Thanks so much for starting this thread! I feel a little self-conscious about talking about my issue (but I have several times), so I didn't want to start a whole thread for it. Well, I did, but I didn't. You're gonna hear way too much from me, buddy. But I'm hoping others chime in, because there's a short list of places we go to all the time.
One of the very best places. Their default is gluten-free, but be careful, because a few of their items aren't. We very much prefer the Greenville location, despite its annoying surroundings and sometimes challenging parking situation.
The staff here are great. They've got plenty of gf alcohol and legendary gf cakes. Fryer is totally gf. Fish and chips, chicken fried steak, pancakes and fried chicken, loaded sweet potato fries are among my favorites. Their spare ribs are good too, but not as good as my wife's.
Chipotle (Dallas West End) I'm specifically linking to the location in Downtown Dallas (West End). These guys are amazing. And while Chipotle is a decent--at least possible--option across the country, having been spoiled by this particular location, I'm less impressed by stores elsewhere. I've been to (and walked away from) locations where the flour tortillas were being dragged through the toppings (short prep space). If they don't know what you mean by gluten and they don't at least change their gloves, it's probably not a good idea to eat there.
But back to West End. Management here is excellent and they're a training location (carefully monitored) for other sites. At one time, one of the staff had a gluten issue, which is part of how they know about it. They wash their hands and change their gloves and one person walks my order all the way through (and this is what you should expect, given the fact that everyone is handling flour tortillas).
They're so good, I gave them a Christmas present last year and most of them know me by name. They're usually hella busy, but they move fast and when I make eye contact with one of the folks I know, they start to get ready for me. I reward them with rave reviews wherever I can and by encouraging my coworkers to eat there too. And tipping. I'm here between one and four times a week.
So come to the West End Chipotle and tell 'em Joel (tall dorky guy, if they're newbies) sent you. BTW, the weekend staff is a little different, so mileage may vary then. Weekday lunch is when my peeps are there.
I've been gluten free for 34 years and I'm so sensitive to it that I would never eat at any restaurant anywhere. Unless it's from a private owner that is Celiac then I wouldn't trust that the owner or manager really knows what gluten free is.
If you are just doing it for the fad diet and don't have celiac, then you can probably just go anywhere and not worry about cross contamination.
If you are celiac and have severe reactions to gluten, I would prepare your own food at your own house.
I have seen too many gluten free products containing things that are not gluten free. A major violator of that is vinegar. If it doesn't say apple cider or red wine vinegar, it's from unknown fermented grains and probably has gluten in it. Catsup/Ketsup is a good example. I see gluten free versions all the time with regular vinegar in it.
The majority of soy sauce is made from wheat and contains no soy in it at all.
If you go to a restaurant and order something that is gluten free, they will probably use the same ovens and prep tables as other items that are not gluten free. The good places will have a completely separate kitchen but those are very hard to find.
Products like quinoa is technically gluten free and products containing it are labeled as gluten free; however, you cannot grow quinoa on the same land two years in a row so it's usually rotated with other crops such as wheat crops that do contain gluten and the following year some of the previous crop still grows through leaving some gluten in the product.
Products with oats can also be labeled as gluten free and technically they are. The plant protein that is in oats is very similar to gluten and people with severe sensitivities to it usually stay away from oats too.
Good luck with that. As for me, if I go to a restaurant with friends, I just have a soda without ice and watch everyone else eat and then eat a separate dinner at home alone.
@cengland0 Thanks for the info. My daughter has been tested and is allergic and my wife's doctor thinks she is probably as well. Although we eat at home most all of the time we like to try and get out every now and then to break the monotony.
@cengland0 Sorry about all of that. Truly. I know a little bit (but probably not all) of how much it sucks.
For the record, I do have celiac disease, verified via a combination of biopsy and blood work (the biopsy itself was ambiguous, which means that my villi were only sorta sickly looking and not totally atrophied, but I was definitely very sick and my GE, one of the best in the area, is emphatic about the diagnosis) about four years ago. The change to a gluten-free diet brought dramatic results within a couple of weeks.
I've been eating out (periodically at least) the whole time. I've had blood tests a few times since my diagnosis and within the last year, an endoscopy--all of which show that I'm good gluten-wise and that my villi are healing.
I know that folks have varying sensitivities. My daughter also has celiac and she tends to have more immediate and obvious symptoms when she gets glutened.
I agree that too many people who have celiac disease are too casual about it. This is one of the reasons that we tend to go to a handful of restaurants and they know us. When we go someplace new, we talk to someone in charge and make sure they know what they're talking about and that they take precautions to prevent cross-contamination. We make sure they know that it's a medical condition. We don't accept "I think so" or "it doesn't have wheat, so you're good."
As I'm sure you know, in addition to the similarities in the proteins, most oats aren't gluten-free because of how they're grown, processed and transported.
I hate quinoa anyway. ;-)
I've done the bit of just getting a beverage. What I hate the most is when someone hears about something or has read something or--the worst--they've gone to the trouble to prepare something (because then there's guilt involved) that they're sure is gluten-free and they basically try to force it on me. I'd much rather go out to eat than eat something prepared in a gluten-eater's kitchen or "certified" in a gluten-eater's opinion (not that I suspect that you'd disagree with that). Well, unless it's my wife, she's an occasional gluten-eater (none of it prepared in our kitchen) and she knows her shit. Or one of my brothers (both of whom used to be--and one still is--a high-end chef).
@joelmw I have not been proven positive for celiac but I have all the symptoms. 34 years ago, very few doctors knew what celiac was so I was diagnosed with non tropical sprue, then later it was updated to be gluten sensitive enteropathy, and then it was later celiac. Celiac was assumed after being tested for all other things that could cause the same symptoms (process of elimination).
The only test available at the time was to take a biopsy of my stomach wall and it was a dangerous test. Looking at the intestinal villi wasn't proof-positive (and I had that test too) because if there is no damage, doesn't prove anything and if there is damage, it could be caused by something else. From what I remember, a celiac's stomach lining is very smooth whereas a regular person's stomach is wrinkled.
So about 16 - 17 years ago, I ended up in the hospital with some type of reaction causing internal bleeding and the doctor told me about two different blood tests. I took the tests and they were very expensive -- not covered by insurance -- about $1,500 each. This was at a time when I made just a little over minimum wage so that was a lot of money for me. They both came up negative. Several years later, I find out that they administered the test incorrectly. I was not told that I had to eat plenty of gluten for a couple days before the test to get the antibodies in my system for the tests to detect it. I refuse to pay for those tests again and just assume that I'm celiac because I have the exact symptoms as someone that is.
@joelmw I had a nutritional specialist at the time that told me what foods were safe to eat and which were not. I was told oats should be okay but when I did get sick after eating it, he researched it more and discovered the protein is similar and assumed that was the problem. Now because of what you wrote, I'm wondering if it's because it's contaminated that I get sick.
