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!



              

Review: GlutenTox Home gluten test kit

For whatever reason, I've never ordered, used or reviewed a gluten detection product in the past.  There have been a couple of such products on the market for a while now, but I've never felt the need to use one.  However, I was recently offered the chance to receive the newest gluten test kit for free, in exchange for a review of it.  Naturally, I accepted the offer!  I've always wondered how well such products work, but not enough to fork out good money to find out. 

My GlutenTox kit arrived just before Christmas and so far I've only tested one product.  I gave quite some thought to what products I would test.  I wanted to find something that I know some people are hesitant to try, for whatever reason.  I finally decided on the new Snickerdoodles cookies from Trader Joe's.  The reality is that GIG certifies the TJ gluten-free items (or at least some of them as shown in their current certified product handbook), but some people don't like the fact that the products carry only a 'g' symbol, which at TJ's denotes only that the product is made without gluten ingredients.  There is no mention of 'gluten-free' anywhere on the items.   

The packaging of GlutenTox is very professional and the instructions are VERY easy to understand and follow.  You basically follow the steps given, in order, and in about 20 minutes, you have your result.  You can test for either 20 ppm or for 5 ppm.  I chose to use the 20ppm method.  As expected, the Snickerdoodles from Trader Joe's (their store brand with the 'g' no gluten ingredients symbol on the box) tested gluten-free.  I was not surprised since I enjoy such items from that store on a regular basis.   

Since this is the only testing product I've ever used, I can't speak to how it stacks up to similar items.  I can only say that using this kit could not be easier and an intelligent six year old (who can read) could use it successfully.  It doesn't get much easier than that!

More about GlutenTox (and a discount code!) from the company:

With GlutenTox Home you can quickly and reliably check for gluten in foods, liquids, and personal products/cosmetics:

• Easily detect gluten from wheat, barley, rye and oat with the G12 antibody

• Adjustable sensitivity: choose 5ppm or 20ppm

• Results in less than 20 minutes

• No special equipment required

• Qualified Medical Expense for HSA, HRA, FSA account holders

GlutenTox Home is found in select stores, including New Vitality Health Foods in Orland Park, IL and Strictly Gluten Free in East Northport, NY. It's also available online at glutentox.com — where you can enter the code GF2012 to receive free shipping until noon (EST) on January 20th, 2012.