I went to go visit my friends Whitney and Henry last weekend in San Diego. Having moved to SoCal pretty recently I've only been to San Diego once and was excited to visit again. Unfortunately I didn't get the best weather -- it was rainy and overcast. Hopefully I'll be back again for a gluten free BBQ in the summer.
While we were out on the town at Gossip Grill, I asked a bartender what her favorite drink to make was. She rattled off a list of specials and I insisted on drinks with rum. I've found that rum is one of the only safe alcohols for me as a Celiac; while I have certainly read that all distilled vodkas and spirits are fine, I know that I personally shy away from all liquor except rum and tequila in order to not feel ill. When I asked for a drink with rum my friend Henry chimed in that I was demanding rum because it is gluten free. When the bartender, Mo, heard that she immediately brightened up. "Well I have Redbridge here too!" she said.
After picking my jaw up off the floor, I asked her why she was carrying it. She said that she had heard about gluten free diets and decided to pick it up and begin serving it for her gluten free customers.
It's exciting to hear that bars are beginning to serve Redbridge, particularly when it wasn't expected at all.
Do you love it or do you love it?
- - -
Gossip Grill
1440 University Ave.
San Diego, CA 92103 (Map)
619.260.8023
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Monday, March 8, 2010
Newest Pinkberry Flavor: Mango
Pinkberry has just unveiled its latest flavor: Mango.
To celebrate, all participating Pinkberry locations will be giving away free, 3-ounce mini servings of the new flavor with "all the toppings that can fit in the cup" this Friday, March 12th.
Do you love it or do you love it?
- - -
Pinkberry
Find a Store Near You
To celebrate, all participating Pinkberry locations will be giving away free, 3-ounce mini servings of the new flavor with "all the toppings that can fit in the cup" this Friday, March 12th.
Do you love it or do you love it?
- - -
Pinkberry
Find a Store Near You
Friday, March 5, 2010
King Arthur Gluten Free Mixes
Big news! King Arthur will soon release a line of gluten free mixes. With Betty Crocker already offering delicious gluten free mixes, this is just another sign that gluten free is no longer just a buzzword; it is taking on a life of its own thus making the gluten free diet much more manageable.
King Arthur will soon release its mixes, including mixes for bread, chocolate cake, cookies, brownies, pizza, pancakes, muffins, and a general gluten free flour.
The website currently offers the mixes for sale and says that they will soon be available in stores.
Do you love it or do you love it?
- - -
Monday, March 1, 2010
Flore
I finally checked out Flore this past Friday; my friend had suggested the restaurant to me a long time ago but we had never been able to visit. Luckily my friends Rochelle and Anna, along with Anna's sister Lauren, were able to sit down for lunch and finally indulge in Flore Vegan's menu.
My friend recommended the restaurant because it marks many items gluten free. It's always great to have such an easy time choosing and not worrying about hidden ingredients.
Flore Vegan is in Sunset Junction, a great (and super walkable) area of L.A. that has a lot of unique offerings. It's a great area for people watching and to pick up interesting trinkets.
I opted for the Portobello Tacos and was pleasantly surprised by the portions at Flore; I certainly was not going to leave this meal hungry.
I particularly enjoyed the taste of the Portobello mushrooms in this dish; they were prepared in a very flavorful sauce and definitely made the meal better. However the black beans and rice were disappointing, particularly in comparison to Real Food Daily's. It didn't help that they were served cold. While I did enjoy the flavor of the portobello mushrooms, the tacos were cumbersome and practically impossible to eat with my hands because of their size. I found myself separating the foods in the taco because I wasn't able to eat them altogether, and I think the flavor suffered as a result.
I can't say I loved Flore. I'm glad I checked it out, and it's a terrific option for gluten free vegans that live in the area, but I don't think I would make the trek again with Real Food Daily and Hugo's so close. I did enjoy the restaurant's outdoor seating, however, which makes it a perfect people watching place.
Do you love it or do you love it?
- - -
Flore Vegan Cuisine
3818 W. Sunset Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90026 (Map)
323.953.0611
My friend recommended the restaurant because it marks many items gluten free. It's always great to have such an easy time choosing and not worrying about hidden ingredients.
Flore Vegan is in Sunset Junction, a great (and super walkable) area of L.A. that has a lot of unique offerings. It's a great area for people watching and to pick up interesting trinkets.
I opted for the Portobello Tacos and was pleasantly surprised by the portions at Flore; I certainly was not going to leave this meal hungry.
