Da Luciano – Pizza, Pasta & Catering, River Grove, Illinois
Restaurant: Da Luciano – Pasta, Pizza& Catering, River Grove, Illinois
This…was an important dining choice to make when I was coming to Chicago, Illinois. I mean…for real. This was a big…heap…deal.
Why?
Because I was in town for the Chicago Marathon. I needed a safe meal…one that would guarantee that I would have no stomach issues…and…being that I was running on Sunday morning…this needed to include gluten-free pizza. It HADto be gluten-free pizza. That is my stipulation when it comes to the night before a big run. If it’s a half marathon or marathon…it has to be gluten-free, vegetarian pizza. It just works for me. Some down pasta…not this girl. This girl indulges in a few epic slices of (hopefully) amazing pizza. Gluten-free pizza isn’t tasteless cardboard, you know. When done right…it is a culinary work of art.
And I’ve eaten good and bad gluten-free pizzas…as they are well documented in this blog.
But there was something special about Da Luciano, which is one of the reasons, despite meaning a car ride outside of downtown Chicago, that I felt I needed to eat there the night before the Chicago Marathon.
What was so special about this place?
They understand Celiac Disease. They totally get me. They totally know how to handle and prepare my food so that I won’t get sick from eating there. And how do I know this? Well, as stated on their Web site, the owners, Luciano and Rosalia, were first introduced to the gluten-free world when four of of their seven children were diagnosed with Celiac Disease. Being an Italian family, bread and pasta were daily staples in their diets. Rosalia set out on a mission to find quality gluten-free bread and pasta for her children, but found that her options were limited. So, she began to experiment with her own recipes, succeeding in making gluten-free bread, pasta, pizza, and desserts that satisfied all of her children. When Da Luciano Pizza, Pasta & Catering opened the following year, they decided to offer their customers a gluten-free menu featuring Rosalia’s amazing recipes. The response from the gluten-free community was huge.
So…as you can see…this place won me over right from the start. And, upon arriving at the restaurant, we were immediately asked if anyone needed a gluten-free menu. I didn’t have to request one. I didn’t have to ask if one even existed. The hostess just flat-out asked. And so, when we were seated, I was given their rather extensive (no one sheet of paper here…but a true menu, my friends!) gluten-free menu to peruse.
So many of the dishes sounded awesome. And part of me wanted to do the gluten-free bruschetta for an appetizer…but we had all decided that dessert was happening…so the appetizer went to the wayside…this time. The gluten-free menu at Da Luciano is about as big as the regular menu. So many of the dishes are offered as a gluten-free option. From the dishes with meat (as I’m a vegetarian, I didn’t look at the extensive seafood, chicken, and veal offerings), but there were many amazing sounding pasta dishes. BUT…I never change up the night before a race…and it was one of their individual gluten-free pizzas for me.
When our waitress returned to the table to take our orders…we were all settled on what we wanted. Heather is not big on carbs, so she went with one of the chicken entrees. Her choice – Chicken Scaloppine ($14.95), which was thinly sliced chicken served in what looked like a tomato and mushroom sauce. Cathy opted for the Rigatoni Porcini ($11.95), which was rigatoni pasta cooked with porcini mushrooms in a light cream sauce. Jenn went with the Gnocchi al Pesto ($11.95), which was delicious looking gnocchi served in a creamy (probably) basil pesto sauce. It looked fantastic.
Da Luciano’s Gluten-Free Pizza with Mushrooms, Onions, and Roasted Red Peppers
But for me…I went with the Gluten-Free Pizza ($8.50) topped off with mushrooms, onion, and roasted red pepper ($0.75 each). I couldn’t wait to get a taste of this pizza. And…I wanted to make sure that Heather got a bite as well, because she suffered through the disaster of Pizza Ranch in Minnesota with me…and I wanted her to know good gluten-free pizza was out there. If we had been in Louisville…I’d take her to Annie May’s Sweet Café and split one of those amazing pizzas with her…but when in Chicago…you find a place that works.
We had a little wait, but soon our food was arriving at the table. And it all looked and smelled amazing! I photographed every dish…especially my pizza. And it was time to dig in.
So…
WINNING!! Granted, I still like my local bakery’s crust better…but this definitely is one of the best crusts I’ve had on a gluten-free pizza. Cooked to golden perfection, so it was crispy, without being burnt or overdone. And it still had that nice doughy texture with it as well. The sauce was amazing. The cheese…was more than I would have liked…but…it starts off as a cheese pizza. The other toppings get added. The star of the toppings, however, were the roasted red peppers. OMG…YES! Packed with flavor. Mild…but with that right amount of kick to keep the palate interested. The onions didn’t overpower anything. And the mushrooms were done to perfection. Nothing watery. Nothing disappointing. And, as I cut off pieces for my friends to try, the rest of it was mine. All mine. And yes…I devoured it all. Every slice. I might have licked the plate clean. It was delicious…and I needed to top off the tanks for the marathon the next morning. This was the key.
And, as I mentioned earlier…dessert was going to happen. I had 6 options to choose from on the gluten-free dessert menu. And while they all sounded fantastic, I was down to three choices…the cream puffs, the tiramisu, and the cannoli. It took a lot of pondering, internal debate, and deliberation with myself to pick between them. I rarely have so many options for a dessert…so choosing one was not easy. The cream puffs almost won, but I wasn’t sure how big they were and it came with two on the plate. The tiramisu was SO tempting. I haven’t had tiramisu in a long, long time. I wanted it. But…ultimately…I settled on the Gluten-Free Cannoli ($4.95). Both Jenn and Cathy opted for the regular Cannoli ($3.95) and Heather went with the regular Tiramisu ($3.95).
I was so excited when our desserts emerged from the kitchen and at our table. My cannoli definitely looked different from Cathy & Jenn’s…but it was the color and thickness of the shell. That was the only difference. Heather’s tiramisu looked absolutely amazing. Next time…(and there will be a next time!)…I’ll get the gluten-free tiramisu. It looked fluffy and amazing.
So…how was the gluten-free cannoli? SO SO SO good. SO GOOD!! MMMMMMMM….GOOD! OMG…GOOOOOOOOOD! The cannoli cream was amazing. Sweet, but not overly sweet. Creamy. Amazing. Delicious. It had bits of chocolate chips and fruit. There was a candied orange peel on each end. And the shell…sugary-sweet goodness. The crunch that it had with each bite was satisfying. And it all just blended together. It worked. And I devoured my dessert happily.
With that…I went and purchased a few bags of their gluten-free pasta, available at the register, and we paid our bill. As we were leaving, I overheard the restaurant manager explaining to a customer that the way the manage no cross-contamination is that all the gluten-free dishes are prepared in the kitchen upstairs at the restaurant…and the regular menu items are all done in the kitchen downstairs. Brilliant. And so safe for Celiacs. I loved learning that about Da Luciano’s. It’s nice to know I had nothing to worry about when eating there…which is good because the last thing you want before running 26.2 miles is tummy troubles.
We had to head back downtown…after dropping Heather off at a train station to head back to her hotel. We had plans for when she would arrive at The Hilton Chicago to meet up with us before the the marathon the following morning. We were all satisfied and happy with the meal we ate at Da Luciano. I will be back the next time I find myself in Chicago…which I hope is soon.
Speaking of which…the gluten-free pizza worked its magic as always…I had a fantastic marathon. Thank you, Da Luciano…for giving me my pre-race carbs in my favorite form. I can’t wait to come back and try more of your amazing menu.
So, if you find yourself in the Chicago area, make a point to head to River Grove and eat at the fantastic Da Luciano – Pasta, Pizza & Catering. It’s worth the short drive because the food is simply that amazing.
With our California girls needing to return to work…and since we were sort of already out that way…and sort of missed out on our usual journey to Denver, Colorado in April due to my roomie’s teammate…Cathy and I decided that we would take that journey to Colorado. I admit, for much of the planning stages, tacking on the Denver portion was a nightmare…but we got it all worked out. And with that, we got to spend Wednesday through Sunday in beautiful Colorado.
There is so much to do and see in Colorado…and we’ve been here enough times that we have our favorites that we wouldn’t miss out on…ever. But, we also had our sights on some new adventures, both with friends and with food.
So…here’s how a gluten-free vegetarian eats while in Colorado!
Zamparelli’s Italian Bistro – Lafayette, Colorado
Zamparelli’s Italian Bistro, Lafayette, Colorado
It was our first day in Colorado. After landing at the Denver airport and getting our rental car (free upgrade to the Toyota Prius), we hit the road for our drive up to the Boulder, Colorado area. We were staying at the Boulder Twin Lake Inn, where many a famous runner has spent the night. I was thrilled. I was hoping maybe I was in the room Shalane Flanagan stayed in so that I could channel some of her speed. The inn is actually owned by runners, which is why it is popular with runners. Well, after getting checked in, we were starving…so Cathy and I made a short little drive to Lafayette, Colorado. Our Find Me Gluten-Free app had directed us toward a place called Zaparelli’s Italian Bistro…and it had many gluten-free options. Including…gluten-free pizza. Which, mind you, I was thrilled about, as I was doing my long run the following morning around the area the inn was located in…a full 12.5 mile run. Pizza was just the thing I needed.
Wanting to try something we couldn’t get anywhere else, we decided to get a Gluten-Free Johnny V’s Vegan Pie ($15.00). It just sounded intriguing…and, as I said, the toppings were different from anything we’d been able to get out anywhere else. Order in. At Zamparelli’s…the gluten-free crust is a $2.00 upcharge, but when you have to eat gluten-free, what are you going to do? The gluten-free pizza is a 12-inch pizza crust…and in this case…it is topped off with a garlicky white bean spread, roasted red peppers, caramelized onions, sauteed spinach, roasted mushrooms, artichoke hearts, and a spicy salsa rosa. Is your mouth watering yet? Mine was just reading the description. I liked that it was vegan…no cheese to upset my delicate stomach as it sometimes does. Also important with that long run looming.
