Cocoa Cinnamon

Durham just keeps getting better in so many ways!!!  I had been hearing about Cocoa Cinnamon from GF daughter and others and finally got the opportunity to stop by one Saturday morning. This place is much more than just another coffee shop.  They serve coffee, teas, sipping chocolate, beer, wine AND OFFER GLUTEN FREE GOODIES.  This is a place that seems to get the importance of providing a quality gluten free product that has low risk of cross contamination. The gluten free products are stocked from Zen Cat Bakery and Triangle Raw Foods, both of which I have blogged about before.  The morning I went we sampled some of the gluten free carrot cake.

 

Cocoa Cinnamon is located downtown Durham: 420 Geer Street, Durham, NC right across from Geer Street Garden.  The hours are great, so whether you are looking for some coffee to start your day or a glass of wine to end it , you can enjoy sitting outside on a picnic table or in the small indoor space. 

Mon – Thursday 7:30am to 10pm
Friday + Saturday 7:30am to Midnight
Sunday 9am to 9pm

 

Geer Street Garden, Restaurant Review

I had been hearing about the GF options at Geer Street garden from my GF daughter for a few months now, but just finally had the opportunity to go check out this downtown Durham dining spot.  Geer Street Garden, offers gluten free bread for 50 cents more, so many of the sandwiches are an option. The manager checked the bread package and said they were using the Glutino brand bread.  For my vegetarian readers, the Glutino bread does contain egg whites so not an option if you are a vegan.   I had the tomato, avocado on GF bread with a side salad, which was very yummy and a little messy, but worth it!  Note the fryer IS NOT a designated GF fryer so if you have Celiac Disease or are very sensitive to gluten you should not order the French fries or the GF fried Chicken or anything else that is cooked in the fryer because of cross contamination concerns.  My friend ordered the fish tacos which were served on a corn tortilla and were a GF option.  You can take a peek at the menu here. When it comes to dessert the wait staff was very nice an offered some of their homemade popsicles or their freshly made banana pudding minus the vanilla wafers.  You can see from my picture that I went with the banana pudding and it was great. I love what Durham in doing downtown and I so appreciate the Durham restaurants taking into consideration the needs of the gluten free community.  The restaurant has both indoor and outdoor casual seating.

644 Foster Street
Durham, NC 27701
919.688.2900


Mon -Thur 11:30am - Midnight
Fri & Sat 11:30am - 2am
Sunday Brunch 11am - 1:30pm
Sunday 1:30 - 10pm

Meelos Restaurant

We recently enjoyed a great dinner at a quaint neighborhood spot: Meelos Restaurant. This friendly restaurant is located in the newly renovated Croasdaile Commons (the former Loehmann's plaza) on Hillandale Road. Meelo describes itself as
 " Italian cuisine with Spanish influences". They offer a lunch, dinner and tapas menu.   I was very impressed with the service, atmosphere and the staffs ability to accommodate gluten free requests. While the restaurant does not have a specific gf menu it does offer gf pasta, and many of the items on the menu are naturally gf or can be prepared to be gluten free.  I was surprised when the waiter even brought me gluten free crackers with my salad!  I enjoyed salad, salmon, mashed potatoes and vegetables.  The quality of the food, the attention to details and the kind staff made for an enjoyable evening. Reservation are suggested; we visited on a Saturday night and they were very busy.  I look forward to returning and trying some items from the tapas menu.

Hours of Operation include:

Lunch	Monday to Friday	11:30 AM to 2:00 PM
Dinner	Monday to Saturday	5:00 PM to 9:00 PM

