Review of Cranelli's Italian Restaurant

When I ordered my food on Oct 16, 2019, the menu was wrong on the Arancini having a GF. Sure I was disappointed that I drove 35 min to eat Arancini here and couldn’t have them - but more importantly, I depend on this app and the ratings and reviews from this app to know where I can safely eat and I promptly made my review to warm people with celiac disease that I trust to write honest reviews to help keep us celiacs stay safe eating out.

The owner of Cranelli’s ad I spoke while I was still there, which was very considerate to respond quickly - however she commented here and over the phone that it was the SAUCE that has gluten in the current flavor or Arancini —- that she takes GF seriously-yet I was told by my server they are rolling the Arancini in flour because they were falling apart in the fryer - the menu still says they are GF, which is not ok to have changed the item before changing the menu. When the manager came over, she told me they are rolled in a DOUGH- but could make me some without it—- BUT THEY WILL GO IN THE SAME FRYER.

Having eaten here three times before, I trusted that the owner has a family member who has to eat gluten-free and takes this seriously.... but I am not on the same page with how she handled this situation- and frankly left her Resturant with a nasty headache after trying to have her hear my perspective and understand me .... I believe others with celiac disease will feel the same that it’s dangerous to our health to change ingredients and add flour and still have a menu show something as GF.

This was not an isolated incident -

Another item we ordered that showed a GF was the chicken Genovese- and my server said it also has an ingredient with flour - but cold be prepared differently.

Many restaurant menus state that gluten free option are available - but these items are shown to actually be GF.

Yes, the manager called the owner while I was there - and honestly the owner seemed far more upset at me that I left this one star review without talking to her first, than she was about hearing someone with 15 years experience living this way - who wants to eat out safely - almost have ordered food that would make me terribly sick. I know when I eat out emphasize that I’m ordering GF, and I’m glad the server was well educated and told me I can’t have them.

The owner’s words say she cares- that she takes celiac disease seriously, but would she have her staff roll food in peanut flour that the menu shows peanut free and share that fryer with all customers? The manager said she has a peanut allergy and understood why I would be upset that the menu doesn’t reflect that the item is not GF- I suggested going to Walmart or Office Depot to buy stickers for the menu to hide the GF until the new menus are made- it’s THAT important to those of us who depend on our intestines to not be damaged if we ingest wheat. I’m self employed and don’t want to cancel on my clients because a resturant who has many staff members, some who are new, and of course who are human and make mistakes.

If it were just the sauce that wasn’t GF in this option, that is one level of disappointment- but to hear that these were are now rolled in flour is why I was so quick to add a 1 Star review and say that it is not a celiac safe resturant, and I depend on the honest reviews from other celiacs.

I regret spending $48 on food here - I don’t regret giving my server a 30% tip and thanking her for how she took care of me.

This is my last visit here and it’s a shame.

Celiac friendly?

No