Category: Restaurants

Restaurant: Transfer Pizzeria & Café, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Eating out can be tricky.  When food allergies come into play, well…there is a lot of guess work that goes on.  So, when I go out of town and have to find places to eat, I’m pretty strict about where I choose.  Coming up to Milwaukee, I had a great Italian restaurant picked out that had gluten-free pizza and pasta options.  And then my roommate pointed out it was sort of a big, heap, fancy kind of a place that would require dressing up…and really, what runner wants to strap on a pair of heels the night before the race just to carb up?  Not me.

So…dining the night before the Rock ‘n Sole Quarter Marathon was up in the air to the very evening before we left.  And that’s when my roomie, using my favorite Web site/app available ever (Find Me Gluten Free), discovered the place we ended up dining.  It was a great little pizzeria/café called Transfer Pizzeria & Café on W. Mitchell St. in Milwaukee.  Let me tell you…this was one epic find.

On the outside, it doesn’t look like much.  In fact, we almost missed it when we drove past.  Thank goodness for the neon sign above the front door.  We parked and made our way over to the restaurant, where we were greeted very warmly and shown to a table near the window.  The inside was nothing like I imagined.  Very bohemian.  Very rustic.  With a café/bar in the center, the kitchen behind it, and a dining area all around, with booths and tables.  It isn’t a large space, but it was very nice.

We were handed menus and told our waiter, Mischa, would be with us shortly.  And he was.  Wearing an epic Dark Side of the Moon t-shirt, featuring the Death Star with the prism lights from the Pink Floyd cover art.  Yeah…we had to comment on how much we loved his shirt.  Anyway, we informed him that I am medically gluten-free and he said, “Ah, medically…you mean not one of these fad diets?”  It made me laugh.  And he was very helpful in telling me that all the toppings for their pizza are gluten-free.  He went to fetch Cathy some Diet Coke while I stuck with water for hydration purposes.

Left with the menu, we quickly glanced over the veggie pizza options and settled on a few to pick from.  When he returned he asked if we had any questions and then volunteered to share some of his favorites and suggestions.  Oddly enough, he was a big fan of the ones we had been eyeing.  And with that recommendation, we placed our order.

Now…something rare happened at Transfer that doesn’t happen very often when I go out to eat…specifically at a pizza/pasta joint.  First of all…I was not limited to a salad.  YES!!  Second of all…I was not just left to pizza.  No, my friends.  This went beyond what any other restaurant has done for the gluten-free pizza.  At Transfer, I could have appetizers…and…wait for it…dessert!

So, already I was doing a happy dance of foodie joy.  And we went ahead and placed an order to split the Gluten-Free Bruschetta as an appetizer (which was only a $2.00 upcharge).  Then, we would split a small Gluten-Free Da Vinci Pizza (small pizza only, with a $2.00 upcharge).  He went to put the order in and we happily discussed our upcoming meal and how much we already loved the atmosphere of the place.

The Gluten-Free Bruschetta ($8.00) arrived in short order.  Mischa kindly explained to us that all gluten-free products were brought out on red plates…completely dedicated to gluten-free foods.  Sweet!  On the plate was 10 halves of gluten-free toast that had been rubbed with garlic cloves.  In a bowl, large chunks of tomato, fresh basil, and olive oil were ready for us to dish it up onto our toast.  And that’s what we did.

The tomatoes were incredibly ripe and full of flavor.  The large chunks were not unwieldy, but rather very refreshing, without taking away from the flavor provided by the fresh basil and the taste of the amazing olive oil.  Yeah…it was good.  I think we might have hoovered the appetizer.  But, honestly, it’s been ages since I’ve been able to eat the bread at a restaurant.  The bread had a nice toast to it, without being too hard.  It was still soft and chewy, but held up the tomato chunks without a problem.  I was in love…with an appetizer.  Who knew tomatoes, basil, olive oil and gluten-free bread could be the most amazing thing ever?  Well, when you usually have to watch everyone eat the bread…it makes a hell of a difference.

The gluten-free pizza was up next.  It was tough to decide between the different varieties of veggie pizzas being offered.  But I think we made a fantastic choice.  The Gluten-Free Da Vinci Pizza ($14.00) consists of a gluten-free crust topped with tomato sauce and pesto sauce.  It is then topped off with fresh tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, feta cheese, and shaved asiago cheese.  I was quite excited about the pizza toppings.  Cathy was a little nervous about the pesto…but her trepidation was soon put to rest once the pizza arrived.

It looked amazing.  Honestly.  This pizza really looked amazing.  I mean, you can’t go wrong with cheese and tomatoes, right?  Heck, no!!  And the thin gluten-free crust was browned to a crunchy perfection.  It’s made at the restaurant too.  Not something that is pre-packaged.  The chef makes a homemade gluten-free crust from rice flour.  There is a special oven specifically for gluten-free.  And utensils to take it in and out of the oven that are dedicated as gluten-free.