I particularly enjoyed the taste of the Portobello mushrooms in this dish; they were prepared in a very flavorful sauce and definitely made the meal better. However the black beans and rice were disappointing, particularly in comparison to Real Food Daily's. It didn't help that they were served cold. While I did enjoy the flavor of the portobello mushrooms, the tacos were cumbersome and practically impossible to eat with my hands because of their size. I found myself separating the foods in the taco because I wasn't able to eat them altogether, and I think the flavor suffered as a result.
I can't say I loved Flore. I'm glad I checked it out, and it's a terrific option for gluten free vegans that live in the area, but I don't think I would make the trek again with Real Food Daily and Hugo's so close. I did enjoy the restaurant's outdoor seating, however, which makes it a perfect people watching place.
Do you love it or do you love it?
- - -
Flore Vegan Cuisine
3818 W. Sunset Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90026 (Map)
323.953.0611
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
iHerb $50 Giveaway
Abby from iHerb.com recently contacted me and offered me a $50 shopping spree on the website. How could I say no? The deal sounded great. Even better, she offered to give one of my readers a similar $50 gift to shop at iHerb.com. $100 in giveaways? Yes please.
I took a little time to decide what I wanted to order; luckily Abby was super helpful in pointing me in the right direction. iHerb has a full gluten free foods section along with gluten free snacks, rice, flour, and pasta sections. I was pleasantly surprised by the selection that iHerb.com had on its site. I was thrown off by the "iHerb" moniker and assumed that they it would be a website full of herbal supplements and the like. As I learned when I was young, don't assume because it makes an ass out of u and me. Get it?
I ended up receiving quite a large package from iHerb, full of great gluten free treats:
Excuse the poor camera-phone quality. Included in the box from iHerb was a package of Arrowhead Mills' gluten free brownie mix; Glutino's pretzel sticks, blueberry breakfast bars, and lemon wafer Cookies; three boxes of Lundberg's risotto, a box of the brand's organic brown rice pasta and a bag of wild blended rice; Now Healthy Foods' whey too good brownie mix; and two bags of Yummy Earth's candy (lollipops and candy drops). All in all, a successful shopping trip! I particularly like Yummy Earth's products. It's nice to be able to eat candy every once in awhile without having to worry about it containing gluten. I'll have product reviews of the Arrowhead Mills mix along with Now Healthy Foods' mix soon!
I was really happy with the iHerb process, particularly the shipping time and price. I placed my order on February 18th and received it February 22nd. Shipping on normal packages is only $4 -- mine was free and the winner's will be free too! Can't get a better deal than that.
My sole complaint about iHerb is that some of the products came bagged in separate plastic bags (such as the Glutino pretzel sticks); I'm not sure why this is the case, but it was environmentally unfriendly and unnecessary.
So, about that $50 giveaway... it's very simple! Just leave a comment in on this blog post with what you would order from iHerb if you won. That's it. Make sure to leave your e-mail address so I can contact you if you win -- or just keep reading the blog for when I announce the winner! If for some reason the comment feature isn't working for you, feel free to e-mail me your submission. All submissions are due by Friday, March 5th at 5pm. The winning entry (chosen randomly) will get a $50 giveaway along with free shipping and handling on the purchase.
Good luck! And to those of you who don't win, don't fret -- iHerb has also given me a special coupon code which gives you $5 off your first purchase! Just type in coupon LAK741 under the first item you place into your cart where it says: "New Customers" highlighted in black text with a yellow background. That should set you on your way to $5 off your first order.
Update: I forgot to mention that shipping and handling on ALL orders over $40 is free and that iHerb will pay the CA tax on your order.
Do you love it or do you love it?
- - -
iHerb.com
I took a little time to decide what I wanted to order; luckily Abby was super helpful in pointing me in the right direction. iHerb has a full gluten free foods section along with gluten free snacks, rice, flour, and pasta sections. I was pleasantly surprised by the selection that iHerb.com had on its site. I was thrown off by the "iHerb" moniker and assumed that they it would be a website full of herbal supplements and the like. As I learned when I was young, don't assume because it makes an ass out of u and me. Get it?
I ended up receiving quite a large package from iHerb, full of great gluten free treats:
I was really happy with the iHerb process, particularly the shipping time and price. I placed my order on February 18th and received it February 22nd. Shipping on normal packages is only $4 -- mine was free and the winner's will be free too! Can't get a better deal than that.
