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Showing posts with label dining out. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dining out. Show all posts

Thursday, August 18, 2011

Edible Canada at the Market: gluten free in Granville Island














a great new restaurant opened recently in Granville Island, across from the Public Market, called Edible Canada at the Market! the best part is, they have a lot of gluten free dishes including gluten free bread supplied from a local baking company, High Crow Gluten Free Baking! we recently wrote about how much we love High Crow, and you can read our review here. Andrea and I have said for years that while we love Granville Island to buy local produce, meats and cheeses (you may recall our post about Oyama Sausage in the market), there has always been a lack of gluten free dining options...until now.

Edible Canada at the Market focuses on seasonally based ingredients that are also local, and sustainable.  they have also created a unique patio herb garden around the restaurant which we loved, and their menu is inspired by their neighbours - the vendors and suppliers from the Public Market. we also appreciate that they indicate which menu items are gluten free, vegetarian and dairy free with three unique symbols. the staff are very aware of gluten sensitivities, including celiac disease, making this a very enjoyable and relaxing dining experience. Edible Canada at the Market is open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner, plus weekend brunch. our favourites include the breakfast taco's which are made with a gluten free soft corn tortilla, scrambled eggs, pico de gallo, chorizo sausage,and avocado crema. and to our absolute delight and amazement, there are gluten free fish and chips and onion rings on the menu that tasted great.

here is the full list of amazing gluten free items that you can choose from:

breakfast:
  • breakfast taco's
  • island breakfast
brunch:
  • breakfast taco's
  • island breakfast
  • farmer's salad
  • fish and chips
lunch:
  • seafood soup
  • slik spiced albacore tuna
  • roasted north arm farms baby beets
  • spring salmon salad
  • pemberton meadows streak frites 
  • grilled bc salmon
  • fish and chips
  • fries
  • market salad
  • onion rings (although not marked gf on the menu, they are gf)
  • wild cultivated bc mushrooms
  • canadian burger (ask for gluten free bun)
dinner:
  • seafood soup
  • slik spiced albacore tuna
  • roasted north arm farms baby beets
  • cornmeal crusted fanny bay oysters
  • farmer's salad
  • spring salmon salad 
  • fried fraser valley chicken and duck crispy terrine
  • pemberton meadows steak frites
  • birch syrup and kasu roasted sablefish
  • grilled bc salmon
  • sloping hills pork belly and loin
  • fries
  • market salad 
  • onion rings (although not marked gf on the menu, they are gf)
  • wild cultivated bc mushrooms
we were also delighted to see high chairs and booster seats, and coloring books and crayons to keep little ones occupied! let us know what you think of Edible Canada at the Market!   Robyn + Andrea.


Posted by at 2 comments:
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Friday, February 18, 2011

gluten free menu at milestones grill + bar

milestones originally uploaded by photostream.
I recently discovered that Milestones Grill + Bar has a gluten free menu! this information really came in handy one day recently when I was on my lunch break from work. I normally head to Whole Foods at Cambie and Broadway to pick something up, but that day their kitchen had had a fire, and their refrigerators weren't working. the store was a disaster. I was panicking wondering where or what I was going to eat for lunch!  
I remembered that Robyn had told me about Milestones gluten free menu, and fortunately there is a Milestones upstairs from Whole Foods, this is their Crossroads location. I went up to the bar, and asked for their gluten free menu, and right away the server knew what I was talking about and brought it to me. 

the gluten free menu selection is small, however, there are enough items to satisfy most people for lunch or dinner. there are two starters (salads), three entrees, and two deserts. 
  • Milestones' Caprese Salad 
  • Milestones' California Spring Salad
  • add fire-grilled wild pacific coho salmon to either salad
  • Grilled Mediterranean Chicken
  • Tomato Basil Brown Rice Spaghettini
  • Certified Angus Beef Top Sirloin
  • Ganache Torte
  • Premium Italian Vanilla Gelato
on my first visit I ordered the Tomato Basil Brown Rice Spaghettini to go. I got back to my office and was thrilled to be eating a freshly cooked, hot meal that only took 15 minutes to go and pick up. so convenient, and so tasty! on my recent second visit I ordered the Grilled Mediterranean Chicken, and this went way beyond my expectations, in fact my lunch guests were drooling over my lunch, and commenting on how healthy it looked. here is a description of the entree: grilled chicken breast, layered with goat cheese, on a bed of asian greens, chickpeas, and roasted grape tomatoes. I ate every last morsel, and I have been craving this meal ever since!! 

the gluten free menu is only available in the restaurant, and is currently not on the Milestones website. the Tomato Basil Brown Rice Spaghettini is also part of the regular menu, so kudos to Milestones for including at least one menu item that is inherently gluten free, not just adapted to be gluten free! you can click here to see their detailed allergen guide. Milestones has locations in British Columbia, Alberta, and Ontario, you can click here to find a location near you.

 have you tried the Milestones gluten free menu yet? was your experience good or bad, we would love to hear about it!  Andrea.


Milestones Grill and Bar (Crossroads) on Urbanspoon
Posted by at 8 comments:
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Sunday, January 9, 2011

happy new year with gluten free beer!

beer originally uploaded by feastguru_kirti.
the subject of gluten free beer has been one of the most popular topics on the blog in 2010 so Andrea and I decided to update our original article on gluten free beer now that we have more information about where it's available. the availability of gluten free beer is growing so we will keep our ‘whats happening’ section updated with more information as we find it.

there are a few brands of gluten free beer on the market, and several that are also available in Vancouver. these include Bards, Greens, La Messagere, and New Grist which is made by Lakefront Brewery. others not currently available in Vancouver include Redbridge made by Anheuser-Busch, the manufacturer of Budweiser, and Estrella Damm Daura, a gluten free variety of the popular Estrella Damm.




what is gluten free beer made with?

most gluten free beer is made with sorghum, rice, yeast, hops and water. Greens is one brand that uses buckwheat and millet as well. gluten free beer also packs a bit of a punch, with an average of 4% alcohol content per volume.

what does gluten free beer taste like?

gluten free beer does not taste like regular beer for most people. my only advice for those wishing to try it, is to not expect gluten free varieties to satisfy your craving for a Guinness. I tried Redbrige when I was in the US recently, and then tried Bards in Vancouver at the Irish Heather and Shebeen Whiskey House in Gastown a few weeks ago. I personally thought they both tasted great! Redbridge tasted the lightest of the two, and it resembles a honey pale ale. our friends over at Gluten Free Edmonton really enjoyed Greens Amber Ale, but most reviews will tell you that New Grist and La Messagere are not very good.

where can I find gluten free beer in Vancouver?

1. Bards

Bard's, made by the Bards Tale Beer Company, is the only brand that is made with 100% malted sorghum, a similar process to how traditional brewers malt barley. the founders of Bards are also celiac and have a great philosophy behind their business that is based on making gluten free products accessible to those that require it. Bards also has a great website that has a useful product locator listing with a corresponding map. I have only listed a few of the liquor stores below where Bards is available, but check out the map for other locations, there are many! click on one of the beer bottles in the home page to navigate the site.

beer and wine stores:
•BC Liquor Stores
•Lennox liquor store (city square shopping center)
•Legacy liquor store (olympic village)
•Granville Island Hotel Beer Store (granville island)
•Steamworks liquor store (gastown)
•Brewery Creek wine store (main street)
•Firefly Fine Wines and Ales (cambie corridor)
•Toby’s (commercial drive)

restaurants and pubs:
•Irish Heather/Shebeen Whiskey House (gastown)
•Zipang Sushi (main street)
•The Wallflower (main street)
•Taylors Crossing (north vancouver)
•Aphrodite’s Organic Café and Pie Shop (point grey)
•Hyatt Regency Hotel (downtown)
•The Perch (grandview-woodlands)
•Rose & Crown pub (delta)
•Witch of Endor Neighborhood pub (maple ridge)
•Rock Cod Café (cowichan bay)
•Salt Spring Inn (salt spring island)
•Wild Bistro (gibsons)

2. Greens

Greens gluten free beer is brewed in Belgium and comes in three flavors; discovery amber ale, endeavor double dark, and quest triple blond. all are made with sorghum, millet, buckwheat and brown rice. Greens comes in one pint bottles (500 ml) and available as singles (other brands are sold in packs of 6).

beer and wine stores:
•Firefly Fine Wines and Ales (cambie corridor)
•Legacy liquor store (olympic village)
•Brewery Creek liquor store (main street)
•Libations liquor store (oak and west king edward)
•Viti Beer and Wine (at Moda Hotel) (downtown)

restaurants and bars:
•Stella's Tap and Tapas Bar (commercial, cambie)

3. La Messagere

La Messagere is a light ale made with buckwheat and rice, and is brewed in Quebec by Bieres de la Nouvelle-France. many reviews say La Messengere tastes more like a cider or ale than beer.