1821 Hillandale Road #3

Durham, NC 27705

Get directions

‎

(919) 384-9080

Page Road Grill, Restaurant Review

The Chapel Hill Restaurant Group has opened another cool restaurant that offers a gluten free menu: Page Road Grill.  Located near the airport at: 5416 Page Road, Durham, NC 27703. This is just a few blocks to the left of MEZ, another great spot for gluten free eating, see my MEZ post here.  I had the opportunity to visit for lunch on Friday and enjoyed a yummy bowl of Chili which was featured on the gluten free menu.  Other gf diners at my table ordered the homemade veggie burger (which was made with quinoa) and served with lettuce, tomato, pickle, and sweet potato chips.  Our server checked and double checked with the chef that the homemade sweet potato chips were gluten free and prepared in a designated fryer. We did not see this noted on the menu, so I would always recommend asking your server about this detail upon ordering. Other menu items included: chicken, burgers, shrimp and grits salads, fish ,etc.  This was a busy place at lunch.  We did call ahead and had a reservation for four people and were able to get in and out in an hour. Reservations can be made by calling PRG at 919-908-8900  or by Open Table.The average cost for lunch is around $10.00 and $20,00 for dinner. I could not pull up their gluten free menu on line but just asked for it when we were seated at the restaurant.  Nice to have another restaurant offer a gluten free menu!

Firebirds, Restaurant Review

I think I have visited Firebirds at least three times in the last few months.  The reason I keep going back is that they serve great food in a fun atmosphere and seem to really understand what it means to order gluten free!  They have a gluten free menu with many delicious options from main entrees to salads.  One of my favorite menu items is the strawberry shrimp salad pictured above.  During my visits this summer I had a manager check with me to be sure everything was okay and a server deliver my food separate from the rest of my table, indicating "we took special care of your gluten free order". I really appreciate this level of attention to special dietary needs, but one must remember that you need to remain on your toes when ordering and speaking with your server.  As with most restaurants today the gluten free menu does include the following disclaimer:  "Please note our chefs strive to prepare every one of these dishes gluten free as listed.  Firebirds cannot be held liable in the unlikely event that cross contamination occurs."  If you read my earlier post which suggested the NFCA webinar on dining out, you are equipped with your questions and have considered your options when eating out to reduce your risks of cross contamination.

Firebirds is a chain with many locations. In North Carolina those include: Charlotte, Raleigh, Winston-Salem and the Durham location which is at the Streets at Southpoint.

All locations:
Sunday – Thursday 11am – 10pm
Friday & Saturday 11am – 11pm

The Melting Pot, Restaurant Review

Looking for a unique gluten free dining experience? Then I would suggest checking out The Melting Pot Restaurant. The menu is based on fondue type dining and offers a gluten free menu. The restaurant staff including manager and waiter were very familiar with the needs of gluten free dining. I was offered a four course meal which included: an appetizer of melted cheese with vegetables, apples and gluten free bread, a salad, the main course which consisted of shrimp, pork, beef and chicken in a Merlot-broth and finally melted chocolate with fruit and marshmallows. Part of the experience is that you actually cook your food yourself in your table's fondue pot. Because of this your entire table would need to choose the gluten free option, because you couldn't have your friend dipping pound cake in your melted chocolate and ruining it for you! The restaurant offers very private booth seating for a romantic dinner and also larger tables which would be fun for a family or a group of gluten free friends!



Location:
7011 Fayetteville Road, Suite 101, Durham,NC 27713
(Across from Southpoint Mall. Next to Hilton Garden Inn)
Phone:(919) 544-6358
Monday-Thursday:5 p.m. - 10 p.m
. Friday:5 p.m. - 11 p.m
. Saturday:4 p.m. - 11 p.m
. Sunday:4 p.m. - 10 p.m.

Tyler's Restaurant and Taproom, Restaurant Review

I have eaten at Tyler's Restaraunt and Taproom a few times this summer. Tyler's offers a gluten free menu which features several salads, BBQ, and most sandwiches (minus the bun of course) It is clearly stated on the GF menu that items prepared in their fryers cannot be guaranteed as gluten free, so that means the french fries, sweet potato fries and homemade chips are out. On my most recent vist I ordered a cheese burger "sans"  bun and substituted a side of potato salad in place of fries. I had planned on taking a picture, but was hungry and ate most of my meal before I realized I forgot to take the photo!  I've also tried a few of their salads which are generous in portion size.

I noticed three different gluten free beers and one cider listed on the beer menu as well . 
Estrella Damm Daura $4.50
Green's Discovery Amber $8.00
Green's Quest Triple $8.00
Crispin Original Cider $5.75

T'yler's has four locations in: Apex, Carrboro, Durham and Raleigh.  The Durham location is located in the lively American Tobacco Campus, 324 Blackwell St, Durham, NC 27701,  and recently opened an outdoor biergarten.

