South Africa a Gluten-Free Guide
July 19th, 2010
Leopard eyes the horizon for something gluten-free...
Before leaving for South Africa for World Cup, I was a bit concerned about what foods I’d have to eat. Turns out South Africa is the most gluten-free friendly place I’d ever been. From the airports to the supermarkets, there were gluten-free options everywhere.
At Cape Town International airport, the international terminal cafe had options of pasta and pizza made gluten-free. Not only was that option amazing but I was more amazed that the cafe took the time to train their staff to properly cook the pasta. I had a gluten-free linguini and there was no gummy texture, tasted just like regular pasta.
All across South Africa there are convenience and supermarkets called Spar (http://www.spar.co.za) . They’re everywhere, from small towns to airports to the big city, you couldn’t get away from it. They have dedicated aisles for organic and gluten-free items, snacks to full meals, everything to satisfy the most discerning palate.
Seafood Platter at Meat and Seafood Mongers, Guateng
Nelspruit we found a little pizza place in the Riverside Mall, called Panarotti’s Pizza (http://www.panarottis.co.za), that made a gluten-free handmade pizza crusts too. The malls have a variety of food from spiced chicken, Indian and Asian fare so it’s not hard to find good options that are gluten-free.
Springbok Carpaccio
All over the country I found cheap and delicious seafood. In a small area just outside of Johannesburg, Guateng, I stayed at a little B&B called Outlook Lodge. Just around the corner from it I found this wonderfully priced place called Meat and Seafood Mongers in Benoni, Guateng area. Check out the picture of the Queen Platter I got and it was only about $10 US dollars. Impressive to say the least. I ate, loved it, and had leftovers to fill me up later.
Heading south to Cape Town by the V&A Waterfront there are a host of seafood and local fare fine dining. We stopped at Karibu (http://www.kariburestaurant.co.za) and enjoyed this Springbok carpaccio special. The meat was very tender and not very gamey at all. Local foods like Bredie often consist of rice, meat and vegetables, so for the g-free foodie, you’ll do just fine. I ordered a Waterblommetjie Bredie (try saying that 3 times) which was lamb and a sea flower. Tasted soo healthy and hearty I loved it, the photo doesn’t do it justice.
There’s so much more I brought back from SA, but I’ll save it for another blog. Stay tuned. Congrats to Espana, they were my favorite to win!
Ame Restaurant Hits the Target
May 25th, 2010
Skillful hands make lots of gluten-free options at Ame, SF
Several nights ago I had a fantastic dinner that hit high marks at Ame (pronounced Ah-may) Restaurant in San Francisco, CA. It wasn’t hard deciding to go to this Michelin rated restaurant that serves up California Japanese fusion. Located in the St. Regis Hotel in downtown makes this dining a great place to meet up before a night out. They have a full sushi bar, lots of sashimi, but don’t expect California rolls, it’s just not that kind of place. Fresh seafood dishes and an extensive wine list make this place completely gluten-free friendly.
Here are some of the items that I savored.
Special crudo of the day, Red Snapper with lemon, olive oil, and sea salt – So fresh, amazingly melt in your mouth light and fantastic olive oil to let it slide into your belly. Carpaccio of Wagyu Beef with Arugula Salad and Fried Drakes Bay Oysters – The oysters are not gluten free, but everything else is delectable, I still don’t know how they get that beef so thinly sliced. Special main course of Halibut with a lemongrass coconut foam with puree of potato and veggies of radish and roasted cauliflower – The cooking technique was excellent. The fish was insanely moist all over, light, flavorful and the sauce not as strong as one might expect.While dining here I couldn’t stop thinking about Le Bernadin in New York and how similar some of the techniques and delicacy towards fish there was. It’s a tough comparison, since both really delivered on food. For me it came down to the service. Le Bernardin is a lot more fussy, brighter environment yet less intimate setting. I loved that Ame was a bit darker, felt more casual and the tables were more spread out so you weren’t just placed in a large dining room. For San Francisco, I am shocked at how there isn’t as much talk about this place. There isn’t a week where someone isn’t mentioning Gary Danko, yet a superb place like Ame never gets thrown into conversation. High marks for Ame and next time I’ll know to spend some time at the lounge having a drink beforehand to really soak up all of the St. Regis.
Sow the Button Mushroom Tapas
May 13th, 2010
Barely had a chance to take the photo before it was almost gone.
