2wheels4eyes

I'm thrilled to report that Hyde Park, Chicago has an almost totally gluten-free restaurant! It's getting pretty well known among the locals but I thought I'd post this especially for the out-of-towners visiting the celiac clinic at the U of C hospital on campus (Open Original Shared Link). It's a 5 minute drive or about 20-25 minute walk. And of course, the buses run too.

The Sit Down Cafe Open Original Shared Link 1312 E. 53rd St. Chicago (adjacent to the Kimbark Plaza).

The menu's a rather strange hybrid of Italian fare and a full sushi bar but this is the sort of randomness that tends to thrive around campuses. They serve gluten-free soups, sandwiches, appetizers, pizzas and sushi. They even make some gluten-free desserts, including a cheesecake. The prices are quite reasonable; there are tables as well as armchairs inside and a sidewalk patio outside. It's currently byob but I'm told they're hoping to have a liquor license soon.

After living in Hyde Park for two years as a hyper-reactive celiac, I can't tell you how awesome this is!

Sal, the owner, is cousin to the owner of Hyde Park Produce Market, which is several doors down in the Kimbark Plaza. Due I think mostly to Sal's diagnosis, his family has rallied around him and the Produce Market now boasts an excellent selection of gluten-free products. They're also knowledgeable and extremely careful about ingredients and cross-contamination (e.g., I can eat their rotisserie chicken without fear, etc.) The prices for packaged/prepared goods at the Produce Market are fairly reasonable (for Hyde Park, anyway, i.e., invariably lower than Treasure Island but not, you know, cheap). The produce however *is* cheap and plentiful; the availability of cheap produce explicitly factored into my decision to renew my lease and stay in Hyde Park another year.

If you're in Hyde Park, please give these two your business.

Travelling through TN this summer, I had the great fortune to happen upon Cafe 61 in downtown Memphis: Open Original Shared Link They were super-careful and it was a great experience overall. One of the staff members was very familiar with celiac disease, so it wasn't hard to communicate what I wanted. I had the shrimp and grits... super tasty and very reasonably priced (about $20) for the quality. I should have been born in the south!

is that the only sauce that is safe?

I'm not sure... I'd definitely have them double- and triple-check before you eat it though, especially the cream sauces. They also have sandwiches, salads, etc. if you're not in the mood for pasta. And I've also just gone in and told them what I want off-menu (e.g., my tuna-on-a-bed-of-greens standby) and they're pretty good about it. The artichoke dip is gluten-free but comes ringed with bread--have them put the bread on a different plate and eat your share first.

Happy eating!

A year after opening, 112 Eatery remains the "it" reservation in the Twin Cities. They've won more kudos, local, regional and national than I will bore you with here. Aside from serving the best food in town, and at extremely reasonable prices, they've got many menu options that are naturally gluten-free. Last week I had the chicken for 2, the sweet potatoes and greens for sides, and the chocolate pudding for dessert. The pudding alone would be worth a 2-3 hour drive. The wine list is comprehensive and solid. If you live in Minnesota and lament the food scene here (i.e., almost everyone, except perhaps the born-and-breds) this is the place to give you hope. Or perhaps just make you wonder why no one else in the city seems to have caught on.

Unbelievable, amazing food mixing high and low cuisine. Great atmosphere. Unpretentious staff. Open til 1 am... no wonder it's hard to get a table. If I wasn't on a student budget, I'd be there every week.

Loring Pasta Bar's always willing to improvise something gluten-free for me, but now they've explicitly printed a statement on their menu that all pasta in the pasta dishes can be substituted for rice.

I wondered if the sauces though were indeed gluten free (cause as we know, it's not just enough to sub rice for pasta!) I had them double-check against my Triumph Dining card and they assured me, yes, the (seafood spaghetti) sauce was safe.

