I want to tell you a story about two different pizza places.
While at the convention in Denver, Colorado, I wanted to order a pizza for dinner one night. While I did have a rental car, parking was a bitch on Saturday night and if my roomie or I left the hotel, we’d have to pay for parking elsewhere (as our spot would be gone!) and as guests of the hotel, that just didn’t seem right. So, I pulled out my iPhone and pulled up my Find Me Gluten Free app to search for nearby places that would deliver pizza. The first place that caught my attention was the place recommended to us by the guy at The Gluten Escape Bakery on Friday. NICE! The place…Pizza Doodle. Not only did they offer gluten-free pizza…but gluten-free garlic bread too. I was one happy girl. I never get to have garlic bread while eating pizza. I mean…I was on top of the world. My app said they were about 7 miles away…so, I called in an order for the Gluten-Free Garlic Bread and a 9-inch Gluten-Free Tree Hugger Pizza (that would be pesto sauce, onion, garlic, artichoke hearts, and roasted red peppers on what their menu advertised as THE BEST GF CRUST!). I made sure to order this with vegan cheese. The lady took the order and my phone number and said it would be forty-five minutes. Cathy and I decided to go wait outside for the pizza, and ended up waiting for well over an hour. I finally called back and was told that they don’t deliver to the DTC.
IT. IS. SEVEN. FREAKIN’. MILES. AWAY!
I was starving and angry. And really pissed off that they didn’t call (even though they claimed they did…I was holding my phone the entire time and it never rang once and I had no missed calls or messages). All day I had been looking forward to gluten-free garlic bread…and now I wasn’t going to get it. Cathy took my phone to find somewhere else to have pizza and I stormed off in tears (hunger + emotional wreck because I never get gluten-free garlic bread).
Cathy apparently found a place that could accomodate my diet…though without the garlic bread. The place…zpizza!
Actually, she told the guy on the other end of the line the storry about what Pizza Doodle pulled and inquired as to if they did gluten-free garlic bread. He said they did not, but he upgraded our pizza to a large for no extra cost. They did the vegan cheese, so that was sufficient. Although…it wasn’t what I wanted.
About thirty minutes later, my phone rang as I was in my friend, Marc Gunn’s, concert. Cathy and I hurried out to meet the pizza delivery guy from zpizza, give him a nice tip, and thank him for the food. We dashed up to the hotel room to finally eat. I was so ready to dive in…but I remembered to get a picture for the blog.
Cathy ordered the Gluten-Free Napoli Pizza ($15.40 – with the cheese substitution and gluten-free crust) from zpizza. This pizza is their gluten-free crust topped with tomatoes, Parmesan cheese, Mozzarella cheese (we got vegan though), basil, and a roasted garlic sauce.
She did good.
I was really disappointed to flip open the box and see the thin-crust that I always get with a gluten-free pizza (my local gluten-free bakery, Annie May’s Sweet Café, has spoiled me with their thick pizza crust!). I might have pitched an unhappy fit over that, but I was still in garlic bread mode…and nothing was making me happy at that point. With the photo for the blog out of the way…we dug in.
While the Gluten-Free Napoli Pizza from zpizza was not what I wanted…it was really, really good. Okay, the crust was a bit of a disappointment, but I’m used to that cracker crust by now. And, honestly, it wasn’t bad. The tomatoes were fresh. The basil was a nice seasoning touch. And the vegan cheese was melted to perfection! That’s not always easy to do…trust me. The best part, however, was definitely the roasted garlic sauce. That sauce made this pizza. It was delicious. I love a white pizza, and anything with garlic involved is going to immediately be my friend. When Cathy said they upgraded us to a large, I told her the two of us wouldn’t be able to eat a large pizza. But the two of us devoured that pizza. Really…really quickly. We were extremely hungry and I was an emotional mess and was now stuffing my face with each gluten-free slice I could get my hands on. Epic pizza toppings for sure. I’d be more than happy to order from zpizza again. And, despite not being a gluten-free environment, they, like most pizza places that offer gluten-free crust, did a fine job of not cross-contaminating anything. I didn’t get sick. And the pizza was a dream come true. I wanted to hate it since there was no gluten-free garlic bread…but there was nothing to dislike about this pizza. Fantastic!
Where Pizza Doodle, although highly recommended, failed…zpizza triumphed. I thank them from the bottom of my gluten-free heart for the delivery to the hotel. I was beyond upset with Pizza Doodle and it was nice to have a place step in and make things awesome again. The pizza was stellar. The toppings were fresh. And I was pleasantly full as I polished off the last slice of my half of the pizza. Although they didn’t have to, they felt bad for what happened to us with the other pizza place and gave us an upgrade free of charge. That’s great business right there.
I’ll order from them again in a heartbeat!
zpizza’s Gluten-Free Napoli Pizza with Vegan Cheese
I have my friend, Pecos, to thank for turning me on to the newest gluten-free bakery near the Denver Tech Center in Denver, Colorado. I make a yearly sojourn out to Denver for Starfest, an annual sci-fi/fantasy convention, and am always looking for places that can safely feed me. A couple of months before I headed that way, Pecos mentioned this place on Facebook. Sure enough, it wasn’t far from my hotel at the convention at all. Insert a happy traveler right here!
As it turned out, we’d be hitting Denver at the right time to stop into said bakery for lunch. And I couldn’t be happier. Cathy and I budgeted some money (and then she added on after we settled in to eat and after purchasing a few things for later…but I’m getting ahead of myself) for this stop to be our official lunch and snack stop on Friday afternoon. It was perfect. And…after getting a little lost trying to find the place, we finally located it (under a storage awning, of all things).
The Gluten Escape. Their slogan…”Where gluten is a 4-letter word…gone!”
Love it.
The bakery itself is quite small and cozy. You see the counter with all the baked goods in the case and on top of the case the moment you walk in. To the left is a fridge, a toaster, a microwave, and coffee/tea stuff. To the right, a small dining area for those who are dining in. The back and far walls had little shelves with some of the items they had for sale…as well as cakes. Cathy scoped those out while I was preparing lunch…but I’m getting ahead of myself again.
We were greeted by a very nice gentleman behind the counter when we entered the bakery. We told him that we were from the Louisville, Kentucky area and had been told about this bakery by a good friend of ours in the area…and we were starving travelers. I was eying the brownies and bars in the case at the front when Cathy tapped me on the shoulder and said…”Bagels!”
The Gluten Escape’s Gluten-Free Onion Bagel and Gluten-Free Cinnamon Roll
SOLD!! They were out of the Everything Bagel, which would have been my first choice. The other two options were Onion and Cinnamon Raisin. I jumped at Cinnamon Raisin, but Cathy said…”Really? You want that one?” Which means…she didn’t. So, I gave in for the Gluten-Free Onion Bagel ($3.00). And let me tell you…this bagel looked AWESOME!! Even better than Udi’s Gluten-Free Bagels. All of them. So, we got the Gluten-Free Onion Bagel with the Daiya Cream Cheese (yay for vegan cream cheese!) to split as we also purchased one of the Gluten-Free Cinnamon Rolls ($2.25) to split as well.
We also picked up other goodies…but I’ll get into that in a moment.
