Steeliac

Tag: gluten free restaurant

  • Coming soon… Ego at the Dore Moor Inn

    The new branch of Mediterranean chain Ego in the Dore Moor Inn is due to open very soon. The website suggests a provisional date of 28th February.

    Other branches of Ego I’ve been to have had a really extensive gluten free menu, so I’m really hoping this one will, too. Here’s a link to the city centre branch gluten free menu, which is near the theatres in Sheffield.

    This place should be a great option for a hearty meal after returning from a walk in the Peaks. Looking forward to checking it out very soon…

    Follow their Facebook page for more info and updates.

     

     

  • Bistro in the Barn – gluten free specialist

    I’ve just come across a restaurant at the very, very edge of Sheffield (closer to Barnsley and Huddersfield, if I’m honest) with a virtually 100% gluten free menu! Bistro in the Barn at Millhouse Green is a good half hour outside of Sheffield centre, north of Penistone and Langsett, but judging by the 5 star rating on TripAdvisor, it should be well worth the drive. It’s also on the edge of the Peak District and close to the Transpennine Way.

    According to their website, their ethos is about good quality food, locally sourced ingredients and attention to detail.

    The Bistro’s main courses include slow roast pork belly with melting gorgonzola, seabass fillets with caper butter sauce and wild mushroom risotto.

    There are a variety of puddings, such as sticky toffee pudding, poached pear, trifle and chocolate souffle. Lots to choose from.

    They also serve gluten containing bread in case you go with anybody who isn’t gluten free.

    One thing that isn’t clear from the menu is whether the Yorkshire puds with their Sunday roasts are GF. I plan to find out very soon…

    Bistro in the Barn, Hazlehead Farm, Lee Lane, Millhouse Green, Sheffield S36 9NN

     

  • Hui Wei new GF desserts

    Great to hear Hui Wei has added some gluten free desserts to their menu. I love the locally made Yee Kwan ice creams, which come in exotic flavours like sesame seed and lychee (not together!). But I’m impressed with the addition of banana and pineapple fritters. It’s so great to find something you wouldn’t normally expect to see on a GF menu!

  • Gluten free pizza at Proove

    ***Update*** I’ve had a few comments posted about concerns with cross contamination at Proove, so please beware. Maybe worth a phonecall before you go.

    Thanks to Emily Lovewell for this review of Proove, in Broomhill:

    We tend to stick to restaurants we know can provide gluten free options for children and when my son asks for pizza we usually go for Pizza Express as they have always been reliable. In January when the request was made for pizza we decided to see if there was anywhere else. I looked on Trip Advisor and found that a restaurant called Proove in Broomhill have gluten free pizzas. I telephoned to book and asked if they provide children’s gluten free pizza and was assured that they do. When we got there we could order gluten free dough bites and gluten free children’s pizza with our son able to choose 2 toppings. When the pizza came out I did double check that it was gluten free as it was fluffy with air bubbles and really light. It was gluten free and my son loved it. We will definitely be going back!

    We called at Proove on spec last week on a rare child-free evening, and it was buzzing – so much that we couldn’t get a table. And that makes me even more keen to try again! My advice would definitely be to book a table.

    Proove, 261 Fulwood Road, Broomhill, Sheffield S10 3BD

  • Akentannos

    Akentannos

    *** In a rather wonderful update, this restaurant is now 100% gluten free! See my newer review***

    We went out for a lovely dinner for two to celebrate my birthday. I’ve been wanting to eat at Akentannos for a while, but it’s somewhere worth saving for a special occasion.

    Akentannos is a small Sardinian restaurant on Sharrow Vale Road, although it’s about to get bigger as they are currently knocking through into what I think was the old post office next door. So, exciting times for them!

    This is one of those little gems of places where the chef is gluten free, so you can have confidence there will be options and they understand how to prepare gluten free food. And that means you can relax, which is great. There isn’t a separate gluten free menu. There doesn’t need to be as GF dishes are marked on the main menu, and they account for about 95% of what’s available.

    We shared two starters, which were goat proscuitto (on the left), served with fig, pecorino, rocket, walnuts, balsamic and lavender honey. On the right is the baked goats cheese, which comes with asparagus, courgettes, aubergines, potatoes and spring onions. Both were delicious, and looked fantastic. Simple but delicious ingredients.