Hours:
Monday 11am-9pm
Tuesday 11am-10pm
Wednesday 11am-10pm
Thursday 11am-10pm
Friday 11am-11pm
Sat 11am-11pm
Sunday 10am-9pm. Sunday brunch is 10am-3pm, dinner at 5pm. Late night always runs after games and shows, times will vary but typically at least an hour.

Zoës Kitchen, Restaurant Review

Due to my job I spend a lot of time in the Morrisville area.....which is just a short drive down the road from Durham.  I wanted to share a new place that I discovered for lunch, called  located in the Zoës Kitchen  new Park West Shopping Center at  1017 Market Center Drive Morrisville, NC, 27560.  The website describes the restaurant as:

Zoës Kitchen is a natural extension of Zoë Cassimus' lifetime of cooking for family and friends. Inspired by Zoë's original recipes and her simple, fresh-from-the-garden sensibility, we start every day by making the food from scratch onsite at each restaurant. Our dishes are wholesome; our portions generous. It's Mediterranean-inspired comfort food with customers' dietary concerns in mind--nothing fried with gluten-free and vegetarian options. Zoë means "life" in Greek. Why not live it to the fullest with tasty food shared among close friends and family?

 I was able to pull up a gluten free menu on line before I went there for lunch. This included several options including: salads, hummus, grilled chicken kabobs and braised white beans.  The atmosphere was casual but very nice, you order your meal and then they give you a number and the meal is delivered to your table shortly.  I enjoyed  Zoës Favorite:  two kabobs, grilled peppers and onions, tomato, braised white beans and a side greek salad.  The meal was delicious, very fresh tasting!

Sorry, no Zoës in Durham yet. Other locations in our area include two in Raleigh: located on Oberlin road and North Hills Street.

I look forward to returning for another lunch sometime soon!

 

Angus Barn-Restaurant Review

My family had a great experience dining at Angus Barn the other evening. We had wonderful customer service and attention to detail for the birthday boy in our party.  Angus Barn also offers attention to details for the gluten free patron.  The restaurant offers a gluten free-dairy free menu with many tasty options.  Our server informed us that, the crew at Angus Barn takes allergies very seriously and that our steaks would be prepared on a separate grill and prep area to help prevent any cross contamination.  Our waiter went out of his way to meet our needs.  He brought us extra crocks of cheese for our celery so that the gluten free diners did not need to worry about those cracker crumbs from the others at our table ruining the cheese for us.  He was very mindful of the appropriate salad dressing options and we didn’t even need to remind him to “hold the croutons”!  I enjoyed the petite filet and baked sweet potato and my GF daughter order the baked potato and beef-vegetable kabob. Both were delicious.  At dessert time the complimentary pound cake was delivered to our table to celebrate the birthday and we were offered the wonderful gluten free option of ordering a GF chocolate-hazelnut/almond torte.  It is rare to be offered such a nice dessert when eating out, so of course we opted in and shared a piece of the torte.  I have posted a picture here for you to see.  Angus Barn has a casual welcoming atmosphere and has been serving guests since 1960.  The restaurant is a bit on the pricey side for every day dining, but well worth it for that special occasion. Reservations are suggested.  I would highly recommend you visiting and don’t forget to grab an apple (there are large bushels by the door) on your way out, after all apples are gluten free!

Hours and Contact Information from the Angus Barn Website:

Main Dining Rooms
Mon. - Fri. 5:30pm-10:30pm
SAT. 5pm-10:30pm SUN. 5pm-10pm

Wild Turkey Lounge
Mon. - Sat. 3:00pm-11pm • Sun. 3pm-10pm

The Country Store
Mon. - Fri. 3:00pm-10:30pm
Sat. 12:00pm-10:30pm
Sun. 1:00pm-10:00pm

Reservations are recommended. Please call for all reservations.

We accept VISA - Mastercard - Discover - American Express - Diners Club - Cash

9401 Glenwood Avenue
(Highway 70 at Aviation Parkway)
Raleigh, North Carolina 27617

TEL 919-781-2444

Brunch down the Road in Chapel Hill, Weathervane-Restaurant Review

This weekend some friends  and  I traveled the short distance down 15-501 to Chapel Hill for brunch at Weathervane Restaurant which is located in A Southern Season Store.  It had been several years since I had eaten at Weathervane and was happy to see that their brunch menu denoted items that were gluten free with the GF symbol. They also note dairy free DF, Vegetarian V and Vegan V+ options. .