The pizza was delivered and boy…did it look and smell amazing. It tasted just as good as it looked too. The white bean spread acted as the base, instead of a tomato sauce. The roasted red peppers elevated a lot of the flavor, especially when paired with the caramelized onion. Sweet and savory. Very delicious. But the star, believe it or not, were the artichoke hearts. That just brought all the other toppings together. Fantastic. The crust was really good. Not undercooked, but done to perfection. It was a thin crust without being a cracker crust, which I appreciated. I was quite happy with this meal and my roommate and I walked out of there satisfied, full, and quite happy.
The Buff Restaurant – Boulder, Colorado
The Buff Restaurant, Boulder, Colorado
I first heard about The Buff Restaurant on Man vs. Food. They are best known for their “Saddlebags” which are pancakes that are stuffed with either bacon, sausage or ham, and then topped off with two eggs. They are massive, mind you. Like…steering wheel size. So much more of the menu now has a gluten-free option available (including the Saddlebags…except being vegetarian…not for me)…but I had just done a 12.5 mile run and I was wanting some protein.
I ended up getting one of the omelettes. In fact, I went with the Veggie Omelette ($9.50). This thing is, honestly, the size of my head. But…full of delicious veggie goodness. This particular omelette comes packed with broccoli, mushrooms, tomatoes, spinach and onions, with a touch of blended cheddar. Along with this massive egg-splosion of goodness (see what I did there?), you get a side of their potatoes…or you can upgrade to the fruit for just $1.00 more. I wanted my carbs…so I stuck with the potatoes. And, with it came a slice of gluten-free toast. YUM! As I was in need of some caffeine, I ordered a Café Au Lait with almond milk ($3.50). It was just the hit I needed, especially since the cup it came out in was, again, the size of my head. I think I was wired for much the rest of the day. But it was good.
So was the food for that matter, but I already knew that. I’ve been eating at The Buff for three years now. I make a trip to Boulder specifically to eat there and go to the Celestial Seasonings factory. Honestly. I do. It’s the truth. The eggs are always done to perfection. The toast is crispy and never burned. I love it with their homemade jam. SO delicious. And the potatoes…they are my favorite way to consume carbs. Seasoned to perfection. Done with that bit of crisp on the outside and that soft center. I ate mine with hot sauce. The omelette too. HEAVEN…on a plate. Which I demolished, mind you. I ate every last piece. I was full for the rest of the day.
St. Bon’s Café – Highlands Ranch, Colorado
St. Bon’s Café, Highlands Ranch, Colorado
Around 5 p.m. after my massive breakfast, however, the tummy was starting to get a case of the rumblies. And my roommate had researched the perfect solution for said problem. We were now down in Denver for the remainder of our stay and it just so happened that Denver is the home of a 100% gluten-free deli and bakery. Seriously.
St. Bon’s Café was an absolute nightmare to get to. And we were getting hungry and cranky as we made our way through rush hour traffic on a Thursday night. Our GPS got us down to the right area, but had so much trouble actually getting us to the store. I finally looked it up on my iPhone and managed to get us there. But it was about 30 minutes before they were going to close. It was a good thing we already had an idea of what we wanted to eat…because we were cutting it close.
That being said, the owner, Kurt Fulwider, was behind the counter and ready to take our orders. He told us not to worry about it. He had a meeting he needed to get to across town and already called to say it wasn’t happening and that he would be late. So…we ordered…not just dinner…but a dessert to split. More on that after I tell you about our sandwiches.
For me…I wanted The 3 Wisemen Panini on the house made Rosemary Thyme Focaccia ($7.99). The 3 Wisemen is a basic caprese sandwich. It’s freshly sliced tomatoes, basil leaves and mozzarella. Cathy went with her favorite…something cheesy…opting for The Trinity Panini on the house made Basil Garlic Focaccia ($7.99). This sandwich is stuffed full of three different cheeses…creamy havarti, sharp white cheddar, and smooth meunster. We decided we could split a dessert and I had my heart already set on the Blasphemous Bread Pudding ($3.99), which was a gluten-free bread putting with a delicious custard and dark chocolate. With our orders now paid for, we settled at a table until they were ready.
Let me tell you…the wait wasn’t bad…and the food was fantastic. Absolutely FANTASTIC! I fell in love with the rosemary thyme focaccia. The flavors meshed so well with the fixings in my sandwich. The basil was so fresh and so fragrant. The mozarella was melt-in-your sammie good. And the tomatoes were ripe, and didn’t bleed juice all over my bread. The focaccia was toasted in the panini press to perfection, giving that nice golden crispiness to each bite. I was in love with this sandwich. Cathy tried a piece and said while she loved hers…she really loved the bread on mine.
As for that sinful dessert…oh…yeah. It was rich…creamy…and beyond blasphemous. This was a sin to eat. The custard was rich and creamy, but not overly heavy. The dark chocolate…melt my heart to pieces…so good. It paired so well with the custard. I was so happy when eating this. So very happy. I sort of want to recreate it for myself. If possible. It’s worth a try. Yep…that good. Mouth watering…sinfully…satisfyingly…perfect for when you are PMS-ing or any other time because you just need some chocolate dammit…good!! I hope I can get back here when I’m in Denver in May. It must happen.
Coquette’s Bistro and Bakery – Colorado Springs, Colorado
Coquette’s Bistro & Bakery, Colorado Springs, Colorado
I love crepes. LOVE them. With the exception of my local food truck, I normally can’t have them. I don’t have a good crepe pan to do them myself…nor would they come close to what Sweet ‘N’ Savory can cook up for me in their food truck. Normally when I am in Colorado, I would go to La Creperie Cafe in Denver. But…they closed. THEY CLOSED!! I was saddened by this, but started doing some research. What I did run across though was a little cafe that does only 100% gluten-free food. The catch was…it was in Colorado Springs. The best thing is…that doesn’t phase Cathy. We hopped in the car on Friday morning and took a little drive down to Colorado Springs.
Nestled at the foot of Pike’s Peak, Coquette’s Bistro and Bakery has the perfect location to entertain visitors and locals alike. The place and the food has won numerous awards over the four years it has been open. And it claims that the food is so amazing, you’d never guess it was gluten-free. This little restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, dinner, desserts, espresso, and cocktails. There is a little bit for everyone.
But Cathy and I made the journey for…yep…crepes. None of their savory crepes are vegetarian. That was fine for Cathy, and she ended up ordering the Rise and Dine ($11.00), which is a crepe that is stuffed full (and I mean full) with two scrambled eggs, ham, red onions, tomatoes, and cheddar cheese. The crepe is then topped off with hollandaise. It came with a side of fruit or their truffled potatoes. She went potatoes. I swiped one. OMG. Amazing. I swiped more than one after that. I think she welcomed the help as her crepe was HUGE. I would have gone savory had there been a vegetarian option…but I was okay going sweet. Most of the offerings were what I could get from my local gluten-free crepe food truck…so I went with the one that I hadn’t been served by my local go-to gluten-free crepe place. And that was the Bananas Fosters Crepe ($8.50). This dessert crepe (hey…dessert for breakfast is allowed on vacation!) is a delicious crepe that is topped off with banana and a rum brown sugar flambé. The crepe is served with some house made whipped cream on the side. My crepe was definitely the size of my plate, but being a dessert crepe, it is usually dusted with cinnamon and sugar on the inside and then topped off with the goodness on the outside. Much less to navigate through. But…let me tell you…this was one fantastic crepe. I loved the rum brown sugar sauce. The whipped cream was a nice touch. And the banana, being one of my favorite fruits in this world, made it all taste a little like heaven. I devoured it. Like…completely. Cathy had a good portion of her crepe remaining. Not me. I went all vegetarian piggy on that plate. Worth it. YUM! I am making this a required stop from now on. It must happen. It is that good. And I feel safe eating there.
Baker Street Pub & Grill – Denver, Colorado
Baker Street Pub & Grill, Denver, Colorado
It’s no secret…my roommate and I are completely obsessed with Sherlock Holmes. For real. No…seriously. And when we discovered that just a short walk from our hotel room at the Denver DTC was one of Colorado’s four Baker Street Pub & Grill locations, well, you better believe we knew what we were doing for dinner after hiking around Colorado Springs and the Garden of the Gods. Hey…you work up an appetite doing that.
We walked over to Baker Street Pub & Grill from the hotel on Friday evening. I loved how you got to seat yourself. Our server, a bubbly and enthusiastic woman came over to see about drinks. I was sticking with water. But Cathy decided to take in Happy Hour and went with a Baker Street Brown Ale ($4.25). And with that…her usual pub fare…a half portion of the Fish & Chips ($7.99). As for me…I went with the Baby Spinach and Feta Cheese Salad ($9.99), which I added avocado slices to ($1.49) with a side of the Serrano Coleslaw ($1.99). Our waitress put in our order and we sort of geeked out over Sherlock Holmes until it arrived.
My salad was MASSIVE!! And it looked absolutely amazing to top it off. This salad was a blend of baby spinach, feta cheese, gala apples, red onions, candied pecans (they didn’t candy mine), and red grapes. All of this was tossed in a fantastic raspberry vinaigrette dressing. And let’s not forget my deep love of avocado…which topped off my salad nicely and gave it this rich creaminess that I truly love in a salad. The flavors really, really worked together. I loved the way the fruit played well with the vegetables and how the sweet, yet savory vinaigrette just brought it all together. The avocado…if you order a salad…always top it with avocado…trust me!! As for the coleslaw…eh…it was coleslaw. With the wording of Serrano Coleslaw, I expected something with some heat behind it…but it just tasted like your run-of-the-mill coleslaw. Probably my only disappointment. The rest…so good!
