After being gluten-free for over a decade, one would think there's nothing that would throw me. From weddings to funerals to holiday parties to business functions and non-celiac in-law holidays...I've done it all gluten-free. For the most part, I've done well when not in charge of where we're eating out. I do my due diligence, as always, so I pretty much know what to expect on arrival to a restaurant I didn't have the option to choose myself.
On a recent trip to celebrate an in-laws milestone birthday, I had one of the worst experiences I've had in years. After contacting the chosen b-day dinner restaurant about what I could safely order, I felt good about the options. While the email message I got from some manager at the place was rather curt, I chalked it up to them being from New York and didn't think much more of it.
We arrived with a group of 9 to an overly crowded and noisy place...the latter being a blessing in the end. After I asked the server if they had a gluten-free menu, his demeanor changed in a bad way. A minute later, some woman who claimed to be the owner of the place was quickly shoving a gluten-free menu in my face and rambling - quite rudely - that they "knew what they were doing and I could ask her if I had any questions". My husband and I were stunned at the behavior, tone and comments and had no idea why this happened. I review the limited gf menu and quickly decide that I just want to order seafood (we are at the beach after all) instead of gf pasta or anything else that is considered a replacement item.
When I try to order one of the shrimp entrees, I'm told I can't have it. That's okay...I'm ready with a back up option, as anyone ordering a at new place better be. Garlic butter shrimp was said to be fine - no modifications were mentioned. I was told I could not have the whipped potatoes and would get a baked potato instead. No question about what the other options might be... It's right about this point, that in any other situation, we're out of the chairs and headed for the door. I wouldn't initiate this decision to leave...my husband would have. But we are not in the position to get up and leave, of course.
When our food comes, I'm given whipped potatoes...which I'd earlier been told - rather rudely - that I could not have. Then my entree is put down and it looks like plain shrimp with a lemon wedge. It doesn't look like it's sauteed - nor is any garlic butter sauce to be found. My husband waives over the server and we ask about the garlic butter. He snaps that the sauce isn't gluten-free and quickly disappears from the table. In any other situation, we're asking for my entree to be removed from the check, as I would not want to overpay that much for a bland meal. But again, we don't have that option.
It turned out that the shrimp had been steamed. There was no seasoning...no salt or pepper. I was in a state of shock and my husband was concerned that the potatoes might not be safe. I was so hungry that I could have eaten the tablecloth so if I threw up later, oh well. The decent tasting potatoes were in fact, gluten-free. The unimaginably bland shrimp were also fine - not good - just gluten-free fine. The place did have good gf crackers so I slathered too many of them with butter in order to get full.
In the end, I didn't get sick and I also didn't have a nice meal. My husband ordered poorly - that was on him since he can order anything - and didn't enjoy his meal either. We obviously won't ever go back to the Beachcomber in southwest FL. At least that's something positive that came from this shockingly disappointing experience :)
Showing posts with label gluten-free. Show all posts
Showing posts with label gluten-free. Show all posts
Monday, November 11, 2019
Monday, July 22, 2019
Fresh crust (from pre-made dough) at Hearth Pizza Tavern
Ever since something changed with the Blue Moon gf crust (at least at the Sandy Springs location) and the same thing happened at Crust in Alpharetta, I've been avoiding pizza places. I'm not paying an upcharge for something that's not as good as a frozen gf pizza I can make at home. Duh.
However, I keep the faith that someone will start offering a gluten-free pizza worth eating out in the ATL. While doing my normal gluten-free pizza in Atlanta web search, which I do every month or so, I came upon rave reviews for the option at Hearth Pizza Tavern in Sandy Springs. After confirming they have a process in place to keep the pizza crust as safe as possible in a gluten kitchen, we made a date to try it. The crust comes from a company in Colorado, but it's stretched at the restaurant. Therefore, it tastes more fresh than the typical frozen crusts that abound in the area.
We arrived to the cool space that is Hearth on a bustling Saturday night. Even though it was early...around 6 pm, it was so busy there was a wait. We put our name on the list and headed to the Whole Foods in the same complex. When we got back less than 15 minutes later, our table was ready. The server didn't seem to understand much about what gluten-free meant so that was unsettling. However, the manager on duty (who seemed knowledgeable) oversaw the order. For reference, the salad we ordered didn't seem to come with any croutons or bread, but you ALWAYS have to order EVERYTHING gluten-free, even salads, so you don't end up with a lovely gluten garnish on your food! Sure enough, as the server was walking away she said "oh, so you don't want the bread on your salad?". Mmmmm.....NO I don't want bread unless it's gluten-free. The look on her face indicated she might not know such a thing exists (LOL!), but at least she got the order in correctly.
The pizza was quite good and most definitely worth having again. It's no Don Antonio, but let's be real.....we're not in NYC. I likely would not risk eating at Hearth with a wheat allergy since there's always going to be gluten flour in the air, and the server knowledge (or lack thereof). My guess is that way more people who order the gluten-free pizza at Hearth have no clue what gluten is in, than people who actually can't eat it ;)
Also, when we called to check on gluten-free ingredients for the pizza, beyond the crust, I also asked if there were any gluten-free ciders. The answer was "no, I'm sorry we don't have cider" so it was a nice surprise when two were listed on the menu. I think I had one with blackberry and ginger in it and it was very refreshing!
After taking half my pizza to go, we stopped into WF again and bought the amazing JB's Carrot Cake and another treat from that line we'd not had before - Blueberry Cheesecake - for dessert.
The restaurant group that owns Hearth, MooCoo Group, also offers the "fresh from prepared dough" at Atwood Pizza in the city and some other location in Marietta, which I can't recall the name of....or find online.
However, I keep the faith that someone will start offering a gluten-free pizza worth eating out in the ATL. While doing my normal gluten-free pizza in Atlanta web search, which I do every month or so, I came upon rave reviews for the option at Hearth Pizza Tavern in Sandy Springs. After confirming they have a process in place to keep the pizza crust as safe as possible in a gluten kitchen, we made a date to try it. The crust comes from a company in Colorado, but it's stretched at the restaurant. Therefore, it tastes more fresh than the typical frozen crusts that abound in the area.
We arrived to the cool space that is Hearth on a bustling Saturday night. Even though it was early...around 6 pm, it was so busy there was a wait. We put our name on the list and headed to the Whole Foods in the same complex. When we got back less than 15 minutes later, our table was ready. The server didn't seem to understand much about what gluten-free meant so that was unsettling. However, the manager on duty (who seemed knowledgeable) oversaw the order. For reference, the salad we ordered didn't seem to come with any croutons or bread, but you ALWAYS have to order EVERYTHING gluten-free, even salads, so you don't end up with a lovely gluten garnish on your food! Sure enough, as the server was walking away she said "oh, so you don't want the bread on your salad?". Mmmmm.....NO I don't want bread unless it's gluten-free. The look on her face indicated she might not know such a thing exists (LOL!), but at least she got the order in correctly.
The pizza was quite good and most definitely worth having again. It's no Don Antonio, but let's be real.....we're not in NYC. I likely would not risk eating at Hearth with a wheat allergy since there's always going to be gluten flour in the air, and the server knowledge (or lack thereof). My guess is that way more people who order the gluten-free pizza at Hearth have no clue what gluten is in, than people who actually can't eat it ;)
Also, when we called to check on gluten-free ingredients for the pizza, beyond the crust, I also asked if there were any gluten-free ciders. The answer was "no, I'm sorry we don't have cider" so it was a nice surprise when two were listed on the menu. I think I had one with blackberry and ginger in it and it was very refreshing!
After taking half my pizza to go, we stopped into WF again and bought the amazing JB's Carrot Cake and another treat from that line we'd not had before - Blueberry Cheesecake - for dessert.
The restaurant group that owns Hearth, MooCoo Group, also offers the "fresh from prepared dough" at Atwood Pizza in the city and some other location in Marietta, which I can't recall the name of....or find online.
Wednesday, June 19, 2019
Notable cheesy cracker from Three Bakers
The only "real" tasting gluten-free Cheez-It type cracker I've had in a dozen years was from a bakery in Washington state. And that company no longer makes what I considered their best item. Over the years, I've tried most every cheesy crackers I've run across, and while I love Marilyn's Gourmet cheese sticks, I haven't found a Cheez-It replacement worth buying twice. I was pretty excited by the Lance option, but those ended up having an odd smell to me. The smell makes them inedible a day or so after the bag is opened.