My gluten free options  for the Saturday brunch menu were limited to the salads and soups available on the menu.  I selected the combo salad platter for 12.99 and chose the almond chicken salad, the black bean-corn salad and the Asian glass noodle salad.  BUT please note after further conversation with my server I learned that the Asian Glass noodle salad actually has regular soy sauce as one of it's ingredients and thus is REALLY NOT GLUTEN FREE.  Instead I chose a gluten free tomato soup option.  This was just another reminder that those of us who need to follow a strict gluten free diet, must still ask those necessary questions even when something is labeled gluten free. My meal was great and I would recommend eating at Weathervane; I think perhaps they just had their menus printed too quickly and then realized that "aha most soy sauces actually contain wheat" and they have not updated their brunch menu to reflect this.  A look at the lunch and dinner menus also offer a variety of other gluten free options available for patrons. 

 A Southern Season is a well known specialty store that carries gourmet food items, wine, housewares, as well as some gluten free goodies.  A quick walk through the store and you spot: gluten free pasta, gluten free cookies and various baking mixes .  A  Southern Season also offers various cooking schools, and may offer some opportunities for gluten free cooking or baking classes. 

Store Information:

Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
8am - 9pm / Monday - Thursday
8am - 10pm / Friday

Brunch & Dinner
8am - 10pm / Saturday
10am - 9pm / Sunday

University Mall
201 S. Estes Drive
Chapel Hill, NC 27514
919.929.9466

California Pizza Kitchen, Restaurant Review Update

I first posted about California Pizza Kitchen's gluten free menu back in January, see earlier review here. If you have been following blogging news you are aware that CPK has launched a new gluten free menu this summer that includes an offering of gluten free pizza crust. There have been many questions raised about the possibility of cross contamination in the food preparation area prior to one actually receiving their "gluten free menu item". In fact California Pizza Kitchen protects itself by stating the following information on it's menu

“Gluten-Free” designations are based on information provided
by our ingredient suppliers. Warning: Ingredients or production
methods used by our suppliers may change, or there may be
product differences among regional suppliers. Additionally,
normal kitchen operations involve shared cooking and preparation
areas, or we may need to substitute ingredients in menu items.
We are therefore unable to guarantee that any menu item
is free from gluten or any other allergen, and we assume no
responsibility for guests with food allergies or sensitivities.

I would like to suggest that really any time a gluten free diner chooses to eat out side of one's own home, there are risks of cross contamination. So how do you reduce this risk?
1. Do your homework before going to the restaurant, gluten free menus help with menu selection
2. Visit the restaurant at non busy times. Friday night 7:30 pm at a pizza restaurant really increases the chance of cross contamination.
3. Talk to your wait staff and the manager. If you have Celiac Disease or severe gluten sensitivity explain your condition as a medical necessary diet. With gluten free diets being somewhat of a fad these days, it is difficult for restaurants to understand how a patron can order a gluten free meal but perhaps still eat a piece of bread from the bread basket!
4. Thank those establishments that follow sound procedures for reducing the chance of cross contamination: different preparation areas, changing gloves, different marked plates for gluten free items, gluten free testing of products, etc.

So my family decided to go check out this gluten free pizza offering one non-busy evening last week. We visited the California Pizza Location at South Point. We ordered two different gluten free pizzas and thought the taste and quality were excellent. As far as we know we were not "glutenized", we had no reactions after enjoying our pizza. So what is a gluten free diner to do? Do you take risks on eating out? How do you minimize these risks? I would love to hear comments on how other gluten free folks approach this dining dilemma?

UPDATE 9/17/2011:  California Pizza Kitchen has pulled the gluten-free crust option from its menu at all locations. CPK says that it is reviewing the pizza prep methods with an eye toward bringing it back in the future.

Bravo to CPK for taking responsibility to correct their prepartion practices so that a gluten free pizza order, has a chance to arrive at your table as really gluten free!

Stay tuned....