If you've never been, it's a great place to take out-of-towners. The restaurant has won design awards for what they did with the old apothocary and deservedly so. The space is simply amazing. That the food is good too and reasonably priced (both by Twin Cities standards, of course...) is a bonus.

Guys... I'm starving. I'm in Hyde Park for the fall studying at the U of C on an exchange (from the highly gluten-free-friendly Twin Cities) and at a total loss for where to eat. I can't find any tips on the blogs, boards, etc.

Any suggestions for on- and off-campus dining are very very much appreciated.

Fortunately, I'm just shy of 6'. But I'll be sure to casually mention my equally tall "husband" with the ferocious jealous streak...

Thanks also for the food tips, folks! Can't believe I leave in 3 days!

To the OP (and whoever else, of course)... I do a fair amount of travelling and eating out (nothing like you though!). When I was diagnosed a year ago, it seemed like the first 6 months I just felt worse instead of better. It seemed like my body just went nuts--some days it seemed the only I wasn't reactive to was good old rice & bananas.

But whether I got smarter about what I put into my mouth, or my body finally learned to chill on the new diet, I've no idea, (probably both) but eating out's a lot easier now. And if I do eat something that's CC, it's not the gigantic setback that it was initially. For me, anyway.

It was really difficult for me to learn how to be firm with restaurant people. There's a bit of an art to walking that fine line between scaring them and scaring them off. But it's possible to be polite and gregarious and inspire people to take you seriously and go to those extra lengths for you and to have them even do it happily. As a social person, I'm sure you already know what I mean. It took me a bit longer to learn.

I also found the Triumph dining cards indispensible. They even look kind of official so restaurant folks tend to take them seriously. Plus, it means you don't need to rely on the server to accurately convey what you just said to the back of the house. And they can re-read what they need to. And the cards are cuisine-specific.

It also took a while to not feel weird about taking food into restaurants, movies, etc. Again, I try to be discreet and respectful, but I never hide what I'm doing--instead I let them know right away what I've brought in and why. It doesn't hurt to order some pricier item off the menu to go with your little packed items--or tipping well's always appreciated.

But so are remembering servers' names, looking people in the eye, smiling, asking for the manager, compliments...

Hi all,

I'm travelling to Ecuador next week (yay!). I fly into Quito and stay in Old Town for a couple of days. Then head out for the conservation reserves around Nanegal to volunteer for a couple of weeks. I'm ok once I get to the reserve--they've assured me they can accommodate my diet.

But does anyone have restaurant recommendations for Quito and surrounding area?

I'm hearing that the traditional diet is pretty gluten-free anyway--but are there any specific ingredients, menu items, spices, popular sauces or dishes, etc, that I should stay away from? I don't know a word of Spanish, alas--so if you know the English *and* Spanish equivalents, my many thanks.

Any tips on what items would be useful to pack? I'm backpacking it (uphill!) so can't take much.

Just to make it more interesting (ha ha) I also try to limit soy and dairy and eschew red meat...

Just got back from a fast, hilly, windy 50 miles where I kept up with the guys and decisively dropped the other girls on the ride...

Don't know if this is partially responsible for my success but, halfway through I chowed down on 2 leftover pancakes with jam & p.b. sandwiched between. The pancakes were made with Bob's Red Mill gluten-free Pancake mix, which was pretty tasty for Sunday brunch and then after overnight refrigeration held up well in my jersey pocket the next morning. They were slightly cakey/crumbly in texture but the pb&j kept things mostly together.

My other favourite on long rides is p.b. sandwiched between 2 ginger cookies. I individually wrap a few of them and they're great 2-bite snacks on long rides.

But then, my stomach can handle dense food while riding (I used to messenger in Toronto--hello, street vendor veggie dogs) and my wallet cannot handle the wonderful but spendy gels and goos and things. I do pop for a Lara Bar once in a while but I find pancake, ginger cookie, etc. p.b. sandwiches hold me better anyway.

