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 dining. Show all posts
Showing posts with label gluten-free dining. Show all posts
Monday, November 11, 2019
Thursday, September 26, 2019
Citizen Soul = GF Fried Chicken
Citizen Soul in downtown Alpharetta, GA has amazing gluten-free fried chicken. In fact, most of the menu is naturally gluten-free, or can be prepared as such. They don't make anything with gluten in the fryer. This place is the BEST for gf fare of the new eateries downtown.
They also have many gf desserts, though I'm uber partial to the chocolate cake! Reservations recommended. Free parking in the garage near the downtown library.
Apologies that my photos turned out much too blurry to post. Maybe it was the amazing cocktail I enjoyed there ;)
They also have many gf desserts, though I'm uber partial to the chocolate cake! Reservations recommended. Free parking in the garage near the downtown library.
Apologies that my photos turned out much too blurry to post. Maybe it was the amazing cocktail I enjoyed there ;)
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.
Friday, June 28, 2019
Souper Jenny Atlanta - super disappointing
We recently went to the Atlanta History Center to view the once again, refurbished Cyclorama exhibit. Since we needed lunch beforehand, we chose to meet friends at Souper Jenny, which moved from Buckhead to this most prestigious location...how swanky! In case you don't know, Souper Jenny has been one of the best places to find fresh gluten-free soups and interesting salads in the Atlanta area for years. And best of all, to me anyway, they always had amazing gluten-free desserts which most people didn't know were gluten-free. Lemon ice box cake...yes, please!
Well, we arrived at the counter and I didn't see any gluten-free desserts noted, or any in the case that housed the treats. To add insult to injury, I'd checked the daily menu right before we left home that morning, and it had the prior day's menu listed..noting the current date. So now I can't get anything I wanted to eat as my meal or a dessert.... I was able to get some edible rice crackers to go with my soup, instead of a gluten roll. Since the coffee shop adjacent to Souper Jenny sells bagels, I asked to buy a bit of cream cheese and they gave it to me for free. I tipped them for the gesture, of course ;)
I ate my crackers with cream cheese, some of my too-spicy soup and black-eyed-pea salad. We ended up having a lovely time with our friends, but I didn't have a nice lunch. Had I known of the horrid changes at this location regarding desserts, I certainly would have chosen a much better place to eat! With all the amazing gluten-free bakeries in the area, how in the world could Souper Jenny not find something suitable to offer gluten-free customers? #souperjennyfail
Well, we arrived at the counter and I didn't see any gluten-free desserts noted, or any in the case that housed the treats. To add insult to injury, I'd checked the daily menu right before we left home that morning, and it had the prior day's menu listed..noting the current date. So now I can't get anything I wanted to eat as my meal or a dessert.... I was able to get some edible rice crackers to go with my soup, instead of a gluten roll. Since the coffee shop adjacent to Souper Jenny sells bagels, I asked to buy a bit of cream cheese and they gave it to me for free. I tipped them for the gesture, of course ;)
I ate my crackers with cream cheese, some of my too-spicy soup and black-eyed-pea salad. We ended up having a lovely time with our friends, but I didn't have a nice lunch. Had I known of the horrid changes at this location regarding desserts, I certainly would have chosen a much better place to eat! With all the amazing gluten-free bakeries in the area, how in the world could Souper Jenny not find something suitable to offer gluten-free customers? #souperjennyfail
Friday, May 31, 2019
Chattanooga ups it's gluten-free game!
Just before the Avalon location of Bantam+Biddy closed in 2018, one of the partners informed us that there was a location opening in July in Chattanooga. Since our in-laws live there, for the last 16 years we've been regular visitors to the area. There have been VERY few times when I encountered exciting gluten-free options. Tony's Trattoria is heads above the rest in terms of gluten-free menus/delicious gluten-free food, but they are the exception. Terra Nostra was pretty impressive, but they are closing for good this summer. So yeah...Chattanooga isn't on anyone's list to visit for the gluten-free options. It's the opposite of say...Asheville, NC.