Let’s focus on lunch. We were handed the bagel, which he sliced for us and told that the toaster was right behind us. Awesome. I got to work toasting it while he grabbed the dairy-free cream cheese and then the cinnamon roll. He handed that to Cathy and told her she might want to give it a 20 second warm-up in the microwave. Which…she did. The toasting on the bagel was taking a bit of time and I was hoping I wasn’t going to burn it. Because…FRESH MADE GLUTEN-FREE BAGEL!! HELLO!! Do you realize how uncommon that is to find??!! Trust me…you don’t see it very often. I don’t see it at all, honestly. The bagel popped and I plated it and carried it to the table. Photos happened and then I spread the bagel with the cream cheese and we each took a bite.
Holy gluten-free bagel, Batman. This was fantastic. It was light, not heavy. The flavor was amazing. You really got the onion flavor without it being overpowering. It had that nice crust on the outside, but was still chewy and bread-y in the middle. It was heaven. I cried. Seriously. Tears of joy. Because, save for the Udi’s processed gluten-free bagels…I hadn’t had an actual bagel since I had to go gluten-free. This…was life changing for me. Life affirming even. I might survive after all. I set the bagel down so I could try the cinnamon roll.
This was not what I was expecting when I cut the cinnamon roll in half. Honestly. It looked more like a muffin than the traditional cinnamon roll. It was way different from the gluten-free cinnamon rolls that I purchase from Sinfully Gluten Free in Dayton, Ohio and Annie May’s Sweet Café in Louisville, Kentucky. Like I said…it looked more like a muffin. But…we all know that cinnamon rolls are one of my favorite indulgences…and I was looking forward to splitting this with Cathy. I sliced it in half…a pocket of cinnamon flavoring nestled right in the center. I lifted it and took a bite. It reminded me of…apple pie, oddly enough. I think it was the spices that went into the dough and the cinnamon center. I loved that it wasn’t coated in icing, but lightly drizzled. I am not a fan of icing or frosting…so the less the better in my book. And this definitely gave it a nice level of sweetness. It wasn’t my favorite gluten-free cinnamon roll, but it was delicious. And we ended up buying another one!
This brings me to our side purchases…
For breakfast the following morning, Cathy and I picked up two of the Mini Chocolate Donuts ($1.59), the Chocolate Chip Pretzel Bar, and the Lemon Raspberry Bar as well. I would have bought one of everything if I could have afforded it. So, after I went for a run that morning, I returned to the hotel room and got our breakfast prepped. I sliced the bars in half and delivered those to Cathy, along with her donut. As I was getting the rest of my breakfast ready for me to settle in and enjoy…I hear the happiest noise in the world.
The Gluten Escape’s Gluten-Free Lemon Raspberry Bar, Gluten-Free Chocolate Donut, and Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Pretzel Bar
“You HAVE TO try the donut RIGHT NOW!” I was told.
So, I took a bite.
OMG…best gluten-free donut I have had yet. From anywhere. And, trust me, I’ve eaten a lot of gluten-free donuts…in gluten-free bakeries and the store-bought kind. Seriously…reminded me of a Dunkin Doughnuts Chocolate Munchkin. I was once again in tears. It was a cake doughnut, but without the denseness and heaviness that I often find with gluten-free donuts. These were light and airy, and amazing. The chocolate chips inside were a very nice treat as well. I was starting off breakfast with a bang. YUMMY!!
The next thing I sampled was the Gluten-Free Lemon Raspberry Bar ($3.75). This had this delicious crust and was topped with a sweet and tart lemon filling and then capped with something akin to raspberry jam or compote. Whatever it was…the flavor combination was awesome. The crust gave it a little bit of texture as well as dulled the sweetness of the berries and the tartness of the lemon. I liked this bar a lot, but found myself wishing that it was just the lemon on there. I love raspberries and all…but LEMON…is the ultimate bar. Forever.
The Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Pretzel Bar ($3.75) snagged my attention away from the brownies that were in the case. Those were tempting too. But…pretzel! HELLO! This was a lot like a blondie…but with gluten-free pretzels baked into it and scattered across the top. I’m thinking…sweet with salty. I was right. This bar was fantastic. The pretzels were slightly on the stale side, but that’s because I had bought them the day before and they were sitting on top of one of the tables in the hotel room all night. It didn’t take away from the deliciousness though. I loved the play and sweet and salty, which is my favorite flavor combination These were amazing. For real.
The Gluten Escape’s Gluten-Free Snickerdoodle Cookie
Later on that day, Cathy and I decided to have a snack. We indulged in some fruit we had picked up at the grocery store. And with it, we split the Gluten-Free Snickerdoodle Cookie ($2.50) that we also purchased while there. This was my first time ever encountering a crispy snickerdoodle cookie. But…the flavors were spot on. The sweetness from the sugar, the heat from the cinnamon. Snickerdoodles, as we all know, are my absolute favorite cookie and these were different from what I’m used to, but I loved it all the same. So, it wasn’t the chewy cookie I associate snickerdoodles with. Didn’t matter. It tasted like a snickerdoodle. That’s what counts, yes? RIGHT!
I won’t lie…the buying didn’t stop there. Nope. Not at all. Before we left the bakery on Friday afternoon, Cathy pointed out the Gluten-Free Biscotti and the Gluten-Free Puppy Chow on one of the shelves. I also found a Pumpkin Spice Granola Bar that was definitely intriguing, since pumpkin flavored everything rules! I ended up buying the Gluten-Free Pumpkin Spice Granola Bar ($2.25), the Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Biscotti ($1.95), the Grain Free Mocha Almond Biscotti ($3.25), and a container of the Gluten-Free Puppy Chow ($3.99-ish?).
The Gluten Escape’s Gluten-Free Puppy Chow
I tried the Puppy Chow on Monday morning on my way to the airport. Cathy and I needed to swing by Voodoo Donut to pick up some dounuts for a co-worker of ours. So, while there, Cathy ordered a donut for herself. As for me…it was Puppy Chow time. The Gluten Escape’s Puppy Chow is a mix of Chex cereal, puffed rice, pretzels, and corn flakes. They are dusted in powdered sugar. And it was really, really good. I loved the different textures and flavors with each bite. You got the salty from the pretzels, the sweet from the cereal, and each cereal was different, making it crunchy or softer or just snack-able by the handful. I loved it. I ate half of it before hitting the airport and brought the other half to the office with me the following day.
The Gluten-Free Pumpkin Spice Granola Bar was…lacking sweetness, in my opinion. It was good. And they definitely had the right pumpkin spice flavor down. It wasn’t overpowering. But…the bar just seemed flat. It was very crunchy, which is fine…granola bars can go either way. But I kept waiting on something that would sweeten the deal. Like chocolate chips or something. I just think it needed a touch of sugar (not too much…just something to elevate it). Regardless, it was good and I downed that entire thing at the office.
As for the two biscotti that I chose…WOW!! Just…WOW!! They complimented my morning coffee beautifully for one thing. The first one that Cathy and I tried (we split them) was the Grain Free Mocha Almond Biscotti. OH MY GOD!! So delicious. I enjoyed dunking it in my coffee and just having that flavor mingle and mix. Oh…it was divine. And totally made my morning, if you couldn’t tell. The Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Biscotti was the same way. I loved the crispness that would soften when dunked in the coffee and the chocolate chips were a nice lingering sweet touch. I was in total coffee heaven those mornings. Seriously. I will probably buy whatever biscotti they have next time I am in town. For real. That…was love at first bite for sure!
I know that Colorado is a hotbed for gluten-free companies and businesses…and I love visiting there for that reason. But, if you happen to be near the Denver Tech Center (DTC)…I strongly encourage you to take the trip up the road to The Gluten Escape and indulge in some of their daily specials and their baked goods. Everything looked fantastic. I really would have purchased one of everything had the budget and my belly allowed. But, that’s why there is always a next time. And there will be a next time.
