One of the readers at Celiac-Disease.com was kind enough to let us know that Brasstown Valley Resort & Spa in Young Harris, GA can accommodate gluten-free guests. Since we needed a mini get-away and wanted to enjoy the fall colors north of Atlanta, we decided to stay at the resort just for one night last month. Before booking the room, I confirmed that the dining room could serve gluten-free meals upon request.
We arrived at the sprawling resort mid-afternoon and were checked into a king room with a private balcony. This was actually a surprise since we had not booked that type of room, but the manager upgraded the reservation and comped our night's stay as well! After settling into our cozy room, we checked on our dinner reservations and headed to the expansive veranda off the main lobby to enjoy a glass of wine. The view from there is simply amazing and the fall colors were somewhat subtle this year, but lovely none-the-less!
When we checked in with the hostess for dinner, she informed us that the chef had created special menus for us. Imagine my surprise when I was given a lovely formal printed gluten-free menu that included an appetizer, salad, entree and dessert! And as usual, I requested something that was not listed...lol! Hey, I prefer salmon over filet mignon any day - what can I say?
We started with the gluten-free appetizer listed on the special menu. The prosciutto wrapped shrimp turned out the be one of the best appetizers we've had in a very long time. My perfectly prepared salmon was served over a portebello mushroom and gluten-free penne pasta which at first glance, I thought might not be edible since it was obviously corn pasta. But the chef knows his stuff and it was imported Italian gluten-free pasta. It was delicious with a very light sauce that could not have camouflaged bad gluten-free pasta.
In addition to our menu items, we also enjoyed the salad bar which was fairly basic and included a nice cheese selection and fresh fruit. After our amazing dinner, I enjoyed a lovely baked pear dessert and my husband enjoyed a gluten-filled treat. We watched the sunset over the mountains from our table. The gourmet meal, scenery and friendly staff made for a perfectly lovely evening!
The next morning, we enjoyed the breakfast buffet. While there were no gluten-free bread items to be found, I filled up on an omelet, bacon, cheese and fresh fruit. If I go back, I might take a croissant from Celiac Specialties to round out the buffet options.
There are many spa services and even horseback rides available at Brasstown Valley as well as an indoor/outdoor pool and hot tub. We're not golfers, but the course there looks very nice. We were there for such a short time that we didn't take advantage of anything but the lovely views, the great dining and the relaxing atmosphere. The entire experience was delightful and we hope to return for a longer stay one day!
We arrived at the sprawling resort mid-afternoon and were checked into a king room with a private balcony. This was actually a surprise since we had not booked that type of room, but the manager upgraded the reservation and comped our night's stay as well! After settling into our cozy room, we checked on our dinner reservations and headed to the expansive veranda off the main lobby to enjoy a glass of wine. The view from there is simply amazing and the fall colors were somewhat subtle this year, but lovely none-the-less!
We started with the gluten-free appetizer listed on the special menu. The prosciutto wrapped shrimp turned out the be one of the best appetizers we've had in a very long time. My perfectly prepared salmon was served over a portebello mushroom and gluten-free penne pasta which at first glance, I thought might not be edible since it was obviously corn pasta. But the chef knows his stuff and it was imported Italian gluten-free pasta. It was delicious with a very light sauce that could not have camouflaged bad gluten-free pasta.
The next morning, we enjoyed the breakfast buffet. While there were no gluten-free bread items to be found, I filled up on an omelet, bacon, cheese and fresh fruit. If I go back, I might take a croissant from Celiac Specialties to round out the buffet options.
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Wishing you all a fabulously delicious gluten-free Thanksgiving!