When I spotted the Three Bakers "Snackers" at Earthfare recently, I knew I had to try them. And, they weren't even that expensive for a gf cracker! Up front, I should note that I don't really care for air filled snacks, which is what the Snackers are. They are puffed up and empty inside. That's clear from the image on the bag, but I had to try them while available. You never know when your favorite item will be taken off the market by a store, or discontinued by the manufacturer. So annoying!
So...what do I think about the cheese flavored Snackers from Three Bakers? I actually like them a lot! Not enough to keep them on hand on the regular - due to aforementioned puffy factor - but the taste and texture is really good!
When I spotted the Three Bakers "Snackers" at Earthfare recently, I knew I had to try them. And, they weren't even that expensive for a gf cracker! Up front, I should note that I don't really care for air filled snacks, which is what the Snackers are. They are puffed up and empty inside. That's clear from the image on the bag, but I had to try them while available. You never know when your favorite item will be taken off the market by a store, or discontinued by the manufacturer. So annoying!
So...what do I think about the cheese flavored Snackers from Three Bakers? I actually like them a lot! Not enough to keep them on hand on the regular - due to aforementioned puffy factor - but the taste and texture is really good!
Find out where you can buy these snacks near you on the 'where to buy' page on the Three Bakers website. There are three other flavors available including chocolate chip, chocolate chocolate chip and honey graham. Now that I think about it, the latter might be worth using for a pie crust!
Wednesday, May 29, 2019
Dollar Tree offers gluten-free travel friendly snacks
The last time we took an int'l Delta flight, in 2017, my gluten-free meal was mostly inedible. So for a recent international trip, I packed enough food to get through the 8+ hour long flight. There was a snack, dinner and breakfast being served and I was given all but the snack. The flight attendant actually apologized for that, and mentioned that her own daughter has celiac. She was the most thoughtful such employee I've encountered on the subject in over a decade.
When you have to make a meal out of snacks (assuming you won't have access to a microwave), it's a good idea to include some protein, fat and limited carbs. Crackers and pretzels don't really satisfy if you're in need of a proper meal. While I packed some items I got at Trader Joe's (trail mix snack bags, for instance), I also found some worthwhile items at the Dollar Tree store. You know...the place where everything is literally a dollar. Who knew such a place would offer some interesting gluten-free snacks which are perfect for traveling?!
Even though I had a bag of bacon jerky (you can find many gluten-free jerky options these days), I also picked up a mini pack of pepperoni. It was real pepperoni, not turkey, so it's fairly greasy. However, it will provide some much needed protein in a pinch.
Lay's Stax chips, which are labeled gluten-free, are also a good option. You can remove some of the chips from the can, and put baggies of other things inside, under the chips, if need be. My husband isn't a fan of Stax chips so a whole canister is a bit much to pack for just me.
Jiff peanut butter 3-pack is a great value for only a buck and I still have two containers left over for future adventures.
The only gourmet type item I found at Dollar Tree were seasoned olives. I'd first discovered GAEA olives in Montreal or Victoria, Canada...I really can't recall for sure...but the pack didn't cost anywhere near a $1 at the airport...lol! There were just two flavors of the GAEA brand olives at the discount store, including my favorite - Lemon & Oregano. As always, the olives were delicious!
There are some nuts, seeds and such available at the Dollar Tree as well. There are obviously many items that travel well, but not many I've found in regular grocery stores are a good value. They're convenience items and you pay for said convenience. But not at Dollar Tree...everything's a dollar...convenience item or not ;)
Safe and happy summer travels to all!
When you have to make a meal out of snacks (assuming you won't have access to a microwave), it's a good idea to include some protein, fat and limited carbs. Crackers and pretzels don't really satisfy if you're in need of a proper meal. While I packed some items I got at Trader Joe's (trail mix snack bags, for instance), I also found some worthwhile items at the Dollar Tree store. You know...the place where everything is literally a dollar. Who knew such a place would offer some interesting gluten-free snacks which are perfect for traveling?!
Even though I had a bag of bacon jerky (you can find many gluten-free jerky options these days), I also picked up a mini pack of pepperoni. It was real pepperoni, not turkey, so it's fairly greasy. However, it will provide some much needed protein in a pinch.
Lay's Stax chips, which are labeled gluten-free, are also a good option. You can remove some of the chips from the can, and put baggies of other things inside, under the chips, if need be. My husband isn't a fan of Stax chips so a whole canister is a bit much to pack for just me.
Jiff peanut butter 3-pack is a great value for only a buck and I still have two containers left over for future adventures.
The only gourmet type item I found at Dollar Tree were seasoned olives. I'd first discovered GAEA olives in Montreal or Victoria, Canada...I really can't recall for sure...but the pack didn't cost anywhere near a $1 at the airport...lol! There were just two flavors of the GAEA brand olives at the discount store, including my favorite - Lemon & Oregano. As always, the olives were delicious!
Safe and happy summer travels to all!
Friday, May 24, 2019
Genius bread comes to the ATL!
The "real" Genius gluten-free bread hits the ATL! Well, it's great news in a way, but like many things, it's not as great in the US as in other countries. The Genius bread (not the Glutino version which was previously available here) is now sold at Earthfare stores. I only found this out because I wanted to buy the bread in Spain. It's not sold there, according to the store finder on the Genius site. Anyway, sure enough, the bread is in the bakery (ships/stored frozen, before being put out) at Earthfare. I bought the multi-grain and white versions and though they were quite tasty, they are NOT the same as in Scotland. I'm not sure if the ingredients are the same, but the loaf is at least 50% smaller. That might be related to why the crust is "tough"... Also, the slices are about 1/3 thinner which could also be affecting the taste. I still like the bread, but it's not mind-blowingly delicious like the first version I had. It's definitely not worth the drive to Earthfare for it, when I can buy Canyon Bakehouse bread, that's almost as good, at Sprouts.
The version of Genius bread I found in Scotland is still the best gluten-free bread I've had in over 12 years. If you missed my post about it, you can find it here.
The version of Genius bread I found in Scotland is still the best gluten-free bread I've had in over 12 years. If you missed my post about it, you can find it here.
Wednesday, September 5, 2018
No omelet for brunch...seriously?!
When visiting in-laws recently, we went to brunch in Chattanooga, TN. Since brunch is typically pretty easy to manage gluten-free (I've always been able to order an omelet and grits, hashbrowns or fruit), I wasn't concerned about the place we were going. And, for the record, it came up on the list of gf friendly places on Trip Advisor anyway.
We arrived to a bustling restaurant and had to wait about an hour to be seated. Since we had time to kill, I asked the hostess about gf options. She was nice enough, but clearly knew nothing about what I could and could not order. She said she'd get back to me and after asking her again later, I was finally told they can't do an omelet (yes - they serve eggs). OK - I'll have to order scrambled eggs and I'll just ask for cheese and bacon in it. At least I won't starve to death.
The server takes my order and he's pretty knowledgeable. He knows I can't have b'fast potatoes and isn't sure about the grits. I tell him I'll have scrambled, well done eggs with bacon and cheese mixed in. And, if I can't have grits - I'll have fruit. Nope - they don't have fruit. The poor server looked so concerned as he continued to try to help me find something suitable to eat. By now, everyone in our party of six was on the verge of being "hangry"...lol!
I'm told before the food comes out I can have the grits. Well, that's good news, at least. Then the food is delivered and my plate looks fine (no unwanted toast on it). For reasons not explained, the bacon is on the side - not in the eggs. And the scrambled eggs are very runny...and have to go back for more cooking. I ate the grits (very good) and bacon and eventually my eggs.
My food was fine, if nothing special. Being spoiled in the ATL is great as long as you're in the ATL! I wasn't expecting to order gluten-free pancakes or a cinnamon bun, like we can easily do here, after all. The rest of the party really enjoyed their food, though my husband thought his sandwich was small for the price. If you're wondering where we went - it was the Flying Squirrel. In their defense, they have pretty decent gf reviws for dinner - not brunch. My bad.
The good news is that if you want an omelet for brunch or lunch when in Chat, you can have an amazing option at Frothy Monkey (the same chain as in Nashville). The gf bread and muffins there are nothing to get excited about, but they're decent enough. They do bake those in house so please keep that in mind before ordering. Either way, the omelets are amazing there!