beer and wine stores:
•BC Liquor Stores
•Firefly Fine Wines and Ales

4. New Grist

New Grist, made by Lakefront Brewery in Milwaukee, was the first North American company to market gluten free beer in 2005. Lakefront can be also credited for changing legislation that previously defined ‘beer’ as having a minimum of 25% malted barley. way to go Lakefront Brewery!

beer and wine stores:
•Firefly Fine Wine and Ales
•Legacy Liquor Store

I also found a great facebook page called Gluten Free Beer! that is a useful resource for those that want to connect and discuss gluten free beers with others.

we would love to hear your feedback on this topic! leave us a comment if you have any thoughts to share about gluten free beer. Robyn.


follow us on facebook   |   follow us on twitter


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Sunday, November 14, 2010

gluten free vancouver turns one (+ giveaway)

when andrea and I started our blog last November, our goal was to provide a gluten free resource for those with celiac disease and gluten intolerance that focused on lifestyle rather than simply recipes or medical research. we knew there was little to no resources on how to live with celiac disease day to day.
it's amazing to look back on our previously gluten filled lives, such as my third birthday party, pictured here. andrea cant wait to eat the cake! we knew what we were missing when we were diagnosed with celiac disease, and it is with this perspective that shapes our discussion on topics like where to find gluten free personal care products, where to shop, and where to find great tasting gluten free food on the go.
our year in review includes some of our most favorite gluten free topics and I will start with our most popular, gluten free beer! ironically, this was also one of the first posts of 2010. we wanted to start the new year off with a sweet cupcake recipe in January and gluten free hot chocolate for Valentines Day in February. in March, we had the pleasure of working with the Wallflower Café’s Lisa Hewlett on their new gluten free menu. some long overdue taxes were finally paid in April after researching how to claim the incremental cost of gluten free food on your tax return.
May was a busy month discovering not only Homestead Specialty Baking but the most divine gluten free pancakes at Brown Dog Café. in June, I enjoyed writing celiac in the city about the challenges of dating with severe food allergies (thank you to all of our readers who provided such positive feedback on this topic!). gluten free vancouver was also featured on Global TV’s One Bite at a Time with Registered Dietician Melodie Yong. our excitement continued when we found gluten free ice cream cones in the August heat wave.
this fall we explored gastown, and found gluten free tacos at La Taqueria on west hastings, and then recently enjoyed taking an extended vacation to palm springs, california.
over this past year while working away on our new blog, we have both experienced many personal life changes. Andrea went back to work after her maternity leave, she moved into the new Woodwards building to accommodate her growing family, and recently started daycare for my niece Pilar...a heart wrenching experience for any new mom! for me, I started a new job shortly after launching the blog that has kept me busy learning and traveling. I was heartbroken earlier this year after the end of a long term relationship, and while I felt positive when I wrote 'celiac in the city' back in June, my healing process took many more months. I also moved into Olympic Village at the end of the summer, and love my new space!
Andrea and I are both in new creative workspaces, and are excited for the year ahead...we will be launching our www.glutenfree-vancouver.ca website shortly, and expanding our ideas further into the community. we also plan to make a gluten free gingerbread house next month, as well as start a weekly gluten free cookie review on the blog. gluten free giveaway...
to celebrate the success of our first year of gluten free vancouver, we want to offer one of our favorite gluten free products to one lucky reader! we are giving away a desert essence organics unscented body wash and shampoo! all you have to do to enter the giveaway is comment on our blog and tell us what challenges or obstacles you face living gluten free day to day. the entry deadline is midnight on tuesday november 30th. the winner will be announced on the blog on wednesday december 1st.
together, and through our blog, we hope to create more awareness of celiac disease and hopefully make gluten free foods more accessible to those that need it most.
thank you for supporting our blog! Robyn + Andrea follow us on twitter | follow us on facebook
Posted by at 9 comments:
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Friday, October 15, 2010

gluten free tacos at la taqueria

corn tacos are one of my all time favorite foods. and since corn is gluten free, I never questioned whether corn taco’s contained wheat until becoming sick a few years ago. I learned that the corn shell I ate contained wheat flour, so it is good to be aware and to always read ingredients. so, where can you get really good authentic mexican taco’s gluten free? La Taqueria, Pinche Taco Shop in downtown Vancouver!

I went out recently with my good friend Andrew for a night out in Gastown. it’s a busy and interesting neighborhood, and we enjoyed checking out a few colourful café’s before feasting our eyes on La Taqueria. when I asked if the corn tacos contain any wheat flour the cook assured me there is no wheat on the premises…music to my ears! La Taqueria is truly an authentic Mexican eatery, a place reminiscent of a taco stand in Mexico, where you can enjoy fish, meat or vegetarian tacos to eat in or take out. and the taco’s are excellent!

I love the four assorted vegetarian tacos for $7.00:

tinga de hongos (sautéed mushrooms in chipotle sauce)
de picadillo (sautéed ground tofu in secret recipe)
frijoles charros con queso (refried beans with mexican cheese)
rajas con crema (roasted poblano peppers with creamed corn, sour cream and mexican cheese)

and the pollo con mole (maple hills chicken with chocolate mole sauce) is also really good!

La Taqueria is located at 322 West Hastings between Homer and Cambie streets, near Victory Square. the hours are Monday to Saturday from 11am to 7pm. there are often lineups, but regulars are referred to by name.  Robyn.
la taqueria   |   la taqueria on facebook   |   la taqueria on twitter   |   follow us on twitter



La Taqueria Taco Shop on Urbanspoon
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Showing posts with label dining out. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dining out. Show all posts

Thursday, August 18, 2011

Edible Canada at the Market: gluten free in Granville Island














a great new restaurant opened recently in Granville Island, across from the Public Market, called Edible Canada at the Market! the best part is, they have a lot of gluten free dishes including gluten free bread supplied from a local baking company, High Crow Gluten Free Baking! we recently wrote about how much we love High Crow, and you can read our review here. Andrea and I have said for years that while we love Granville Island to buy local produce, meats and cheeses (you may recall our post about Oyama Sausage in the market), there has always been a lack of gluten free dining options...until now.

Edible Canada at the Market focuses on seasonally based ingredients that are also local, and sustainable.  they have also created a unique patio herb garden around the restaurant which we loved, and their menu is inspired by their neighbours - the vendors and suppliers from the Public Market. we also appreciate that they indicate which menu items are gluten free, vegetarian and dairy free with three unique symbols. the staff are very aware of gluten sensitivities, including celiac disease, making this a very enjoyable and relaxing dining experience. Edible Canada at the Market is open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner, plus weekend brunch. our favourites include the breakfast taco's which are made with a gluten free soft corn tortilla, scrambled eggs, pico de gallo, chorizo sausage,and avocado crema. and to our absolute delight and amazement, there are gluten free fish and chips and onion rings on the menu that tasted great.

here is the full list of amazing gluten free items that you can choose from:

breakfast:
  • breakfast taco's
  • island breakfast
brunch:
  • breakfast taco's
  • island breakfast
  • farmer's salad
  • fish and chips
lunch:
  • seafood soup
  • slik spiced albacore tuna
  • roasted north arm farms baby beets
  • spring salmon salad
  • pemberton meadows streak frites 
  • grilled bc salmon
  • fish and chips
  • fries
  • market salad
  • onion rings (although not marked gf on the menu, they are gf)
  • wild cultivated bc mushrooms
  • canadian burger (ask for gluten free bun)
dinner:
  • seafood soup
  • slik spiced albacore tuna
  • roasted north arm farms baby beets
  • cornmeal crusted fanny bay oysters
  • farmer's salad
  • spring salmon salad 
  • fried fraser valley chicken and duck crispy terrine
  • pemberton meadows steak frites
  • birch syrup and kasu roasted sablefish
  • grilled bc salmon
  • sloping hills pork belly and loin
  • fries
  • market salad 
  • onion rings (although not marked gf on the menu, they are gf)
  • wild cultivated bc mushrooms
we were also delighted to see high chairs and booster seats, and coloring books and crayons to keep little ones occupied! let us know what you think of Edible Canada at the Market!   Robyn + Andrea.


