EAT: Las Casuelas Quinta, La Quinta, CA

I don't know about you, but when the temperature gets above 100 degrees, I find I am less hungry. Spending 5+ hours on the golf course in that temperature can do that to you. When you are in the California desert, head over to Las Casuelas Quinta in La Quinta for a great meal. From the patio, complete with misters to the expansive dining room with super cool chandeliers hanging everywhere, it is a great place for lunch, brunch, or dinner. I had brunch and the live music was a welcome addition. 

Seated in a quiet booth, the heat outside called for a margarita. Las Casuelas Quinta's Cantina Quinta Margarita was very tasty and I really liked the allergy free ingredients. A good #cornfree margarita is hard to find with all those corn syrupy mixes available. When a restaurant makes a homemade mix with real juices, it is hard to pass up. 

Our server was knowledgeable about food allergies and checked with the chef about the grilled chicken marinade. I ordered the Chicken Cilantro Salad minus the tortilla strips and added black beans. The gluten free and paleo friendly salad complete with grilled chicken, lettuce, tomato, avocado, cilantro, jicama, and tossed in a mango jalapeno vinaigrette was a large portion and very good. I highly recommend adding the salsa the server brings out with the tortilla chips. Who else declines the tortilla chips, but asks them to leave the salsa?!? I know I always enjoy the funny looks I receive.

Las Casuelas Quinta is a great healthy option for those with food allergies. The menu was extensive with all types of Mexican cuisine: enchiladas, tostadas, tacos, burritos, tamales, fajitas, etc. The restaurant provides a welcoming and relaxing environment, and I highly recommend the live music. Be sure to check it out the next time you are in the California desert!

 

Las Casuelas Quinta

78-480 Hwy 111

La Quinta, CA

760.777.7715

http://www.lascasuelasquinta.com/index.htm

EAT: Spencer's, Palm Springs, CA

 

 I love downtown Palm Springs, CA! When in Palm Springs, I am always on the lookout for great restaurants and highly recommend the weekly Thursday night VillageFest in downtown. Spencer's Restaurant caught my eye during this year's trip. It has all gluten free menu items listed right on the menu. The dinner menu has a nice selection of gluten free options.

I really enjoyed the atmosphere at Spencer's. If you dined inside, there are quaint tables surrounding a piano. The pianist plays during your meal offering nice musical accompaniment. Dining outside on the patio also has a nice atmosphere with lighted globes hanging from the trees and misters overhead to keep the heat at bay. The patio also offers a nice view of the base of the San Jacinto Mountains.

I decided to try the Sauteed Nantucket Sea Scallops with Potato Leek Confit and Noilly Prat Cream. Even though it is listed as an appetizer, the four large scallops were definitely enough for light eaters and those who do not want a heavy meal. After a long, hot day on the golf course, the scallops were plenty. The potato confit was a nice balance to the scallops. They even had Udi's gluten free bread upon request.

Spencer's Restaurant is a quaint, quiet spot just a couple blocks off Hwy 111/Palm Canyon Dr. It is nestled right up to the base of the San Jacinto Mountains. Spencer's also has an extensive wine and cocktail list.

Spencer's Restaurant

701 W. Baristo Rd.

Palm Springs, CA 92262

http://www.spencersrestaurant.com

 

EAT: Ferry Building in San Francisco, CA

The Ferry Building in San Francisco, CA is a building full of fun little shops and food spots. Located on the Embarcadero, the eastern waterfront along the San Francisco Bay and the Port of San Francisco, it is a gathering spot for locals and tourists, alike. The Ferry Building brings regional vendors who promote traditional farming and production techniques.

In my search for some good gluten free eats in San Francisco, I came across several stops in the Ferry Building that fit the bill. My favorites include:

Boccalone and its "Tasty Salted Pig Parts" is a great spot for cured pork. I had to try the "Cone of Meat" with a mix of delicious gluten free pork.

Mariposa Gluten Free Bakery is one of the only gluten free bakeries in San Francisco. The bakery has a good selection of cakes, cupcakes, pies, and bread. 

Pressed Juicery has a delicious selection of cold-pressed juices. All are made daily and are all natural. I really like the variety and how some are sweet and some have a kick of spice. 

The Ferry Building is a fun place to spend an afternoon browsing. With a variety of local and regional shops and eateries, it is always busy place to get the local flavor of San Francisco. 

