Quick Gluten free cheat sheet for London - if you are also dairy, egg and soy free!

I just had an email from a lovely gluten free American lady who is coming to visit London with her daughter. Unfortunately for them they also have to avoid dairy, eggs and soy!

I wrote them a quick cheat sheet email back, and I thought I'd post it up here in case any of you share the affliction.

It shouldn't be too tricky, if you go to the right kinds of places. Places where the food is fresh, clean and simple, where they wouldn't use pre-made sauces or soy. There are plenty of these around London nowadays. 

For convenience while on the go for lunch I would recommend Leon, as everything is labeled for gf, dairy free etc. It's a chain and there are a few of them about. Similarly Pod is good for lunch food, and there are several locations also. 

Also certain cuisines are going to work well for you. For example indian food - curries don't have flour in the sauce and wouldn't contain egg or soy. You would have to ask for it to be made without ghee (indian butter), but apart from that it should be dairy free. I love a place called Dishoom, they have a gf menu there also to help things.

Vietnamese food also works well, as they don't often (or shouldn't really) use soy, and there's almost no dairy or wheat. I love CayTre, in Soho. Most of the menu at Pho is gf and df, so worth a look there too.

Thai also works, as the curries are made with coconut milk. Just check they haven't added soy (again, if authentic, they shouldn't) - there are lots of good thai curries around. I like Busaba Eathai. A sure fire dish and a place, if you are out and about, is Wagamama - there are loads of locations, and the chicken Itame (with rice noodles) is tasty and gf, df and egg free.

The supermarkets here in the UK all have sections called "Freefrom" where you will have allergen friendly foods. You will have to go to the slightly larger locations, but there are loads. Best is Waitrose and Sainsbury's, tesco's will do if it's the only one! 

In terms of escaping the tourist areas, Hampstead is a beautiful place to visit (easy to reach on the tube), and I love the fresh seasonal British food (such as roasts, fresh fish etc) at The Horseshoes, and at The Old White Bear. 

Oh, and if you fancy great food and you want a beer - try The Truscott Arms in Maida Vale (Warwick Ave tube), where you'll find 3 bottled GF beers, and plenty of food options.

Flat Iron: 99% gluten free menu, 100% carniverous delight

Soho's Flat Iron serves one thing: Flat iron steak.

This is great if you like steak. If you don't, go elsewhere, because it only serves steak (see above). And what is magnificent for us gluten free folks? The limited menu means that there isn't any gluten in this place (apart from one dish but let's pretend it doesn't exist for the sake of that sentence).

The menu (hanging on the wall, of course)

I've been speaking about the trend for restaurants that only serve one or two things (See: Burger and Lobster) and how helpful they can be for gluten free diets. The limited range of menu items means that normal cross contamination issues such as shared friers and flour in the kitchen disappear.

I had a good chat with the chef at Flat Iron. They have unintentionally created an almost entirely gluten free restaurant. Only one dish on the menu - the aubergine side - has gluten in it. And that is from a pre-bought bechamel sauce which is poured on the top, which isn't made in their kitchen and goes straight from packet onto the aubergines and nowhere else. Hence, this is a kitchen where you don't have to worry about cross contamination. In fact the chef told me that when they first opened (just a couple of months ago) they had a bag of flour in the kitchen along with other pantry staples. They just assumed they would need it at some point. They soon realised that they weren't using it for anything so it went in the bin.

Now that the boring bit is out of the way, let's talk about the food.

Steak - awesome. Soft like a filet, cooked just the way you like it, perfect every time (I've been four times now, you know, just to check for consistency and stuff for you guys. The hardships I go through for you readers... ) It's served on a wooden board with an inlaid piece of warm iron that keeps the steak at a good temperature the whole time you take to eat it. It's served with a dainty little salad on the side.

Fries - homemade, fried in beef dripping. Naughty, but oh so nice.

Sauces - all gluten free and homemade, I am a horseradish fan so the freshly grated horseradish cream was the winner for me. The béarnaise and peppercorn I have yet to try, but I eavesdropped on the people next to me and they seemed very happy with theirs. Fred's sauce - also yet to try this but one of you can do the honours, right?

Sides - creamed spinach, yum. Market greens, moorish with just the right teasing of butter and salt. The Sophie's salad sounds great too - blue cheese, candied pecans and lemon dressing.

Perfect medium rare for me

The venue itself is stripped-back minimalist-loft cool. Is that a thing? Let's go with it, it's a fairly accurate description. Wine is in carafes and is poured into beakers. Free beef dripping popcorn is served when you arrive with a metal jug of tap water. The miniature steak-axe (did I make that up too? Okay, fine I guess it is a cleaver. So boring. I'm sticking with steak-axe) is ace, though you don't really need it, as the steak is pre-cut.

