Seattle Trip 2012, Part 1

We had so many wonderful meals in Seattle, I'm just bursting to share!
Our first night, we dined at Sazerac--our hotel's restaurant. To begin, let me just say that the Hotel Monaco is totally awesome, and I highly recommend staying there if you're gluten-free. Their central location downtown allows for much exploring, and their restaurant is super gluten-free friendly. The service is excellent...they did a wonderful favour for us (which you'll hear about in Part 2), and every evening, they host a wine reception in their uber comfortable and stylish lobby. That's right, free wine, free snacks, huge couches....for one whole hour of bliss. The bacon-wrapped dates are so addictive.


Right, back to Sazerac.
We decided to do the four-course tasting menu, for the low price of $40. We didn't even order drinks because we were already pretty liquored-up from the wine reception. Here's what I had: Fresh Oysters, Beet and Goat Cheese Salad with Pistachios, Pan Seared Scallops with Creole Clams and Chorizo, and a bountiful Fruit Plate for dessert.

Everything was so delicious and fresh and seasoned perfectly. We came back the next night after an unfortunate dinner at Tulio Ristorante, and I had the Cedar Plank Salmon Salad which was also just perfect.

SOOOOO...about Tulio.....this was the first time IN MY LIFE that I have not eaten something served to me at a restaurant. We had made reservations, and glanced at their gluten-free menu online....I was excited, because they had duck on their menu, and I love duck. A LOT. Anyways, they had to make (apparently) so many modifications that the duck they served me was pretty gross. It was totally bland, and cold, and unsauced and naked. I make better seared duck breasts at home. The "Lemon Risotto" they served me underneath the protein was also cold and only tasted like chicken stock. The rice wasn't even cooked properly. And no lemony-goodness to be tasted. Well...that was the only unfortunate part of our whole trip. Afterwards, we made a mad-dash to Bottega Italiana so I could inhale some delicious Pistachio Gelato I had been craving for the past year. It was amazing, as expected.

On our third day in Seattle, we stopped for lunch at a classy little place called Purple Cafe and Wine Bar. Their menu didn't overly excite me, but I gave them a shot. Not to my surprise, they had no gluten-free alternatives, just modifications. I mean, no gluten-free buns, baguettes, pizza crusts, or pasta. So, I decided to go low-carb and get the Cranberry Chicken Salad. The portion was HUGE and I could only eat half of it, despite my healthy appetite, and it tasted great! I didn't even miss the bread because this salad was fully loaded with apple, cranberries, almonds, scallions and shaved parm. Just look at this beauty!

On another note, I opted out of going for breakfast while in Seattle. Why? Because I prefer to start my day on a lighter note, so greasy eggs, bacon and hashbrowns were out of the question. Thankfully, we scouted out a supermarket called Kress IGA just a couple blocks from our hotel and picked up some gluten-free goodness for our mornings. There were tons of gluten-free snack options in Kress, and if you're planning on going to Seattle, I highly recommend picking up some essentials to save you a little bit of money, and keep yourself from overindulging every meal of the day. Here's the granola I found, loved, and brought back four bags of:

And lastly, I found a fantastic fancy coffee place called Tully's; it was super close to our hotel. They had a very nice assortment of gf baked goods, which I enjoyed on a big comfy chair with my Vanilla Soy Latte.

Well, I think I'll cut this part off right here. Part two will be up soon (my favourite parts of our trip). If you ever needed a reason to spend some time in Seattle, now would be an excellent time to go and treat yourself to some gluten-free delicacies. <3 <3

Gluten-Free at UVIC--A Very Special Edition

Oh gosh. I feel terrible for not writing very often, but instead of offering a million apologies and excuses, I've decided to give a very special post for anyone who goes to UVIC, spends time there, or will be going there in the future.
I've been at UVIC for a little over a year now--it's mostly just big and scary and some days I hate it. I spent the first few months at UVIC scrounging for food that I could eat, which unfortunately ended in me getting terribly sick once. 
However, UVIC has come a long way in recent months and I'm sure they're just warming up. Hopefully in another year, I'll be able to write another edition of this with brand new food!


Let's start.....