Ferry Building

1 Salsalito

San Francisco, CA

EAT (Drink): The Buena Vista, San Francisco, CA

When in San Francisco, CA, one must make a stop at The Buena Vista, the first place in the US to sell Irish Coffee. Irish Coffee is made of fresh black coffee, whiskey, and whipping cream. The only problem... whiskey is grain alcohol and many people who are gluten free cannot drink grain alcohols. Even though I react to grain alcohols, I had to check the place out to see what the hype was about. 

In 1952, BV owner, Jack Koeppler asked international travel writer Stanton Delaplane to recreate an Irish coffee made in Ireland. After numerous unsuccessful attempts, they finally perfected the floating cream by aging it for48 hours and frothing it to a certain consistency (the secret to authentic Irish coffee).

Upon sitting at the bar, I asked the bartender for a drink menu to see if there were any gluten free, corn free options. His wry sense of humor responded with "We have water and Irish Coffee," as I eyed the full bar of liquors behind him. He asked what I could not have and suggested replacing the whiskey with Disarrono, an amaretto liqueur. I appreciated his knowledge of grain alcohols and the recommendations he provided. He said rum (sugar cane based) would change the flavor too much. I found out later that not only does the BV serve other drinks, they also serve food (can we say breakfast with an Irish Coffee?!). But back to the Irish Coffee, Wow! The Disarrono was a great addition! How delicious and a perfect drink to warm you up after a chilly, foggy day outside! I will definitely be back on my next trip to San Fran for the Irish Coffee and the humor, and better yet, arriving by cable car!

The Buena Vista

2765 Hyde St. 

San Francisco, CA 94109

415.474.5044

www.thebuenavista.com

EAT: Bay of Pines Organic Restaurant, Monterey, CA

Monterey, CA is a beautiful place. It is home to some of the best golf courses in the United States: Pebble Beach, Cypress Point, and Spanish Bay. It is also home to a great restaurant, Bay of Pines. It is an organic restaurant located in downtown Monterey. While it does not have a specific gluten free menu, gluten free items are listed on its main menu and all of its entrees are gluten free. 

Bay of Pines only uses grass fed beef, which I have found that grass fed beef on the West Coast has a slightly game-ier taste than on the East Coast, obviously due to the different grasses available. 

We started with The Irish Mex Connection for an appetizer. Fresh diced avocados with pico de gallo and black beans on organic potatoes topped with mozerella cheese. I inquired about the fryer and if the fries were the only thing fried in the fryer. The server/manager said yes, but I had a reaction after my visit so I can't say if it was from this restaurant. They do have some non-gluten free items that are fried, so I don't know if they had multiple fryers. The app was really tasty though!

For dinner, I chose The Crow's Nest Burger sans bun as a lettuce wrap. The 8oz organic beef is topped with gruyere cheese, sautéed onions, applewood smoked bacon, and hummus with a side of fruit. The burger was cooked perfectly and the hummus was delicious. 

My dinner companion decided on The Bay of Pines burger, complete with sautéed mushrooms, caramelized onions, and melted gorgonzola cheese. He also got his burger as a lettuce wrap (no bun).

The Bay of Pines has a fun decor with a water theme. Ships hanging from the walls, a large aquarium, and a ship's helm at the bar add to the decor. 

The Bay of Pines

150 Del Monte Ave.

Monterey, CA 93940

831.920.3560

EAT: The Girl and The Fig, Sonoma, CA

The Girl & The Fig, located just off the plaza in Sonoma, CA is a great place to dine after an afternoon of wine tasting. There are several tasting rooms located on the same block for a nice pre-dinner sampling in case your day is filled with non-wine tasting activities. The Girl & The Fig does not have a specific gluten free menu, but our server was very knowledgeable (his wife is a Celiac). 

While The Girl & The Fig Does not have a large dining area, it was packed and reservations are highly recommended.

The Girl & The Fig calls its food "country food with a French passion." I agree. With a menu that changes weekly and highlights the seasons, there is a nice variety of meats, vegetarian, and cheese options to fit any palate. The duck was highly recommended by several people in town who asked where we were dining, so I had to try it. Duck Confit was served with white bean stew, house-made sausage, and mustard jus. The bread crumbs had to be omitted in order for the dish to be gluten free. It was delicious, and the duck was tender. 

