Beyond Bread

Beyond Bread opened it's doors in 2015, to much anticipation and following on social media.

It is amazing to find any cafe or restaurant where gluten does not dare to go, and Beyond Bread is one of them, where everything is gluten free and cross-contamination is not an issue.

It is open during the day, closing at 5pm during the week and at 4pm at weekends so keep this in mind if you plan to visit.

They offer a variety of cakes, breads, sandwiches and lunch options, and for me, their bread shines above anything else.
When I visit I always have one of their tasty filled baguettes, and so far I have never been disappointed.
I've also recently tried their multi seeded loaf which is by far the best multi seeded I've ever tried.

Their danish pastries are also good, but, although I have not tried their cakes myself, I've head mixed opinions.
So, my advice if you visit?
Choose bread, bread or bread!

Beyond Bread
http://www.beyondbread.co.uk/
2 Charlotte Place, London W1T 1SB
Tube: Goodge Street
Hours: Monday to Friday 8.30am to 5pm; Saturday and Sunday: 10am to 4pm

Château Dessert Chiswick

Happy New Year everyone!

It has been a while since my last post, as life sometimes gets in the way, but fear not, I've been out and about enjoying many gluten free meals, so it will all be revealed soon!

Bottom left: Choc and orange, top: mango, right fresh fruit tart

For my last gluten free outing of 2014, I visited Chateau Dessert in Chiswick.

I had been quietly stalking them on twitter for a while, looking at all those cake marvels and dreaming of starting at one end of the counter to finish at the other (all in the name of research of course!).

You will be glad to hear I managed to control myself and only ordered one cake, although my friends were kind enough to let me try theirs.

Chateau Desserts looks from the outside like an upmarket patisserie, with lots of gorgeous little morsels to tempt you, and when you go in, you discover two counters, one for all the gluten-free cakes, one for the others.

Within the gluten-free cakes, at least 3 were dairy free too when I visited, which is brilliant, as so many coeliacs also have trouble with dairy.

I have to say one of my companions was dairy-free but not gluten-free, so it might be an idea to have some cakes for others like her.

There are also some lunch options available, and for us gluten-free eaters you can have one of their savoury tarts. They are served with a side salad, and I loved my goats cheese and onion tart.

Once you have ordered, you can make your way to the upstairs room and they'll bring it to you (there is also a basement that I did not visit). We had some coffee and tea as well and it was a fantastic afternoon.

gluten-free goats cheese tart & salad

So, what did I ordered? As I've mentioned earlier, I had the goats cheese tart for lunch which was great and then the chocolate and orange cake, which I really loved.

The texture was quite creamy, very close to a mousse once you get through the chocolate coating.

I also tried the mango pudding and the tart with fresh fruit that my friends were having, and, although they were both nice, I would still stick with my first choice.

The price for the gluten-free cakes was £3.75 to take away or £4.75 to eat in.

Overall, I would be happy to recommend Chateau Dessert, there are plenty of delicious gluten-free choices and their seating area upstairs is very welcoming, airy and nicely decorated.



Chateau Dessert

http://www.chateaudessert.com/

Tube: Turnham Green
213 Chiswick High Road, London W4 2DW

Tel: 020 8742 2344

Dim sum Naturally Chinese Surbiton - Gluten Free

After visiting Naturally Chinese recently, I wanted to go back to try their Dim Sum, which is available every day until 5pm at the restaurant.

Dim Sum was one of my favourite weekend lunches before I had to wave goodbye to gluten, so I was curious about how would their gluten free option compare to what I remember.

They have many gluten free choices clearly marked on their menu (available online).

I ordered:
Turnip cakes
Steamed vegetables in garlic
Prawn and chive dumplings
Spring rolls
Vegetable rolls




Unfortunately Char siu buns and glutinous rice were not available gluten-free, which I would have loved to have.

My two favourites were the prawn and chives dumplings and turnip cakes, both very tasty, while I have mixed feelings about the vegetable rolls and spring rolls. The fillings were very nice, but the roll itself could be a bit lighter.