Posted by at 2 comments:
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Friday, February 18, 2011

gluten free menu at milestones grill + bar

milestones originally uploaded by photostream.
I recently discovered that Milestones Grill + Bar has a gluten free menu! this information really came in handy one day recently when I was on my lunch break from work. I normally head to Whole Foods at Cambie and Broadway to pick something up, but that day their kitchen had had a fire, and their refrigerators weren't working. the store was a disaster. I was panicking wondering where or what I was going to eat for lunch!  
I remembered that Robyn had told me about Milestones gluten free menu, and fortunately there is a Milestones upstairs from Whole Foods, this is their Crossroads location. I went up to the bar, and asked for their gluten free menu, and right away the server knew what I was talking about and brought it to me. 

the gluten free menu selection is small, however, there are enough items to satisfy most people for lunch or dinner. there are two starters (salads), three entrees, and two deserts. 
  • Milestones' Caprese Salad 
  • Milestones' California Spring Salad
  • add fire-grilled wild pacific coho salmon to either salad
  • Grilled Mediterranean Chicken
  • Tomato Basil Brown Rice Spaghettini
  • Certified Angus Beef Top Sirloin
  • Ganache Torte
  • Premium Italian Vanilla Gelato
on my first visit I ordered the Tomato Basil Brown Rice Spaghettini to go. I got back to my office and was thrilled to be eating a freshly cooked, hot meal that only took 15 minutes to go and pick up. so convenient, and so tasty! on my recent second visit I ordered the Grilled Mediterranean Chicken, and this went way beyond my expectations, in fact my lunch guests were drooling over my lunch, and commenting on how healthy it looked. here is a description of the entree: grilled chicken breast, layered with goat cheese, on a bed of asian greens, chickpeas, and roasted grape tomatoes. I ate every last morsel, and I have been craving this meal ever since!! 

the gluten free menu is only available in the restaurant, and is currently not on the Milestones website. the Tomato Basil Brown Rice Spaghettini is also part of the regular menu, so kudos to Milestones for including at least one menu item that is inherently gluten free, not just adapted to be gluten free! you can click here to see their detailed allergen guide. Milestones has locations in British Columbia, Alberta, and Ontario, you can click here to find a location near you.

 have you tried the Milestones gluten free menu yet? was your experience good or bad, we would love to hear about it!  Andrea.


Milestones Grill and Bar (Crossroads) on Urbanspoon
Posted by at 8 comments:
Labels: ,

Sunday, January 9, 2011

happy new year with gluten free beer!

beer originally uploaded by feastguru_kirti.
the subject of gluten free beer has been one of the most popular topics on the blog in 2010 so Andrea and I decided to update our original article on gluten free beer now that we have more information about where it's available. the availability of gluten free beer is growing so we will keep our ‘whats happening’ section updated with more information as we find it.

there are a few brands of gluten free beer on the market, and several that are also available in Vancouver. these include Bards, Greens, La Messagere, and New Grist which is made by Lakefront Brewery. others not currently available in Vancouver include Redbridge made by Anheuser-Busch, the manufacturer of Budweiser, and Estrella Damm Daura, a gluten free variety of the popular Estrella Damm.




what is gluten free beer made with?

most gluten free beer is made with sorghum, rice, yeast, hops and water. Greens is one brand that uses buckwheat and millet as well. gluten free beer also packs a bit of a punch, with an average of 4% alcohol content per volume.

what does gluten free beer taste like?

gluten free beer does not taste like regular beer for most people. my only advice for those wishing to try it, is to not expect gluten free varieties to satisfy your craving for a Guinness. I tried Redbrige when I was in the US recently, and then tried Bards in Vancouver at the Irish Heather and Shebeen Whiskey House in Gastown a few weeks ago. I personally thought they both tasted great! Redbridge tasted the lightest of the two, and it resembles a honey pale ale. our friends over at Gluten Free Edmonton really enjoyed Greens Amber Ale, but most reviews will tell you that New Grist and La Messagere are not very good.

where can I find gluten free beer in Vancouver?

1. Bards

Bard's, made by the Bards Tale Beer Company, is the only brand that is made with 100% malted sorghum, a similar process to how traditional brewers malt barley. the founders of Bards are also celiac and have a great philosophy behind their business that is based on making gluten free products accessible to those that require it. Bards also has a great website that has a useful product locator listing with a corresponding map. I have only listed a few of the liquor stores below where Bards is available, but check out the map for other locations, there are many! click on one of the beer bottles in the home page to navigate the site.

beer and wine stores:
•BC Liquor Stores
•Lennox liquor store (city square shopping center)
•Legacy liquor store (olympic village)
•Granville Island Hotel Beer Store (granville island)
•Steamworks liquor store (gastown)
•Brewery Creek wine store (main street)
•Firefly Fine Wines and Ales (cambie corridor)
•Toby’s (commercial drive)

restaurants and pubs:
•Irish Heather/Shebeen Whiskey House (gastown)
•Zipang Sushi (main street)
•The Wallflower (main street)
•Taylors Crossing (north vancouver)
•Aphrodite’s Organic Café and Pie Shop (point grey)
•Hyatt Regency Hotel (downtown)
•The Perch (grandview-woodlands)
•Rose & Crown pub (delta)
•Witch of Endor Neighborhood pub (maple ridge)
•Rock Cod Café (cowichan bay)
•Salt Spring Inn (salt spring island)
•Wild Bistro (gibsons)

2. Greens

Greens gluten free beer is brewed in Belgium and comes in three flavors; discovery amber ale, endeavor double dark, and quest triple blond. all are made with sorghum, millet, buckwheat and brown rice. Greens comes in one pint bottles (500 ml) and available as singles (other brands are sold in packs of 6).

beer and wine stores:
•Firefly Fine Wines and Ales (cambie corridor)
•Legacy liquor store (olympic village)
•Brewery Creek liquor store (main street)
•Libations liquor store (oak and west king edward)
•Viti Beer and Wine (at Moda Hotel) (downtown)

restaurants and bars:
•Stella's Tap and Tapas Bar (commercial, cambie)

3. La Messagere

La Messagere is a light ale made with buckwheat and rice, and is brewed in Quebec by Bieres de la Nouvelle-France. many reviews say La Messengere tastes more like a cider or ale than beer.

beer and wine stores:
•BC Liquor Stores
•Firefly Fine Wines and Ales

4. New Grist

New Grist, made by Lakefront Brewery in Milwaukee, was the first North American company to market gluten free beer in 2005. Lakefront can be also credited for changing legislation that previously defined ‘beer’ as having a minimum of 25% malted barley. way to go Lakefront Brewery!

beer and wine stores:
•Firefly Fine Wine and Ales
•Legacy Liquor Store

I also found a great facebook page called Gluten Free Beer! that is a useful resource for those that want to connect and discuss gluten free beers with others.

we would love to hear your feedback on this topic! leave us a comment if you have any thoughts to share about gluten free beer. Robyn.


follow us on facebook   |   follow us on twitter


Posted by at 9 comments:
Labels: , ,

Sunday, November 14, 2010

gluten free vancouver turns one (+ giveaway)

when andrea and I started our blog last November, our goal was to provide a gluten free resource for those with celiac disease and gluten intolerance that focused on lifestyle rather than simply recipes or medical research. we knew there was little to no resources on how to live with celiac disease day to day.
it's amazing to look back on our previously gluten filled lives, such as my third birthday party, pictured here. andrea cant wait to eat the cake! we knew what we were missing when we were diagnosed with celiac disease, and it is with this perspective that shapes our discussion on topics like where to find gluten free personal care products, where to shop, and where to find great tasting gluten free food on the go.
our year in review includes some of our most favorite gluten free topics and I will start with our most popular, gluten free beer! ironically, this was also one of the first posts of 2010. we wanted to start the new year off with a sweet cupcake recipe in January and gluten free hot chocolate for Valentines Day in February. in March, we had the pleasure of working with the Wallflower Café’s Lisa Hewlett on their new gluten free menu. some long overdue taxes were finally paid in April after researching how to claim the incremental cost of gluten free food on your tax return.
May was a busy month discovering not only Homestead Specialty Baking but the most divine gluten free pancakes at Brown Dog Café. in June, I enjoyed writing celiac in the city about the challenges of dating with severe food allergies (thank you to all of our readers who provided such positive feedback on this topic!). gluten free vancouver was also featured on Global TV’s One Bite at a Time with Registered Dietician Melodie Yong. our excitement continued when we found gluten free ice cream cones in the August heat wave.
this fall we explored gastown, and found gluten free tacos at La Taqueria on west hastings, and then recently enjoyed taking an extended vacation to palm springs, california.
over this past year while working away on our new blog, we have both experienced many personal life changes. Andrea went back to work after her maternity leave, she moved into the new Woodwards building to accommodate her growing family, and recently started daycare for my niece Pilar...a heart wrenching experience for any new mom! for me, I started a new job shortly after launching the blog that has kept me busy learning and traveling. I was heartbroken earlier this year after the end of a long term relationship, and while I felt positive when I wrote 'celiac in the city' back in June, my healing process took many more months. I also moved into Olympic Village at the end of the summer, and love my new space!
Andrea and I are both in new creative workspaces, and are excited for the year ahead...we will be launching our www.glutenfree-vancouver.ca website shortly, and expanding our ideas further into the community. we also plan to make a gluten free gingerbread house next month, as well as start a weekly gluten free cookie review on the blog. gluten free giveaway...
to celebrate the success of our first year of gluten free vancouver, we want to offer one of our favorite gluten free products to one lucky reader! we are giving away a desert essence organics unscented body wash and shampoo! all you have to do to enter the giveaway is comment on our blog and tell us what challenges or obstacles you face living gluten free day to day. the entry deadline is midnight on tuesday november 30th. the winner will be announced on the blog on wednesday december 1st.
together, and through our blog, we hope to create more awareness of celiac disease and hopefully make gluten free foods more accessible to those that need it most.
thank you for supporting our blog! Robyn + Andrea follow us on twitter | follow us on facebook
Posted by at 9 comments:
Labels: , , , , , , , , , ,

Friday, October 15, 2010

gluten free tacos at la taqueria

corn tacos are one of my all time favorite foods. and since corn is gluten free, I never questioned whether corn taco’s contained wheat until becoming sick a few years ago. I learned that the corn shell I ate contained wheat flour, so it is good to be aware and to always read ingredients. so, where can you get really good authentic mexican taco’s gluten free? La Taqueria, Pinche Taco Shop in downtown Vancouver!