When I get invited to someone’s place for dinner in less than a day and I know I have to bring something, I always turn to this trusty little Tapas book I bought for $3.99 at Marshalls. It’s one of those books that has huge pictures, little text, and 80% of the recipes are less than 30 minutes to make. What’s not to love. Back to the dinner. So I flip through my book and remind myself that on my friend’s dinner menu is mussels and homemade pizza. So rather than a heavy dish I go with a nice accompaniment of Sauteed Garlic Mushrooms, a total classic Spanish tapa dish.
Oh and did I mention, it might be the easiest thing to make if you’re in a pinch. Here’s how it goes:
8 oz package white button mushrooms 8 oz package brown mushrooms (all white mushrooms or mix chanterelles and local variety work fine, but I like a little to keep the shape uniform) 2 small chopped carrots (not necessary, but only because I like the brown and orange color combo) 3 tblsp olive oil 1 garlic clove dash of lemon juice salt pepper to taste Clean the mushrooms trim the bottoms and keep them whole. Any obese mushrooms can be halved or quartered if they’re a whale. Heat the oil in a frying pan and add garlic to infuse the oil a bit and lightly brown Add the mushrooms and carrots and let it absorb the oil, Heat is on high still Once it’s absorbed, turn heat to medium low. This is where you let the veggies sweat it out. Once they’ve shrunk and juices are released, turn the heat back up. 5 minutes. Add lemon juice and sprinkle salt pepper and if you like parsley or even a little green onion.Fet. (That’s done in Catalan.)
PF Chang’s Has a Great Wall of Gluten-Free Food
April 20th, 2010
PF Chang's Gluten Free menu satisfies all types of Chinese chain bistro cravings.
Last week I found myself in Walnut Creek, CA looking for something good and something gluten-free to eat. Around the corner from the Apple store, and Sur La Table, there are a bunch of chain restaurants to choose from. There’s Il Fornaio, Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse and PF Chang’s, a Chinese Bistro, all within a block of one another. After a quick search, the choice was obvious, PF Chang’s was and seems to be the only chain major restaurant that has a dedicated Gluten-Free menu. Check out their impressive online menu at www.pfchangs.com/menu.
There’s a total of 28 items, ranging from appetizers, to main entrees and even dessert. I ordered the Gluten Free Egg Drop Soup, Lettuce Cups, and Mongolian Beef. They substitute flour with corn starch, and soy sauce with wheat free soy sauce, making each item taste delicious. I know Chinese food and I was really surprised that everything was so good. They even plate g-free items on different plates so you don’t get them mixed up with other regular dishes. Also try out the local specials, in the East Bay it’s $39.99 for a four course meal for two people. Totally worth it and the menu allows each person to choose their own dishes so mixing up gluten-free and regular items for a companion work out just fine. For a major chain restaurant I throw up 2 woks to them and hope more people try out this menu.
Bagel Burger and Home cut Fries
December 4th, 2009
This past week I made an organic beef burger with onions, cheese and a gluten-free bagel. It was really juicy, since I grilled it and put in an extra tablespoon of water into the pound of meat. That’s the secret, well not so secret now, trick to keeping a burger juicy. I also made my own home cut fries with onion, salt and olive oil baked into them. Easy and good meal.
Cafe Mariposa Bakeshop Sweet Sweet Gluten-Free
November 25th, 2009
Chocalate chip and nutmeal cookies from Cafe Mariposa. I want more!
In a rare find I was taken to Cafe Mariposa, a gluten-free bakeshop in Oakland, California. What, a bakery with gluten-free breads, desserts, bagels, cookies and pizza??! How is this so? This bakeshop was in a brick flanked building in a quiet neighborhood. What seemed quiet on the outside with an excess of hybrid and bio diesel vehicles, became a busy and bustling little bakeshop cafe on the inside.
I felt like I found a lost treasure. I was so excited I bought cookies, a slice of pizza, frozen bagels and frozen pizza crust. I went a little crazy. The cookies purchased were the chocolate chip and nutmeal cookies. In comparison to regular flour cookies, I really couldn’t tell the difference. Good chewy soft texture with nice sweetness are still in my mind. Ahhhh. The pizza was good too, the crust was a rice flour and didn’t crisp the way a regular pizza does but the cheese and toppings were flavorful and satisfying. Remember the lumpy one from Pizza Amore and Conte’s slightly better version. This one was cooked fresh at noon and the cheese was real cheese.