Overall I would be happy to go back as the food was tasty and they seem to have a very good understanding of gluten and cross contamination.

Naturally Chinese
http://www.naturallychineserestaurant.co.uk/
59-63 Brighton Road, Surbiton, Surrey, KT6 5LR
Getting there: Trains from Waterloo take around 20 mins

Lu-Ma Wimbledon

I finally had a chance to visit Lu-Ma, a new cafe in Wimbledon, not far from the station (5/10 mins walk).
The cafe is on the side of the Justin James Hotel on Worple road. The cafe itself is a small venue, but it feels quite light and airy, with tables in and out and a Scandinavian feel to the decor.
We were there for an early dinner (note that they close at 6.30 pm if you plan to visit) although I'd say it's probably a venue to be enjoyed more for breakfast, lunch or afternoon tea.

The menu is available online, and you can see their gluten-free options (GF) and vegetarian options (VG).
I love the fantastic choice of drinks, lots of freshly made smoothies and juices, they all looked very appetising and full of vitamins.
Their focus is on healthy eating, so even the jacket potatoes are made with sweet potatoes, and if you read about their Vision on their website you can see that this ethos goes into all the food and drink they provide.

We had some juices to start us on the healthy road and they were just fantastic, definitely recommended.

It was difficult to choose our main course as there were several things I wanted to try, but in the end I went for Buckwheat noodles with chicken and my companion had one of their Super Salads with salmon.

I was trying to check the ingredients on their website as I write but this dish doesn't seem to appear, so I'll just say the sauce in the noodles was very nice and I enjoyed it very much. Noodles can be ordered on their own, or with a protein topping (chicken, salmon, tofu) and I ordered some chicken. Although the flavour was good, the chicken was served cold on top of the hot noodles, which didn't quite work for me.
A suggestion would be to heat the chicken slightly before serving so that it's all warm or to mix it with the noodles so that it's all enjoyed at the same temperature.

The salad looked very impressive indeed and I could see my companion feeling overly healthy eating it, not just your five a day, probably you get the weekly recommended amount of vegetables with such a nice salad.

There were lots of interesting ingredients in it and I was feeling slightly jealous looking at it, good thing that my noodles were fab.

My friend really enjoyed it, although felt that the dressing was not enough for such a large salad.

Overall we both enjoyed our meals and would be happy to visit again.

Lu-Ma cafe
http://lu-ma.co.uk/
Justin James Hotel,43 Worple Road, Wimbledon, SW19 4JZ
Opening times: Monday to Friday 9.30am – 6.30pm, Saturday & Sunday 10.30am – 6.30pm

Gluten Free Camden part 3: Cookies and Scream

 

After having one of the lovely Honest Burgers at the Camden restaurant, we managed to drag ourselves a few steps to Cookies and Scream so that we could enjoy a sweet treat.
My tummy was quite full, but how often do you find yourself surrounded by so many great looking and smelling cookies and puds that are also gluten-free?

Well, one is not made of stone and I got myself an Apollo cake. It might not look like much in the picture, but trust me it was very very yummy.

I shared it after dinner with my sister and followed the instructions they gave me: heat slightly in the microwave (40 secs is enough) and enjoy with some ice-cream.
I did that and was just sorry that I had not got any other treats from them.
All their products are gluten-free and vegan so no need to worry about what to pick.

Ben from the group got some cookie sandwiches that looked quite interesting (sorry no pic), so I might have to drag myself to Camden again and check that out. Fully recommended!

Check their website: http://cookiesandscream.com/index.html

Gluten Free Camden 1: Camden Lock Market

On Friday 1st of August there was a Gluten Free Food Festival at Camden Lock Market. I had heard about it on twitter and it sounded quite exciting!

So there I was at 1pm with my friend Freddie checking out the lovely food on offer.
There was also a stall from Whole Foods with demonstrations through the day, so all in all, a busy Friday at Camden Lock.