Cathy was very impressed with her fish. In fact, we both enjoyed our food so much we came back on Saturday night, our last night in town. The manager on duty rustled up some can coozies for us and let us get in the big phone booth outside and took a picture. It was epic. We ordered the same thing…minus the coleslaw and rounded out the perfect stay in Colorado at one of our new favorite places in Denver…just a short walk from our hotel. Perfection.
Udi’s Café and Bar – Denver Airport – Denver, Colorado
Udi’s Café & Bar, Denver Airport, Denver, Colorado
I had every intention of making it out of Denver without eating at the airport. I figured Cathy and I would grab something in Atlanta. It’s a good thing she talked me out of that because we had no time for food in Atlanta as it turned out. So, her plan to eat something in Denver before heading to our gate for the first leg of our journey back to Louisville was a stroke of sheer genius.
And to our delight, Terminal B at the Denver Airport has an Udi’s Café and Bar. Udi’s is one of the major names in gluten-free breads and other products on the market. And…they are based in Denver. So the fact that the airport has one of these cafés shouldn’t be a surprise. I was so happy they did.
We settled in at a table and a waitress came over to give us menus and let us look them over. We had a vague idea of what we wanted to eat…sandwiches…with fries. Filling. Which is exactly what we needed, honestly.
Cathy went with the BLTA ($9.35), which is a bacon, lettuce, tomato and avocado sandwich with chipotle aioli and served on ciabatta bread. She got hers with the standard fries that come with the sandwich. As for me…I went with the Gluten-Free Caprese Sandwich ($9.95) and substituted the regular fries for Sweet Potato Fries ($2.00). Gluten-free sweet potato fries. Pardon my dance of joy and glee. This was the second time this trip I was getting sweet potato fries. This is me…being happy.
It was a little bit of a wait, but Cathy and I soon received our plates full of food. The sandwiches were huge. The fries…a big portion. But this was our meal for the day…so while we weren’t starving…we dove in.
My fries were FANTASTIC! Better than the ones I waited forever for at Disneyland. They were crispy, fried to perfection. I was in love with them. In fact, I saved them for the last bite because I wanted to remember those fries. As for the sandwich…epic win. Served on Udi’s bread (of course), this sandwich was stuffed with mozzarella cheese, fresh tomatoes, and a pesto aioli. And the flavors just popped. I have been eating a lot of caprese things since going gluten-free and this was one of the best sandwiches put together. Simple flavors…executed perfectly. And served with SWEET POTATO FRIES!! I was thrilled to actually be able to eat something other than a fruit cup, a salad, or some unhealthy snack at the airport. Seriously. This was my happy that day.
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So…there you have it. I find eating gluten-free in Colorado to be so easy. Both Rudi’s Gluten-Free and Udi’s Gluten-Free are based out of Colorado (one in Boulder…the other in Denver). Granted, on Saturday when we went up into the mountains to Rocky Mountain State Park…my lunch was a banana, some yogurt, and some Boulder chips…but…I’m in the mountains. I will cut them some slack.
This was one of my best foodie trips to date. Both California and Colorado offered me so many options and such delicious food. I wasn’t really disappointed with any of the restaurants that we chose to dine in. And that…is amazing!!
Colorado…see you in May. I hope my favorite places to eat will be ready for me again!
I dedicate this entry to, honestly, the best meal I have ever consumed in my life. No joke. Sorry mom…but it’s true. Never before have I been treated to such an exciting and taste-defying tasting menu, all of it done by the chef’s whim. And yes…all of it done to suit any food allergies at the table. For me…being a gluten-free vegetarian. For my friend Tawn…no shrimp.
What am I talking about?
Disneyland.
Napa Rose.
Chef’s Table.
OMGTHEFOODWASAWESOME!
Okay…now that I got that out of my system…kind of…let me explain…
You see, Disneyland has a lot of nice treasures inside its gates. And, after running the Disneyland Half Marathon, Indy wanted to treat all of us, plus her hubby and her dad, to a nice meal out…which would be our Christmas and Birthday gifts. She chose Napa Rose at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa as the scene of this adventure. After a long day, the four ladies got all dressed up and met up with Evan (Indy’s hubby) for a ride over to the restaurant. Her dad was staying there so he’d meet us there.
A few drinks in the lounge and two Joey Fatone (from *NSYNC) sightings later, we were making our way to the Dessert Counter and being seated, napkins placed on our laps, and about to be treated to one of the finest, most epic, amazing meals of our lives…complete with wine tasting. All of this…completely at the whim of the chef.
So…let’s get started:
Amuse-Bouche: Plum with Grape Relish and Gluten-Free Flatbread
Amuse-Bouche: Plum with Grape Relish and Vegan & Gluten-Free Flatbread
The rest of the counter was treated to a Panna Cotta with Great Relish…but not this girl. The chef kept is simple, elegant, and instead of the panna cotta, served me up an amazing warm Plum with Grape Relish on top. The plum was sweet, pairing beautifully with the slightly sour tones of the chopped grapes. It was the perfect way to wake up the palate and prepare it for the rest of what was to come that night.
In addition, while the rest of the counter got to share this large basket of various breads, a basket of vegan and gluten-free flatbread was delivered to me. This bread had a fresh herbiness to it. It was crispy, yet still soft. And when it was fresh and warm…there was nothing like it in the world. It was a nice change from the gluten-free rolls I am so used to getting. It’s not everyday this girl gets to indulge in flatbread. And indulge I did. Because I just couldn’t stop eating it!!
First Course: Cauliflower Tower
Cauliflower Tower
What…you may ask…is a Cauliflower Tower. Simply what it sounds like. Cauliflower…in a tower. But…it is really so much more than that. In fact, while the base of this dish was, in fact, a cauliflower mash, it was blended with couscous, raisins, pistachios, and was drizzled with a blood orange sauce. I love cauliflower, so using it as a base for this meal was sheer brilliance. The couscous gave it a bit more body. Toss in the sweet raisins with the salty nature and crunch of the pistachios and you have a meal made in heaven. Seriously. Angels eat this when they picnic on the clouds. I swear. The blood orange sauce just sealed the deal. It gave this savory dish a little zing. It was fantastic. Down to the very last bite. If this was any indication of what was left to come, I was all in. I didn’t record the type of wine any of my meals were paired with…but I loved them. All of them.
Second Course: Grilled Peach Salad with Green Beans and a Peach Yogurt Sauce
Grilled Peach Salad with Green Beans and a Peach Yogurt Sauce
The usual version of this dish is served with roasted duck. But, being that I was the sole vegetarian at the table, the chef made one with duck, which Indy received, and made mine without it. But this made me want to grill peaches ALL the time. ALL the peaches. And then consume ALL the peaches with ALL the food that I could think would pair well with them. I will say this…I never would have paired peaches with green beans. But…this worked. This worked remarkably well. The peaches had this rich sweetness to them, the green beans were cooked perfectly, so they had that crispiness to them. And that yogurt sauce just tied everything together. This was fantastic. I could have eaten plate after plate of this and been one happy girl. But more goodness was still ahead.
Third Course: Heirloom Tomatoes with Golden Tomato Essence with Fava Beans and Parmesan
Heirloom Tomatoes with Golden Tomato Essence with Fava Beans and Parmesan
I do believe either Tawn or Cathy made the Silence of the Lambs reference when I was served this beautiful, rainbow dish. I mean, the colors on this dish just popped. The sweet tomato essence was what really made this dish so savory. The beautiful heirloom tomatoes were ripe, gorgeous, juicy and the flavors danced across my taste buds with the first bite. The fava beans added a little body…and some texture. And to top it all off…shaved Parmesan cheese, which gave the dish that big of salty seasoning that just brought it all together in the end. Rich, succulent…and fantastic. Each dish was topping the last…
Fourth Course: Chef’s Creation – Vegetarian Mushroom and Tomato Plate
Chef’s Creation – Vegetarian Mushroom and Tomato Plate
Be jealous. Because the chef made this one specifically for me. His gluten-free, vegetarian diner. What exactly was it? Savory goodness, that’s what it was. Honestly…this was fantastic. From the first bite he reigned me in with perfectly cooked mushrooms, beautifully seasoned and topped with gorgeous heirloom tomatoes and greens. I wanted to hoover this dish so much, but I sat there like the lady I am and ate it like the sophisticated foodie I see on television and dream about becoming. No…really. I savored this dish. Every bite of it. And I never wanted it to end. But…my fork fell onto the last slice and soon it too was gone.
Dessert:Meyer Lemon Crème Brûlée with Blueberries and Mint
Meyer Lemon Crème Brûlée with Blueberries and Mint
Without even knowing anything about me save for my food allergies and preferences, the chef sent out the most perfect dessert for me. It involved lemon and blueberries…and that pairing is, by far, one of my absolute favorites. So, without even knowing it…the chef capped off the perfect evening with the perfect dessert. His Meyer Lemon Crème Brûlée with Blueberries and Mint was a stunning plate to start with. The crust on the crème brûlée was brilliant. And that lemon flavor was just enough without overpowering the entire dessert. Toss in the blueberries (one of my favorite berries) and the hint of mint and I was in a delicious, tasty food coma. Seriously. I dug right into this dessert and savored it as long as I could. I even ate the drizzle of chocolate letters around the plate wishing me an early happy birthday. Yes…I enjoyed it…for real…down to the very last bit. But, I’m a dessert girl…and this was one hell of a dessert.
My hat is off to Indy, for this fantastic food experience. If I were to choose my last meal on Earth…it would be this. I would want to be at Napa Rose…at the Chef’s Counter…once again receiving the dishes of his choosing for me. I loved being surprised and not knowing what to expect when my plate was carried out and placed in front of me. The company was the best I could ever be with at this venue. The food was outstanding. I’ve been spoiled. No other meal has come close to equaling this one…and I am starting to wonder if one ever will.