And how did it taste?

AMAZING!  The blend of tomato sauce and basil pesto was fantastic.  Absolutely fantastic.  They married together so well.  The chunks of tomato were, again, fresh.  Not slices…chunks.  Love that.  They were so ripe and packed with flavor.  I absolutely loved it.  The blend of three different cheeses (mozzarella, feta, and asiago) was fantastic.  I love cheese as much as the next person…and this was…so amazing.  SO AMAZING!  Creamy.  Sweet.  Just melt-in-your-mouth fantastic.  This might just be the best gluten-free pizza…or pizza in general…I have ever eaten.  EVER!!

Oh…I was so full on pizza and bruschetta…but gluten-free dessert was mentioned.  Yes.  Dessert.  And we’re not talking about just a bowl of ice cream.  Nope.  I actually got to have dessert.  For real.  I was told their gluten-free options were a brownie or a cupcake.  I am definitely a brownie girl.  And, let me tell you, I was brought an amazing Gluten-Free Brownie ($5.00).  Rich.  Decadent.  Drizzled with chocolate.  Amazing.  I took one bite and I was sold.  It was so rich.  It was like biting into dream.  Seriously.  This brownie was soft and just…so good!  Good isn’t even the word that best describes it.  It was sinfully decadently delicious.  Yeah…I was one happy gluten-free girl.

Stuffed to the max, I walked out of Transfer Pizzeria & Café with a three-course meal under my belt.  That never happens anywhere these days.  Not only was I full, but I was impressed.  The atmosphere, the food, the people…I felt right at home there.  And I was taken very good care of.  Everything was safely prepared and kept high standards.  I felt good to go into a restaurant where the staff was so knowledgeable about gluten-free items, made sure safety precautions were taken with the food, and served up something amazing with each dish that came out.

Color me impressed.  No…color me jealous that this place is located in Milwaukee and not where I live.

Gluten-free is no problem at Transfer Pizzeria & Café.  They not only know how to safely prepare food, they even host a gluten-free night, every Monday, called “Defeat the Wheat” where they offer no upcharge on gluten-free items on the menu and give a 2 for 1 special on bottles of Lakefront Brewery New Grist gluten-free beer.  Gotta love that.

And I do.  I’m in love with this restaurant.  Well, I guess I found yet another reason to return to the Milwaukee area.  And the sooner…the better!

Restaurant: Kopp’s Frozen Custard, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

I totally blame my friend, Heather, for my newest fascination with frozen custard.  It is just rich, smooth and amazing.  Simply amazing.  Why simply?  Because it is a rich, decadent, but simple treat.

After a long day on the road and hitting up the race expo to pick up my packet for the Rock and Sole Half and Quarter Marathon tomorrow, my roommate and I hit the town for some shopping.  And as we were headed to a Half Price Books, we suddenly realized we were hungry.  And dinner was still hours away.  And there…as if a indulgent oasis suddenly appeared before us, we saw a beacon known as Kopp’s Frozen Custard.  Now, I had been browsing Travel Channel and other sites and when it comes to frozen custard, Milwaukee is the place to be.  And Kopp’s Frozen Custard is truly a staple to the Milwaukee area.

Founded in 1950, Kopp’s Frozen Custard is a true landmark in the Metro-Milwaukee area.  What has brought longevity to their business?  The great, unmistakeable taste of their custard.  No doubt about it.  And, as a little bit of trivia here, Kopp’s was the first to offer something other than the standard vanilla and chocolate frozen custards.  This became known as the “Flavor of the Day” and is still put in affect today.

And when we stopped in, there were two additional flavors today.  Mint Chip and Chocolate Peanut Butter Chocolate.  Um…no guess as to which one my roommate and I decided to get.

You guessed it.  Chocolate Peanut Butter Chocolate.  One scoop.  ($2.29)

Yum.

And yum doesn’t even really begin to cover the smooth, rich, creaminess of this frozen custard.  I raved about the one I had in Minnesota…but this was above and beyond.  This was full of rich, deep chocolate flavor, loaded with peanuts, and dark chocolate chunks.  It was…a salty-sweet party in my mouth.  And we all know how much I love frozen treats anyway.  Well, this was one of the richest, decadent frozen treats I’ve indulged in.  SO good.  I might have hoovered it.  Just maybe.

The taste of this custard truly is unmistakable.  I thought I had the absolute best before…but this blew it all away.  Just really, really fantastic.  And the setting was so space-agey…while still maintaining a bit of a drive-in/diner vibe.  I loved standing at my table, people-watching, and spooning down my frozen treat.  I was in heaven.