Vimala's Curryblossom Cafe'-restaurant review

A highlight for me this weekend included a visit to Vimala's Curryblossom Cafe' to enjoy some delicious Indian Food with good friends. Now I have been hearing raves about this special place but this was the first opportunity I had to taste the cuisine. My experience was beyond my expectations. Vimala's is located in the courtyard area of West Franklin Street. It has a small indoor dining area and outdoor seating in the courtyard. It was difficult to decide what to order because there were so many gluten free options to choose from!!! The clearly marked gluten free items included: Pakoras, Rice and dal, Tandori chicken,Beef curry, Kofta curry and several others. I enjoyed the Tandoori chicken entree, which came with basamati rice and a salad, reasonably priced at $9.00.

The service and hospitality at this restaurant were outstanding. The staff are accomodating to food allergies and gluten free dining. Vimala personally visited with us at our table and even treated us to samplings of their delicious fish stew, gluten free brownie, and these yummy carrot cookies called Gaajar Halwa.

This restaurant has received great reviews since it's opening in June 2010. They are committed to the farm to fork process, use local foods when possible and embrace the community. To Read more details visit their website here.

Vimala also shares her talent through cooking classes and I learned that she is hosting a Gluten and Vegan Cooking Class Soon! Described on her website

On Sunday September 18th 2-5pm join Vimala for a cooking class: Gluten-free and Vegan cooking. Space is limited to 12 people per class. Please reserve space(s) in the class(es) by emailing vimala@curryblossom.com. Cost is $65 payable at the time of the class. Work trade is available for a few who can not afford to pay the entire price. Hope to see you there!

So whether you are a UNC student, Chapel Hill resident, or other Triangle area foodie who ventures to Vimala's Restaurant you will enjoy the food and the experience.

Vimala's does not take reservations and can get crowded so plan ahead!

Open for lunch and dinner Tuesday-Saturday
Hours 11:30-2 and 5-9
Catering
431 W. Franklin St
Chapel Hill 27516
Parking off S. roberson St
919-929-3833
www.curryblossom.com

MEZ Contemporary Mexican, Restaurant Review

MEZ Contemporary Mexican Restaurant offers a gluten free lunch and dinner menu! This a favorite spot for busy lunch time traffic and a fun place to meet for dinner. Mez is located on Page Road in Durham, so very convenient from various RTP sites. A creature of habit, I have enjoyed the chicken soft tacos for lunch several times. Their food is very fresh tasting, not your typical fast food Mexican fare. They make their own guacamole on site and my server offered to bring me toasted corn tortillas to use for dipping. Their corn chips are not listed on the gluten free menu. I have been told by two different wait staff that the chips are gluten free but they are fried with gluten containing items, so if one is really sensitive to gluten they should be avoided. If you are thinking of trying MEZ out for lunch, I recommend you call ahead for reservations,919-941-IMEZ (1630) as they get really crowded during typical lunch hours. You can also go to their website and make a reservation through the Open Table link. Each visit my server has been very accommodating and quickly brought our meals and check so that we were able to head back to work in a timely fashion.

MEZ
5410 Page Road
Durham, NC 27703

Lunch M-F: 11-4
Dinner M-F: 4-9:30/10:00; Sat/Sun: 5-10:00/9:30

Martin's Curry Rice in Morrisville/Cary Area

I recently found a gem of a place for lunch. Martin's Curry Rice, has been open just 6 months and the majority of the menu is gluten free!

Owner and Chef, Martin Sreshta, greets diners as they enter and explains the restaurants concept: guests pick their vegetable and meat choice, and then choose one of three sauces. Selections are either boiled or steamed. The sauces are based on a stop light and are all gluten free!

Green: mild peppery taste with fresh accent of mint and cilantro
Yellow: mild curry sauce with sweet honey
Red: spicy sauce with cayenne pepper
The meal comes with a choice of brown or white rice.

I chose chicken, kale, onion, mushrooms,tomatoes, with the spicy red sauce and brown rice. It was delicious, very fresh tasting. The portions were generous and my meal cost $7.56. Daily lunch specials are offered for 5.99 and include a drink.

The restaurant is not only gluten free friendly but also a great option for vegetarians and those trying to make a healthy choices or follow the Weight Watchers program. In addition it is easy to incorporate the National Nutrition Month Theme of "Eat Right With Color" by choosing a variety of vegetables!