    So quite a goaty starter, but not on purpose. If you’re interested, the goat proscuitto tasted pretty similar to regular proscuitto, but it came in lovely big pieces.

    For main course, I ended up going for traditional Sardinian suckling pig, which was, predictably, rather a meat feast. It was served with rosemary potatoes and a gluten free flat bread (!) The meat was beautiful, although it did need some veg for variety of flavour, so we ended up ordering some to go with it. Hubby’s duck came with spring onions, a port wine sauce and dolcelatte cheese, with a generous serving of mash. These dishes are not for the faint hearted!

    There are a few gluten free options for dessert, but most are ice cream based. Next time I will definitely try the intriguing gluten free Sardinian biscuits or the Sardinian cheese board.

    We were impressed with the food and the service at Akentannos. The staff are all very passionate about working there, which was lovely to see. I’m looking forward to going back, so we’re going to have to find something else to celebrate!

    Akentannos, 270 Sharrow Vale Rd, Sheffield S11 8ZH 

  • Review: Miller and Carter

    Review: Miller and Carter

    After a whole January of eating in, we had a lovely evening at the relatively new Miller and Carter steakhouse at the weekend. Not least because we can walk there through the woods, which was fun. Miller and Carter is on the site of the old Toby Carvery at Parkhead next to the cricket ground, and indeed is owned by the same company, Mitchells and Butlers – in fact, they also own All Bar One, Vintage Inns (Fox House), and Browns.

    Miller and Carter is a chain steak restaurant, and they recently gained accreditation with Coeliac UK across their 89 branches. This isn’t (yet) reflected on their website or menus, but I’m pleased to report they do have a gluten free menu, and it’s the reason we decided to give it a try.

    The restaurant is full of nooks and crannies, so we had a fairly secluded table even though the place was quite busy. We loved the unapologetically beefy decor – photos of bulls everywhere, like this:

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    We chose to share a couple of starters from the gluten free menu: cluck and duck wings, and garlic king prawns. Both were great. The wings were unusual (in that I’ve never had duck wings before) and they came with a sticky glaze and some buttermilk dressing (although they didn’t really need the additional dressing). The king prawns were cooked well – just done, which is great – as overcooked prawns are a bit of a pet hate. (Yes, first world problems…)

    For mains, there were a few other options (tandoori lamb, ribs, buttermilk chicken), but we were in a steak restaurant, so when in Rome… I had a bistro rump with my absolute favourite accompaniment, peppercorn sauce, and chips! (Yeh – the chips are GF! Although apparently not in all M&C restaurants, so you’d need to check others. They don’t all have separate fryers, hence not on the GF menu.)

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    I have to say, the steak option is totally inspired and different to any other steak restaurant I’ve been to. The steak comes with a lettuce wedge in a bowl (your choice of dressing) which is great as a refreshing taste to accompany the steak. But the ‘piece de resistance’ is the onion loaf. I had no idea what this was going to be (I was expecting something bready) but it’s actually a slice of a deep fried, battered onion slab (i.e. loaf). That doesn’t do it justice though, as the taste is that of a giant, delicious onion ring. In other words, exactly the sort of best part of the dish that coeliacs can’t normally have. I haven’t had an onion ring in about five years – so it tasted even better than it probably was. Seriously well done to Miller and Carter for making the extra effort here.

    I was very pleased that 9-year-old didn’t want his, so I got an extra portion. The pepper sauce was good too – nice and fiery, in a mouth-warming way. The whole thing was really great. We ordered some broccoli as a side, which was also nice, with garlic and cheese, but we didn’t really need it.

    We really didn’t need a dessert, but in the interests of Sheffield’s coeliac community, I forced down a coffee and mini chocolate pot just to try them, and they were also lovely.

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    All in all, a great meal. We will definitely be back here. My only constructive criticism would be to get the sides (some of which are clearly GF) onto the gluten free menu, and the chips. Oh, and really shout about that Coeliac UK accreditation – it means a lot to us!

