AUSTIN Texas Mama Fu’s, a 13-unit pan-Asian restaurant, is rolling out a gluten-free menu.
Chief operating officer Steve MacManus said that although gluten-free items are requested by only “a very small percentage” of customers, they are vocal in their requests and, once they find a restaurant that is reliably gluten-free, they spread the word and become loyal patrons.
MacManus said the menu required finding substitutes for soy sauce, which, despite its name, contains wheat and therefore gluten. For example, the chain offers ahi tuna with raspberry vinaigrette instead of ponzu sauce, which is made from soy sauce.
Mama Fu's also developed a gluten-free “Mama’s” sauce that MacManus said is similar to East Asian brown sauces. In addition, it uses gluten-free tamari sauce.
The restaurants use potato starch for crispy coatings and are developing a gluten-free Thai masaman curry.
Research and testing has been under way for the past six months, MacManus said. The gluten-free menu will be rolled out to company units within the next 30 days.
Mama Fu’s serves dishes of Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Thai and Vietnamese origin in a service style it calls “flex-casual” -- counter ordering and table delivery at lunch and full service at dinner. It currently operates eight restaurants in Texas and Arkansas and franchises an additional five in Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas.
Acompany spokeswoman said Mama Fu’s was reaching out to celiac disease support groups to help spread the word about the gluten-free menu.
Mama Fu's joins several other restaurant chains that have introduced or expanded gluten-free options, including P.F. Chang's, Burger King and Uno Chicago Grill.
Contact Bret Thorn at [email protected].