Beat it wheat. PDX bakery is gluten-free.

Portland residents who don't eat gluten—the protein contained in wheat flour—will be psyched to hear about New Cascadia Traditional, a pint-sized baked-goods outlet tucked in between Trader Joe's and Urban Fondue on NW Glisan Street. Owners Teresa Atkins and Chris Gumke opened their shop about a month ago and offer a full range of “artisan” pastries, breads and cookies, all made with wheat free ingredients like brown and white rice flour, sorghum, and teff flour.

Now hold on scoffers: We tried a handful of goodies this morning, and found the peanut butter chip cookie to be outrageously tender, moist and tasty and the crust on the apple galette had a lovely shortbread texture.

Then again, breads were heavy and a bit under-baked for my liking [note from editor Kelly: more like a bread baseball bat than a baguette], but then I can eat gluten all day long—and do.

If you can't eat gluten, and have been missing the familiar flavor of a chocolate croissant, sourdough bread, baguette of even banana bread, you may want to come and check this tiny spot out. Be aware that hours are a little unusual for a bakery—they open at 11am and close at 7pm, and are closed Sunday and Monday. That's just the way the gluten-free roll, yo.

Look for a full review sometime next month.

New Cascadia Traditional, 2120 NW Glisan St., 620-5913, www.newcascadiatraditional.com.

Photo: Still life with New Cascadia's baguette at the WW office.