Pre nobread days, I was never a big sushi eater. So when I went gluten free and my doctor recommended I start eating more sushi (not always with raw fish) as a hearty yet healthy alternative, I wasn’t too thrilled. Shockingly, I quickly became obsessed. Little did I know, ‘fancy’ and ‘trendy’ sushi spots typically add malted vinegar to their sushi rice, which contains gluten. Who would have thought that I’d have better luck eating generic deli sushi vs sushi served at NYC’s best restaurants?! Hello Bond Street: one of NYC’s most talked about restaurants. Not only does Bond St use gluten free rice in their sushi rolls, but they have a complete gluten free menu!…
Yes the gluten free menu is significantly smaller than the regular version, but this is because many of the dishes on the regular menu contain flavorings and glazes that have gluten. Don’t be alarmed! You can STILL have some of the foods offered on the regular menu, just be sure to ask for them sans the gluten culprit, and make sure your server knows you have a gluten allergy. From the GF menu, I recommend the sake braised short rib, seared tune & foie gras, and grilled baby octopus to start. The octopus is served with avocado, caramelized onions, and dashed potatoes and it is unbelievable. The braised short rib was INCREDIBLY flavorful which typically means there is gluten involved, but the rib is cooked with miso daikon and red shiso sauce and nobread approved. My friends also ordered the oysters, which are not on the gluten free menu, but the waitress ensured me that they could be made gluten free if I was interested in having them, as well. For main courses I highly recommend the broiled Chilean sea bass and any of the rolls; I had the salmon avocado roll and it was perfect. We also ordered a sashimi platter for those who love raw fish (I’m not a huge fan). My waitress even made sure a tamari soy sauce replacement was put on the table for me (very appreciated).
All in all, Bond St is an incredible dining experience and not just because of the food. The service here is great. The food is served in rounds of 3-4 dishes at a time, and my server went out of her way to make sure a gluten free order was served in each round AND placed right next to me so I could have first dibs. She also notified me of items on the main menu that could be made gluten free, and pointed out her gluten free favorites. I will absolutely be back soon!