Monday Motivation 03/30/2015

"You can't put a limit on anything. The more you dream, the farther you get."

~ Michael Phelps, US Olympic Gold Medalist

EAT: Grille 401, Fort Lauderdale, FL

Maybe it was Spring Break or maybe it was just a regular Friday night? Either way, Grille 401 was hopping and definitely the place to be in downtown Ft. Lauderdale! A DJ playing jammin' tunes and a gluten free menu?? Where else would I be dining?!?

We started the meal with the gluten free Coconut Shrimp Roll. The steamed shrimp, toasted coconut, jalapeno, and avocado gave the roll a nice spicy kick. The gluten free menu and our server confirmed that they had gluten free soy sauce. I am always apprehensive about gluten free soy sauce at a restaurant and always ask for the whole bottle to confirm its status and ensure I get the gluten free sauce. Our server informed us that it is in a big bottle and he could not bring it out. No worries, I had a couple of San-J travel Gluten Free Tamari packs in my purse! The Roll was very tasty and a great start to our meal.

I ordered the gluten free Asian Sea Bass with sticky rice and fresh spinach. In order to be gluten free, I had to omit the sherry soy broth. I decided the broth was not needed, as the Chilean sea bass was very tasty and not dry.

My gluten free dinner companion ordered the gluten free Prime Rib. In order to make it gluten free, he omitted the au gus and substituted the gluten free peanut and ginger slaw for the baked potato. The plate brought out to him had au jus on the side in a bowl and the meat had been dipped in the au jus. Not gluten free! After speaking with our server, he quickly brought a fresh plate sans au jus. The prime rib was cooked to a nice medium and the slaw was delicious, crunchy, with a hint of ginger and topped with chopped peanuts.

Grille 401 was definitely the place to see and be seen in Ft. Lauderdale. It had a nice vibe, and with two stories of seating, accommodated a large crowd. The addition of the DJ gave it a fun club feel, and people were even dancing. Grille 401 had two bars, both of which were crowded. The food was good and with the gluten free menu, it was easy to find options. My only caveat is to make sure to double check your order with the server. Ours was not the most knowledgeable about gluten free as other restaurants I have dined in, but he was quick to fix the au jus mistake.

Grille 401
401 Las Olas Blvd.
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
954.767.0222
www.grille401.com

Monday Motivation 03/23/2015

"Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it."

~ Steve Jobs

Monday Motivation 03/16/2015

"Persistence can change failure into extraordinary achievement."

~ Matt Biondi, Olympic Gold Medalist in Swimming

EAT: Table 26, West Palm Beach, FL

West Palm Beach, FL and its summer-like weather in the dead of winter bring people from all over the world to its sunny beaches and plush green golf courses. Table 26 brings global cuisine to the heart of the town for a great fusion of flavors and some food allergy free dining. Located just a few blocks from the Norton Museum of Art, Table 26 offers quaint indoor and outdoor dining with an inviting modern twist. 

Our server, Nicole, was very knowledgeable about the menu, as well as which dishes were gluten and corn free. She excitedly told us that the bread served in the restaurant at the beginning of the meal was gluten free. Made with yucca flour and cheese, the gooey little rolls were really tasty. We even took a couple home for breakfast the next morning!

Nicole went through the menu with us recommending certain dishes and letting us know which ones would be safe or could be modified to be safe. 

I ordered the gluten free 8oz Filet Mignon with Smashed Potatoes and Bernaise Sauce on the side. The filet was cooked to a nice medium and the smashed potatoes were creamy. 

My dinner companion ordered the Grilled Fish of the Day, which was gluen free and consisted of Branzino, a European Sea Bass, with Carrots and Cauliflower topped with Olive Tapenade. Nicole highly recommended the dish. It was pretty flavorful and the Bernaise sauce from the filet complimented it nicely. 

We inquired about the gluten free status of the Truffle and Parmesan Fries as a side item, but found out that they are not fried in a dedicated fryer. Nicole recommended the Spaghetti Squash, so we went with that. Wow, it was delish! Spaghetti Squash with cheese and topped with pesto. Nicole told us that she had to sub the cheese normally in the dish for a cheddar cheese to make the dish gluten free in case we wanted to order it in the future. It was really cool that she was so knowledgable about food allergies and went the extra mile to make sure we had a safe meal.

I have only been to a couple of restaurants in West Palm Beach, but Table 26 tops the list so far. The food was fabulous and the staff was accommodating with our food allergies. If you have a chance to check out the restaurant, be ready to partake in the pre-meal bread and let me know what you think!

Table 26

1700 South Dixie Hwy

West Palm Beach, FL 33401

561.855.2660

www.table26palmbeach.com

Monday Motivation 03/09/2015

"A champion is afraid of losing. Everyone else is afraid of winning."

~ Billie Jean King

EAT: BurgerFi, Fort Lauderdale, FL

Doesn't the East Coast deserve some gluten free burger love? The West Coast has In-N-Out Burger, but us East Coasters feel left out. No more! BurgerFi offers their burgers "Green Style" where you can order your burger on a lettuce wrap instead of a bun. As always, be sure to notify your server that you are gluten free. BurgerFi cannot guarantee gluten free status, but Julie, our server, passed our allergy issues on to the kitchen. 

I ordered the BurgerFi Cheeseburger "Green Style," which has two patties. I highly recommend adding Bacon for a small extra charge. It was very good and tasted very similar to In-N-Out's Double Double Protein Style. Also, I order both without the sauce. 

The fries are not in a dedicated fryer, so they were a no-go. The hot dogs can also be ordered "Green Style." BurgerFi carries its green trend into environmentally sustainable practices like chairs made out of recycled Coke bottles, tables made with recycled wood, and large fans in the restaurant to conserve energy. BurgerFi is definitely working to reduce its carbon footprint.  

Another highlight is that BurgerFi (in Fort Lauderdale) sells Mexican Coke, Sprite, and Fanta. All have sugar instead of high fructose corn syrup (Fanta has modified food starch (corn)).

For those of you who can drink regular Coke products, BurgerFi has a Coke machine with unusual additions added like raspberry, lemon, lime, and vanilla. 

BurgerFi has 80 locations throughout the U.S., mainly on the Eastern half of the US. It offers antibiotic and hormone free grass-fed beef. With the addition of the "Green Style" option, BurgerFi gives those of us with Celiac, gluten intolerance, and gluten allergy, an opportunity to enjoy a delicious gluten free burger!

BurgerFi 

1465 SE 17th St. (Near Cruiseport)

Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316

954.306.3096

www.burgerfi.com

Monday Motivation 03/02/2015

"The key is not the will to win. Everyone has that. It is the will to prepare to win that is important."

~ Bobby Knight

Need Corn Free Cough Drops?

It is flu season, you are sick, and coughing up a storm. The problem: you are corn free and basically every type of cough drops has some form of corn (corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, corn starch, etc.). I found some pretty tasty corn free (and gluten free) cough drops at a Whole Foods in Florida called Olbas Lozenges.

Olbas Lozenges contain menthol and eucalyptus oil for a soothing effect. Suitable for those on a gluten free diet, low sugar diet, and vegetarian diet. They are also dye free. The Black Currant flavor mixes nicely with the menthol. They definitely calmed my sore throat and coughing spells during my last cold!