I went out recently with my good friend Andrew for a night out in Gastown. it’s a busy and interesting neighborhood, and we enjoyed checking out a few colourful café’s before feasting our eyes on La Taqueria. when I asked if the corn tacos contain any wheat flour the cook assured me there is no wheat on the premises…music to my ears! La Taqueria is truly an authentic Mexican eatery, a place reminiscent of a taco stand in Mexico, where you can enjoy fish, meat or vegetarian tacos to eat in or take out. and the taco’s are excellent!

I love the four assorted vegetarian tacos for $7.00:

tinga de hongos (sautéed mushrooms in chipotle sauce)
de picadillo (sautéed ground tofu in secret recipe)
frijoles charros con queso (refried beans with mexican cheese)
rajas con crema (roasted poblano peppers with creamed corn, sour cream and mexican cheese)

and the pollo con mole (maple hills chicken with chocolate mole sauce) is also really good!

La Taqueria is located at 322 West Hastings between Homer and Cambie streets, near Victory Square. the hours are Monday to Saturday from 11am to 7pm. there are often lineups, but regulars are referred to by name.  Robyn.
la taqueria   |   la taqueria on facebook   |   la taqueria on twitter   |   follow us on twitter



La Taqueria Taco Shop on Urbanspoon
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Showing posts with label dining out. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dining out. Show all posts

Thursday, August 18, 2011

Edible Canada at the Market: gluten free in Granville Island














a great new restaurant opened recently in Granville Island, across from the Public Market, called Edible Canada at the Market! the best part is, they have a lot of gluten free dishes including gluten free bread supplied from a local baking company, High Crow Gluten Free Baking! we recently wrote about how much we love High Crow, and you can read our review here. Andrea and I have said for years that while we love Granville Island to buy local produce, meats and cheeses (you may recall our post about Oyama Sausage in the market), there has always been a lack of gluten free dining options...until now.

Edible Canada at the Market focuses on seasonally based ingredients that are also local, and sustainable.  they have also created a unique patio herb garden around the restaurant which we loved, and their menu is inspired by their neighbours - the vendors and suppliers from the Public Market. we also appreciate that they indicate which menu items are gluten free, vegetarian and dairy free with three unique symbols. the staff are very aware of gluten sensitivities, including celiac disease, making this a very enjoyable and relaxing dining experience. Edible Canada at the Market is open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner, plus weekend brunch. our favourites include the breakfast taco's which are made with a gluten free soft corn tortilla, scrambled eggs, pico de gallo, chorizo sausage,and avocado crema. and to our absolute delight and amazement, there are gluten free fish and chips and onion rings on the menu that tasted great.

here is the full list of amazing gluten free items that you can choose from:

breakfast:
  • breakfast taco's
  • island breakfast
brunch:
  • breakfast taco's
  • island breakfast
  • farmer's salad
  • fish and chips
lunch:
  • seafood soup
  • slik spiced albacore tuna
  • roasted north arm farms baby beets
  • spring salmon salad
  • pemberton meadows streak frites 
  • grilled bc salmon
  • fish and chips
  • fries
  • market salad
  • onion rings (although not marked gf on the menu, they are gf)
  • wild cultivated bc mushrooms
  • canadian burger (ask for gluten free bun)
dinner:
  • seafood soup
  • slik spiced albacore tuna
  • roasted north arm farms baby beets
  • cornmeal crusted fanny bay oysters
  • farmer's salad
  • spring salmon salad 
  • fried fraser valley chicken and duck crispy terrine
  • pemberton meadows steak frites
  • birch syrup and kasu roasted sablefish
  • grilled bc salmon
  • sloping hills pork belly and loin
  • fries
  • market salad 
  • onion rings (although not marked gf on the menu, they are gf)
  • wild cultivated bc mushrooms
we were also delighted to see high chairs and booster seats, and coloring books and crayons to keep little ones occupied! let us know what you think of Edible Canada at the Market!   Robyn + Andrea.


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Friday, February 18, 2011

gluten free menu at milestones grill + bar

milestones originally uploaded by photostream.
I recently discovered that Milestones Grill + Bar has a gluten free menu! this information really came in handy one day recently when I was on my lunch break from work. I normally head to Whole Foods at Cambie and Broadway to pick something up, but that day their kitchen had had a fire, and their refrigerators weren't working. the store was a disaster. I was panicking wondering where or what I was going to eat for lunch!  
I remembered that Robyn had told me about Milestones gluten free menu, and fortunately there is a Milestones upstairs from Whole Foods, this is their Crossroads location. I went up to the bar, and asked for their gluten free menu, and right away the server knew what I was talking about and brought it to me. 

the gluten free menu selection is small, however, there are enough items to satisfy most people for lunch or dinner. there are two starters (salads), three entrees, and two deserts. 
  • Milestones' Caprese Salad 
  • Milestones' California Spring Salad
  • add fire-grilled wild pacific coho salmon to either salad
  • Grilled Mediterranean Chicken
  • Tomato Basil Brown Rice Spaghettini
  • Certified Angus Beef Top Sirloin
  • Ganache Torte
  • Premium Italian Vanilla Gelato
on my first visit I ordered the Tomato Basil Brown Rice Spaghettini to go. I got back to my office and was thrilled to be eating a freshly cooked, hot meal that only took 15 minutes to go and pick up. so convenient, and so tasty! on my recent second visit I ordered the Grilled Mediterranean Chicken, and this went way beyond my expectations, in fact my lunch guests were drooling over my lunch, and commenting on how healthy it looked. here is a description of the entree: grilled chicken breast, layered with goat cheese, on a bed of asian greens, chickpeas, and roasted grape tomatoes. I ate every last morsel, and I have been craving this meal ever since!! 

the gluten free menu is only available in the restaurant, and is currently not on the Milestones website. the Tomato Basil Brown Rice Spaghettini is also part of the regular menu, so kudos to Milestones for including at least one menu item that is inherently gluten free, not just adapted to be gluten free! you can click here to see their detailed allergen guide. Milestones has locations in British Columbia, Alberta, and Ontario, you can click here to find a location near you.

 have you tried the Milestones gluten free menu yet? was your experience good or bad, we would love to hear about it!  Andrea.


Milestones Grill and Bar (Crossroads) on Urbanspoon
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Sunday, January 9, 2011

happy new year with gluten free beer!

beer originally uploaded by feastguru_kirti.
the subject of gluten free beer has been one of the most popular topics on the blog in 2010 so Andrea and I decided to update our original article on gluten free beer now that we have more information about where it's available. the availability of gluten free beer is growing so we will keep our ‘whats happening’ section updated with more information as we find it.

there are a few brands of gluten free beer on the market, and several that are also available in Vancouver. these include Bards, Greens, La Messagere, and New Grist which is made by Lakefront Brewery. others not currently available in Vancouver include Redbridge made by Anheuser-Busch, the manufacturer of Budweiser, and Estrella Damm Daura, a gluten free variety of the popular Estrella Damm.




what is gluten free beer made with?

most gluten free beer is made with sorghum, rice, yeast, hops and water. Greens is one brand that uses buckwheat and millet as well. gluten free beer also packs a bit of a punch, with an average of 4% alcohol content per volume.

what does gluten free beer taste like?

gluten free beer does not taste like regular beer for most people. my only advice for those wishing to try it, is to not expect gluten free varieties to satisfy your craving for a Guinness. I tried Redbrige when I was in the US recently, and then tried Bards in Vancouver at the Irish Heather and Shebeen Whiskey House in Gastown a few weeks ago. I personally thought they both tasted great! Redbridge tasted the lightest of the two, and it resembles a honey pale ale. our friends over at Gluten Free Edmonton really enjoyed Greens Amber Ale, but most reviews will tell you that New Grist and La Messagere are not very good.

where can I find gluten free beer in Vancouver?