GF food for thought: don't assume you can order an omelet at brunch...apparently, not everyone can make one ;)
We arrived to a bustling restaurant and had to wait about an hour to be seated. Since we had time to kill, I asked the hostess about gf options. She was nice enough, but clearly knew nothing about what I could and could not order. She said she'd get back to me and after asking her again later, I was finally told they can't do an omelet (yes - they serve eggs). OK - I'll have to order scrambled eggs and I'll just ask for cheese and bacon in it. At least I won't starve to death.
The server takes my order and he's pretty knowledgeable. He knows I can't have b'fast potatoes and isn't sure about the grits. I tell him I'll have scrambled, well done eggs with bacon and cheese mixed in. And, if I can't have grits - I'll have fruit. Nope - they don't have fruit. The poor server looked so concerned as he continued to try to help me find something suitable to eat. By now, everyone in our party of six was on the verge of being "hangry"...lol!
I'm told before the food comes out I can have the grits. Well, that's good news, at least. Then the food is delivered and my plate looks fine (no unwanted toast on it). For reasons not explained, the bacon is on the side - not in the eggs. And the scrambled eggs are very runny...and have to go back for more cooking. I ate the grits (very good) and bacon and eventually my eggs.
My food was fine, if nothing special. Being spoiled in the ATL is great as long as you're in the ATL! I wasn't expecting to order gluten-free pancakes or a cinnamon bun, like we can easily do here, after all. The rest of the party really enjoyed their food, though my husband thought his sandwich was small for the price. If you're wondering where we went - it was the Flying Squirrel. In their defense, they have pretty decent gf reviws for dinner - not brunch. My bad.
The good news is that if you want an omelet for brunch or lunch when in Chat, you can have an amazing option at Frothy Monkey (the same chain as in Nashville). The gf bread and muffins there are nothing to get excited about, but they're decent enough. They do bake those in house so please keep that in mind before ordering. Either way, the omelets are amazing there!
GF food for thought: don't assume you can order an omelet at brunch...apparently, not everyone can make one ;)
Thursday, August 9, 2018
What happened to Burger 21?
Over a year ago, we started picking up take-out from Burger 21. They have gluten-free buns as well as gluten-free fries (regular and sweet potato) made in a dedicated fryer. And if you dine in, they have a nice gluten-free cider. Since the bright indoor lighting is rather jarring if you're sensitive to light, we went from dining in to picking up take-out fairly quickly.
However, over the last six months or so, our orders often haven't been made right. Thankfully, my meal was still gluten-free, but the bacon we paid for was not on the burger. This happened three consecutive times. Finally, we complained (via phone) and the next time my husband went in, they gave him a free burger on our take-out order. Unfortunately, even though my burger had the bacon ordered on it, it also had lots of condiments and other stuff I do not eat on burgers. It was completely gross so we had to go back and exchange it for another burger. We got more coupons for that mistake, but by then I was thinking I don't really care about saving on an order if the restaurant can't seem to prepare it correctly...over and over again.
Finally, another take-out order and again, it was prepared incorrectly. But this time my husband knew to check the order BEFORE he left and sure enough, there was stuff on my burger which was not supposed to be on it...and the order taker definitely confirmed the other back correctly before sending details to the kitchen. So, now we assume someone in the kitchen can't read the tickets....or they're snap chatting with someone or taking selfies...whatever kids do these days...lol! Whatever the issue, they're absolutely not concentrating on getting orders prepared correctly.
Now my husband won't go back and since he's the official take-out guy at our house, I'm kind of out of luck. By the way, Burger 21 burgers are fine and the fries are very tasty. But the gluten-free buns and burgers at Cheeseburger Bobby's are better. I can't have fries there due to no dedicated fryer..hence our past tendency to get burgers from Burger 21, unless I'm not in the mood for fries.
#burger21fail
AUGUST 2019: Just wanted to update how this location of Burger 21 is doing. They have now been preparing our orders correctly about 75% of the time. My husband's order has been wrong for the most part, but he can eat anything so he just deals with it. We've almost stopped going there completely, as I'll make baked fries at home to go with Cheeseburger Bobby's burgers - they have the better burger and gf bun anyway!
However, over the last six months or so, our orders often haven't been made right. Thankfully, my meal was still gluten-free, but the bacon we paid for was not on the burger. This happened three consecutive times. Finally, we complained (via phone) and the next time my husband went in, they gave him a free burger on our take-out order. Unfortunately, even though my burger had the bacon ordered on it, it also had lots of condiments and other stuff I do not eat on burgers. It was completely gross so we had to go back and exchange it for another burger. We got more coupons for that mistake, but by then I was thinking I don't really care about saving on an order if the restaurant can't seem to prepare it correctly...over and over again.
Finally, another take-out order and again, it was prepared incorrectly. But this time my husband knew to check the order BEFORE he left and sure enough, there was stuff on my burger which was not supposed to be on it...and the order taker definitely confirmed the other back correctly before sending details to the kitchen. So, now we assume someone in the kitchen can't read the tickets....or they're snap chatting with someone or taking selfies...whatever kids do these days...lol! Whatever the issue, they're absolutely not concentrating on getting orders prepared correctly.
Now my husband won't go back and since he's the official take-out guy at our house, I'm kind of out of luck. By the way, Burger 21 burgers are fine and the fries are very tasty. But the gluten-free buns and burgers at Cheeseburger Bobby's are better. I can't have fries there due to no dedicated fryer..hence our past tendency to get burgers from Burger 21, unless I'm not in the mood for fries.
#burger21fail
AUGUST 2019: Just wanted to update how this location of Burger 21 is doing. They have now been preparing our orders correctly about 75% of the time. My husband's order has been wrong for the most part, but he can eat anything so he just deals with it. We've almost stopped going there completely, as I'll make baked fries at home to go with Cheeseburger Bobby's burgers - they have the better burger and gf bun anyway!
Tuesday, July 31, 2018
Beware of gluten-free menus - even more than before!
The amount of restaurants that now have gluten-free menus is staggering and many offer incredible options that are safely prepared (as much as is possible in a mixed kitchen). But the number of menus that list fried items that are not made in a dedicated gluten-free fryer seems to be on the rise. Forget chips and fries - I'm talking about even gluten-free breaded items in some cases.
The good news is that many places will denote on the menu that the items are cooked/fried in a regular gluten fryer. The bad news is that most of us can't take the risk of getting sick, and therefore must avoid those items. In some instances, avoiding those items will leave you with few safe choices on the menu. And at least in my case, that's not a place I'd bother patronizing.
So when you're doing your homework, looking for gluten-free options at your neighborhood or on your dream vacation, pay great attention to the little things regarding food prep, etc. It's not only about the ingredients. It's not even about those and the preparation methods. It's about the plating after everything has been done to prepare the meal correctly. One line cook tossing a piece of bread ruins the whole darn thing.
Years ago, I watched someone throw a roll on my plate at Ted's Montana Grill. Someone yelled "no bread gluten-free" quite loudly. The roll was quickly removed and they brought out the plate as though nothing happened. They had no idea I'd seen the whole thing from our table. I explained that I could not eat anything on the plate now and I'd take just a baked potato. We didn't have the time to wait on another steak...and I really had no trust in the place at that moment. I think Ted's has improved greatly since then, but it's not a favorite because of the incident years ago.
What many companies don't understand is that it's hard to forget simple mistakes, because those mistakes can take us down for the count. If you get the feeling a place doesn't take gluten-free orders, or food allergies, seriously, it's hard to shake that feeling no matter how much you'd like to.
Restaurants that don't understand how to feed us safely would be better served to do away with their gluten-free menus altogether. And the places that do get it, and care about our business, are the places we all need to support as often as possible!.
The good news is that many places will denote on the menu that the items are cooked/fried in a regular gluten fryer. The bad news is that most of us can't take the risk of getting sick, and therefore must avoid those items. In some instances, avoiding those items will leave you with few safe choices on the menu. And at least in my case, that's not a place I'd bother patronizing.
So when you're doing your homework, looking for gluten-free options at your neighborhood or on your dream vacation, pay great attention to the little things regarding food prep, etc. It's not only about the ingredients. It's not even about those and the preparation methods. It's about the plating after everything has been done to prepare the meal correctly. One line cook tossing a piece of bread ruins the whole darn thing.
