Gluten Free Restaurant Review: Johnny Rocket's at City Creek

There's a new place at the City Creek mall, recently voted the best mall in America. (I also didn't realize it was possible to be voted the best mall after 1992, but I stand corrected).

My coworker really wanted to go to Johnny Rockets, mostly because I think she wanted an Oreo shake (yeah, not gluten free). I decided to join her. The Johnny Rockets website gives allergen information, and there are reviews online that you can order a bunless hamburger that will be safely prepared. Johnny Rockets restaurants fry other things beside fries in their fryers, which doesn't meet my gluten free standards, so I didn't order any of those. I did order a salad instead, which was essentially the hamburger toppings of lettuce and tomato, and some cheese I needed to pick off.

You can see that the cheese came in handy.

The meal was successfully gluten free, and our server was knowledgeable enough to help out. I definitely appreciated that.  From a more practical view, the food was more expensive for a meal that included extra hamburger toppings as a salad. Still, it's a family friendly option at City Creek where you are likely to get a safely prepared gluten free hamburger that doesn't seem to have cross contamination issues.

Johnny Rockets
City Creek Center, downtown Salt Lake City
Food Court, 2nd floor (northeast corner)

Gluten Free Restaurant Review: Mandarin in Bountiful

The Mandarin in Bountiful is some sort of Utah institution. C raved about it, and there are reviews all over the internet pointing folks in northern Utah to this place. Honestly, the Urbanspoon reviews are split down the middle. Some rave about how the Mandarin is central to the culture of Davis County, serving spectacular Chinese food to the citizens of Bountiful for more than 50 years. The rest fall of the reviews fall on the other end of the spectrum: a bit ho-hum.

The outside of the building was pretty chic, tucked on the north side of an old grocery store, and obviously been sitting in its foundation longer than most of the surroundings. The landscaping and decor are intriguing and authentic, and you can see the booths filled through the windows.

We tried the lemon chicken, made with the classic sweet lemon custard sauce. The chicken was fried perfectly. The meal as a whole wasn't quite as dynamic as your usual citrus chicken.

 We also tried the pepper chicken, served with green bell peppers, onions, and pepper. It was spicy and warm, and the portions were sizable.

The Mandarin deserves props for the detail they give on their gluten free menu, separate from their regular menu. Not many restaurants pull off an extensive and detailed list of their gluten free items, including substitutions. I suspect that some of the charm of the Mandarin is in the desserts, which don't offer dairy free options (unless you can go for an oatmeal cookie, but I'm oat free.) Raspberry vanilla bean creme brulee? Homemade ice cream flavors? No wonder people like this place. We skipped dessert, because there were no options for us, but I can see the draw! You should give their gluten free desserts a try.

For the record, we found the hipster service and the one dimensional food on the ho-hum side. Still, gluten free Chinese can't be written off for unimportant. The Mandarin is a very safe gluten free option in Davis County, and you see the history of it all over the walls.

The Mandarin
348 E 900 N  Bountiful, UT 84010
801.298.2406

Friday Photos: Tulip Edition

 

Have you been to George's Architectural Salvage? You may hit all the thrift stores in town, or the "we paint vintage furniture teal" stores that resell cute chairs and lamps, but George's is one of a kind. And surprisingly, he's adding new layers to his haul all the time. We found that out on our most recent visit. There were a few things we'd seen before, but there was a whole host of barn lights, leather purses, doors and door knobs, refrigerator parts, hinges and other vintage things. If you own your home, or like adventures, try George's.

The tulips on Salt Lake's Temple Square are at their peak right now. They pop up just in time for the beginning of April, but this week they are absolutely mind blowing. My favorite beds of tulips generally include pinks and oranges - colors that sparkle with fiery light in the afternoon sun. If you're a fan of beautiful flowers, this cannot be beat. Even the time I visited Keukenhof in the Netherlands - this takes the cake. The tulips in our yard are also at their best right now - large bulbous lemony ones, tiny pronged tomatoey ones with exotic black striping inside, some of my favorite fiery ones, and a few others.

Hope you have a nice weekend!

Gluten Free Salt Lake Bakery: Blossom Fine Foods

We've got multiple local bakeries with gluten free baked goods in town. Just one of them is Blossom Fine Foods, which are packaged and carried at the Monday Market Sale of the Utah Food Co-op. 

I've tried the delicious fudge brownie. I also tried the berry streusel cheesecake, which isn't dairy free. Both have great taste and texture, and hit the spot. Finding any dairy free items in their selection is tough though. They do have a vegan chocolate cake. There's carrot cake with rich cream cheese frosting. Blueberry muffins and breads with tender crumb. Chocolate torte. Pumpkin cheesecake. Mocha cheesecake.

They're made in a gluten free bakery not far from my neighborhood. I do love eating something from close to home. Give them a try!