Finnerty Express: The coffee shop by the bookstore--they also carry a variety of other snacks like chips and chocolate bars. However, I discovered they also have gluten-free goodies as well! Check out their Almond Raspberry Shortbread and their Peanut Butter Crunch Bar. To die for!

Biblio Cafe:  Beside the library... renowned for their shitty cell-phone reception. Always ASK FOR GLUTEN-FREE...and maybe even repeat it for them a few times! They have some loaded bagels, including the West Coast Classic (Cream cheese, lox, capers and onions) and a Veggie Bagel (Cream Cheese and Veggies). HOWEVER, despite their efforts to accommodate Celiacs, the effort is rather lackluster. The bagels taste like compressed sawdust...a common conception of gluten-free breads, but not exactly our only options. They could really elevate the product if they switched to Udi's Bagels (Chewy, moist, delicious). Also, they carry Melinda's Gluten-Free Biscotti to enjoy with your coffee...quite delish!


Munchie Bar: In the SUB building, at Cinecenta. It is my humble opinion that Munchie Bar serves THE BEST coffee on campus...in fact, I can't go to class without stopping by for a cup'a'jo every morning. Is it sad that a coffee bar can complete you? That sounds too romantic...they just complete my day. End of story. Anyways, Munchie Bar also carries an assortment of baked goods from Origin's bakery including cookies and granola bars. The cookies come in convenient little packs of 3...perfect for munching on during class. During the school year (non-summer) they also carry gluten-free products from Bubby Rose's bakery, like the Quinoa Chocolate Cupcake and the infamous Bubbymore Bars. However, I will caution you that the cupcakes are stored in the same containers as glutinous muffins and I advise Celiacs to not risk it. If you're dying for one of these cupcakes, just go to Bubby Rose's Bakery and pick yourself up some goodies. (I'll write a review on them later)


Grad Lounge/ Grad House:  Close to Cinecenta, just around the corner. I've only had one thing off their menu...and I've had it about five times now. This is a great little place to grab lunch with friends on campus. They offer a number of gluten-free items, but most notably, the Pulled Pork Tacos with Pineapple Salsa. They give you three tacos for about $8...when ordering, I simply ask for a 4th taco (big appetite) and they add it on for $2. They're perfect for a gluten-free hot lunch at school. I would really like to see Grad House carrying gluten-free burger buns and whatnot in order to offer more options to us. We'll see what happens.


That's my complete list so far, and I'd love to add to it! I've barely touched the surface of all the places to eat on campus, so if you have more suggestions, please let me know and I'll check them out!!


Hope everyone is doing great and eating well!

Personal Recipe--Chinese Style Ginger Fried Beef

So, earlier this week, my mum asked me if I wanted to come over for dinner on Saturday while her partner was in Vancouver. I agreed, and we decided we would make something we couldn't normally make. My first idea was tempura and I was pleased with that.  But then, when we drove to the grocery store for ingredients, I suggested Ginger Fried Beef--a longtime favourite of mine. We looked at each other and realized we were throwing a wrench in all our plans so I quickly pulled up a recipe on my Blackberry and off we went into the store.
The recipe is long, and the cooking instructions are in multiple steps. It was hard work, but between me and mum, we totally pulled it off. We served it with rice and stir fried vegetables. It was outstanding but totally teamwork!


Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 pounds flank steak, or sirloin

Marinade:

4 Tbsp tamari

2 Tbsp Chinese rice wine (mirin) or dry sherry

2 tsp granulated sugar

4 tablespoons ginger juice

Sauce:

2 Tbsp Chinese rice wine or dry sherry

2 Tbsp tamari

4 Tbsp white or rice vinegar

4 tablespoons granulated sugar

3 Tbsp water

2 teaspoon hot chili oil or crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste

Other:

2 stalk celery

½ large onion

1 red bell pepper

2 carrots

2 Tbsp oil for stir-frying, or as needed

1 tsp chili flakes

2 Tbsp fresh ginger, grated

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 tsp sesame oil

4 to 5 cups oil for deep-frying

Batter:

1/2 cup sweet rice flour

1/2 cup cornstarch

2 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 tsp hot chili oil (optional)

2/3 cup water, or as needed

Preparation:

 Partially freeze the beef to make it easier to cut.