Years ago, I watched someone throw a roll on my plate at Ted's Montana Grill. Someone yelled "no bread gluten-free" quite loudly. The roll was quickly removed and they brought out the plate as though nothing happened. They had no idea I'd seen the whole thing from our table. I explained that I could not eat anything on the plate now and I'd take just a baked potato. We didn't have the time to wait on another steak...and I really had no trust in the place at that moment. I think Ted's has improved greatly since then, but it's not a favorite because of the incident years ago.
What many companies don't understand is that it's hard to forget simple mistakes, because those mistakes can take us down for the count. If you get the feeling a place doesn't take gluten-free orders, or food allergies, seriously, it's hard to shake that feeling no matter how much you'd like to.
Restaurants that don't understand how to feed us safely would be better served to do away with their gluten-free menus altogether. And the places that do get it, and care about our business, are the places we all need to support as often as possible!.
Monday, July 23, 2018
Gluten-free and the living is easy....not so fast
Everyone who has to follow a gluten-free diet has someone (or multiple people) in their life that is under the impression that doing so these days is super simple...or at least, it's not that hard. Why would anyone think such a thing? To understand, all you need to do is take a look around your basic grocery store and it will become clear. Companies have slapped gluten-free on pretty much everything they can think of - canned pineapple, salt, cornstarch - you get the drift.
Let's go back a decade (yikes! no one knew what gluten-free meant back then in the USA) and think about how much has changed. From dressings to marinades to spice packets - it seemed everything contained gluten in the form of wheat. Nowadays, many such items are not only gluten-free, many are labeled as such. You can't get too far down the shopping isle without seeing a gluten-free product - or ten. Even mayo has fallen into the ridiculous items that are marked gluten-free, when the exact product I'm referring to in fact, never ever contained gluten. I even had a friend remark years ago that since X brand of mayo was now gluten-free, she was going to switch brands. Yes - that really happened...lol!
While there are many more gluten-free replacement items available, that doesn't mean we have many delicious choices for any of them. Have any decent, soft, flavorful, fresh (not frozen) gluten-free bread lately? Not if you didn't get it from your local gluten-free bakery. Think that bread you found on the shelf was not previously frozen? More often than not, if you're in the USA, you'd be wrong about that. The same goes for the cupcakes, brownies or anything else you might find in a "traditional" bakery area of a store. Just ask the staff and they'll tell you those items come in frozen. There are a few things you might find that are fresh like fudge made in-store. But most people are too sensitive to eat fudge made in a bakery with gluten flour flying around. Even the items in the refrigerated bakery section were sent in frozen.
People are always telling me about some place that has gluten-free pizza. They're usually excited to share this news, but not once has the place shared had decent gluten-free pizza. Who wants to eat pizza that tastes like cardboard? Same goes for pasta. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate friends (or acquaintances) that are thoughtful enough to tell me about a gluten-free menu they found out about, etc. It's great that people are kind enough to do it. And of course, they have no idea that said place possibly has terrible food and/or service regarding gluten-free options.
We decided to grill hot dogs recently and I had to go to THREE stores to find gluten-free hot dog buns. And, I had to buy a brand that was not my first choice at that. Starbucks just dropped their gluten-free breakfast sandwich and we were all in tizzy over it. It wasn't any good to start with so this was understandable. We were likely upset because we always feel like we're being dissed for having to be gluten-free because...well...we are.
It's just not true that being gluten-free is as easy as pie...at least, not in this country. And if anyone you know thinks that's the case, you might do well to inform them that they are quite mistaken. Many companies churn out gluten-free replacement products that are not good (some are literally inedible) on a regular basis, and think we should be happy to have them. Additionally, we live in a country where food allergies and intolerances are made fun of on a daily basis and it's simply disgusting. Let's all do our part to set the record straight.
We can all appreciate how far we've come in the last decade, of course, but we're far behind many other countries on this issue. And as far as I can tell, history tells us that will continue possibly forever.
Let's go back a decade (yikes! no one knew what gluten-free meant back then in the USA) and think about how much has changed. From dressings to marinades to spice packets - it seemed everything contained gluten in the form of wheat. Nowadays, many such items are not only gluten-free, many are labeled as such. You can't get too far down the shopping isle without seeing a gluten-free product - or ten. Even mayo has fallen into the ridiculous items that are marked gluten-free, when the exact product I'm referring to in fact, never ever contained gluten. I even had a friend remark years ago that since X brand of mayo was now gluten-free, she was going to switch brands. Yes - that really happened...lol!
While there are many more gluten-free replacement items available, that doesn't mean we have many delicious choices for any of them. Have any decent, soft, flavorful, fresh (not frozen) gluten-free bread lately? Not if you didn't get it from your local gluten-free bakery. Think that bread you found on the shelf was not previously frozen? More often than not, if you're in the USA, you'd be wrong about that. The same goes for the cupcakes, brownies or anything else you might find in a "traditional" bakery area of a store. Just ask the staff and they'll tell you those items come in frozen. There are a few things you might find that are fresh like fudge made in-store. But most people are too sensitive to eat fudge made in a bakery with gluten flour flying around. Even the items in the refrigerated bakery section were sent in frozen.
People are always telling me about some place that has gluten-free pizza. They're usually excited to share this news, but not once has the place shared had decent gluten-free pizza. Who wants to eat pizza that tastes like cardboard? Same goes for pasta. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate friends (or acquaintances) that are thoughtful enough to tell me about a gluten-free menu they found out about, etc. It's great that people are kind enough to do it. And of course, they have no idea that said place possibly has terrible food and/or service regarding gluten-free options.
We decided to grill hot dogs recently and I had to go to THREE stores to find gluten-free hot dog buns. And, I had to buy a brand that was not my first choice at that. Starbucks just dropped their gluten-free breakfast sandwich and we were all in tizzy over it. It wasn't any good to start with so this was understandable. We were likely upset because we always feel like we're being dissed for having to be gluten-free because...well...we are.
It's just not true that being gluten-free is as easy as pie...at least, not in this country. And if anyone you know thinks that's the case, you might do well to inform them that they are quite mistaken. Many companies churn out gluten-free replacement products that are not good (some are literally inedible) on a regular basis, and think we should be happy to have them. Additionally, we live in a country where food allergies and intolerances are made fun of on a daily basis and it's simply disgusting. Let's all do our part to set the record straight.
We can all appreciate how far we've come in the last decade, of course, but we're far behind many other countries on this issue. And as far as I can tell, history tells us that will continue possibly forever.
Friday, June 8, 2018
REVIEW: Jersey Mike's
This post is very late in coming, but my Jersey Mike's was one of the last in the area to roll out their gluten-free bread. After I heard about some locations testing it, I started calling locations near me each month.... and each month they informed me that still didn't have the bread. I got tired of asking so when I remembered months after I'd given up to check again, I delightedly found out they had the gluten-free bread. That day I had a gluten-free Philly cheese steak sandwich and have been enjoying them regularly ever since.
The staff seems well trained on preparation for gluten-free customers which is not always the case. The bread is from Udi's and it's very good! In fact, it's so good that I didn't think I'd gotten a gluten-free sandwich the first time around. It's soft and really not very gluten-free tasting at all! While I enjoy amazing gluten-free items at home, I find many restaurants serve sub par items which is why I rarely heat pizza or pasta out anymore. If it's not amazing, I'm not going to overpay for it when dining out, period.
Jersey Mike's offers two sizes of gluten-free sandwiches, but the regular is large enough for two meals for me. With the disappointing gluten-free bun at Chick-Fil-A and the now discontinued "not good at all" sandwich at Starbuck's, its so nice that Jersey Mike's got it right!
The staff seems well trained on preparation for gluten-free customers which is not always the case. The bread is from Udi's and it's very good! In fact, it's so good that I didn't think I'd gotten a gluten-free sandwich the first time around. It's soft and really not very gluten-free tasting at all! While I enjoy amazing gluten-free items at home, I find many restaurants serve sub par items which is why I rarely heat pizza or pasta out anymore. If it's not amazing, I'm not going to overpay for it when dining out, period.
Jersey Mike's offers two sizes of gluten-free sandwiches, but the regular is large enough for two meals for me. With the disappointing gluten-free bun at Chick-Fil-A and the now discontinued "not good at all" sandwich at Starbuck's, its so nice that Jersey Mike's got it right!