My dinner companion decided upon the Grilled Pork Chop with charred brussel sprouts, fingerling potatoes, local pears, and pancetta vinegarette. No modifications needed to make it gluten free. It had a great flavor, and I liked the addition of the pears. 

Be sure to check out The Girl and The Fig on your next trip to Wine Country. 

The Girl and The Fig

110 West Spain St. 

Sonoma, CA 95476

707.938.3634

www.thegirlandthefig.com

EAT: Burgers & Vine, Sonoma, CA

If you are looking for a tasty gluten free meal after an afternoon wine tasting in Sonoma, CA, look no further than Burgers & Vine. Located on 1 St. on the back right corner of the Plaza in the historic Creamery Building in downtown Sonoma, gluten free items are listed right on the menu. In fact, seeing the gluten free items on the menu is the reason we stopped one evening while strolling downtown. 

Burgers & Vine has a fun vibe with large TVs for game watching (the Giants were playing that night, so it was pretty loud) and live music on the weekends. It also has a spacious bar in the center of the restaurant. There is a cool modern jukebox that will play just about any song you want. 

Burgers & Vine has a dedicated fryer, so all French fries are safe. I highly recommend the sweet potato fries, as I find those to be the most difficult to get gluten free (and they were delish!). 

Opened just this past April, one of the managers, Donald, told me that they had many requests for gluten free items, they decided to accommodate. The staff can also help out with other allergies. 

Another must try is happy hour from 4-6pm on weekdays. The grilled chicken wings are gluten free and at a special price, as well as their signature cocktails. 

One must order a burger when in a burger joint, so I ordered mine as a lettuce wrap (no bun), but gluten free buns are available. I ordered the B&V Burger with B&V's own Sonoma Creamery Chipotle Cheddar and sweet potato fries. The burger was cooked perfectly and the sweet potato fries were so tasty, we came back the next day for happy hour (chicken wings and sweet potato fries) between wine tastings. 

My dinner companion, also gluten free, was adventuresome on his selection and ordered the Surf and Turf, bunless burger with shrimp and truffle aioli, and the hand cut fries. The shrimp made an interesting addition, but his burger was no less tasty.

I highly recommend this fun, casual restaurant as a nice diversion from the wine tastings. It is centrally located downtown in the Plaza and is easy to find. I was really impressed with their food allergy accommodations, as it is great to just come across a restaurant in my travels that works hard to accommodate allergies. 

Burgers & Vine

400 1st. Street E

Sonoma, CA 95476

707.938.7110

www.burgersandvine.com

EAT: Lulu California Bistro, Palm Springs, CA

When in Palm Springs, CA, be sure to attend the weekly Thursday night VillageFest in downtown. Palm Canyon Dr. is closed down and vendors set up in the street, allowing people to browse their goods, as well as browse the shops on the street. 

Lulu California Bistro, located on South Palm Canyon Dr., is a hot spot on Thursdays. I have walked past this funky, modern restaurant for years when attending Villagefest, but when I found out they have a gluten free menu, I had to check it out!

The gluten free menu is expansive. Lulu's has an Early Bird Special and a three course special with several gluten free options available. My dinner companion and I opted for the three course meal, which was reasonably priced, but was not labeled with gluten free options. We had to flip between the two menus to see what gluten free options were offered. 

We started out our meal with a soup, the Wild Mushroom Soup and the Vichyssoise Soup (a cold potato and leek soup). Both soups were pretty tasty, but both were very watery. I thought there would be chunks of mushrooms or potatoes in each. We both ordered the Filet Mignon as our main entree. The description on the menu was a little misleading, as it stated the 10oz filet was served with a light roasted garlic topping, sautéed mushrooms, mashed red skin potatoes, and seasonal vegetables. I envisioned some roasted garlic finely chopped on top of the filet with mushrooms and that was confirmed by the server. Instead, it had a thick brown sauce with capers and no sight of mushrooms. After asking the server and he standing there with a blank stare, I nicely asked if he could find out for me. He returned from the kitchen with "um, white wine, capers, uh, and I think beef stock. It is gluten free." Now, as someone with other food allergies besides gluten, my alarm bells went off. It still frustrates me when people don't really care about the severity of food allergies, but eating out is risky. I requested a filet with no sauce and was brought another one quickly. The filet was grass fed and cooked to a nice medium. I have found that grass fed meat on the West Coast has a much different flavor than East Coast grass fed meat. 

