Farm Burger on a GF bun!

Happy National Celiac Awareness Day!

That’s right, September 13^th is officially Celiac Awareness Day.  It’s a day to celebrate!  On this day, I’m particularly thankful for my health and the many resources Atlanta has to offer its gluten-free residents.  Thank you, ATL!

Last week, I enjoyed my first trip to the new Farm Burger in Buckhead (with elaney), and thoroughly enjoyed my cheeseburger with FB sauce (I kept accidentally calling it “Facebook Sauce”) and tomato, as well as my delicious salad (both of their salad dressings are GF).  The burger hit the spot.  Thanks, Farm Burger, for working with Pure Knead, another local treasure, to allow me to enjoy a dinner out, just like everyone else!  A great way to celebrate Celiac Awareness Day if you ask me!

So, in honor of Celiac Awareness Day, take your favorite gluten-free loved one out for a night of GF goodness.  There are so many choices…check out my Restaurants page for guidance.

Recently I had the opportunity, through the Atlanta Gluten-Free Dinner Club, to sample some of Gigi’s Cupcakes’ gluten-free treats.  The Gigi’s at the Forum, in Norcross, makes gluten-free cupcakes every Tuesday and Thursday.  On those days they always have chocolate cupcakes with chocolate frosting, vanilla cake with vanilla frosting and spice with cream cheese frosting.  Delicious!

Yours truly in front of Gigi's

While Gigi’s is not a dedicated gluten-free bakery, they use precaution to avoid contamination.  In fact, on Tuesdays and Thursdays they start baking early so to prepare the GF cupcakes before they make their glutenous cupcakes.

A few Tuesdays ago, Jen (a fellow gluten-freer) and I hopped in the car and made the trek to Norcross.  This was my first ever visit to Norcross (besides my lacrosse team playing Wesleyan) but it was worth the venture OTP.  (Since it is a bit of a trek for those of us that live closer to downtown, I would call ahead, just to make sure they have GF cupcakes on that day.)

These cupcakes were absolutely delicious and the crew at Gigi’s made a bunch of different varieties, beyond just the typical vanilla and chocolate.  Jen and I savored every bite of out THREE cupcakes…

Salted Caramel

Peanut Butter Cup

Birthday Cake

And I got two for the road, chocolate and vanilla…

Gigi’s cupcakes are a sweet tooth’s dream!  Amazing icing and delicious cake.  I know that cupcakes are trendy right now but I do think they’re so much more fun than cake.  For indecisive people like me, you can try multiple varieties!

PS: When we got married 7 years ago (!!!!!!!) we had cupcakes, instead of wedding cake.  I guess we were way ahead of the trend!  So cupcakes always have a special place in my heart.

Not every Gigi’s makes gluten-free cupcakes but if there’s one in your area, I suggest calling and seeing if they do.  If they don’t, you should highly suggest it.  Of course they will need to take precaution when  making them in order to avoid contamination.

There’s always room for dessert!

Gigi’s Cupcakes – 4880 Peachtree Corners Circle Ste 1130, Norcross, GA

Farm Burger Buckhead officially opens its doors today, Friday, September 2nd.

Here’s what the Farm Burger folks had to say:

Yes that’s right, as of Friday, September 2nd, we are OPEN IN BUCKHEAD! Come on down and taste our 100% local grassfed burgers and farm fixins for lunch or dinner.

OUR HOURS ARE…
Sunday – Thursday   11.30am – 10pm
Friday – Saturday    11.30am – 11pm

3365 Piedmont at Peachtree in TowerWalk…and free parking in the lot next door to us!

Did you know we run our own farms in Athens? Check out Full Moon Farms and Moonshine Meats, our vegetable and animal operations.

We’re thrilled to round up our herd from Decatur and stampede over to Buckhead…same menu, same beef, same seasonal goodness from local and sustainable farms available everyday!

Hello Buckhead…we can’t wait to get to know you better.

