Restaurant Review: Outback Steakhouse

Going out to eat always gives me a little bit of anxiety, especially when it is a spur of the moment decision. While I was at home in Ohio an old friend called me to meet up for dinner. I am still getting used to this whole gluten-free diet, so I accepted quickly, without thinking about where we could go. When I am at home in NYC I know where I can and can't go, but out of the city I have no idea. It is my first time going out to eat in a different city since my diagnosis. 

I didn't want to cancel, so I got onto my handy "Find Me Gluten-Free" iPhone app, and looked up a few restaurants that were close by. We settled on Outback Steakhouse after I saw that they offered a gluten-free menu. 

We had a small wait, during which time a server was walking around with trays of samples, which I couldn't partake in, because I didn't know what they contained. When we were seated I let the server know right away that I couldn't tolerate any gluten, so he made sure that I was accommodated every step of the way. 

I ordered the roasted pork tenderloin, which came with garlic mashed potatoes and green beans. I had to order the green beans sans seasoning, but that was fine with me, I actually prefer them that way. The pork was tender and flavorful, and I love garlic, and potatoes! 

All in all it was a successful outing, no cross contamination here! I would go back, and recommend it to anyone with similar dietary restrictions! 

Cascabel Taqueria

Mexican food is on its way to becoming my best friend, because a good majority of it is gluten free. It is usually a pretty safe bet that I can stop in a Mexican restaurant and be able to eat a normal menu item with no modification. That was the case today at Cascabel Taqueria

Today David and I went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and I realized as we were leaving that I forgot to find a place for us to have lunch. I am have always been a planner, and having Celiac's disease has made me more meticulous about what I do. I wanted to kick myself for forgetting, and had a small moment of panic, then my husband whipped out his phone and googled "gluten free dining by Metropolitan Museum of Art" and found a surprising long list of places that advertised themselves as "gluten free friendly." After reading the menu we decided on Cascabel Taqueria, on 80th and 2nd.

I felt comfortable there almost right away, as soon as the waiter reassured me that they are very gluten free friendly, and that 90% of their menu was gluten free. He told me to just pick a few options from the menu, and he would make sure that there was no gluten!

David and I decided to split some tacos, I ordered the tacos camaron (roasted shrimp) he got carnitas (slow roasted pork). Both dishes were wonderful, full of flavor, not to heavy, and perfectly cooked. It smelled so good that we both started eating before I could even get a picture! I can't wait to go back, and I would highly recommend this place!

A Little Staycation...

For the first time in 4 years David and I are on vacation. Kind of. We have time off at the same time, but we decided to stay at home, and take advantage of everything that New York City has to offer. We spent the day playing tourists, going to Time Square, Dylan's Candy Bar, Rockefeller Center, and Roosevelt Island. It was fun to spend some time together, and to relax and wander the city.

While we were out I asked David if he would like to go to lunch at Lilli and Loo, which was near where we happened to be. I have been wanting to try it, ever since I found a list of gluten free NYC restaurants. Lilli and Loo has a full menu of gluten free Asian food, which can be pretty hard to find. I was very excited to try it out, mostly because I have been craving Chinese food for about a month.

I was not disappointed. I ordered the GF Spicy Tangerine Beef, and David got GF crispy shrimp with honey walnuts. I was surprised when David ordered off of the gluten free menu, but he wanted to be able to share with me. I really enjoyed the flavors of both dishes. The tangerine beef could have been a little spicier, but it was my favorite of the two. The shrimp was a bit of a surprise, I thought it was going to be sweeter, but the sauce was peppery.

I appreciated the variety of gluten free options on the menu, and I really enjoyed the food. I will definitely be going back!