• If making homemade ginger juce, grate the ginger and squeeze out the juice until you have 4 tablespoons. Cut the partially frozen beef along the grain into thin strips the approximately length and width of matchsticks. Add the marinade ingredients and marinate the beef for 25 minutes.
• In a small bowl, mix together the soy sauce, rice wine or sherry, vinegar, sugar, water and hot chili oil. Set aside.
• While the beef is marinating, prepare the vegetables and sauce. Cut the celery, onion, red bell pepper, and carrot into thin strips.
• To prepare the batter, combine the flour and cornstarch. Stir in the vegetable oil, and the hot chili oil if using. Add as much water as is needed to make a smooth batter. It should not be too dry or too runny, but should lightly drop off the back of a wooden spoon.
• Heat the oil for deep-frying to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Dip the marinated beef pieces into the batter. When the oil is hot, add the beef and deep-fry until it is golden brown. About 5 minutes.  Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in the wok. When the oil is hot, add the chilies. Add the carrot, celery, red pepper, and onions. Saute until softened. Add the ginger and garlic.
• Push the vegetables up to the sides of the wok. Add the sauce in the middle. Heat to boiling, then add the deep-fried beef back into the pan. Mix all the ingredients together. Remove from the heat. Serve with rice and veggies.

Product Reviews--Perogies and Ravioli by Conte's Pasta Co.

So, apparently being a student is synonymous with being broke half the year--thus, restaurant reviews are not flowing in as freely as I originally had hoped for. Nevertheless, I haven't forgotten about my blog and my darling fans [all 72 of you on Facebook, and maybe just a few secret lurkers if I'm lucky] !!!

Last week, I was watching Food Network and I became really grumpy, "I wish I could eat perogies" I groaned. My friend insisted that we just 'simply make them' and I was all like "that seems like a lot of work..."
I'm in the midst of finals for school and free-time is a luxury I just don't have right now, thus, any hopes for making our own perogies would just have to wait until finals are done (April 9th omgz!).

I lamented, "I won't bother making them, I figure that soon enough, a company will come out with gluten-free perogies and I will be thankful I didn't waste time and money to failing any attempt to make perogies from scratch."

It was kinda like a freaky-friday moment.

Today, by sheer coincidence, my friend and I ended up at Lifestyle's Market on Douglas St. so I could pick up some gluten-free organic sausages for dinner. As per usual, I browsed the freezer section, hoping I would find some revolutionary new gluten-free goody to make all my dreams come true, if just for a day.

Mid aisle, I look up to the top shelf....I stopped breathing for just a moment and I felt my eyes widen and stop blinking. I turn to my friend and say "No freakin' way!". I hurriedly swung open the freezer door and pulled out a bag of Conte's Spinach and Cheese Ravioli. I squealed once more, handed them to her, and I stretched up again to see what else was hiding on that top shelf of miracles....

For the third time, I squealed. Thankfully my friend doesn't get embarassed too easily, and thankfully she understands the simple pleasures of a new gluten-free find. I bet all of you share this excitement...we're a special bunch, aren't we?

I pulled out a bag of Cheese and Onion Perogies, also by Conte's Pasta Co, and I began to feel the excitement creep up over me. Perogies are definitely one of my favourite foods of all time...and it's been at least 6 years since I've had them, and during those years, I had dreamt of this exact moment. My eyes began watering...yes, I was about to cry in the freezer aisle. You must understand that this is an extraordinarily visceral reaction to potato and dough dumpling, only accomplished by a VERY burnt-out, overtired university student running on coffee and pure adrenaline. I don't expect you to have the same reaction as I did...again, I'm special.

Anyways...

I made the perogies for dinner tonight, boiled, and then fried in butter and sauteed onions, accompanied with Freybe's chicken-turkey Bratwurst and a nice Arugula salad.

The Verdict?
Umm, holy moly!! They taste exactly like regular perogies...chewy and doughy, bursting with savory potato filling. They were DELICIOUS, and I have pretty much nothing else to say about them because, well, it's such a simple food, and to eat such a simple food after craving it over over half a decade results in an experience outside of language.

I'll try the ravioli this week and attach the review to the bottom of this entry.