Steak-axe 

It's another Soho no-reservations place so get ready for a little queuing or to eat like an early bird or a night owl. It's worth it though. If you can't be bothered with queuing but really want to try it I would suggest Sunday lunchtime - there's no queue as all the Londoners are near their houses having a roast and the tourists don't know about it.

Oh, and I forgot to mention one thing. How much will this amazing steak set you back? £10. Yup, that's right, £10. Now you see why I keep going back?

Happy steak munching everyone.

Gluten Free Knowledge: ★★★★
Gluten Free Range: ★★★★★
Taste: ★★★★★
Atmosphere: ★★★★

Verdict: a perfect steak in a gf restaurant? For £10? The only place to be getting a steak right now. 

Your Olympics guide to gluten free London: Part 1

With everyone rolling into town for the Olympics, I thought it would be a good time to share a quick London eating on the go guide for you all.

Fellow Londoners will no doubt already know the places that are friendly for us when we are on the go looking to grab a bite to eat. I don't usually write about chain restaurants, but there are quite a few that are trying to make great gluten free strides forward, and in times of desperation can seem like gleaming beacons on the horizon, saving us all from a hungry stomach and having to make do with a packet of crisps and a chocolate bar (man how much do those moments suck?)

Without further ado, the London chain restaurant cheat sheet:

Leon 

A firm lunch time favourite. A wide range of "healthy fast food", organic and locally sourced and more importantly, damned tasty. Everything is labeled on the menu with "GF" so it's easy to see what's gluten free. They have a wide range of items to choose from.

They have 11 London outlets all over the city - find them here: http://www.leonrestaurants.co.uk/restaurants/

Go for: a healthy lunchtime treat

Top dishes: Sweet potato falafel, Chicken superfood salad, Pecan pie!

Carluccios

I've posted about them before, but they deserve mentioning again as they deserve praise for all of the hard work they have put in to train their staff to understand gluten, making them a chain where you don't have to worry. Great, fresh and delicious Italian food. A gluten free menu is available.

There are 18 branches London wide, so you should never be far away: http://www.carluccios.com/restaurants

Go for: a long lunch or an informal dinner

Top dishes: Any of the gluten free pasta dishes!

Wagamamas

Wagamamas is a japanese asin fusion noodle bar, essentially. They have a sheet detailing what is gluten free. The options are somewhat limited but all delicious. The chicken itame is a coconut based noodle soup with thick flat rice noodles. Tasty every time. It's a casual dining environment; you share long bench like tables and the dishes are delivered whenever they are ready.

There are 10 London branches: http://wagamama.com/locations/search/

Go for: a quick lunch or dinner pit stop.

Top dishes: I love the chicken itame!


That's it for this post, more to come tomorrow. 

Nopi: Ottolenghi I'm in love!

Having recently experienced the seasonal deli delights of Ottolenghi's in Islington, I was very excited to hear about the opening of his more formal restaurant, though they call it a brassiere, Nopi.

What a beautiful place. It reminded me of a greek toga. All white with little gold trimmings. So peaceful, calming and luxurious, this would come pretty close to what a brasserie in heaven would look like.

I was presented with a gluten free menu (white with a touch of gold, naturally), with that day's menu on. The menu changes with some frequency, as the the food is fresh seasonal fare. It's fantastic that somewhere that changes their menu regularly makes the effort to have a gluten free one that is up to date.

We had a delicious Gruner to drink from Austria, don't knock Austrian Wine, the gruner is an excellent alternative to a sauvigon blanc, crisy and citrusy.

I pretty much wanted to order every single thing on the menu.

When you are bored with all of the french and modern european fare, Nopi is a breath of fresh air. Totally inspired food. Asian and middle eastern influences, with fantastic ingredients and ingenious combinations. The silver mullet could not have been happier than beside a salad of green papaya, mint, mango and peanuts.

The Presa iberica carpaccio with manouri and pine nuts was so pretty and colourful, and didn't need to be chewed, it melted in your mouth that easily. Clean and simple.

Seared prawns with fennel, white oregano and feta blew my mind - hearty yet delicate, such an exciting and addictive mix of flavours I could have licked the pan they were served in.

I'm not a big dessert fan but was tempted by my companion to share a palate cleansing sorbet - Melon and Elderflower. It positively sang and danced in my mouth making me shriek a little in delight. Totally my sort of dessert. Like all the food at Nopi, it was all about clear interesting flavours at their best.

I am now totally addicted and in love, and am plotting on how I can eat Ottolenghi's delights weekly without going broke. If you fancy taking me out to dinner there, let me know. That is, if I ever find my way out of the marvelous mirrored bathroom.