Monday, June 4, 2018
Summertime gluten-free highs and lows
It should be noted that for summer functions, I've had both great and horrible experiences over the years. For a Scientific Atlanta event many moons ago, I contacted the caterer who literally scoffed at me when I inquired about what, if anything, was gluten-free. I think his reply went something like this - "uh...of course the hamburgers, hot dogs a BBQ pork are gluten-free...you can't have the bread, buns or cookies" In fairness to this extremely ignorant person, he did have to ask me what gluten-free meant, before he could answer. Anyway, after pressing him for more info (well over half the hot dogs available at that time contained wheat), he finally said he'd "look into" the menu ingredients and get back to me. What I didn't expect was for him to call me back and tell me that the hamburger patties, hotdogs AND BBQ meat - sans the sauce - did in fact contain gluten. For some reason that I really can't remember now, we went to the event and I had a soda and some chips and nothing else. We left fairly quickly and went out to eat.
As mentioned above, I've also had amazing experiences at corporate functions in the summer. At an outing at Six Flags, in what seems forever ago, they rolled out the red theme park carpet for me. I'd been informed ahead of time to ask for a certain person when I was ready to eat lunch (lunch was served in a certain time frame for the group we went with). Thinking we should try to eat on the earlier side of the allotted time, we asked for the "contact" and she quickly got to the business of getting my meal delivered to the pavilion where the group was eating.
To my great surprise, a tray loaded down with food was set before me on the picnic table. There were TWO fried turkey legs (yes, cooked in dedicated fryer), French fries and salad - all meant for just me. I was impressed, to say the least! My husband ate one of the turkey legs and half the fries, in addition to his very soggy BBQ sandwich which he was not the least bit impressed with. What was really hysterical to me was the fact that several co-workers came up to our table to say hello - and then asked where we found the turkey legs...lol! It was probably the only event I've been to where I know for sure my food was hands down better than what the rest of the crowd was served. To end the lovely meal on a high note, the ice cream treats offered as dessert included some gluten-free options. What a simply glorious day at Six Flags Over GA!
It's been ages since we went to a large corporate event during the summer, but my guess is some of them are great and others are not. Just as is the case at any not specifically gluten-free event. If you need to attend one, you need to ask the right questions, educate the ignorant folks you might encounter, and do the best you can. That's all you can do in the "still far behind when it comes to gluten-free knowledge" USA.
As mentioned above, I've also had amazing experiences at corporate functions in the summer. At an outing at Six Flags, in what seems forever ago, they rolled out the red theme park carpet for me. I'd been informed ahead of time to ask for a certain person when I was ready to eat lunch (lunch was served in a certain time frame for the group we went with). Thinking we should try to eat on the earlier side of the allotted time, we asked for the "contact" and she quickly got to the business of getting my meal delivered to the pavilion where the group was eating.
To my great surprise, a tray loaded down with food was set before me on the picnic table. There were TWO fried turkey legs (yes, cooked in dedicated fryer), French fries and salad - all meant for just me. I was impressed, to say the least! My husband ate one of the turkey legs and half the fries, in addition to his very soggy BBQ sandwich which he was not the least bit impressed with. What was really hysterical to me was the fact that several co-workers came up to our table to say hello - and then asked where we found the turkey legs...lol! It was probably the only event I've been to where I know for sure my food was hands down better than what the rest of the crowd was served. To end the lovely meal on a high note, the ice cream treats offered as dessert included some gluten-free options. What a simply glorious day at Six Flags Over GA!
It's been ages since we went to a large corporate event during the summer, but my guess is some of them are great and others are not. Just as is the case at any not specifically gluten-free event. If you need to attend one, you need to ask the right questions, educate the ignorant folks you might encounter, and do the best you can. That's all you can do in the "still far behind when it comes to gluten-free knowledge" USA.
Thursday, February 1, 2018
Valentine's Day - worst day to dine out gluten-free
I'll never forgot my first gluten-free Valentine's Day. It was 2006 and, back then, dining out was NOT easy - even at chains with gluten-free menus. After exhaustive research that spanned the three weeks between my dx and Valentine's Day, I finally chose a place in Buford, GA to eat at on the big night. The place has since closed so I'm not naming it here. Since we could not make reservations, we arrived when they opened at 5pm. I think we were seated in just under two hours, at which time we were both hungry enough to eat the table cloth. No apps were safe for me so my husband wouldn't order anything for himself. We did end up having a lovely meal, but that was my first meal out since going gluten-free and it didn't make me feel like doing it again anytime soon.
That night taught me to take emergency snacks when going out to eat. Many years passed before I didn't feel the need for that safety net. Everyone has their own faves for purse snacks and mine included nuts, dried fruit or crackers (to use with sans gluten cheese plate).
After skipping dining out on February 14th for several years, we finally went out again (to another place that has since closed) and had another bad experience. This time around we had reservations, but since the place was jammed packed and fairly chaotic (they had clearly taken more reservations than they could handle), we agreed to sit in the bar area instead of the main dining room. Our meal took a while to come out, but everything was really good.
The bad part was that the server informed me (after our order was put in) that I could not have the goat cheese on my salad...the exact salad I'd had many times without issue. That's because there was NO gluten in the cheese. Someone was confused in thinking gluten-free and dairy free were related...it set a bad tone for the rest of the night and my husband suggested that I might mark the place off my list of safe places. I didn't do that, but I did inform the restaurant that they might do a little retraining of the staff. It should be said that this place was known for gluten-free service - one of the few such places in the area back then.
We've had a couple of other negative experiences on Valentine's day so a few years ago, we decided to celebrate the holiday early. We're not the only people doing this, of course, but the difference in the atmosphere at restaurants on Valentine's day and the day (or so) before it is like night and day. The staff is much more relaxed which lends itself to a diner with allergies being more relaxed as well.
Have a sweet gluten-free Valentine's Day - however you choose to celebrate!❤
That night taught me to take emergency snacks when going out to eat. Many years passed before I didn't feel the need for that safety net. Everyone has their own faves for purse snacks and mine included nuts, dried fruit or crackers (to use with sans gluten cheese plate).
After skipping dining out on February 14th for several years, we finally went out again (to another place that has since closed) and had another bad experience. This time around we had reservations, but since the place was jammed packed and fairly chaotic (they had clearly taken more reservations than they could handle), we agreed to sit in the bar area instead of the main dining room. Our meal took a while to come out, but everything was really good.
The bad part was that the server informed me (after our order was put in) that I could not have the goat cheese on my salad...the exact salad I'd had many times without issue. That's because there was NO gluten in the cheese. Someone was confused in thinking gluten-free and dairy free were related...it set a bad tone for the rest of the night and my husband suggested that I might mark the place off my list of safe places. I didn't do that, but I did inform the restaurant that they might do a little retraining of the staff. It should be said that this place was known for gluten-free service - one of the few such places in the area back then.
We've had a couple of other negative experiences on Valentine's day so a few years ago, we decided to celebrate the holiday early. We're not the only people doing this, of course, but the difference in the atmosphere at restaurants on Valentine's day and the day (or so) before it is like night and day. The staff is much more relaxed which lends itself to a diner with allergies being more relaxed as well.
Have a sweet gluten-free Valentine's Day - however you choose to celebrate!❤
Friday, January 26, 2018
Review: Chick-Fil-A's gluten-free bun
The one fast food chain I frequented (at least, when traveling) before my celiac dx was Chick-Fil-A. Loved the fried chicken sandwich....simply loved it! So when I had to start ordering grilled chicken tenders when making a pit stop on the way to FL, it was disappointing. The tenders were good enough, and the fries (made in dedicated fryer) were yummy so it was fine.
Eventually, someone made an unfortunate decision to change the grilled tenders by putting them in some horrible marinade. It is so bad, in fact, that I thought I got a bad batch...thought I was going to get sick after eating one nasty tasting tender. It didn't occur to me that the product was supposed to taste that way...seriously, it was gross! The second time I ordered the tenders (after the unfortunate experience) I realized the tenders must have been changed (for the worse!) and I confirmed this with the restaurant. Thus began my quest to find suitable quick, safe food when traveling. No more Chick-Fil-A for me since all I could get was the grilled chicken sandwich, sans the bun, and that didn't seem fair since I was paying for a sandwich. I can be cheap in the most silly ways...lol!
