Will, such great comments above - and I had no idea about Hurricane Oyster Bar and the others in your list, thanks for those. Like you, my posts on this thread were for informational purposes only. I definitely do not expect any restaurant or chef to cater to Celiac (I can eat at home just fine), but I have just been surprised that in this area it can be difficult to obtain accurate information as to whether or not restaurants have any options that are truly gluten-free or just advertise things "without bread". When calling ahead, emailing, or even asking in person, communication has at times been a challenge to find out about what goes on in the kitchen to ascertain whether or not one with Celiac should eat there. It has been worth digging, as I'd like to give more business to area restaurants, just not at the risk to my health. Baby steps like you said! I am just so glad there are some places adding options to their menus in recent years.
Re: those who eat gluten-free "by choice" as Matt mentioned... It boggles my mind why anyone would voluntarily choose to eat this way other than medical necessity! There are too many SoWal favorites out there to miss otherwise... I still remember the exact day I found out from my doctor, I decided to have one last meal and went straight to George's and had my very last fried grouper sandwich and then bid it adieu and cheered to new health in the future. That was one incredible sandwich (that I do miss to this day), but not one bite is worth how much better I feel a year later!
Thanks again for the restaurant info - and Will, your wife is further on the journey than I am, so if she has any favorite dishes around town, I'd welcome any tips on what to order at the places you mentioned.