Sorry for the dramatics...it's been a rough week, but writing this made me feel a little better :)
~~~~****UPDATE****~~~~
Tried the raviolis last week after a few too many glasses of wine. Yes, I 'drunk-kitchen'-ed it. As far as I remember, they were delicious, but I unfortunately just slathered on some Classico sauce in a fit of desperation. Could have been much more delicious with a pesto,some friend porcuitto, sweet peas, and fresh parm.

Restaurant Review: Bin 4 Burger Lounge (180-911 Yates St, Victoria BC)

When I heard that a new gourmet burger joint was opening close to downtown, I had to check in with myself and ponder the many questions and expectations I would have of it. I didn't have much to inform my expectations in a burger eatery, aside from obvious comparisons to Pink Bicycle. I waited patiently for Bin 4 to open...and then they did open, but nothing happened. I was surprised at my passivity for trying out a new burger in town...and I just sat here, waiting for the day I would crave some gourmet meat in a bun.


I was apprehensive. I was worried about gluten-poisoning. I was worried about options. I was worried I'd be stuck with a hamburger salad [Where you don't actually get a bun, just a bed of lettuce]. I approached Bin 4 with caution; I read review after review, I monitored their Facebook page, I studied their website. And finally, this weekend, I decided I wanted a supreme burger and a couple drinks to start my reading break off right.


Now, I kick myself for having waited so long. Seriously, where has this place been my whole life?


Sunday night, we made a reservation just to be safe. This was a smart move as the place was packed when we got there at 6:30. It's a good sign when a restaurant is busy on Sunday night.




Enough small talk, let's get down to business. I looked at the menu and found myself stumped...practically EVERYTHING looked so delicious and making a decision proved to be difficult for both of us.


We started with a couple drinks; Mojitos were on special for I think $4.50 a piece so we enjoyed those pretty quickly. Just to mention, our drinks came super fast despite the crowds.


I made my decision to try the "Bin 4 Bistro Burger" [$13] on a gluten-free Origin's bun [+$1] with a house salad. Here is where my only recommendation will come in...Bin 4 could set themselves FAR APART and ABOVE Pink Bicycle if they were to get a separate fryer for their gluten-free customers. OR, better yet, make their Onion Rings gluten-free so we could all share a fryer. Even though the burger itself was so delicious and indulgent and I was happy to munch down on some leafy greens...the option to have onion rings would be just so wonderful and I could see this restaurant being a mecca for Celiacs.

But, back to the burger. The Bin 4 Bistro Burger consisted of "Island Farmhouse chicken breast, Fraser Valley bacon, brie cheese, balsamic red onion jam, roasted garlic aioli, butter lettuce, tomato". I got hooked on the idea of having brie on my burger...and trust me, it was heavenly. The bun is of course something I'm familiar with by now; however, Bin 4 toasted it just perfectly. Perhaps with butter? And I could tell it was toasted on the flat top, not the toaster. The burger itself was as perfect as I could have hoped a burger could be...in a word, it was QUALITY. In two words, QUALITY GOURMET. It was evident it was put together with serious care, and that all the ingredients were fresh. I also really loved the Butter Lettuce instead of  the predictable Romaine or Green Leaf. The balsamic red onion jam was the perfect condiment...no ketchup needed. (As a ketchup enthusiast, it wasn't easy to admit that.) The side salad I had with the burger was lovely and fresh as well...it was a perfect palate cleanser between bites of that savory burger. Not to mention the portion size was quite generous.

P.S. I also ordered a glass of Red Sangria to sip on while I ate. Just $6 for a generous glass...and it was delicious and refreshing. I consider myself somewhat of a Sangria aficionado, and Bin 4 has made it into my top 3.

Prior to ordering, I informed our server that I have a very serious allergy to gluten and to advise the chefs to take extra precaution when preparing my burger. Without hassle or an apathetic  sigh, she gladly agreed to my request and reassured me I would be well taken care of. Awwww, so nice! We all enjoy a little security from time to time. And for all you super-Celiacs out there, I DID NOT have 'eater's remorse' afterwards...no gluten-poisoning from Bin 4 Burger Lounge!


And now what you've all been waiting for, my verdict: Heck Yes I'll Be Back!  Can't Hardly Wait!