When David and I go for runs we talk about anything to keep us from thinking about the fact that we’re running. To quote David, “the best part about running is being done.” (Usually I let David talk and I nod my head, conserving as much energy as possible.)

On Sunday morning we went for a run and in the midst of our huffing and puffing, we created our “Top 5” Atlanta restaurant list.  When making the list, we had nice venues in mind.  Think entrees over $20.  Notice that I didn’t call this the Top 5 Gluten-Free Restaurant List…all of these make great gluten-free food because all of their food is lovely, quality and creative.

Here’s what we came up with:

1. Bacchanalia (Westside): Favorite dishes: anything and everything.
2. Empire State South (Midtown): We went here for the first time last weekend and loved it!  Our wonderful dining experience prompted our “Top 5 Discussion.”  Will post more details soon.
3. Iberian Pig (Decatur): Favorite dishes are “BWDs” and lamb ribs
4. Rosebud (Virginia Highlands): Favorite dish: scallops with pineapple smoked bacon, caroline rice, and sorghum mustard peppercorn honey
5. Wisteria (Inman Park): Favorite dish: rack of lamb and mashed potatoes

What are some of your ATL favorites?  What do you like to order?  David and I are always looking for new places to try!

Still to come: Top 5 Atlanta casual spots…list to be determined during our next run.

Last week, I got the opportunity to sample a truly lavish and delicious gluten-free meal at Tantra Restaurant & Lounge, on Peachtree Road.  I left this meal feeling satisfied, full, and thinking about all of the yummy flavor combinations I had just enjoyed.  Since David was traveling for work, I took my gluten-free friend, Jen, to Tantra with me and we wined and dined.

The culinary inspiration behind Tantra wanders the path of the Silk Road, through Asia, the Mediterranean, southern Europe, and Spain.  Each menu item is a unique and flavorful blend of these cultures, different from anything I’ve tried before.  While many Atlanta restaurants emphasize the trend of the moment, “farm to table” (which, don’t get me wrong, I love), Tantra takes its cuisine in another direction, encouraging diners to try new things and go beyond your typical fliet mignon and Ceasar salad.

During our dining experience at Tantra, the chef brought us many dishes to sample, but I didn’t feel sick or bloated, despite the amount of food I consumed.  Every component of the meal was fresh and highlighted the different ingredients on the plate.

Before we indulged in food, we enjoyed some libations including the Seven Year Spice: a spin on a margarita, made with tequila, lime juice, cilantro and jalapeno.  We also tried a bubbly drink that combined champagne and muddled blueberries.  A fun way to start our meal!

Most of Tantra’s menu is naturally gluten free or can be made GF and the chef is eager to accommodate customers.  Part of the Tantra experience is sharing and savoring dishes with others and gluten-free options abound for you to share, allowing you to feel like part of the group, not restricted to hoarding your gluten-free food in the corner of the table.  Just remember to double check with your server, emphasize gluten free, and contamination.  (You might have to convince your dining companions to forego the naan and samosas which will be a true act of love.)  Some of the gluten free dishes I sampled throughout the evening included:

PEI Mussels (no baguette): Mussels aren’t usually the first thing I choose off the menu, but these were darn good.  The red bell pepper coconut broth was delicious too and added a lot of yummy flavors to the mussels.  I know David will want to get the mussels when I return with him.

Hummus Tahini and Sautéed Lamb: The chef substituted beautiful veggies for the traditional naan bread.  If your gluten-eating friends really want the naan, I would ask your server if they can split the order in half so that your hummus doesn’t get contaminated by the naan.  Or get two orders!  This was one of my favorite dishes of the night.  The lamb and hummus taste so different from each other but go together really well.  The crunchy vegetables added another nice texture.

Short Smoked Salmon Roll: This light and tasty bite highlighted the combination of the smoky salmon, contrasted with the basil, mint and parsley.   Yum.

Cucumber & Tomato Salad and Roasted Beets & Arugula Salad: Both of these salads were not your typical starter salad.  Again, the chef used herbs to bring out the flavors of the veggies.  I loved his use of mint, cilantro and lime with the cukes and tomato salad.

