Vin Santo

Tuesday was my first visit to Vin Santo in Middleton although I've passed it by many times on my trips to Bloom and been curious about what it has to offer by way of gluten free meals. I finally ventured in with a friend after previewing their menu online and seeing that they do have a number of gluten free items available.

Both myself and my dining companion found the ambiance of Vin Santo to be somewhat unusual for an Italian restaurant. To start, there is a strange disconnect between the dark windows and awning on the outside of the building and what greets you upon entering the restaurant. The inside seems to be a strange combination of Southwest colors and a supper club theme - antlers on the wall and all. Although the decor seemed unusual, the smells upon entering the restaurant are classic Italian and the diners certainly seemed to be enjoying their meals with gusto.

After a quick review of the menu and a description of their daily specials, I ordered the soup special which was a creamy spinach soup. Although they do not seem to carry gluten free pasta and the majority of their menu consists of pasta dishes, they do have a number of menu items listed as house specials which all seem to be gluten free. In addition, although their mussels are not listed as gluten free on their menu, the waitress indicated that they were indeed gluten free and I ordered those as well.

I enjoyed the idea of being able to order soup in a restaurant more than the reality of the soup itself which was a bit thin and not particularly flavorful. The mussels were a different story altogether.  They are on the Antipasto menu and although the quantity is indicated on the menu, for some reason, I expected a smaller portion. However, given that I ordered it as an entree, I was happy for the 2 1/2 dozen mussels that were presented. The mussels were perfectly cooked and not at all rubbery like they can sometimes be. The sauce was a delicious white wine broth that was great for dipping each yummy mussel into.

Overall, I would recommend Vin Santo as a solid choice for gluten free Italian food, although if they offered gluten free pasta, I would give it an even higher recommendation. My friend enjoyed her ravioli dish and as I mentioned, the meals at the other tables all looked and smelled delicious so it seems like a great option for non-GF diners as well. Enjoy!