When we were in Chattanooga last September, Bantam+Biddy wasn't open, but it opened soon thereafter. Upon our return, a couple of weeks ago, B+B was open and we finally got to try it. The menu was either the same, or very similar to the Ansley Mall location here. We started with the fried green tomatoes (with VERY spicy goat cheese spread), and I had fried chicken tenders and Brussels sprouts. My husband had some biscuit sandwich (not gluten-free) that he really enjoyed. We were so stuffed (we usually don't order an appetizer at lunch!) so we had to skip dessert. I'd hoped we could pop back in for dessert during the visit, but the Ironman competition was that weekend and it was TOO crowded in town. It's so exciting to have such an amazing place to enjoy when in Chattanooga!
Also, most people there don't know all the chicken fingers at B+B are gluten-free. If you're going with a gluten eater, don't mention it until they tell you how amazing they are...lol! Even then, you might have a hard time convincing them they just had gluten-free chicken fingers. Not sure why it's such a hard concept to grasp, but apparently for some people, it most definitely is ;)
You can read more about the wonderful addition to downtown Chattanooga - location, etc. - here.
When we were in Chattanooga last September, Bantam+Biddy wasn't open, but it opened soon thereafter. Upon our return, a couple of weeks ago, B+B was open and we finally got to try it. The menu was either the same, or very similar to the Ansley Mall location here. We started with the fried green tomatoes (with VERY spicy goat cheese spread), and I had fried chicken tenders and Brussels sprouts. My husband had some biscuit sandwich (not gluten-free) that he really enjoyed. We were so stuffed (we usually don't order an appetizer at lunch!) so we had to skip dessert. I'd hoped we could pop back in for dessert during the visit, but the Ironman competition was that weekend and it was TOO crowded in town. It's so exciting to have such an amazing place to enjoy when in Chattanooga!
Also, most people there don't know all the chicken fingers at B+B are gluten-free. If you're going with a gluten eater, don't mention it until they tell you how amazing they are...lol! Even then, you might have a hard time convincing them they just had gluten-free chicken fingers. Not sure why it's such a hard concept to grasp, but apparently for some people, it most definitely is ;)
You can read more about the wonderful addition to downtown Chattanooga - location, etc. - here.
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.
Monday, May 13, 2019
Citizen Soul makes the gluten-free grade!
After coming home from France and Spain recently, I sadly settled back into the reality that gluten-free specialty items such as bread, pastries, etc. are all MUCH better in other countries (including Canada!) than here at home. I'm not sure why that is...but store bought and bakery stuff is just not anywhere near as good here as in several countries we've visited in the 12 years since my celiac dx.
Please don't misunderstand - the new hip eatery in downtown Alpharetta, Citizen Soul, doesn't currently offer gluten-free bread. But...they offer something even more exciting - gluten-free fried chicken! It's amazing...flavorful and tender! The sides with it (currently grits and green beans) are also wonderful! We shared the stonefruit salad which was so fresh and flavorful we thought we might be back in Barcelona ;) The chocolate cake is huge and scrumptious...enough for 2 or three to share...for reals...lol!
Service was lovely and not rushed even though the place is usually packed. Parking is easy in the close by free parking deck. Great cocktails as well....Citizen Soul is a wonderful addition to downtown eateries. In fact, as of now, it's THE best place down there for my money!
Please don't misunderstand - the new hip eatery in downtown Alpharetta, Citizen Soul, doesn't currently offer gluten-free bread. But...they offer something even more exciting - gluten-free fried chicken! It's amazing...flavorful and tender! The sides with it (currently grits and green beans) are also wonderful! We shared the stonefruit salad which was so fresh and flavorful we thought we might be back in Barcelona ;) The chocolate cake is huge and scrumptious...enough for 2 or three to share...for reals...lol!
Service was lovely and not rushed even though the place is usually packed. Parking is easy in the close by free parking deck. Great cocktails as well....Citizen Soul is a wonderful addition to downtown eateries. In fact, as of now, it's THE best place down there for my money!
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 16, 2018
CPK's gluten-free pizza - third time's a charm!