EXTRA MENTIONABLES:


1) The service was great. Everyone was super friendly and accommodating. PLUS, food and drinks came quite fast despite it being a busy night. Server was knowledgeable about gluten allergies and what I could and couldn't eat.
2) The atmosphere is great--I'm quite positive they had an interior decorator come in; the decor is clean and modern with a twist. The lighting was perfectly dim...which is preferred when eating sometimes less elegant meals like burgers.

3) They have other gluten-free dishes and appys if you're not feeling the burger-vibe. 
4) YESSSS! They have Bard's gluten-free beer to go with your perfect gluten-free burger. Drink up, Eat up!

Exciting Gluten-Free Products!

Hello all! I am writing this in protest of finishing a pressing paper due tomorrow. I guess I've been so wrapped up in school, I've kinda lost the balance in my life I usually take great pride in having. So, in an effort to bring balance to my evening (and to procrastinate just for 15 more minutes), I bring you a special blog post...

 I wandered around Lifestyle's Market (Douglas location) a couple weeks ago as an opportunity for me to spend money on 'specialty' foods that I probably can't afford. I only do this once every few months, so I somehow can justify it. Anyways, to my delight I found some really amazing gluten-free goodies just waiting to be sampled:

1) Goldbaum's Gluten-Free Chocolate Sugar Cones: a far cry from those styrofoamy goblets we enjoyed as youngsters. it's an ice cream cone...that tastes like a COOKIE! It's likely just another simple privilege that gluten-eaters enjoy regularly, but seriously, when was the last time you had a sugar cone? A must-buy as a wonderful little treat for yourself (goodness knows, you deserve it) [12 cones for about $6]

2) Mountain Top Bakery Sausage Rolls: the little fat kid inside of me loved sausage rolls--flaky dough wrapped around a log of meat?! Sounds promising, right? These little gems made for a couple perfect lunches, yet were a tad expensive. Found in the freezer section. [ 4 rolls for $10]

3) Annie's Gluten-Free Mac and Cheese: I feel like I should have known about this sooner--I feel like I was a deprived student because I didn't eat KD twice a day, and I really hoped for an authentic university experience. This lovely box of super-salty cheese dust and dehydrated elbows (pasta shape, not body part) made a perfect midnight snack while I was studying. I feel slightly more complete. [ 1 box for about $4]

4) Glutino's Chocolate Covered Pretzels: I feel like this doesn't even need justification, but in case you haven't convinced yourself that you deserve this, I'll give you some motivation. It's pretzels....covered in chocolate. Sweet and salty crunchy morsels of indulgence; super addictive, super deadly. I suggest asking your significant other to hide them once you've taken a good handful, otherwise, you'll find yourself walking back and forth from your laptop to the kitchen cupboard in an attempt to satisfy your basic human need to eat chocolate covered pretzels. Good luck with this one. [ 1 bag, for $6]

Pink Sugar Cupcakery (773 Fort St, Victoria BC)

Is there anything better than a fist-sized mound of cake and icing? Probably not. The sheer novelty of a cupcake has held up throughout the decades, and now cupcakes aren't just for birthday parties and bakesales anymore. Indeed, cupcake-culture has culminated into a North America phenomenon where the more creative you are equals more happy customers nomming on your sugar-muffins.

Enter...Pink Sugar Cupcakery.

An unassuming, yet vibrantly decorated sweet shop eagerly awaits your patronage in lovely downtown Victoria. For a gluten-free gobbler such as myself, I had come to terms that gluten-free cupcakes were for special occasions, made by myself in my modest kitchen. When I discovered Origin's Bakery had cupcakes, I jumped in on the action and gave myself a killer sugar-hangover. After I recovered, I breathed a sigh of relief "Thank goodness I don't live close enough to Origin's where I'd be tempted to indulge much too frequently"--I thought to myself. Little did I know that only a few blocks from my home was Pink Sugar, baking up gluten-free desserts on a daily basis....just waiting to get me hooked.



The wonderful thing about Pink Sugar is the vast variety you can sample from; every day is different however so if you want to enjoy the same variety I have, frequent visits are encouraged, or simply call ahead. These cupcakes are so wonderful...I wish I had known about them sooner, but I'm happy I could share my discovery with my readers! FYI, they do special orders ;)