As any strict gluten avoider knows, finding good GF fried food is like finding the Holy Grail.
OK, maybe not quite that dramatic, but hey, it’s pretty damn special, right?
The last time I was in Portland, which was back in ’07 I believe, I made a trip to the Hawthorne Fish House. I remembered it being quite tasty so I went back last week. They use a brown rice flour coating to bread the fish they serve up.
I like that HFH and its sister location, Corbett Fish House, don’t make a big deal about being gluten-free. It’s refreshing to not have to ask for a special menu or feel like an outsider. Their stuff just happens to be GF and yes, they promote that fact a little bit but it’s definitely not a huge thing. I like that. It allows me to feel normal.
Anyway, BK got an actual beer while I opted for a hard cider and we shared a number of items.
We started out with the fried cheese curds, which I loved. I’d never had fried cheese curds before so admittedly I didn’t have much point of comparison, but I enjoyed these. I like how surprisingly light they are and I get a kick out of the slight squeak of the curd.
We also shared the standard fish and chips made with Pacific cod, as well as an order of the clam strips. Yum! Such a treat but so much food! We ordered the smaller portions and it still felt like a lot.
They also offer a gluten-free beer battering, if you’re so inclined, as well as a whole array of GF desserts. I was far too full to even consider having dessert too.