Basil Caramelized Scallops: One of the more traditional dishes we sampled, the mashed potatoes that accompanied the scallops were out of this world.  The scallops were cooked just right, perfectly seared on the sides.

Grilled Ostrich Filet: I’ve never tried ostrich before but our server told us this entree was not to be missed.  He was right.  I was pretty darn full at this point, but I just couldn’t resist.  Each piece of the ostrich filet was tender and flavorful and the mushrooms were amazing.  I’m officially an ostrich convert and plan on ordering ostrich over steak whenever given the option.

And for dessert, the chef sent out, Cardamom Panna Cotta with orange and chopped pistachios AND Vanilla Bean Crème Brulee with Chocolate Ganache.  I’m not a huge panna cotta fan…something about the texture gets to me, but I appreciated the use of the pistachios as a contrast in texture.  The crème brulee was a-mazing.  I prefer desserts that involve chocolate so the ganache on the bottom was the perfect end to the meal.

I would highly recommend Tantra whether you’re gluten free or not.  I plan on taking David on a date here really soon.  Even though I sampled lots of dishes, there are still many items that I want to try, including the tuna and short rib.  One of my new favorite spots, I only wish that there was cooler outdoor seating for summertime cocktails.  (It’s pretty dark inside.)

Don’t be intimidated by the restaurant’s name either.  Tantra’s not freaky-deaky or limited as a venue for only hot and heavy dates.  Tantra would be a great spot to meet up with friends for a drink and some small plates.  The restaurant is spacious with plenty of seating so would be a good, last minute place to grab a beverage on a Friday night.

Check out Tantra and let me know what you ordered and enjoyed!

And, if you needed more convincing…

• Tantra has a Scoutmob for 50% off, up to $30 that expires August 13^th
• Monday nights is half price bottles of wine.  Can’t beat that, right?

Tantra Restaurant & Lounge

2285 Peachtree Road Northeast
Atlanta, GA 30309
(404) 228-7963

If you’re in town this weekend you should check out the following invitation from the West Paces Ferry Road Whole Foods…

Join us for a day of all things GLUTEN FREE! Our 3^rd Annual Gluten Free Expo will be held on Saturday, May 21^st from 12:00pm-4:00pm at Whole Foods Market Buckhead.  We are hosting a diverse roster of gluten free vendors and representatives from the Atlanta Metro Celiac Society, as well as will feature the plethora of gluten free products from around the store.

Whole Foods Market – 77 West Paces Ferry Road Northwest – Atlanta, GA 30305 – (404) 324-4100

Here are a few things happening in the Atlanta area, related to all things gluten free:

Sally’s Bakery has recently changed their hours of operation in response to customer’s requests and will now be open on Saturdays:

Sally’s Bakery New Hours of Operation:

• Tuesday – Friday: 10:00am to 5:30pm
• Saturday: 10:00am – 3:30pm

On Saturday, May 7^th, Dinner A Fare in Northlake will be hosting a gluten-free event from 11:00-3:00.  The folks at Dinner A Fare will be offering samples of gluten-free items from their May menu and a local gluten-free baker will be selling her cakes, pies and pasta.  Yum!  If you’re interested in pre-ordering, send an email to northlake@dinnerafare.com.

And don’t forget May is Celiac Awareness Month!

I recently received this press release, which gives restaurants in the Atlanta area that offer gluten-free options, especially during the month of May, in celebration of National Celiac Awareness Month.  Of course, this is not a comprehensive list of all of the Atlanta restaurants that accommodate gluten-free diners, but my mouth is watering just reading about some of the options.  Check out Gluten Freedom’s Restaurants page to read about other options in our area.  Happy Dining!