Beyond impressed!
The Gluten-Escape’s Gluten-Free Pumpkin Spice Granola Bar, Grain-Free Mocha Almond Biscotti, and Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Biscotti
While Indy was in town this past week, we really wanted to treat her to a nice dinner, welcoming her in true foodie style, to the area. It just so happens that while we were at Disneyland last September, she treated everyone to a tasting menu at the Chef’s Counter of Napa Rose…complete with wine pairings. It still ranks up there as one of the most amazing meals I have ever had the opportunity to eat. Disneyland’s chefs work really well around my dietary needs, and my meal was completely gluten-free and vegetarian…complete with the perfect wine to compliment each dish we were served.
Well, this gave us an idea…to treat her to a tasting menu at one of our local restaurant’s chef’s tables. It happens that three local restaurants have a chef’s table. And after a little debate…Cathy and I decided on a new hotspot in town, Rye. Rye is located in the NULU region of Louisville…and it seemed right up our alley. Cathy got in touch with the restaurant, speaking with PR and Events Coordinator, Erin MacDonaold, and made arrangements, explaining my dietary needs and that she and Indy would be up for anything. But they had to stay within the perimeters of my diet for me. The chef and the restaurant had no problem with that, so…it was set. Friday night…we’d be treating Indy to a tasting menu with drink pairings at Rye.
The most difficult part was not telling Indy we were doing this. The only instruction we gave her was to bring something nice to eat dinner out in on Friday night. That was it. That was all she got. And we didn’t even give her the name of the restaurant until we were getting close to it, even though she asked because she wanted to look it up on Yelp. We have our ways. Anyway, once she knew which restaurant, she seemed pretty excited about that. The chef’s counter, however, remained a surprise until we got inside and Cathy let them know our reservation. As we were being walked back to the counter at the kitchen, Indy leaned in and said, “Did I hear chef’s counter.” HAHAHA!! Yes, my dearest foodie friend. Yes…you did!
We were seated at the counter, facing into the kitchen, getting a first-hand view of the chefs at work. I was soaking this in, just watching how they worked together, talked, and even put together each dish. It was heaven to me. I still have a dream of being a chef. Maybe one day it will happen. But this…was a treat and I was enjoying it.
At Rye, that evening, we were assigned to the caring hands of Chef Joe Banet, Bar Manager Doug Petry, and Alyssa, who was around for anything we might need or questions we might have. Let me tell you, this team was amazing. Doug had the drinks out to us just before the food was brought over by Chef Joe. And Alyssa made sure we had everything we needed, from fresh silverware to full glasses of water. It was incredible. And, within a few minutes of looking over our menu that Chef Joe prepared, he came over to introduce himself and explain that he would have our first course up in no time. Our first course…of what would be an 8 course tasting menu.
The only difference between my menu and those of Indy and Cathy was that mine was strictly vegetarian, so I was served a cooked vegetable instead of the protein they received. My drink was different in a few occasions too, better paired with my vegetable than their meat. Other than that…it was time to enjoy some good food and soak up the experience.
Rye’s Radish with Whipped Butter and Black Salt, served with Dolin Blanc, Sugar, Meyer Lemon Bitters
And it was off to a good start. Doug brought out our first drink, a Dolin Blanc with Sugar and Meyer Lemon Bitters. This accompanied our first course, which arrived a moment later…Radish with Whipped Butter. Granted, they had Caviar Butter with their Radish as well as a Potato Roll…but since I’m a gluten-free vegetarian…I received extra garnish on the radish with the whipped butter just beneath it with a hit of black salt. The radish was bitter, as it should be…and it was a bit odd being served with butter…especially since I had no way of really eating the butter. I put some on each bite of radish and it complimented the flavor well enough, the black salt cutting back on the bitterness by adding a little zing to each bite. Still a bit bizarre, but delicious. And that’s what mattered. The pairing with the Dolin Blanc was brilliant. The effervescence and lightness was a great way to start off the meal.
Rye’s Beets with Lavendar-Mango Chutney, Labne, Hazelnut, Chervil, served with a Raspberry Lemonade
Our plates were cleared and things were given time to settle. But, after about 10 minutes our next drink was brought out. It was a Strawberry Lemonade. No alcohol in this one. Just a sweet palate refresher. Not but a moment later, Chef Joe appeared with three identical plates. The second course was Beets with Lavender-Mango Chutney, Labne, Hazelnut and Chervil. THIS…my dear friends, turned out to be my favorite course of the entire meal. Yes…this one. The roasted beets were fresh and fantastic. Perfect, really. And it paired so well with the labne (strained yogurt). The lavender-mango chutney was light and fresh. And topping it with toasted hazelnuts was a stroke of genius, as it gave a hit of texture when it was needed most. The fruitiness of the raspberry lemonade paired and played well with the sweet, yet earthy flavor of the beets. I was in foodie heaven with this one. I could have eaten another plate of that and been a happy girl.
Plates were cleared again and we were once again given time to chat, watch the chefs at work (we were trying to figure out just how many
Rye’s Asparagus with a Smoked Egg, Endive, and Pignoli, served with Chono Sauvignon Blanc
oysters they shuck per night, because there was a lot of shucking over on our end of the counter!), observe some cooking techniques…and watch as the lights flickered and caused problems. The owner came over to apologize for the technical difficulties with the lights over the pass and asked if it was going to bother us as they fixed it because he could move us. We were content where we were, however. (On a completely different line of though, the phrase ‘where we were’ is kind of interesting to type!) Anyway, with that decision made, we were soon greeted by our third drink pairing prior to our entree. Cathy and Indy received a Stillwater Classique beer. This was a change from what was printed on the menu, so it took them by surprise. Since I’m gluten-free, my drink stayed true to the menu that was created, and I was served a glass of Chono Sauvignon Blanc. Cathy tasted her beer and didn’t like it much…but we still had food to pair with it. And Chef Joe appeared soon after, serving up our third course. This course was Asparagus with a Smoked Egg, Endive, and Pignoli (pine nuts). First of all…a smoked egg is the most wonderful thing in the world. It’s smokey and savory and rich and creamy and just made of complete yumminess. Seriously…if I had a smoker I would do this every morning for breakfast. In fact, I asked Chef Joe how to smoke an egg…and now I kind of feel like I need a smoker just to be able to do it. Yes…this was a rich dish. The smoked egg was velvety smooth and paired so well with the bitterness of the endive and the perfectly cooked white and green asparagus. I savored each and every bite. And because it was so rich, the wine pairing was perfect. This course was comfort food to me. For the record, Cathy never did really like the beer.
When plates were cleared, we all gazed down at our menus to see what was up next. This is where dishes started to really get different. Cathy and Indy were about to start getting their proteins. Mine stuck to a tried and true vegetable replacement for said protein. The rest of the dish would mirror each other. And, on some occasions…the drinks would be different.