L'Autre Pied: Note perfect and immensely pleasurable

Oh, what to do in all of this lovely summery weather except to pop down to L'Autre Pied for a spot of lunch outside?

Well, actually, I missed out on my London Restaurant Week booking and was desperate to try it, having heard great things about this michelin starred restaurant, I looked into menus and times - turns out the very reasonably priced two course lunch menu at £18.95 is available on Saturdays, so I went ahead and booked(It is also available for pre-theatre dinner Monday- Friday).

Then when the reservation rolled around, low and behold, the sunshine was upon us, so my companion and I took an outdoor table where we could watch the world of Marylebone go by. I did pop my head inside, and it looked very modern, sleek and chic, but I wasn't going to pass up a rare opportunity to dine al fresco.

The set menu prompted a little bit of a sigh for a coeliac to begin with - pastas and pastry featured in all of the dishes. Not to worry, the manager was at hand who had a full grasp on the gluten free situation and explained what could be modified. When she realised the mains couldn't be modified she popped inside to consult the chef and said that if I still wished to have a set menu price I could have pork belly as a main. Yes, and yes thank you!

As we tucked into a delightful bottle of chilled Viogner (nothing like drinking at lunchtime to make one feel that it's the weekend), they brought out bread for my friend and some gluten free crackers for me. I recognized them as the Tru Free High Fiber crackers, which I like, so it was fine with me. I was a bit surprised they did have gluten free bread though, crackers with butter being quite a different thing to bread and butter. People don't describe the core of their business as their "crackers and butter" now do they?

Then came the food. An unexpected amuse bouche. And boy was my bouche amused! It was a ode to the parsnip, singing it's praises to the heavens; Parsnip puree, concentrated caramelized parsnip drizzle, topped with parsnip crisps. The world drifted away and we were silent closing our eyes when eating this divine creation. Creamy, deep, rich, sweet, crispy. Never has a parsnip reached such heights.

The next course, our starters, were scallops (originally with a thin film of ravioli, but not for me) and spring onions with marinated spring vegetables, in a lemongrass and ginger consommé. Isn't it just the prettiest thing you've ever seen in a bowl? Don't let it's beautiful and simple appearance fool you, the asian flavours were surprisingly and pleasingly intricate; sweet, salty and fragrant. Who knew that consommé kicks the ass of it's weedy cousin, broth? Broth, you are done sir, I am a consommé girl from now on.

Now I have to tell you, I don't like pork belly. I am always amazed the same animal that brings us the irresistible delights of bacon, prosciutto and chorizo, also delivers the dreary direness that is "pork chop". Don't ever try to feed me a pork chop. Next to pork chop in my head was pork belly. People go mad for it - at events they started popping up on all the canape menus. I've tried it, say, four times, each time with someone who is a huge fan. Even at a favourite restaurant of mine Polpo, it was a no. I'm not going to start getting fussy about set menu gluten free exchange offerings though - and you know, fifth time lucky.

What can I say. I love L'Autre Pied pork belly. It was exquisite. I ate the whole thing, savouring each mouthful. My friend had a bite and came down with a severe case of food jealously. There wasn't a nasty layer of chewy fat between the crackling and the meat, as there so often is with pork belly. It jumped from tender melting juicy meat straight to crispy salty crackling. The combination was too much to resist. I dare you to try it and not fall in love. The purees and pink grapefruit sauce gave just the perfect amount of acidity to complement the pork. Even the broccoli was faultless. And again, could that be a more perfect rectangle? My friend's veal lasagne was equally pretty and precise.

Continuing in the excellent service of the very well trained staff, we were offered desert (three courses £22.50), and they let me know what I could have gluten free without me asking. Alas, we were perfectly full. With a little sparkle in the eye and spring in our step from the wine, we took inspiration from the people of Marylebone and trotted down the road to Selfridges. It was all very ladies who lunch I can tell you. And what a lunch. I will be back. The spring tasting menu is calling me, and who am I to refuse a call from such a fine suitor?

Gluten Free Knowledge: ★★★★
Gluten Free Range: ★★★★
Taste: ★★★★★ (can I give it six? What do you mean it's the sunshine and wine talking? oh, go on then)★
Atmosphere: ★★★★★

Verdict: Exquisite, memorable and very delicious fine dining.

The Soho Hotel: A brilliant GF breakfast and so much more

We all know how difficult travelling gluten free can be. When you find a hotel that can cater for you it can make all of the difference to your experience.

Imagine being able to go downstairs at breakfast to find a big buffet of GF muffins and cakes, gluten free muesli on the menu, and fresh GF toast to spread butter and jam on. Or perhaps even calling room service at 1am for the Club sandwich you were craving?

Well, all these gluten free fantasies and more await you at The Soho Hotel.

