluten free eats to be had.
I’m thrilled to report that MAX’s Wine Dive lived up to every expectation I had and then some! The menu is loaded with amazing and contemporary gluten free eats, and MAX’s has an extensive wine and beverage list. MAX’s is known for its homestyle comfort food with fine dining ambiance. The best of both worlds!
What you need to know about MAX’s Wine Dive is that this is a Celiac-friendly establishment that truly cares about the gluten-free community. CEO Jerry Lasko tells the Austin Chronicle that he was barred from eating his favorite food (and MAX’s signature dish), fried chicken, when he was diagnosed with Celiac Disease. After this stunning diagnosis, Lasko set out to revamp his fried chicken to make it gluten-free. The GF fried chicken batter is made from rice flour, potato starch, and tapioca along with dehydrated cauliflower and jalapeño spice. Lasko also added a dedicated gluten free fryer, GF designated counter space, and GF kitchen equipment to all restaurants nationwide.
Now more about my experience…. it was truly phenomenal from start to finish! Where do I begin? The waitress was so attentive and understanding about my GF concerns. She knew what to do right away and put me at ease. I am trying to eat more healthy in preparation for my 20 year high school reunion in three weeks, so I wasn’t about to get a big old dish of fried chicken, but I couldn’t go to MAX’s without trying the gluten free fried chicken, right?!? So I ordered a delicious and flavorful salmon atop red quinoa and gazpacho, and added a single piece of gluten-free white meat fried chicken to my order for an additional $6 (a la carte). The salmon was so delicious – I ate every bite and scraped my plate clean too so I could enjoy every bit of the gazpacho. And now about that chicken….
The GF fried chicken was AMAZING! It was so tender and crispy – and the spicy honey dipping sauce was the bomb! My husband was able to try a small piece of the regular fried chicken and my gluten-free fried chicken. He liked them both and said there was only a slightly difference in taste, and his chicken was a slightly darker tint than mine. He said both were delicious!
I feel I could have ordered just about everything on that menu – it all looked so yummy and most everything could be made GF. We are going back here soon – can’t wait!
Of Note: The staff in Denver is AMAZING! The waitress forgot to enter my husband’s dish when she placed our table’s order. Because everything is made to order, he had to wait 20 minutes for his meal to arrive. In the meantime, the manager came out, explained the situation, and profusely apologized. Then he came back a few minutes later with a piece of fried chicken over potatoes for my husband to “snack” on while he waited for his roasted chicken to arrive. Later in the evening, the manager came back and took a champagne shot with our entire table and provided us with complimentary donuts (which everyone loved – albeit I couldn’t eat them). We had such a good time. Thanks MAX’s Wine Dive-Denver!
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