Rye’s Sweet Potato Soup with Kaffir Lime Leaf, Coconut Milk, Cilantro, served with a Pineapple Shrub
Such was the case for the fourth course of the night. This one was a light serving, which was what we needed after all the richness in the smoked egg and asparagus course. Doug brought over our drink pairings for the upcoming course. Cathy and Indy were given another beer, this time Stiegl Grapefruit Radler. Cathy was pretty certain she’d hate it since she hates grapefruit, but this turned out to be one of her favorite drinks of the night. Go figure. As for me, Doug paired mine with a Pineapple Blush, which he described in great detail and all I remember about it is that it had vinegar in it. That just seemed strange. But I gave it a sip prior to the dish coming up and it actually had a refreshing taste. The vinegar worked. Chef Joe brought over soup bowls for us. My soup was Sweet Potato in a broth made from Coconut Milk and flavored with Kaffir Lime Leaf and Cilantro. The broth was the same for Cathy and Indy, but they had Crab and Clam in their soup, not sweet potato. I loved how light this course was, and how refreshing. I am a sucker for soups as it is, and this one was perfection. Seriously. The broth was creamy without being filling. The sweet potatoes were soft and delicate and perfect. The seasoning was spot on. And who doesn’t love an amazing soup? Fantastic. And the drinks paired perfectly. I enjoyed sipping my Pineapple Blush between tastes of my soup. Delish.
Our bowls were taken away and we watched as more food was prepared, put up at the pass, looked over by the expediter, and then sent out to
Rye’s Cauliflower with Harissa, Almond, Arugula, Cucumber, served with a Gin, with Lemon, Sugar, Cucumber Sea Foam
tables. It was so awesome watching the kitchen work while we ate. Doug returned with three glasses of identical drinks. We were each served one and he explained that we were about to taste a Gin that was done up with Lemon, Sugar and topped off with a Cucumber Sea Foam. I figured this one would be interesting because I’m not a big fan of gin…at all…but the cucumber sea foam sounded A-MAZ-ING! I took a sip, and while it did taste a little gin-y…the cucumber sea foam gave it this refreshing taste. I actually found myself liking this one. And, on cue, Chef Joe came over with our course. The fifth course of the night, for me, was a fantastically grilled Cauliflower with Harissa, Almond, Arugula and Cucumber. Ah…a match to that cucumber sea foam. Cathy and Indy were served Monkfish instead of the cauliflower. First of all, the harissa was amazing. This chili pepper paste was a nice play against the refreshing cucumber and the warm cauliflower. In fact, I was trying to get a little harissa in each bite because I loved how it worked with everything on the plate. The almonds added a nice hit of texture. Yeah…this one was so good. Now I want harissa in my kitchen to use on my own cauliflower when I cook it. Cathy fell in love with the monkfish, but Indy wasn’t as sold on it.
Rye’s Broccoli Rabe with Ramps, Hon-Shemeji Mushroom, Yellow Grits, Lovange, served with Leese-Fitch Zinfandel
Another plate clearing and more time to let things settle. We were starting to get full, but we were over the halfway point. And thankfully these were small plates. This time, our food beat the drink to our counter. So, Chef Joe went ahead and described our sixth course to us. For me, I was given Broccoli Rabe with Ramps, Hon-Shemeji Mushrooms, Yellow Grits, and Lovange. Cathy and Indy were served Rabbit with their ramps, mushrooms, grits and lovange. We waited for a moment and a minute later, Doug was at our sides giving us each a glass of Leese-Fitch Zinfandel. We now felt ready to dig in. I sipped the wine first, finding that bitterness that I often find with red wine. But it was good. And when I took a bite of the broccoli rabe with the ramps (onions) and the earthy mushroom…it was a perfect pairing. My favorite part, however, was the grits. And as I lived in Alabama for six years and never liked grits, this totally surprised me. I couldn’t say enough good things about these grits. This was a fantastic course and we all polished it off. Indy much preferred the rabbit over the monkfish, saying that the cuter your food is, the better it tastes. Veggies must be really cute, because my food was really good.
Rye’s Fennel with Parsnip, Black Garlic, Red Watercress, Pistachio, Orange-Mustard Jus, served with Angeline Reserve Pinot Noir
And so…our plates were cleared once more and we waited, talking about how the impending food wall was approaching. But we didn’t care. The food was some of the most amazing I had in a long time. This was definitely a treat. Doug appeared at our sides with a glass of Angeline Reserve Pinot Noir and talked about how it would pair well with our next course. Chef Joe arrived with our plates. I was given Fennel with Parsnip, Black Garlic, Red Watercress, Pistachio, and an Orange-Mustard Jus. Cathy and Indy had Duck instead of the fennel. Wow. I loved how the Fennel was grilled and cooked down to perfection. The parsnip puree was perfect. It wasn’t gritty at all. The black garlic paired well with everything, seasoning it perfectly. I loved how the pistachio gave it some texture. And, surprisingly, the orange-mustard jus was delicious and just amped up the flavor of the dish. Cathy and Indy definitely seemed happy with the duck. And when we were done eating, we were all eying the menu. One course to go…and it was dessert. I always have room for dessert.
Rye’s Lemon Curd with Macadamia Brittle, Pink Peppercorn Meringue, served with Gerard Bertrand Cremant de Limoux
Gone were our dishes and Cathy was really, really looking forward to our dessert. Why? It was lemon. And we are both huge fans of anything lemon. Seriously. Even better, the chef changed the way it was made so we could all have the same dish and it could be kept gluten-free. This made me a happy, happy girl. Doug appeared with our final drink pairing of the night. This was a Gerard Bertrand Cremant de Limoux. I love dessert wines. LOVE. If I could drink dessert wine all the time, I would totally do it. Pure perfection. This was light and crisp and just…delicious. I had to remind myself to save some for the dessert. Chef Joe brought out the most amazing looking dessert of all time. Seriously. It was Lemon Curd with Macadamia Brittle and a Pink Peppercorn Meringue. First of all…salty and sweet. Second of all…LEMON!! This was a fantastic and light dessert. And I wanted to devour it quickly because it was so delicious…but I managed to keep my sweet tooth under control and really savor each bite. The lemon flavor was spot on. Not too much. Just right. And the pink peppercorn meringue was fantastic. Light. Fluffy. Topped with the macadamia brittle that just tied everything together and gave it a crunch, which was needed in an otherwise soft dessert. This was love in dessert form. Lemon-y, nutty, meringue-y love. And I had to make sure I got a bit of everything in each bite.
Rye really, really outdid themselves. Not only were we treated well from the start, but the food they served up was beyond anything I could have imagined. They were more than happy to work with and around my food allergies and dietary needs. Sitting at the chef’s counter was an amazing treat that was worth every bit of money we poured into that meal. This was more than a dinner out with my foodie friends…this was a foodie experience.
If you haven’t checked out Rye yet…you should. Their menu sounds amazing and they are very good with dietary restrictions. Their kitchen is clean and kept that way. Their staff is knowledgeable. And I can’t wait to go back again and try some food off their standard menu.
I admit it…there isn’t too much a gluten-free vegetarian can say about a restaurant called Game, right? Well, honestly…yes. There really isn’t. After all, Game, a hot restaurant in Louisville, Kentucky, is known for it’s variety of different proteins that it serves up in various forms, but specifically as a burger. Although, you can do a meatball flight if you want.
Why was I at Game?
Well, you see…for a long time now, the roomie has been wanting to check out this restaurant. For one thing, it is the one place in Louisville where she can try bone marrow. For another thing…she’s turned into quite the foodie as of late. As for the other reason, the biggest foodie we know, our friend Indy, from California, was in town. When we first mentioned her coming out to visit, this restaurant seemed like a point of great interest. Therefore, we made it our first official meal together on her first full day in the area.
