On Wednesday night, my daughters and I had dinner with my parents at Paris Bistro in Winter Park. During our many visits to Le Macaron, which is in the same building, I always noticed how many gluten free choices Paris Bistro had marked on their menu.
I ordered the Beef Burgundy, and chose sauteed green beans and creamy au gratin potatoes as my sides.
The beef burgundy was delicious! This dish was so flavorful, and the beef was nice and tender.
The star of my meal though was the creamy au gratin potatoes. I could eat a whole plate of them and leave happy! I don't think I have had au gratin potatoes since my Celiac diagnosis. They were heavenly!
For dessert, I could have had Creme Brulee, but I chose to order the special of the night, caramelized bananas with ice cream, whipped cream, and chocolate sauce, which I asked for on the side. It's amazing how something so simple can be so delicious. It was the perfect end to a great meal.
We had hoped to sit outside at one of Paris Bistro's tables on Park Avenue, but had to sit indoors because of the rain. Right outside of their restaurant, Paris Bistro has some indoor seating underneath this tree, which we were told was created by the company that makes fake trees for Disney. It's pretty realistic looking.
While my dad and I were sharing my dessert, my daughters dragged my mother to Le Macaron for some macarons.
All of the macarons at Le Macaron are gluten free. You can read more about Le Macaron here.
On Paris Bistro's menu, there is a little GF to the left of every menu item that is naturally gluten free. I was assured by the staff that they are very careful about cross contamination and use separate pans and utensils. If you have Celiac or gluten intolerance, it is important to notify the staff at every restaurant you dine at, unless it's one of those rare restaurants that is 100% gluten free.
Paris Bistro has a nice selection of gluten free appetizers and salads.
The Beef Burgundy I ordered is described as beef slowly cooked with red wine and vegetables.
My parents both loved their Veal Normande, veal slowly cooked in a white wine creamy mushroom sauce. This menu item is also gluten free.
Next time, I might try the Coq Au Vin, which is chicken slowly cooked in red wine, onions, bacon and mushroom.
There is even a gluten free choice on the kids menu. My girls, who do not need to eat gluten free, ordered the kid's pasta and cheese with white sauce.
Paris Bistro runs a great lunch special from Tuesday to Friday from 11:30 to 4:30. With the purchase of a drink, you get a three course meal for $11.95. For the first course, the gluten free option is a Bistro Salad. For the second course, you can order Coq Au Vin, Veal Normandy, or Beef Burgundy, and for the the third course, Creme Brulee.
Saturday and Sunday from 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM, you can enjoy a two course brunch at Paris Bistro for $11.95. Gluten free choices for the first course include the Coq Au Vin, Veal Normandy, Goat Cheese and Spinach Omelet, and Mushrooms with Gruyere Cheese Omelet. For dessert, the second course, the Creme Brulee and a scoop of vanilla ice cream are gluten free.
March 7, 2014 Update -- I met my friend Shelley for lunch today at Paris Bistro. We were seated inside the restaurant, which was fine with us on a cold afternoon in Orlando.
We both ordered a beverage so we could take advantage of the 3 course lunch special for $11.95. For my first course, I had the Bistro Salad, which was good, but nothing special. Shelley enjoyed the soup of the day, a vegetable soup, that was also gluten free.
For our second course, we both chose the Coq Au Vin, chicken slowly cooked in red wine, onions, bacon and mushroom. I was not expecting chicken still on the bone, but I really enjoyed the dish and it was the perfect portion for lunch. I was very excited that it was served with my favorite creamy au gratin potatoes.
For my third course, I had planned to order the creme brulee, but when our server mentioned the special of the day, I couldn't pass up the caramelized banana. The presentation is much prettier with the chocolate sauce, but I asked for it on the side. I loved the cute little lunch portion!
Arriving when they opened at 11:30, Shelley and I had the room we were sitting in to ourselves. By the time we left, the restaurant was completely full, which is fully understandable with Paris Bistro's great lunch special and the quality of their food.
July 25, 2014 Update
My daughters and I took my husband to Paris Bistro tonight, for his first dining experience there. We shared the salmon special, which was excellent, and an order of the beef burgundy. Because everyone wanted the au gratin potatoes, we ordered two sides with each dish.
For dessert, I couldn't pass up the caramelized bananas with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, and chocolate sauce. Tonight, I forgot to tell our server to leave off the chocolate sauce, but I actually enjoyed it. They didn't overdo it, so the chocolate was a nice subtle flavor.
We enjoyed all of our dishes tonight, and will definitely be coming back.