My food hat is off to the chef of Napa Rose…the food that is served there…the wine it is paired with (SO GOOD!)…and the good friends I shared the experience with. If any of you find yourself at Disneyland…do try to experience this for yourself. It isn’t cheap…I can tell you that…but the food and the experience is worth every dollar you put towards this meal. I promise.
Between Disneyland and the little out-of-the-way places that we ducked into for food and anything else…I was well-fed and felt very safe in my food choices while visiting friends in California. In fact, Indy and her hubby, Evan, even went out to Whole Foods and picked up gluten-free cookies and some gluten-free crackers for me to have while staying with them. They are, honestly, the best. Nice to have people take my food allergies and everything else in stride and not totally panic. Best hosts…EVER!
So, I spent a total of three days at Disneyland and then one full day seeing bits and pieces of California. All the while…taking in food and enjoying every single bite. I’m breaking this posting down into two separate posts because…well…the dinner I had at Napa Rose needs its own little post. Honestly. Because it was the best meal I have ever had. (Sorry, Mom…but it’s true!).
So…I guess we’ll start at the very beginning…
Flo’s V8 Cafe – Cars Land – Disney California Adventure Park
Flo’s V8 Café, Cars Land, Disney’s California Adventure Park
You know…I give Disney props. Both theme parks on each coast do their best to work with people with specific diets and specific food allergies. And this was incredibly clear when I sat down to eat a “light” lunch (I was getting pizza later that evening) while out and about in California Adventure on Saturday. I hadn’t yet made it to the race expo, but I knew I needed a small bite to get through until it was time to eat my required pre-race gluten-free pizza. We were in Cars Land at the moment, so we stepped into Flo’s V8 Café and took a look at the menu board. When we got up to the register, my traveling party (Cathy, Indy & Tawn) all decided they were going to eat elsewhere…which made me not want to eat here…but…I wasn’t sure what there would be outside that would be nutritious and still filling. At the register, I mentioned that I was a gluten-free vegetarian so the cashier went to go and retrieve the chef. The chef came out a couple of moments later and I reiterated that I was a gluten-free vegetarian. She said it wasn’t a problem and mentioned the items I could get, including the Citrus Turkey Salad, sans turkey. Actually, none of it sounded like anything I wanted…the side dishes were just…eh…meh. And the salad was…well…a salad. But, I needed something…so I said I would give the Citrus Turkey Salad ($11.49), no turkey, a go!
I paid the cashier and took the receipt up to the counter. And my salad came up…gluten-free roll…but…UGH…the turkey had been placed on the salad. I mentioned that my salad wasn’t supposed to have turkey on it, so the worker at the counter sent it back to the kitchen and spoke with the chef. It took a few minutes, but my new salad came up, gluten-free roll, little dish of dressing, GODZILLA-sized salad, which was a basic mix of mixed greens, carrots, cucumbers, and yellow peppers. It came with a citrus-tarragon dressing. And trust me…this salad was HUGE. I knew I wouldn’t be able to finish it. But, if anything was certain, I was going to devour that roll. The roll, by the way, looks like the Udi’s gluten-free rolls I can buy at specialty stores around here. I think they were Udi’s. I loved the roll. I loved it to pieces…and pieces…and pieces until it was all gone.
The salad itself was fresh and crisp. And the dressing made a nice flavor addition to the raw vegetables. It was…a general salad, just taken to extreme proportion. I ate about 3/4 of it before I called it quits. It was just a lot of food. The vegetables were fresh and crisp, the dressing was served on the side instead of just being poured over the salad, and perhaps drowning the vegetables. It was good. But…let’s face it…it’s a salad I could have made at home for a lot cheaper.
Redd Rocket’s Pizza Port – Tomorrowland – Disneyland Park
Redd Rocket’s Pizza Port, Tomorrowland, Disneyland Park
It was the evening before the Disneyland Half Marathon, and Indy and I were in desperate need of some carbs. And it is a requirement…I mean one of those dead-set superstitious athlete requirements for me to eat gluten-free pizza the night before a big race. It has to happen. If it doesn’t happen…I make it happen. Somehow.
Indy knew that this was a must coming into the trip, so she asked around at Disneyland about good places to get a gluten-free pizza. She was directed to Redd Rocket’s Pizza Port, which is a cafeteria-style, quick service joint in Tomorrowland. We got there just before a flood of people and we spoke to one of the people manning the counters about gluten-free and vegetarian options. She said she would go and fetch the chef. I ended up standing there for around 10-15 minutes waiting on the chef, long enough for a couple of employees to ask if I needed help. Indy and Tawn had already gotten their pastas and were now waiting with me. Cathy was waiting because we weren’t sure if this was going to be a personal pizza or one we’d need to split. You just never know.
After the wait continued, I told Indy and Tawn to go and pay and eat while their food was still hot. I didn’t want them to settle in with cold pasta. Gross! So, they finally agreed, and just after they walked away…the chef finally emerged to talk to me. I told him that I was a gluten-free vegetarian, and he said I had two options…a gluten-free personal cheese pizza…or gluten-free rice noodles with a tomato marinara. Night before the race…it has to be pizza. So, I put in my order for gluten-free cheese pizza ($8.99). I was told it would take 10 minutes so to go ahead and pay and then come back to the counter in about 10 minutes. I did just that, grabbed some plastic dinnerware, napkins, and some crushed red pepper packets and went to join my friends. Cathy had gotten one of the pizza slices and some breadsticks and joined them in eating. And I watched them eat for about 5 minutes as it took me awhile to pay. When 10 minutes was up, I got up from my table and made my way back to the counter to, hopefully, get my food. But my pizza wasn’t up yet. There was a group of four ahead of me. And that took about 5 minutes for them to get their gluten-free pizzas served to them. Then…it took another 3-5 minutes waiting on mine. By now Indy and Cathy were done eating. When my pizza was sliced and finally put on a plate…I went to rejoin my friends and only Tawn was still nomming on her pasta.
The pizza was nothing to write home about. It was the same gluten-free cheese pizza I ended up getting while at Disney World in February. Just a small, personal-size pizza on a gluten-free crust (at least the crust was fluffy), with tomato sauce and cheese. It was…okay. I mean, I have definitely had worse…but I have most definitely had better. I seasoned it with some red pepper flakes and just wolfed it down. At that point I was starving and we had World of Color Fast Passes and the clock was ticking. Nothing to write home about. Just…pizza. Eh. Not impressed.
Hungry Bear Restaurant – Critter Country – Disneyland Park
Hungry Bear Restaurant, Critter Country, Disneyland Park
It was the afternoon after I ran 13.1 miles through Disneyland and Anaheim, California. It was just three of us. Indy, who also ran, said she needed to rest and recover. Poor thing. So this meant our new guide for the day was the great, the epic, TAWN!! And she knew all the places to hit. We had a busy and very stressful morning…between race logistics, running, cheering, and finishing…then heading out to the park…
We rode rides and soon we knew we needed to eat something small before we hit the hotel early to rotate through showers and start getting ready for the most epic meal of our lives…courtesy of Indy. But…that gets it’s own post. For now…we focus on what I ate for “lunch” the day of the Disneyland Half Marathon.
I had heard tales and rumors that Hungry Bear Restaurant did gluten-free sweet potato fries. Sweet potato fries are one of my most favorite things in the world. Honestly. Sure, fries probably aren’t the best recovery meal…but they were what I wanted. That was it. It was all I needed. Tawn walked me over to Hungry Bear and I headed up to go place my order. I reached the cashier and told her I heard they could do gluten-free sweet potato fries. She confirmed this and said she’d go and get the chef.
The chef emerged a few minutes later and said that fries could certainly be done gluten-free. I said that was all I wanted and went ahead and put in the order – gluten-free sweet potato fries ($3.99). I was sent up to the counter and I passed off the receipt and was told it would be a few minutes. I politely stepped aside, knowing this would be the case. But a few minutes turned into 5. Then 10. Soon the staff was shouting back to the kitchen about the gluten-free sweet potato fries because it had been on order for 15 minutes. The manager came out to apologize to me, saying that there had been a mix-up in the kitchen and it would be a few more minutes. He offered me a free dessert, but none of their desserts were gluten-free so I passed. After just over 20 minutes, my one little serving of sweet potato fries came up and I snagged them, went to grab some ketchup and finally went back down to meet Tawn. She had been waiting a long time. We had left Cathy at a table with her lunch, and it was long gone by the time we returned. Tawn went off to find herself something to eat and I finally dug in.
To their credit…the sweet potato fries were perfect. Crispy on the outside, soft in the center. Warm. Hot. Seasoned well. And just what I wanted. They were phenomenal. Definitely better than the oven baked ones that I make at home. I mean, I love making my own, but there is something so fantastic about sweet potato strips that are literally fried to perfection, seasoned well, and served up piping hot and fresh. So, while I think I aged a little standing in line waiting on an order the kitchen at Hungry Bear Restaurant forgot about…it was well worth the wait.
Tiki Juice Bar – Adventureland – Disneyland Park
Tiki Juice Bar, Adventureland, Disneyland Park
DOLE. WHIP. Need I say more? Let me say it one more time. DOLE WHIP! I love Dole Whip and ended up coming to the Tiki Juice Bar twice during my 3-day stay in Disneyland.
The second time I contemplated getting a Dole Whip Float…but wasn’t sure I had enough money for one. So, both times I ended up getting the standard Soft Serve Dole Whip ($3.69). LOVE.
It’s pineapple goodness in a cup. One that I will always take time to indulge in whenever I roam at Disney. Yeah…Dole Whip is an experience. One that shouldn’t be missed. EVER!
Carnation Café – Main Street, U.S.A. – Disneyland Park
Carnation Café, Main Street, U.S.A., Disneyland Park
The only other request that I made for while the four of us were all at Disneyland was simple. I needed gluten-free Mickey waffles in my life. So, Indy, as always being the rockstar, sought out a place that served them. She’s awesome like that. So, after a late night and an early morning (for me…as I went running for 7 miles for my marathon training), we headed into Disneyland for our last meal together as a group of four. Tawn was leaving that afternoon to head back to Fresno.