Fast forward a few years (to 2017) when Chick-Fil-A introduces a gluten-free bun! I was so excited by this development that I realized I was going to have to try it before taking a trip that would lead me there for a pit stop. After reading reviews of the bun, I braced myself for the bread to have a sweet flavor - something I'm not looking for a in bun unless cinnamon and sugar are involved.
The gluten-free bun was a total miss for me. Didn't like the flavor, texture or the overtly sweetness of it. I'm glad the company introduced a bun, and I'm sure that many people enjoy it. I'm just not one of them. I'd much rather be able to order fried chicken tenders that are gluten-free. Oh well, at least we have Bantam+Biddy in the ATL ;)
UPDATE: The Bantam+Biddy at Avalon closed several weeks ago (as did the location at Lenox). The original location at Ansley Mall is still open and the location in Chattanooga should be open soon!
Eventually, someone made an unfortunate decision to change the grilled tenders by putting them in some horrible marinade. It is so bad, in fact, that I thought I got a bad batch...thought I was going to get sick after eating one nasty tasting tender. It didn't occur to me that the product was supposed to taste that way...seriously, it was gross! The second time I ordered the tenders (after the unfortunate experience) I realized the tenders must have been changed (for the worse!) and I confirmed this with the restaurant. Thus began my quest to find suitable quick, safe food when traveling. No more Chick-Fil-A for me since all I could get was the grilled chicken sandwich, sans the bun, and that didn't seem fair since I was paying for a sandwich. I can be cheap in the most silly ways...lol!
Fast forward a few years (to 2017) when Chick-Fil-A introduces a gluten-free bun! I was so excited by this development that I realized I was going to have to try it before taking a trip that would lead me there for a pit stop. After reading reviews of the bun, I braced myself for the bread to have a sweet flavor - something I'm not looking for a in bun unless cinnamon and sugar are involved.
The gluten-free bun was a total miss for me. Didn't like the flavor, texture or the overtly sweetness of it. I'm glad the company introduced a bun, and I'm sure that many people enjoy it. I'm just not one of them. I'd much rather be able to order fried chicken tenders that are gluten-free. Oh well, at least we have Bantam+Biddy in the ATL ;)
UPDATE: The Bantam+Biddy at Avalon closed several weeks ago (as did the location at Lenox). The original location at Ansley Mall is still open and the location in Chattanooga should be open soon!
Monday, January 22, 2018
Gluten-free in 2018
It's hard to believe that it's been 12 years since I started following the gluten-free diet due to my celiac diagnosis. Within that first year (2006), three in my family, including me, were gluten-free so at least holidays with them have been a breeze. Back then we didn't have all the wonderful things now available at your local grocery store - or at Whole Foods, Sprouts and Earthfare. My first pizza crust, pasta, cookies and cake mix experiments had me thinking I would not be enjoying any of those things ever again! Talk about gross....no wonder people generally think all gluten-free food is horrid. For many years, much of it was exactly that.
I remember reading a grocery report that stated by the end of 2010, gluten-free items would disappear from store shelves and the gluten-free craze would be over. Isn't that a hoot? That particular paper was partially funded by the wheat industry, by the way. Almost a decade later, the gluten-free label has been slapped on the most ridiculous things like canned pineapple, coconut milk and sea salt. And there are more cookies, crackers, cake mixes and pasta brands than the gluten-free market should be able to support. Yet, almost weekly I come across something new...it's a bit overwhelming even to me.
From talking to people who are gluten-free for various health reasons, which are not related to a celiac or gluten intolerance diagnosis, it seems that the gluten-free market is going to continue to thrive much longer than anyone anticipated. All indications are that there will likely be people that continue to order gluten-free buns, etc. just for the heck of it - who would not know if they ate food containing gluten. That's really not a problem unless you can't get a bun because one of those people took the last one.
The biggest concern I have (the same one as hoards of gluten-free folks) is that eventually many trend diet followers will fall off the gluten-free bandwagon, so to speak. When that happens, some of the larger food companies will discontinue some items on their gluten-free roster. Business is business and if they didn't do that, it would not make sense. What we'll be left with in terms of product selection, quality ingredients and of course, wonderful taste are the unknowns in that scenario. Let's hope there are enough great tasting, quality replacement foods left after the gluten-free frenzy dust settles down.
I remember reading a grocery report that stated by the end of 2010, gluten-free items would disappear from store shelves and the gluten-free craze would be over. Isn't that a hoot? That particular paper was partially funded by the wheat industry, by the way. Almost a decade later, the gluten-free label has been slapped on the most ridiculous things like canned pineapple, coconut milk and sea salt. And there are more cookies, crackers, cake mixes and pasta brands than the gluten-free market should be able to support. Yet, almost weekly I come across something new...it's a bit overwhelming even to me.
From talking to people who are gluten-free for various health reasons, which are not related to a celiac or gluten intolerance diagnosis, it seems that the gluten-free market is going to continue to thrive much longer than anyone anticipated. All indications are that there will likely be people that continue to order gluten-free buns, etc. just for the heck of it - who would not know if they ate food containing gluten. That's really not a problem unless you can't get a bun because one of those people took the last one.
The biggest concern I have (the same one as hoards of gluten-free folks) is that eventually many trend diet followers will fall off the gluten-free bandwagon, so to speak. When that happens, some of the larger food companies will discontinue some items on their gluten-free roster. Business is business and if they didn't do that, it would not make sense. What we'll be left with in terms of product selection, quality ingredients and of course, wonderful taste are the unknowns in that scenario. Let's hope there are enough great tasting, quality replacement foods left after the gluten-free frenzy dust settles down.
Friday, January 19, 2018
REVIEW: Pampas Steakhouse in Johns Creek
Obviously, most steakhouses are fairly gluten-free friendly. Sauces and some side dishes might contain gluten, etc., but it's relatively simple to get a safe gluten-free meal at a steakhouse - if you order steak and baked potato, for instance. However, I'm not a huge fan of steak anymore, and neither is my husband so we rarely eat at steakhouses.
Enter Pampas Steakhouse in Johns Creek, GA. One of my gluten-free friends told me about this place as she went with in-laws for a birthday celebration. After hearing about the Truffled Potatoes Au Gratin - yes they're gluten-free(!) - I went about planning a b-day celebration of my own - or rather, for my husband - at Pampas.
The online menu denotes which items are gluten-free, except for in the dessert section. Thankfully, the sweet treat we wanted, bananas foster, is indeed gluten-free. Several other options are as well. With most of the meats and several seafood dishes being gluten-free as prepared, the Chef at Pampas is happy to accommodate other requests, when possible. Therefore, I inquired about having a crab cake appetizer and, to my delight, was told that was doable!
The atmosphere at Pampas is quite lovely with warm, inviting decor. We sat in a comfortable booth and our well informed server knew it was my husband's birthday (noted on reservation) and that I was getting a gluten-free crab cake. We ordered salad and the (non gf) lobster bisque as starters. My husband enjoyed the bisque and we both enjoyed the salad. However, the star of the show for me was the amazing almost all crab meat crab cake. The presentation was lovely and the taste was even better! As there was no breading, or filler of any kind besides minced veggies, it was a refreshingly light crab cake. I've had similar crab cakes before, but this was the best version without breading that I've had out in over a decade!
My husband said his Center Cut Filet, with au poivre sauce, was wonderful and we were both impressed with the side dishes we chose. Those are meant to be shared and even then, we took some of each one home! The basil fried corn seemed very fresh, as if it had just been shucked off the cob, and was delicious. The Truffled Au Gratin Potatoes were the main reason I wanted to go to Pampas and were more dreamy than I could have imagined! The only issue I have with it is that when I make my own version of the dish at home, it will never compare to the amazing option at Pampas!
The icing on the cake, so to speak, during our amazing meal didn't involve cake at all. We ordered a dish my husband makes a wonderful version of - meaning we're super picky about it - Bananas Foster. Once again, this dish, which is prepared table side as it always should be, didn't disappoint. Like most versions of this decadent treat, eating just half the generous portion will put you in a sugar coma, but it was well worth it! I actually had a quarter of it (they nicely split the dish for us) and my husband enjoyed the rest.
