ALONG COMES MARY

“I know that lean well!” went Ben, our server last night at Wood Ranch BBQ and Grill to Mike. Mike had hit a bit of a glorious food coma as he laid back in our booth. It completely was, yet in the best possible way. When the SoCal chain invited me back out to experience their delicious BBQ cuisine, there was no way I was turning this night out down. With Valentine’s Day less than a week away, might as well get in the mood, no? And, in-case you might be scrambling at where to take your gluten-free valentine this upcoming holiday, read on for why Wood Ranch rules in my gluten-free world.

Hitting up our location in Northridge, Wood Ranch once again offered up a wonderful, top-notch dinner. With a great selection of their favorites on their gluten-free menu, I started out with a bold & vibrant glass of Pinot Noir with hints of cherry & raisin. Perfect to sip at while we looked over the appetizer course & came to the conclusion on their artichoke & spinach dip. While the tortilla chips that usually accompany this dish are indeed corn-based, they are cooked in the common fryer, making them not safe for us gluten-free peeps. I instead opted for carrot & celery sticks, & they were great but I honestly could have eaten this dip sans any crunch! It was so warm, creamy & flavorful that I almost regretted not getting a full order. It is joined with their house made salsa that was also full flavored & just a hint spicy.

Definitely in a date night mode as we sat in a cozy booth under nice, dimmed lighting, we moved on to selecting our main courses….With a rack of short ribs 8 hours cooked, bar-b-queued & marinated, I swear I saw Mikes mouth begin to water & his eyes grow wide as Ben explained the plate to him. He was also offered their cherry chipotle sauce but Mike opted to stick with the original BBQ sauce…which you can never go wrong with.
And, thank goodness that they recently went gluten-free on their famous sauce, as I can safely eat it & safely LOVE it, like on my grilled Atlantic Salmon I had.

I know I last told you what a fan I had become of their trout, but, man, over that wood BBQ, that was one of the most full flavored salmon filets I have had. I didn’t realize just how “BBQ cooked” fish could taste til I had it properly. Mike commented that I ate it too quick for him to even ask for a bite!

We went traditional on our choice of a side: good ol’ mashed potatoes, which I smothered in the sauce. When we found ourselves in that ‘lean’ mode, we were also asked about dessert. Yes? No? No but yes? Ben could not have been kinder & offered to wrap us up a piece to go of their flour-less chocolate cake, insisting that I get to try it. Usually served a la mode, we chose just the chocolate fudge & pecans on the side. What a great way to end our dinner, with a sweet treat to enjoy at home while we cuddle on the couch!

A lot like finding a good gluten-free pizza crust, the same delicate balance can go for cake when you need to omit the flour.  Wood Ranch has once again succeeded in my books as their cake was creamy & rich. This is definitely a great spot to take your honey this Valentine’s Day, especially if you’re in search of a gluten-free destination!

Find your location & make your reservations HERE for what is sure to be a great Valentine’s Day to remember at Wood Ranch Grill & BBQ 🙂 xo

(*Disclosure: A huge thank you to Wood Ranch for inviting me out for a complimentary dinner on behalf of this feature. All opinions are my own.)