If you happen to be in the Milwaukee area, check out one of the three top frozen custard places.  But…speaking from experience here…I really recommend trying Kopp’s Frozen Custard.  This landmark is worth standing in line for one of the flavor’s of the day…or just the plain vanilla or chocolate.  For a business to last this long…you know it’s more than good.  It’s great.  It’s amazing.  It’s..sinful…in an amazing, rich, delicious way.

Grab a spoon…because you’ll want to dig in immediately.

Restaurant: Sebastian Joe’s, Minneapolis, Minnesota

Every city has one.  A local gem that houses the best ice cream treats anywhere.  The locals know it.  In fact, they frequent this place often, telling their friends and even complete strangers about where to find the best ice cream in town.

In Minneapolis, Minnesota…it’s no doubt this honor would go to Sebastian Joe’s.

As I have established before, one of my favorite ice cream treats to indulge in (with the help of my roommate) is a banana split.  Life doesn’t get much better than a banana topped off with vanilla, chocolate and strawberry ice cream, whipped cream, and whatever else that particular shoppe adds to theirs.  I was in the mood to indulge.  It was my last day in Minneapolis and I had already eaten a delicious lunch.  But that didn’t stop me from seeking out the best ice cream the Twin Cities had to offer.  I found it too…at Sebastian Joe’s.

Sebastian Joe’s has been a staple to the Twin Cities since it opened back in 1884.  This family owned, community-minded business has been churning out delicious premium ice cream using only all-natural ingredients of the finest quality.  That means that the owners are very particular about what they put in their ice cream, which to me, speaks a lot about their standards and how highly they regard their products.

I entered the shop late one afternoon with Cathy.  We were still full from lunch, but we really just wanted to treat ourselves to something good.  Since we both love banana splits, we decided to do Sebastian Joe’s version of it…The Banana Boat ($6.79).  What is the Banana Boat?  Well, it’s a chopped banana, layered with three flavors of ice cream of your choice.  We went with as close to the standards as possible (vanilla, chocolate and strawberry).  They didn’t have a plain strawberry flavor, so we opted for the strawberry banana to go with our vanilla and chocolate standard.  On top, we were served hot fudge and caramel, and it was topped off with another topping of our choice…which we chose almonds.  And then whipped cream layered the top part.

Oh…this was going to be heaven in a dish.  The Banana Boat was impressive.  So impressive that a local who asked if we had ever had this ice cream before said that it looked delicious and commented on me taking a picture of it.  Yeah…drool-worthy!

One thing I did notice that set this banana split apart from any other I had before is that they chopped the banana up into slices.  This made it so much easier to eat.  I wasn’t having to saw through the banana on my own.  I could just scoop it up with my spoon and whatever flavor I had at that moment and enjoy.  Oh…so good.

First bite…and I was hooked.  The ice cream was melt-in-your-mouth smooth.  Full of flavor.  And that Strawberry Banana flavor was beyond delicious.  It is a personal favorite.  Doesn’t do me much good as I don’t live anywhere near Minneapolis…but if you happen by…get a scoop for me and eat it in my honor.  You won’t be disappointed.

Every flavor melted well into the next.  And I think I possibly might have enjoyed the best banana split I ever sat down to.  And, trust me, I’ve sat down to many a banana split in my life.  It has always been my favorite ice cream treat.  Some things never change.

It didn’t even matter that I was full when I walked in there.  My stomach found room for bite-after-bite of this delicious Banana Boat.  It was well worth the extra indulgence.

Looking to support a long-standing, local, family owned business around the Twin Cities…find Sebastian Joe’s and try out one of their flavors.  Or, go for broke and get one of their famous sundaes.  I highly recommend The Banana Boat.  And if you want someone to share it with…I’m happy to help.

Restaurant: Adele’s Frozen Custard, Excelsior, Minnesota

I have a lot of things I love in life…and despite a lactose intolerance…ice cream is one of them.  Thankfully, these little Lactase supplements exist which allow me to indulge in my love of all things ice cream…with some restraint.

After filling up on pub grub and taking a stroll around Excelsior, Minnesota…checking out Lake Minnetonka…and letting things settle…Heather said we couldn’t leave without getting some frozen custard from what she hailed to be the best frozen custard place around.  Perhaps in the world.  I was intrigued.  For one thing…I’d never had frozen custard before.  I know…shocking.  Frozen yogurt…yes.  Sorbet…yes.  Gelato…yes.  Ice cream…always.  But frozen custard was new to me.

She took us up the ways to this great little stand called Adele’s Frozen Custard.  I was ready to be wowed.

I already liked the look of the place.  A small little structure built just off the road.  People were sitting outside and enjoying their bowls of delicious frozen goodness as we arrived.  They have a limited number of available flavors.  On the day we were there, they had the standard chocolate and vanilla…in addition to bubble gum, grasshopper, and chocolate raspberry truffle.