We arrived shortly after they opened, having had a light breakfast that morning in preparation for a great lunch. We walked in and took a seat at one of the tables. Our server came over with menus and left us a drink menu. I’m in training for more marathons, so I stuck to water. So did Cathy. Indy was hoping to try a local brew of beer, and we finally found one for her to give a try. And as we were helping, we were all taking a look at the menu. Cathy and Indy decided they would split the bone marrow appetizer…just to see what it was like. So, when our server returned, all I had to do was explain that I was the oddball as a gluten-free vegetarian. She suggested the Seasonal Salad, which, honestly was the only thing I could eat on the menu. With that being said…we placed our orders.
Cathy and Indy did, in fact, order the Bone Marrow ($8.00) to split as an appetizer. Then, Cathy went ahead and ordered a Wild Boar Burger ($9.00), which came accompanied with greens, tomato, goat cheese, and cranberry-jalapeno jam, served on an everything bun. Indy ordered a Meatball Sampler, consisting of Elk ($3.00), Antelope ($3.00), and Wild Boar ($3.00). So, the carnivores in the group were happy.
I went ahead and, instead of eating my protein bar I packed…just in case…I ordered the Seasonal Salad ($6.00). The waitress also recommended the fries, which were gluten-free as nothing is fried there except potatoes. And it was done in Canola oil. So, at the prompting of Cathy and Indy…we ordered a Basket of French Fries ($4.00) to split amongst us.
And so, we started to get caught up since it had been since September since we last saw each other. There was much to discuss and talk about. We were distracted when I guy walked into the window…which was utterly hilarious. Everyone else in the restaurant thought so too. Especially his buddies. It really was funny. But, soon, the bone marrow made it’s way to the table. It was a half of a bone, topped with parmesan, poblano, and rosemary. It was served with crostini as a vessel in which to eat it on. Cathy was the first to dive in. She, however, managed to only get the cheesy, bread-y topping on the first go, leaving the gelatinous bone marrow down. She remedied that, however, and then Indy had a go. And…they seemed pretty indifferent, both agreeing that it definitely needed the topping so that it just wasn’t this oozey gooey…stuff. So…they feasted on that and finished up just as the entrees were arriving. Good timing.
So…a salad.
Not much I can really say about it. It was a mix of greens topped off with Craisins and some herbed goat cheese. It has a delicious strawberry dressing, however, I will give it that. Otherwise, it was a simple salad. Nothing that really set it apart, save that it was served on a wooden plank with a few apple slices. I enjoyed munching on the apple slices in between bites. As for the fries…well…they were really good. But there were a lot of them there. The three of us did what damage we could, but there were still too many for us in the basket. They had the perfect crispness outside with the soft potato inside…yummy. And definitely fried to perfection. But, I can only tolerate so much fried food these days and I was done with these pretty quickly, despite how delicious they are and the fact that I love fries. Eating them in a restaurant is a treat for me, so I’m very glad we ordered them. Perfectly seasoned. And really good. Is it odd I went on more about the fries than the salad? Let’s face it…if you don’t have something about a salad that sets it apart…it’s greens, cheese, and sometimes nuts or dried fruit. That’s what this was. I can make that salad at home, in all honesty. But the dressing was stellar. For real.
And that was that. A vegetarian with food allergies went to eat at a meat-heavy restaurant…and survived. It was definitely an interesting experience, and I would go back again. Especially since Cathy has voiced some thoughts on trying other types of meat there. They do have veggie burgers available for those vegetarians that do not have a gluten allergy. The problem is they use breadcrumbs as a binder…so that wasn’t going to work for me. The two different vegetarian patties that they do offer sound amazing, however. If only I could have eaten one.
So…chalk it up for an interesting experience at Game in Louisville, Kentucky. I’m glad both Cathy and Indy got to experience it and take in a few different proteins they normally wouldn’t have been able to find on a local menu.
So, here I was in Atlanta, Georgia…having completed a marathon earlier that morning. I spent the afternoon doing the tourist thing…scoping out the CNN Studios and just walking around and enjoying the city. Trust me…after a marathon, it’s best to keep moving. That being said…another important thing to do after running is to begin proper recovery. And part of that is nutrition.
A big part of that is nutrition, actually.
Prior to the race, my roomie and I had thought that we’d simply return to Max’s Coal Oven Pizzeria for dinner. Then we ate there…and were not impressed. At all. So, this meant new plans had to be made. And, after watching some Food Network and seeing guacamole…I was craving. Mexican. Mmmm…guacamole. Yum yum! So, I got onto my Find Me Gluten Free app and discovered that not far from the hotel was a nice Mexican joint called Alma Cocina. I pulled up the Web site, glanced at the gluten-free menu and thought…this might be a great place to try. I passed the laptop to my roommate so she could take a gander, and she agreed that Mexican sounded good. So, we made 6 p.m. reservations…and called it a night.
I marathoned. I did the tourist thing. I walked…a lot. I discovered that I was hungry…and still had an hour to go before dinner reservations. Cathy decided that we should start ambling that way because she wouldn’t feel bad walking in at 5:30 p.m. I liked her logic, so that’s what we did…killing off a bit of spare time by wandering around the block and checking out the Dragon*Con hotels. Because…why not? Around 5:30 p.m., we strolled into Alma Cocina for dinner.
We were greeted immediately upon entering. I told them that we had reservations at 6, but we were here early. They said it wasn’t a problem, and took us right to the table. We were seated and they went to check off our reservation, returning a moment later with some menus, including the gluten-free menu for me. AH! They read the reservation. YAY! I was feeling good about this already.
Alma Cocina’s Gluten-Free Menu
As we looked over the menu, our server came over to get our drink orders. I was recovering…so water for me. Cathy did the same…because she’s a copy-cat. Just kidding. But…she did also get water. When he returned, I inquired as to how big the sides were. He said they were relatively big…so I pondered for a moment, but we went ahead and ordered the Gluten-Free Guacamole ($6.00) as a starter.
After leaving to put in the order, our server returned and asked me if the gluten-free was a food allergy or just a dietary choice. I told him I was a Celiac and he nodded and said, “Okay…so cross-contamination is not okay.” He hurried off. I might have arched an eyebrow at Cathy. They really do pay attention.
Alma Cocina’s Gluten-Free Guacamole (served with chayote…not chips)
Our appetizer of gluten-free guacamole came out a few minutes later. It was this little bowl of gorgeous, creamy…yet chunky, mashed avocado with all the right seasonings and additions. But…no chips. The server said that to prevent cross-contamination, the tortilla chips were replaced with chayote. I was intrigued! He then asked if we were ready to order…and at this point we were.
Cathy went ahead and ordered the Fried Avocado Tacos ($14.00), which consisted of crispy queso cotija, poblano pesto (which she says I need to make!), roasted tomato…and yes…fried avocado.
I went for the sides…because the only other option on the gluten-free menu for me would have been the Vegetarian Platter and that just sounded like too much. So, I opted for ordering the Mexican Chopped Salad ($4.00), which was a mix of jicama, chayote, red onion, ancho chile powder, and cilantro. I also ordered the Black Beans and Poblano Chili Rice ($4.00) which came with pico de gallo. Orders in…we were left to our appetizer.
The guacamole was amazing!! Seriously. It had red onion, serrano pepper, red onion, lime, cilantro…everything that I make mine with at home. And it tasted fantastic. Cathy told the waiter when he came back to see how it was that was amazing…almost as good as mine. Hee! But…what really made this a standout, believe it or not, was the chayote. No lie! The sweetness of the chayote (which, in case you haven’t googled it yet…is an edible plant that is pear shaped with a thin, green, wrinkly skin and white flesh. It is sort of like a squash…but sweet. And it can be eaten raw, cooked, mashed, baked, boiled, fried, etc.) was just what the guacamole was needing. Now, at home I eat my guacamole with tortilla chips. If I can find chayote in one of the numerous stores I shop in…that won’t happen ever again. This is above and beyond tortilla chips. This plant was made for guacamole! Between the two of us, Cathy and I made short work of the guacamole. In fact, we were just polishing it off when our entrees arrived.
