Going Gluten-Free: Ike’s sandwiches are full of surprises

On its packages, Ike’s Love & Sandwiches shares quite a message: “Ike’s is in the love, respect, and appreciation business.”

“Ask yourself,” it continues. “Would you like to lead the world to love itself through sandwiches, or would you rather just work at a restaurant that happens to make great sandwiches?”

To that, I say, who wouldn’t want to work at a place that promotes love? As a customer, I say, I appreciate Ike’s philosophy — and really, really want a great sandwich.

A recent visit to Ike’s at The Lanai at Ala Moana Center offered a few surprises in my pursuit of such a sandwich.

One surprise was not just good, it was great — an outstanding gluten-free bread.

But before I extrapolate, it’s important to first share the bad surprise, bad because it never should have been a surprise: Ike’s vegan meatballs, which I ate, are chock full of gluten. Online research had turned up no information about their gluten content, so I asked at the counter. A pow-wow among three workers had them agreeing the meatballs were safe for my consumption. But when I was hit hard with a gluten reaction the next day, I spoke to a manager who confirmed what my body was already telling me. She promised to re-educate her staff and offered a full refund. (Note that the vegan chicken on the menu also contains gluten.)

Though I did my due diligence, the miserable situation reminded me to be more discerning. If I had thought twice about the workers’ uncertainty, I would have avoided the meatballs.

For all that drama, the other sandwich I tried — the Alan Wong ($12), hearty and delicious with roast beef, ham, turkey, pastrami, provolone and a creamy, flavorful Godfather Sauce — was so good I will be making a return visit.

A big part of the success of the sandwich is the happy surprise of my visit, the bread. It behaves like a gluten product, with a nicely crunchy crust and springy softness inside. It also stands up superbly to whatever meats, veggies, cheeses and sauces are layered upon it, just like a wheat bread. Because Ike’s sandwiches are sizable, I enjoyed it over two meals, skipping a day in between. It took until Day 3 for the roll to begin to get crumbly, a far cry from other gluten-free breads that are so crumbly they’re unfit for sandwiches. So there’s plenty of time to have a good bread experience.

The best surprise: The bread is locally made at Pu‘uwai Aloha Bakery in Punchbowl, renowned for its excellent gluten- free food.

While doing my research, I had read a lot about the quality of Ike’s breads, and about a few locations on the mainland that offered exceptional gluten-free breads. I was envious; it’s so rare that these considerations make their way across the ocean to our restaurants. That it has is something to cheer about!

Sandwiches at Ikes run $9 to $12 and come with shredded lettuce, tomato and Dirty Sauce aioli. Red onions, pickles and jalapenos are free upon request. Add-ons cost an extra dollar or two.

Note that you’ll also pay $1 extra for the gluten-free bread. The fee isn’t unusual, but I tell you here because it isn’t specified on the menu. I found out when I looked at my receipt — yet another surprise.

Upshot: The quality of the sandwiches at Ike’s is outstanding, but tread carefully when asking workers for information. Ike’s doesn’t state whether its Godfather and Dirty sauces are gluten- free, so if you’re extremely sensitive or have celiac disease, inquire and be discerning, or just go without.

IKE’S LOVE & SANDWICHES

Ala Moana Center

Open 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily (closes at 7 p.m. Sundays); 951-6383.

“Going Gluten-Free” helps meet the cooking and dining challenges faced by those on wheat-free diets. It runs on the first Wednesday of each month. Send questions to Joleen Oshiro, joshiro@staradvertiser.com.