Once upon a time, California Pizza Kitchen (aka CPK) introduced a gluten-free crust. And, it was the worst I've ever had in a restaurant. Eventually, it became evident that the crust was a HUGE miss for the company and they made the smart decision to 86 it....offering an excuse about retraining the staff, etc. But my guess is that the gluten-free consumer's disgust over the taste of the rock hard crust was the real reason behind the dismissal of it. The fact that no one went to the ER due to cutting themselves while trying to cut this horrid crust is honestly shocking.
Moving on...at some point, CPK introduced a "new and improved" gluten-free crust. It might have been new, but it wasn't exactly improved...it was just different. The second crust was almost the complete opposite of the first offering. Still with NO flavor whatsover, this crust was like soggy bread and nothing like a pizza crust. As far as I know, that crust is still available and for those who enjoy it, that's great. I would not eat it if it was free since to me, it's nothing like pizza should be.
Finally, due to a lunch outing with a non gf friend, I had to find out what I could order at CPK. I was not planning on ordering a pizza, of course, but the salads at the place are usually quite delicious. To my great surprise, I came across this review of the new gf cauliflower crust at CPK. It peaked my interest enough to check out the pizza before the lunch outing with my friend. That way, if I didn't care for the new crust, my husband would eat it. He'll eat pretty much anything and is not a super taster (food snob) like me.
We ordered the BBQ chicken pizza on the cauliflower crust (you must specify if you want that crust since there are two gf options now) to-go and it was ready when we got to the restaurant. It's a smallish pizza, like all gluten-free options in the ATL, but with a salad, it's plenty for two people. The crust was thin and looked different than the gluten crusts at CPK, and different than the last gluten-free crust I'd had there.
Well, shut the front door - the pizza was delicious! The crust was like a regular thin crust pizza. Seriously, I think you could serve it to your pickiest "gluten-free food is yucky" friend and they'd never know the difference! My husband started wondering if the pizza we'd picked up and were eating was in fact, gluten-free - it was that good!
Please don't misunderstand - CPK's cauliflower crust pizza is in no way shape or form, the best gluten-free pizza I've had. It's not as good as Blue Moon Pizza's gluten-free crust before they changed it (or the way they bake it). And it can't hold a candle to the wood fired option at Don Antonio (Atlanta location closed, sadly). But the new gluten-free pizza at CPK is not only edible - something neither of the first two options offered there were - it's actually worth eating!
The only complaint I have about the pizzas are the limited offerings on the gluten-free crust. There are only four options, presumably due to cross contamination and/or ingredients used in the many other pizzas available to customers who can enjoy the regular crust. That's annoying, but I must admit, CPK's third gluten-free crust is definitely a charm!
Photo above is the pepperoni gluten-free cauliflower crust pizza my non gf friend ordered. She really liked it, and thought it might have been the regular gluten crust, by mistake...told you it was wondeful...lol!
Moving on...at some point, CPK introduced a "new and improved" gluten-free crust. It might have been new, but it wasn't exactly improved...it was just different. The second crust was almost the complete opposite of the first offering. Still with NO flavor whatsover, this crust was like soggy bread and nothing like a pizza crust. As far as I know, that crust is still available and for those who enjoy it, that's great. I would not eat it if it was free since to me, it's nothing like pizza should be.
Finally, due to a lunch outing with a non gf friend, I had to find out what I could order at CPK. I was not planning on ordering a pizza, of course, but the salads at the place are usually quite delicious. To my great surprise, I came across this review of the new gf cauliflower crust at CPK. It peaked my interest enough to check out the pizza before the lunch outing with my friend. That way, if I didn't care for the new crust, my husband would eat it. He'll eat pretty much anything and is not a super taster (food snob) like me.
We ordered the BBQ chicken pizza on the cauliflower crust (you must specify if you want that crust since there are two gf options now) to-go and it was ready when we got to the restaurant. It's a smallish pizza, like all gluten-free options in the ATL, but with a salad, it's plenty for two people. The crust was thin and looked different than the gluten crusts at CPK, and different than the last gluten-free crust I'd had there.