Now, the chef got a little creative with my Mexican Chopped Salad. Seemed they were out of it, so he went ahead and pretty much sliced up all the components and made a version of the salad for me. It looked delicious and fresh as it was settled down in front of me. And I was beyond intrigued by my green rice and super-delicious looking black beans. Oh yeah…I was one happy marathoner.
We were left to enjoy our dinner and Cathy dove into her tacos…declaring them one of the best things she has ever eaten. And praised that poblano pesto to the roof.
I started with the Mexican Chopped Salad. It was an amazing array of textures and flavors. I loved the jicama and how it tasted when mixed with the chayote. The red onion brought a bit of bite to what, otherwise, would have been way too sweet. As it was…I got about 3/4 of the way through before calling it quits. It was delicious…but with the chayote with the guacamole…I needed some spice and some heat.
I turned my attention to the Black Beans and Pobalno Chili Rice. Oh my gluten-free gods…this was delicious. It is so simple. So basic. And yet…the flavors were awesome. I loved to scoop up some of the beans and rice together. I loved the little bit of heat that the beans had with them. I loved the sweet, with a hint of heat, rice…and how it was green. Pablano chili rice…for the total win. I was enamored with this side. I sort of wished I had ordered two of them. But, I was getting full fast. Rice and beans will definitely get that tummy full. Carbs, fiber, and protein, baby! But it was what I needed. And I polished that plate clean.
And I was full. The waiter came to take away the dishes and asked if we were interested in dessert. We passed because both of us were now quite full.
Wow…what an amazing restaurant. The atmosphere. The service. The overall experience…I would go back in a heartbeat to Alma Cocina. I felt like they were very mindful of my food allergies and took great care when it came to preparing and serving my food. LOVED every moment of our time there.
Alma Cocina’s Side Orders of Mexican Chopped Salad (left) and Black Beans and Poblano Chili Rice (right)
Twas the night before the Publix Georgia Marathon
And all through the town
Runners were carb loading
Wherever pizza or pasta could be found…
I wish it were that simple for me when it came to where and what I can eat before a big race (half marathon or more). Honestly, it would make travel a little less stressful if I didn’t have to totally research every convenient (and sometimes not-so-convenient) restaurant in or around a city I was visiting. But those are not the cards I was dealt in life.
So, as stated above, it was the night before a marathon in Atlanta, Georgia. There were a slew of runners swarming through the city. And we were all hungry. And needing to fuel up for the race the following morning. I had dome some research for some places to grab some gluten-free pizza in Atlanta that wouldn’t require hopping in the car and driving somewhere. I narrowed it down to two places: Mellow Mushroom and a local place known as Max’s Coal Oven Pizzeria.
Since I can get Mellow Mushroom here…Cathy and I chose to try out Max’s Coal Oven Pizzeria.
Around 5 p.m. that evening, we stepped into the dimly lit, but rustic little pizzeria. I loved the ambiance. And we were greeted immediately and seated at a table. There was a bar on the wall to the left, the kitchen against the back wall, with…yes…a coal oven that would toast up the pizzas. Tables filled the floor and there were a few runners taking up some of the seats and booths. It smelled fantastic inside so I was feeling good about this decision.
Our waiter came over and asked if we wanted something to drink. As I was prepping for a race…water…and lots of it. While he went to retrieve our water, Cathy and I tried to figure out which pizza we wanted to try. I told her to go ahead and pick…so she made her choice and when our waiter returned…we were ready to order.
So, we ordered the Gluten-Free Fontina & Funghi Pizza ($17.00), which was a white pizza that was topped off with Fontina cheese, wild mushrooms, caramelized onions, and fresh oregano. Sounded amazing, yes? I thought so and was already hungry just thinking about getting a slice of this coal oven pizza.
So…you can imagine my great disappointment when the pizza arrived at the table.
Traditional. Gluten-Free. Cracker. Crust.
UGH! Okay…okay…it doesn’t mean it’s bad. I mean, Mellow Mushroom does cracker crust…but they manage to do it well…so maybe…
We dug in, each taking a slice. As I am lactose intolerant, I took a lactace pill to help with the digestion of the cheese and Cathy took the slices that had more cheese on them. I took one bite…and thought about how fantastic the toppings were. The cheese, the mushrooms, the sweetness of the onions…it all worked. It worked well. The lack of sauce meant that none of those earthy flavors were missed. Yes…the toppings were fantastic.
But the crust…the crust…*WHIMPER*.
I don’t know what I was thinking. I have said it once…and I’ll say it again…I have been spoiled by my local gluten-free bakery because their pizza crust is NOT a cracker crust. It’s chewy and delicious and crusty and amazing. And this…this pizza crust at Max’s Coal Oven Pizzeria…was NOT any of that. This crust was…bland. It was cooked all the way through, unlike my previous gluten-free pizza outing (in Birmingham, Alabama). But it had no real flavor. No buttery flavor. Nothing that really elevated the pizza. And then…the more I ate…the less ecstatic I was even about the toppings. Because…I can get those toppings anywhere. The base really needs to help elevate the dish. And this crust didn’t achieve that. AT ALL!
So, another gluten-free pizza fails to impress.
We polished off the pizza though…even though neither of us were thrilled with it. And we payed the bill and left. I was feeling so disappointed. You know, the meal before a marathon should be filling and hearty and just really satisfying…and this was none of those things. We walked back to the hotel and I lamented another gluten-free pizza that could have been great…but wasn’t.
So, next time…we’ll just go to Mellow Mushroom.
Live and learn.
As for Max’s Coal Oven Pizza…perhaps their regular pizzas are amazing…but the gluten-free versions fall short of anything worth raving about.
Too bad. I was hopeful about this one. So hopeful that Cathy and I had every intention of returning the following night. But we quickly made other plans after we both didn’t enjoy our food that night.
Restaurant: Cap City Fine Diner and Bar, Columbus, Ohio
Twas two days after my friend Jenn’s birthday and I was visiting her. That was not planned. Okay…maybe it was. I mean…birthdays are so much fun and I wanted to go visit Jenn anyway. The need to get away from life where I am currently living was a necessity more than anything. And good friends always offer the best times when you need your spirits lifted and your soul cleansed.
After a morning of delicious gluten-free crepes and an afternoon spent out shopping at the used book stores, a treat at Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams, and a stop at the natural food store that literally BROKE my budget (OMG…gluten-free things that I had not even known existed!), Cathy and I were going to take Jenn out to dinner to celebrate her birthday. I let her know ahead of time and she, even though she didn’t have to, chose a place that features a gluten-free menu.
The place…Cap City Fine Diner and Bar.
And at 5 p.m., we rolled up, parked, and made our way into the restaurant.
