Search results matching tag 'gluten free'

Jamie's GF Kitchen

Glad to be Gluten Free — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 19:02:00 GMT

Jamie's GF Kitchen - Gluten Free Gem in Atlanta!

Most of you know that I organize the Atlanta GF Dinner Club, but you might not know that I have two incredible Assistant Organizers that I could not live without! Thank you to both Lori and Jamie for keeping me sane on this gluten free journey we share. I hope one day such a group as ours will not be needed, but right now I love working with these great ladies to expand our gluten free dining out options in the ATL!

Jamie actually started a gluten free food company last year called Jamie's GF Kitchen. She serves up some of the finest (gluten free) comfort food you'll find anywhere - as well as my husband's favorite dessert ever - gluten free cream puffs. Jamie even makes them with semi-sweet chocolate on request as the husband can't do dark or bittersweet chocolate. In fact, Jamie will do anything she can, to accommodate special diet needs. Everything she makes is gluten free but she can do dairy free as well if you ask her to. Please refer to her website for more information on this.

Jamie's portions are large but you can divide portions up to freeze and use as needed. There is a certain joy in knowing you have killer mac-n-cheese in your freezer that just needs to be defrosted and reheated. We had the spicy version (Jamie offers traditional as well) with fried pork chops for Valentine's Day dinner. The husband and I made everything except the mac-n-cheese. The star of the meal was of course - Jamie's mac-n-cheese. And we're both pretty good cooks....we just don't compare to Jamie in that arena.

Below: top to bottom - brownies, cream puffs, cheesecake (with chcolate chip cookie crumb crust!) , stuffed mushrooms.

Even though I prefer to eat out when I travel, it occurred to me that someone visiting our fair city might want to order from Jamie, so they have safe meals when here. This is assuming they have accommodations that offer guests in room food storage and heating. I think really a small fridge and microwave would be all you need. And if you don't plan to eat in your hotel room, then just order the cream puffs so you can experience pure gluten free bliss during your visit. Serve them to glutenoids to share the joy. They are fabulous, period. They might be free of gluten but they are FULL of incredible taste!!! This is true no matter what you order from Jamie's GF Kitchen.

Whether you live here or are just visiting - do yourself a favor and check out Jamie's GF Kitchen. You will not be disappointed! One day I hope we can enjoy Jamie's fabulous food in a totally gluten free restaurant in Atlanta. My theory is if you create it (incredible gluten free food) they will come!

Fabulous Outback Steakhouse !!! (only in Roswell, GA)

Glad to be Gluten Free — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 22:39:00 GMT

When I ate gluten, I never chose to eat at Outback Steakhouse, or any other chain for that matter. There were times I was forced to eat at chains...when traveling or with in-laws maybe. So after my Celiac diagnosis, I was surprised to find out that Outback was one of the first chain restaurants that offered a gluten free menu nationwide. There was one near us (in the next burb over) so we got a few take-out orders from that location. The meals were gluten free but nothing special. And so I decided that just because I had Celiac, I would not be limited to dining at chains. That was over two years ago.

Then in July 2008, one of my dinner club members posted something about the Outback in Roswell, GA offering some exciting gluten free menu choices including fried coconut shrimp made with a cornstarch batter and cooked in clean oil. I thought that was nice for people who like Outback but I wasn't moved to make the 28 mile trek to patronize a chain. Then I heard from more members who had simply wonderful experiences there and said we had to take our dinner club there. OK already. I committed to go over there but I had doubts that I would be as impressed as others had been. I'm a pretty hard customer to begin with, and they already had a strike against them. Outback is after all, a chain restaurant.