We arrived at Carnation Café just ahead of our reservation time. We were asked if we wanted to sit outside or inside. It was such a gorgeous morning that day that we chose to sit outside, as long as we were somewhere shady. The hostess found us the perfect spot and we all settled in and started to look at the menu.
When our waitress came over to the table, she explained that we actually had a different server, but he was on his break so she’d be taking care of us until he returned. We went ahead and told her that I couldn’t have gluten, something they were already aware of because Indy mentioned this when she made the reservation. Of course none of this was an issue. She said she’d go to get the chef and he would go over some options with me. He did emerge a few minutes later and asked what I was interested in having for breakfast. I gave him the hopeful eyes…Mickey waffles? He said he wasn’t sure they could make gluten-free Mickey waffles due to the surface they were cooked on…but he might be able to do regular pancakes (not Mickey shaped). But he said he’d go double check. He returned after everyone else placed their orders and said that he could make me gluten-free mini Mickey waffles safely. I was a happy girl, because I really, really wanted Mickey waffles while at Disneyland. Dreams really do come true.
I went ahead and ordered gluten-free Mickey waffles ($10.49) with fresh fruit instead of the sausage or bacon side…since I am vegetarian. They were happy to make that substitution for me. I also had this with fresh brewed Joffrey’s Coffee ($2.99).
The coffee was really good. Not too bitter. I sweetened it with real sugar…as my coconut sugar was left back in Indiana. After a short wait…out came our food. Only Tawn and I kept with the plan to get waffles. Indy ended up getting the Huevos Rancheros and Cathy got the All-American Breakfast.
My mini waffles were…delicious. Definitely not the golden crispy goodness that Tawn got out of her Mickey head waffle. But…the miniature Mickey waffles tasted amazing. I poured a little pure maple syrup over them and dug right in. I was given four Mickey waffle heads and ate all four of them without any shame or guilt. The fruit was gone in a flash. I am a fruit monster. They were able to accommodate me and get me the item on the menu that I truly wanted. Carnation Café was made of win.
So were the waffles…for the record. Epic…gluten-free…WIN!
Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar – Disneyland Resort Area – Disneyland Hotel
Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar, Disneyland Resort Area, Disneyland Hotel
Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar is like no other bar you have ever experienced. The food they serve is unique bar food. The drinks they serve are fun. The manner in which some drinks are served are SUPER fun and invoke chanting and lights flashing, ships going down, all of that. It’s a place you have to go to grab a drink. And, as this was our final day in Disneyland…we chose to do just that.
Food choices, for me, were rather limited. But, Indy was telling me about this amazing Green Papaya Salad ($?.??) that they served. We inquired with the bar tender about the ingredients and he went to check with the chef to see whether it was gluten-free and vegetarian. Turns out…it was. So, while Cathy and Indy split the Panko-Crusted Chinese Long Beans, I was served up a refreshing and quite delicious Green Papaya Salad.
No trip to Trader Sam’s is complete without having one of their famous drinks. As I’m always iffy and careful with alcohol…I decided to go with one of the non-alcoholic beverage specials served at the bar. My choice of Sam’s No Booze Brews was the Jungle River Sunset ($4.49) which is a mix of orange juice, falernum, and hibiscus grenadine, all topped off with soda water. And, yes…I ate my garnish.
Boardwalk Pizza & Pasta – Paradise Pier – Disney California Adventure Park
Boardwalk Pizza & Pasta, Paradise Pier, Disney California Adventure Park
It was getting late and our plan to see Fantasmic that night was about to be put into action. That being said, our appetizers from Trader Sam’s were long gone and we were definitely ready to eat some food. We ended up coming to Boardwalk Pizza and Pasta…because we were just really wanting Italian or something. Because originally I was going to get something else, but when they kept mentioning the pizza and pasta place…it just sounded better.
So, we entered Boardwalk Pizza & Pasta and it was another counter service sort of thing. I went up and mentioned that I was a gluten-free vegetarian and they sent for the chef. He was out in no time. Honestly. And when I told him I was a gluten-free vegetarian, he immediately mentioned the two standbys that the Italian restaurants have on hand at Disneyland…a personal-size gluten-free cheese pizza or rice noodles with a tomato marinara sauce. I’ve done the pizza. It’s the same as always…and not really worth the repeat. So, I went with the Gluten-Free Rice Pasta with the Tomato Marinara ($9.49). He said it would take about 10 minutes. And when he went back behind the counter, he immediately changed his gloves to start preparing my food. I breathed a sigh of relief. Cathy ordered a regular Spaghetti With Meatballs and Indy went with the Five Cheese Ravioli. They were both made to order, but Cathy’s came up way ahead of ours. We sent her outside to get us a seat. About 5 minutes later, my spaghetti arrived. And this serving was HUGE. We’re talking the King Kong of spaghetti dishes. Holy crap!! I figured I’d get maybe halfway through it and be done. Indy’s was the last to come up…so she was the last to join us at the table. Cathy had already started eating…I was just starting…so we had timing. At least none of us were left without food when all was said and done.
The rice pasta was really al dente. Not bad…but not as soft as normally rice pasta would be. The tomato sauce was rich and delicious and really made the dish, in my opinion. The spaghetti really would have been lackluster and disappointing without it. I sprinkled a bit of crushed red pepper onto the pasta to give it that slight kick that I like. Me and spicy food make for a loving relationship. Honestly. I like it hot. So, the spaghetti, like the quick service pizza, was…just okay. Nothing to really write home about…or go on any longer in this blog.
Indy’s Egg Scramble of Awesome
Indy’s Egg Scramble of Awesome
When you have fresh ingredients in your garden…what happens? You make your husband and your friends one of the most epic egg scrambles ever. Honestly…this was amazing. So delicious. So yummy. I still think about it. That’s why a homemade dish is being put into my blog. None of you, unless you also know Indy, will be able to taste this dish. None of you will get to enjoy it for the low cost of FREE…at her kitchen table…while drinking fresh and really delicious coffee. It’s just not going to happen.
She cooked and diced and sauteed potatoes in coconut oil, added fresh vegetables from her garden, and then scrambled up some eggs. Simple…but highly, highly delicious. One of my favorite breakfasts I’ve ever consumed. And it was filling. Perfect way to start off a day that took us to many glorious sandy locations!
The Local Peasant – Sherman Oaks, California
The Local Peasant, Sherman Oaks, California
This gastropub has no sign hanging up outside. There is no neon flashing the name of the pub. This is one of those places that if you didn’t know it was there, you would walk right on past it. Thankfully, it turned up on Find Me Gluten Free…and it just happens to be one of Indy and Evan’s favorite dining spots in their area. And I picked it. All by myself!
It was our last night in Los Angeles, and it was also Indy’s birthday. So, we went out to eat…although she told me to find somewhere. I was mainly focused on finding Cathy a place to have some fish and chips, so I focused on that first. The menu for The Local Peasant had not only vegan options marked, but also gluten-free options marked. And my requirement to eat something with avocado while in California would definitely be fulfilled.
It was a special night, so I went against my usual abstaining from alcohol for training purposes…mostly because it was Indy’s birthday and we were celebrating. But, they also had Green’s Quest Gluten-Free Triple Ale ($15.00). I’m not a beer drinker…at all…but it was a celebration. And, besides, Micky Dolenz of The Monkees was at the table next to ours. I needed something to take the fangirl edge off.
Where there is beer…there is also food. Our waitress just happened to also be gluten-free (in fact, her entire family is)…so she was a huge help. But…as I said…I had my heart set on something with avocado in it. I had to eat avocado while in California. It had to happen. So, when it came to dinner, my choice was obvious…the Edamame Vegetable Salad ($11.00). Why was that obvious? Because this salad was composed of edamame, corn, jicama, green beans, roasted peppers, avocado, toasted pepitas, and cashews with a rosemary and ginger vinaigrette.
It sounded like no salad I have had anywhere else. It had avocado on it, and really…it just sounded awesome. When it arrived, it was in a huge bowl…and I happily dug in. The vegetables were so fresh and awesome. I loved the texture the cashews and pepitas gave the entire dish. The green beans still had that nice, fresh crispness to them. The edamame is always one of my favorite things…and it was super good. Loved the depth the roasted peppers gave. The avocado, however, gave it this amazing creaminess. It was topped off with that really flavorful vinaigrette that really just brought everything together. It was the meal I needed to have. It was the last thing I would eat in California. It was…fantastic.
I’d go back to this gastropub in a heartbeat. And I hope to…the next time I find myself in California!
~*~*~
So…there it is. What I ate in California. I didn’t blog about the fries from In-N-Out Burger…because I did that back in 2011. But I did go there…and their frier is dedicated to just potatoes and makes their fries completely safe for me to eat. Part 2 will be all about the fantastic dinner that Indy treated our party to at Napa Rose. Trust me…that was a dining experience I wish I could relive over and over again. But you’ll read about that in the next blog…
I can only survive so long on protein bars, bananas, Greek yogurt, and ice cream. Although if I could live forever on ice cream, I’d probably do that. But, alas…it is not possible.
And when hitting the road, it’s not easy for me to just grab fast food. I mean…I’m a gluten-free vegetarian. That more than limits the field of places I truly can eat. And eat safely for that matter. After visiting my home town, as brief as it was, and driving back toward Columbus, Ohio…my partners in crime and I figured we best find somewhere to grab some actual food for dinner. We were all basically living off the snacks and ice cream we consumed earlier in the day. I consulted my Find Me Gluten Free app for the cities we would be passing through, and the one with the most options was also the furthest one away.
Erie, Pennsylvania.