My sole complaint about iHerb is that some of the products came bagged in separate plastic bags (such as the Glutino pretzel sticks); I'm not sure why this is the case, but it was environmentally unfriendly and unnecessary.
So, about that $50 giveaway... it's very simple! Just leave a comment in on this blog post with what you would order from iHerb if you won. That's it. Make sure to leave your e-mail address so I can contact you if you win -- or just keep reading the blog for when I announce the winner! If for some reason the comment feature isn't working for you, feel free to e-mail me your submission. All submissions are due by Friday, March 5th at 5pm. The winning entry (chosen randomly) will get a $50 giveaway along with free shipping and handling on the purchase.
Good luck! And to those of you who don't win, don't fret -- iHerb has also given me a special coupon code which gives you $5 off your first purchase! Just type in coupon LAK741 under the first item you place into your cart where it says: "New Customers" highlighted in black text with a yellow background. That should set you on your way to $5 off your first order.
Update: I forgot to mention that shipping and handling on ALL orders over $40 is free and that iHerb will pay the CA tax on your order.
Do you love it or do you love it?
- - -
iHerb.com
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Sneak Peek: Mac & Cheeza
My friend Lauren and I checked out the soft opening of Mac & Cheeza tonight. The shop, located on 8th Street downtown between Spring & Main, offers great customizable macaroni and cheese.
When I walked up to the counter and asked about gluten free options the cashiers were very knowledgeable about what I could and could not eat. They told me that the rice noodles are gluten free and that the soy cheese is as well; however, the regular cheese is not gluten free because the sauce has wheat in it. I describe them as cashiers because this isn't your typical full service restaurant. Instead, it's more of a to go place. We were lucky enough to grab seats, but the restaurant has seating for less than 10 people.
Make sure that when you order you tell the cashiers about your gluten sensitivity (and other sensitivity you may have). They were extremely helpful in picking out what I could and could not order. I wouldn't have guessed that the non-soy cheese had wheat in it!
This is my second foray into gluten free mac & cheese after having visited S'Mac in New York City. S'Macs macaroni and cheese reminded me of the mac & cheese of my childhood -- it was a bit crunchier while Mac & Cheeza's was softer and certainly more pasta-like. My friend and I each ordered the "Baby Mac" size -- the total came out to $7 for each Baby Mac and it was the perfect amount of food. They currently do not accept credit card but once the store opens they will begin accepting them.
It's great to have a gluten free mac and cheese option here in Los Angeles particularly one with such interesting toppings. My mac and cheese was made with tomatoes, bacon, soy cheese, and spicy toasted walnuts. My friend designed her mac and cheese to have peas, chorizo, and the crushed walnuts. She also added plentiful hot sauce to her dish -- turns out she is a hot sauce freak. Who knew? If you're feeling adventures you can also add ground beef, BBQ chicken, hot links, tuna, ham, or veggie sausage for some more meat. On the veggie side, the restaurant also offers collared greens, black olives, jalapeños, green onions, mushrooms, and spinach.
I unfortunately did not have my camera on me -- for pictures, check out LAIst's writeup here.
The restaurant will have its grand opening on March 11th which coincides with March's Downtown Art Walk. If you haven't done the Art Walk yet, what are you waiting for? My friend Allison and I went to February's event and loved it. It's really great to see downtown come alive and there are so many wonderful art galleries to visit! Having Babycakes close by is an added benefit of course.
- - -
Mac & Cheeza (site not complete as of this post)
233 W. 8th Street
Los Angeles, CA 90014 (Map)
213.622.3782
When I walked up to the counter and asked about gluten free options the cashiers were very knowledgeable about what I could and could not eat. They told me that the rice noodles are gluten free and that the soy cheese is as well; however, the regular cheese is not gluten free because the sauce has wheat in it. I describe them as cashiers because this isn't your typical full service restaurant. Instead, it's more of a to go place. We were lucky enough to grab seats, but the restaurant has seating for less than 10 people.
Make sure that when you order you tell the cashiers about your gluten sensitivity (and other sensitivity you may have). They were extremely helpful in picking out what I could and could not order. I wouldn't have guessed that the non-soy cheese had wheat in it!
This is my second foray into gluten free mac & cheese after having visited S'Mac in New York City. S'Macs macaroni and cheese reminded me of the mac & cheese of my childhood -- it was a bit crunchier while Mac & Cheeza's was softer and certainly more pasta-like. My friend and I each ordered the "Baby Mac" size -- the total came out to $7 for each Baby Mac and it was the perfect amount of food. They currently do not accept credit card but once the store opens they will begin accepting them.
