Located in the West End, Marcel’s is home to the upscale brunch crowd. Never having tried Belgian food before, I was excited to see what Marcel’s was all about. Boasting an extremely gluten-free friendly menu and helpful wait staff, Marcel’s is a go to spot for the gluten-free brunch crowd…
Make sure to let your server know you are gluten-free because they will bring gluten-free bread for the table! My gluten-eating friend was impressed by how good the bread tasted, especially when covered in the tomato or scallion butter. For the first course we had the Cashew Crusted Jumbo Lump Crab Cake and the Pan Seared Diver Scallops. It is hard to find gluten-free crab cakes when out at a restaurant, so naturally, I jumped at the opportunity to eat one. The cashew crust added a unique crunch to the crab cake and the butternut aioli was amazing! The Pan Seared Diver Scallops are served with Baby Spinach and Osetra Caviar Butter.
For the main course I recommend the Poached Farm Egg And Duck Prosciutto. To make this dish gluten-free, swap the toasted brioche for a bed of spinach. The duck Prosciutto is crispy and pairs well with the sautéed spinach and runny poached egg. The Farmhouse Chicken, Martins Angus NY Strip, and the Ahi Tuna Nicoise are also gluten-free friendly main course options and are delicious. The only main courses that cannot be made gluten-free are the Crispy Pork Schnitzel and the Aunt Lila’s Pancakes.
Dessert was by far the best part of the meal and two of the three dessert options were nobread-friendly! If you are a fan of Earl Gray tea, definitely order the Crème Brulee without the tea meringues. The other gluten-free dessert option was the Flourless Valrhona Chocolate Cake. This cake is a chocolate lover’s dream with creamy caramel chocolate ganache and Baileys Irish ice cream. After finishing our desserts we were brought mini peppercorn macaroons and chocolate pomegranate truffles. They were the perfect note to end an incredible brunch on!
The wait staff at Marcel’s is extremely knowledgeable and willing to talk through the menu with any customer with food allergies. Marcel’s is the perfect restaurant to go for a nice brunch or your next date. The vibe is very classy and upscale, yet warm and welcoming. The food will impress even the most stubborn foodie.