Since I also have to concern myself with a gluten allergy and not sure what all went into special flavors, I stuck with the standard vanilla custard with a topping of strawberries.  YUMMY!  Remember…if it has strawberries…it wins.  Heather got the chocolate raspberry truffle custard and Cathy opted for the grasshopper flavor (which I almost got and was glad I didn’t when it was served with crumbled cookie crumbs on top!).  We placed our orders, payed and waited on the frozen goodness.  Mine was the last to arrive, but in the time we waited, I was busy studying the frozen custard making machine.  It was fascinating to see the cascade of frozen custard come pouring out of it in blocks.  Mmmm.

When our orders were up, we all headed outside to sit and enjoy our flavor of choice.  Heather and Cathy were both very content with their choices.  And I was too.

So, what’s the difference between ice cream and frozen custard?  Well…it’s like this…

Ice cream is composed of a base of cream, milk and sugar.  Then air is whipped into it.  To make it into frozen custard, egg yolk is added to the ice cream base, and the air is then whipped out of it, making the texture very smooth and velvety rich.  Simply put…it’s sophisticated ice cream that creamy good.

If Adele’s is any indication of how fantastic frozen custard is…well, call me a believer.  I was blown away by the rich, soft texture of it.  My vanilla one wasn’t bland at all.  I would have been content to down it without the strawberries on top.  It was creamy good and had that full vanilla flavor that I want in a vanilla ice cream (or in this case…custard).

As this is my only consumption of frozen custard to date, I can’t really say how it compares to anything.  But I will say this…it is a rich, delicious flavor that melts on your tongue and excites every taste bud it comes in contact with.

Adele’s is also run by a local family and is open seasonally…which means this is not a year-round treat.  So get it while the place is open and the getting is good.  The parking lot was packed when we arrived and when we left.  This is no secret to the locals…and visitors should make their way there and see what all the fuss about Adele’s Frozen Custard is all about.  It’s worth the journey.

And me…I’m now a believer if frozen custard.

On a side note…it was ironic to get back into the car to head back to my grandpa’s house and have Adele on the radio at that moment.  It made the perfect ending to a perfect day with good friends and amazing food.

Restaurant: Crown Candy Kitchen, St. Louis, Missouri

We are all entitled to our little indulgences in life.  No one wants to go through life denying themselves all of life’s little goodies because of the chance they might *gasp* gain a pound.  That’s why God invented exercise.  If you deny yourself the little sweet things in life…then you might miss one gem of a treat.  Thankfully, I never turn down a good treat.  And despite being lactose intolerant, I usually treat myself to ice cream.  Go figure.  As long as it is gluten-free…then we are in business.

Well, it was a little while ago that I was watching Man v. Food (I know…that’s some nutritious dining going on there!) on The Travel Channel.  One of the restaurants featured in the St. Louis area was Crown Candy Kitchen, which offers up the Crown Candy Challenge…in 30 minutes, polish off five 24 ounce malts.  Even this challenge couldn’t be won by Adam Richman, who managed to down four of the malts.

That being said, this place is located in the older part of the city.  And they are known for their homemade ice cream, candy selection, but mostly their malts/milkshakes.  I, however, was not there for a milkshake or malt or even candy.

Nope.  I was getting ready to head into a concert that night.  I was after their Banana Split ($6.00)…to split with my roommate of course.  So, after waiting for about 10 minutes (you know a place rocks when 30 minutes before closing time there is a line out the door!), my roommate and I snagged a little booth and waited to place our order.  We came prepared, so we were ready when our waitress arrived.  Now, with the Banana Split, we got to choose our ice cream flavors.  We decided on chocolate and strawberry, with the strawberry and pineapple over it, whipped cream, crushed toasted cashews, and of course…a cherry.

It didn’t take too long for the enormous sundae to be placed between us with two spoons attached.  And we dug right in.  I started with the strawberry ice cream, and Cathy dug into the chocolate side.  Then we switched.  Let me tell you…that chocolate ice cream had something amazing in it.  It just tasted like no other chocolate ice cream I had before.  As for the strawberry…that was my favorite part.  Forget the whipped cream (I’ve never been a big fan of that stuff anyway) and the toppings.  I’d gladly lap up an entire bowl of that strawberry ice cream.  And yes…chunks of strawberry resided in the pink scoop that dominated a split open banana on a dish.

We hoovered that sundae, I think.  It was just so good.  And our flavors paired brilliantly with the banana.  We left there quite full, but quite happy.  And now we had our sugar rush for the upcoming show.  What more could we want in life?

If you love visiting historical sights around town that also offer up amazing foods and goodies, if you happen to be in St. Louis, take the trip over to Crown Candy Kitchen.  Forget whatever diet you’re on for a couple hours and just savor each bite of one of their signature sundaes.  You’ll be hooked.

It’s a good thing I don’t live in town or I might be over there more than I’d care to admit.