For all you Twin Cities folks... Cooqi Bakery (Marshall & Cretin, St. Paul) has started to make biscotti. OK, so, sure, gluten-free biscotti's not the hardest thing in the world to do, but still. I bought some today and just had one with my coffee. They are simply **fabulous**. Not too sweet, great texture, stand up against the hottest beverage. Gives Pamela's brand biscotti (which is not bad in a pinch) a stiff kick in the shin. If you live in the area, get thee to Cooqi and stock up. But be prepared: I may have already called ahead and asked them to put aside about 5 dozen of them for my personal pleasure.

Now: just in case someone's wondering if I work for Cooqi, nope--I wish. And I'll prove it: Dear Cooqi bakers (and gluten-free bakers around the world) why even bother calling it a baguette? Clearly, such a thing is impossible. Don't toy with us. Anything made of approximately 5 pounds of rice flour (or whatever) cannot possibly be a baguette. It is to laugh. In fact, I think I can here Paris laughing as I type this. Call it a glutette, a baguten, call it whatever you want. Just don't try to tell me it's a baguette.

I'm coming up on 7 months gluten free and realised the other day... I actually feel pretty *good*!

Either my body's finally adjusted to the new diet (gluten, dairy, soy-free) or I've gotten smarter about what I put in my mouth, or both... but things just feel normal again. Except better.

I've even eaten out a couple of times without incident.

It seemed in the beginning every little thing would set me off. Now? It's been weeks. Have others found that their bodies eventually learn to chill out on the new regimen? Or that they can tolerate a little CC once in a while without consequences?

I've been gluten-free since August (yay!) and it's definitely gotten better for me. But it's still a loss--and still pretty new--so there are definitely times I want to cry about it all. The worst for me is not the grocery store but restaurants and especially parties/events revolving around food. Absolutely brutal still.

One thing I've noticed though is that I'm missing things I never thought I'd miss and things that I wouldn't guess would make me feel better actually do--e.g., pre-gluten-free, I never ate whatever toast/bread/buns/etc. were served with the meal at a restaurant. Now though, if I bring my own along I definitely eat it and then I don't feel left out when everyone else is having their appetizers/bread/etc.

I guess what I'm agreeing with an earlier poster-- try to be creative about replacing what you're missing rather than going for exact replicas.

Then again, there's nothing wrong with a good howl on the shoulder of a loved one once in a while...

That and reading the boards here has helped immensely.

To be honest, although Chianti Grill is just down the road from the U of M, I never really went. Pre-gluten-free I thought their food was rather overpriced given the quality of what was served, especially after being spoiled by the food in Chicago. But that was a couple of years ago, when Chianti was undergoing a change in management, I think.

Now I would say they are great!!! GREAT!!! Sure, still a little rich for my grad student budget most days. But, for the dollar or two more per entree compared to Outbacks up the street (and there are some sub-$15 entrees), it's worth supporting a local place that will actually serve gluten-free pastas--a variety of them at that.

I went half-expecting to get sick (how wrong it seemed to eat pasta in a restaurant again!) but I didn't get sick at all. And it was *tasty* far better than the pasta I do for myself at home (that alfredo sauce could have had something to do with it...) My non-gluten-free dinner companion was also very happy with the steak.

Yay! Another great, pasta-filled food option and in my neck of the woods too.

Now if only we could get a pizza joint willing to deliver gluten-free pizza, as is rumoured to be possible in NYC...

Good gawd... I remember that numb feeling... had that too for days once I'd started the diet (way back in August!) And then trying to rationalize with myself that in the grand scheme of things I shouldn't complain... yet it's normal to want to.

As everyone else has said, it does indeed get better. And then it will hit you all over again. I remember after the numb feeling throwing myself into the diet, my food diary, new menus, etc. And after 3 or 4 weeks of that I felt like I had been such a good little gluten free girl that I should be "done with" having celiac. (HA HA!) I think I even posted here--saying how over it all I felt. Thus began a second period of mourning, when it hit me all over again that 3 or 4 weeks gluten-free was just the beginning...

