Gluten-free in Greenville

Greenville is pretty gluten-free friendly for such a small city.  We go there several times a year to visit in-laws, but often make it a day trip which doesn't allow for time to check out the gluten-free dining in the area very often.  During a recent day trip on Father's Day, we decided to have an early dinner downtown before heading home.  In the past, we've been to Larkin's on the River and while the crab bisque there is both gluten-free and amazing, the service is hit or miss.  My husband doesn't like going to places where he thinks the staff might mess up my meal so we haven't been to Larkin's in a couple of years.  However, the people who own that place also own Grill Marks which happens to be a very highly rated burger joint in downtown Greenville.  We decided to check it out and we are so glad we did!

Grill Marks is a trendy gourmet burger place much like those found in the Atlanta area.  There is a neat patio out front which is perfect for people watching.  It was beyond hot when we were there so we sat inside.  I guess it was due to the high ceilings, but it was very warm inside and the A/C was definitely on since it was cooler inside than outside.  It was also muggy which made for a very uncomfortable feeling - one where you can barely enjoy your food no matter how good it is.  Because everything we ordered was hot food - much of it fried - it wasn't as great as an experience as it would have been on a cooler day.

The best part was the food which was really quite tasty!  The menu offers gluten-free buns, fried green tomatoes, three types of fries and many more gluten-free options.  The friendly server went all the gluten-free menu options, and noted some dairy-free options as well.  It was exciting to find out that many more things are available gluten-free than those that are not.  How's that for a nice change?!

The burgers are not cooked well done unless you request it, which we did.  The gluten-free bun was too thick for me, but I almost always find that to be the case.  The batter on the tomatoes was too 'cornmealy' for us, but the green tomatoes and sauce served with them were amazing!  The 'fat' fries were seriously addictive and I actually took some of them home so we could get dessert.

I'm not sure I've ever seen gluten-free cobbler on any menu so of course, I could not resist ordering the cobbler-of-the-day which happened to be strawberry.  When the dessert arrived at the table, I knew there was a good chance I wouldn't care for it and unfortunately, I was correct.  The cobber bread part made up 90% of the dessert.  The other 10% was made up by the fruit part and really good ice cream.  The bread part of  the dessert had a bad flavor and texture.  There are several fabulous gluten-free flour blends available in Greenville so it's unclear why Grill Marks isn't using one to make this dessert.

Maybe we were there on a bad day when the person who usually makes the cobber was out and what we had wasn't representative of the cobber they usually serve - I don't know.  If my husband could stand to see food go to waste when even he doesn't think it's any good, we probably would have asked for the dessert to be taken off the check after only a bite.  The good news is that the burgers, fries and appetizers at Grill Marks are more than enough to fill anyone up.  We'll likely go back on a cooler day to enjoy a nice gluten-free meal served with a smile and great Southern hospitality!

Pure Knead opens for business!

If you follow a gluten, dairy and soy-free diet, there is a new bakery you need to know about! And if you love the gluten-free buns at Yeah! Burger or Farm Burger (two different versions), be sure to check out the grand opening of the Pure Knead bakery in Decatur on 2-26-11. The bakery supplies the awesome buns to YB and FB and also makes hot dog buns, cookies, cupcakes and the most incredible olive boule I've ever had - with or without gluten! You can read the details of the bakery opening here.

Congrats to the talented team at Pure Knead. They have created a very special place for gluten-free /  allergen-free consumers in Atlanta and beyond!  

Gluten-free hotdogs at Gwinnett Braves

The ballpark out in Gwinnett County where the Atlanta farm team plays now offers gluten-free hotdogs with gluten-free buns. They were actually out of them when I called to find out where to get the gluten-free dog at the park but the Aramark manager went to Whole Foods to pick some up. They don't usually get the buns there but they are having difficulty getting the buns from their supplier (which I think is Kinnikinnick). Anyway, the bun I had (which no one could tell me the brand of) was not very good. I ended up eating mostly just the hot dog and 1/4 of the bun. It was nice to have a gluten-free beer to wash down the dry, cardboard tasting bun. There is a possibility that the gluten-free bun the park normally has is better then what I had. There is also a chance it's even worse so I doubt I'll risk finding out one way or another.

Knowing we'll be back at the park soon, I decided to ask if the hamburgers were gluten-free - without the bun, of course. I'd much rather have a burger without a bun than a hot dog with an inedible bun. Unfortunately, the hamburgers at the Gwinnett Braves park are not gluten-free, according to the Aramark manager. Rather, the hamburger patties are not gluten-free. They didn't order in gluten-free hamburger buns so now that makes sense. Aramark is really stepping up and heeding the call of their allergen free customers. However, there is not enough of a call for gluten-free items at the Gwinnett Braves games for them to worry too much about accommodating our crowd. From now on I'll make sure and have dinner before I head to the ballpark and then I'll stick to peanuts or popcorn. I don't care for Dippin' Dots but they are also offered at the park. At last check, that brand of ice cream was gluten-free.
  
You really can't beat the experience of enjoying a minor league baseball game. It's super easy to get in and out of the park and you can hear everything that happens on the field. It is so much easier (and much cheaper!) than heading into town to see the major league game. However, the gluten-free food cart down town at Turner Field is one of the most impressive in the country. If you do get out to see the G-Braves play, Redbridge is sold only at Neikro's inside the park and that is where I got the gluten-free hot dog as well. We asked for a take-out order but they messed up and served it in baskets you can't take to your seat.

Now that the weather is unbearably hot in Atlanta, it's strange to think of the night we went to the G-Braves game just a few weeks ago. It started raining in the 5th inning and the wind kicked up like crazy. All of a sudden it was freezing cold. I had to buy a Braves Snuggy at the gift shop...lol! I've always sort of wanted one anyway (though not the Braves version) and I'm happy to report that the Snuggy is VERY warm.