Juice and Java Express - Restaurant Review

 

I was delighted to find this little cafe right in the heart of Farmer's Market in Downtown Pleasanton on W. Angela St. Not only do they serve organic coffee and tea in a quaint and cozy atmosphere but they have a whole menu of juice blends and smoothies with exotic names like Dragonfly, Green Isle, Love Birds, Beet Me Up (my personal favorite) and Fresh As A Cucumber. Their wide selection of fruits and vegetables are organic, when possible, and they offer several non-dairy boosts (flax seed, pumpkin seed and vit C) as well as a nice selection of organic non-dairy milks (almond, coconut, soy and rice).

Beet Me Up - beets, carrots, apple, orange and ginger root (I asked them to add spinach)

They also serve a small selection of light breakfast and snack items. Their oatmeal, unfortunately, is not gluten free but they usually have a few gluten free granola type bars in the case. They also had these gluten free cookies (below) by Liz Lovely that I've never seen before.

I bought the GF vegan German Chocolate Cake cookie. It was very good. It had a "raw" type texture to it though which I'm not crazy about but I did enjoy the taste and it was very moist. I wouldn't mind trying the other varieties as well. Juice and Java Express has become one of my favorite places to stop on Saturday mornings after shopping the farmer's market. The staff is friendly and it's fun to sit on one of their outdoor tables and people watch. This new little gem gets a "thumbs up."

Olive Garden - Restaurant Review

Prior to going gluten and dairy free (GFCF), I used to love the Olive Garden restaurant. I'm not sure if it was the bottomless salad bowl (I'm a big fan of Italian salads with black olives and peppers) or the warm bread sticks I used to smother butter over. When I became GFCF and realized one day that I may never dine at the Olive Garden again, it almost brought tears to my eyes. I'm not sure why because it's not really that nice of a place but anyway you can imagine my excitement when I was told they now have gluten free pasta.

I decided to combine a needed trip to the Great Mall in Milpitas with a review of the Olive Garden. They have a full gluten free menu which includes Penne Rigate Pomodoro, Penne Rigate Marinara, Steak Toscano, Herb Grilled Salmon and Mixed Grill (steak and chicken). They even offered two kid's entrees.

I know this is hard to read. Email me if you want a bigger JPEG.

I was very excited over the prospect of our gluten free meal. I asked our server many questions which he patiently listened to and eagerly tried to answer. He was a little under trained on the new gluten free menu. He did however go the kitchen and proceed to cut the ingredient list from the bag of GF pasta - very sweet and accommodating. Turns out it is a quinoa and corn blend. He did verify that the two sauces both Pomodoro and Marinara are dairy free. He told me the salad dressing was both gluten and dairy free but then came sprinting back after I had eaten about three bites to tell me that there is cheese in the dressing. Oh man...he brought back a fresh salad bowl and I settled with olive oil and vinegar. It was disappointing especially when my "milk cramps and bloating" started about an hour later. 

Warning: the Italian dressing on the salad contains cheese!

I was further disappointed when the pasta came out. It looked over cooked and translucent. See the third photo below. The pasta was literally falling apart. From what I've read on the gluten free chat boards, this is a common experience at Olive Gardens across the country. One post read, "DO NOT ORDER THE GF PASTA AT OLIVE GARDEN." Unfortunately, I read that post after this visit.

Adult Entree of Pasta Pomodoro with grilled chicken

Kid's entree of Pasta Marinara with grilled chicken

Not very appetizing!

The taste was okay. It was not bad enough to send back but overall, I was disappointed with the meal. Maybe it was because my hopes were so high. Sammy seemed to enjoy his pasta. He's always happy to eat gluten free pasta in a restaurant though. They did not have any dairy free or gluten free desserts and no gluten free beer. They do bring out a small bowl of grapes for the kids. That was a special treat for them and served as dessert. I also love these capped children's cups (below). I like it when beverage spillage is just one less thing I have to worry about.

Being that there are only a few gluten and dairy free dining options at the Great Mall, I will probably be back there occasionally. I think next time, I'll try the salmon. Rather than give this Olive Garden experience a "thumbs down," I'll give it an "Okay" rating just because there are not that many other options at the mall and my son seemed to like it. It was a good atmosphere for children which was good for me since Sam kept popping in and out of his seat. No one seemed to mind.

The Old Spaghetti Factory - Restaurant Review

This was my first trip to the Old Spaghetti Factory. Of course when I heard that they have both gluten free pasta and a cable car for the kids to dine in, I had to go check it out. My son is a huge train and cable car fan. I think I've rode every train and trolley within a hundred mile radius of Pleasanton. I have to admit though that I'm always reluctant about new places. I guess I prefer to spend my money on a sure bet but I'm really glad we took a chance on this place. The food was good. I like Macaroni Grill's pasta and marinara sauce better but this was a special treat for Sammy. He was ecstatic when he spotted the cable car and came totally unglued when he realized we were going to dine in it. 

