Cafe Piccolo; Seattle WA

On a quiet street in the Maple Leaf neighborhood of Seattle, is a quaint little Italian joint; Cafe Piccolo.  I was enthusiastic about stepping into this eatery, and instantly felt at ease in the comfortable, warm restaurant.  And although the hostess was friendly and the other patrons appeared to be enjoying their meals, I was still a bit curious and uncertain about what I'd find to eat in a pasta-heavy restaurant.

When presented the with our menus, however, I immediately noticed the statement "ALL ITEMS CAN BE MADE GLUTEN FREE UPON REQUEST."  Hurray!!  It should be noted that Cafe Piccolo is a "shared facility."  And, despite the fact that I did not need to inquire about gluten free dishes, I still had to question the dairy and soy in their dishes.  

With entree items consistent with many Italian restaurants, Cafe Piccolo features a varied menu with many house made pasta dishes, as well as entrees such as chicken Parmesan and flank steak.  Their starters focused on Italian standards like bruschetta and antipasto, and there were a couple salads that looked tasty too. 

To my surprise, when questioned, the waiter inferred that the kitchen would be able to change any of their dishes to meet my conditions.  Again, what a relief, and a joy to have so many options to choose from!

At the end of my meal, I was full and happy.  All four of us enjoyed our dinners, but I was especially excited to have had a delicious meal out that didn't make me feel ill and in an establishment that truly catered to my allergies.  The ambiance was cozy and warm, the wine was full bodied, and the staff was welcoming and knowledgeable.  On a chilly February evening, dining at Cafe Piccolo was a delight!

Where Next?

Are there any restaurants or eateries you are curious about in the Seattle area, in terms of allergen free dishes, options, or menus?  Please let me know, and I will do the work for you.  I'll investigate them to my best ability and give you my two cents.  

So, where do you want me to dine next?

Friedman's Lunch; New York, NY

On a recent trip to NYC, we visited the famous Chelsea Market.  Chelsea Market is an office building and television production facility, which has an enclosed shopping mall and multiple food establishments within it.  It is located in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City.  Chelsea Market is a memorable place to visit, and each of the shops and restaurants it houses are unique places to browse and/or stop for a bite to eat.  Heralded for being "NYC's premiere gluten free dining destination" I knew that one of the restaurants within Chelsea Market, Friedman's Lunch, would be a great place for us to eat dinner one evening while we were in the city.

Friedman's Lunch serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner, as well as offering delivery, catering, or take-out, seven days a week.  The menu changes seasonally, and it features interesting dishes and flavors, and most importantly for me, it offers many gluten free dishes and the option to make most entrees gluten free.  And, they claim to have no risk of gluten cross-contamination by using dedicated knives and a specific deep fryer.  As far as the cross contamination of other allergens, they cannot guarantee that.  I was assured, however, that my meal could be made without dairy, and soy.

I ordered the southwestern turkey burger, which was served on a soft, gluten free bun and with perfectly spiced sweet potato fries from the dedicated fryer.  I am not usually one to order french fries, but I had a hankering for them that evening.  Boy was I glad to have indulged... they were delicious!  To complete my meal, I ordered a small green salad and splurged on a gluten free beer (made from sorghum), a Redbridge.

The final verdict?  The meal absolutely satisfying and wonderfully tasty, and I appreciated that the restaurant was very willing to not only accommodate my gluten free needs, but also my dairy and soy allergies.  I was thoroughly full and happy!  When we get back to NYC, I'll be sure to venture back to Friedman's Lunch.

The Flying Apron Bakery; Fremont and Redmond, WA

The Flying Apron Bakery, with locations in Fremont, WA and Redmond, WA, is a dedicated gluten free facility.  That means no worry about cross contamination!  I was elated when I stumbled upon this joint for the first time only a few months back, and I will admit to returning at least a dozen times since then (I think they are starting to recognize me).

The menu focuses on baked goods mostly, with no eggs, gluten, dairy, soy or wheat to be found.  To note, they are heavy on the bean and rice flours, and there are some items with nuts in them.  Oh, they have coffee, salads, and pizzas too!  I think my favorite sweet splurge to date has been a mammoth pecan cinnamon roll, but the lemon poppy seed muffin is delectable as well, not to mention the apricot thumbprint cookie.

Another perk of The Flying Apron Bakery is that they sell some of their products in local grocery stores like PCC, Whole Foods, or the Metropolitan Market, as well as in local cafes like the Nordstrom Cafe.  Six big thumb(prints) up for the Flying Apron Bakery from me and my kids (who are not allergic to anything).  We all know that is a rave review!

