E&O
E&O
If you’re looking for a unique dinner in San Fransisco at a reasonable cost, check out E&O Kitchen and Bar near Union Square. This restaurant serves modern Asian-inspired dishes with a focus on fresh ingredients and bold flavors - and many of their dishes can be made gluten-free! Many Asian cuisine restaurants don’t cater to gluten-free individuals, so it was extremely exciting to find this option.
Let’s start with the ambiance. E&O has high ceilings and an open floor plan that makes you feel like you have plenty of space. We were seated near another table of two, but I didn’t feel like we were squeezed tightly together. All of the decor is sleek and contemporary, which adds to the upscale experience.
For our visit, we started with a Membara Manhattan and a Tradewinds G&T. Both of these liquor-based drinks are gluten-free and had fun twists on classic drinks to send them to the next level. The Membara Manhattan came smoked in the glass, and the Tradewinds G&T had pea-flower-infused gin to add a fun splash of color. Overall, we were very impressed with the presentation of these drinks.
Next, we ordered some satay appetizers. Two of the satays were marked gluten-free, the mushroom and the prawn, so naturally, we ordered both. When ordering these, we made sure to inform the server that I could not have gluten, and he took notes to ensure extra care in the kitchen. Both satays were paired with a unique sauce to complement the flavors, which elevated the experience. My personal preference was for the prawns, but the mushrooms were delicious as well.
For our main course, we split one of the large plate options, firecracker beef. This beef dish is marinated and paired with tamari rather than traditional soy sauce, so it’s safe on a gluten-free diet. Unfortunately, this was the only gluten-free option in the “Larger Plates” section of the menu, but we had zero complaints. We paired the entree with a side of white rice, which we recommend if ordering this dish as there is a lot of sauce that comes with the dish.
For the drinks, appetizers, and entree, our total came to $107.36 before the tip. For us, this isn’t an every-night-priced dinner, but it was worth the splurge for the experience we had. Being gluten-free, I typically don’t get to enjoy Asian flavors unless we cook the food ourselves, so I was thrilled that we came across E&O.