Oftentimes, a restaurant’s Celiac-friendliness is a work in progress. Wilde Bar and Restaurant is one such place. Located at 3130 North Broadway Street in East Lakeview, the Irish eatery has been a popular establishment since 2007, but it took me a while to learn to like it. When I first walked in, all I could think was “it’s dark.” Heavy [...]
When I first heard of Protein Bar, I thought it was a brand of energy bars, a travel staple for people with Celiac Disease. Later I found out it was actually a Chicago-based chain that serves healthy food on the go, with a focus on alternative diets including gluten-free food. First opened in 2009, the flagship store is located downtown directly [...]
Cupcakes. Who in the world doesn’t like cupcakes? It’s small enough that you don’t have to feel too guilty about the calorie count, but big enough to satisfy that craving for sugar. Walking around the town and discovering small cupcake bakeries used to be one of our favorite pastimes for my husband and me. Now we have the additional challenge [...]
Summer has finally arrived here in Chicago and that means my hunt for gluten-free frozen treats is starting once again. Thus far the search has proved more difficult than expected. Within walking distance of my home, I can count no less than three ice cream shops, seven frozen yogurt stores, and over a dozen cafés and restaurants offering various kinds [...]
On a recent stroll around the town, a store caught my eyes with the words “gluten free” on the window. Just opened in April, Shift on Sheffield Natural Market and Café is a welcomed addition to the Lincoln Park food scene. While the owners do not suffer from Celiac Disease themselves, they have targeted their store to people on gluten-free, [...]
When my husband was first diagnosed with Celiac disease, one of the first anecdotes we heard from people is that Indian cuisine is often naturally gluten-free. Upon further investigation though, we found this advice applies more accurately to “real” Indian food prepared in a relatively large kitchen. As with many other ethnic cuisines in U.S., a generic Indian restaurant that [...]
After a massive renovation in September 2010, Mity Nice has re-launched with Executive Chef Larry Donahue at the helm. On April 12, Mity Nice will host a special gluten-free wine dinner with a three-course menu paired with wines selected by sommelier Alpana Singh. As Donahue says in his blog, Cooking Adventures with Larry Donahue, he sees special needs food as [...]
I am not a big meat lover, but every once in a while I do long for a nice juicy burger. When you are on a strict gluten-free diet though, it’s hard to find a place since few restaurants serve gluten-free buns, or even patties for that matter. Due to the popularity of Atkins Diet several years ago, many eateries [...]
I’ve always been a big fan of tapioca. Coming from Asia, I first encountered the versatile starch in the form of chewy “pearls” in bubble tea. Later as I got into the world of gluten-free baking, I found that tapioca starch is often used, along with rice flour and coconut flour, as a substitute for wheat flour. Only recently did [...]
Ever since I moved to the Windy City four years ago, I have had a love-hate relationship with Argo Tea. For the most part I love its beverage and food selections. Some of the signature drinks have too much sugar — such as the Chocolate Mint, a mix of hot chocolate and tea that is great on the first sip [...]