I've been to the funky and glamourous five star Soho Hotel a dozen or so times since it's opening in 2004, mainly to the screening rooms downstairs or to perch at the bar when I fancied a decadent and delicious late night cocktail.

I was totally unaware of of all of their gluten free offerings. Upon a friend mentioning to me gluten free items at breakfast I booked myself in to investigate further. It was a gluten free treasure trove. Once I started asking questions the excellent staff explained the wealth of products on offer; from GF pasta at lunch to three different (and delicious) types of gluten free bread from artisan baker Droppa and Droppa. Sundried tomato and basil bread anyone?

The executive chef Robin Read is incredibly knowledgeable about the gluten free diet. They've made it their mission to cater for all kinds of different diets - whether you are a gluten free vegan or lactose intolerant and on the atkin's diet - it's no problem. A lot of energy goes into training the staff. They understand that being gluten free doesn't mean that you are carb-free or any of the other diets that other staff often get confused by (how many times have you had an earnest waiter tell you they can serve you something without the potatoes? No no, I can have those! What does a lady have to to for some carbohydrates around here?) The staff clarity is fantastic and you feel able to trust them completely.

This is one of the reasons they don't have GF marked on the menus (apart from the gluten free breakfast), the staff are trained to pick up on details and ask. I must say that I wouldn't even think to ask for GF pasta if I didn't see some indication on the menu. But, what the hey, if every wish can be catered for then hooray for that. Just remember to be vocal.

They are also very aware of cross-contamination issues and are even working to create a separate gluten free prep section.

My breakfast was excellent. I couldn't get enough of the savory spinach and goat's cheese muffin. Really moist and flavoursome. The poppy seed toast was flawless, far better than most I've tried. Light but not dried out at all.

As part of the gluten free breakfast I had a gluten free muesli complete with fresh apple and almond shavings, topped with blueberries, which was light and refreshing. The breakfast came with a healthy smoothie and fruit pot of apricots and prunes. I must say I felt very smug for being so nutritious, but I was eyeing someone else's egg's benedict with envy, it would be great on gf toast! Next time, that's why there's always a next time.

We all know that hotel dining isn't cheap, but you are paying for a first class service. If you are coming to London for business and want the perfect Gluten Free luxury hotel - The Soho Hotel has to be it. It's definitely on my list for breakfast meetings in the future.

Also to note, the bar menu is fantastic and price accessible- if I'm there for some after work drinks and get peckish I'll be havign a £7 bacon and egg sandwich, or a £8.50 Croque Monsieur.

There is also a gluten free afternoon tea, with all the wonderful little cakes and sandwiches everyone else gets and an innovative "fruit tea" that's gluten free too. I'm sure I'll get around to trying that and their dinner menu in the near future.

I just hope my new found discovery of someone willing to make me gf tempura batter isn't going to lead me to one to many cocktails!

Gluten Free Knowledge: ★★★★★
Gluten Free Range: ★★★★★
Taste: ★★★★★
Atmosphere: ★★★★★

Verdict: A gluten free foodie's hotel heaven.

Otto: Deliciously different gluten free pizza

Well I am beginning to feel the tide is changing, can you feel it too? First are we blessed with the awesome gluten free Hell Pizza chain, and now the fabulous Otto Pizza too!

Otto Pizza is a funky, smartly furnished yet laid back pizzeria in Notting Hill. They exclusively serve cornmeal crust pizzas - something they discovered whilst on a road trip in the States. And although their usual recipe is a non-gf combination base, they have now made a gluten free version just for us!

It's not like your typical pizza, nor is it trying to be - you can taste the cornmeal in the crust, which is the intention, and it is delicious. You get an almost sourdough taste to it. It's quite dense, and when loaded with the tons of very high quality (and often homemade) ingredients it's almost like a topless pie. A true pizza pie I guess you could say. I had a pizza loving non-gluten-free friend (side note - what are we calling these people, in the sense of "muggles"? Wheat eaters? NGF's? You let me know please) try it and he thought it was superb, a definite thumbs up.

I went for the pepperoni; mozzarella and fontina cheeses, pepperoni, mushrooms and tomato, to be more precise. The quality of the ingredients really does make all the difference. They were excellent -fresh and very high quality (I hate to say anything bad about Cotto's as so many of you have a fondness for it, in the sense of it being a gluten free oasis in a bleak wheat filled desert, but the ingredients are very low quality and I didn't enjoy the pizza there at all for that reason, and wouldn't go back unless there was nowhere else to go. I wouldn't go if I was non-gf, I'm not going to go there now just cause I am. Please though, no pitchforks!).

The range at Otto is great also - I can't wait to go back to try the homemade (and gf) fennel sausage pizza with caramelized onions and marinated green peppers. How good does that sound? Or indeed the Pesto and Ricotta. There are several vegetarian options, and even a vegan Cashew and "Cheese" option, for anyone insane or unfortunate enough to be both gluten free and vegan.