I am so sensitive that I have changed toothpaste brands and got sick. The new brand did not label anything that contained gluten and I don't swallow my toothpaste. But after weeks of sickness and not figuring out what was wrong with me, I finally called the toothpaste company using the "Got questions? call 1-800#" on the product. They refused to tell me the full ingredients saying it was proprietary but was able to confirm that it does contain "trace amounts" of gluten. They are jerks for not putting that on the label.
@cengland0 Damn, that sucks. My daughter had some similarly bad experiences with diagnosis. I was pretty fortunate all around I'd say. I've got okay insurance. My PCP rigorously tested me to find causes of fatigue, restless leg and serious leg and foot cramps, iron deficiency. Then he sent me to a great GE, who specifically told me to continue on a normal diet (I had no idea what gluten was at the time) through testing. The first nutritionist wasn't much help. The wife and I found plenty of reasonably good info online (sure, some was flaky, but we fairly quickly found our way through it). Our local GiG chapter is excellent (though that's where we've run into some of the folks who are sloppy with their diet; others are very careful) and we started attending regularly. DFW has a fair number of good GF restaurants. My kid figured out she has gluten issues not long after I did. Thanksgiving was already our primary family holiday, but it's kinda cool (in an admittedly weird way) that there's even more incentive for us to share the Big Meal (and she and her husband always do it right). There's a hardcore, fired-up scientific nutritionist that's part of our GiG and I've started going to her. Add my wife, who's an energetic and committed researcher and a great cook and who just loves me well. I've got the best support. And the timing of my diagnosis; as you mention, there have been far worse times to have a gluten problem. For having celiac disease, all things considered, I'm a really lucky/blessed guy.
@denboy But are you saying that your better half is able to eat there, because it seems that she's maybe more sensitive than I am--and, in any case, I trust her experience and perspective.
@kevin8er Am I allowed to quote a video I posted? Oh well, I'm doing it anyways. I posted this to make fun of those that eat gluten free (although I wish more would) because it is trendy.
@kevin8er God, don't get me started on this bit and on Kimmel in particular. In fairness, he does briefly, half-assedly qualify that he's not meaning to dismiss those who have a medical issue. The reality is that the tone and content of this piece does in fact lend itself to a wholesale dismissal of the fact that gluten is toxic, not just to celiacs, but to many others. I know because I've seen this video used that way. Repeatedly.
But I don't really like Kimmel anyway. And I hate this sort of "catch the idiot in his ignorance" gotcha bullshit (Leno did the same sort of stupid bit). Because, guess what, Jimmy? You're an idiot too. I just don't find idiocy that funny anymore. Maybe because I find it so persuasive. And maybe because I find that the ones laughing the hardest are usually no better than the ones they're condescendingly laughing at.
No offense. And I don't mean to be a buzzkill. I probably am a buzzkill, but that wasn't my primary motive.
Carry on then. But, damnit, this seems to be the go-to piece on gluten. It's depressing.
@kevin8er I'm very ambivalent. I appreciate the visibility and the increased market and availability. I hate always being lumped in with them; I hate the fact that their ignorance, inconsistency and self-contradictory behavior get associated with my people.
@joelmw That is why I had to comment on the video I posted. As much as it pains me to see people eat GF "just because others do", it still benefits those that HAVE to eat GF as it drives down the cost for GF products. I know that my daughter was really small until we cut gluten out of her diet. Now she is growing like a weed.
I am a huge fan of gluten, I want extra gluten at every possible turn so I'm probably not the best resource for you but one place did come to mind:
HG Supply Co in Lower Greenville. They have a lot of really delicious gluten free options, with most things having a slant towards "paleo" (however you feel about that). I had a sweet potato, avocado, brussels sprouts, steak hash/bowl thing that was damn good.
@JonT A buddy of mine was a marathon runner and even qualified for the Boston Marathon (right before he quit running). Even though he ran all of the time, he couldn't lose his belly. Once he went Paleo and quit all grains (and most carbs) his over sized belly went poof. He is still incredibly fit from just diet (LOTS of meat and veggies), climbing and walking. Even though my wife and daughter are GF, I myself also enjoy a bit of the gluten. Funny story, after my daughter was diagnosed I was cleaning out the pantry and came across this:
Neither of us could remember buying it, and I didn't know you could even buy a bag of it. So if you are looking for extra Gluten, you might want to pick up a bag!
My wife is gluten-sensitive but not Celiac-class allergic. I do most of the cooking so GF is not an issue at home. When we're out we tend to go to Olive Garden or Noodles & Co for their GF alternatives. It's not "fine dining" or even "classic Italian" but the availability of alcohol makes up for it.
@Sarahsda I still have doubts what alcohol products I can and cannot have. I know beer is a no-go because it contains barley. I can have wine (grapes), sake (rice), and tequila (blue agave). But what is rum and vodka made out of?!?!? What about something like peach schnapps? I just stay away from it all and I'm safe that way.
@cengland0 Rum is made from sugar cane and some vodka is made from potatoes. There are some beers brewed without gluten, not to be confused with beers that claim to remove gluten after brewing. I think that it is safest to avoid grain alcohol, which is usually used to make schnapps and triple sec.
@ilovecincinnati I think vodka is made from whatever cheap grain they can find that year. Could be wrong but the potato myth began when there was a shortage of grains and they did make vodka out of potatoes but only for a short time.
A quick google search brings up this quote, "Today, most vodka is made from fermented grains such as sorghum, corn, rice, rye or wheat" but it can be made from potatoes or any fruits.
Knowing that rum is made from sugar cane is a good thing. Never tried it but now I know I can. Thanks.
@cengland0 Tito's Vodka is excellent and made from corn. Lots of rums are safe (we always check because there's the possibility that they add gluten in after distillation). Ciders are good, but I've been having some sort of other reaction to them so I've cut back. Red Bridge is made from sorghum, so it's safe from the start; and I actually like the taste, even better than most "regular" beers. I've never been comfortable with the beers that extract gluten after the fact.
I think there's a fair amount of hard liquor that's safe, but we mostly use vodka and rum.
@joelmw Call me weird but I really don't drink. I might have a glass of wine with my dinner when my brother visits at the end of the year but not really any other time. I don't like the loss of control that I feel when I have alcohol so I stay away.
I've only been drunk one time and that was on my 19th birthday. Yes, it was legal then. The legal age was 18 in Hawaii (don't live there now) that year and when I turned 21, the age changed to 21. Prior to age 16, I lived in Italy and as long as you're old enough to put money on the counter, they will sell you the alcohol. So really there were only 2 years where it wasn't legal for me to drink.