Well, shut the front door - the pizza was delicious! The crust was like a regular thin crust pizza. Seriously, I think you could serve it to your pickiest "gluten-free food is yucky" friend and they'd never know the difference! My husband started wondering if the pizza we'd picked up and were eating was in fact, gluten-free - it was that good!
Please don't misunderstand - CPK's cauliflower crust pizza is in no way shape or form, the best gluten-free pizza I've had. It's not as good as Blue Moon Pizza's gluten-free crust before they changed it (or the way they bake it). And it can't hold a candle to the wood fired option at Don Antonio (Atlanta location closed, sadly). But the new gluten-free pizza at CPK is not only edible - something neither of the first two options offered there were - it's actually worth eating!
The only complaint I have about the pizzas are the limited offerings on the gluten-free crust. There are only four options, presumably due to cross contamination and/or ingredients used in the many other pizzas available to customers who can enjoy the regular crust. That's annoying, but I must admit, CPK's third gluten-free crust is definitely a charm!
Photo above is the pepperoni gluten-free cauliflower crust pizza my non gf friend ordered. She really liked it, and thought it might have been the regular gluten crust, by mistake...told you it was wondeful...lol!
Monday, July 2, 2018
South City Kitchen comes to Avalon
Almost four years ago, I wrote about the wonderful brunch options at South City Kitchen in midtown. If you missed it, you can read it here. South City Kitchen is part of Fifth Group, which I'm thrilled to report is opening another location of the amazing ECCO in Buckhead later this year!
Okay...back to SCK. When some friends wanted to meet at Avalon for dinner recently, we discovered that there was a new SCK at the swanky complex. I called to discuss a few things and get a read of their gluten-free knowledge and also contacted the company through their website. We made reservations for dinner on a Friday night. Though it's not ideal to try a new place on the weekend, SCK really knows their stuff.
The options on the gluten-free menu were many...in fact, it was hard to choose what to order due to there being so many fantastic looking dishes! Our friends settled on the meat and cheese plate, served with gluten-free bread, and we started with the deliciously creative scallop appetizer. We all tried the she crab soup (yes - it's gluten-free!) which was quite delicious if a tiny bit scant on crab. Everything else we had was also fabulous.
For my entree, I went with the Fried Chicken, though I knew from prior research, it had to be modified to be gluten-free. My husband got his favorite BBQ sandwich (also available gluten-free) and enjoyed it as always. The only questionable moment of the meal was when my chicken arrived and looked fried - like normal fried chicken. I was told it would be modified and I mistakenly assumed that meant it would not be fried. My husband insisted I ask someone to double check it was in fact, gluten-free. The manager confidently assured me that it was. While I can't explain exactly how the chicken was prepared, or how it differs from the gluten option, I know two things. The dish was gluten-free and it was AMAZING!
There were no interesting gluten-free dessert choices so we went elsewhere for that. That's the only slight criticism I have for SCK at Avalon. Many places there have very good dessert options so it's a bit odd that South City Kitchen did not. However, it's a new location and I'm sure they will eventually wow everyone with an amazing gluten-free treat that everyone will love. Can you imagine if they used Sally's Gluten-Free Bakery pound cake to make Strawberry Shortcake in the summer?!
We're looking forward to trying brunch at this location as soon as it's cool enough to sit outside...in other words, it might be fall before we make that happen ;)
Okay...back to SCK. When some friends wanted to meet at Avalon for dinner recently, we discovered that there was a new SCK at the swanky complex. I called to discuss a few things and get a read of their gluten-free knowledge and also contacted the company through their website. We made reservations for dinner on a Friday night. Though it's not ideal to try a new place on the weekend, SCK really knows their stuff.
The options on the gluten-free menu were many...in fact, it was hard to choose what to order due to there being so many fantastic looking dishes! Our friends settled on the meat and cheese plate, served with gluten-free bread, and we started with the deliciously creative scallop appetizer. We all tried the she crab soup (yes - it's gluten-free!) which was quite delicious if a tiny bit scant on crab. Everything else we had was also fabulous.