    Miller and Carter, 345 Ecclesall Road South, Sheffield S11 9PW

     

  • Wagamama gluten free

    Wagamama gluten free

    Before I was diagnosed coeliac, I used to be a regular at Wagamama. I love the flavours and freshness of oriental food and it was always a real treat. I went in once after my diagnosis and had such a disappointing experience I hadn’t been back since. It was one of those situations where well meaning restaurants say they can ‘tailor’ dishes to make them gluten free, but in reality, it means you miss out on the most flavoursome bits and end up with something a bit bland.

    So I was very excited to find out that Wagamama has launched a gluten free menu! You can take a look on their website – it’s very short compared to the main menu but there are some nice things to choose from. And it’s a separate gluten free menu in the restaurant, so at least you don’t have to read through all the things you used to have!

    There is, of course, the usual disclaimer about ‘no guarantee… etc.’ but the statement also says Wagamama will make every effort to avoid cross contamination. And frankly, that’s good enough for me.

    I was impressed when we turned up at the Sheffield branch in Leopold Square and was told we would have to order from one particular server who was in charge of all allergen ordering. It certainly appeared that some thought has gone into the offer and how it would be communicated, which is great.

    We chose a couple of starters to share: lollipop prawn kushiyaki and duck lettuce wraps. The prawns were big and juicy, with a punchy lemongrass, lime and chilli marinade. The duck ‘wraps’ were a touch simple really – crispy duck on a lettuce leaf with cucumber and spring onion. But I was given some gluten free soy sauce to drizzle on or dip into.

    For main course, I had a pad Thai salad, which was very good. This was choc full of prawns and chicken with leaves, mange-tout, carrot, tomatoes and some tangy pickled beetroot. It came with a nuoc cham and ginger miso dressing and some chopped peanuts to add in, so this was bursting with flavour. I really enjoyed it.

    IMG_6894Other offerings on the new gluten free menu include a lovely looking seared nuoc cham tuna dish with quinoa and kale, and a few noodle soup options: ramen, which is a light chicken broth and itame, which is spicy coconut and lemongrass. Both come with chicken or prawn options, and the itame can be done with tofu. That’s it for savoury options, other than edamame.

    There are a variety of ice creams and sorbets including the very tempting chocolate and shichimi ice cream (I’m not sure exactly what it is but it comes with caramelised sesame seeds!), coconut reika, and lemongrass and lime sorbet.

    Over all, a good experience, but I do hope Wagamama expand the gluten free offer soon. There are plenty more dishes that could be done gluten free and I was surprised to see no stir fries or rice dishes on the menu. Fingers crossed! Incidentally, a good friend of mine recently made me some truly awesome gluten free gyozas, so I know it can be done…

    Wagamama, 2 Leopold Square, Sheffield S1 2JG

     

  • Handmade Burger Co

    Handmade Burger Co

    ***Update – HBC is no longer Coeliac UK accredited so I’m unsure if they still have a gluten free offer – it’s not clear from the website***

    We went to the new Ikea this week, to get some furniture for the boys. Top tip is to go in the evening – around 7pm like we did – and it was super quiet.

    In need of food after (and I’m not confident about Ikea’s offering), we went to the Handmade Burger Co at Valley Centertainment, down the road. HBC is a chain gourmet burger restaurant, with about 21 outlets around the country. Being a Tuesday evening, it was very quiet so we got seated and served very quickly. The restaurant itself wasn’t particularly characterful, in a boxy, retail-style unit with cream walls, but we sat in a nice booth and it was perfectly pleasant. It’s more of a ‘quick meal before a film’ place than somewhere to hang out.

    Handmade Burger Co is accredited with Coeliac UK so I knew I would be confident eating there. Slogans on the wall are about high welfare meat and hand made food, so that’s all reassuring too. I was given an extensive gluten free menu with loads of different burgers, so it took ages to choose! There are a variety of beef, pork and chicken burgers with numerous toppings, and a thoughtful selection of vegetarian options. I was almost tempted by the sweet potato and bean burger, but I have form for ordering veggie food and being disappointed with it, so I decided to stick with meat. (The GF menu is online here but part of the web address says TEMP, so the link may not work for long. They did say they are updating the menu, so that may explain it.)