After listing off what the app directed us toward, the three of us decided that sandwiches sounded really, really good. And the app was having us head toward Picasso’s. Picasso’s is Erie, Pennsylvania’s first and only truly gourmet sandwich shop. Their sandwiches range from one that has Twinkies on it with cheese and ham, to vegetarian offerings. The kicker, however, was that they offered gluten-free bread. YES!! We attempted to find the place on our own, but soon enlisted the help of the GPS on my phone. And Jenn and I spotted it just outside the ring road that circled the mall there in Erie. We directed Cathy up that way and eagerly got out of the car. Because, yes…we were hungry and ready to eat!
Upon stepping inside the place, I already liked the vibe. The lady behind the counter was very friendly and very nice. She greeted us immediately and we said we were traveling from out of town…and that I was a Celiac. She assured me that they change gloves and take special precautions to prevent cross-contamination. THEY KNEW WHAT CROSS CONTAMINATION WAS!! I felt better about this already. The difficult part now was deciding on what sandwiches to order. After all, these would see us from Erie all the way back to Columbus, Ohio.
After some menu perusal, we all came to our decisions.
Cathy went with Raphael, which consisted of cheese ravioli, baby spinach and mozzarella cheese on sourdough bread ($6.99). Jenn went with The Thinker, which basically has the customer choose three cheeses. I can’t remember exactly what she went with, but I believe it was provolone, mozzarella, and the cheese ravioli ($5.49). Yes…cheese ravioli is considered cheese there at Picasso’s. You gotta love that. And, honestly, where else have you ever seen ravioli on a sandwich? It was an interesting concept and one that intrigued both of them.
My table art at Picasso’s
As for me…I went with the Gluten-Free Venus De Milo ($8.49 – $6.49 sandwich with a $2.00 up-charge for gluten-free). My sandwich consisted of hummus, onion, shredded carrots, baby spinach, muffalata, tomato, avocado and roasted red pepper mayo on Schär gluten-free bread. Instead of going into a panini press like Cathy and Jenn’s sandwiches, mine was toasted and cooked to perfection in an oven…definitely eliminating the possibility of cross-contamination. They changed gloves and made my sandwich first, before working on my friends. I appreciated everything they were doing to ensure I would not get sick from eating there.
We took a seat with our drinks to wait for our food. What is really awesome is that the tables are painted black and on each one is a little metal bucket that contained sidewalk chalk. See where this is headed? While waiting on food, customers can make some art on these tables, draw, write, play games…whatever. It’s a fun little concept and the three of us put our artistic (or lack thereof) skills to work. Cathy drew what we call a “anorexic Thor” which got us laughing for a good long while.
But soon, food was arriving. Jenn’s sandwich first. Then Cathy’s. As mine was being toasted in an oven, it was taking a little longer. I told Cathy and Jenn to go ahead and eat their sandwiches while they were still warm. Both of them unwrapped their food and began to nosh. And just after their initial bites, my sandwich arrived, wrapped and ready for me to eat.
I can’t speak for them, but both Cathy and Jenn were quite impressed with how well ravioli on a sandwich worked. Why we never thought of this before…is way beyond me! These sandwiches must have been good because all three of us have been lamenting not having a Picasso’s near us. Sadness.
My Gluten-Free Venus De Milo Sandwich (wrapped)
As for my sandwich…well, to start…this was my first time having Schär’s sandwich bread. And it was awesome. Seriously. With gluten-free bread, you either get the ones that hold up or the ones that fall apart. This sandwich was loaded down with veggies as well as hummus and red pepper mayo. So…this had the potential to be very, very messy. But…it was a light golden color and held together, even with all the fillings and toppings and general awesomesauce stuffed in between. The muffalata was a bit scary…because I dislike olives. But…I went with it. I braved it. I figured it all had to come together somehow. And just like any work of art…it all did. The onions, the tomato, the carrots, the baby spinach, the avocado, the hummus, the olives, the red pepper mayo…it made for the perfect bite…every time. In fact, when I’d drip mayo out with some of the filling, I’d scoop it up and devour that too. That is how much I was enjoying this sandwich. It was savory, and sweet, and just A-MAZ-ING!! Seriously, I keep wanting to attempt to recreate it…along with what Jenn and Cathy had. I just know it wouldn’t live up to what we were served there at Picasso’s. Sandwich perfection. Truly. A masterpiece between two pieces of (gluten-free) bread.
I only wish there were more of these throughout the country…like in Louisville or Columbus. You know…where we live and all. We still crave another sandwich from there, which means they are doing something completely right. I loved the off-beat combinations that made up their sandwiches. And every sandwich was named after either an artist or a work of art. Like I said…the concept of this gourmet sandwich shop was fantastic. The fact that the food lived up to the concept was even better.
I encourage you, if you happen to be traveling through Erie, Pennsylvania, to stop in for a bite to eat at Picasso’s. The art of food, specifically sandwich crafting, is alive and well…and done to perfection. Trust me, you won’t regret it. Choose something you’d never dream of finding anywhere else. I promise, you’ll want to go back for more.
I grew up in a small town in Upstate New York. And while this town was small, there are still parts of it that I still talk about today.
Not just school. Not just softball. Not just my friends.
But places I used to go. Even small towns have malls…and as a teenager, I spent a lot of time at the Arnot Mall in Big Flats, New York. However…my most favorite place to go was what we locals referred to as “The Old Barn.” However, when this old barn was transformed into an ice cream shop, it became known as The Dairy Barn.
I spent so many spring and summer days eating ice cream off a cone. Usually I got a small chocolate/vanilla twist. Or the Dole Whip in a cone. Sometimes I’d get it dipped in chocolate or cherry topping. Sometimes I was allowed to have sprinkles. And on some rare occasions, I was able to pick from the hard ice cream flavors and have a really special treat.
When I went up to Utica, New York to run in a road race, Cathy and Jenn, my travel compatriots and two of my biggest race support crew, indulged me by allowing a rather big detour down through the Big Flats area. I had let those in the area know that I was going to be in town, briefly, on Sunday afternoon…and that should they want to get together…I would be hitting up The Dairy Barn.
Yes…this lactose intolerant girl was going to indulge in some ice cream. And why not? Ice cream is usually how I round off a race day anyway. This was no different…just somewhere else.
I can’t really write up a review of The Dairy Barn in Horseheads, NY. They are not like my local ice cream shop or Jeni’s up in Columbus, Ohio…meaning they don’t make their own ice cream. They do serve up Perry’s Ice Cream, however. Perry’s Ice Cream is native to Upstate New York…so at least it is somewhat local! So, I do give them that. The Dairy Barn can make up different sundaes (including banana splits…and I was tempted!) in addition to their regular ice cream in a cone or cup.
With my friends all assembled, we placed our orders. And there were definitely some fun flavors to choose from. I appreciated that The Dairy Barn had out their allergen list of all the flavors they were serving. This took a lot of guess work out and also meant that I could go with some of the hard ice cream instead of the Dole Whip, should I so choose. And so…that’s what I did.
The Dairy Barn serves up a “small” scoop of Perry’s White Lightning Ice Cream.
Now, these flavors are definitely fun and delicious. Jenn went for the flavor called Piece of Cake, which is light yellow cake ice cream with chocolate flavored frosting swirls and pound cake pieces inside. Cathy went with a unique flavor she had never seen before. It was definitely one of the more interesting sounding ones…being that it was popcorn flavored ice cream with sea salt caramel swirls and caramel truffles. My friend Karen got the same kind. As for me…I originally was going to get a flavor called Fools Gold (peanut butter ice cream with peanut butter candy swirls and chocolate coated toffee pieces), but changed my mind after spotting one called White Lightning. White Lightning is dark chocolate ice cream with streaks of thick mint flavored white fudge lightning. And it was AMAZING! Rich dark chocolate with yummy fudge throughout it. It was two of my favorite things all packed into a giant “small” scoop. Mint. Dark Chocolate. Heaven. I let it just melt away on my tongue and took my time to eat it…loving and indulging in every sinful spoonful.
If the ice cream shop isn’t making their own ice cream, I give them props for choosing a company that is based out of Upstate New York and quite regional. Loved every bite of my ice cream. And at The Dairy Barn, they don’t skimp on portions either. All of us got a cup of our ice cream of choice, and it was a big scoop of ice cream…probably 2 servings packed in. I didn’t care. I was going to devour every bit of it. And each cup of ice cream was very affordable too. That large serving of delicious Perry’s ice cream ran us $2.50 each. Can’t beat that. And that was for the “small” size. I can’t imagine what the large size would be.
But the best part of this journey was getting reacquainted with people I hadn’t seen in years. It was way too short of a time, but I enjoyed every moment with Jenn, Karen, and Shannon…who I hadn’t seen in 15 years…since graduating high school. No one really has changed. We all are still goofy, still having fun, and still enjoying life. And we all got to do it together…for about 45 minutes…over ice cream.
If you find yourself passing through the Horseheads/Big Flats area…swing by The Dairy Barn and grab a scoop of ice cream. Try out a flavor you may not see anywhere else. Go with family. Go with friends. Indulge. Do it with a smile. And know that The Dairy Barn keeps a list of all allergen information for all of their flavors at the counter. So do so with a sound mind.
And if you happen to be returning to the area…get together with friends. Friendship, smiles, laughter and ice cream. That’s what these days are all about.
Jen, Karen, Shannon and Me…some of my high school friends who made it out to The Dairy Barn in Horseheads, NY, for ice cream and some catching up. WOW…I missed them!
It’s the second weekend in July…and that means one thing when you live in Utica, New York.
Yep…
The Boilermaker!
Confused? Don’t be. The Boilermaker 15K Road Race was established in 1976 and has grown to become the largest 15K road race in the United States. Not only that, the Boilermaker is ranked as the most competitive 15K in the world, drawing people from all across the United States as well as from other countries. It’s a big freakin’ deal. And that was why I found myself in Utica, New York this past weekend. I was running in The Boilermaker 15K.
And…as we have established from blogs past…before any major road race, my fuel of choice is a gluten-free pizza.