It's honestly worth going to Pampas Steakhouse for the sides and desserts for me, but for most people, it's about the steak. Aside from my husband's lovely filet, I'm happy to report that friends (who've had other steaks there) have been quite impressed with the quality of meats offered at Pampas!
Other notes worth mentioning: valet parking is available and we saw no children during our visit. To my knowledge, there is no rule about kids, but we appreciated the "adult atmosphere" we enjoyed during our fabulous visit to Pampas!
Enter Pampas Steakhouse in Johns Creek, GA. One of my gluten-free friends told me about this place as she went with in-laws for a birthday celebration. After hearing about the Truffled Potatoes Au Gratin - yes they're gluten-free(!) - I went about planning a b-day celebration of my own - or rather, for my husband - at Pampas.
The online menu denotes which items are gluten-free, except for in the dessert section. Thankfully, the sweet treat we wanted, bananas foster, is indeed gluten-free. Several other options are as well. With most of the meats and several seafood dishes being gluten-free as prepared, the Chef at Pampas is happy to accommodate other requests, when possible. Therefore, I inquired about having a crab cake appetizer and, to my delight, was told that was doable!
The atmosphere at Pampas is quite lovely with warm, inviting decor. We sat in a comfortable booth and our well informed server knew it was my husband's birthday (noted on reservation) and that I was getting a gluten-free crab cake. We ordered salad and the (non gf) lobster bisque as starters. My husband enjoyed the bisque and we both enjoyed the salad. However, the star of the show for me was the amazing almost all crab meat crab cake. The presentation was lovely and the taste was even better! As there was no breading, or filler of any kind besides minced veggies, it was a refreshingly light crab cake. I've had similar crab cakes before, but this was the best version without breading that I've had out in over a decade!
My husband said his Center Cut Filet, with au poivre sauce, was wonderful and we were both impressed with the side dishes we chose. Those are meant to be shared and even then, we took some of each one home! The basil fried corn seemed very fresh, as if it had just been shucked off the cob, and was delicious. The Truffled Au Gratin Potatoes were the main reason I wanted to go to Pampas and were more dreamy than I could have imagined! The only issue I have with it is that when I make my own version of the dish at home, it will never compare to the amazing option at Pampas!
The icing on the cake, so to speak, during our amazing meal didn't involve cake at all. We ordered a dish my husband makes a wonderful version of - meaning we're super picky about it - Bananas Foster. Once again, this dish, which is prepared table side as it always should be, didn't disappoint. Like most versions of this decadent treat, eating just half the generous portion will put you in a sugar coma, but it was well worth it! I actually had a quarter of it (they nicely split the dish for us) and my husband enjoyed the rest.
It's honestly worth going to Pampas Steakhouse for the sides and desserts for me, but for most people, it's about the steak. Aside from my husband's lovely filet, I'm happy to report that friends (who've had other steaks there) have been quite impressed with the quality of meats offered at Pampas!
Other notes worth mentioning: valet parking is available and we saw no children during our visit. To my knowledge, there is no rule about kids, but we appreciated the "adult atmosphere" we enjoyed during our fabulous visit to Pampas!
Monday, January 15, 2018
Impressive meal at Evergreen Conference Center
For the most part, I've had good luck getting safe, and even tasty, gluten-free meals at office holiday functions. It's still annoying to have to research who you need to speak to re: getting a safe meal, and disheartening to find out you're the only person attending with this request - seriously?
Anyway, when the lovely snowstorm hit Atlanta recently, we assumed the holiday party that was set for the same weekend would be cancelled. It was not. After confirming the roads were clear, no black ice that day/night), we decided to attend the party as planned. The person in charge of planning the event at Evergreen Conference Center Stone Mountain knew I needed a gluten-free meal. I was informed ahead of time that I was not to eat anything off the buffet line. Fine with me - no line, no problem!
Once we decided we were ready to eat, I informed one of the ballroom staffers that I was ready for my meal. Shortly thereafter, a hot plate of food was delivered to me, as well as a cold salad. The salad was fine, nothing special and the dressing of oil and vinegar uninspired, but it was in fact, gluten-free. The "hot plate" however was very impressive. Three of the buffet entrees were included (salmon, chicken and steak) as well as mashed white and sweet potatoes and roasted winter veggies. Once I finished my meal (or rather gave what I could not finish to my husband), the staff quickly showed up with a velvety slice of flourless chocolate cake. I could only get two bites of it down (I was stuffed already), but it really was quite lovely!
Overall, the experience was very positive and we were glad we decided to attend the party in spite of the frigid weather. Well, it wasn't quite as frigid as it's been here of late, but for mid-December, it was quite cold to these Florida born party guests...lol!
Anyway, when the lovely snowstorm hit Atlanta recently, we assumed the holiday party that was set for the same weekend would be cancelled. It was not. After confirming the roads were clear, no black ice that day/night), we decided to attend the party as planned. The person in charge of planning the event at Evergreen Conference Center Stone Mountain knew I needed a gluten-free meal. I was informed ahead of time that I was not to eat anything off the buffet line. Fine with me - no line, no problem!
Once we decided we were ready to eat, I informed one of the ballroom staffers that I was ready for my meal. Shortly thereafter, a hot plate of food was delivered to me, as well as a cold salad. The salad was fine, nothing special and the dressing of oil and vinegar uninspired, but it was in fact, gluten-free. The "hot plate" however was very impressive. Three of the buffet entrees were included (salmon, chicken and steak) as well as mashed white and sweet potatoes and roasted winter veggies. Once I finished my meal (or rather gave what I could not finish to my husband), the staff quickly showed up with a velvety slice of flourless chocolate cake. I could only get two bites of it down (I was stuffed already), but it really was quite lovely!
Overall, the experience was very positive and we were glad we decided to attend the party in spite of the frigid weather. Well, it wasn't quite as frigid as it's been here of late, but for mid-December, it was quite cold to these Florida born party guests...lol!
Wednesday, January 3, 2018
Gluten-free means never not having to question everything
Remember the movie Love Story? In it, there's a somewhat ridiculous line, though it's sweet in the film, "love means never having to say you're sorry". I told you it was ridiculous.... Anyway, I was thinking recently about what gluten-free really means. Of course, it means different things to different people. There are some, or rather, many of us that are gluten-free because we have celiac, a gluten intolerance issue or worse, a wheat allergy (gluten-free is wheat free, but wheat free doesn't mean gluten-free, BTW). Then there are hoards of other people that couldn't explain what gluten-free actually means for a million bucks.
I think we've all been guilty of being glad that so many people have jumped on the gluten-free bandwagon in the last several years. It's hard not to get excited when you can find a gluten-free version of apple fritters, battered fish and even "fried onions" at your local supermarket. Today in fact, there are more gluten-free versions of things I can have than I can't. Over a decade ago, I never thought I'd be able to say that.
Recently, I attended a charity event (which I didn't buy tickets for, but went as a guest) and beforehand I checked to see if any of the "finger food" served at the venue would be gluten-free. Unfortunately, but not surprisingly based on the town I was in, I found out I could eat something from the saute station and nothing else. I didn't realize until we arrived that some cheese grits with spinach dish was the ONLY thing at the saute station. Oh well, that's why I had cheese crackers, almonds and yogurt pretzels in my bag...lol!
We were going out to dinner after the event so I just needed something to nibble on while tasting many delicious wines. But my husband, who gets way more annoyed about me not finding safe food at such events than I do, was determined to find something else for me to enjoy. In checking out the mostly gluten-filled buffet station options, he noticed individual servings of what looked like a berries and cream dessert. Surely, he thought, this must be gluten-free. He excitedly told me about what he'd found and decided we should find out if I could enjoy this lovely treat.
Mind you, we're in a hotel ballroom so there aren't servers and employees running around just anywhere. We had to wait for a while until we finally found someone to ask. The guy dressed in kitchen garb, including a "chef's jacket", that I decided to ask about the dessert seemed put off by being disturbed. That's fine by me - I just had a quick question that he could answer easily with a "yes, no or I don't know". His answer didn't bring much confidence that the dessert was gluten-free. In the end, he determined that it was. And if I was new to the gluten-free game, I would have made myself very sick away from home - not cool.