Seating inside the cable car

They offer a full gluten free menu with many nice options but the gluten and dairy free options boiled down to about three dishes. Gluten free spiral pasta (corn and rice blend) with either marinara sauce or "rich meat" sauce (tomato based) and a gluten free marinated baked chicken (available in the evening only).

My meal, the adult portion of gluten free pasta with marinara sauce, came with a salad dressed with balsamic (gluten free) vinaigrette. It was good but was a typical iceberg lettuce salad with carrots and red cabbage. Even though I usually eat much healthier lettuce varieties, it was fun to have one of these. It reminds me of my childhood.

Salad which comes with adult meal. Balsamic GF Dressing

Adult portion of GF pasta with dairy free marinara sauce

When our meals came out, I was delighted to see a little "gluten free" flag. This gave me a warm and fuzzy feeling that I was getting what I ordered. Kudos to the Old Spaghetti Factory. It's the small details that matter. I noticed at the end of the meal that our receipt noted "gluten free." When a restaurant doesn't do this, I often wonder how exactly the kitchen knows. I'm sure they have a system but it always makes me feel better when I see "gluten free" or "allergy alert" on the bill. 

Receipt with the "gluten free" notation

I ordered the GF pasta with marinara sauce. It was fine. Again, I like the sauce at Macaroni Grill better but it was good enough for me. Sammy had the children's portion of GF pasta with the "rich meat" sauce which was served on a cute "Wally Trolley" plate. It came with applesauce as an appetizer. He loved the pasta and gobbled it all up. He did allow me to have one taste. It was a bit saltier then my sauce but was good.

Child portion of GF pasta with dairy free rich meat sauce. I thought the trolley plate was cute.

Dessert, Wild Cherry Fruit Bar

For dessert, the only GFCF option was the wild cherry fruit bar. It was tasty and they did not charge for it which I thought was a nice gesture. We definitely enjoyed our visit here. Again, it's not the best food on the planet but considering the unique ambiance and cable car dining, I have to say, it was a one of a kind experience. I think we'll take Sammy here for his 6th birthday dinner. I am hoping they will let us bring GFCF birthday cake. I'm sure they will. They seemed very nice and accommodating. I was also happy with our waiter's knowledge of the gluten free menu. I give the Old Spaghetti Factory a thumbs up!

Restaurant Review - Romano's Macaroni Grill

Romano's Macaroni Grill in Dublin

Prior to going gluten and dairy free, I used to love Romano’s Macaroni Grill. I went quite often with business colleagues. Of course, after going GFCF, I crossed it off my list of dining options. I was very intrigued to learn they now have an “allergen menu” which includes gluten and dairy free options. I took my son there last week for lunch and we had a lovely time. They have a very interesting allergy menu that took a few minutes to figure out but then turned out very informative.

Sammy's children's pomodoro pasta

I love the fact that they have a children’s menu which makes it very affordable to take kids. Sammy wanted the pasta pomodoro. It was very good but I felt it needed a little bit more sauce. I like the marinara sauce at Frankie, Johnnie and Luigi’s Too (a restaurant in Dublin) better but the sauce at Macaroni Grill was not quite as spicy so it was better for Sammy. The gluten free penne pasta is a rice blend with no corn (as reported by the waiter). You can also order a children’s dish with a combo of chicken and GF pasta (and broccollini).

Greens Salad with grilled chicken

I decided to order the greens salad for myself with one of the two gluten/dairy free dressings they offer. I added grilled chicken breast. The chicken was very fresh and tender, cooked to perfection. The greens and vegetables in the salad were simple but very fresh. I enjoyed it.

We were able to top off our meal with dairy free white peach sorbet. It was a nice finish.

Here are the things I love about Romano’s Macaroni Grill:

 The atmosphere.  It’s fun and entertaining.

The Italian recordings in the restroom are a nice touch.

A water bottle at your table. I drink a lot of water and am often left

with an empty glass in restaurants.

The waiter’s name written on our table so I can easily request him/her if needed.

That fact that they paid attention to our being gluten free and did not even come near our table with bread. Anyone who’s had to wrestle a bread roll out of their GFCF child’s hand can relate to this.

Sammy’s favorite part was that he could color on the table cover.

This entertained him the entire time we were waiting for the food. Nice!

A GFCF dessert option!

The pasta must have been good because it’s all gone!

We give this new GFCF dining option a thumbs up!!

Restaurant Review - Eddie Papa's

Eddie Papa's in Pleasanton, California

Wow, what a lovely experience. I was initially reluctant to try Eddie Papa's in Pleasanton after finding out that they now offer gluten free options on the menu. I had been there prior to going GFCF and was not thrilled. Well, my opinion has now changed.  I was impressed immediately when I informed the waiter at Eddie Papa's that we are gluten and dairy free and he actually knew what to do. He went over the menu with us clearly educated on the menu’s gluten free options and knew exactly how to handle our table. The only question he could not answer was if the hot dogs on the menu were gluten and dairy free. Within five minutes the owner came over to the table with the package in hand to review the ingredient list with us. We discovered together that the hot dogs are gluten and nitrate free but are not casein (dairy) free.  Darn. Casein is milk protein.

