New GF Restaurant Opens in Great Falls, Montana

[Fidissimus]

Clory Clark has always dreamed of opening a restaurant and catering business.

At age 51, Clark and her business partner, Toni Warren, are making that dream come true and giving people with intolerance to gluten a new place to eat.

Pegasus Blu Restaurant opened today on the second floor of Times Square. The entire menu, which includes pancakes, sandwiches, cookies and more, is free of wheat, barley and rye flour, which contain gluten.

Warren has celiac disease, which means she has to avoid all products containing gluten. After her friend Warren's diagnosis, Clark started experimenting with wheat- and barley-free recipes.

When the pair decided to open a restaurant, they tested gluten free products at the Farmers Market.

"We had such a great response, we decided to go completely gluten free," Clark said.

Warren grew up in her family's restaurant business in Oregon. Her husband is retired from the military, and the couple decided to make Great Falls their home.

Clark worked at the American Red Cross for 12 years, leaving the organization as executive director for the Big Sky District four years ago.

"I worked at Malmstrom for a while and a few other jobs, I'm too young to retire," Clark said. "I had a small catering business I started when I was a junior in high school, and I had a wedding cake business. I stopped that when I got married and now is my chance to get back into it."

The business partners scouted out a location, settling on a space in Times Square that last housed a restaurant 10 years ago.

"We love downtown and this place was available, although it needed some work," Clark said.

Celiac disease, which is an immune-mediated disorder triggered by gluten exposure in genetically sensitive individuals, occurs in about 1 percent of the Western population, according to the American Medical Association.

"Since we started handing out samples at the Farmers Market, we found out there is a celiac support group in town, as well as a co-op of people who exchange gluten-free products, so we are very confident in our menu decision," Clark said. "The one thing we won't sacrifice, though, is taste. Our customers will not be able to tell the difference between our dishes and those with gluten."

Pegasus Blu has five employees.

MORE INFO
Pegasus Blu Restaurant
Second floor of Times Square, 525 Central Ave.
Open Tuesday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
406-225-5495

Source
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Cheers!
Jenn

GF BD: Feb. 2001
Free of wheat, barley, rye, oats, dairy, eggs, almonds, pineapple and brewers yeast.
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