Gluten-Free Dining at Fuego Mundo

Before the “big game” on Sunday afternoon, I met up with The Atlanta Food Bloggers Alliance for a gluten-free experience at Fuego Mundo.  The restaurant, located in The Prado shopping center in Sandy Springs, offers South American cuisine with influences from Argentina, Columbia, Cuba and Spain.

One of the things that will motivate me to dine at any restaurant is great customer service which is served in abundance at Fuego Mundo.  The AFBA members were greeted warmly upon entering the restaurant by a hostess tempting us with White Sangrias.  Is it safe for me to admit that I’ve never had one before and that this one won’t be my last?  It was infused with citrus fruits and apples, perfectly sweetened and a winner as far as I’m concerned.

With refreshment in hand, I was ready to mingle with the group and prepare to learn about the gluten-free menu items we would be tasting.

The owners of Fuego Mundo are Udi and Masha Hershkovitz.  During their travels in the Panama rainforests, they stumbled upon a restaurant serving well seasoned grilled foods.  They immediately fell in love with the concept of healthy, simple back to basic foods that are both delicious and flavorful.

Fuego Mundo means World of Fire.  Besides the inviting dining area, the interior design offers a great view of the restaurant’s wood fired grill.  It’s an awesome feature because you know that what you’re getting is authentic.  The wood used is natural, untreated oak which works well with their marinades in adding an extra level of flavor to their grilled meats and veggies.

Before we talk food, I have to tell you about the second beverage we were served.  I thought I was impressed by the White Sangria but…

this ruby colored gem was a huge surprise.  I say that because I typically don’t enjoy red wines.  This Red Sangria was absolutely delicious and is now on my list of favorites.

Now, here’s a look at items we sampled from their 90% Gluten-Free menu.

There were two appetizers.  The first was a platter of Fuego Chips & Dip.  The crunchy plantain chips functioned as the perfect vessel for the fresh vegetables and herbs.  The second was Yucca Fries with a Homemade Garlic Dip.  The bite of this root vegetable was crisp on the outside, light and fluffy on the inside and wonderful with the dip.

Our next tastes were prepared on the wood fired grill while we watched.

There were skirt steaks,

tilapia fillets and spicy chicken sausage.  All were seasoned perfectly and teased our palates with a nice balanced smoky flavor.

I love that the tilapia was so moist and flaky and, although I’m not a big beef eater, I have to give credit where it’s due and say that the skirt steak was amazing.  My favorite, however, was the chicken sausage.  Yes it was spicy but the good kind of spicy.  The seasonings were truly unforgettable.  I’m really looking forward to returning for seconds very soon.

After our time at the grill, there was more.

A buffet had been setup for us which included Chicken Skewers, Steak Skewers, Quinoa, a Stir Fry of broccoli, green beans and onions, Spanish Rice, Black Beans, Baked Plantains, Fried Plantains, Gluten-Free Carrot Cake and Homemade Flan.

If you’re like me, you aren’t really thinking much about how healthy these dishes are because it all sounds so good.  That’s because they are that good.  Fuego Mundo proved to me that you can eat a healthier gluten-free meal without losing the flavors you crave.

This event turned out to be the highlight of my day as the “big game” later that evening ended with a pretty disappointing loss for the Steelers.  If you’re in the area, stop by Fuego Mundo and try an order of their Yucca Fries and Dip.  While you’re there,  you might as well try something from the grill.  You’ll be glad you did.

Enjoy!!