Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Gluten Free Review: Lola's Italian Groceria's Subs in Natick Center

Lola's Italian Groceria has become my new favorite place in the world. On top of being super affordable and tasty, they now cater to celiacs with gluten free sub rolls and gluten free cannoli.

We're not talking mass produced crappy sub rolls, either. They're fresh baked. FRESH BAKED!! They're crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and honestly, not all that different from regular sub rolls. The only problem with them is that they're a bit small, but I honestly don't mind because they're so damn tasty.

The cannoli are amazing. They're crispier and less flaky than traditional cannoli, which I personally prefer. Of course, the filling is a lactose-intolerant person's nightmare, but I always order a sandwich with cheese so I have to take a Lactaid anyway. But they're sweet, crispy, and all around wonderful. Admittedly, these are a little pricey at $4 each, but I love that they make them at all. And the price keeps me from ordering 3, since I probably would eat that many if I could.

My go to sandwich? The proscuitto. Holy crap. Simplicity is a wonderful thing. Proscuitto, mozzarella balls, pesto, tomatoes. That's it. But the quality of the ingredients really make the sandwich, and it is only $6.50!

I'm also obsessed with the vegetalian. Tender eggplant, briny artichokes, and sweet roasted peppers with sliced mozzarella. I, of course, add proscuitto, and order the sandwich hot. I personally usually hate eggplant, to be honest. Few places know how to cook it! It always ends up bitter and not the right texture, but not Lola's. They do amazing things with eggplant. I hear their eggplant parmesan is absolutely killer, though I wouldn't know as it is not gluten free. But the combination of the flavors and textures makes this sub fantastic, and I don't feel that guilty eating it since it's full of veggies.

I really don't feel like I miss out when I'm ordering gluten free subs from here because I know they're as good as the regular subs. If anything, the bread is heartier, so wet sandwiches are even better on gluten free bread than regular bread!

This is a must stop for ANY celiac or gluten free eater out there. The service is great, the prices are fair, and the food is delicious.