CELEBRATE NATIONAL CELIAC AWARENESS MONTH AT

ATLANTA RESTAURANTS WHERE GLUTEN-FREE GOODIES ABOUND

Atlanta Chefs Accommodate Special Dietary Needs on a Daily Basis

ATLANTA (April 7, 2011) – May is designated National Celiac Awareness Month, and thanks to select Atlanta-area restaurants, those who have celiac disease (CD) can enjoy a meal out minus the concern over their dietary restrictions.  This is also a great time for diners who are simply considering a gluten-free lifestyle to let someone else do the cooking.

In addition to serving Estrella Damm Daura, recognized as the best gluten-free beer in the world by Beers of the World, Davio’s Northern Italian Steakhouse also offers an entire gluten-free dinner menu. Antipasti like Blue Hill Bay mussels with Dijon cream mustard; tuna tartare with cucumber salad and ponzu sauce; and butternut squash soup with Georgia apples and aged balsamic will start the meal off right, sans gluten.  At Davio’s, guests suffering from CD won’t have to miss out on pasta dishes. The restaurant offers brown rice gluten free penne pasta with a variety of sauces and toppings ranging from braised beef short rib and black truffle jus to shrimp, smoked bacon, asparagus and garlic olive oil.  Several cuts of steak and a broad selection of seafood including red snapper, lemon sole and pan seared sea scallops cover the gluten-free meat and fish options.  For more entrée selections, the restaurant also offers gluten-free vegetable paella; free-range Statler chicken with creamy mashed potatoes and garlic herb sauce; grilled porterhouse veal chop with vintage port; pan roasted Maine lobster with Yukon Gold potatoes and lemon tarragon butter sauce; and seafood cioppino in spicy tomato lobster broth.

Fifth Group Restaurants®, an Atlanta restaurant company with five dining establishments and a catering arm, is now making it easy for guests with special nutritional needs to enjoy eating out.  All Fifth Group restaurants – Ecco, La Tavola Trattoria, The Original El Taco and South City Kitchen® Midtown and Vinings – have created separate gluten-free menus and offer instructions on how to order the dishes that may have potentially harmful components for those who suffer from CD.  This is a company-wide initiative to cater to guests with food allergies. As Fifth Group’s cuisine options range from Italian and Mediterranean to Mexican to contemporary Southern, guests have endless gluten-free options.  Examples of gluten-free dishes currently offered at Ecco include baby octopus with Gaeta olive, chili and mint; crisp duck leg confit with potatoes and prunes; and roasted pork belly, salted cabbage and cranberry bean salad.  Italian is not out of the question for those with celiac disease at La Tavola Trattoria.  The restaurant’s gluten-free options include grilled calamari; zuppa de pesce; crispy flounder with chickpeas, olives, capers and salsa verde; and veal scaloppine with prosciutto.  The Original El Taco offers items such as spicy shrimp ceviche, a variety of tacos with corn tortillas, wood grilled fajitas and even Mexican pizza minus the gluten.  On the South City Kitchen spring menus, gluten-free options can be found among the brunch, lunch and dinner selections.  Dishes like shrimp and grits, Southern-style eggs Benedict, buttermilk braised pork shank and crab hash make going gluten free a delicious experience.  For more information and restaurant locations, call 678-302-3251 or visit www.fifthgroup.com.

Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar offers a gluten-free menu with ordering instructions and lists out their gluten-free items on the restaurant’s website in the nutritional guide. Guests are encouraged to tell their servers that they are ordering gluten-free.  The gluten-free items range from appetizers such as tenderloin carpaccio and wicked Cajun barbeque shrimp to gluten-free soups (butternut squash, cream of broccoli, cream of asparagus and lobster bisque) to dinner entrees like Australian lobster, tuna mignon and any of the meat selections.  All salads may be ordered without croutons to ensure a gluten-free experience, and gluten-free deserts include crème brûlée, mixed berries with whipped cream and vanilla ice cream with raspberry or fudge sauce.  Fleming’s is located at 4501 Olde Perimeter Way; 770-698-8112.  For more information about Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar, please visit www.FlemingsSteakhouse.com.