Lucky for me, a lot of the guesswork on this trip when it came to food was taken out of the equation. My high school friend, Jean, lives in Utica and she was the one who really directed me toward this race. I was going to run it the year before, but…I had a conflict in the schedule. Not this year. So, when I told her that I would require a gluten-free pizza the night before, she was sending me two different local Italian places that both offered gluten-free pizza. They both sounded good, so my roommate and I flipped a coin.
And the winner…Charlie’s Pizza.
Jean said it was her favorite place to grab food, so this was already sounding promising.
After a long day on the road, getting reacquainted with old friends I hadn’t seen in 15 years, hitting up the race expo, and taking my friend Jenn to Florentine’s to place an order for delicious baked goods she used to get when she lived in Utica…we all were rather hungry. So, our next stop was dinner. And that meant we all piled back into Jean’s car and headed toward Charlie’s Pizza.
Looks can be deceiving, and when you first catch a glimpse of Charlie’s Pizza in Utica…well…you might be tempted to go elsewhere. Located next to the Big Lots, it’s a little strip mall sort of joint. It looks like a dive at first glance, but I’ve learned, sometimes these “dives” are the gems of the area when it comes to food. I wasn’t casting judgment. I was going to get my pizza! We walked in to Charlie’s Pizza and it reminded me a lot of those establishments that are run down but for all the right reasons. They’ve got longevity. They’ve been there awhile. One of the ladies behind the counter asked if we were dining in. We said we were so she told us to take a seat anywhere. As we were a party of five, we took the big table at the back, underneath the television. Soon, menus were passed our way and we began to peruse the selections while our drink orders were taken. This allowed the rest of us to decide what we were going to order. Cathy and I were definitely splitting a gluten-free pizza. Jen W. and Jean were going to split a large pepperoni pizza ($14.99). And Jenn went for an order of their Stuffed Shells ($9.99).
All Cathy and I needed to do now was choose our toppings. In the end, we went for what is becoming one of our favorite pizzas to order when all ingredients are available. We settled on a Gluten-Free Pizza with Onion, Mushroom, and Pineapple ($15.50 – small cheese pizza: $9.00, made gluten-free: add $3.00, with two extra toppings: add $2.00; with one premium topping: add $1.50).
With orders in, we settled back into talking. Jean and Jenn W. were high school friends of mine, and when I moved away in 1998, I hadn’t been back to see them. We had lots to talk about and to catch up on, so you can imagine the conversations we had while waiting on food. With their pizza and pasta, there were side salads and soup for “The 3 J’s” at the table. Both Jen and Jean got the tossed salad (minus the olives) and Jenn went with the Italian Wedding Soup. It was a nice way for them to calm their rumbling stomachs. And not too long after they polished those off…food began to arrive.
Everyone’s food looked great. Jenn had expected more than just three stuffed shells with her order, but she said it turned out to be just enough. Jean and Jen’s pizza looked amazing.
But this gluten-free vegetarian was ready to dive into her own pizza creation.
Charlie’s Pizza offers up the usual gluten-free crust…cracker crust. I am not a huge fan of cracker crust when it comes to pizza as it can go wrong so easily. However…Charlie’s Pizza got it totally right. For one thing, the waitress informed us that they pre-bake the crust before they top it and put it in the oven again. This helps get the right amount of crispness to the dough so that it doesn’t remain soggy toward the middle. There is nothing worse than a soggy gluten-free pizza crust. And trust me…I have had my share of those! The cheese was melt-in-your-mouth good. And it really paired well with the fresh vegetables and the pineapple that topped the pizza. The onions and mushrooms were baked in to perfection, so that the flavors melted into the cheese and crust instead of being too bold and standing out. And the sweet pineapple was ripe and added the right hit of sweetness. The sauce was fantastic. And I loved that, while it took a bit of time to eat, the crust never once grew soggy as it sat on the tray. Not once. It remained crisp and a beautiful golden color. No burned edges. No struggling to get the pizza out of the pan. This was easy…simple…and totally delicious. I was impressed.
Highly impressed!!
Much thanks to Charlie’s Pizza for the amazing gluten-free eats the night before what turned out to be a fun, but grueling 15K the following morning. I felt well fueled for the run and have them to thank for not making me break my pre-race-night food tradition. I felt completely safe eating there as it came highly recommended by Jean. The pizza wasn’t greasy…which means everything sat well in my stomach. And it was honestly just really good food made by a great family-run business.
Thanks for the suggestion, Jean. Outstanding pizza to compliment an outstanding trip!
Charlie’s Pizza’s Gluten-Free Mushroom, Onion and Pineapple Pizza
Product: thinkThin Caramel Fudge High Protein Bar – $1.99+
It’s sometimes hit or miss when it comes to protein bars. Honestly. They can be amazing…or they can taste like cardboard…or worse. Yes…there have been worse. But, for me, with the exception of one bar so far, thinkThin has not let me down. In fact, a majority of the products I have tried from thinkThin have been good. Some even really good. Some better than really good.
Due to a sale at my local grocery store, I ended up picking up a couple of these bars because, for the most part, I can trust them to be filling and taste good. Hey…I’ll eat something that is just “good.” I might be a little picky when it comes to flavors, but if it’s edible, I will eat it. That being said, I picked up one I previously reviewed…Creamy Peanut Butter…and then the Caramel Fudge.
This past weekend I was out of town…which meant I needed to pack the onslaught of protein bars in case I was hungry and there was nothing around for me to eat. At conventions, that can happen. And it did. Honestly. Thankfully, I have learned to always be prepared.
On Sunday morning, however, after a 7 mile run, I returned to the room to shower and eat breakfast. I had brought apples, raisins, and peanut butter to make apple sandwiches for my roommate and I, but I also knew it would be awhile before we were going to eat lunch…so we decided to split the thinkThin Caramel Fudge High Protein Bar.
Before I get into the taste, I figure I’ll hit up the general nutritional info on these bars. First of all, what I love about thinkThin’s High Protein Bars are that they contain around 15-20 grams of protein per bar (which 1 bar is a serving). That’s awesome. They are gluten-free and sugar-free as well. I appreciate that especially as I start to lean toward more clean eating…while balancing a very active lifestyle. This particular flavor of bar contains 240 calories and 9 grams of fat. In addition to that, you get only 300 mg of sodium and less than 5 mg of cholesterol. One of the Caramel Fudge bars has only 1 gram of fiber and then 20 grams of protein. For the active and protein challenged like me, this is an ideal choice for a snack before or after a run. Honestly.
But…the big question loomed. How would it taste?
I sliced the bar in half, the chocolate coating giving way to the nougat-like caramel filling that it surrounded. Given that this was the Caramel Fudge flavor from thinkThin, this is a good thing. It was also good that this bar smelled like chocolate covered caramel. So far, so good. Taste-wise…well…
It tasted a lot like it smelled…sweet and a little salty. One of my favorite combinations. So, it was a bit like having a chocolate covered salty caramel goodie. And salted caramel is one of the best things in the world, if you ask me. Really. It is. What I loved about the flavor of this one is that it didn’t taste like the protein that is added to it. Too often, that protein powder is so evident in protein bars, but not this one. This had a very smooth flavor. The chocolate had the right amount of sweetness to make it feel like a treat as well. The chocolate shell was soft, but had this crispness to it when it was split in half. It was nice. The texture was moist without being chalky…making it very palatable. Yeah…I totally fell in love with this one. Definitely ranking up as one of my favorites to date. The peanut butter varieties still rank at the very top so far though. Just sayin’.
If you are looking for a delicious protein bar, this one definitely gives you a 20 gram protein punch for your buck. Honestly. thinkThin is one of the products I continue to return to. While not completely void of sugar (they use sugar alcohols), they are one of the better choices out on the market. And I am so glad that my friend Tawn introduced me to these bars a couple of years back when I visited in California. Beyond impressed. And soon…more will find their way into my run snack drawer. Very soon.
Nicely done, thinkThin. I applaud you…and will restock sometime in the very near future.
thinkThin Caramel Fudge High Protein Bar (unwrapped)
So, I’m in Indianapolis. That morning, I ran 10 miles for training. My lunch was a gluten-free cookie and an orange. It was after 6 p.m. and I was starving. I had just finished up a string of back-to-back panels at a local sci-fi convention in Indianapolis, the entire reason I was in Indianapolis in the first place. My initial thought was a gluten-free sandwich from Jason’s Deli, but that would require leaving the convention hotel, driving out to the restaurant, which wasn’t nearby, and sitting and eating. And I honestly just didn’t have the energy.
So, my roommate and I hijacked the computer in the business center and started surfing Find Me Gluten Free.
And pizza…that’s not only convention food…it just sounded really, really, really good.
The most highly recommended place on the search was a local place called Jockamo Upper Crust Pizza. We pulled up the Web site, and…there it was…a 10 inch gluten-free crust. Awesome. We wrote down the number and checked the delivery area. And we were just a block or two outside of the delivery region. Cathy decided it was worth a try to ask if they would deliver to us, as they weren’t that far away. So, she called. And they were more than happy to accommodate. That was awesome.
We placed our order…one gluten-free pizza with mushrooms, red onion, and pineapple ($14.00). It just sounded…really good. With the order in, we were told it would be about 35 minutes, as it was a Saturday. So, we decided to keep ourselves occupied until we got the call that they were nearby. We’d meet the delivery guy in the lobby. We walked around and talked with some people while we waited and when they asked where we ordered pizza from, and we said Jockamo…they all melted and practically salivated on the spot. If that is any indication of what we were in for…I was beyond excited. And really, really hungry to boot.
It felt like no time had passed at all when Cathy’s cell phone rang. We skittered to the front lobby and had only a few minutes to wait before the delivery guy walked through the door and tracked us down. The pizza was handed over and we paid him, extra tip for coming outside of the delivery area. And then…no waiting, we hurried back to the hotel room to dive in and get some food in our stomachs.