For my entree, I went with the Fried Chicken, though I knew from prior research, it had to be modified to be gluten-free. My husband got his favorite BBQ sandwich (also available gluten-free) and enjoyed it as always. The only questionable moment of the meal was when my chicken arrived and looked fried - like normal fried chicken. I was told it would be modified and I mistakenly assumed that meant it would not be fried. My husband insisted I ask someone to double check it was in fact, gluten-free. The manager confidently assured me that it was. While I can't explain exactly how the chicken was prepared, or how it differs from the gluten option, I know two things. The dish was gluten-free and it was AMAZING!
There were no interesting gluten-free dessert choices so we went elsewhere for that. That's the only slight criticism I have for SCK at Avalon. Many places there have very good dessert options so it's a bit odd that South City Kitchen did not. However, it's a new location and I'm sure they will eventually wow everyone with an amazing gluten-free treat that everyone will love. Can you imagine if they used Sally's Gluten-Free Bakery pound cake to make Strawberry Shortcake in the summer?!
We're looking forward to trying brunch at this location as soon as it's cool enough to sit outside...in other words, it might be fall before we make that happen ;)
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, March 22, 2018
Best gluten-free crepes in Alpharetta
OK - the title of this post might be a bit misleading because I haven't had any gluten-free crepes in Alpharetta or North Fulton County. There was a place over in Cobb that had the best gluten-free crepes I've had in the area, but it's now closed.
When a friend told me about Au Pan Crepe, and invited me to have lunch there, I was excited. Since I was headed to FL to visit family, a few days after returning to town, we hit up this cute crepe cafe for a late lunch. The really cool thing about the place is that ALL the savory crepes are made with a buckwheat flour mixture - and therefore the crepes themselves are gluten-free. The sweet crepes are made with wheat flour so if you want a sweet treat, you have to order it be made with the gluten-free flour.
The first buckwheat crepes I ever had were a quite tough and the second version was extremely delicious. I had each of those crepes in Montreal. Therefore, I realize you can find a tasty crepe made from buckwheat flour and you can find one that reminds you of shoe leather. Thankfully, the version served at Au Pan Crepe are really good and they reheat really well! I had a basic ham and cheese crepe and it was served with a salad (or soup which was also gluten-free). It was so large that I took half of it home to enjoy the following day.
Now that I know the crepes are this place are so good, I will definitely go back to try a sweet version - made with the savory batter, of course. I think they will also be tasty and I'm looking forward to reporting back on those in the near future!
Bon Appétit!
*Proscutto crepe image courtesy of Au Pan Crepe
UPDATE: We tried the sweet crepes which must be ordered gluten-free (otherwise, the are made with wheat flour). The Crepes Suzette with fresh whipped cream was absolutely wonderful! Will definitely be back for more sweet and savory crepes at this darling place!
When a friend told me about Au Pan Crepe, and invited me to have lunch there, I was excited. Since I was headed to FL to visit family, a few days after returning to town, we hit up this cute crepe cafe for a late lunch. The really cool thing about the place is that ALL the savory crepes are made with a buckwheat flour mixture - and therefore the crepes themselves are gluten-free. The sweet crepes are made with wheat flour so if you want a sweet treat, you have to order it be made with the gluten-free flour.
The first buckwheat crepes I ever had were a quite tough and the second version was extremely delicious. I had each of those crepes in Montreal. Therefore, I realize you can find a tasty crepe made from buckwheat flour and you can find one that reminds you of shoe leather. Thankfully, the version served at Au Pan Crepe are really good and they reheat really well! I had a basic ham and cheese crepe and it was served with a salad (or soup which was also gluten-free). It was so large that I took half of it home to enjoy the following day.
Now that I know the crepes are this place are so good, I will definitely go back to try a sweet version - made with the savory batter, of course. I think they will also be tasty and I'm looking forward to reporting back on those in the near future!
Bon Appétit!