First of all, the place was nothing like I expected. Located on the end of a strip mall, the outside is very unassuming…save for the 50’s style door you walk through to enter the diner. We were greeted by the hostess after a moment and requested a gluten-free menu for me. We were shown to a table and settled in when our waitress, Candie, came over to get our drink orders. Despite the day of celebration, we all just stuck to water. She went over some specials, and the vegetable soup did spark my interest. So, after she went to fetch our waters and returned, I asked if it was gluten-free. She said she thought it was, but she would go double-check. When she returned, she regretfully informed me that it was not gluten-free. I had to options in mind for dinner. They had gluten-free fries offered and that was really tempting. If I did that, I’d be getting a salad. And it was pointed out by Jenn and Cathy that I could get a salad anywhere. True…but I can’t get fries everywhere. That being said, I made up my mind.
Cap City Fine Diner and Bar’s Gluten-Free Dinner Rolls
Cathy and Jenn ordered what they normally order when we go out to a restaurant that has this on the menu – Fish and Chips ($15.99). As for me, I went with the Gluten-Free Seasonal Vegetable Plate ($14.99). Candie asked if I wanted some gluten-free dinner rolls. I was taken aback. I wasn’t expecting that. I eagerly nodded my head and gave her a “Oh…yes please!” Happiness.
Orders were in, and we fell into conversation about future plans, things happening around us, the waiter with the really awesome mustache, ate dinner rolls (mine gluten-free…theirs regular)…that sort of thing. The dinner rolls, for the record, were warm, flaky, and delicious! I kept myself to just one. And then…our actual food arrived.
My veggie plate looked amazing. I mean…I read the description, but this was beyond what I expected. This plate was stunning. The colors were vibrant. The presentation was inviting. I was beyond impressed and totally ready to dive in and try it out. But, I composed myself enough to take a picture. Then let my roomie photograph her fish and chips for her own blog (which maybe one day she’ll actually put up on the interwebs). And then she promptly stole some of my rice…because she said she really wanted to try it. LOL! I also let her steal a tortilla chip and some of the hummus.
Oh…I’m getting ahead of myself here. I haven’t yet described the actual food on the dish yet. The menu described the Gluten-Free Seasonal Vegetable Plate as being composed of very wild rice, sliced almonds, goat cheese, roasted red pepper hummus, warm roasted vegetables and cured olives. I asked for my plate to not include the olives because I disdain olives so much. I don’t even want to have to pick around them. The plate came with corn tortilla chips on the side. The rice had the slivered almonds, corn and craisins in it, really amping up the volume as well as the presentation. The roasted vegetables were a mix of asparagus, broccoli, carrots, red pepper, portobello mushrooms and garlic. It was topped off by a very liberal sprinkling of goat cheese. It looked fantastic.
And it was. Just popping with flavor. The corn tortilla chips were my least favorite part, actually and ended up being left on the side of the plate. The vegetables were roasted to perfection, however. Packed with flavor and cooked just enough to get them to that brilliant bright hue that catches the eye and really whets the appetite. I was SO ready for bite after bite. I ended up using dabs of hummus on my vegetables. The roasted red pepper hummus was good, but I found it to be very oily and a bit bland. I felt like it needed a little more seasoning or spice to it. Believe it or not, though, my absolute favorite part of this entire dish…was the very wild rice. I loved the play on flavors and textures with the perfectly cooked rice, the crunch of the slivered almonds, the sweetness from the corn and the craisins. It was absolute perfection. Everything meshed and mingled well on the plate and I was quite content with eating it.
If I had one complaint it was that the entire plate was swimming in oil. While I love olive oil as much as the next person, I think there is a thing as way too much. And this definitely got to that point. But, the flavors were great and I devoured everything but the chips. Delicious!
Would I dine here again? I’d be willing to give it a try. I might do the salad and french fries next time though. Cathy said she’d be willing to try a burger the next time as her fish was good…and fell solidly in the middle of everywhere she ate up until now. Not a bad showing…but it didn’t wow her enough to try it again. But…each of us are willing to give it another try with other food options.
So, a good showing by Cap City Diner. We had a great time there. And we did enjoy the food. It was a great night out with good friends and that was fantastic in and of itself. Good food and good times. Just what I needed.
Cap City Fine Diner and Bar’s Gluten-Free Seasonal Vegetable Plate
It was about a month ago that my good friend Jenn tweeted at me after eating at a local restaurant not far from where she works. The main thing…crepes. The bigger deal was…gluten-free options.
I told her that when I came to visit in a couple of weeks, that was a requirement. She agreed. And we held each other to our word.
On Saturday morning, after snagging coffee, we headed out to Bexley…and there…not far from my favorite Columbus gluten-free bakery (Cherbourg Bakery), was C’est Si Bon Café. It is a small, quaint, unassuming place. Not very many tables, and a little bar that runs along the side wall for customers to sit and eat. It was bustling that morning and we were grateful to find a place to settle in…stealing a chair from the table in the window so three of us could sit at the table. I held our spot while Jenn and Cathy went to order.
They went for traditional breakfast crepes, each of them getting a Bacon, Egg and Cheese Crepe ($5.95). As for me, I wanted something sweet. I opted for the Gluten-Free Cinnamon and Sugar Crepe ($6.00). Gluten-free crepes are a $1.25 upcharge there, so that’s why mine seems so pricey for such a simple crepe. A regular version of the same crepe runs $4.75. Just an FYI.
It took about 10 minutes for our orders to be filled. No problem on the wait…since they make everything to order. And, mine was a specialty one…being gluten-free and all, so that was important too. They do have a separate crepe stone for the gluten-free crepe orders and the crepes are made from buckwheat flour.
When the order was up…I was so happy. My local gluten-free crepe truck is out of the state for the winter and won’t be back until April. Therefore, I have been crepe-less since the end of fall. This felt like such a treat because I hadn’t had a crepe in so long. My crepe was stunning and huge. It looked really good.
As stated above, the Gluten-Free Cinnamon and Sugar Crepe is made from buckwheat flour. Folded into it is butter, sugar and cinnamon. Simple. Easy. And I was betting tasted a lot like French Toast. And I love French Toast. So this was bound to be the best of both worlds.
I wasn’t disappointed. One bite of the folded, light, crepe and I was in heaven. The sugar and butter gave it this toasty feel…and the cinnamon brought a bit of spice. It was just what I wanted. It was what I really, really wanted. The crepe itself might seem so basic, but the flavors were fantastic. I gave a piece to both Jenn and Cathy and both agreed it was like eating French toast. Count me as one very happy girl.
I’ve already said that C’est Si Bon Café is a must now every time we’re in town. I mean…the menu is extensive and there are both sweet and savory ones that are just begging for me to try them. I already know what flavor I’m going to get next time. Just going to work my way through the ones that interest me greatly.
C’est Si Bon Café definitely is a place that everyone needs to try out. Honestly, I was so impressed, not just with the care and service, but the crepes themselves were OUTSTANDING!! I am one happy crepe-loving gluten-free girl. And I’m already trying to plot a return to the Columbus, Ohio area to visit Jenn and come try out another fantastic crepe creation.
Go…dine…enjoy…repeat.
You’ll want to. Trust me.
C’est Si Bon Café’s Gluten-Free Cinnamon and Sugar Crepe
I know…any blog that starts with those three words can’t be good, right? Right.
And, sadly enough, that’s the way of it when it comes to Village Tavern in Birmingham, Alabama.
First of all, finding a restaurant in the South for gluten-free food is not always easy. There are some, but when you are craving gluten-free pizza…when you require it…well…things can get a bit tricky.
But, after a little research, Cathy and I found Village Tavern in Birmingham, Alabama for the recent journey down there. I was going to have a great dinner out with my sister, her youngest son, and a great friend of mine…Michelle!