 
Blossom Fine Foods
Available at the Monday Market Sale of the Utah Food Co-Op
(See their website for other stores that carry Blossom)

Gluten Free Restaurant Review: Dickey's Barbecue Pit

I had some dinner with a friend at Dickey's Barbecue Pit, a Texas-style barbecue chain that's relatively new in town. I know there's more than one location, including one by the Costco at 2100 South. We went to the location in West Valley while I was over in that neck of the woods. I would imagine that the staff knowledge of gluten free would vary from franchise to franchise.

The gluten free details on the menu are included with the nutrition facts and a list of allergens, similar to other fast food menus you'll find. I had checked out the allergens using my smartphone, which was both good and a bit of a challenge with the small print and scrolling.

Barbecue food comes with a bit of a price tag, and this was no exception. But because they sell a limited number of foods, they're a reasonable choice for limited cross contamination. I chose some beef brisket, a side of beans and bacon (shown on the left), and a ham and bean salad. All of their serve-yourself barbecue sauces are gluten free. They also have soft serve serve-yourself ice cream included in the price of a meal if you're not dairy free.

The food was about the same quality as my recent trip to Sonny Bryan's Smokehouse - not the most amazing barbecue I've ever had - and the gluten free/dairy free side choices were pretty limited. The staff didn't have a lot of information on the gluten free food - I almost completely relied on the allergen page on the website.

Dickey's Barbecue
2592 S 5600 W # 103  West Valley City, UT 84120

801.969.6600

Gluten Free Restaurant Review: Asian Star Restaurant

If you want a cool view of the Salt Lake Valley, warm and textural Chinese food, and friendly service, you should try out the Asian Star Restaurant in Sandy. Tucked near a movie theater just south of the Fort Union neighborhood, it even has it's own parking area, which is appreciated when the movie and shopping parking gets full in the evening.

The building is actually pretty cool. It has an entire wall of windows that points north east looking out into the valley, even though the building isn't much higher than the elevation of most of the city, and in the evening the view is phenomenal.

The service was quick and friendly, and we were vehemently reassured that the food would be gluten free.

I ordered the tangerine chicken.

 

There's even a portion of the regular menu devoted to the gluten free offerings.

The husband ordered the kung pao stir fry (sorry the picture is a little blurry).

We made it out with gluten free bellies and the food was decent. It may have been more authentic than our Americanized palates for Chinese food. We liked that it was easy to order, the server understood well what gluten free meant, and it was clearly marked on the menu. If you want a safe gluten free meal with a cool view, you'll like the Asian Star.

Asian Star Restaurant
7588 Union Park Ave  Midvale, UT 84047

801.566.8838

Astro Burger: Gluten Free Restaurant Review

I am pretty much over the plague, so I thought you might like another great restaurant review for some good gluten free eats in Salt Lake City. A full disclosure confession - I've had these photos for months. While I wouldn't expect that they've changed their mind on gluten free, I haven't confirmed it at Astro Burger since mid-2012. So, keep that in mind. Still, I thought you should know.

The husband and I used to eat at Astro Burger on a regular basis. After all, if you want good bacon, Astro is your place. I even have an original Stephanie Swift print of the Astro Burger sign. (The artist, not the, um, other one who shows up in internet searches.) Trust me, you'll regret searching her by name. However, buy her art through the website I linked!

Did I mention great bacon?

I found out that Astro had gluten free buns for your burger, as well as a gluten free fryer for their fries. It was with some trepidation I tried it, but I was definitely pleasantly surprised. I should also say that Astro Burger locations may vary - I was at the Midvale location, just a few blocks south of Fashion Place Mall on State Street.

C also ordered a chicken sandwich gluten free, and they were both full of that rare, Greek-inspired-but-exclusive-to-Salt-Lake goodness. After all, Salt Lake City has a unique Greek food culture that offers us a lot to choose from.

Go experience some good Greek!

Astro Burger
6863 S State St  Midvale, UT 84047
801.561.2575

Gluten Free Eating When You Are Under the Weather

I have been sick since last year. I am on round two of antibiotics for a sinus infection and ear infections. I've missed days of work. I've miraculously taken flights I needed to without feeling too terrible, but I'm sure the dehydration of being in the air hardly helped my sickness. Being so down has given me a greater commitment to taking the best care of my body, quirks and all.

It started on our Christmas trip, which was delightful. We made a trip of Reno's Haven on Earth dedicated gluten free bakery, and got some chocolate chip cookies for good measure. I have great appreciation for folks who will open up a gluten free bakery - and so many of their items were casein free as well, making it very easy for the husband and I to navigate. We went sledding, played at the children's museum, and even got to decorate a homemade chocolate zucchini cake shaped as a 3-D Christmas tree, covered in green frosting that was lightly lemon flavored. How do you compete with that face? (And that cake?)

I also read Brittany's post about having the flu with an autoimmune disease. Celiac disease is often connected with other autoimmune diseases, including Type 1 diabetes, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, thyroid disease and more.

Here's a few things to try:

- Hydrate as much as possible. Keep drinks around that you like, and also focus on the water as much as possible. Slices of lemon and lime, or frozen berries, are great if you are getting bored.