*Proscutto crepe image courtesy of Au Pan Crepe
UPDATE: We tried the sweet crepes which must be ordered gluten-free (otherwise, the are made with wheat flour). The Crepes Suzette with fresh whipped cream was absolutely wonderful! Will definitely be back for more sweet and savory crepes at this darling place!
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 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!
Monday, January 8, 2018
Popular questions in the gluten-free world
So, I'm asked gluten-free related questions all the time. The bad part is that there are some questions I can't answer - even when I go to extra trouble to do so. I thought it might be fun to list some of the ones I can answer here, since I get some of the same questions over and over again.
Is bleu cheese gluten-free?
We're out to dinner with a party with another celiac. They want to know why Red Robin's gf menu doesn't list bleu cheese as safe. Likely answer - someone on the corporate side read some very old, outdated and untrue info about bleu cheese containing gluten. It was once thought that was the case, but later on, very extensive studies (mostly done in Canada) proved the theory about the mold used as a starter for bleu cheese containing gluten was never accurate. I'm a bleu cheeseaholic, so there.
At a very popular place in Ashville, NC (no, not the fabulous Posana Cafe), I'm told I can't have the strawberry salad unless they leave the bleu cheese off.
Tom + Chee's nutritional data stated (at last check) that their bleu cheese contains gluten...and so forth and so on.
Bleu cheese is the most common thing I've come across as being listed as containing gluten, when there is likely no bleu cheese to be found in any commercially available bleu cheese. At least those found in the U.S and Canada.
Is movie popcorn gluten-free?
At one time, there was supposedly some gluten in some movie popcorn ingredients, but these days, that doesn't seem to be the case. Since going to the movies is still one of the best entertainment values out here, I made sure to check on the popcorn safety at the chains I frequent. Both AMC Theatres and Regal Cinemas serve gluten-free popcorn - at least without the fake butter. Since I've not had any interest in eating whatever they call "butter" (it's in no way, shape or form butter, by the way) at movie theatres in over thirty years, I didn't bother to check on the ingredients in it anywhere.
Going to the movies is the ONLY place you can go and just walk up to the counter, order popcorn and a soda and enjoy it while watching a movie like everyone else. No zillion questions about ingredients, preparation methods, etc. Just make sure to skip the Twizzlers, which for reasons I'll never understand, do contain gluten!
Is mayo (or mustard or ketchup) gluten-free?
Until recently, I thought this question was put to bed. And then, of all people, a doctor said to me "you can't even have mayo, right? It has gluten in it"...! I almost fell over, seriously. Thankfully, this doctor has nothing to do with celiac, but still - it's 2018. It's been well over a decade since there's been much confusion on this topic. Let's just say that while I don't like mayo (except in deviled eggs) and I can't even have a ketchup bottle on a table when dining out (it so grosses me and my husband out!), I might not be here anymore if mustard, or anything with distilled vinegar in it contained gluten. Keep in mind that malt vinegar is almost always made from barley and therefore, it is NOT gluten-free.
Why would Twizzlers (lemon curd, cream of mushroom soup or barbeque potato chips) contain gluten?!
There is an exclamation point above because that is how people ask those questions. As if I am surely confused or have a serious learning disability and I don't know what does and doesn't contain gluten. That's right - I've been gluten-free for over a decade so how would I know such things....DUH! The answer is that I have no idea why those items can, and often, contain gluten. You'd need to ask the companies that make the products about that. Thankfully, many lemon curds, and at least three brands of cream of mushroom soup (including one condensed), is gluten-free.
You can eat most anywhere these days since everyone knows what gluten-free means, right?
The answer to that comment-turned-question is simple. No, no and no!!!! Many places with printed gluten-free menus (especially large chains) don't have a clue about how to serve gluten-free customers safely. So, we can't just go out and eat anywhere. And if someone means I can have a plain salad, that just plain insulting. Who wants to go out to eat at a place where the only gluten-free option is a boring salad?! Certainly not me.
There are more annoying questions than room to discuss here, and I guess we'll all be dealing with them for years to come...possibly forever. Especially if we live out our days in the USA.
