JING Denver
$$$ • Restaurant
Most Recent Reviews
I’ve been here a few times and been safe, the food is good and there’s plenty of options but be very careful with garnishes. Always double check if you’re unsure. For instance, most of their desserts are GF and labeled that way on the menu, but they are garnished differently depending on the person putting them out (there’s no standard) and some of their garnish options are not GF! We talked to the manager to try to explain why this is a dangerous practice after my GF cheesecake came out with Pocky Sticks (not GF) stuck into it, which I initially mistook for candles. It could have been really bad if my boyfriend hadn’t pointed out they weren’t candles before I ate that. I’m not sure the manager understood why it was important not to have gluten containing garnish options for GF labeled desserts, but our server seemed to understand completely. She said she’d put it in the notes and make sure everyone knew, but since they use different garnishes all the time, that might not be enough unless the manager sets the standard. So be careful! Other than that I’ve never had a problem with them and I love their food, especially the GF desserts that are nearly impossible to find GF.
Separate GF menu that lists items that cannot be prepared celiac safe, which is incredible as it gives me the confidence that they know how cross contamination works. So many options and food was great. Lovely atmosphere, and the rest of my family who isn’t GF ate so much. Felt amazing after, no symptoms!
My wife and I have loved Jing for years, but tonight was the first time we went since my celiac diagnosis. I have to say, this was the safest I've felt at a restaurant that wasn't a dedicated facility. The food itself was also fantastic, but I'll get to that after I rave about the service...
We asked about a gluten free menu and mentioned that I'm celiac before asking for a seat. Everyone at the front desk was immediately helpful. A hostess handed me the separate Gluten Free Menu, and they pointed out that the items that weren't celiac safe were specially marked. Everything else was able to be made or altered in a way to ensure there wasn't any exposure. One of the managers was at the desk, and she mentioned that she also had celiac and reassured me of the precautions that they take whenever someone mentions celiac disease or a gluten allergy.
Once we got to our table and we met our server, someone had already informed him that one of us had celiac. He assured us he'd be talking to the chef and everyone that would have a hand in preparing our food to make sure everything that touched our table would be completely safe. He also confirmed the safety of our food every time something came out of the kitchen. It was so reassuring, I forgot my usual paranoia and just enjoyed the meal. The staff at Jing were all just incredibly kind, helpful, and professional.
Now for the food (heads up: we order too much knowing that we'll eat leftovers for a couple lunches): The kobe sliders (bunless) melt in your mouth, and I barely missed the bun. The chicken lettuce wraps were also a hit. I really liked the spicy garlic sauce, while my wife liked the sweet & sour. For the meal, we got the Mongolian style beef, kung pao chicken, and the pad thai. The beef is one of my favorites, and it was perfectly caramelized without getting dry or chewy. My wife ended up liking the pad thai even more than the kung pao she always loves. She's pregnant, and the tangy sauce with the peanuts really hit the spot. I might not get to steal as much as usual for lunch tomorrow...but I'll be happy digging into that kung pao again! Then, dessert... We celiacs don't usually get too many options, but they had three gluten free desserts! We ordered the key lime pie and the salted caramel cheesecake. Caramel can get overpowering, but this cheesecake was balanced really well. You get all of that rich caramel flavor, without losing the cheesecake itself. Sooooooo good. The key lime, too. We might have fought over it, but on our first date I promised that my wife would always get the last bite of dessert. We already know we'll find time to sneak back for a dessert date before the baby is born.
Great food, great experience. A few hours later, and I haven't felt any sign of getting glutened.
Photos