But, as everyone else has said, it does become the new normal. And it happens faster than you think (or it did in my case anyway). Not that there's not still a learning curve for me 6 months into it, or that I don't still mourn at times, but it really does start to feel normal again. Life seeps back in and gluten stops being the only thing you think about.

I think part of getting through it faster will of course be the support you have around you but the other part will be to recognize your own definition of deprivation/abundance and then try to have that feeling of abundance gluten-free. E.g., for me, I like little gadgets and toys and things--so I got myself a couple of super-cool metal mini lunch boxes for transporting my "special" crackers, cereal bars, etc. I have a weekly brunch date with friends, which was especially hard at first--brunch *is* kind of brutal gluten-free. But after a couple of weeks I realized that the smallest thing made it all bearable, even enjoyable for me. In my case this was bringing my own toast, carried in my Wonder Bread container for the irony, to enjoy with my eggs at the restaurant. The funny thing is pre-gluten-free, I never really cared about toast at brunch--I usually left it on my plate. But now having toast for some reason takes away my craving for something carb-y when everyone else has theirs.

Sounds silly, but it might be helpful. I hope, anyway!

I'd like to start working rice paper into the rotation but hear some brands may not be gluten-free and may not say this on the label if they're imported. I'd also like to purchase a brand found in Asian markets if possible because this will be a lot cheaper.

Any brand suggestions?

While I'm at it--anyone who typically shops at Asian markets--what brands/food items are you buying in general? I haven't darkened the door of my local purveyor of all things imported and dubiously translated since going gluten-free but I'd love to start again.

Thank you!

I'm also a fan of Vans... taste as good or better than TJoe's and others that cost more (I don't know why, but Vans gluten-free waffles always on sale at either Whole Foods, the local co-op, etc.)

The trick though to making them tasty: you **must** DEFROST them before toasting, and then toast on the lowest setting your toaster goes. (I also use a toaster oven, not a vertical toaster, don't know if that matters.) You'll get a lightly crunchy outside and a steamy soft inside, i.e., a waffle and not cardboard.

My better half snuck some of my Vans one morning but tried to make them like a regular waffle and thought they were completely disgusting--threw them out, something I've never seen my carb hound do. So the next morning I cooked them properly and she liked them.

The other thing I like about Van's is the high fiber content. (The reg., not flax ones, but flax good for you too...)

I saw my dr. yesterday (a GI guy; considered the expert around here on celiac; heads the training for GI residents; takes months to get an appt.) After my week of double crossings with gluten (well, CC issues) I asked him what are the health consequences for repeated exposure. He said:

1. My reaction to CC is not indicative of physical damage (necessarily)--I might "just be sensitive" to CC.

2. That's because it takes weeks of eating gluten before any significant blunting of the villi is observable.

3. So obviously, stick with the gluten-free diet and be as careful as possible but don't drive myself or loved ones nuts with it and, if I'm "sensitive" take various OTC remedies (prilosec, etc.) to deal with symptoms when glutened.

This seems sensible to me. I'm reactive enough to not want to purposely have gluten, but knowing that every time there's an accident I don't need to freak out about a short and unhappy old age is helpful.

On the other hand, he was not especially sympathetic to what it's like to be glutened. I get the sense he's heard all this before and thinks we're all overstating things. Or maybe that the best way to talk his patients off the ledge is to downplay everything. (And of course, for him, the only symptoms he seems to know about/believe are GI-related.)

All my concerns have been mentioned so won't repeat.

But I'd love if restauranteurs knew about the 2 things that go the longest way towards reducing my anxiety:

1. The sense that the staff has all already been trained-- I ask for the gluten-free menu and immediately a "gluten-free protocol" kicks in--the server knows what I'm talking about, they have a gluten-free menu on hand, the server writes gluten-free in big letters on my order, etc.