The online menu hasn't yet got the gluten free base option on it - it's steep at £12 for the gf half-pizza ( they only do gf pizza by the half). That would be my only complaint. However, the ingredients are top notch, and it's so filling that you could feasibly split that between two. Or be greedy and take some home for later as I did.

So well done to Otto, and it's conveniently located, being more central than Hell pizza. Both are great - Hell for a more traditional pizza, and Otto for something deliciously different, but still gooesy cheesey tomatoey pizza-y goodness.

And, pssst, keep it quiet but I've heard on the grapevine some Bella Itallia restaurants are starting to gluten free pizza also. I'll check it out and be sure to let you know.

Gluten Free Knowledge: ★★★★★

Gluten Free Range: ★★★★★

Taste: ★★★★

Atmosphere: ★★★★

Verdict: Different but delicious pizza pies

Hakkasan: Stunning GF modern Chinese cuisine

I'm not sure about you, but I've avoided Chinese food completely since becoming gluten free. There's always the fear of soy sauce lurking around every corner, and indeed, in every dish.

A solution - and an absolutely fabulous, Michelin-starred solution at that - the exquisite, delicious, and gluten-free friendly Hakkasan.

Yes, this is not one for a weekly visit, it's very pricey, but oh my oh my is it worth it for a special occasion.

The staff are so knowledgeable that the fear of being poisoned, the need to ask annoying questions and to be on guard at all times completely disappears and I was happy to be coddled in their safe GF arms.

They have a separate gluten free menu which neatly outlines what you can have (and to keep as many options as possible some are with slight modifications - e.g. "without sauce". Which in my opinion is the best way to do it. There's nothing more frustrating than no one considering that yes, you can have that salad, just without the breadstick? Duh? )

I went for fried. Golden fried soft shell crab with red chilli and curry leaf, to be precise. I mean, we all know that the opportunities for us to get our gluten free mitts on something fried are few and far between, and I thoroughly intended on taking full advantage of the situation. Not least because it was my birthday, and my dear sister was treating me. Ahem.

Needless to say, it was utterly stunning and my jaw near dropped to the floor, before moving back up again to hastily munch down the rest of the dish. It was full of flavour and overall simply divine.

At this point the lovely waitress put down three sauces and kindly pointed out which ones were gluten free, and which ones off limits. Also worth a mention, for my sister who is vegetarian, the waitress pointed out that one sauce had a small amount of shrimp paste in so wouldn't be suitable for her. Thoughtful, no?

My main course was the spicy prawn with lily bulb and almond (never tried lily bulb before! It's somewhere between a water chestnut and a bamboo shoot. Tasty). Hubbada hubbada. Giant juicy butterflied prawns on an almost curry like sauce. With some simple rice and baby pak choi, it was heavenly. Sweet, tangy and rich all at the same time. Drool.

Oh, and apologies for not setting the scene earlier - the dining room is stunning with its carved black partitions and perfectly dim lighting and soft air conditioning with some sort of delicious smell wafting from somewhere at all times. Tranquil and elegant.

With all of this being washed down with a Saketini or two, well I must say, I was a thoroughly happy, stuffed, birthday girl.

UPDATE: There are now two branches of Hakkasan. I went to the Hanway Place restaurant. I have heard bad things about the Mayfair restaurant, see comments below. I have been to Hanway place three times and had a consistently good service. Please do call before you go to make sure they have the extensive gluten free menu (also posted in the comments). I do not recommend Mayfair!

A Tale of Two GF Teas: Part 1: The Ritz

We all know there are many many places that don't treat us well, and I would be here all day if I listed them. Besides - who wants to know where not to go?

I'm going to make one particular exception here as I have been asked about gluten free afternoon teas a fair bit recently, and I've had two very different experiences, and one helps shed light upon the other.

Let's start with the negative. Do not go to the gluten free tea at the Ritz. Unless you like being really disappointed. And being treated like a second class citizen. And feeling nauseous afterwards. Well, it was more greasy-mouthed. Either way. It was unpleasant. Don't go.

The "sandwiches" were not the delicate sandwiches of ye olde afternoon teas past; more tiny bits of gf bread with great lumps of (low quality) ingredients plopped on top, the ratio entirely off and quite frankly, bizarre. Who on earth wants to eat six slices of cheddar on top of one little piece of buttered bread? Or indeed, what seemed like an entire cucumber? Or several pieces of dry chicken on top, with no other ingredients to speak of?



