Da Luciano Pizza, Pasta, and Catering is by far the best Italian restaurant that I have been to since I’ve been eating gluten free. If you live in the Chicagoland area OR if you are lucky enough to be traveling that way, this place is a must! Continue reading “Da Luciano: Gluten Free Italian Food at Its Finest”
Category: Restaurants
The Mustard Seed Restaurant: Gluten Free Breakfast in Solvang, California
We just spent a couple of days in Solvang, a charming, Danish-like town. You would think it might be difficult to find a gluten free breakfast amid the Danish Aebleskiver and pastry shops. Not true. Continue reading “The Mustard Seed Restaurant: Gluten Free Breakfast in Solvang, California”
New Finds: Starbucks Adds GF Options
Thanks, Starbucks, for giving us more gf options when we stop in for our “Cup of Joe”. The number of gluten free food items is growing at Starbucks. If you are a frequent morning patron at Starbucks, they now have Sous Vide Egg Bites. These are a great gluten free option for those of us who haven’t had the option of grabbing breakfast at Starbucks. You have two choices: bacon & gruyere and egg white & red pepper. I’ve tried the bacon & gruyere. They are delicious and surprisingly filling.
In addition, at our local Starbucks, we noticed a complete gf section of packaged foods which even includes chocolate covered pretzels with caramel. One thing to note: There wasn’t any signage around these gluten free options, so be sure to read the packaging. You might be surprised at the gf options available at Starbucks!
Best One Piece of Advice for Chefs and Restaurant Owners
Dear Restaurant Owners, Please Train Your Staff!
Dear Restaurant Owners: Let me start by saying, I am a big fan. I have tremendous respect for the creativity and the passion it takes to operate a restaurant. You have a distinctive sense of hospitality and a love of food. My husband and I share that love of food, and we love dining out. It’s kind of our hobby!
But when I discovered that I needed to remove gluten from my diet, I thought our dining out days were over. Soon I learned that with a little information and knowing what questions to ask, I could still eat a meal outside of my home.
Since then, we have dined at many restaurants from coast to coast. We’ve learned the gluten free knowledge of wait staff can vary greatly from restaurant to restaurant. I have had the pleasure of dining at places with exceptionally well educated wait staff. Unfortunately, I’ve also driven home from dinners doubled over in pain, because our server was not well informed.
So, if I could make a request of all restaurant owners, it would be to educate your wait staff to be well versed in the gluten free items on your menu. I make this request on behalf of the entire gluten free community. With a basic knowledge of what ingredients go into the food you are serving and understanding which ingredients contain gluten; your staff can direct us with certainty.
There is a level of comfort to me, as a restaurant patron, knowing that my server understands what gluten free means, and that he/she can guide me through a menu. And when I am comfortable, I become a regular patron.
Dream Sweets Baking Co. – A Hidden Gem in Upland
Last year, without a cake for my daughter’s birthday and without enough time to make one, I typed “gluten free bakeries” in a Google search. Dream Sweets Baking Co. came up as an option. I was thrilled to see that they make gluten free cakes (and they make BEAUTIFUL WEDDING CAKES!), brownies, pies, cupcakes, and breads. The breads are not sandwich breads but “cake” like breads including zucchini, blueberry lemon, pineapple coconut, and banana to name a few. I think I’ve tried most of them! Continue reading “Dream Sweets Baking Co. – A Hidden Gem in Upland”