We arrived around 6 pm on a Sunday night. The place wasn't hopping yet which is the way I like it. They need to have time to prepare my food correctly so we never go out during the dinner 'rush'. Quickly after we were seated, we were greeted by Julie, a visiting manager from Ohio who has Celiac. She is the person who got the 'new gluten free items' ball rolling so to speak. She explained how all this came to be - just a comment made to Tom (managing partner) that she really missed coconut shrimp. It was her favorite Outback meal until her diagnosis of Celiac three years earlier. And so Tom made Julie some coconut shrimp in a cornstarch better in a clean pan. She loved it! But Tom wanted to make this dish taste like the gluten version and so he tried several variations (using gluten free flour) until he finally got it down pat. So that's what I got on my first visit back in over two years - coconut shrimp and mac-n-cheese and chicken tenders. Well the husband got the fingers just so I could taste them. They were very good - the shrimp however was most excellent! The mac-n-cheese rivaled that of S'MAC in NYC. Oh and I had a Bard's Tale beer to go with my meal - I was in gluten free Heaven!

Before our meal was over we got to meet Tom, the creator of all these gluten free delights, who happens to have a culinary degree. He went over the specifics of his new gluten free fryer (not an old fryer converted) and how there is a splash guard/cover that prevents oil from the gluten fryer from contaminating the gluten free oil. He's overly concerned about cross contamination, as everyone making gluten free food should be, but often aren't. It was so refreshing to find someone truly dedicated to making us interesting and tasty meals - and at a chain restaurant to boot!

And remember, this all started with one person - Julie - asking for what she wanted. Gluten free coconut shrimp. And she got it. And now anyone who can get to the Roswell, GA Outback can have these fabulous dishes as well. I went back recently for dinner with a gluten free friend and some glutenoids. We all shared the gluten free bloomin' onion and could not get over how great it was, better than the gluten version. That's Julie below with the first ever gluten free bloomin' onion!

I think Outback might be considering bringing these offerings to other locations, where there is a large gluten free population at least. It might take a couple of years as there is a LOT involved in making these dishes truly safe for us. Still, a couple of years ago I never thought I'd order coconut shrimp, chicken fingers or mac-n-cheese out in a restaurant ever again. One person can make a difference, but together we make a big difference. Why not do your part to change the gluten free world? Remember, it never hurts to ask for what you want in life. You never know when you might actually get it.

UPDATE: The Roswell Outback has now tweaked their gluten free batter to be even better than before. That gifted owner Tom is always improving on everything he does. They recently started serving gluten free buns that are light and fluffy. Yes. I said the words 'light and fluffy' when speaking of gluten free hamburger buns. This Outback also has Green's Belgium gluten free beer in addition to the U.S. brewed Bard's Tale. To say this restaurant aims to please is quite the understatement. What they want to do - and are very successful at doing - is rock the gluten free consumer off their seats! Thanks Julie and Tom for everything you do every day to make our lives tastier than we could imagine it ever being. You truly rock our gluten free world!!!

GLUTEN FREE PIZZA HITS ATLANTA!

Glad to be Gluten Free — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 18:05:00 GMT

Z Pizza started serving gluten free pizza in Atlanta in late 2008. I've eaten at all three Metro locations and the gluten free crust they use is pretty good. They have confirmed that all their dressings are gluten free and the only sauces that contain gluten are the one for the Thai pizza and the BBQ sauce. One of the most unique things about Z Pizza are their unusual topping offerings. It's such a nice change to find something different AND gluten free without spending a fortune for fine dining. Z's offers a very copmetitive price for gluten free pizza in this market...and most others I'm aware of come to think of it. They only charge $2 extra for the 10" gluten free crust. Below is the classic pepperoni pizza with an Italian salad....so good!

We recently attended the soft opening party at the Z Pizza in Duluth - located about three miles north of Natural Foods Warehouse on 141. It was the place to be on an otherwise sleepy Sunday evening in the burbs. The place was swarming with people of all ages enjoying delicious salads, pizzas and even apple pie pizza for dessert! Yes, they even make a gluten free version of that for us.

What I find strange about the gluten free community is that the number one thing that people miss once on a gluten free diet is pizza (according to surveys in the US and abroad), yet the hardest thing to get gluten free dining customers to try is gluten free pizza. It's true most places are baking the pizzas in one oven - gluten crusts are next to the gluten free ones. But the crust is wet when it goes in the oven and flour is not flying all around in the actual oven. The places I eat - including the pizza joints I enjoy - have taken steps to keep the gluten free pizzas from being contaminated with gluten. While I have no doubt that someone will eventually open a 100% gluten free restaurant in our area, it's quite doubtful that anyone is going to open a 100% gluten free pizza place here.