1. Bards

Bard's, made by the Bards Tale Beer Company, is the only brand that is made with 100% malted sorghum, a similar process to how traditional brewers malt barley. the founders of Bards are also celiac and have a great philosophy behind their business that is based on making gluten free products accessible to those that require it. Bards also has a great website that has a useful product locator listing with a corresponding map. I have only listed a few of the liquor stores below where Bards is available, but check out the map for other locations, there are many! click on one of the beer bottles in the home page to navigate the site.

beer and wine stores:
•BC Liquor Stores
•Lennox liquor store (city square shopping center)
•Legacy liquor store (olympic village)
•Granville Island Hotel Beer Store (granville island)
•Steamworks liquor store (gastown)
•Brewery Creek wine store (main street)
•Firefly Fine Wines and Ales (cambie corridor)
•Toby’s (commercial drive)

restaurants and pubs:
•Irish Heather/Shebeen Whiskey House (gastown)
•Zipang Sushi (main street)
•The Wallflower (main street)
•Taylors Crossing (north vancouver)
•Aphrodite’s Organic Café and Pie Shop (point grey)
•Hyatt Regency Hotel (downtown)
•The Perch (grandview-woodlands)
•Rose & Crown pub (delta)
•Witch of Endor Neighborhood pub (maple ridge)
•Rock Cod Café (cowichan bay)
•Salt Spring Inn (salt spring island)
•Wild Bistro (gibsons)

2. Greens

Greens gluten free beer is brewed in Belgium and comes in three flavors; discovery amber ale, endeavor double dark, and quest triple blond. all are made with sorghum, millet, buckwheat and brown rice. Greens comes in one pint bottles (500 ml) and available as singles (other brands are sold in packs of 6).

beer and wine stores:
•Firefly Fine Wines and Ales (cambie corridor)
•Legacy liquor store (olympic village)
•Brewery Creek liquor store (main street)
•Libations liquor store (oak and west king edward)
•Viti Beer and Wine (at Moda Hotel) (downtown)

restaurants and bars:
•Stella's Tap and Tapas Bar (commercial, cambie)

3. La Messagere

La Messagere is a light ale made with buckwheat and rice, and is brewed in Quebec by Bieres de la Nouvelle-France. many reviews say La Messengere tastes more like a cider or ale than beer.

beer and wine stores:
•BC Liquor Stores
•Firefly Fine Wines and Ales

4. New Grist

New Grist, made by Lakefront Brewery in Milwaukee, was the first North American company to market gluten free beer in 2005. Lakefront can be also credited for changing legislation that previously defined ‘beer’ as having a minimum of 25% malted barley. way to go Lakefront Brewery!

beer and wine stores:
•Firefly Fine Wine and Ales
•Legacy Liquor Store

I also found a great facebook page called Gluten Free Beer! that is a useful resource for those that want to connect and discuss gluten free beers with others.

we would love to hear your feedback on this topic! leave us a comment if you have any thoughts to share about gluten free beer. Robyn.


follow us on facebook   |   follow us on twitter


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Sunday, November 14, 2010

gluten free vancouver turns one (+ giveaway)

when andrea and I started our blog last November, our goal was to provide a gluten free resource for those with celiac disease and gluten intolerance that focused on lifestyle rather than simply recipes or medical research. we knew there was little to no resources on how to live with celiac disease day to day.
it's amazing to look back on our previously gluten filled lives, such as my third birthday party, pictured here. andrea cant wait to eat the cake! we knew what we were missing when we were diagnosed with celiac disease, and it is with this perspective that shapes our discussion on topics like where to find gluten free personal care products, where to shop, and where to find great tasting gluten free food on the go.
our year in review includes some of our most favorite gluten free topics and I will start with our most popular, gluten free beer! ironically, this was also one of the first posts of 2010. we wanted to start the new year off with a sweet cupcake recipe in January and gluten free hot chocolate for Valentines Day in February. in March, we had the pleasure of working with the Wallflower Café’s Lisa Hewlett on their new gluten free menu. some long overdue taxes were finally paid in April after researching how to claim the incremental cost of gluten free food on your tax return.
May was a busy month discovering not only Homestead Specialty Baking but the most divine gluten free pancakes at Brown Dog Café. in June, I enjoyed writing celiac in the city about the challenges of dating with severe food allergies (thank you to all of our readers who provided such positive feedback on this topic!). gluten free vancouver was also featured on Global TV’s One Bite at a Time with Registered Dietician Melodie Yong. our excitement continued when we found gluten free ice cream cones in the August heat wave.
this fall we explored gastown, and found gluten free tacos at La Taqueria on west hastings, and then recently enjoyed taking an extended vacation to palm springs, california.
over this past year while working away on our new blog, we have both experienced many personal life changes. Andrea went back to work after her maternity leave, she moved into the new Woodwards building to accommodate her growing family, and recently started daycare for my niece Pilar...a heart wrenching experience for any new mom! for me, I started a new job shortly after launching the blog that has kept me busy learning and traveling. I was heartbroken earlier this year after the end of a long term relationship, and while I felt positive when I wrote 'celiac in the city' back in June, my healing process took many more months. I also moved into Olympic Village at the end of the summer, and love my new space!
Andrea and I are both in new creative workspaces, and are excited for the year ahead...we will be launching our www.glutenfree-vancouver.ca website shortly, and expanding our ideas further into the community. we also plan to make a gluten free gingerbread house next month, as well as start a weekly gluten free cookie review on the blog. gluten free giveaway...
to celebrate the success of our first year of gluten free vancouver, we want to offer one of our favorite gluten free products to one lucky reader! we are giving away a desert essence organics unscented body wash and shampoo! all you have to do to enter the giveaway is comment on our blog and tell us what challenges or obstacles you face living gluten free day to day. the entry deadline is midnight on tuesday november 30th. the winner will be announced on the blog on wednesday december 1st.
together, and through our blog, we hope to create more awareness of celiac disease and hopefully make gluten free foods more accessible to those that need it most.
thank you for supporting our blog! Robyn + Andrea follow us on twitter | follow us on facebook
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Friday, October 15, 2010

gluten free tacos at la taqueria

corn tacos are one of my all time favorite foods. and since corn is gluten free, I never questioned whether corn taco’s contained wheat until becoming sick a few years ago. I learned that the corn shell I ate contained wheat flour, so it is good to be aware and to always read ingredients. so, where can you get really good authentic mexican taco’s gluten free? La Taqueria, Pinche Taco Shop in downtown Vancouver!

I went out recently with my good friend Andrew for a night out in Gastown. it’s a busy and interesting neighborhood, and we enjoyed checking out a few colourful café’s before feasting our eyes on La Taqueria. when I asked if the corn tacos contain any wheat flour the cook assured me there is no wheat on the premises…music to my ears! La Taqueria is truly an authentic Mexican eatery, a place reminiscent of a taco stand in Mexico, where you can enjoy fish, meat or vegetarian tacos to eat in or take out. and the taco’s are excellent!

I love the four assorted vegetarian tacos for $7.00:

tinga de hongos (sautéed mushrooms in chipotle sauce)
de picadillo (sautéed ground tofu in secret recipe)
frijoles charros con queso (refried beans with mexican cheese)
rajas con crema (roasted poblano peppers with creamed corn, sour cream and mexican cheese)

and the pollo con mole (maple hills chicken with chocolate mole sauce) is also really good!

La Taqueria is located at 322 West Hastings between Homer and Cambie streets, near Victory Square. the hours are Monday to Saturday from 11am to 7pm. there are often lineups, but regulars are referred to by name.  Robyn.
la taqueria   |   la taqueria on facebook   |   la taqueria on twitter   |   follow us on twitter



La Taqueria Taco Shop on Urbanspoon
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Showing posts with label dining out. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dining out. Show all posts

Thursday, August 18, 2011

Edible Canada at the Market: gluten free in Granville Island














a great new restaurant opened recently in Granville Island, across from the Public Market, called Edible Canada at the Market! the best part is, they have a lot of gluten free dishes including gluten free bread supplied from a local baking company, High Crow Gluten Free Baking! we recently wrote about how much we love High Crow, and you can read our review here. Andrea and I have said for years that while we love Granville Island to buy local produce, meats and cheeses (you may recall our post about Oyama Sausage in the market), there has always been a lack of gluten free dining options...until now.