2. This includes not just when I'm ordering food but when it is served to me. At a few of the Outbacks I've been to, when the servers bring the food they look me in the eye and say "with extra wheat!" as they hand me my plate. As a joke, it got old really fast. But what didn't get old was knowing that the server remembered my special order without me having to ask, or prompt them, or doublecheck.

A couple of people mentioned how CC isn't a big deal for them. I was never sensitive pre-dx but find the longer I'm gluten-free, the more sensitive I seem to be to CC. I realise when I go out that I take the risk, and I'm willing to do that, but if I experience consistent issues with CC at a place I just simply stop going there.

One last thing for restaurant managers to know--I was the typical 20s-30s diner pre-dx--would eat at a lot of different places and not be particularly loyal to any one of them. Good gluten-free menus, well-trained staff and little/no CC makes me the most loyal customer you'll meet--and one whose friends with other potential customers ready to be loyal too!

Glutened again... third or fourth time in about 10 days and not sure what the problem is, just that it sucks to be me tonight.

I'm under rather extreme stress (work + family + personal) just now though so I'm not sure if:

a) stress makes a run-in with gluten more severe (that whole gut-as-the-2nd-brain connection)

stress makes a run-in with gluten *feel* more severe (The "I can't deal with one more thing right now" reaction.)

c) stress makes a run-in with gluten more likely (The last thing on a stressed mind is what's getting put one's mouth.)

d) it isn't gluten at all but just stress!

e) it isn't stress at all but just gluten!

Anyone else notice a stress/symptom connection? And which of the above, or combination of the above, or other than the above, do you think causes it?

I don't trust Amy's. It says "Gluten Free" on the front but in tiny, tiny letters on the back it has a message "for those with food allergies" that the food shares a facility with wheat products, among other things. Am I wrong to fear them? I assume that if it's dangerous for people with allergies, it's dangerous for me!

I used to live on Amy's in my pre-gluten-free days (they even stock them in the candy machines in my building) and was sooo happy to see most of my faves were gluten-free anyway. Then they changed their packaging from "Gluten Free" to "No Gluten Added". Meaning: no gluten added on purpose! I kept eating Amy's stuff anyway until one day after lunch I got sicker than I've ever been. It literally went on for days. I can't absolutely prove it was the Amy's of course but I'm 99% positive--it was the only packaged/not whole thing I'd eaten that day. Not wanting to cut Amy's out by mistake, I tried some of their foods again. I didn't get as sick as the first time but was definitely CC'd 2 out of 3 times.

I've heard from other folks that they're having issues with CC--I was really sad to see the new labelling. Kudos to them for being honest, but what a drag that they can't guarantee their products. Making a packaging change on that scale (they changed their soup labels too, and other things) takes months and months and months of planning and a great deal of $$. So I guess they're planning to stick to the "no gluten added" policy for a while.

Too bad for me, I think they're a great company making a great product line--but after my brutal experience I won't go back til they can provide me with more assurance that the CC issue is under control.

Still a newbie (and making mistakes, alas, but for what it's worth...)

Breakfast:

Usually Bob's Red Mill gluten-free Hot Cereal mix (I'm amazed how much I like this hot cereal. Pre-gluten-free, I used to get sick of hot cereals pretty quickly but I never get sick of this one. And I've got a fool-proof cooking method for busy mornings: boil the water. And a small handful of nuts/seeds/dried fruit along with the cereal. Re-cover the pot and turn heat to low and stir well. Ideally, leave heat on low for another minute or two--this is when the pets get fed in my house--then turn off the heat. Keep the lid on tight and go have your shower or what have you for another 6-30 mins. When you come back your cereal is perfectly done--no bubbling over on the stove, no burnt pot to scrape, etc. Salt, milk, cinnamon etc. optional.)