Anyway, long story short. On my 19th birthday, my neighbor brought over 3 bottles of boone's farms wine. I think it was strawberry flavor or something. It was very sweet and I couldn't even tell it had alcohol. After drinking the three 750ml bottles, I really had to pee. Once I stood up, I had a hard time walking and keeping my balance. I didn't like that feeling and tried everything I could to get rid of it. Tried to sleep but the room was spinning. Tried to walk it off but that didn't work either. All I could do was wait. I will never do that again. Never will understand how people get drunk purposely and enjoy doing it.
@joelmw@cengland0 Quite a few good Idaho Potato vodkas out there. You've got Blue Ice (they also have grain varieties/mixes), Grand Teton, 44° North (handful of flavored vodkas, which I believe are all potato, though they also make a grain), and Zodiac. While I have no reason to avoid gluten, and therefore don't know the veracity of such labeling, all of the above bear Gluten Free labels.
@cengland0 Until recently, I've never been much affected by alcohol, other than getting a pleasant buzz and becoming--if you can believe it--more talkative. I always wrote it off to my being kind of a big guy and rarely having more than a couple of drinks in an evening. I was never a partier in my youth. The most drinking I ever did was when I worked in a welding shop. We had a boss who liked to try to get us drunk. I kept up, but never really felt much from it. I remember one Friday night he kept us out drinking until like 2 or 3 . . . and we had to work early the next morning (I wanna say 6 or 7). No hangover or anything. Just tired at the end of the day Saturday. But I was in my 20s. That boss was a bit of a dick.
Over the last several months, I've noticed that I seem to feel more with less. Apparently it's a thing that others have reported with celiac disease, increased sensitivity to alcohol. Idunno. I just don't trust my body anymore. Sigh.
@cengland0 This is from a good article: Theoretically, distillation, if it's done properly, should remove all the gluten. But not all makers of alcoholic beverages distill enough times to purify their beverages completely. In addition, some add in a little of the grain "mash" (which does contain gluten) following distillation to improve color and flavor, and there's always the possibility of cross contamination from gluten grains in the manufacturing facility following distillation.
The Wife of a friend was told by her doctor that she might try Gluten Free to help with the arthritis in her hands. I scratched my head. Because of our friendship, I began comparing the nutrition information between regular and GF products. Please note that often, the nutrients in GF do not measure up to the regular and the portion size may be less than usual. I have deep regard for people with Celiac and wish them all the best, but as a fad it is important to know that you may be coming up short of nutrition.
@GeriatricDragon In some people, gluten causes inflammation in the body, which can play hell on conditions like arthritis. But yeah, GF options are often higher in fat and sugar, which is what's used to bind things together when you take out gluten. It's better, health wise, to just stop eating processed food and not try to replace those gluten products at all.
@Thumperchick@GeriatricDragon IMO, foods that are specifically marketed as substitutes (e.g., breads and pastas) are mostly to be strenuously avoided. This is maybe all the more true for those with celiac disease, because we're already struggling with autoimmune and digestive problems and likely with endocrine issues as well.
Anyone who doesn't have celiac disease or some other noticeable gluten intolerance or allergy is an idiot for eating processed crap and thinking it's healthy just because it's labeled "gluten free."
Indeed, it's as likely that the chemicals and assorted processing render that food more toxic for them than the gluten they're trying to avoid.
Sure, I still eat processed crap (and pastries and such) on occasion, but I don't delude myself that I'm doing my body any favors when I do.
@GeriatricDragon I was told to cut out carbs and processed sugar to decrease the inflammation in my joints. I wasn't told to go GF. If the GF free doesn't help, let her know that I have had HUGE relief from cutting out carbs and sugar. I eat plenty of meat, vegetables and fruit and hardly miss the sugar. I've als lost 15 lbs in 6 weeks. I have reduced my gluten intake but that's only because of stopping bread and stuff.
I must say, one of my all-time favourite dishes at Congee Queen is the Mixed Fungus & Fried Gluten in Hot Pot. It is basically assorted mushrooms with gluten and bok choi. Also, when I go to Graceful Vegetarian Restaurant (a fully vegetarian Chinese restaurant) I ALWAYS order the Assorted Gluten Platter. I love the stuff.
@kevin8er Any time! :¬{| (I think the meh-ish smiley looks better with a moustache.. Or even better, a Fu Manchu!! :¬{|> ) Also, if it helps, they are in a whole different country than you, so this gluten will stay FAR FAR away from you! :-)
IMO, this is probably the healthiest way to eat gluten free: lots of naturally gluten-free veggies and lean protein. So, yeah, most of the ingredients on the line are gluten-free, they do the prep. Ask them to change their gloves, because they do have bread and wraps on the premises. Avoid the crunchies (which are probably all gluteny and kept separate).
I almost always get the Full Snap (large, 12 toppings--so there's the variety) with steak, sometimes also avocado. The thing I love about a Snappy Salad is that it's chunky, like a salad should be. I tend to focus on the leafy stuff first, so I have extra chunkiness at the end. Somehow I'm always surprised at how good it is. I guess because I go in thinking, "salad, meh." Trust me, it's plenty meaty. And did I mention "chunky"?
They have maybe a couple dozen different dressings, most of which they make themselves. They're aware of gluten and track ingredients, so they can tell you which dressings are okay and which aren't (in fact they have a list of their standards with the unsafe ones marked--most are safe).
We've known staff at four of the stores and our son worked for a while at the one on Campbell near 75 (ask for George; he's the best); Campbell is closest to us.
Quality, delicious food. And they're a cool company that tries to be eco-friendly and does lots of recycling and such (they have boxes for recycling in the restaurant); there's a story on most of their furniture and fixtures. They've grown quickly. I'm hoping they spread across the country, because I think they're far better than other salad places I've been to.
@joelmw The very last time I voluntarily went to a restaurant, I ordered a salad and specifically asked to not have any dressing and no croutons. When it came, I could see croutons on the top and before the waitress left, I asked her to take it back and make me a fresh one after explaining my health problems.
She came back with what I thought was a fresh salad but after eating half of it, I discovered croutons in the middle of the salad. It was clear she just picked them off the salad and gave it back to me.
I got so sick. I had to rush into the bathroom and it was the most disgusting bathroom I have seen in my life. It was a medium class restaurant too so I would have expected better. I've used bathrooms in camp sites and porta potties that were in better shape. After that experience, I will never go to a restaurant to eat unless I'm forced to (I had to for my company with executives a couple times).