I recommend you give this place a try, let Martin know you read about the review on Gluten Free Durham.


Martin's Curry Rice
9549 Chapel Hill Rd.
Morrisville, NC 27650
919-380-7780

located at the intersection of Chapel Hill Rd(Hwy54) and Cary Pkwy

Hours:
Monday-Saturday
Lunch: 11-2:30
Dinner: 5:30-9:00

Moe's Southwest Grill, Restaurant Review

Moe's Southwest Grill, has recently updated their gluten free information now dated 1/ 17/ 2011. This quick Mexican restaurant boasts of over 20 gluten free ingredients. In fact a recent commercial (see it here) portrays a customer making a request for a gluten free item. Note the commercial is comical in a few ways: Of course the picky customer makes one smile, BUT further she orders "gluten free, hormone free chicken" on a whole wheat tortilla and accepts the free chips and salsa. The chicken may be gluten free, BUT THE WHOLE WHEAT TORTILLA AND CHIPS ARE NOT! Their updated website reads:

No Gluten? No Problem: Our menu proudly features over 20 gluten free ingredients. With the growing number of Americans affected by gluten allergies, more and more people are subscribing to a gluten free diet.

The rice bowls are gluten free, you can see further allergen information and gluten free ingredient listingshere.


You can visit Moe's in the Durham Area:
Southpoint Area
6807-122 Fayetteville Road
Durham, NC 27713
(919) 544-6637

Brier Creek Area
7850 Alexander Promenade Place
Suite 115, Raleigh, NC 27617
(919) 957-9075

California Pizza Kitchen, Restaurant Review

Recently at Southpoint Mall in Durham with some friends, I ended up at California Pizza Kitchen to talk about the movie we had just seen. I figured I would just order something to drink, knowing that they did not offer gluten free pizza. I was surprised to learn that they are now offering a New Gluten Free Menu! While there still is no gluten free pizza, I was pleased to find a nice offering of soups, salads, fish, chicken and ice cream sundaes for dessert. I tried the white corn guacamole and chips listed under their "Small Cravings" section. This was a nice post movie snack!

Note: the menu does contain the following disclaimer:

Due
to these circumstances, we are unable to guarantee that any menu item can
be completely free of allergens, and we do not assume responsibility for
a particular allergy or sensitivity to any food provided in our restaurants.

These statements seem to becoming common place in restaurants that want to capture the gluten free market, yet limit their responsibility to gluten free diners.....

The Brunch Box, Restaurant Review

Although I live in Durham, my office is located in the Morrisville area. I'd like to give a a quick review of the family owned restaurant: The Brunch Box They specialize in "Fresh and Fast Favorites" to include deli sandwiches, salads, eggs, hummus, and homemade soups. While the restaurant does not have a gluten free menu they are very accommodating to my questions and requests during my lunch orders. I have enjoyed some delicious salads and sides and look forward to trying one of their gluten free soup options. Note: ask about the ingredients in the soup when ordering. The small family business offers excellent customer service. They also provide corporate catering.

At times I have found myself at a catered event without any good options. Be proactive if you know your company will be catering an event and call and ask what options they can provide for someone on a gluten free diet. This is a request that is becoming more common and many restaurants are happy to provide a healthy alternative for someone on a special diet.


The Brunch Box
www.thebrunchbox.net
contactbbx@gmail.com
919-380-7276
10970 Chapel Hill Rd, Suite 120
Morrisville, NC 27560

Hours: M-F 6:30 am-3:00 pm

Jason's Deli, Restaurant Review

I am happy to report that Jason's Deli is now making sandwiches available on Udi's gluten free bread! Both the Durham location and the Brier Creek location have this available in their stores. After some further questioning about this new option I learned that when someone orders a gluten free sandwich the employee must change their gloves and also place the "take out paper liner" on the counter to make the sandwich. I felt like both locations were very informed of the problems with potential cross contamination. If the sandwich is to be warmed in the oven it is put on a separate pan that is for gluten free products. If you order a Panini style sandwich it will go through the panini maker which is NOT GLUTEN FREE. The Jason's Deli website provides a link that reviews nutrition and allergen information. The Brier Creek, Jason's Deli offered me a gluten free menu when I place my order and also informed me that the manager would make my gluten free sandwich. It was delicious: turkey,sprouts, onion, homemade guacamole on Udi's bread. The menu also highlighted the items on the salad bar that were gluten free and the stuffed potatoes that could be ordered gluten free. Oh and good news the ice cream is gluten free(minus the cone of course)! What a treat to be able to go out to eat and order a sandwich. THANK YOU JASON's DELI!
Please note when eating out there is always the risk of cross contamination.

