Wahaca: Drool worthy GF Mexican street food

Oh Wahaca, you're such a cutie. You're so smart but still friendly, funky and chic but still a bit rebellious. You're like the bad boy boyfriend that I really wanted at 18, that my mother would actually let me go out with.

Welcome to a fresh, lime and zesty, even zexty interior of the Wahaca chain - all bright turquoises reminding us of those Cancun beaches we couldn't be further away from, and with a menu that takes right there.

In a casual cantina style, albeit a very stylish and minimalist one, the menu is on your paper placemat. In the three times I have been to various Wahaca's the same excellent customer service has prevailed. Namely, when I mention being gluten free the waiter or waitress has promptly leaned over and with their pen crossed out what I can't have (the quesadilla section) and crossed out the salad, with the caveat that if I wanted it they could make it gluten free on request.

This is great for two reasons. Firstly, it's so easy to see what you can actually have! Basically, everything they haven't physically crossed out in front of you. Secondly, because this has consistently happened every time I have eaten there it means, and this is the ABSOLUTE golden rule for a chain establishment, that the staff have been well trained. There has been a moment, a directive, part of the training, where gluten free/ coeliacs has been discussed and they have taught every member of wait staff what is gluten free and what isn't. The peace of mind that that gives you is in valuable.

Now, enough boring you senseless with restaurant staff training practices and on to the food, which after all is why we are here in the first place.


Fabulous, fresh, modern Mexican. And that comes from me, someone who was born in Texas and has spent their life eating copious amounts of Tex-Mex and has, up until the last few years, been genuinely upset about the foods called "mexican" in this otherwise fast improving, most excellent foodtropolis.

The food is made for sharing, served up in small tapas style plates. The tacos are soft corn tortillas with flavour packed protein morsels on top  - whether that's the Chicken Tinga or the grilled steak - it's all clean, fresh and awesomely flavourful. I'm talking lime, coriander, chillis. The Mexican good stuff.

The tostadas are crunchy, sexy little roundels, topped with the perfectly balanced sharp but still creamy seafood shrimp and scallop ceviche. All ethically sourced as well.

And don't forget the corn side dish. Heaven is a sour cream,  chilli-sugar-salt covered corn on the cob, with a squeeze on lime on top. You heard it here first. Don't forget the toothpick.

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

Verdict: Modern light Mexican, perfect for most any occasion. Did  I mention the margarita? Get the margarita. 

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!

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