@joelmw absolutely love Snappy. Really delicious salads and I get to feel healthy when still eating really good and filling food. My fiancée gets the Bam-Bam every time and I jump around between the Cobb, the Grilled Avocado, the Texas Taco, and the Fried Artichoke (Note: in case it wasn't super obvious all of these probably aren't GF, just the salads I like to eat).
we are always looking for gluten free options in the mid-cities when we visit my brother who is celiac. So far, there's Mellow Mushroom Pizza (Mellowmushroom.com), From Across the Pond - (http://www.fromacross-pond.com/) family freindly British Pub, with a huge Gluten Free menu (the owner and his son are both celiac), and Fuzzy's Taco Shop. (http://www.fuzzystacoshop.com/) good food, several good gluten free options, along side many glutenous options so everyone can be happy.
both Mellow Mushroom, and Fuzzy's are chains, with several DFW locatons, and many outside of the metroplex .
if you've not yet discovered it yourself, Trader Joe's brand Gluten free Bread is awesome sauce, it tastes and feels like...bread... not some artificial bread like substance.
finally, download the Find me Gluten Free app for your phone. their database lead us to all the above eateries. that's all i have so far. will have to check in on this thread from time to time.
@earlyre Mellow Mushroom is my favorite GF pizza. And we've talked to managers at several locations: each has a separate prep and baking area and segregated utensils.
@earlyre Honestly, we've been so frequently disappointed by Trader Joe's--all kinds of ways--that we rarely bother anymore. Our go-tos now are Sprouts and Natural Grocers. If we've got money to burn (or are looking for something really weird), Central Market and Whole Foods Paycheck. Honestly, Sprouts often has better selection of the stuff we want than the more expensive places. The one at Coit and Legacy in Plano is especially nice.
@earlyre I agree that Find Me Gluten Free can be good, but it's dangerously inconsistent. We use it--especially when we're on the road--but usually don't rely on its recommendations alone.
@kevin8er Congrats. I usually don't get excited about a grocery store, but I might about Sprouts.
Be sure to look for Endangered Species Chocolate. Certified GF. We only get the 72% and more, so I'm convinced that it's a health food, and soooooo delicious.
@joelmw there are only a few things we get from Trader Joe's, the GF bread, and New Mexico Pinon Coffee mainly. ( the nearest ones to me here in NW buckeyeland is 70-100 mi away), but we just discovered their GF bread by accident when we were down in DFW in april (my brother lives towards the north end of North Richland Hills, a few miles south of southlake, so that's the one we went to)
we hit sprouts regularly when we are down there (also southlake) and yes. that store is awesome, wish we had them up here.
@joelmw I never eat at restaurants but I did talk to the manager at a Mellow Mushroom once and he convinced me to try the pizza there by telling me how isolated their special kitchen is. I bought it and then ate it at home. It was the worst pizza I've ever had. It was like a cracker with some sauce on it. For comparison purposes, here is a picture of their pizza and a frozen one that I bake myself. I like the frozen one better.
Mellow Mushroom
Frozen
The frozen never has enough cheese on it but I add additional and then bake it. You can always modify it a bit as long as the crust is okay and that's where the Mellow Mushroom version fails.
@cengland0 I can appreciate anyone's dissatisfaction with any gluten-free pizza I've ever had. I think maybe my standards have descended horribly on that, but I still like Mellow Mushroom. What can I say? What I don't know still pleases me. ;-) I always get the house special, btw. Your pizza is naked.
Gluuteny in Pittsburgh is an awesome bakery, and I'm not a gluten-free guy. Their main site appears to be down at the moment but their Facebook is up and running. They do ship from what I remember.
This isn't a place to eat per se, but it's the best blog on the internet that has anything to do with gluten. April is an actual writer and editor (this should matter to people like @editorkid, @bluedyn, @JasonToon, @Starblind and @JonT--and if I've missed you, let me know), who's actually funny. And she likes to say "fuck" on occasion, which I'm pretty sure is what won me over. Well, yeah, that and the title of her blog:
And she gave me one of these buttons, which are exponential degrees of anti-gluten awesome sauce:
I also won a copy--which I've already started reading--of her newest book, which I believe is targeted at more-easily-offended audiences (I don't think she says "fuck" in it even once), but is looking to be really good anyway: The Gluten Free Cheat Sheet
April seems like a sweet person and she even consented to be my Facebook friend, sometimes liking and commenting on stuff that has nothing to do with the evil glutens. So either she's very nice or she's got just the right sort of warped taste or she's doing a helluva PR job--maybe all three.
This is why you need to look at the ingredients very carefully even if it's labeled as Gluten Free. Here's a Market Pantry brand (Target generic) soy sauce that is labeled Gluten Free but you can see it clearly has Wheat in the ingredients.
Late to the Meh gluten-free party. I'm no help when it comes to restaurants, since I long since stopped eating at any except when I am somewhere with a completely GF eatery. Since I'm retired, that's like - never, really. I think the last one was in Tucson a couple of years ago.
I mostly eat foods that are naturally gluten-free and avoid the ridiculously sugar-loaded "gluten-free alternatives." Exceptions are whole grain breads from either Three Bakers or Canyon Bakehouse. I actually love the occasional Three Bakers pizza and the Canyon Bakehouse cranberry muffins. There are probably stores that sell them in your area. Usually Albertson's and some Sprouts markets, with the occasional whole foods markets. I order cases of bread directly from Canyon Bakehouse and just store them in the freezer, but I'd buy locally if I could.
For baked stuff--breads, cookies, cakes, pies, etc.--these guys are pretty good, but pricey. They do paleo too. It doesn't make any sense to me to buy or consume a lot of this kind of crap, but we hit them for the occasional indulgence.
I missed this before, so I am glad it revived. I get sick at more than half the places @joelmw frequents. (I'm the much more sensitive daughter he mentioned.) Pizza is always a disaster for me, so I've stopped taking that risk.
I didn't see any mention of Chiladas. I feel safe there and sometimes I just really need shredded beef that is smothered with cheesy goodness. I go at least twice every time I visit. (I'm coming soon, Chiladas! Just two more weeks!) The only way they've ever left me feeling sick was in an "I ate too much cheese" way. Which is always worth it.
Thanks so much for starting this thread! I feel a little self-conscious about talking about my issue (but I have several times), so I didn't want to start a whole thread for it. Well, I did, but I didn't. You're gonna hear way too much from me, buddy. But I'm hoping others chime in, because there's a short list of places we go to all the time.
Company Cafe
One of the very best places. Their default is gluten-free, but be careful, because a few of their items aren't. We very much prefer the Greenville location, despite its annoying surroundings and sometimes challenging parking situation.
The staff here are great. They've got plenty of gf alcohol and legendary gf cakes. Fryer is totally gf. Fish and chips, chicken fried steak, pancakes and fried chicken, loaded sweet potato fries are among my favorites. Their spare ribs are good too, but not as good as my wife's.
Chipotle (Dallas West End)
I'm specifically linking to the location in Downtown Dallas (West End). These guys are amazing. And while Chipotle is a decent--at least possible--option across the country, having been spoiled by this particular location, I'm less impressed by stores elsewhere. I've been to (and walked away from) locations where the flour tortillas were being dragged through the toppings (short prep space). If they don't know what you mean by gluten and they don't at least change their gloves, it's probably not a good idea to eat there.