It was appalling stuff - you would make far far better in your own home. In fact, after trying each one, odd dissapointment after odd disappointment, I stopped eating them. Not because I wasn't hungry, but because it was actively unpleasant to eat. Especially the plain (low quality) mound of smoked salmon on top of that poor defenseless scrap of bread. Please sir, may I have a lemon? A tiny bit of dill? A daub of cream cheese for the lady? Anything more than three measely ingredients?

There was the distinct air of "Aren't you lucky that we even have anything to feed you". Dreadful. My sister's vegetarian option contained lovely little sandwiches. And when she was presented with a selection of cakes I received...... A fruit plate! Oh yes, a fruit plate! Lucky me. How delightful to watch my sister stuffing scones with clotted cream into her mouth (sorry sis, just jealous) while I poke at my drab (unripe, tasteless) melon slices. Hey, I did get a macaroon (medicocre) and a cake (dry and tasteless). Again, lucky me.

It really is the epitome of what I detest in the restaurant world, when dealing with us gluten free folk. I was paying the £50 like everyone else, but I'm supposed to put up with merely "something I can eat". Yeah, that's fine on a plane. But not at the Ritz. I mean come on guys, seriously? Buck up.

And on another note; the service had the outward appearance of being smart, but was actually flawed - I was interrupted as I greeted my sister, and when I gave her her birthday gift. And they loitered. And were often confused about what food was mine and what was hers . In case you didn't have enough reasons not to go. It was a special occasion, thoroughly disappointing, and I hope that all of you avoid this fate.

Instead - may I suggest you go to Claridges!

A Tale of Two GF Teas: Part 2: Claridge's

I was invited to the new gluten free tea at Claridge's, using the delicious fresh baked Genius gluten free bread.

It couldn't have been more different than the truly dire Ritz situation.

Delicious, lovingly prepared sandwiches that were beautifully presented - chicken with lemon remoulade, smoked salmon with horseradish and dill, Dorrington ham, egg and watercress. Light and fluffy bread, with high end, well prepared and tasty fillings. Gluten-free delights.

Genius, the breadmakers who make the gluten free bread that Claridge's uses, have the motto "yummy.... hooray!" - the idea being that your first thought when eating something should be that it is scrumptious. The hooray bit comes because it's also gluten free. But the yum should always come first. I entirely agree with this principle.

Oh and boy was it a "yummy... hooray" situation with the gluten free scones. Scones! Pour moi? Oh, Claridge's, wiz all ze's gluten free treats you are really spoiling us (note to the Ritz: this is how you should feel). I haven't had a scone in 14 years. It was delightful. With strawberry jam and a delicate cornell of Devon's finest clotted cream. I very nearly melted at the taste.

The raspberry and rosewater macaroon was, ah, heavenly! Light, a deep raspberry flavour, with some sort of custard cream in the middle, and fresh raspberries around the edges. Weep. I finished my feast with a delicate fruit tart, and some devilish chocolate cake concoction.

Most of all I just felt delighted. And like it was really special. Everything was beautiful to look at, and beautiful to eat. You could tell it had been lovingly prepared. Someone cared.

When it comes to an occasion like Afternoon Tea, I want to be made to feel really special, and to have something any non-celiac would be jealous of.

Mission accomplished Claridge's.

Next time it's my sister's birthday I know exactly where I'm going to go to rub her gluten-eating face in it.

Barrafina: Exquisite Tapas, naturally GF

So I know this is the second tapas post in as many posts, but man, how could I not write about the marvelousness that is Barrafina?

There are no reservations at Barrafina - it's very much a traditional tapas style restaurant where you perch at the bar. A lovely L-shaped marble bar at that.

I loved the menu. Almost everything, 85%, was naturally gluten free. The tuna tartar was worth weeping over, the jamon and spinach tortilla was the best I've ever had. I could go there just for that. After all there is a prawn and piquillo pepper (now that's the sort of alliteration I like) tortilla I have yet to try. There was something delicious involving a quail's egg that is escaping my memory - check out the menu to see everything on offer.

The fresh seafood is of a high quality and is on display for you to choose what you will - and everything I tried was cooked perfectly. The same goes for the excellent selection of spanish cold meats, which are in front of you and often carved by the waiters/barmen (a very friendly bunch).

Obiviously, this high quality tapas in a central location and at great prices (£4-8 a plate) does attract a queue, and as there are no reservations, I would advise getting there early. Hmmm... now I'm hungry just thinking about it.

Hell Pizza: Gluten Free Pizza Heaven!

We all know one of the things us poor coeliacs miss the most is the most delicious of the gluten based guilty pleasures - pizza (along with bread, beer, and well, fried things!).

I'd known of Hell Pizza for a while, but as I live on the other side of town to all three of their restaurants ( Clapham, Shepherd's Bush), I had yet to find the time to make the trek over ('tis a little bit of a trek).

