Think “Southern-style gastropub.”

Fish and chips, hushpuppies, cornbread, po’ boy sandwiches, bread pudding and sweet tea are a comfort foodie’s dream. If you’re a foodie with a gluten intolerance, however, it probably evokes panic.

Enter The Parish, a gastropub on the Northwest side featuring Southern-style dishes with a twist. The best part? The menu clearly denotes items that can be prepared gluten free. *Insert squealing and a happy dance*

The Parish is heaven-sent for these two gluten-free foodies. There are beaucoup options to make each dining experience belly-filling and finger-licking. Even the abbreviated lunch menu provided plenty of choices for this week’s Gluten-FREEstyle. Bold flavors and unusual ingredients are at the heart of each dish.

The shared meal:

Bacon Popcorn

How it comes: A heaping bowl of slightly buttered popcorn with chunks of crisp bacon, pepper, and freshly chopped parsley.

Gluten FREEstyle version: No freestyling necessary, we ate it just how it came. (Because the popcorn is made with butter, it’s not dairy-free friendly.)

[pro_ad_display_adzone id=”10118″ info_text=”ADVERTISEMENT” info_text_position=”above” font_color=”#757575″ font_size=”10″ padding=”14″]

Hot Legs Le’ Jean

How it comes: Black pepper and horseradish rubbed frog legs wrapped in bacon. Served with creole remoulade.

The creole remoulade is made with a mayonnaise base. Our sweet server, Kelsey, even checked the mayonnaise container to make sure it did not contain any dairy ingredients.

Gluten FREEstyle version: Same as the menu, this is why we love The Parish.

Bunhugger Backyard Burger

How it comes: Lettuce, tomato, red onion and your choice of white cheddar, goat, bleu, American, Tepin queso, fried egg, bacon, adobo pork or lamb chorizo. All bun huggers come with a choice of one side: hand cut fries, side salad, coleslaw, hushpuppies (+$1), Guedry’s gumbo (+$2).

Gluten FREEstyle version: No bun, add a fried egg and lamb chorizo, with a side of hand-cut fries. (Note: the fries are cooked in a fryer that is shared with gluten-containing items.) The lamb chorizo recipe was carefully looked over to confirm it was gluten free – talk about Southern Hospitality!

[pro_ad_display_adzone id=”10335″ info_text=”ADVERTISEMENT” info_text_position=”above” font_color=”#757575″ font_size=”10″ padding=”14″]

Also recommended:

• Pecan Smoked Ruby Red Trout – Roasted garlic, red onion marmalade, candied pecans, peppery greens, lemon, Creole mustard
• Fresh Oysters – On the half shell, smoked tomato cocktail or pomegranate verjus mignonette.
  • paired with Finnriver Dry Hopped Cider – Chimacum, WA; 6.5%; bright, refreshing cider, made with  heirloom and organic dessert apples, blended with the bold citrus tang of organic Cascade hops

Lacey & Suede say:

While The Parish is located in an unassuming strip mall, it shouldn’t be overlooked. Its inventive ingredients, sweet staff, live music and local art set it apart. Be cautious of cross-contamination, but rest assured in the staff’s knowledge and willingness to accommodate special requests. The Parish will top the list for future ‘FREEstyles.’

For more information, visit theparishtucson.com.