Frontera Fresco

"Hi. Are your Chipotle Chicken tamales gluten free?"

The cashier looked at me blankly.

"I'm gluten intolerant."

She asked the chef. He shrugged.

"Your website says they are."

The cashier replied: "Then they must be."

I was tempted to walk away, but the lure of a hot tamale or two was too strong. Was it worth getting sick? I normally don't gamble but I was tempted. I was craving these tamales since the night before when I tried to go to Frontera Fresco - the Rick Bayless restaurant - at Macy's in the Loop only to be disappointed by their lunch-only hours. The website lists all of items that are made without any gluten-containing ingredients, but I would still be at risk for possible cross-contamination - especially if the two employees I saw did not know which items were gluten free. I had a less than ideal time ordering my food (and then waiting 10 minutes for someone else to come, take them out of the pot and garnish them).

The taste? AMAZING! The ground corn, chicken and spices combined for such a powerful flavor combination. And the location? I was eating in the cafeteria at Macy's. The location is kind of a big deal for me - I haven't gone to any cafeteria-style settings because it is much harder for my gluten-free needs to be addressed. I had a great lunch and enjoyed my tamales!