Other breakfasts: Van's waffles w/ nut butters & jams. Fruit and nuts and yogurt. Eggs. Last night's leftovers. Never rice cakes cause they make me cranky with deprivation and fast carbs.

Lunch:

Usually a big pile of raw veggies, crackers (fave = Pecan Nut Thins), some good cheese, salmon or turkey or a bean salad.

Otherwise my favourite college meal: onions, garlic, oil, lightly sauteed, add cumin and cilantro and a can of beans. Turn down heat to low, add salsa. Grate cheese on top. Cover. Go away for 5 mins. come back and eat with shredded lettuce and nacho chips.

If I have to eat lunch out, usually homemade rice-bean-veggie-nut salad.

Dinner:

Usually fish packet + veggies + rice, sometimes chicken in the slow cooker, also do a lot of stir fry w/ gluten-free tamari and rice noodles.

Snacks: popcorn, fruit, nuts, yogurt, homemade choc/peanut butter/cereal squares. Lara bars if I'm out and about.

I saw a dietician recently and showed her my (extremely detailed) food diary. She was ecstatic to have such good "data". Despite eating more vegetables than anyone I know, she said I wasn't getting enough of them...

Finally got to try the wares at Cooqi (Open Original Shared Link), the brand-new gluten-free bakery in St. Paul today (corner of Marshall and Cretin.) Small but great space--lots of seating in front of a big window, a little play area with a toy kitchen set for the kids, wi-fi for the grown ups.

And most important... totally amazing totally gluten-free, peanut-free and (in some cases) casein-free baked goods! I tried one of everything that was left today--the cookies, the cupcakes, the coffee. (They also do a variety of breads, dinner rolls, frozen cookie & pizza doughs, cakes etc.) The cookies were **transcendent**. I've been gluten-free a short enough time to remember what "real" food is like--these cookies are amazing. Sure, a gluten-free cookie is (relatively) easier to do, but a **transcendent** cookie? The ginger ones are the best I've ever had, period. And I have a serious thing for ginger cookies--I try them everywhere I go (or used to). Not just the taste but the texture of these was perfect--crunchy and chewy simultaneously: absolutely divine. The cupcakes too sweet for me but my coffee date lwith a sweet tooth oved them (as would anyone under the age of 15). Again, texture was fabulous: moist but not too moist, rich but not depressingly dense, good and not grainy mouthfeel...

Can't wait to try the rest of their products! FYI--they were totally cleaned out--of everything--by 4:30 today. But apparently they will reserve stuff for you if you call ahead. They're also hiring another baker so maybe soon they'll extend their hours and product volume.

Yay!!!

I hope this is the right place for this. tim hortons is sort of a restaurant.

Anyway, does anyone know if tim horton's yogurt and berries are gluten free?

It would be something i could get when i'm out and craving fast food. If it's gluten free that is.

I was in Canada over the holiday (I'm from Kitchener originally) and ended up in a car full of starving folks who decided to go through Tim's for lunch. My work around: ordering a "sandwich" minus the bread, and the sauces--and I asked for the cheese, etc. to still be individually wrapped, etc. so I could at least limit CC. I didn't realise the turkey wasn't real turkey (duh) but lunch meat so ended up just eating the cheese (don't know if it was gluten-free or not) and lettuce.

Of course--the drive-through person thought I was nuts, or joking with them. Ended up going up to the pick up counter and explaining the situation to them. They were very accommodating. However--I'd probably avoid eating a sandwichless sandwich again.

Coffee remains gluten-free!

Celiac Sufferer... my heart goes out to you... thanks for sharing with me your hard-earned knowledge about celiac disease.

I'm symptomatic after CC but usually not to a debilitating degree (i.e., don't usually have to take time off work or anything.) It's more frustrating when I know I'm in control of what I eat (ha ha) and still end up making mistakes that could jeopardize my health.

However, I think my post was motivated in equal parts by a desire for better research and a desire to simply whine!