The company at dinner was great. I hadn’t seen Michelle since I left Alabama eight years ago. She hasn’t changed a bit. She’s still bubbly with the best laugh ever. And my sister…well…she really made it a fantastic night tonight. I always enjoy my time with my sister. There isn’t enough of it in my life. But…tonight…I got her and her youngest son and that was awesome.
So, the five of us total were seated and given our drinks. We all had water. Hydration, friends. Always water. Then…after a little back and forth, we were ready to order. My sister opted for the Chicken Quesadilla ($7.95), which came with a salsa and a dipping sauce as well. She got my four year old nephew the kids Cheese Pizza ($4.95)…which is HUGE for a child, honestly. He loved it. Even said it was the best pizza he ever had. Adorable.
Michelle got the Spring Rolls ($8.95), which she seemed to like. They weren’t what I was expecting honestly. But they sure did look good. With that she got a side Mixed Greens Salad ($4.95).
Cathy and I chose to split a Gluten-Free Margherita Pizza ($8.75), which is a 10-inch pizza. Usually that’s the standard for a restaurant. And she got the Tavern Salad ($8.50) to go with it as she hadn’t had any vegetables all day. I opted for a side of the Broccoli ($4.00). And that was that…orders in. We had the chance to sit, talk, catch up and all of that while we awaited the arrival of the food. And when it came…it smelled fantastic.
Problem:
The waiter knew Cathy and I were splitting the gluten-free pizza…and yet…no extra plate was brought out. Secondly…the waiter forgot about Cathy’s salad. In fact, he didn’t even put it on the ticket. So…yeah…that had to be corrected.
But the greatest problem…the biggest offense…
My gluten-free pizza dough was RAW! Like…gooey…uncooked rawness. I was beyond disappointed.
While I was waiting on a plate, Cathy went ahead and started on her half of the pizza. When my plate finally was brought to the table, well…it took two tries. First one was a small plate…which was fine. But soon after that was left for me…a larger, must better suited plate arrived at the table. Fantastic. Thank you. Cathy dished up my half of the pizza and I picked up my fork and knife to slice through what I was expecting to be a crispy crust. This was that infamous gluten-free cracker crust that all gluten-free pizzas have. But there was no crunch. No crispness. Mushy…soggy…still stretchy doughiness. Yes, doughiness is a word…because I used it in a sentence. The disappointment on my face must have been evident because my sister and Michelle both were like…”Is it not good?” I held up a piece of the dough and said…”It’s not cooked!”
The best part of the pizza was the crust on the edge…because that actually WAS crispy and cooked through. I know with cracker crusts there is a fine line between crispy and burnt…but this was on a fine line of being fresh from the package and undercooked. The toppings weren’t even that impressive. The pizza was just REALLY disappointing overall. I was not impressed. Not happy. And just MEH about the whole thing.
At least I had good company and good conversation.
I had it in my head to return to Village Tavern with my parents the following night, but I was so unhappy with that pizza, that I’m judging the rest of their gluten-free options based on that…and will find somewhere else to eat. I don’t think I’ll ever be back.
Village Anchor’s Gluten-Free Margherita Pizza (doughy disaster)
The weather is getting colder. In fact, tomorrow, here, it isn’t even supposed to crack 0°F. No joke. That’s not common around here, not as of late anyway…but that is so freakin’ cold. And that makes me an unhappy girl. Trust me. I. HATE. COLD. WEATHER.
But with the cold weather comes those warm, hearty meals that fill you up and leave you feeling nice and cozy from the inside out. This includes a vast array of foods, but for me…it’s soups and casseroles…
…and macaroni and cheese.
Yes. Simple. Straightforward. Macaroni and Cheese.
But no ordinary macaroni and cheese will do. I do eat the kinds out of the box…but they are just for those quick meals I need to eat before rushing off somewhere in my hectic and busy schedule I keep. But on these days where I’m hibernating…or simply have some time on my hands…I will always choose a good old-fashioned homemade macaroni and cheese.
Here’s the thing though…I make a damn, damn, damn good gluten-free macaroni and cheese. My roommate will ask for it every now and again and beg and plead for me to make it. And, naturally, I will. It’s my mom’s recipe, which I have tweaked only slightly to fit into my dietary restrictions and to spice it up some. I love my homemade mac and cheese and I do love making it. But shredding the cheese and making the white sauce…it all takes a lot of time. Even if I have it…I sometimes can think of 100 other things I need to be doing.
Lucky me! Yes…once again…lucky me. Lucky me for having Annie May’s Sweet Café practically in my own backyard. Sure, this little bakery offers cupcakes and brownies and cookies and cakes and…all those other delictible naughty treats. But…sometimes…you get take-n-bake specials. I have previously blogged on Annie May’s Take-N-Bake Cinnamon Rolls and have tried (but obviously forgot to blog about…and will remedy that immediately) the Take-N-Bake Crescent Rolls. The take-n-bake options at Annie May’s Sweet Café make all those foods you crave that much easier to make yourself.
And she recently added Gluten-Free Macaroni and Cheese to that list.
Pardon me while I do the happiest little dance of joy.
Of course…I had to try it. I absolutely had to. I mean…I was heading home soon after dining there on Saturday morning for breakfast so…it only seemed logical, despite not really being in the budget, to give it a go. I was getting breakfast treats to go for Sunday…why not add dinner to the mix too. Just make Sunday (a busy day with everything needing to be done before Monday strikes) that much easier to slog through.
I was beyond excited the day I pulled this out of my refrigerator, preheating my oven to 375°F, per the instructions on the container. It looked so amazing and that was before I even popped it in the oven to bake. Go figure. Once the oven heated, I removed the plastic wrap and set the tray inside for about 20 minutes…the gluten-free breadcrumbs on top were golden and the cheese around the edge was bubbling. Oh yeah…done. And it looked and smelled so good.
Once again, Annie May’s Sweet Café really delivers. One bite and I looked over at my roommate, who was also enjoying half of this tray, and I said, “I think this is better than mine! And I make really good mac and cheese!” What makes it so amazing? Hell if I know. I don’t know what magic Annie May’s puts into their products, but this macaroni and cheese baked up creamy and cheesy, with that nice toasted crunch from the breadcrumbs. It was fantastic. So comforting to the soul, spirit, and body. I had wished I had bought them out of the trays they had. And I intended to do that this past weekend…but they only had one tray left by the time I got there so…I luckily snagged it before anyone else could. I think it might have been a near thing. Anyway…creamy, dreamy goodness in one simple dish.
I mean, right on the label, Annie May’s lays it all out as far as the ingredients: Brown rice flour, water, whole milk, cheddar cheese, and butter.
This is, in no way, a light meal. It’s hearty, it’s warm, it’s filling…but it makes you feel good as you eat it. And in the end, the food you eat should make you feel good.
I can’t say enough good things about Annie May’s Sweet Café in Louisville, Kentucky. They keep expanding their menu…which is soon to include bagels (and I can’t WAIT for that to happen)…and I have enjoyed being able to try these new additions as they are placed in the case. Yes…we, the food-allergic and even the non-food-allergic of Louisville, Kentucky have one really sweet place on Frankfort Avenue…which I make a point to visit often. It’s that good. The people are amazing. The food continues to get better and better.
No one would even guess it was gluten-free.
Comfort yourself on these cold winter nights with a little bit of gluten-free comfort food. Go to Annie May’s…and get the macaroni and cheese. You can thank me later.
And trust me…you will.
Annie May’s Sweet Café Gluten-Free Macaroni and Cheese (baked)
The Celiathlete 