Please - if you eat gluten free for any reason and are in the Metro Atlanta area, at least give Z Pizza a try. Locations/phone numbers can be found here. If you don't have a good experience you don't have to go back. But the management there would like to make things right if things go awry I'm sure. My bet is that you'll not only like Z's but you'll become a regular customer because there is just something about having pizza with friends that is good for the soul. When you're there you might ask them to bring in Bard's Tale beer for us....or even Redbridge (worst case).

If you haven't tried Z's yet, here is what you're missing....

TOP: something with peppers and sausage...sorry it was my friends pizza and I forgot the name. MIDDLE: Italian without fresh tomatoes (personal choice) BOTTOM: Apple Pie pizza, it's heavy on the almond flavor with a hint of caramel sauce. Loved it!

Z Pizza (in Alpharetta and Duluth, GA) is about to introduce a gluten free brownie dessert good enough for everyone to enjoy! It'll have you saying 'I can't believe it's gluten free!'

If you haven't tried Z's in a while, you might want to check out how they recently improved the taste and texture of the gluten free crust. They have implemented a cross contamination prevention system that is probably the best I've seen in the Metro Atlanta area. Z Pizza is really quite a bargain for gluten free pizza and everyone can use a bargain these days!

Rosa Mexicano - Gluten Free gourmet Mexican fare in Atlanta

Glad to be Gluten Free — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 16:27:00 GMT

Rosa Mexicano opened in Atlantic Station well over a year ago and somehow I never tried it until September of this year. I’d read a rave review of the Manhattan location but thought I was reading a review for the Atlanta location as it was on Catherine’s blog. I thought she’d tried the Atlanta restaurant when visiting as she often did when at her previous job. After seeing the pictures of the food she had in NYC, I had to try and eat at the location here - if possible to do so safely gluten free. The menus vary slightly at each location but most of the menu items in Atlanta are naturally gluten free. I found this out by speaking with a company executive in NYC.

Our first visit to Rosa Mexicano was for brunch. It was good, but basic breakfast food with a Mexican twist. I had an egg and cheese scramble served in an iron skillet with rice and beans (they are both gluten free). We also had chips with red and green salsa and the red sauce was phenomenal. We have some good glutenoid friends that are always willing to try new places with us and they enjoyed their meals as well.

My next meal at Rosa Mexicano was for lunch. I met a gluten free friend there and we had the tableside guacamole service to start. It was surprisingly fast and very good. Still, the red sauce was my favorite for the chips. I could eat it by the gallon. For my meal I tried Suizas (two soft corn tortillas filled with pulled roasted chicken, topped with a creamy tomatillo sauce and queso fresco), which the server recommended and it was really good. I took half of it home for later. My friend ordered something similar to chicken fajitas and also enjoyed her dish.

Right when we thought our meal was over the server brought out desserts which the manager had ordered for us. The Chef made us Mexican Sundaes complete with both vanilla and chocolate ice cream and Mexican caramel sauce which included toasted coconut. It was amazing and I don’t even really like ice cream desserts.

When in Atlanta, or anywhere they have a Rosa Mexicano location, you should treat yourself to a gourmet Mexican meal, whether you’re gluten free or not. They are a customer service oriented restaurant which you’d assume all restaurants are but....at least here, that is not the case. Many places are all style without much substance to back it up. Rosa Mexicano is the real deal!

Rosa Mexicano at Atlantic Station

245 18th Street NW
Atlanta, GA, 30363

Tel. (404) 347-4090
Fax (404) 347-4009

Beleza - an 'almost' Gluten Free restaurant in Atlanta!

Glad to be Gluten Free — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 23:55:00 GMT

Beleza opened quite a while ago in downtown Atlanta. Their concept was unique to say the least. They didn't have an oven or use processed sugar and had only one item that contained gluten. You would think I would have been their first customer but my husband is not really into Tapas and that's what this place offers. They offer the best quality ingredients of any such place around to be sure, but still they offer just Tapas - or small plates. Either term fits and hence my problem with the husband. I even read a Trip Advisor review that said 'the only problem with this place is that men won't like it'. Great.