I flipped open the pizza box and found the typical pizzeria gluten-free pizza. A cracker crust topped with red sauce, our toppings of choice, and cheese. I snapped a picture and then it was game on. We were starving and the pizza smelled fantastic.
So…we dove in. And devoured the pizza in less than 10 minutes, if that is any testimony as to how good it tasted. And this wasn’t just the “OH MY GOD I AM SO HUNGRY I WILL EAT WHATEVER IS IN FRONT OF ME REGARDLESS OF WHETHER IT TASTES GOOD OR NOT” sort of hungry. It honestly tasted really, really good.
Let’s start with the crust. The thin crust was cooked almost to perfection. Almost. It had a really good flavor, but it just didn’t have that golden crustiness that I prefer with my pizza crusts, which meant, it came across as being a little soggy. Of course, some of that could be a reflection of the fact that it was cooked, packed in a box, put in a car and delivered to us. So, I’m not saying the crust was bad at all. It just didn’t have that crunch to it when I bit into it. The red sauce was fantastic. I’m not just saying that. The tomato flavors were rich and bold and seasoned to perfection. The toppings we selected were fantastic. The mushrooms, onions and pineapple were all cooked to perfection, the pineapple’s sweetness being a nice contrast to the umami flavor of the mushrooms and the bite of the onions. And then…the cheese. A nice hit of saltiness that the pizza needed…creamy and gooey and just…the entire package was phenomenal. Yep. I was impressed.
Like I said…we devoured that pizza in less than 10 minutes, each of us getting three slices each. No holds barred. It was gone as quickly as it had arrived and we were left licking marinara off our fingers and happily discussing how every bite of that pizza was beyond delicious. We were now fortified for the long evening ahead of us.
Jockamo Upper Crust Pizza really surprised me. I didn’t know what to expect, just that all the locals were salivating whenever we mentioned where we ordered pizza for our dinner. And that was enough testimony to put my mind to ease. If we had scrolled a bit further through the menu, we also would have discovered that they also offer gluten-free cookies, made by Deihdre Alltop. I didn’t know about these…but now that I do…next time I’m in Indianapolis and order from Jockamo (there will be a next time…YUM!), I think dessert will have to happen as well. Because with a choice of three different gluten-free cookies…you just can’t go wrong.
Needless to say, the service at Jockamo Upper Crust Pizza, their willingness to come just outside of the delivery area and deliver to us at the convention hotel, spoke volumes of their service. Their food…especially that house made marinara…did the rest of the talking. Honestly, one of the best sauces I have ever encountered on a pizza. It was cooked up really well…the toppings were fresh and complimented the sauce, the crust, everything. I was beyond impressed.
If you are in the Indianapolis or Greenwood area, go by Jockamo Upper Crust Pizza and get a pizza. Dine in, take out, have it delivered. Just trust me…you really want to try it. I was one happy gluten-free pizza loving girl, let me tell you. And I’ve had a lot of gluten-free pizza in my life. This one…is definitely near the top of the list.
Jockamo Upper Crust Pizza’s Gluten-Free Pizza with Mushrooms, Red Onion and Pineapple
Erbert & Gerbert’s Sandwich Shop, Apple Valley, Minnesota
Restaurant: Erbert & Gerbert’s Sandwich Shop, Apple Valley, Minnesota
It has been ages since I have set foot into a sandwich shop. Ages. No Subway. No Quiznos. I used to frequent them all the time. ALL. THE. TIME. Then, the news came that I had to go gluten-free…and these favorite places to grab a quick sandwich fell to the wayside. No gluten-free options available. At least not here. I have heard the rumblings that Subway has tested a gluten-free market in some locations…but nothing further has come of that. Which is too bad. I really loved my lunches from Subway.
My sandwich shop hiatus, however, came to an end while I was visiting Minnesota this past week. I came to see my family, spend time with my grandpa, aunt, cousins…old friends…and run. Run a freakin’ half marathon while there. Because…that’s what I do. Every trip I take these days has to be centered around what I eat and where. It’s imperative, when you have food allergies and intolerance that you have an idea of where you can safely eat while on the go. I am on the go a lot on my trips, even ones to see my 91-year-old grandpa and company.
On my last day in Minneapolis, I was tooling about the Twin Cities, hitting up some bookstores, running stores, indulging in a massive banana split (which I split with my roomie) to celebrate a good race on Sunday…and as 3:00 p.m. neared, and the imminant time to head back to grandpa’s house to pack up and head to the airport for our 7:00 p.m. flight back to Louisville, Cathy and I knew we needed to get some actual food into our system. And it was best done outside of the rather exorbitant airport choices, not that there is ever much that I can eat at an airport.
Before leaving Louisville, we were scouting out some restaurant options and Cathy spotted this small, regional chain called Erbert & Gerbert’s Sandwich Shop. Why did it catch her eye? Gluten-free options…and not limited to a salad bar. In fact…salad isn’t even an option (like at other sandwich shops like Subway and Quiznos) on their menu. This place is all about the sandwiches, and they proudly serve up a gluten-free option on Udi’s bread. Not just any Udi’s bread though. Erbert & Gerbert’s serves up their gluten-free sandwiches on a specially designed 6-inch Udi’s sub rolls. So, you get to actually eat like everyone else in your party. How amazing is that?
Never heard of Erbert & Gerbert’s Sandwich Shop before? You are not alone. The small, very regional chain got it’s start more than 20 years ago in Eau Claire, Wisconsin and have since grown to include 50 sandwich shops within the United States. Their sandwiches are given fun names and prepared with flavor as the main focus. If flavor doesn’t shine in a sandwich, why bother eating it, right? So, at Erbert & Gerbert’s…it’s more about finding ingredients that work together, flavors that really inspire and astound the taste buds, and it’s not just an assembly line of various fillings and toppings. Sandwich making is an art. And it’s one that they do very well.
Cathy and I came into the Erbert & Gerbert’s Sandwich Shop in Apple Valley, Minnesota with an early dinner on the mind. I ordered first, as I was the problem child between the two of us. A gluten-free vegetarian, however, is no challenge here.
My choice of sandwich was a Gluten-Free Jacob Bluefinger ($6.44 – regular price is $4.49, but there is an additional charge of $1.99 for the gluten-free bread). No problem at all. They rang it up. Cathy chose the Giza ($5.49), which is, basically, Erbert & Gerbert’s BLT Sandwich. It has cherry wood smoked bacon, lettuce, tomato and Hellmann’s mayo. She got her sandwich on the honey wheat bread.
So…how does a sandwich shop handle gluten-free without the fear of cross contamination? For Erbert & Gerbert’s Sandwich Shop, it’s as simple as having a separate prep station for the gluten-free options. Psst…Subway…Quiznos…you might want to start taking notes! The chain actually certified three of their subs, the Boney Bill (classic turkey breast sandwich), the Comet Morehouse (ham & provolone), and the Jacob Bluefinger (vegetarian) as gluten-free as they are prepared separately from the rest. You can get any of the chain’s 21 sandwich’s done gluten-free for an additional charge…but those sandwiches will not be certified gluten-free as the ingredients will be taken from the other sandwich prep area. Erbert & Gerbert’s also reworked two existing soup recipes, the Cheddar Cheese & Broccoli as well as the Cheesy Asparagus soups to be gluten-free without changing the flavor of the soup. Gotta love that.
I took a seat at the table and watched as Cathy’s sandwich was prepared on one station by one of the workers behind the counter. Mine was prepared on a separate station by the one who took our order in the first place. Both sandwiches came up to the counter at the same time and she and I tucked back into our booth to enjoy.
Aside from being a certified gluten-free sandwich as well as a great vegetarian option, I bet you are wondering what the hell the Jacob Bluefinger sandwich might be. Let me enlighten you…
Jacob Bluefinger is one of Erbert & Gerbert’s Classic Flavors. For me, it’s a gutted gluten-free sub roll from Udi’s that is packed full of double provolone cheese, tomato, lettuce, Hellmann’s mayo and avocado. Sound delicious? Believe me…it is. In order to pack as much flavor into their sandwiches, Erbert & Gerbert’s removes the soft inner layer of bread and really layers in the toppings. When the sandwich is complete, they place the “guts” of the bread on top of the sandwich and serve it up.
I took one bite of my sandwich…and knew…right then…that I needed to make this at home. Because there are no Erbert & Gerbert’s locations anywhere near where I live. Nope. None. Zero. This sandwich was phenomenal. The provolone cheese really paired well with the sweetness of the avocado. The tomatoes added another nice taste, as they were ripe and just mingled well with the other ingredients. The lettuce was crisp and fresh, bringing some texture to the sandwich. Oh…this was heaven. Here I was…finally eating a sub sandwich. It had been over two years since I had been able to do that. And I did so without any worries or fears that I could get sick from cross contamination. And, the sandwich itself contained all of my favorite things…especially avocado, which I am obsessed with. This cold sandwich was amazing. Packed with creamy flavors that all worked together. I savored every bite I could. This might be the only time this year I got to actually enjoy a gluten-free sub sandwich. And yes…I really enjoyed it. Flavor definitely is key at Erbert & Gerbert’s…and this combination is a stellar winner in my book.
Here in the Louisville, Kentucky area, there are certainly a plethora of sandwich shops. However, these have no options for me nor any way of preparing something safely without fear of cross contamination. In my world, Subway and Quiznos are no-go’s. To have a place like Erbert & Gerbert’s Sandwich Shop would be amazing. For now, though, it looks like I must leave it as something to look forward to on my annual trek up to Minnesota. I was blown away by the standards and the food here. Now I know why this is my cousin Natalie’s favorite place to grab a sandwich. Delicious. And certified gluten-free! This…is my happy face.
Erbert & Gerbert’s Gluten-Free Jacob Bluefinger Sub Sandwich
The Celiathlete 