Is bleu cheese gluten-free?
We're out to dinner with a party with another celiac. They want to know why Red Robin's gf menu doesn't list bleu cheese as safe. Likely answer - someone on the corporate side read some very old, outdated and untrue info about bleu cheese containing gluten. It was once thought that was the case, but later on, very extensive studies (mostly done in Canada) proved the theory about the mold used as a starter for bleu cheese containing gluten was never accurate. I'm a bleu cheeseaholic, so there.
At a very popular place in Ashville, NC (no, not the fabulous Posana Cafe), I'm told I can't have the strawberry salad unless they leave the bleu cheese off.
Tom + Chee's nutritional data stated (at last check) that their bleu cheese contains gluten...and so forth and so on.
Bleu cheese is the most common thing I've come across as being listed as containing gluten, when there is likely no bleu cheese to be found in any commercially available bleu cheese. At least those found in the U.S and Canada.
Is movie popcorn gluten-free?
At one time, there was supposedly some gluten in some movie popcorn ingredients, but these days, that doesn't seem to be the case. Since going to the movies is still one of the best entertainment values out here, I made sure to check on the popcorn safety at the chains I frequent. Both AMC Theatres and Regal Cinemas serve gluten-free popcorn - at least without the fake butter. Since I've not had any interest in eating whatever they call "butter" (it's in no way, shape or form butter, by the way) at movie theatres in over thirty years, I didn't bother to check on the ingredients in it anywhere.
Going to the movies is the ONLY place you can go and just walk up to the counter, order popcorn and a soda and enjoy it while watching a movie like everyone else. No zillion questions about ingredients, preparation methods, etc. Just make sure to skip the Twizzlers, which for reasons I'll never understand, do contain gluten!
Is mayo (or mustard or ketchup) gluten-free?
Until recently, I thought this question was put to bed. And then, of all people, a doctor said to me "you can't even have mayo, right? It has gluten in it"...! I almost fell over, seriously. Thankfully, this doctor has nothing to do with celiac, but still - it's 2018. It's been well over a decade since there's been much confusion on this topic. Let's just say that while I don't like mayo (except in deviled eggs) and I can't even have a ketchup bottle on a table when dining out (it so grosses me and my husband out!), I might not be here anymore if mustard, or anything with distilled vinegar in it contained gluten. Keep in mind that malt vinegar is almost always made from barley and therefore, it is NOT gluten-free.
Why would Twizzlers (lemon curd, cream of mushroom soup or barbeque potato chips) contain gluten?!
There is an exclamation point above because that is how people ask those questions. As if I am surely confused or have a serious learning disability and I don't know what does and doesn't contain gluten. That's right - I've been gluten-free for over a decade so how would I know such things....DUH! The answer is that I have no idea why those items can, and often, contain gluten. You'd need to ask the companies that make the products about that. Thankfully, many lemon curds, and at least three brands of cream of mushroom soup (including one condensed), is gluten-free.
You can eat most anywhere these days since everyone knows what gluten-free means, right?
The answer to that comment-turned-question is simple. No, no and no!!!! Many places with printed gluten-free menus (especially large chains) don't have a clue about how to serve gluten-free customers safely. So, we can't just go out and eat anywhere. And if someone means I can have a plain salad, that just plain insulting. Who wants to go out to eat at a place where the only gluten-free option is a boring salad?! Certainly not me.
There are more annoying questions than room to discuss here, and I guess we'll all be dealing with them for years to come...possibly forever. Especially if we live out our days in the USA.
Friday, January 5, 2018
Best chicken fingers in the ATL!
We've been going to Bantam + Biddy for several years now. Mostly we go to the Avalon location, but when visiting to the HIGH Museum, we like going to the Ansley Mall location for brunch. The owner, Shaun Doty (who also owns Chick-a-Biddy and YEAH! Burger) has been serving up gluten-free specialty items for many years now - most of which are exceptional.