Finally last weekend, over a year after they opened, I made it to Beleza. They are on their second Chef but they are still not using sugar or an oven and the only gluten dish is a side of farro which is an ancient form of wheat. We made it a girls night out (if one can call a 6 pm dinner on a Saturday night that) and headed down from the burbs for a gourmet gluten free meal. Two in our party were even glutenoids so props to them for agreeing to join our gluten free adventure!

On arrival I realized that employees outnumbered the customers but I get the feeling that Beleza doesn't even pretend to get cranking until after 9 pm. The menu has more drinks listed than food selections. I ordered a cocktail I thought I'd enjoy and loved it. It tasted like tequila to me but was supposed to be infused rum...whatever. For only $8 it's the best deal on a cocktail I've had downtown in a while. Not everyone in our party liked their drink choices but they were able to swap drinks with each other and live with them.

Since the glutenoids in our party didn't care about having farro, we were all able to share everything we ordered with each other. We had the lobster salad, shrimp and scallop Ceviche and the dip appetizer to start. Two of the three dips were good enough make me feel like not sharing but I was nice and of course shared with the other ladies. The term onion dip seems boring but this one was far from it. The cheese dip was killer as well. The one thing I tried only one bite of and thought it didn't live up to everything else was the black eyed pea dip. Two of us agreed on this but the other two loved it. One criticism of this appetizer was that we had to ask for extra Cassava chips and celery sticks to scoop the dips with. Clearly a place like this knows we are going to share with each other and the table next to us got a lot more 'dippers' than we did for the same dish.

For my entree I had the Lobster Salad (shown below the dip plate) as did another in our party. Others tried a fish of the day (above top) and the cooked shrimp (in the bowl). Both loved their selections, though the fish special actually needed salt. To be honest, I'm not sure I've ever had such fresh tasting ingredients at any restaurant in Atlanta. One would think the lobster traps were pulled out of the water a few feet from the place. The fruit that is part of this dish seemed as if someone pulled it off a tree or off a stalk that day.

When you are gluten free, you're used to leaving without dessert when dining out. Personally, I can take only so much creme brulee or chocolate mousse and I don't care for ice cream. I could have left without dessert at Beleza and been totally satisfied. But a dinner club member told me about the chocolate tart there - she is gluten free, dairy free, soy free and even more things free. She can almost never have dessert when dining out. When she described this decadent treat to me I knew I could not pass it up. The chocolate tart is a small slice of chocolate something with pink rock salt on top. It really doesn't look remarkable at all, though the flower adorning the plate made for a nice presentation. But the taste was not to be believed. I don't think I can accurately describe it because I've never had anything remotely like it. The pink rock salt took it over the top for me - a 'salt-aholic' who shockingly did not add any salt to my dishes at Beleza.

The carmelized banana and coconut milk chocolate sorbet was nothing special according to the ladies that ordered it but I actually took some of my dessert home and savored it for four days. The only way I can explain how I was able to do this is that when something is that amazing, you don't truly need that much of it to be satisfied. And that is what the owner of Beleza is trying to accomplish with this resaurant. In an interview I read shortly after the restaurant opened he said something to the effect of 'people think they need to feel uncomfortably full when they leave a restaurant and that is very bad for their health'. He has a point and that is why many nutitionists suggest we eat six small meals a day instead of three larger ones. I did leave Beleza feeling full but not in an uncomfortable way.

The decor at Beleza might remind you of LA, as will the slight attitude of the staff. But I find the latter is true at some places here that offer mediocre food at best. At least Beleza has earned their attitude. Now I just have to figure out how to get my husband down there with me. Once you try Beleza you'll have to go back if you really appreciate the 'best of the best' ingredients prepared in most unexpected ways. When I asked the server how they made the chocolate tart without an oven she said it was magic - and that's exactly what it tasted like to me!

BELEZA

905 Juniper Street / Atlanta, GA 30309

678-904-4582