Edible Canada at the Market focuses on seasonally based ingredients that are also local, and sustainable.  they have also created a unique patio herb garden around the restaurant which we loved, and their menu is inspired by their neighbours - the vendors and suppliers from the Public Market. we also appreciate that they indicate which menu items are gluten free, vegetarian and dairy free with three unique symbols. the staff are very aware of gluten sensitivities, including celiac disease, making this a very enjoyable and relaxing dining experience. Edible Canada at the Market is open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner, plus weekend brunch. our favourites include the breakfast taco's which are made with a gluten free soft corn tortilla, scrambled eggs, pico de gallo, chorizo sausage,and avocado crema. and to our absolute delight and amazement, there are gluten free fish and chips and onion rings on the menu that tasted great.

here is the full list of amazing gluten free items that you can choose from:

breakfast:
  • breakfast taco's
  • island breakfast
brunch:
  • breakfast taco's
  • island breakfast
  • farmer's salad
  • fish and chips
lunch:
  • seafood soup
  • slik spiced albacore tuna
  • roasted north arm farms baby beets
  • spring salmon salad
  • pemberton meadows streak frites 
  • grilled bc salmon
  • fish and chips
  • fries
  • market salad
  • onion rings (although not marked gf on the menu, they are gf)
  • wild cultivated bc mushrooms
  • canadian burger (ask for gluten free bun)
dinner:
  • seafood soup
  • slik spiced albacore tuna
  • roasted north arm farms baby beets
  • cornmeal crusted fanny bay oysters
  • farmer's salad
  • spring salmon salad 
  • fried fraser valley chicken and duck crispy terrine
  • pemberton meadows steak frites
  • birch syrup and kasu roasted sablefish
  • grilled bc salmon
  • sloping hills pork belly and loin
  • fries
  • market salad 
  • onion rings (although not marked gf on the menu, they are gf)
  • wild cultivated bc mushrooms
we were also delighted to see high chairs and booster seats, and coloring books and crayons to keep little ones occupied! let us know what you think of Edible Canada at the Market!   Robyn + Andrea.


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Friday, February 18, 2011

gluten free menu at milestones grill + bar

milestones originally uploaded by photostream.
I recently discovered that Milestones Grill + Bar has a gluten free menu! this information really came in handy one day recently when I was on my lunch break from work. I normally head to Whole Foods at Cambie and Broadway to pick something up, but that day their kitchen had had a fire, and their refrigerators weren't working. the store was a disaster. I was panicking wondering where or what I was going to eat for lunch!  
I remembered that Robyn had told me about Milestones gluten free menu, and fortunately there is a Milestones upstairs from Whole Foods, this is their Crossroads location. I went up to the bar, and asked for their gluten free menu, and right away the server knew what I was talking about and brought it to me. 

the gluten free menu selection is small, however, there are enough items to satisfy most people for lunch or dinner. there are two starters (salads), three entrees, and two deserts. 
  • Milestones' Caprese Salad 
  • Milestones' California Spring Salad
  • add fire-grilled wild pacific coho salmon to either salad
  • Grilled Mediterranean Chicken
  • Tomato Basil Brown Rice Spaghettini
  • Certified Angus Beef Top Sirloin
  • Ganache Torte
  • Premium Italian Vanilla Gelato
on my first visit I ordered the Tomato Basil Brown Rice Spaghettini to go. I got back to my office and was thrilled to be eating a freshly cooked, hot meal that only took 15 minutes to go and pick up. so convenient, and so tasty! on my recent second visit I ordered the Grilled Mediterranean Chicken, and this went way beyond my expectations, in fact my lunch guests were drooling over my lunch, and commenting on how healthy it looked. here is a description of the entree: grilled chicken breast, layered with goat cheese, on a bed of asian greens, chickpeas, and roasted grape tomatoes. I ate every last morsel, and I have been craving this meal ever since!! 

the gluten free menu is only available in the restaurant, and is currently not on the Milestones website. the Tomato Basil Brown Rice Spaghettini is also part of the regular menu, so kudos to Milestones for including at least one menu item that is inherently gluten free, not just adapted to be gluten free! you can click here to see their detailed allergen guide. Milestones has locations in British Columbia, Alberta, and Ontario, you can click here to find a location near you.

 have you tried the Milestones gluten free menu yet? was your experience good or bad, we would love to hear about it!  Andrea.


Milestones Grill and Bar (Crossroads) on Urbanspoon
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Sunday, January 9, 2011

happy new year with gluten free beer!

beer originally uploaded by feastguru_kirti.
the subject of gluten free beer has been one of the most popular topics on the blog in 2010 so Andrea and I decided to update our original article on gluten free beer now that we have more information about where it's available. the availability of gluten free beer is growing so we will keep our ‘whats happening’ section updated with more information as we find it.

there are a few brands of gluten free beer on the market, and several that are also available in Vancouver. these include Bards, Greens, La Messagere, and New Grist which is made by Lakefront Brewery. others not currently available in Vancouver include Redbridge made by Anheuser-Busch, the manufacturer of Budweiser, and Estrella Damm Daura, a gluten free variety of the popular Estrella Damm.




what is gluten free beer made with?

most gluten free beer is made with sorghum, rice, yeast, hops and water. Greens is one brand that uses buckwheat and millet as well. gluten free beer also packs a bit of a punch, with an average of 4% alcohol content per volume.

what does gluten free beer taste like?

gluten free beer does not taste like regular beer for most people. my only advice for those wishing to try it, is to not expect gluten free varieties to satisfy your craving for a Guinness. I tried Redbrige when I was in the US recently, and then tried Bards in Vancouver at the Irish Heather and Shebeen Whiskey House in Gastown a few weeks ago. I personally thought they both tasted great! Redbridge tasted the lightest of the two, and it resembles a honey pale ale. our friends over at Gluten Free Edmonton really enjoyed Greens Amber Ale, but most reviews will tell you that New Grist and La Messagere are not very good.

where can I find gluten free beer in Vancouver?

1. Bards

Bard's, made by the Bards Tale Beer Company, is the only brand that is made with 100% malted sorghum, a similar process to how traditional brewers malt barley. the founders of Bards are also celiac and have a great philosophy behind their business that is based on making gluten free products accessible to those that require it. Bards also has a great website that has a useful product locator listing with a corresponding map. I have only listed a few of the liquor stores below where Bards is available, but check out the map for other locations, there are many! click on one of the beer bottles in the home page to navigate the site.

beer and wine stores:
•BC Liquor Stores
•Lennox liquor store (city square shopping center)
•Legacy liquor store (olympic village)
•Granville Island Hotel Beer Store (granville island)
•Steamworks liquor store (gastown)
•Brewery Creek wine store (main street)
•Firefly Fine Wines and Ales (cambie corridor)
•Toby’s (commercial drive)

restaurants and pubs:
•Irish Heather/Shebeen Whiskey House (gastown)
•Zipang Sushi (main street)
•The Wallflower (main street)
•Taylors Crossing (north vancouver)
•Aphrodite’s Organic Café and Pie Shop (point grey)
•Hyatt Regency Hotel (downtown)
•The Perch (grandview-woodlands)
•Rose & Crown pub (delta)
•Witch of Endor Neighborhood pub (maple ridge)
•Rock Cod Café (cowichan bay)
•Salt Spring Inn (salt spring island)
•Wild Bistro (gibsons)

2. Greens

Greens gluten free beer is brewed in Belgium and comes in three flavors; discovery amber ale, endeavor double dark, and quest triple blond. all are made with sorghum, millet, buckwheat and brown rice. Greens comes in one pint bottles (500 ml) and available as singles (other brands are sold in packs of 6).

beer and wine stores:
•Firefly Fine Wines and Ales (cambie corridor)
•Legacy liquor store (olympic village)
•Brewery Creek liquor store (main street)
•Libations liquor store (oak and west king edward)
•Viti Beer and Wine (at Moda Hotel) (downtown)

restaurants and bars:
•Stella's Tap and Tapas Bar (commercial, cambie)

3. La Messagere

La Messagere is a light ale made with buckwheat and rice, and is brewed in Quebec by Bieres de la Nouvelle-France. many reviews say La Messengere tastes more like a cider or ale than beer.

beer and wine stores:
•BC Liquor Stores
•Firefly Fine Wines and Ales

4. New Grist

New Grist, made by Lakefront Brewery in Milwaukee, was the first North American company to market gluten free beer in 2005. Lakefront can be also credited for changing legislation that previously defined ‘beer’ as having a minimum of 25% malted barley. way to go Lakefront Brewery!

beer and wine stores:
•Firefly Fine Wine and Ales
•Legacy Liquor Store

I also found a great facebook page called Gluten Free Beer! that is a useful resource for those that want to connect and discuss gluten free beers with others.

we would love to hear your feedback on this topic! leave us a comment if you have any thoughts to share about gluten free beer. Robyn.