 

@theCircusBros Stuffed Omelettes

We both had one of the stuffed Spanish omelettes from Circus Bros. The omelettes are cooked in a small pan so they are perfect for one. You can have them plain, but who could with the amazing leg of ham on display? I had some Serrano ham and red peppers as filling for mine, and I can say it's one of the best Spanish omelettes I've eaten in a long time, even better than the one I make myself.

www.cowboycottagepie.com American fusion

They told me they are at Camden lock regularly so definitely worth a visit.


And what about the lovely American fusion dishes from www.cowboycottagepie.com ?

The food looked also delicious, with those nachos, beans and corn bread, definitely one for future visits, as she is there from Thursday to Monday, and all her products are gluten free and dairy free.




    


@RomeosGFbakery

I also tasted the bruchetta from Romeos GF Bakery and I have to say I was impressed. I had already heard a lot of good things about them, and will have to arrange a visit soon.
They are based in Islington:
167 Upper Street, London N1 1US
http://www.romeosglutenfreebakery.co.uk/



Paleo Menu from @FeedmePrimal

 There was some Paleo food on offer by Feed me Primal, who are there regularly too. Their meetballs looked delicious, you can check all their dishes on their website:
http://feedmeprimal.co.uk/

 Overall a very enjoyable day, good food, good company and lots of sunshine!

I just had to get ready for another Camden day on Saturday when I visited Honest Burgers and Cookies and Scream, but that is a story for another post.
Camden is very gluten-free friendly!


Gluten Free eating in London

Hello all!

This is a quick guide to Gluten Free eating in London for those visiting the city for a few days.
It is not a complete list, merely a few restaurants with uncomplicated menus that are easy to find in central London. They are mainly chains with many restaurants so you will always be close to one.

The information is the same as in the previous post in Spanish.

Supermarkets

I’d like to mention supermarkets first. Most of them (Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Waitrose, Marks and Spencer) carry a selection of Free From foods, and it’s quite easy to find bread, pasta, breakfast cereal, biscuits, and various types of milk (soya, almond, rice). In general they tend to carry a large proportion of own brand products and some by the well loved brands (Genius, Newburn Bakehouse).

If you’d like to buy something a bit more special, the best shop is Whole Foods Market. One of its larger stores is in Piccadilly Circus, but there are a few around London, here is their website:
http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/stores/list/uk

Restaurants

Pizza Express

This chain of restaurants is serious about Gluten Free eating. From their regular menu you can choose any of their toppings, just need to ask for the gluten free base, and they are quite nice too.
They have a couple of choices for starters and desserts, all clearly labelled on their menu (available on their website). They also have Green Beer, which is gluten free and Aspall cider.

There are lots of restaurants around London and the UK, and I’ve eaten here many times, and I’ve never been ill afterwards.
http://www.pizzaexpress.com/

Cotto

This is a family run Italian restaurant. The owner is a coeliac, so we are in good hands!
All dishes on their menu have gluten/gluten free options, just that the gluten free ones are a bit more expensive.
Opening hours: 12 to 2.30pm and from 6pm to 11.30pm, closed on Saturday morning and Sundays.
It is close to Waterloo (5/10 minutes walk), just opposite Lambeth North tube station. They not only have pasta and pizza, they also have starters, meat and fish mains and a few desserts, tiramisu being my favourite. They even have gluten free bread rolls. I recommend it.
http://www.italiancotto.co.uk/

Wagamana

This Japanese style restaurant is quite popular, no need to book. There are lots of them and they are easy to find.
The main menu does not indicate which dishes have or not gluten, but in all their restaurants they have two very useful folders, you just need to ask their helpful staff when you arrive.
The first one is an allergy folder, listing all the dishes that contain a particular allergen and the second is a substitutions folder, suggesting which dishes from the main menu could be easily adapted to your requirements.

Be careful and do not use the soya sauce on the table.

