Nick Edwards puts his dietary concerns to the test and enjoys a suberb meal with a gluten-loving friend

It’s amazing how gluten seems to find its way into everything.

I’m not just talking of the obvious things – you know, bread and cakes and stuff – but all sorts of things you would never expect – like soy sauce (no Chinese food), sausages, gravy and even the chocolate powder on the top of your cappuccino.

So for anyone with a gluten intolerance or coeliac disease, finding a restaurant for a rare night out is a bit of a project.

Research does pay off, however, and choosing a spot for a night out doesn’t have to mean compromising on taste and quality. Take Portabello.

Tucked away on South Parade in Summertown, the restaurant bar and grill is a North Oxford landmark, famed for its interesting menu and cool continental ambience. But it is also perfect for anyone for whom gluten is a no-go.

Visiting with a sympathetic but gluten-loving friend, I asked our waiter to ask the chef to tick off the safe options. This can be a dangerous tactic, but her honesty, and ability to spot things I hadn’t suspected, gave me confidence.

I dived in with a fabulous mozzarella and tomato salad – the moist ball of cheese topped with a tangy salsa.

It was fresh and hefty – more generous than the fish soup (£6) enjoyed by my friend – which he said was deliciously smooth and very fishy – though disappointingly small.

The main courses also offered a few tantalising options, though I went for a safe bet – steak and chips.

This was offered with a sauce, which made me nervous; however, I was assured that the peppercorn topping was quite safe. It was also very tasty – though the rump escalope (£13) was wafer thin and left me wishing I’d gone instead for something beefier.

My friend went fishy, choosing a lovely-looking sea bass. It was also thin but beautifully crisped and presented on crushed potatoes and topped with orange salsa.

I dared not try it – fish often being fried in flour – but he said it was good – and while also rather thin, he said it was filling.

So far so good. Now time for the tricky bit: dessert. This can be a minefield, but putting faith in our marked-up menu we went for a couple of likely looking puds: a chocolate and vanilla Bavarois with salted caramel sauce and topped with blueberries, and poached nectarine with ice cream (both £5.50). They were amazing, the best part of the meal.

And there were no nasty surprises to come, with no ill effects – other than the result of too much wine. And that was entirely my fault!

Portabello, 7 South Parade,
Summertown, Oxford
portabellorestaurant.co.uk 01865 559653

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