But back to West End. Management here is excellent and they're a training location (carefully monitored) for other sites. At one time, one of the staff had a gluten issue, which is part of how they know about it. They wash their hands and change their gloves and one person walks my order all the way through (and this is what you should expect, given the fact that everyone is handling flour tortillas).
They're so good, I gave them a Christmas present last year and most of them know me by name. They're usually hella busy, but they move fast and when I make eye contact with one of the folks I know, they start to get ready for me. I reward them with rave reviews wherever I can and by encouraging my coworkers to eat there too. And tipping. I'm here between one and four times a week.
So come to the West End Chipotle and tell 'em Joel (tall dorky guy, if they're newbies) sent you. BTW, the weekend staff is a little different, so mileage may vary then. Weekday lunch is when my peeps are there.
Allergens page.
@joelmw I survive on Chipotle when traveling!
@baseba4551 It's one of the franchises I count on too, but I'm especially careful to watch how they handle my order.
I've been gluten free for 34 years and I'm so sensitive to it that I would never eat at any restaurant anywhere. Unless it's from a private owner that is Celiac then I wouldn't trust that the owner or manager really knows what gluten free is.
If you are just doing it for the fad diet and don't have celiac, then you can probably just go anywhere and not worry about cross contamination.
If you are celiac and have severe reactions to gluten, I would prepare your own food at your own house.
I have seen too many gluten free products containing things that are not gluten free. A major violator of that is vinegar. If it doesn't say apple cider or red wine vinegar, it's from unknown fermented grains and probably has gluten in it. Catsup/Ketsup is a good example. I see gluten free versions all the time with regular vinegar in it.
The majority of soy sauce is made from wheat and contains no soy in it at all.
If you go to a restaurant and order something that is gluten free, they will probably use the same ovens and prep tables as other items that are not gluten free. The good places will have a completely separate kitchen but those are very hard to find.
Products like quinoa is technically gluten free and products containing it are labeled as gluten free; however, you cannot grow quinoa on the same land two years in a row so it's usually rotated with other crops such as wheat crops that do contain gluten and the following year some of the previous crop still grows through leaving some gluten in the product.
Products with oats can also be labeled as gluten free and technically they are. The plant protein that is in oats is very similar to gluten and people with severe sensitivities to it usually stay away from oats too.
Good luck with that. As for me, if I go to a restaurant with friends, I just have a soda without ice and watch everyone else eat and then eat a separate dinner at home alone.
@cengland0 'sympathies - quite a challenge and your distrust of labeling and claims given that experience is totally understandable.
@cengland0 Thanks for the info. My daughter has been tested and is allergic and my wife's doctor thinks she is probably as well. Although we eat at home most all of the time we like to try and get out every now and then to break the monotony.
@cengland0 Sorry about all of that. Truly. I know a little bit (but probably not all) of how much it sucks.
For the record, I do have celiac disease, verified via a combination of biopsy and blood work (the biopsy itself was ambiguous, which means that my villi were only sorta sickly looking and not totally atrophied, but I was definitely very sick and my GE, one of the best in the area, is emphatic about the diagnosis) about four years ago. The change to a gluten-free diet brought dramatic results within a couple of weeks.
I've been eating out (periodically at least) the whole time. I've had blood tests a few times since my diagnosis and within the last year, an endoscopy--all of which show that I'm good gluten-wise and that my villi are healing.
I know that folks have varying sensitivities. My daughter also has celiac and she tends to have more immediate and obvious symptoms when she gets glutened.
I agree that too many people who have celiac disease are too casual about it. This is one of the reasons that we tend to go to a handful of restaurants and they know us. When we go someplace new, we talk to someone in charge and make sure they know what they're talking about and that they take precautions to prevent cross-contamination. We make sure they know that it's a medical condition. We don't accept "I think so" or "it doesn't have wheat, so you're good."
As I'm sure you know, in addition to the similarities in the proteins, most oats aren't gluten-free because of how they're grown, processed and transported.
I hate quinoa anyway. ;-)
I've done the bit of just getting a beverage. What I hate the most is when someone hears about something or has read something or--the worst--they've gone to the trouble to prepare something (because then there's guilt involved) that they're sure is gluten-free and they basically try to force it on me. I'd much rather go out to eat than eat something prepared in a gluten-eater's kitchen or "certified" in a gluten-eater's opinion (not that I suspect that you'd disagree with that). Well, unless it's my wife, she's an occasional gluten-eater (none of it prepared in our kitchen) and she knows her shit. Or one of my brothers (both of whom used to be--and one still is--a high-end chef).
@joelmw I have not been proven positive for celiac but I have all the symptoms. 34 years ago, very few doctors knew what celiac was so I was diagnosed with non tropical sprue, then later it was updated to be gluten sensitive enteropathy, and then it was later celiac. Celiac was assumed after being tested for all other things that could cause the same symptoms (process of elimination).
The only test available at the time was to take a biopsy of my stomach wall and it was a dangerous test. Looking at the intestinal villi wasn't proof-positive (and I had that test too) because if there is no damage, doesn't prove anything and if there is damage, it could be caused by something else. From what I remember, a celiac's stomach lining is very smooth whereas a regular person's stomach is wrinkled.
So about 16 - 17 years ago, I ended up in the hospital with some type of reaction causing internal bleeding and the doctor told me about two different blood tests. I took the tests and they were very expensive -- not covered by insurance -- about $1,500 each. This was at a time when I made just a little over minimum wage so that was a lot of money for me. They both came up negative. Several years later, I find out that they administered the test incorrectly. I was not told that I had to eat plenty of gluten for a couple days before the test to get the antibodies in my system for the tests to detect it. I refuse to pay for those tests again and just assume that I'm celiac because I have the exact symptoms as someone that is.
@joelmw I had a nutritional specialist at the time that told me what foods were safe to eat and which were not. I was told oats should be okay but when I did get sick after eating it, he researched it more and discovered the protein is similar and assumed that was the problem. Now because of what you wrote, I'm wondering if it's because it's contaminated that I get sick.
I am so sensitive that I have changed toothpaste brands and got sick. The new brand did not label anything that contained gluten and I don't swallow my toothpaste. But after weeks of sickness and not figuring out what was wrong with me, I finally called the toothpaste company using the "Got questions? call 1-800#" on the product. They refused to tell me the full ingredients saying it was proprietary but was able to confirm that it does contain "trace amounts" of gluten. They are jerks for not putting that on the label.