By far, the best part of the meal was dessert. Rich, fudgy flourless chocolate torte was small, but plenty. 

Lulu has a fun, modern decor with crazy chandeliers and modern decor table and chairs. On Thursday night, the bar is the place to be with an interesting mix of people. 

The outdoor seating is also spacious, but don't worry about the desert heat. There are misters cooling the area. 

My take: I don't recommend eating lunch or dinner if you have food allergies. Even though Lulu has a gluten free menu, the staff I encountered was not knowledgeable about ingredients and I did not feel safe. In fact, I was sick within a couple hours, but cannot 100% verify if it was from Lulu. Enjoy a drink at the bar and people watch instead!

Lulu California Bistro

200 South Palm Canyon Drive

Palm Springs, CA 

760.327.5858

www.lulupalmsprings.com

EAT: Royal Tea and Treatery, Costa Mesa, CA

I am always looking for a fun, allergen free place for lunch in my travels. I found a super cute place in Costa Mesa, CA called the Royal Tea and Treatery! Every thing is gluten and dairy free!

The owner of the Royal Tea and Treatery, Bridget Reilly, is gluten and dairy free and is happy to accommodate other allergies. She took the time to verify ingredients to see what was also corn free for me. I tried a delicious, moist, not crumbly macaroon! The cupcakes are not corn free. 

My favorite part of the Royal Tea and Treatery, besides the allergen free food, is the whimsical decor! Bright colors and cute furniture, I felt like I had stepped into Alice in Wonderland!

I stopped by mid morning and Bridget invited me to attend a Mad Hatter Party later that day. More gluten free and dairy free goodies? Yes, please! I was also excited to meet some people from the area since I travel to the area several times a year. 

I arrived a little late and I missed the crowd, but Bridget welcomed me and pointed out which goodies were also corn free. I had the most delicious turkey avocado sandwich. The bread was soft, spongy, and full of flavor. Some of the best gluten free bread I have tasted! Zucchini salad, stuffed mushrooms, a sugar cookie, and a mimosa rounded out the meal. Everything was great!

Joanna of Queen Tut Events decorated for the party. With the added decorations, it really had an Alice In Wonderland feel. 

The Royal Tea and Treatery is the perfect place for your bridal shower, baby shower, engagement party, or birthday party. Bridget also carries gluten free and dairy free products to purchase and take home, including snack bars and cake mixes. Open Tuesday through Saturday from 10am to 5pm, I will definitely stop by for lunch on my next trip to the Costa Mesa area!

Royal Tea and Treatery

2950 Grace Ln

Costa Mesa, CA

714.540.9500

Royalteatreatery.com

EAT: Andrei's Conscious Cuisine and Cocktails

When in Irvine, CA and looking for a nice allergy conscious meal, check out Andrei's Conscious Cuisine and Cocktails on Main Street. 

Andrei's Conscious Cuisine and Cocktails uses local and organic produce, as well as naturally raised meats and sustainably sourced seafood. They even have gluten free, vegan, and vegetarian items noted on the menu. 

Our server was not well versed in specific menu item ingredients, but was willing to check with the chef to ensure we were ordering safe items. We started with the Cheese and Charcuterie plate minus the French Baguette. Delicious! A nice variety  of meats and cheeses (there was a yummy looking blue cheese, which I passed on since I tend to react to it even though it is technically gluten free). 

For the main course, I went with the gluten free Market Sea Bass.  It is sustainably sourced pan roasted sea bass with asparagus, artichoke, tomato, and Lemon Confit Vinaigrette. It had a light flavor and paired well with the vinaigrette.

My dinner companion ordered the special of the evening, the Hanger Steak with Mashed Potatoes and Green Beans. The steak was perfectly cooked to a medium rare temperature. 

My favorite part of the meal was sitting outside on the terrace. Andrei's just finished construction of the terrace, and it provided great ambiance for the evening. I loved the heat lamps, not the typical tall, boring heat lamps you see at restaurants.  They were flames inside a glass box. Really cool! Inside the restaurant was a lot of granite and a really pretty floor to ceiling waterfall feature at the front entrance. 

I really appreciate "conscious cooking" with attention to local farmers and food that does not have antibiotics and hormones. I will definitely be back the next time I am in Irvine. 

Andrei's Conscious Cuisine and Cocktails

2607 Main St. 

Irvine, CA 92614

949.387.8887