I still have the bagels and the pizza crust to try at home. If you’re in the neighborhood whether you’re gluten-free or not stop by and pick up a dessert. I have heard rave reviews of their flourless cake from non-gluten free (wheat loving) people.
5427 Telegraph Ave
Ste D3
(at 55th St)
Oakland, CA 94609
(510) 595-0955
Banana, As a Starch or Sugar?
November 15th, 2009
Cool sticker on the nanner.
Fried up bananas make a great gluten-free side.
Here’s a good side dish to cook that people never seem to think of when they’re cooking at home, Bananas. I needed something more on the plate and thought maybe sauteed bananas like the Brazilian style would be good.
I’ve been missing Cafe Brazil in Los Angeles lately. I had a regular banana on the counter, sliced it up, threw it on a fry pan with oil and let the heat do its’ work. I added a sprinkle of organic sugar to help sweeten it too.
When I finally ate it, the taste was more starchy than sweet. After a little research, seems that unripened bananas, like many other fruits, are high in starch until ripening. Upon ripening the starches turn into a sugar, so depending on how you want to use the bananas determines what type of banana you should be using. So if I want to make a dessert like bananas foster, I would choose an ultra ripe banana with the highest sugar content. For a side dish like I had, a more yellowy green one will do. Good and tasty….and of course gluten-free.
This video makes me happy and I love how the people on the field just stand there confused.
Burger Bar SF Mushroom Cap Bun
November 12th, 2009
Burger Bar's juicy burger with portobello mushroom cap "buns". Sweet potato fries loitering in the background.
Veteran’s day yesterday meant a big lunch at the new Burger Bar San Francisco. There was a huge line there, slow hostesses and food prep. Our waiter was oh so nice though. Now you’re thinking,why would you go to a burger place if you are trying to be gluten-free? Well there is something here that works for both celiacs, gluten-free wannabees (that’s myself), vegans and everything in between. I ordered the Country Natural with grilled portobello mushroom caps as a “bun”. How fun is that?! It has the right shape and size of a bun. Problem is this burger becomes more a fork and knife dish than a pick ‘em up and stuff in face burger. This burger was more filling than a regular one and I’m pretty sure better for me. Even though the wait times were ludicrous, the food was legit. I would expect so considering the prices, I think I ended up spending around $15 for the burger, and $3 for a side of sweet potato fries. The options here are great especially those mushroom caps,. I just don’t know if I can bear that wait again. Hubert Keller, the restaurant owner and Top Chef Masters frequent, probably needs to CHOP someone at this location. Happy eating and Veteran’s day!
PIzza Take Two
November 6th, 2009
Still came out with a crackery crust.
On a quest to find another pizza that is gluten-free and edible, I tried the Conte’s Margherita Pizza with Roasted Garlic and Olive Oil. I added some of my own ham and extra toppings, but this pizza wasn’t a whole lot different than the other Pizza Amore I tried back in October. Again the crust tastes more like a cracker. It doesn’t crisp and break the way a regular pizza dough does. The cheese was a better quality at least and there was more sauce so that was good. Hmmmm. Next time I’ll try Glutino brand and see if I can’t find something that will make this little pie face happy.
Anyone have a good pizza pie crust recipe to follow? Maybe frozen just isn’t the way to go.
Dim Sum and Lose Sum
November 3rd, 2009
I made my way to a great little take-out Dim Sum place in Richmond area of San Francisco called, Good Luck Dim Sum. The problem is, I can’t really eat Dim Sum while being gluten-free. If you don’t know what Dim Sum is, they are like Chinese tapas, little bites, that include lots of bakery goods, dumplings and sides that you normally go to a restaurant and get from little carts that come around. Most of the little bites have a flour type dumpling wrapper and soy sauce as an ingredient. My friend can get all they wanted since they’re not gluten-free. Check out the pic of the box of goods they could eat. No steamed barbecue pork buns, no shu mai, no har gow, no nothing for me. I was giddy looking at it, but then sad that I couldn’t have any. So instead I ended up heating up my own items. Rice noodles, fried taro cake and duck egg and pork congee. This was a lot of rice product for me, but needless to say good. Not quite the same experience and I was soo tempted to break my vow. I used the Braggs Liquid Aminos and still enjoyed my food.
Dim Sum that I can't have. Pork Buns, Egg Rolls, Dumpling buffet (har gow, sui mai and woi teep)
Dim Sum I can have. Duck egg congee, steamed rice noodles and fried taro cake
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