@cengland0 Damn, that sucks. My daughter had some similarly bad experiences with diagnosis. I was pretty fortunate all around I'd say. I've got okay insurance. My PCP rigorously tested me to find causes of fatigue, restless leg and serious leg and foot cramps, iron deficiency. Then he sent me to a great GE, who specifically told me to continue on a normal diet (I had no idea what gluten was at the time) through testing. The first nutritionist wasn't much help. The wife and I found plenty of reasonably good info online (sure, some was flaky, but we fairly quickly found our way through it). Our local GiG chapter is excellent (though that's where we've run into some of the folks who are sloppy with their diet; others are very careful) and we started attending regularly. DFW has a fair number of good GF restaurants. My kid figured out she has gluten issues not long after I did. Thanksgiving was already our primary family holiday, but it's kinda cool (in an admittedly weird way) that there's even more incentive for us to share the Big Meal (and she and her husband always do it right). There's a hardcore, fired-up scientific nutritionist that's part of our GiG and I've started going to her. Add my wife, who's an energetic and committed researcher and a great cook and who just loves me well. I've got the best support. And the timing of my diagnosis; as you mention, there have been far worse times to have a gluten problem. For having celiac disease, all things considered, I'm a really lucky/blessed guy.
Whiskey Cake in Plano. Locally sourced food, tasty, expensive but lots of gluten free choices.
@denboy We went there once with our Gluten Intolerance Group--and it made us nervous.
@denboy But are you saying that your better half is able to eat there, because it seems that she's maybe more sensitive than I am--and, in any case, I trust her experience and perspective.
@joelmw I actually think you're more sensitive than her but let's not find out either way. She's been fine there, that's about all I know.
Why would the Gluten Free logo show a source of gluten?
@DrunkCat I prefer one like this (there are several that are similar in design):
@kevin8er Am I allowed to quote a video I posted? Oh well, I'm doing it anyways. I posted this to make fun of those that eat gluten free (although I wish more would) because it is trendy.
@kevin8er God, don't get me started on this bit and on Kimmel in particular. In fairness, he does briefly, half-assedly qualify that he's not meaning to dismiss those who have a medical issue. The reality is that the tone and content of this piece does in fact lend itself to a wholesale dismissal of the fact that gluten is toxic, not just to celiacs, but to many others. I know because I've seen this video used that way. Repeatedly.
But I don't really like Kimmel anyway. And I hate this sort of "catch the idiot in his ignorance" gotcha bullshit (Leno did the same sort of stupid bit). Because, guess what, Jimmy? You're an idiot too. I just don't find idiocy that funny anymore. Maybe because I find it so persuasive. And maybe because I find that the ones laughing the hardest are usually no better than the ones they're condescendingly laughing at.
No offense. And I don't mean to be a buzzkill. I probably am a buzzkill, but that wasn't my primary motive.
Carry on then. But, damnit, this seems to be the go-to piece on gluten. It's depressing.
@kevin8er I'm very ambivalent. I appreciate the visibility and the increased market and availability. I hate always being lumped in with them; I hate the fact that their ignorance, inconsistency and self-contradictory behavior get associated with my people.
@joelmw That is why I had to comment on the video I posted. As much as it pains me to see people eat GF "just because others do", it still benefits those that HAVE to eat GF as it drives down the cost for GF products. I know that my daughter was really small until we cut gluten out of her diet. Now she is growing like a weed.
I am a huge fan of gluten, I want extra gluten at every possible turn so I'm probably not the best resource for you but one place did come to mind:
HG Supply Co in Lower Greenville.
They have a lot of really delicious gluten free options, with most things having a slant towards "paleo" (however you feel about that). I had a sweet potato, avocado, brussels sprouts, steak hash/bowl thing that was damn good.
@JonT A buddy of mine was a marathon runner and even qualified for the Boston Marathon (right before he quit running). Even though he ran all of the time, he couldn't lose his belly. Once he went Paleo and quit all grains (and most carbs) his over sized belly went poof. He is still incredibly fit from just diet (LOTS of meat and veggies), climbing and walking. Even though my wife and daughter are GF, I myself also enjoy a bit of the gluten. Funny story, after my daughter was diagnosed I was cleaning out the pantry and came across this:
Neither of us could remember buying it, and I didn't know you could even buy a bag of it. So if you are looking for extra Gluten, you might want to pick up a bag!
@kevin8er I buy that exact product to add to my pizza dough recipe, it makes a much better pizza in my opinion.
My wife is gluten-sensitive but not Celiac-class allergic. I do most of the cooking so GF is not an issue at home. When we're out we tend to go to Olive Garden or Noodles & Co for their GF alternatives. It's not "fine dining" or even "classic Italian" but the availability of alcohol makes up for it.
@Sarahsda I still have doubts what alcohol products I can and cannot have. I know beer is a no-go because it contains barley. I can have wine (grapes), sake (rice), and tequila (blue agave). But what is rum and vodka made out of?!?!? What about something like peach schnapps? I just stay away from it all and I'm safe that way.
@cengland0 Rum is made from sugar cane and some vodka is made from potatoes. There are some beers brewed without gluten, not to be confused with beers that claim to remove gluten after brewing. I think that it is safest to avoid grain alcohol, which is usually used to make schnapps and triple sec.
@ilovecincinnati I think vodka is made from whatever cheap grain they can find that year. Could be wrong but the potato myth began when there was a shortage of grains and they did make vodka out of potatoes but only for a short time.
A quick google search brings up this quote, "Today, most vodka is made from fermented grains such as sorghum, corn, rice, rye or wheat" but it can be made from potatoes or any fruits.
Knowing that rum is made from sugar cane is a good thing. Never tried it but now I know I can. Thanks.
@cengland0 Tito's Vodka is excellent and made from corn. Lots of rums are safe (we always check because there's the possibility that they add gluten in after distillation). Ciders are good, but I've been having some sort of other reaction to them so I've cut back. Red Bridge is made from sorghum, so it's safe from the start; and I actually like the taste, even better than most "regular" beers. I've never been comfortable with the beers that extract gluten after the fact.
I think there's a fair amount of hard liquor that's safe, but we mostly use vodka and rum.
@joelmw Call me weird but I really don't drink. I might have a glass of wine with my dinner when my brother visits at the end of the year but not really any other time. I don't like the loss of control that I feel when I have alcohol so I stay away.
I've only been drunk one time and that was on my 19th birthday. Yes, it was legal then. The legal age was 18 in Hawaii (don't live there now) that year and when I turned 21, the age changed to 21. Prior to age 16, I lived in Italy and as long as you're old enough to put money on the counter, they will sell you the alcohol. So really there were only 2 years where it wasn't legal for me to drink.
Anyway, long story short. On my 19th birthday, my neighbor brought over 3 bottles of boone's farms wine. I think it was strawberry flavor or something. It was very sweet and I couldn't even tell it had alcohol. After drinking the three 750ml bottles, I really had to pee. Once I stood up, I had a hard time walking and keeping my balance. I didn't like that feeling and tried everything I could to get rid of it. Tried to sleep but the room was spinning. Tried to walk it off but that didn't work either. All I could do was wait. I will never do that again. Never will understand how people get drunk purposely and enjoy doing it.
