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!

Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons: The Ultimate Decadance for a GF Foodie

Okay, Okay, so it's not exactly somewhere that you could go once a month, or even once a year! But Raymond Blanc's Michelin starred, Les Manoir aux Quat'Saisons near Oxford, is superb, and worth every, of the very many, pennies.

I did let them know in advance about me being a coeliac, as it is only fair when there is a tasting menu that will have to be tailored. But boy did they tailor it!

Situated in the countryside, Le Manoir is a beautiful building with amazing gardens.

While the rest of the group shared their canapes out on the terrace, I had a whole plate of gluten free canapes just for me. It's the only time I think that having a gluten allergy has been a bonus! Little spoons with crab and infused jelly, gf toast with foie gras on top; so many exquisite little things with complex and sensational flavours. I really could live just off canapes like that for the rest of my life.

The five course tasting menu was astonishing. Every dish was perfect. The asparagus with duck egg and parmasan, the red mullet with its own little soup, the poached chicken (I know, chicken?! But it was the best, most flavourful chicken I've ever had) with morel mushrooms, and the most amazing strawberry dessert. I've never had anything that tasted so much of strawberries; pure, sweet, intense strawberries. Certainly the best gf dessert I've ever had.

They had warmed gluten free bread for me throughout the meal, which was a nice touch.

And with the coffees afterwards came the chocolate petit fours, and it was a repeat of the canape situation. Score! My delicious gf selection included the world's smallest pavlova, some sort of sweet lemon ball and miniature chocolates filled with ice cream. Yum.

Totally amazing, one of the finest meals you will ever have, gluten free or not. I couldn't recommend it enough. Now, all that's left to figure out is how am I going to make my millions so that I can buy a helicopter and pop to Les Manoirs for lunch every day? Any ideas, let me know!

Gluten Free en Paris; C'est pas possible, non?

Mais oui, c'est vrai!

Enough of the franglais now. It is true, the notoriously coeliac unfriendly French do indeed have their first gluten free restaurant in Paris. Hoorah! It's called Des Di et Des Mets, and is up near the fashionable Monmarte district.

I've not been yet, but I thought it was definitely worth a post in case any of you coeliacs find yourself up a french creek without a gluten free paddle, so to speak.

If anyone's been, please let me know what it's like!

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

The York and Albany; Gluten Free with Flair

I thought I'd begin with a favourite of mine that has upped it's game recently; The York and Albany near Regent's Park.

Having been there a few times I've always been impressed by the mostly gf menu, exquisite food, and the knowledgeable and friendly staff.

At a lunch there the other day I was particularly pleased when they brought out fresh gf bread for me unprompted, after I mentioned being gf while ordering. To get to eat warm bread and butter before a meal - such a treat!

When I ordered a meal that had a wheaty side dish, they offered me three other gf choices instead, especially prepared for me, and didn't make a fuss about it.

They also have fantastic Sunday roasts, the beef is always perfectly cooked, kept lovely and pink and the best thing - they don't thicken their sauces with flour! And that's throughout the menu. Gf gravy heaven.

Not to mention the beautiful 1920's - esque bar..... and of course a Bellini is always gluten free!

Gluten Friendliness: 9.5/10

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