- Try Oscillo if you are interested in a natural remedy (to relieve flu-like symptoms). Try to keep your vitamin intake as high as possible. Take Vitamin D drops if you are concerned about Vitamin D or have issues keeping your levels where they need to be. Take a multivitamin if it's something you normally do. Drink green smoothies if you have fresh veggies on hand, or can get some nice soul to help you with this. It's very healing for your body, and you'll notice a temporary perk in your spirits, too. Take probiotics to help strengthen your body.

- Take pain reliever (such as Tylenol or naproxen) sparingly, but it can really help keep the inflammation at bay. Inflammation is particularly fiesty with an autoimmune disease, Celiac included. I know that I felt marked relief after some naproxen during the worst parts of the sinus infection.

- If you are generally in charge of preparing meals, keep some easy foods on hand to eat. For me, this includes Glutino pretzels, cereal for the husband, some frozen meals including taco meat and beef brisket, extra gluten free bread in the freezer, and a good stash of fresh fruit. Try to limit or cut out dairy and sugar while you are down, since they help us easily create mucus. Limiting sugar while I'm sick is a challenge for me - it can feel like such a comfort!

- Don't compromise on eating gluten free, even if that leaves you with wilting spinach and some Glutino bars. It is so incredibly worth it to allow your body to heal by supporting it with your best effort toward gluten free eating. If you can, ask a friend, family member or neighbor for help. Give them a shopping list with brands and store names and they will love the chance to help. Seriously.

- Do your laundry. I found that washing my pillowcases and any blankets I used to snuggle on the couch will help my husband stay well. And having a well husband while I am sick is probably the best thing for me!

Overall, pay attention to your body. Try to make good choices with food and rest while you are well and it will pay off in prevention. Wear a mask if you are sick and going in public. Wash your hands when you come home from your day's errands. What's made your sick days easier this winter?

Wallaby's Smokehouse: Gluten Free Restaurant Review

If you've lived in Utah County for a length of time and have a friend, grandpa or neighbor who is gluten free, you've probably heard mention of the Australian-themed Wallaby's Smokehouse. Southern, slow-smoked BBQ restaurants can be a good bet for those needing to eat gluten free. We've eaten at several BBQ places either here in the Salt Lake Valley, or while traveling (including Sonny Bryan's Smokehouse and a long-ago trip to Troy's BBQ in St. George).

I was at a team meeting with my work team, and we have quite a group. A vegan, a pregnant woman (not me!), the Celiac (me!), and a few who don't like to eat anything but chocolate and "American" food. Despite our differences, we settled on going to Wallaby's (which still wasn't a great fit for the vegan.)

Everything on the menu is gluten free except the rolls and the croutons, and they are very aware of serving gluten free customers. I simply told them as I was ordering, and she explained that. That even includes the unique barbecue sauces you could choose from the on each table.

Overall, I was grateful for some delicious options with my beef brisket, my smashers (which did contain an unfortunate amount of dairy), and my baked beans. It was delicious, and an ideal gluten free experience.

Wallaby's Smokehouse
131 S State St, Lindon, UT 84042
(801) 785-4447

Sweet Spiced Walnuts

One of the best recipes that came out of our holiday adventures showed up for Thanksgiving. These candied walnuts were amazing. Frankly, they are putting our second year of marriage on good footing.

We both just survived, by a hair, the plague. Our flight to Reno was on a hot and tightly packed airplane, and the air blowing in my face left me with a serious sniffle 48 hours later. It didn't help that I had managed to get seriously dehydrated, but nonetheless, I was the recipient of a serious illness. I think it was actually this year's influenza (and I never managed to get my shot this fall), and I was down for the count. So much for vacation days that weren't spent moaning on my bed.

Even though the husband and I were both sick at the same time, it's so reassuring to have him near me when we are both suffering. I guess that's what together is for - sitting on opposite ends of the couch under blankets, whimpering from body aches and congestion, but keeping each other company.

Hopefully you are feeling healthy and happy? We're on our way up out of the dregs. Cheers to 2013!

If you want a sweet snack with a spicy kick, these are a winner. The egg white-sugar combination forms a chewy but firm crust on the outside of the walnuts, and it's a magical combination.

Last Year: Italian Ricotta: Casein Free
Two Years Ago: Easy Apple Coffee Cake
Three Years Ago: Orange Muffins with Fresh Cranberries
Four Years Ago: Peanut Butter Cup Cookies


Sweet Spiced Walnuts
based on Deb Perlman's version

1/3 cup dark-brown sugar
2/3 cup white granulated sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon of smoked paprika
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 pound walnuts
1 egg white, room temperature
1 tablespoon water

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Mix sugars, salt, paprika, and cinnamon; set aside. Lightly whip egg white and water, incorporating the two. Add walnuts, and stir to coat evenly. Sprinkle nuts with sugar mixture, and toss with a fork. Spread sugared nuts in a single layer on a covered baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from oven, and separate nuts as they cool. When completely cool, pour the nuts into a bowl, breaking up any that stick together.