Rat Hysteria Shutters Fave Gluten-Free Spot

The city’s favorite non-gluten outpost, [Risotteria] in Greenwich Village, was unexpectedly closed yesterday. The restaurant has a near-obsessive clientele partly due to the huge population of those who suffer from celiac disease (one in every 133 people, they say). Celiacs are unable to process wheat (which contains gluten) and can’t eat bread, cake, crackers, soy sauce or even beer, and Risotteria serves nearly everything without gluten (including pizza, panini, breadsticks and cookies). A sign on the window states that they were closed down by the Board of Health due to “prior violations.” They’re calling the whole thing a “witch hunt” and say they should re-open shortly. We’re assuming the resto was inspected by the same woman who passed the rat-loving Taco Bell/KFC that has captured the world’s attention. Well, that’s one way to cover your ass: get all the celiacs so scared that they’ll never eat out again. Of course, they apologized for the inconvenience and say they’ll re-open shortly. But will anyone’s intestines ever be the same again?

Photo courtesy of Carla Gahr