It's great to have a gluten free mac and cheese option here in Los Angeles particularly one with such interesting toppings. My mac and cheese was made with tomatoes, bacon, soy cheese, and spicy toasted walnuts. My friend designed her mac and cheese to have peas, chorizo, and the crushed walnuts. She also added plentiful hot sauce to her dish -- turns out she is a hot sauce freak. Who knew? If you're feeling adventures you can also add ground beef, BBQ chicken, hot links, tuna, ham, or veggie sausage for some more meat. On the veggie side, the restaurant also offers collared greens, black olives, jalapeños, green onions, mushrooms, and spinach.
I unfortunately did not have my camera on me -- for pictures, check out LAIst's writeup here.
The restaurant will have its grand opening on March 11th which coincides with March's Downtown Art Walk. If you haven't done the Art Walk yet, what are you waiting for? My friend Allison and I went to February's event and loved it. It's really great to see downtown come alive and there are so many wonderful art galleries to visit! Having Babycakes close by is an added benefit of course.
- - -
Mac & Cheeza (site not complete as of this post)
233 W. 8th Street
Los Angeles, CA 90014 (Map)
213.622.3782
Mariposa
For my inaugural post about San Francisco I'm so excited to write about Mariposa. Before this weekend's trip I had only been to San Francisco once. That first trip was over Halloween '08 and it rained all weekend. It was truly an awful introduction to the city; luckily this weekend I was afforded beautiful weather and was able to experience the city as it is meant to be visited.
On Saturday the weather was absolutely beautiful so my friends Danielle, Whitney, Sammy and I walked along The Embarcadero and enjoyed the beautiful views of the water and the Bay Bridge. I wasn't feeling that hungry as they picked up their lunches so I sat with them while they ate and we caught up. It had been way too long since I saw Danielle and Whit; Sammy is a new friend who I was introduced to while in SF.
When we were exiting Ferry Building Marketplace, a large sign that read "Gluten Free" caught my eyes. I walked over and was so happy to see an inordinate amount of gluten free treats in store. Mariposa's new kiosk was right there in the Ferry Building Marketplace! They had gluten free sandwiches, muffins, cookies, and brownies on hand.
I indulged myself and picked up a sandwich because really, how often is it that we gluten free folk are able to so easily buy a sandwich? While the picture above makes the sandwich look small it was anything but; it was an enormously satisfying lunch filled with salami, arugula, and tomato-rubbed bread. The bread was just as I remembered gluten filled breads being; crunchy with great texture, it perfectly complemented the flavors of the meat and vegetables in the sandwich.
The bakery's location in the Marketplace is a small kiosk; they run a larger shop in Oakland.
Do you love it or do you love it?
- - -
Mariposa
One Ferry Building
San Francisco, CA 94111 (Map)
-
5427 Telegraph Ave, Unit D3
Oakland, CA 94609 (Map)
510.595.0955
On Saturday the weather was absolutely beautiful so my friends Danielle, Whitney, Sammy and I walked along The Embarcadero and enjoyed the beautiful views of the water and the Bay Bridge. I wasn't feeling that hungry as they picked up their lunches so I sat with them while they ate and we caught up. It had been way too long since I saw Danielle and Whit; Sammy is a new friend who I was introduced to while in SF.
When we were exiting Ferry Building Marketplace, a large sign that read "Gluten Free" caught my eyes. I walked over and was so happy to see an inordinate amount of gluten free treats in store. Mariposa's new kiosk was right there in the Ferry Building Marketplace! They had gluten free sandwiches, muffins, cookies, and brownies on hand.
I indulged myself and picked up a sandwich because really, how often is it that we gluten free folk are able to so easily buy a sandwich? While the picture above makes the sandwich look small it was anything but; it was an enormously satisfying lunch filled with salami, arugula, and tomato-rubbed bread. The bread was just as I remembered gluten filled breads being; crunchy with great texture, it perfectly complemented the flavors of the meat and vegetables in the sandwich.
The bakery's location in the Marketplace is a small kiosk; they run a larger shop in Oakland.
Do you love it or do you love it?
- - -
Mariposa
One Ferry Building
San Francisco, CA 94111 (Map)
-
5427 Telegraph Ave, Unit D3
Oakland, CA 94609 (Map)
510.595.0955
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