The waiter immediately brought my son, Sammy, a plate of gluten free rice Chex and raisins to snack on while waiting for our food. He did mention that they normally melt cheese over the Chex so always be sure to mention to the waiter that you are dairy free. He also brought waxy twist sticks for Sammy to play with while we waited for our food. Clever!

I am very impressed with their gluten free options. They offer gluten free chicken tenders made with a tempura type batter. Sammy loved them and was elated to actually eat chicken tenders in a restaurant. The French fries are also gluten free, fried, upon request, in clean fresh oil uncontaminated with gluten. Sammy let me try one and I have to admit, they were very good. They serve Udi’s bread for a gluten free sandwich option. All their salad dressings are gluten free and they have gluten free breadcrumbs and soy sauce. For breakfast, they also make gluten free pancakes and waffles. They even serve Red Bridge gluten free beer.

Another thing that impressed me at Eddie Papa's was that they focus on local produce and products. They buy from Terra Bella Farms in Pleasanton, Lone Oak, Olivina Ranch in Livermore, Cloverdale Dairy, Humboldt Creamery and Numi Organic tea in Oakland. I love this!

I ordered the strawberry salad with balsamic type dressing. It was pretty tasty. Sammy loved the chicken tenders saying they were, “awesome!” Currently, Eddie Papa's does not offer any GF or CF desserts. The waiter did say that they may add some dessert options on the spring menu. The owner said he’s considering Udi’s gluten free hamburger and hot dog buns for the spring as well. I think it may be worth a trip back in the spring to check and see if they have them yet!

Another nice touch at Eddie Papa's is the cotton candy they bring with your check. It is GFCF but is full of sugar and color dye. We took one small bite and left it on the table. Cute idea though. I'm glad to add this restaurant option to our GFCF places to dine. What a treat!

OMGoodness!

Every once in a while I'll give a restaurant or product review that will earn an "OMGoodness" rating. Well this is one of them. This was such a yummy treat that I'm headed back this Saturday. I've got to have some more of that vegan cheesecake. Read on for all the yummy details...

The Plant Cafe Organic

I discovered this gem on Pier 3 right down the street from the Ferry Building. It's a cute little cafe on the water with outdoor seating. The modern decor was fresh and clean feeling. It was really delightful to sit by the water and enjoy the sun and lite breeze.

I love the menu here. It is not entirely gluten and dairy free but all wheat free and vegan items are marked. They offer an interesting array of seasonal soups, salads, pizzas, sandwiches, panini's, burgers and pasta (no gluten free bread or pasta though - although I did suggest it). I had the "special seasonal salad of the day," butter lettuce with cherries, almonds and goat cheese (I can tolerate goat's milk) with a side of sauteed "fish of the day." You can also order chicken as well. It was very lovely and I loved the fact that they didn't coat their nuts in sugar.

Other dishes I have planned for the near future are Roasted Red Beet Salad with shaved fennel and roast walnuts, Ginger Miso Quinoa (it's tough to find quinoa on most menus) and then Pistachio and Cornmeal Crusted Tempeh. They also offer a full menu of drinks (spirits included) and fresh juices. I was surprised to see Zevia soda on the menu. I don't think I've ever seen Zevia at a restaurant. It's a soda sweetened with Stevia sweetener (a natural, zero calorie sweetener) but I was most excited about the "green drinks." I've been curious about juicing for some time now. I ventured out on a limb and ordered the "green basic." It is kale, parsley, celery, apple and lemon. It was yummy! I was so inspired that I actually bought a juicer. I'm now juicing and loving it! They also offer a menu of smoothies with non-dairy milk options (almond and soy). I just love this place! Oh, BTW...for coffee drinkers, they offer Blue Bottle! I'm not a big coffee drinker but I think this is really huge for those who do.

The Green Basic

Now on to my favorite part of the feast....dessert! Now let's just face it...on a gluten and dairy free diet, you don't get dessert dining out very often. Well, this restaurant had two options on the menu so we ordered both. I'm so bad. :)

The first thing that caught my eyes was the Raw Raspberry Cashew Cheesecake - both wheat free and vegan! Can you believe? OMGoodness...it was delicious. You know what I'm eating on Saturday.

 

The other dessert was also yummy. Yellow Nectarine Sorbet with Creme Fraiche, Madeleine cookies and berries. All vegan and wheat free!

Here's my little guy, enjoying a dessert at a restaurant - a rare treat for this little GFCF eater! Yes, I did manage to share some of the cheesecake with him...reluctantly.

I've found my new favorite dining spot in SF. If you've been there, share your experience and you're favorite gluten and vegan dish. Happy GFCF eating!