@joelmw @cengland0 Quite a few good Idaho Potato vodkas out there. You've got Blue Ice (they also have grain varieties/mixes), Grand Teton, 44° North (handful of flavored vodkas, which I believe are all potato, though they also make a grain), and Zodiac. While I have no reason to avoid gluten, and therefore don't know the veracity of such labeling, all of the above bear Gluten Free labels.
@cengland0 Until recently, I've never been much affected by alcohol, other than getting a pleasant buzz and becoming--if you can believe it--more talkative. I always wrote it off to my being kind of a big guy and rarely having more than a couple of drinks in an evening. I was never a partier in my youth. The most drinking I ever did was when I worked in a welding shop. We had a boss who liked to try to get us drunk. I kept up, but never really felt much from it. I remember one Friday night he kept us out drinking until like 2 or 3 . . . and we had to work early the next morning (I wanna say 6 or 7). No hangover or anything. Just tired at the end of the day Saturday. But I was in my 20s. That boss was a bit of a dick.
Over the last several months, I've noticed that I seem to feel more with less. Apparently it's a thing that others have reported with celiac disease, increased sensitivity to alcohol. Idunno. I just don't trust my body anymore. Sigh.
@cengland0 This is from a good article:
Theoretically, distillation, if it's done properly, should remove all the gluten. But not all makers of alcoholic beverages distill enough times to purify their beverages completely. In addition, some add in a little of the grain "mash" (which does contain gluten) following distillation to improve color and flavor, and there's always the possibility of cross contamination from gluten grains in the manufacturing facility following distillation.
You might want to check local newspaper food columns. We have a monthly column written by someone who has celiac, and he always finds new, celiac-safe places to review in the Jacksonville, FL area. Here's a sample: http://jacksonville.com/entertainment/food-and-dining/2015-05-13/story/gluten-free-glutton-its-always-time-focus-celiac
@OldCatLady He also has a blog jaxglutenfreeglutton.blogspot.com/
The Wife of a friend was told by her doctor that she might try Gluten Free to help with the arthritis in her hands. I scratched my head. Because of our friendship, I began comparing the nutrition information between regular and GF products. Please note that often, the nutrients in GF do not measure up to the regular and the portion size may be less than usual. I have deep regard for people with Celiac and wish them all the best, but as a fad it is important to know that you may be coming up short of nutrition.
@GeriatricDragon In some people, gluten causes inflammation in the body, which can play hell on conditions like arthritis.
But yeah, GF options are often higher in fat and sugar, which is what's used to bind things together when you take out gluten. It's better, health wise, to just stop eating processed food and not try to replace those gluten products at all.
@Thumperchick @GeriatricDragon IMO, foods that are specifically marketed as substitutes (e.g., breads and pastas) are mostly to be strenuously avoided. This is maybe all the more true for those with celiac disease, because we're already struggling with autoimmune and digestive problems and likely with endocrine issues as well.
Anyone who doesn't have celiac disease or some other noticeable gluten intolerance or allergy is an idiot for eating processed crap and thinking it's healthy just because it's labeled "gluten free."
Indeed, it's as likely that the chemicals and assorted processing render that food more toxic for them than the gluten they're trying to avoid.
Sure, I still eat processed crap (and pastries and such) on occasion, but I don't delude myself that I'm doing my body any favors when I do.
@Thumperchick I realize that I'm mostly repeating what you said, but I wanted to say it too, damnit. ;-)
@GeriatricDragon I was told to cut out carbs and processed sugar to decrease the inflammation in my joints. I wasn't told to go GF. If the GF free doesn't help, let her know that I have had HUGE relief from cutting out carbs and sugar. I eat plenty of meat, vegetables and fruit and hardly miss the sugar. I've als lost 15 lbs in 6 weeks. I have reduced my gluten intake but that's only because of stopping bread and stuff.
@mehbee You know, vegetables and fruits are high in carbs and sugars.
@cengland0 Depends on the fruit and vegetable. There are some that are fairly low in sugar and high enough in fiber to counter the effect.
Well, someone is getting very wealthy selling it and to unaware fad customers....and the rich get richer.
I must say, one of my all-time favourite dishes at Congee Queen is the Mixed Fungus & Fried Gluten in Hot Pot.
It is basically assorted mushrooms with gluten and bok choi.
Also, when I go to Graceful Vegetarian Restaurant (a fully vegetarian Chinese restaurant) I ALWAYS order the Assorted Gluten Platter.
I love the stuff.
THANK GOODNESS I'M TOLERANT!
@curtise Damn that looks delicious.
@curtise Thanks for sharing those Gluten restaurants in the Gluten Free Restaurants forum. :-|
@kevin8er Any time! :¬{| (I think the meh-ish smiley looks better with a moustache.. Or even better, a Fu Manchu!! :¬{|> )
Also, if it helps, they are in a whole different country than you, so this gluten will stay FAR FAR away from you! :-)
Snappy Salads
IMO, this is probably the healthiest way to eat gluten free: lots of naturally gluten-free veggies and lean protein. So, yeah, most of the ingredients on the line are gluten-free, they do the prep. Ask them to change their gloves, because they do have bread and wraps on the premises. Avoid the crunchies (which are probably all gluteny and kept separate).
I almost always get the Full Snap (large, 12 toppings--so there's the variety) with steak, sometimes also avocado. The thing I love about a Snappy Salad is that it's chunky, like a salad should be. I tend to focus on the leafy stuff first, so I have extra chunkiness at the end. Somehow I'm always surprised at how good it is. I guess because I go in thinking, "salad, meh." Trust me, it's plenty meaty. And did I mention "chunky"?
They have maybe a couple dozen different dressings, most of which they make themselves. They're aware of gluten and track ingredients, so they can tell you which dressings are okay and which aren't (in fact they have a list of their standards with the unsafe ones marked--most are safe).
We've known staff at four of the stores and our son worked for a while at the one on Campbell near 75 (ask for George; he's the best); Campbell is closest to us.
Quality, delicious food. And they're a cool company that tries to be eco-friendly and does lots of recycling and such (they have boxes for recycling in the restaurant); there's a story on most of their furniture and fixtures. They've grown quickly. I'm hoping they spread across the country, because I think they're far better than other salad places I've been to.
@joelmw The very last time I voluntarily went to a restaurant, I ordered a salad and specifically asked to not have any dressing and no croutons. When it came, I could see croutons on the top and before the waitress left, I asked her to take it back and make me a fresh one after explaining my health problems.
She came back with what I thought was a fresh salad but after eating half of it, I discovered croutons in the middle of the salad. It was clear she just picked them off the salad and gave it back to me.
I got so sick. I had to rush into the bathroom and it was the most disgusting bathroom I have seen in my life. It was a medium class restaurant too so I would have expected better. I've used bathrooms in camp sites and porta potties that were in better shape. After that experience, I will never go to a restaurant to eat unless I'm forced to (I had to for my company with executives a couple times).