But boy am I glad I did. It was FANTASTIC. Even my non-gf companion had a gluten free base, and said although it did taste slightly different from a conventional one, it was delicious none the less, and scoffed the whole thing.

As I hadn't had a pizza in a long time I played it safe with my pre-celiac days favourite - pepperoni and mushroom. Goodness - just thinking about it now is making me salivate! The base was really thin and crispy, a great texture and a perfect platform for a generous helping of toppings and a great tomato sauce.

My friend went more adventureous, with the "Mayhem" pizza- peanut satay, sweet chilli, chicken, green peppers and onions. Now I understand that that sounds slightly disgusting (it was what I was thinking when she chose it) - but, you know what, it worked! All of the many ingredients are chopped into small pieces so that each mouthful you get the full range of flavours. I was really very impressed and think I ought to put more trust into the hands of the hell pizza genii and their crazy menu ideas next time!

I really wished I lived within their delivery zone - can you imagine? Being able to get a pizza delivery whenever you wanted! Actually, it's probably a very good thing they don't deliver to me, I would gain large quantities of weight very quickly.

The interior is very much like the design of their website - a kind of chic goth look, which I could take or leave. The pizza, however, I'm definitely taking! And at just £5.50 for the smaller snack size, it's terrific value.

Please, all you other pizza places out there - take a lesson from Hell and start making some heavenly gluten free pizzas. (sorry for the pun folks!

UPDATE: It seems that the Fulham Branch has closed!

Tierra Brindisi: Attentive GF Tapas

There is something about Tierra Brindisi I just really like. A combination of the atmosphere, helpful staff, great central location, and the decor just appeals.

Tapas as we know is a generally gf friendly cuisine anyway, but I liked the extra attention the staff here paid to my needs, so I thought it was worth a post.

When I ordered the Chorizo in cider, the manager came over afterwards just to check the type of cider they were using didn't have any barley malt in it (which it didn't). It showed knowledge and thoughtfulness, and he didn't make me feel uncomfortable in the least.

The quality of the tapas was excellent. The octopus was simply delicious, as was the complimentary chicken liver pate at the start (which, yes, I ate on it's own with my fork!). The Spanish omelette was one of the best I've had, in or outside of Spain, being moist and moorish.

So if you are stranded in Soho, and fancy some above-average tapas, in a wonderfully gf friendly and chic restaurant, look no further than Tierra Brindisa.

La Porchetta: Woohoo - edible GF pasta!

Well done to the folks running La Porchetta- they have gluten free pasta on the menu, and, more astonishingly - it actually tastes good!

I was absolutely delighted upon reading the menu at this cheap and cheerful restaurant in Camden to see that I wasn't limited to the usual Italian restaurant "I-can-only-eat-a-salad" scenario (salads can be so tedious, can't they? I'll just munch away gratefully on some leaves whilst watching melted cheese from your fresh baked pepperoni pizza dribble down your chin. Lucky me!).

That great big honking pasta section that is usually an irritating waste of space? Add in a gf pasta option and it's transformed like magic into a thing of beauty! The amount of gf pasta sauce options were excellent, unlike the unfortunate Carluccio's situation. I had the Rigatoni Sofia - spinach, ricotta and tomato sauce. Scrumptious! The pasta didn't taste gluten free at all, in fact, it was so good that I couldn't believe it was true and asked the waiter to check that it was actually gluten free (making a bit of a PITAC fool out of myself!).

I'm looking forward to going back to try out some of their other sauces - there's a salmon and cream one, and another that has chorizo and prawns. And at under £7 a dish, it's a place you can eat at on a regular basis.

And for those of you not in the Camden area there are four other branches; Islington, Clerkenwell, Holborn and Finsbury Park.

Next stop - gf pizza bases? If I ask nicely? Pretty please?

For now, go and enjoy the world of gluten free pasta in a restaurant, my coeliac friends!

Hache: Fancy a gluten free burger anyone?

I stumbled upon the burger restaurant Hache in Camden Town a couple of months ago.

They are purveyors of excellent burgers, excellent gluten free burgers to be precise! Made from 100% beef (or whatever other meat you choose) they contain no fillers. There is an option at the top of the menu to switch out the bun for a salad. And hey, when it comes to burgers who needs the bun anyway?

The selection and variety on the menu is stunning. Anyone for a venison burger topped with melted brie? Or how about a Morrocan Lamb burger, complete with coriander and smoked Paprika?

Even if you just head for a plain "Steak au Naturel", it is absoultely delicious, and there is no chance of you being treated like a pain-in-the-ass-coeliac here! There is also another branch in Fulham, for those of you living out West.

Gluten Friendliness: 9/10

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The Wolseley: A Sensational GF Brunch!