In my experience the staff have always taken me seriously and have always been happy to answers any questions about ingredients.
They do have a dietary filter menu on their website, so you can check out your options before you go.
If you like noodles I’d recommend it, I’ve never been ill after eating here.
http://www.wagamama.com/

Wahaca

This Mexican style chain has many restaurants around London. There are no reservations; you might have to wait a bit. The one based in the Southbank (near Waterloo) is built with shipping containers, and has some fantastic views over the river.
They have a dedicated Gluten Free menu accessible on their website.
http://www.wahaca.co.uk/

Pod

Like Leon, this restaurant offers nutritious and healthy food and information about allergies can be found on the menu itself.
There is a symbol for each of the following: superfood, low fat, vegetarian, vegan, wheat free, dairy free, gluten free, contains seeds, contains nuts

They have breakfast options, including gluten free toast made with Genius bread and shakes, salads, wraps and hot pods, their warm pots of deliciousness.
The ingredients used in all their dishes are super fresh from the market every morning.
Most Pods are located around the City / Holborn areas and generally open Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm, but some of the branches open even at 7am and some close at 4pm.
I can imagine the typical customer being someone who needs breakfast and/or lunch to go around work, but they also have seating space at all Pods if you prefer to eat in.
You can see opening times and the full menu on their website:
http://www.podfood.co.uk/

Nandos

This is a Portuguese style chain with all dishes based on roasted chicken with piri piri sauce, and some sides like chips, salad, corn and so on. Very much like McDonalds but with roast chicken and no bun.

They do have allergy information in a folder behind the counter, and the best thing to do is what they recommend on their website, ask for the manager to check your gluten free order. I’ve eaten here a couple of times, always asked for the least spicy roast chicken with chips and salad and I’ve added some of the lemon and herbs sauce and I’ve never had a problem.
Obviously you have to avoid the burger, pitta and wraps...
http://www.nandos.co.uk/

Burgers

Honest Burgers

This is the burger place most talked about by Gluten free eaters in London. The first and only restaurant for a long time is in Brixton, but there are now other branches around London, even one in Portobello road if you are visiting the market. They have buns with and without gluten. I haven’t been myself yet, but will have to get there soon...
The Soho restaurant is quite tiny so if you plan to visit this one, get there early and/or be prepared to wait.
http://honestburgers.co.uk/

GBK – Gourmet Burger Kitchen

These burger restaurants have just added a Gluten Free menu to their choices. It is so new that the menu is not yet available on their website (April 2014) although it will be soon.

I’ve got in touch with them by email and they’ve sent it to me.
It looks impressive, so many different burgers you can choose from, beef, lamb, chicken, vegetarian... Although there are no chips on the gluten free menu.
 http://www.gbk.co.uk/

I hope these recommendations are useful for anyone visiting London, let me know ;)
All opinions my own.

** I have removed Leon from the list, as @celeberrima has found cross contamination in their rice here

 

Healthy cook co - Gluten Free lunch in Kingston

I was in Kingston the other day just about lunchtime and decided to visit the Healthy Cook Co.

I had already tried their very nice cupcakes, and was curious about their lunch offer.
The menu is small but well formed, and I couldn't decide between the all day breakfast with it's veggie sausages and the toastie with lactose free cheese.
Every item is well labelled in the menu, clearly stating ingredients that could be an allergen for someone.

In the end, as it has been ages since I had a toastie I went for it.
It smelled delicious and came with a side salad.
The bread was crunchy and full of seeds, and the filling was delicious!

All their products seem to be wheat & gluten free as well as vegetarian, organic and made with good quality ingredients.
In their website it says they are very happy to adapt any of their products to make them soya free, egg free and whatever you need.


The Healthy Cook Co
http://www.healthycookcompany.co.uk/
32 Old London Road, Kingston-upon-Thames, KT2 6QF
Opening Hours:
Mon - Sat: 08:30 - 17:00, Sun: Closed

Gluten Free Sandwich selection at M&S

On one hand it is very good that some gluten free sandwiches are available from M&S, as it saved me the other day from going hungry at lunchtime, but on the other, they could have made a bit more effort with the flavours.

I had Ham Salad and the bread was quite dry, would have been lovely with some mayo or spread or even mustard!

Next time I find myself in the same pickle, I'll have to try Cheese and Pickle ;)