Though I'd love to be more adventurous when dining out, I'm more likely to get the same dish at a place once I know I love it, than to risk trying something unknown. Therefore, I almost always (or at least, 95% of the time) order the fried chicken fingers at Bantam + Biddy. The dish comes with two gf sides, plus a gf corn muffin - what's not to love?!
To explain how amazing the chicken fingers are, let me share a funny story about a lunch outing with a very good friend of mine, who does not eat gluten-free. I ordered the chicken fingers as usual, and my friend ordered the same thing. She didn't mention she needed them gluten-free - assuming there were two versions of the item. There are not. During the course of our meal, my friend commented on how good the chicken fingers were, which made sense to me, since many people think all gf food is either horrible or not so great. As our conversation progressed, it became clear that my friend thought she had ordered "normal" (aka not gf) chicken fingers - different than what I had. It was pretty funny, but also kind of sad, to think that someone could be so surprised that there is such a
thing as delicious gluten-free chicken fingers.
Though I'm a faithful B+B customer, I've always thought it was odd that there wasn't anything gf for dessert. Eventually I think they had macaroons (or something like that), but never anything I was interested in. That was until my last visit last week. To my surprise, there were cakes in the front case (Avalon location) marked gluten-free! We were on our way out and our server (who knew three in our party of 6 were gf) didn't offer us dessert. Our friends had already left before we confirmed the cakes were gluten-free so we took a piece of Butter Pecan Cake to go. It was both gluten and dairy free and the frosting was insanely delicious. The cake was fine, but it did seem dairy free - if that makes sense. The frosting didn't seem anything free - I could eat it by the spoonful! I think the other cake they had that night was German Chocolate so I might try that another time.
Also, during the visit noted above, the chicken fingers and corn muffin were both better than I ever remember them being. My friend agreed that each item was more moist than in the past which made them even more delicious than you'd imagine. Now the chicken fingers are among the best I've had ever - with or without gluten!
Looking forward to trying The Federal, Doty's latest venture, sometime soon! Now all we need in this area is a YEAH! Burger at the Halcyon complex....think about it, Shaun!
Though I'd love to be more adventurous when dining out, I'm more likely to get the same dish at a place once I know I love it, than to risk trying something unknown. Therefore, I almost always (or at least, 95% of the time) order the fried chicken fingers at Bantam + Biddy. The dish comes with two gf sides, plus a gf corn muffin - what's not to love?!
To explain how amazing the chicken fingers are, let me share a funny story about a lunch outing with a very good friend of mine, who does not eat gluten-free. I ordered the chicken fingers as usual, and my friend ordered the same thing. She didn't mention she needed them gluten-free - assuming there were two versions of the item. There are not. During the course of our meal, my friend commented on how good the chicken fingers were, which made sense to me, since many people think all gf food is either horrible or not so great. As our conversation progressed, it became clear that my friend thought she had ordered "normal" (aka not gf) chicken fingers - different than what I had. It was pretty funny, but also kind of sad, to think that someone could be so surprised that there is such a
thing as delicious gluten-free chicken fingers.
Though I'm a faithful B+B customer, I've always thought it was odd that there wasn't anything gf for dessert. Eventually I think they had macaroons (or something like that), but never anything I was interested in. That was until my last visit last week. To my surprise, there were cakes in the front case (Avalon location) marked gluten-free! We were on our way out and our server (who knew three in our party of 6 were gf) didn't offer us dessert. Our friends had already left before we confirmed the cakes were gluten-free so we took a piece of Butter Pecan Cake to go. It was both gluten and dairy free and the frosting was insanely delicious. The cake was fine, but it did seem dairy free - if that makes sense. The frosting didn't seem anything free - I could eat it by the spoonful! I think the other cake they had that night was German Chocolate so I might try that another time.
Also, during the visit noted above, the chicken fingers and corn muffin were both better than I ever remember them being. My friend agreed that each item was more moist than in the past which made them even more delicious than you'd imagine. Now the chicken fingers are among the best I've had ever - with or without gluten!
Looking forward to trying The Federal, Doty's latest venture, sometime soon! Now all we need in this area is a YEAH! Burger at the Halcyon complex....think about it, Shaun!
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