The Wolseley as a venue is as stunning as they come. Add on top of that the best brunch in London, with gluten free bread on the menu as well, and it's a winner!

I adore the vast open and glamourous 1920's dining room, and I adore their perfect Eggs Benedict even more! The eggs are expertly poached, and because you have (high quality) gf bread to mop up the sauce with, you can finally appreciate a runny yolk. Just sublime.

All the produce is fresh and well cooked, the simple classic dishes are all excellent. My fresh squeezed orange juice and soy latte were well worth the money.

It's open very early and it's central location makes it perfect for a breakfast meeting on a weekday or a luxurious weekend brunch.

Gluten Friendliness: 8/10

The Horseshoe: Delicious GF Sunday Roasts

The Horseshoe gastropub in Hampstead is simple, elegant, and very very tasty.

They have an excellent Sunday Roast, with a delicious and meaty gf gravy. Hooray!

I love the decor - lots of white walls and light wood , offsetting the more colorful old school chairs. The wine list is extensive and you can order carafes, which is great if you don't want a whole bottle (not usually a problem for me!).

The staff are very happy and helpful, and put in the extra effort.

A Sunday favourite, but the normal menu is simple and well thought out also, but not a huge selection of gluten free options.

Gluten Friendliness: 7.5/10

Strada: A solution to the elusive GF pizza?

Well, not quite.

But of all of the pizza/Italian chains they are definitely the most gf friendly, with plenty of starters and mains that fine. The polenta and mushroom starter is always tasty, and the carpaccio of beef ain't half bad either.

Back to the pizza point; you can bring your own gf base and they will use it for toppings of your choice. It's worth mentioning to the waitress that gf bases need a bit longer to cook. But it was a pleasure to eat a pizza out for a change, though I couldn't be bothered to carry around a pizza base in my bag very often!

If it' s a choice between the useless Pizza Express (where you can only have salad), and the boring Ask Pizza, or Strada, it's got to be Strada every time.

Apparently a New Zealand pizza restaurant chain called Hell Pizza, which has opened in Fulham and Shepherd's Bush has GF pizza on the menu- and they even deliver! I'll try it soon and let you know how it is!

Gluten Friendliness: 7/10

E & O: Flexible Fusion, with Gluten Free Menus

A absolutely adore E & O , a funky Asian Fusion restaurant in Notting Hill.

They have the best menu system I've seen yet. There is a special gluten free menu that is colour coded: Red means it's got gluten and can't be changed, Green means it's GF, and Blue means that it does have gluten, but they can make it GF on request. Note to other restaurants - make your menus like this!

It's a great system and maximizes your choices. There's nothing worse than being told you can't have something when one simple change (e.g. leave off the croutons) would make it palatable.

The food itself is fantastic. The duck, watermelon and cashew salad is a favourite; crunchy, sweet and savoury all at the same time. The chilli salt squid is GF and is fried with cornflour on the outside. Hmm, like gf calamari! Delicious. And the sushi isn't bad either.

The decor is chic, black walls, white table cloths, dark reclaimed wood floor, with a great bar at the front (always the bars with me.... I'm beginning to think I might have a problem!).

The best element is great staff - they almost seem pleased that you are a celiac! No pain-in-the-ass-celiac feeling here. Heaven.

Gluten Friendliness: 10/10

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Carluccio's: Close but no dice

The poor folks at Carluccio's. They want to be friends of celiacs, but alas, have missed the point. Allow me to elaborate.

Imagine my excitement at seeing, underneath the pasta list, "Gluten Free Pasta on Request". Yippee! Then looking at all of the above pasta choices, my heart sank. Almost none of the sauces were gluten free! Redundant much? Bechamel sauce (the devil), Fried spinach balls (non gf), pre-prepared Lasagna, Italian sausage (flour in the sausage meat), Tortellini, gnocci, and ravioli!

I then ordered the grilled seabass with salsa verde and new potatoes, and when it arrived it had that distinctly golden crispy outer layer that comes from dusting it with flour prior to pan frying. One conversation with a grumpy waitress later, and it was confirmed to be wheat. I chowed down on the safe parma ham plate while another order was made. Put it on the menu people, put it on the menu. That's all I'm asking.

Speaking of, I did discover that their website has a gf menu (see, they are at least trying to be friends). As you can see the pasta section is limited- although not as much as on the normal menu, where pesto and tomato and basil sauces don't feature. Huh. I'll have to try to see if they can do that next time I'm there.

For the most part I stick with Carluccio's risottos, which are always gluten free. Definitely a place where you are forced to be the dreaded "pain-in-the-ass-celiac" (PITAC, as I call it). Always check in with the kitchen before ordering, despite the grumpy stares of the staff.

Gluten Friendliness: 5/10