@joelmw absolutely love Snappy. Really delicious salads and I get to feel healthy when still eating really good and filling food. My fiancée gets the Bam-Bam every time and I jump around between the Cobb, the Grilled Avocado, the Texas Taco, and the Fried Artichoke (Note: in case it wasn't super obvious all of these probably aren't GF, just the salads I like to eat).
@JonT Somehow I missed this until just now. Cool. Yeah, they're good. Live up to their tagline.
we are always looking for gluten free options in the mid-cities when we visit my brother who is celiac. So far, there's Mellow Mushroom Pizza (Mellowmushroom.com), From Across the Pond - (http://www.fromacross-pond.com/) family freindly British Pub, with a huge Gluten Free menu (the owner and his son are both celiac), and Fuzzy's Taco Shop. (http://www.fuzzystacoshop.com/) good food, several good gluten free options, along side many glutenous options so everyone can be happy.
both Mellow Mushroom, and Fuzzy's are chains, with several DFW locatons, and many outside of the metroplex .
if you've not yet discovered it yourself, Trader Joe's brand Gluten free Bread is awesome sauce, it tastes and feels like...bread... not some artificial bread like substance.
there is also a dedicated Gluten Free bakery in Hurst, I Heart Muffins Bakery(http://www.iheartmuffinsbakery.com/)
finally, download the Find me Gluten Free app for your phone. their database lead us to all the above eateries.
that's all i have so far. will have to check in on this thread from time to time.
@earlyre Mellow Mushroom is my favorite GF pizza. And we've talked to managers at several locations: each has a separate prep and baking area and segregated utensils.
@earlyre Honestly, we've been so frequently disappointed by Trader Joe's--all kinds of ways--that we rarely bother anymore. Our go-tos now are Sprouts and Natural Grocers. If we've got money to burn (or are looking for something really weird), Central Market and Whole
FoodsPaycheck. Honestly, Sprouts often has better selection of the stuff we want than the more expensive places. The one at Coit and Legacy in Plano is especially nice.@earlyre I agree that Find Me Gluten Free can be good, but it's dangerously inconsistent. We use it--especially when we're on the road--but usually don't rely on its recommendations alone.
@joelmw They are building a new Sprouts near me in Rowlett!!!!
@kevin8er Congrats. I usually don't get excited about a grocery store, but I might about Sprouts.
Be sure to look for Endangered Species Chocolate. Certified GF. We only get the 72% and more, so I'm convinced that it's a health food, and soooooo delicious.
And these. Oh, God, yes:
(And there are other varieties.)
@joelmw there are only a few things we get from Trader Joe's, the GF bread, and New Mexico Pinon Coffee mainly. ( the nearest ones to me here in NW buckeyeland is 70-100 mi away), but we just discovered their GF bread by accident when we were down in DFW in april (my brother lives towards the north end of North Richland Hills, a few miles south of southlake, so that's the one we went to)
we hit sprouts regularly when we are down there (also southlake) and yes. that store is awesome, wish we had them up here.
@joelmw I never eat at restaurants but I did talk to the manager at a Mellow Mushroom once and he convinced me to try the pizza there by telling me how isolated their special kitchen is. I bought it and then ate it at home. It was the worst pizza I've ever had. It was like a cracker with some sauce on it. For comparison purposes, here is a picture of their pizza and a frozen one that I bake myself. I like the frozen one better.
Mellow Mushroom
Frozen
The frozen never has enough cheese on it but I add additional and then bake it. You can always modify it a bit as long as the crust is okay and that's where the Mellow Mushroom version fails.
@cengland0 I can appreciate anyone's dissatisfaction with any gluten-free pizza I've ever had. I think maybe my standards have descended horribly on that, but I still like Mellow Mushroom. What can I say? What I don't know still pleases me. ;-) I always get the house special, btw. Your pizza is naked.
Gluuteny in Pittsburgh is an awesome bakery, and I'm not a gluten-free guy. Their main site appears to be down at the moment but their Facebook is up and running. They do ship from what I remember.
This isn't a place to eat per se, but it's the best blog on the internet that has anything to do with gluten. April is an actual writer and editor (this should matter to people like @editorkid, @bluedyn, @JasonToon, @Starblind and @JonT--and if I've missed you, let me know), who's actually funny. And she likes to say "fuck" on occasion, which I'm pretty sure is what won me over. Well, yeah, that and the title of her blog:
Gluten Is My Bitch
She's written a book of the same name:
And she gave me one of these buttons, which are exponential degrees of anti-gluten awesome sauce:
I also won a copy--which I've already started reading--of her newest book, which I believe is targeted at more-easily-offended audiences (I don't think she says "fuck" in it even once), but is looking to be really good anyway: The Gluten Free Cheat Sheet
April seems like a sweet person and she even consented to be my Facebook friend, sometimes liking and commenting on stuff that has nothing to do with the evil glutens. So either she's very nice or she's got just the right sort of warped taste or she's doing a helluva PR job--maybe all three.
Seriously, you should check this shit out.
This is why you need to look at the ingredients very carefully even if it's labeled as Gluten Free. Here's a Market Pantry brand (Target generic) soy sauce that is labeled Gluten Free but you can see it clearly has Wheat in the ingredients.
Late to the Meh gluten-free party. I'm no help when it comes to restaurants, since I long since stopped eating at any except when I am somewhere with a completely GF eatery. Since I'm retired, that's like - never, really. I think the last one was in Tucson a couple of years ago.
I mostly eat foods that are naturally gluten-free and avoid the ridiculously sugar-loaded "gluten-free alternatives." Exceptions are whole grain breads from either Three Bakers or Canyon Bakehouse. I actually love the occasional Three Bakers pizza and the Canyon Bakehouse cranberry muffins. There are probably stores that sell them in your area. Usually Albertson's and some Sprouts markets, with the occasional whole foods markets. I order cases of bread directly from Canyon Bakehouse and just store them in the freezer, but I'd buy locally if I could.
For baked stuff--breads, cookies, cakes, pies, etc.--these guys are pretty good, but pricey. They do paleo too. It doesn't make any sense to me to buy or consume a lot of this kind of crap, but we hit them for the occasional indulgence.
Unrefined Bakery
I missed this before, so I am glad it revived. I get sick at more than half the places @joelmw frequents. (I'm the much more sensitive daughter he mentioned.) Pizza is always a disaster for me, so I've stopped taking that risk.
I didn't see any mention of Chiladas. I feel safe there and sometimes I just really need shredded beef that is smothered with cheesy goodness. I go at least twice every time I visit. (I'm coming soon, Chiladas! Just two more weeks!) The only way they've ever left me feeling sick was in an "I ate too much cheese" way. Which is always worth it.
@christinewas I thought of bringing it back up. It was in the original Stalking Snapster thread