The gluten-free concession stand at Philips Arena is officially up and running, after its debut last Friday at the first NBA playoff game.  The Gluten-Free Kiosk is located at the south end of the main concourse at Portal 11.  It will be available on an event-by-event basis but the goal is to have it open for as many events as possible, maybe even NKOTB.

David and I met at  Miller Union for dinner on Thursday night to celebrate the end of my successful lacrosse season and the conclusion of David’s most recent work project.  It was a perfect venue for a romantic and delicious date.

I have a confession: David and I went to Miller Union for dinner the month it opened (over a year ago) with our friend, Chris.  The three of us sat at the bar, and were a little disappointed with our dinner.  At the time, there weren’t many items on the menu, the service was mediocre and the food did not meet my expectations based on all of the hype Miller Union had been receiving.  This underwhelming meal made me sad, as I really like Chef Steven Satterfield, a frequent customer of mine at The Local Farmstand, and I love Miller Union’s mantra of minimal, fresh, local food.

Chef Steven Satterfield (photo from Food & Wine)

Since that dinner, David and I have returned to Miller Union for drinks (we love the bar), and I’ve enjoyed lunch with friends at Miller Union.  Their seasonal vegetable plate is one of my favorite dishes on the Westside and perfect for a lunch date.  The ambiance at Miller Union is bustling, yet relaxed, with the perfect amount of people watching but not so loud that you can’t talk to the person with you.

But last Thursday was our first time splurging on dinner at Miller Union since our so-so evening nearly 18 months ago.  I’m glad we gave it another try.  Nearly everything on the menu is naturally gluten-free, literally almost everything.  The only red flags were the “farrotto” that accompanied the New York Strip and the cream grits fritters appetizer.  (It turns out that the “grits fritters” are normally gluten-free but that night fried chicken was the special so the fryer was contaminated.)

So I oohed and ahhed over the menu for awhile before discussing my top choices with David.  It turns out we were on the same page and were intrigued by the same two entrees.  Since everything we wanted was gluten free, we decided to split two entrees so we could enjoy both.

David went with the fritters for an appetizer and I ordered the soup of the day: spring pea soup, which came highly recommended by our waiter.  Beautifully green, my soup was light yet very flavorful.  A great way to start the meal.

Spring Pea Soup

The first of our entrees was the grilled pork loin, with cranberry beans and braised greens.  The pork loin had an amazing kick to it, due to the apple cider vinegar they use while grilling the pork.  Juicy, flavorful, and meaty, this pork dish is a meat lover’s dream.  Crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, with plenty of food on the plate.  You won’t go hungry with this order.  The cranberry beans tasted meaty themselves and I loved combining them and the pork in one bite.  The greens were braised with onions and were delicious by themselves, in the juices of the pork.

While David started with the pork, I began to work my way through the sautéed quail with dirty rice and arugula.  I usually stay away from restaurant entrees that involve rice, simply because I just don’t find it all that exciting and I’d rather a vegetable, quinoa or risotto.  Miller Union’s dirty rice, however, is not your ordinary rice.  As much as I love vegetables, everything tastes better with pork and this rice affirms that statement.  The dirty rice is a mix of wild rice with Miller Union’s homemade pork sausage and bacon.  Wow.  I could have eaten just the rice as my entrée.  The quail was also yummy, and simply cooked, with crisp skin and flavorful meat.  I followed the waiter’s suggestion, and ate with my hands.  (If you use your fork and knife, you won’t get very much meat.)  The arugula added a nice bite to the dish and beautiful color on the plate.

I would highly recommend Miller Union for a date night.  While it’s a little pricey, the quality of food and ingredients make the price worth it.  Chef Steven Satterfield really uses as many local, seasonal vegetables as he can access, and supports local farmers.  Many chefs say they do this, but don’t always live the principle (to quote my new favorite show, “Big Love”). I’ll definitely be returning to Miller Union for another date night.

I only wish that I could enjoy Miller Union’s daily ice cream sandwich special!  (Not GF.)