Locations;
Durham
5408 New Hope Commons Dr.
Durham, NC 27707
Phone: 919-493-3350

Raleigh/Brier Creek Area
8421 Brier Creek Pkwy.
Raleigh, NC 27617
Phone: 919-572-9996

Tobacco Road Sports Cafe, Restaurant Review

If you are looking for a fun spot in Durham you may want to visit the Tobacco Road Sports Cafe, located right at the Durham Bulls Pall Park. I will admit, I was a bit over stimulated when I walked into 40 big screen TVs the other night, but had a wonderful experience sitting outside on the patio which overlooked the Bulls ball diamond. There were lots of people rooting on their favorite college football team that night. You will also find abundant seating options: outside, inside, bar seating, private dining areas and recliners! I learned that there are two locations: the Durham location at: 280 Mangum St and one in Raleigh at 222 Glenwood Avenue. These locations are owned by brothers: Brian, Alex and Rommie Amra. Prior to meeting our friends for dinner, I investigated the menu on line and found the Tobacco Road Blog which detailed their gluten free offerings as follows:

The following items are gluten free or can be made gluten free by making the modification that are noted.


Entrees & Appetizers


BBQ Chicken – No tobacco onions
Fish/Lamb Gorditas – No tortilla
Steak Frites – Substitute a gluten free side for fries
Shrimp & Grits – No gravy
Mixed Green Salad – No croutons
Apple Walnut Salad
Cobb Salad
Arugula Salad
Ancho Chicken Salad – No tortilla strips
Hummus & Pimento Cheese with Veggies
Tarheel Wrap – No pita
Ribs
Burgers – No bun

Sides

Mashed Potatoes
Green Beans
Coleslaw
Collard Greens
Cheddar Grits

Our server was very knowledgeable and even offered to bring me extra vegetables for my hummus since I would not be using the pita bread. I was impressed when I asked about ingredients in the soup of the day and was told that the chef that made the soup was gone for the day and so they were erring on the side of caution and could not guarantee it was gluten free. If you are a sports fan or just looking for a fun place to eat that offers some gluten free options I would recommend you visit the Tobacco Road Sports Cafe in Durham!

Heading to the Mountains?? Visit Posana Cafe

If your vacation plans are taking you to the Mountains this fall then I need to give a shout out to the restaurant POSANA CAFE in downtown Asheville,NC. There have been some great reviews written about this place, so I was thrilled when I was actually in Asheville to visit some other GF family members and we were able to have dinner here! The location is perfect, just down from Mast General Store and offers inside and outside seating. (No reservation taken for the outside tables). Everything on the menu is gluten free with the exception of some regular beers from the bar. The marketing ploy of the owners is not to identify itself as solely gluten free. But as all things do in the gluten free community the good word has spread. So why does the menu ask you to identify yourself if you are ordering gluten free? Our server explained that the owners like to come and talk with you if they are available. That is nice customer service. You can view the menu choices here. We tried a delicious appetizer:

Pistachio, Walnut, and Pecan encrusted goat cheese trio with mixed greens, balsamico and sliced baguette (The bread was sliced thin and grilled, we asked for seconds!)

I enjoyed a shrimp risotto dish that was excellent. Others devoured a GF vegetarian burger, Grilled chicken breast sandwich and fries and gluten free pasta for the kids! Note Posana has recently been given the stamp of approval by the Gluten Free Restaurant Program.

According to their site:

The GFRAP resources have been written under the auspices of a Registered Dietitian, who has been working with both chain and independent restaurants for over fourteen years, helping restaurants with food preparation, kitchen procedures, menu development, training and marketing to meet the needs of gluten intolerant diners.

So plan a trip this fall to the mountains to see the leaves, but make sure you stop at Posana for a real treat!