follow us on facebook   |   follow us on twitter


Posted by at 9 comments:
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Sunday, November 14, 2010

gluten free vancouver turns one (+ giveaway)

when andrea and I started our blog last November, our goal was to provide a gluten free resource for those with celiac disease and gluten intolerance that focused on lifestyle rather than simply recipes or medical research. we knew there was little to no resources on how to live with celiac disease day to day.
it's amazing to look back on our previously gluten filled lives, such as my third birthday party, pictured here. andrea cant wait to eat the cake! we knew what we were missing when we were diagnosed with celiac disease, and it is with this perspective that shapes our discussion on topics like where to find gluten free personal care products, where to shop, and where to find great tasting gluten free food on the go.
our year in review includes some of our most favorite gluten free topics and I will start with our most popular, gluten free beer! ironically, this was also one of the first posts of 2010. we wanted to start the new year off with a sweet cupcake recipe in January and gluten free hot chocolate for Valentines Day in February. in March, we had the pleasure of working with the Wallflower Café’s Lisa Hewlett on their new gluten free menu. some long overdue taxes were finally paid in April after researching how to claim the incremental cost of gluten free food on your tax return.
May was a busy month discovering not only Homestead Specialty Baking but the most divine gluten free pancakes at Brown Dog Café. in June, I enjoyed writing celiac in the city about the challenges of dating with severe food allergies (thank you to all of our readers who provided such positive feedback on this topic!). gluten free vancouver was also featured on Global TV’s One Bite at a Time with Registered Dietician Melodie Yong. our excitement continued when we found gluten free ice cream cones in the August heat wave.
this fall we explored gastown, and found gluten free tacos at La Taqueria on west hastings, and then recently enjoyed taking an extended vacation to palm springs, california.
over this past year while working away on our new blog, we have both experienced many personal life changes. Andrea went back to work after her maternity leave, she moved into the new Woodwards building to accommodate her growing family, and recently started daycare for my niece Pilar...a heart wrenching experience for any new mom! for me, I started a new job shortly after launching the blog that has kept me busy learning and traveling. I was heartbroken earlier this year after the end of a long term relationship, and while I felt positive when I wrote 'celiac in the city' back in June, my healing process took many more months. I also moved into Olympic Village at the end of the summer, and love my new space!
Andrea and I are both in new creative workspaces, and are excited for the year ahead...we will be launching our www.glutenfree-vancouver.ca website shortly, and expanding our ideas further into the community. we also plan to make a gluten free gingerbread house next month, as well as start a weekly gluten free cookie review on the blog. gluten free giveaway...
to celebrate the success of our first year of gluten free vancouver, we want to offer one of our favorite gluten free products to one lucky reader! we are giving away a desert essence organics unscented body wash and shampoo! all you have to do to enter the giveaway is comment on our blog and tell us what challenges or obstacles you face living gluten free day to day. the entry deadline is midnight on tuesday november 30th. the winner will be announced on the blog on wednesday december 1st.
together, and through our blog, we hope to create more awareness of celiac disease and hopefully make gluten free foods more accessible to those that need it most.
thank you for supporting our blog! Robyn + Andrea follow us on twitter | follow us on facebook
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Friday, October 15, 2010

gluten free tacos at la taqueria

corn tacos are one of my all time favorite foods. and since corn is gluten free, I never questioned whether corn taco’s contained wheat until becoming sick a few years ago. I learned that the corn shell I ate contained wheat flour, so it is good to be aware and to always read ingredients. so, where can you get really good authentic mexican taco’s gluten free? La Taqueria, Pinche Taco Shop in downtown Vancouver!

I went out recently with my good friend Andrew for a night out in Gastown. it’s a busy and interesting neighborhood, and we enjoyed checking out a few colourful café’s before feasting our eyes on La Taqueria. when I asked if the corn tacos contain any wheat flour the cook assured me there is no wheat on the premises…music to my ears! La Taqueria is truly an authentic Mexican eatery, a place reminiscent of a taco stand in Mexico, where you can enjoy fish, meat or vegetarian tacos to eat in or take out. and the taco’s are excellent!

I love the four assorted vegetarian tacos for $7.00:

tinga de hongos (sautéed mushrooms in chipotle sauce)
de picadillo (sautéed ground tofu in secret recipe)
frijoles charros con queso (refried beans with mexican cheese)
rajas con crema (roasted poblano peppers with creamed corn, sour cream and mexican cheese)

and the pollo con mole (maple hills chicken with chocolate mole sauce) is also really good!

La Taqueria is located at 322 West Hastings between Homer and Cambie streets, near Victory Square. the hours are Monday to Saturday from 11am to 7pm. there are often lineups, but regulars are referred to by name.  Robyn.
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La Taqueria Taco Shop on Urbanspoon
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Showing posts with label dining out. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dining out. Show all posts

Thursday, August 18, 2011

Edible Canada at the Market: gluten free in Granville Island














a great new restaurant opened recently in Granville Island, across from the Public Market, called Edible Canada at the Market! the best part is, they have a lot of gluten free dishes including gluten free bread supplied from a local baking company, High Crow Gluten Free Baking! we recently wrote about how much we love High Crow, and you can read our review here. Andrea and I have said for years that while we love Granville Island to buy local produce, meats and cheeses (you may recall our post about Oyama Sausage in the market), there has always been a lack of gluten free dining options...until now.

Edible Canada at the Market focuses on seasonally based ingredients that are also local, and sustainable.  they have also created a unique patio herb garden around the restaurant which we loved, and their menu is inspired by their neighbours - the vendors and suppliers from the Public Market. we also appreciate that they indicate which menu items are gluten free, vegetarian and dairy free with three unique symbols. the staff are very aware of gluten sensitivities, including celiac disease, making this a very enjoyable and relaxing dining experience. Edible Canada at the Market is open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner, plus weekend brunch. our favourites include the breakfast taco's which are made with a gluten free soft corn tortilla, scrambled eggs, pico de gallo, chorizo sausage,and avocado crema. and to our absolute delight and amazement, there are gluten free fish and chips and onion rings on the menu that tasted great.

here is the full list of amazing gluten free items that you can choose from:

breakfast:
  • breakfast taco's
  • island breakfast
brunch:
  • breakfast taco's
  • island breakfast
  • farmer's salad
  • fish and chips
lunch:
  • seafood soup
  • slik spiced albacore tuna
  • roasted north arm farms baby beets
  • spring salmon salad
  • pemberton meadows streak frites 
  • grilled bc salmon
  • fish and chips
  • fries
  • market salad
  • onion rings (although not marked gf on the menu, they are gf)
  • wild cultivated bc mushrooms
  • canadian burger (ask for gluten free bun)
dinner:
  • seafood soup
  • slik spiced albacore tuna
  • roasted north arm farms baby beets
  • cornmeal crusted fanny bay oysters
  • farmer's salad
  • spring salmon salad 
  • fried fraser valley chicken and duck crispy terrine
  • pemberton meadows steak frites
  • birch syrup and kasu roasted sablefish
  • grilled bc salmon
  • sloping hills pork belly and loin
  • fries
  • market salad 
  • onion rings (although not marked gf on the menu, they are gf)
  • wild cultivated bc mushrooms
we were also delighted to see high chairs and booster seats, and coloring books and crayons to keep little ones occupied! let us know what you think of Edible Canada at the Market!   Robyn + Andrea.


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Friday, February 18, 2011

gluten free menu at milestones grill + bar

milestones originally uploaded by photostream.
I recently discovered that Milestones Grill + Bar has a gluten free menu! this information really came in handy one day recently when I was on my lunch break from work. I normally head to Whole Foods at Cambie and Broadway to pick something up, but that day their kitchen had had a fire, and their refrigerators weren't working. the store was a disaster. I was panicking wondering where or what I was going to eat for lunch!  
I remembered that Robyn had told me about Milestones gluten free menu, and fortunately there is a Milestones upstairs from Whole Foods, this is their Crossroads location. I went up to the bar, and asked for their gluten free menu, and right away the server knew what I was talking about and brought it to me. 

the gluten free menu selection is small, however, there are enough items to satisfy most people for lunch or dinner. there are two starters (salads), three entrees, and two deserts. 
  • Milestones' Caprese Salad 
  • Milestones' California Spring Salad
  • add fire-grilled wild pacific coho salmon to either salad
  • Grilled Mediterranean Chicken
  • Tomato Basil Brown Rice Spaghettini
  • Certified Angus Beef Top Sirloin
  • Ganache Torte
  • Premium Italian Vanilla Gelato
on my first visit I ordered the Tomato Basil Brown Rice Spaghettini to go. I got back to my office and was thrilled to be eating a freshly cooked, hot meal that only took 15 minutes to go and pick up. so convenient, and so tasty! on my recent second visit I ordered the Grilled Mediterranean Chicken, and this went way beyond my expectations, in fact my lunch guests were drooling over my lunch, and commenting on how healthy it looked. here is a description of the entree: grilled chicken breast, layered with goat cheese, on a bed of asian greens, chickpeas, and roasted grape tomatoes. I ate every last morsel, and I have been craving this meal ever since!! 

the gluten free menu is only available in the restaurant, and is currently not on the Milestones website. the Tomato Basil Brown Rice Spaghettini is also part of the regular menu, so kudos to Milestones for including at least one menu item that is inherently gluten free, not just adapted to be gluten free! you can click here to see their detailed allergen guide. Milestones has locations in British Columbia, Alberta, and Ontario, you can click here to find a location near you.

 have you tried the Milestones gluten free menu yet? was your experience good or bad, we would love to hear about it!  Andrea.


