Imagine your diet without cereal for breakfast, sandwiches for lunch or pasta for dinner.


Those with an allergy or intolerance to gluten, the primary protein in wheat and similar grains such as barley and rye, need no imagination. 


Gluten-free living was seldom heard of 10 years ago, but the allergy is on the rise for various, often debatable, reasons, including an overall increasing food consciousness and the hygiene theory, which suggests developed food webs are too clean, causing immune systems to attack themselves. Whatever the case, there is a growing population in need of delicious things to eat sans wheat. 


While a few places extend an option or two, the Holy Grail – a restaurant that offers a stress-free dining experience where no menu item is off limits – remains elusive. (For a list of recommended spots for gluten-free pizza, baked goods, Italian food and even fish and chips, visit the Weekly food blog at www/mcweekly.com/edible). As gluten-free dining options spread in metropolitan areas, around here, the food-allergy afflicted are still struggling to get the horse out of the gate. 


One restaurant that has dropped into gluten-free gear is Le St. Tropez in Carmel. Chef Jean Hubert has been working with Sandi Srigley, Wild Coast Foods company co-owner, for almost two years on gluten-free options. 


Srigley first came to Tropez when she heard they were actively pursuing the possibilities of gluten-free alternatives. Once Hubert learned her company offered many gluten-free items, from crusts and tarts to pizza dough and biscotti – “her five seed bread is incredible,” he says – he knew he had a the key to feeding an eager and neglected niche. 


“Although I was offering some options before I met Srigley,” he says, “she schooled me. Now we meet a couple times a week and work with new and continuing ideas.”


Tucked away amidst boutiques and other restaurants on Dolores in Carmel, Le St. Tropez aims to transport eaters from the touristy streets of Carmel to the comforts of southern France. My guests and I were immediately seated in front of the wood-burning stone fireplace nestled in the back corner by the attentive young hostess. It was a packed Saturday night, and because of the restaurant’s slim rectangular shape and rich dark wood, it felt cozy. Friendly blue hues on the cloth napkins, glass light fixtures, and sunflowers decorating the pleasant yellow tablecloths all synced with what they call “the Cuisine of the Sun.”


One look at the menu and I was tantalized by items that are usually red flags: the 12-inch pizza Margarita ($10.50) and le burger et frites ($12) on their lunch menu, to the blue crab and spinach pesto linguine ($21.50) for dinner. All can be served without gluten (Hubert even gives guests a choice between corn or rice noodles). 


I decided on a light dinner to save room for desert: the traditional French onion soup gratineé ($8). For desert, the crêpe flambées Suzette ($20), made for two (or more), which our well-informed waiter assured us tastes just like a gluten-filled crêpe, a favorite in my pre-allergy days. 


Upon cluing the waiter in on my allergy, our table promptly received separate bread baskets and accompanying crudités to avoid cross contamination. Since many are unaware that even crumbs from sharing dips and dishes can cause an allergic reaction, I was impressed with the waiter’s awareness. The hummus, beets, olives and marinated vegetables were a refreshing upgrade from the average bread and butter pre-meal, and the gluten-free bread’s texture was nice, with a hearty crust and flaky nature. The poppy and sunflower seeds, meanwhile, gave it a pleasant earthy undertone. Toasted golden brown and served warm, it lost some flavor when it cooled, a common trait gluten-free breads have. Nevertheless, it maintained a nostalgic, made-by-grandma taste, and I basked in the simple but rare glory of eating bread alongside my peers. 


The soup demanded attention with its theatrical layering of dark russet-colored broth, mushy gluten free bread, and broiled Gruyere blanketed over the sides of the ramekin, creating messy strings when the spoon left the bowl. I liked the use of chicken stock instead of beef, and the bread was my favorite layer: Each juicy chunk came in a perfect ratio to the rich soup, balancing every bite. 


After our dinner, our waiter prepared our crêpe desert in front of us, pouring and flipping the batter with dexterity. 


Although darker in color than usual crepes thanks to the buckwheat flour, its texture and taste pleased unanimously, each bite a silky pillow in my mouth transcending the typical grainy feel of gluten free. A buttery citrus-Grand Marnier sauce gave the rich whirlwind of flavors still more zing.


With progressive restaurants at times tough to find in the area, it’s nice to Le St. Tropez ahead of the gluten-free game. Their upcoming treat might be their most ambitious. 


“Our next project is perfecting house-made gluten free raviolis,” Hubert says, “but we still have some work to do.” Same could be said for Monterey County. But there is hope. 


LE ST. TROPEZ Dolores Street between Ocean and Seventh, Carmel. • 11:30am-4pm, 4pm-10pm Mon-Sun. •624-8977, www.lesttropez.com.

WILD COAST FOODS 408-219-8869 • sandieatfringe@aol.com.