Looking to go out with friends who like beer, but feel left out because of you have to avoid gluten? Check out a Yard House restaurant. They have a pretty extensive gluten-free menu and carry Redbridge gluten-free beer!
I went with my dad and ordered a Redbridge and gluten-free shrimp and rice dish. It was really good and a nice surprise to find out they had many options for me.
Click here for more details on gluten-free beer and restaurants.
Sometimes I really miss good Chinese food and I find it difficult to order GF dishes at authentic restaurants. Many sauces at Chinese restaurants flavor their meals with soy sauce, other brown sauces and processed meats that are not GF. Last night, after a Chinese food craving, I went to PF Chang’s China Bistro in Walnut Creek. PF Chang’s has had a GF menu for a while now, only they haven’t always had it right on the back of every menu. Their GF menu is extensive and I ordered their GF chicken lettuce wraps, Singapore street noodles, lemon chicken, shrimp in lobster sauce and moo goo gai pan. These GF dishes can be served family style because non GF guests won’t able to tell the difference! I enjoyed all the dishes I ordered, with the exception of the moo goo gai pan, which was rather tasteless. PF Chang’s also offers many beef dishes, fried rice, egg drop soup, and even a flourless chocolate cake. Check out their GF menu online!
If you’re like me (and Shaun), then you can probably justify spending a small fortune on GF foods at upscale markets or bakeries. Well now I can say that there is a fast-food alternative! Carl’s Jr. has put out information on GF ordering on their website: http://www.carlsjr.com/menu/indulge. Basically, you can order a burger wrapped in lettuce and a side of their natural fries. They even have a coupon for a free side salad when you order a GF burger. Here is a link to the full menu with allergen information: http://www.carlsjr.com/content/downloads/CarlsJr_AllergenChart_.pdf.
Sorry for the bad photo, but wanted to show off Rock’N Fish’s gluten-free menu. I recently tried the L.A. Live location (they also have a restaurant in Manhattan Beach). I ordered salmon, which looks like it had a slight modification from the regular menu.
Food was good, and they have a lot of g-f options. Now, if only they had gluten-free beer…
Web site: rocknfishlalive.com
Last week I went with some coworkers for an after-work drink at BJ’s Brewery and Restaurant in Montebello (20 minutes east of L.A.) Flipping through the menu, I was shocked to see Redbridge beer on there. It was the second time I’ve been able to order a gluten-free beer at a bar in my life!
Then, perusing the food menu, I was equally surprised to see they had added a gluten-free pizza to their menu. It was a thin crust, and I had the choice of any of their toppings with the exception of the meatballs.
The pizza was great, and now i have an actual pizza option when I eat here with my coworkers.
I checked their menu online, and they don’t have the gluten-free pizza or beer listed. Perhaps they are piloting? I’d recommend calling ahead to see if they have it at the location nearest you. You can check out their Web site for locations.
I haven’t been to a Claim Jumpers restaurant in a couple of years after an incident I had there. I ordered the tri-tip and asked if it was gluten free. The waiter checked and told me it was indeed safe. Halfway through the meal, he came back to tell me that the gravy did in fact have gluten in it. At that point it was too late. They took my information and the corporate office offered me a gift card, which I gave away. They also told me which items were safe.
Yesterday, I was at South Coast Plaza in Orange County, and there was a Claim Jumpers restaurant–I decided to give it another try. Surprisingly, they now feature a gluten-free menu on the backside of all of their regular menus. Interestingly, some of the items (like the bbq sauce) that corporate had told me were safe, were not on the list. I ordered the roasted chicken, which was decent. Mostly though, it’s nice to know that they took notice of the number of people who could benefit from the gf menu. Here’s a link to Claim Jumper’s gluten free menu.
I first read about Garlic Jim’s a couple of years back, before they opened locations in Southern California. I was recently reminded of the chain after reading a review on Yelp. I was happy to find out that a Garlic Jim’s opened up in South Pasadena, only a 15 minute drive from downtown L.A. This is the only franchise I know of that carries gluten-free pizza crusts. They also say they are the first pizza chain accredited for gluten-free food service by the Gluten Intolerance Group of North America.
They have many choices of types of pizza that can be made gluten-free. I opted for a build-my-own, with Canadian bacon, mushrooms and olives. The gluten-free crusts are a medium size and cost $3 more than regular crusts. The total for my pizza was about $20.
So, how did it taste? Pretty good for gluten-free. It’s thin crust style and was sort of like a flat bread. Garlic Jim’s has many locations across the country. Visit their Web site, garlicjims.com, to find a location close to you.
It isn’t easy eating at Disneyland–the food is expensive and isn’t particularly great. The one good thing is that they are sensitive to people who can’t eat gluten. And I emphasize the “can’t”. Here’s why:
During a recent trip to Disneyland, our group stopped at the Mexican restaurant inside the park. Apparently they serve everything on flour tortillas. I asked if they had corn tortillas available and was rudely asked, “Why, are you allergic?” I said yes, and they provided me with some. But, what if I just preferred corn?
Anyway, the tacos were tasteless, but served their purpose. On Main Street, one of my friends excitedly pointed out that they had a box of gluten-free cookies. I didn’t try them, but was glad to know they are available.
P.F. Chang’s is one of the only places a gluten-free person can eat Chinese food. Just ask for the gluten-free menu, which was on the back of every menu at the Los Angeles- Beverly Center location.
Here’s the menu pfchangs.com/menu
I was there recently and ordered shrimp fried rice. (I asked for brown rice, which wasn’t a problem.) It tastes great, and they don’t skimp on the shrimp.
Didn’t think much of the roasted chicken meal I got, but was surprised to see Redbridge beer – a great GF by Anheuser Busch – on the menu.
Shaun
Heather