Cafe Juanita; Kirkland, WA

I am sure I am not the first to attest to this.  Nor will I be the last.  If you have food allergies or sensitivities, and are seeking a romantic, delicious, dining experience, Cafe Juanita fits the bill.  Cafe Juanita is an intimate eatery, in an old house converted into a restaurant, serving northern Italian food.  Located north and east of Seattle, on the north end of Lake Washington in Kirkland, Cafe Juanita is committed to organics and sustainability, and its chefs are "able to easily modify dishes to accommodate dietary restrictions," as stated on their website.  Chef and owner Holly Smith was even featured on the Food Network show, Iron Chef, and features an eclectic mix of flavors on her frequently changing menu.

When I made our Friday night dinner reservations, I was sure to inform the staff of my gluten, dairy, and soy allergies.  I was uncertain if the information would be passed on, but when we were seated, the waitress made it apparent that she and the kitchen were well aware.  In fact, she revealed that they had created multiple versions of their dishes that would suit me.  I felt so pampered, and the burden of having to explain "my situation" was eliminated. 

To start the meal, the waitress brought out the bread basket, usually an off-limits aspect of restaurant meals for me.  However, at Cafe Juanita, they made a special chickpea flour, naan-like bread for me.  It was soft and perfect for soaking up olive oil and gluten free balsamic vinegar; quite a treat!

For the main course, the waitress informed me that any of the entrées on their menu could be prepared to suit my needs.  This was an incredible realization, because I usually only have one or two choices that appeal to me, and then I must request that the kitchen to go out of their way to alter the dish I select for me.  She continued to describe the entreés, and the substitutions that they could make, noting that they make their own gluten free pasta in house.  Each of the dishes sounded so incredibly delicious that I knew it would be difficult to make up my mind.

Paired with my 2010 Château Haut-Mayne, Semillon/Sauvignon, my halibut was impeccable.  It came perfectly cooked, placed delicately over a cauliflower puree, alongside micro greens and veggies, and adorned beautifully.  I ordered a side of roasted Brussels sprouts, which were prepared with anchovy, garlic, and lemon, and tasted amazingly delectable.

One of my favorite aspects of the meal was dessert... but not for reasons most of you enjoy dessert.  In most restaurants, dessert is not able to be altered or changed to meet my dietary needs, and so I am unable to order it.   At Cafe Juanita, however, I had a number of choices.  Nick and I shared two of them, both of which were perfect finales to our fabulous meal.

While I cannot confirm that there is no cross-contamination present at Cafe Juanita, if you are an individual with food sensitivities (or nothing life threatening), it is an amazing place to feel pampered, eat whole, sustainable food, and enjoy a meal out to the fullest!

Here We Go

Married to a serious foodie, and being an amateur gourmand myself, receiving positive allergy test results (to gluten, dairy, and soy), was not easily accepted.  Questions abounded, as well as annoyance, and even some curiosity.  What can I eat?  What will I cook?  Are there any restaurants where I can find something safe to order other than a salad?  While I eat greens daily, ordering salad as my entree at every restaurant until the end of time, was not acceptable.  I quickly realized I had a lot of learning to do about food preparation, ingredient substitutions, and in which foods gluten, dairy and soy can be hidden.

Since that day of diagnosis, dining out has definitely been a different experience for me.  Venturing out has gotten easier with time and experience, but it has consisted of a lot of trial and error, a lot of seemingly irritated wait staff, and consuming a lot of plain, green salads when I don't feel as if anything else is safe, or there are no alternatives.

I can't say that every dining out experiment has been positive, as I have consumed food at some locales that have left me in pain for days to follow.  But, more often than not, my dining out experiences have proven positive, and my foodie husband and I have enjoyed meals out just as delicious as we did prior to my allergy diagnoses.  I've found many restaurants (in Seattle and beyond), who are more than willing to accommodate my allergies, and who have gone out of their way to prepare meals for me that are more than just salad.

To be honest, I feel quite lucky to be living in today's culinary world rather than twenty or even ten years ago, when individuals with food allergies were not able to eat out as readily.  Food allergies are slowly becoming mainstream knowledge, and the culinary world is finally starting to accommodate those of us with sensitivities and very serious reactions to a variety of foods.  Let me share with you some of my gluten, dairy, and soy free dining experiences.