Trusting my instinct instead of the questionable (and somewhat questionable) answer from the restaurant staffer, I asked my husband to eat the dessert first. If he determined that it tasted like berries and cream (all that was supposedly in it), then I would have gladly tried it myself. But guess what? There were TINY pieces of cake in the dessert! That's right - cake - and it was NOT gluten-free cake, obviously. How ridiculous is that? I honestly had a hard time believing it happened!
I felt really badly that I let this incident pretty much ruin the rest of my night. Not because I ate something that made me sick - I was vigilant enough to keep that from happening. Not because I wanted the dessert either. It just infuriates me that so MANY people in the U.S. still DO NOT get what food allergies are or - or know what gluten-free means. Honestly, only third world countries are behind us on this issue. It's completely embarrassing how misinformed (or totally uninformed) the majority of food service workers are in this country.
#SICKOFGLUTENFREEIGNORANCE!
I think we've all been guilty of being glad that so many people have jumped on the gluten-free bandwagon in the last several years. It's hard not to get excited when you can find a gluten-free version of apple fritters, battered fish and even "fried onions" at your local supermarket. Today in fact, there are more gluten-free versions of things I can have than I can't. Over a decade ago, I never thought I'd be able to say that.
Recently, I attended a charity event (which I didn't buy tickets for, but went as a guest) and beforehand I checked to see if any of the "finger food" served at the venue would be gluten-free. Unfortunately, but not surprisingly based on the town I was in, I found out I could eat something from the saute station and nothing else. I didn't realize until we arrived that some cheese grits with spinach dish was the ONLY thing at the saute station. Oh well, that's why I had cheese crackers, almonds and yogurt pretzels in my bag...lol!
We were going out to dinner after the event so I just needed something to nibble on while tasting many delicious wines. But my husband, who gets way more annoyed about me not finding safe food at such events than I do, was determined to find something else for me to enjoy. In checking out the mostly gluten-filled buffet station options, he noticed individual servings of what looked like a berries and cream dessert. Surely, he thought, this must be gluten-free. He excitedly told me about what he'd found and decided we should find out if I could enjoy this lovely treat.
Mind you, we're in a hotel ballroom so there aren't servers and employees running around just anywhere. We had to wait for a while until we finally found someone to ask. The guy dressed in kitchen garb, including a "chef's jacket", that I decided to ask about the dessert seemed put off by being disturbed. That's fine by me - I just had a quick question that he could answer easily with a "yes, no or I don't know". His answer didn't bring much confidence that the dessert was gluten-free. In the end, he determined that it was. And if I was new to the gluten-free game, I would have made myself very sick away from home - not cool.
Trusting my instinct instead of the questionable (and somewhat questionable) answer from the restaurant staffer, I asked my husband to eat the dessert first. If he determined that it tasted like berries and cream (all that was supposedly in it), then I would have gladly tried it myself. But guess what? There were TINY pieces of cake in the dessert! That's right - cake - and it was NOT gluten-free cake, obviously. How ridiculous is that? I honestly had a hard time believing it happened!
I felt really badly that I let this incident pretty much ruin the rest of my night. Not because I ate something that made me sick - I was vigilant enough to keep that from happening. Not because I wanted the dessert either. It just infuriates me that so MANY people in the U.S. still DO NOT get what food allergies are or - or know what gluten-free means. Honestly, only third world countries are behind us on this issue. It's completely embarrassing how misinformed (or totally uninformed) the majority of food service workers are in this country.
#SICKOFGLUTENFREEIGNORANCE!
Tuesday, June 28, 2016
Firebirds at Avalon - Check it out!
There is a new restaurant in Alpharetta called Firebirds Wood Fired Grill. It's located just across the street from Avalon, the premiere shopping center in North Fulton. For those of you that remember Wildfire near Perimeter Mall - Firebirds has similar decor, but it's a somewhat smaller space. It's a large place by most standards - it's just not so big that you feel like a number instead of a customer. It's a lovely resto with tall ceilings, lots of windows and an open kitchen - very nice!
It was 100 degrees out the day we ventured to Firebirds for a very early dinner so we didn't want anything heavy. We split the amazing grilled shrimp salad which was large enough for four to share in our opinion. I rarely get excited about salads these days, but this one is my new fave of the summer. It's seriously incredible - in fact, it was so great, I'd gladly order it sans shrimp! I had a baked potato and green beans for instead of an entree - only because I wanted the flourless chocolate cake for dessert. But the salad and potato were so filling that I took the green beans home (they were also delicious!). My husband loved his barbeque chicken sandwich as well. Though I didn't notice bread or breaded items on the gluten-free menu, there is plenty enough to enjoy for lunch or dinner.
I've been over creme brulee and gf chocolate cake for half a decade (who wouldn't be if those were the only things offered for dessert for a full decade?), but I decided to try the gf cake here since I saw someone else order it and it looked decadent. And that's exactly what it was!
I'm excited to go back for lunch when it's a bit cooler so I can try the potato soup on a Tuesday. There are three gf soups, but each is served on a particular day. Currently, potato soup day is Tuesday. I can't remember the last time I was able to order a potato soup in a restaurant.... I've been able to maybe a half dozen times since 2006!
The food and service was excellent at Firebirds! There is valet parking offered (at certain times) which I think is optional. Since this is a chain with locations in almost 20 states, I doubt they can vary from the menu, but if they could, having Pure Kneads buns for sandwiches and Trader Joe's gf ginger snaps for the key lime pie crust would be my dream items at Firebirds. Even with the current gluten-free menu, one can have an excellent gluten-free meal here - complete with a delectable dessert!
Thursday, February 25, 2016
More options at Seven Sisters Scones!
OK - admittedly, I have written about Seven Sisters Scones several times, but they deserve the coverage! Not only are their gluten-free (and from what I've heard, their gluten) scones seriously delicious - they now have gluten-free chocolate chip cookies and brownies to boot! Both new items are yummy, but I'm partial to the cookies since I can easily make great brownies with a mix at home. But for me, at least, cookies are too time consuming to make. What's really special about the SSS chocolate chip cookie is that it's plenty sweet, but also has a hint of salt to balance it out. In a word, it's perfectamundo!
One last note on this darling establishment - they now have tables and chairs and not just a counter w/stools for in-house dining. If you love scones, the offerings at Seven Sisters Scones can NOT be beat!
One last note on this darling establishment - they now have tables and chairs and not just a counter w/stools for in-house dining. If you love scones, the offerings at Seven Sisters Scones can NOT be beat!
Monday, October 5, 2015
Seven Sisters Scones opens in Johns Creek!
Many months ago, we came upon a scone booth at a local farmers market. There was a sign out front that listed two gluten-free flavors of scones. Knowing that a friend (with celiac) had tried these scones and had no issues, I decided to taste, and then buy, a white chocolate raspberry scone. I must say that it was one of the best scones (of any kind) I've ever had!
Seven Sisters Scones sells product at many Atlanta are farmers markets on Saturdays, as well as one in Chattanooga, TN. They usually have a couple of gluten-free options to choose from.
My favorite items are the above mentioned (sweet) flavor and the savory cheddar, bacon and chive. The latter is like a really upgraded version of the cheddar biscuits at Red Lobster. Simply put, they are AMAZING! I've served the "sconies" (mini scones available for pre-ordering) to glutenoids many times and they always rave about them as much as gluten-free guests do. These scones freeze exceptionally well and have no flavor or texture change upon defrosting.
It is with great excitement that I can finally announce that Seven Sisters Scones has opened a store front bakery in Johns Creek! Details are on the company's website.
*Please note this bakery is not a gluten-free facility. As always, do what works for you personally, regarding gluten-free foods.
Seven Sisters Scones sells product at many Atlanta are farmers markets on Saturdays, as well as one in Chattanooga, TN. They usually have a couple of gluten-free options to choose from.
My favorite items are the above mentioned (sweet) flavor and the savory cheddar, bacon and chive. The latter is like a really upgraded version of the cheddar biscuits at Red Lobster. Simply put, they are AMAZING! I've served the "sconies" (mini scones available for pre-ordering) to glutenoids many times and they always rave about them as much as gluten-free guests do. These scones freeze exceptionally well and have no flavor or texture change upon defrosting.
It is with great excitement that I can finally announce that Seven Sisters Scones has opened a store front bakery in Johns Creek! Details are on the company's website.
*Please note this bakery is not a gluten-free facility. As always, do what works for you personally, regarding gluten-free foods.
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