Milestones Grill and Bar (Crossroads) on Urbanspoon
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Sunday, January 9, 2011

happy new year with gluten free beer!

beer originally uploaded by feastguru_kirti.
the subject of gluten free beer has been one of the most popular topics on the blog in 2010 so Andrea and I decided to update our original article on gluten free beer now that we have more information about where it's available. the availability of gluten free beer is growing so we will keep our ‘whats happening’ section updated with more information as we find it.

there are a few brands of gluten free beer on the market, and several that are also available in Vancouver. these include Bards, Greens, La Messagere, and New Grist which is made by Lakefront Brewery. others not currently available in Vancouver include Redbridge made by Anheuser-Busch, the manufacturer of Budweiser, and Estrella Damm Daura, a gluten free variety of the popular Estrella Damm.




what is gluten free beer made with?

most gluten free beer is made with sorghum, rice, yeast, hops and water. Greens is one brand that uses buckwheat and millet as well. gluten free beer also packs a bit of a punch, with an average of 4% alcohol content per volume.

what does gluten free beer taste like?

gluten free beer does not taste like regular beer for most people. my only advice for those wishing to try it, is to not expect gluten free varieties to satisfy your craving for a Guinness. I tried Redbrige when I was in the US recently, and then tried Bards in Vancouver at the Irish Heather and Shebeen Whiskey House in Gastown a few weeks ago. I personally thought they both tasted great! Redbridge tasted the lightest of the two, and it resembles a honey pale ale. our friends over at Gluten Free Edmonton really enjoyed Greens Amber Ale, but most reviews will tell you that New Grist and La Messagere are not very good.

where can I find gluten free beer in Vancouver?

1. Bards

Bard's, made by the Bards Tale Beer Company, is the only brand that is made with 100% malted sorghum, a similar process to how traditional brewers malt barley. the founders of Bards are also celiac and have a great philosophy behind their business that is based on making gluten free products accessible to those that require it. Bards also has a great website that has a useful product locator listing with a corresponding map. I have only listed a few of the liquor stores below where Bards is available, but check out the map for other locations, there are many! click on one of the beer bottles in the home page to navigate the site.

beer and wine stores:
•BC Liquor Stores
•Lennox liquor store (city square shopping center)
•Legacy liquor store (olympic village)
•Granville Island Hotel Beer Store (granville island)
•Steamworks liquor store (gastown)
•Brewery Creek wine store (main street)
•Firefly Fine Wines and Ales (cambie corridor)
•Toby’s (commercial drive)

restaurants and pubs:
•Irish Heather/Shebeen Whiskey House (gastown)
•Zipang Sushi (main street)
•The Wallflower (main street)
•Taylors Crossing (north vancouver)
•Aphrodite’s Organic Café and Pie Shop (point grey)
•Hyatt Regency Hotel (downtown)
•The Perch (grandview-woodlands)
•Rose & Crown pub (delta)
•Witch of Endor Neighborhood pub (maple ridge)
•Rock Cod Café (cowichan bay)
•Salt Spring Inn (salt spring island)
•Wild Bistro (gibsons)

2. Greens

Greens gluten free beer is brewed in Belgium and comes in three flavors; discovery amber ale, endeavor double dark, and quest triple blond. all are made with sorghum, millet, buckwheat and brown rice. Greens comes in one pint bottles (500 ml) and available as singles (other brands are sold in packs of 6).

beer and wine stores:
•Firefly Fine Wines and Ales (cambie corridor)
•Legacy liquor store (olympic village)
•Brewery Creek liquor store (main street)
•Libations liquor store (oak and west king edward)
•Viti Beer and Wine (at Moda Hotel) (downtown)

restaurants and bars:
•Stella's Tap and Tapas Bar (commercial, cambie)

3. La Messagere

La Messagere is a light ale made with buckwheat and rice, and is brewed in Quebec by Bieres de la Nouvelle-France. many reviews say La Messengere tastes more like a cider or ale than beer.

beer and wine stores:
•BC Liquor Stores
•Firefly Fine Wines and Ales

4. New Grist

New Grist, made by Lakefront Brewery in Milwaukee, was the first North American company to market gluten free beer in 2005. Lakefront can be also credited for changing legislation that previously defined ‘beer’ as having a minimum of 25% malted barley. way to go Lakefront Brewery!

beer and wine stores:
•Firefly Fine Wine and Ales
•Legacy Liquor Store

I also found a great facebook page called Gluten Free Beer! that is a useful resource for those that want to connect and discuss gluten free beers with others.

we would love to hear your feedback on this topic! leave us a comment if you have any thoughts to share about gluten free beer. Robyn.


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Sunday, November 14, 2010

gluten free vancouver turns one (+ giveaway)

when andrea and I started our blog last November, our goal was to provide a gluten free resource for those with celiac disease and gluten intolerance that focused on lifestyle rather than simply recipes or medical research. we knew there was little to no resources on how to live with celiac disease day to day.
it's amazing to look back on our previously gluten filled lives, such as my third birthday party, pictured here. andrea cant wait to eat the cake! we knew what we were missing when we were diagnosed with celiac disease, and it is with this perspective that shapes our discussion on topics like where to find gluten free personal care products, where to shop, and where to find great tasting gluten free food on the go.
our year in review includes some of our most favorite gluten free topics and I will start with our most popular, gluten free beer! ironically, this was also one of the first posts of 2010. we wanted to start the new year off with a sweet cupcake recipe in January and gluten free hot chocolate for Valentines Day in February. in March, we had the pleasure of working with the Wallflower Café’s Lisa Hewlett on their new gluten free menu. some long overdue taxes were finally paid in April after researching how to claim the incremental cost of gluten free food on your tax return.
May was a busy month discovering not only Homestead Specialty Baking but the most divine gluten free pancakes at Brown Dog Café. in June, I enjoyed writing celiac in the city about the challenges of dating with severe food allergies (thank you to all of our readers who provided such positive feedback on this topic!). gluten free vancouver was also featured on Global TV’s One Bite at a Time with Registered Dietician Melodie Yong. our excitement continued when we found gluten free ice cream cones in the August heat wave.
this fall we explored gastown, and found gluten free tacos at La Taqueria on west hastings, and then recently enjoyed taking an extended vacation to palm springs, california.
over this past year while working away on our new blog, we have both experienced many personal life changes. Andrea went back to work after her maternity leave, she moved into the new Woodwards building to accommodate her growing family, and recently started daycare for my niece Pilar...a heart wrenching experience for any new mom! for me, I started a new job shortly after launching the blog that has kept me busy learning and traveling. I was heartbroken earlier this year after the end of a long term relationship, and while I felt positive when I wrote 'celiac in the city' back in June, my healing process took many more months. I also moved into Olympic Village at the end of the summer, and love my new space!
Andrea and I are both in new creative workspaces, and are excited for the year ahead...we will be launching our www.glutenfree-vancouver.ca website shortly, and expanding our ideas further into the community. we also plan to make a gluten free gingerbread house next month, as well as start a weekly gluten free cookie review on the blog. gluten free giveaway...
to celebrate the success of our first year of gluten free vancouver, we want to offer one of our favorite gluten free products to one lucky reader! we are giving away a desert essence organics unscented body wash and shampoo! all you have to do to enter the giveaway is comment on our blog and tell us what challenges or obstacles you face living gluten free day to day. the entry deadline is midnight on tuesday november 30th. the winner will be announced on the blog on wednesday december 1st.
together, and through our blog, we hope to create more awareness of celiac disease and hopefully make gluten free foods more accessible to those that need it most.
thank you for supporting our blog! Robyn + Andrea follow us on twitter | follow us on facebook
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Friday, October 15, 2010

gluten free tacos at la taqueria

corn tacos are one of my all time favorite foods. and since corn is gluten free, I never questioned whether corn taco’s contained wheat until becoming sick a few years ago. I learned that the corn shell I ate contained wheat flour, so it is good to be aware and to always read ingredients. so, where can you get really good authentic mexican taco’s gluten free? La Taqueria, Pinche Taco Shop in downtown Vancouver!

I went out recently with my good friend Andrew for a night out in Gastown. it’s a busy and interesting neighborhood, and we enjoyed checking out a few colourful café’s before feasting our eyes on La Taqueria. when I asked if the corn tacos contain any wheat flour the cook assured me there is no wheat on the premises…music to my ears! La Taqueria is truly an authentic Mexican eatery, a place reminiscent of a taco stand in Mexico, where you can enjoy fish, meat or vegetarian tacos to eat in or take out. and the taco’s are excellent!

I love the four assorted vegetarian tacos for $7.00:

tinga de hongos (sautéed mushrooms in chipotle sauce)
de picadillo (sautéed ground tofu in secret recipe)
frijoles charros con queso (refried beans with mexican cheese)
rajas con crema (roasted poblano peppers with creamed corn, sour cream and mexican cheese)

and the pollo con mole (maple hills chicken with chocolate mole sauce) is also really good!

La Taqueria is located at 322 West Hastings between Homer and Cambie streets, near Victory Square. the hours are Monday to Saturday from 11am to 7pm. there are often lineups, but regulars are referred to by name.  Robyn.
la taqueria   |   la taqueria on facebook   |   la taqueria on twitter   |   follow us on twitter



La Taqueria Taco Shop on Urbanspoon
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