    One quite unusual thing is that on the GF menu, there’s a junior option, with a burger, side, dessert and drink for £3.95. I think that’s the first time I’ve ever seen a kids’ gluten free menu. I’m not keen on kids’ menus per se, as they’re generally full of bland food, but we usually end up ordering an expensive adult-size GF meal for my 8 year old – so this is very economical, if unhealthy! I’ll have to bring him with us next time…

    I ordered the Cajun chicken burger, which contains marinated chicken breast, Cajun mayo, Sriracha mayo, lettuce, tomato & red onion. I really wanted to try the Denver chips, topped with pulled pork, but somebody had cleared them out of pulled pork earlier with a big takeaway order, so I went for the rosemary salt chips instead. Hubby chose the sweet potato fries to go with his (non GF) beef with blue cheese burger.

    When my burger came, the bread bun arrived in a plastic wrapper with the stack of chicken, lettuce and tomato by its side. (To be honest, I’d prefer it if the non GF bread was kept in plastic wrappers, as that would be safer for cross contamination!) So I built my own burger, and it was good. The meat was well cooked (chargrilled chicken has a tendency to get overdone, but this wasn’t) and the mayo was suitably spicy. The bread bun held together whilst I ate the burger, which I felt was a success!

    We both preferred the sweet potato fries to the chips, as the rosemary salt chips were incredibly salty – as you might expect, I suppose. Having said that, the chips themselves were great, with a good texture. I will have to go back another time to try out those Denver chips, and take the boy.

    Handmade Burger Co, Valley Centertainment, Broughton Lane, Sheffield S9 2EP
    Also in Meadowhall, in the Oasis

  • Cubana: restaurant review

    Cubana: restaurant review

    I was looking for a last minute meal on Saturday before a theatre visit, and we ended up getting the last table at Cubana in Leopold Square. The restaurant is above a lively salsa bar. It’s a highly themed, lively place, with loud Latino music and a great atmosphere. We sat down at 5pm, but if it hadn’t been light outside, it could have been late evening!

    I had a look at the online menu before I booked and I was very impressed with the number of gluten free options.  27 of the 34 hot tapas and 6 of the 8 cold tapas are gluten free, as well as the paella and most of the side dishes. So we had tonnes to choose from with a wide variety of ingredients.

    My kids haven’t eaten much tapas before and really enjoyed being able to pick loads of things to try from the menu. We ordered all sorts: Patatas bravas, Chorizo, Albondegas (meatballs), tomato salad, Serrano ham with goat’s cheese, chicken skewers with cumin and paprika, duck and aubergine skewers.

    The tapas were all fabulous, with loads of different flavours. We didn’t have to wait too long for it to come either, considering how busy the place was. The one disappointment was there were only three meatballs, but we just chopped them in half and shared them out.

    We also ordered seafood and chorizo paella for two, to share between five of us as a main course. The menu advised a 45 minute wait for this, but it didn’t take that long. We were all very impressed when it came, decorated with lot of mussels, clams and shell-on prawns. And the rice itself was packed with ingredients. It’s the most generous paella I think I’ve ever had in this country. (I’m used to festival paella, where you get rice and a few bits of stuff, so this was amazing!)

    img_6443Unfortunately, I don’t think it had been cooked in its own serving pan as there were none of the delightful stuck on crispy bits at the bottom, but we still really enjoyed it. And our eyes were clearly bigger than our bellies as even five of us couldn’t polish it off after all the tapas, so we had to take the rest home in a doggy bag! And I’m proud to say we ate it for breakfast the next day!

    I’ll definitely go back to Cubana. The food and staff were great, and there are plenty of things left on the menu to try. I’m looking forward to the rosemary and garlic lamb cutlets and the tuna steak with cannellini bean salsa. We might go without the kids next time so we can get tucked into some of the 164 rums and enjoy a bit of the Latino vibe downstairs!

    Cubana, Unit 4 Leopold Square, Sheffield S1 2JG

  • Restaurant review: La Vaca, Broomhill

    Restaurant review: La Vaca, Broomhill

    We went out with some friends for an unexpected treat recently to make the most of a child free night. (Our boys were living it up in Skegness, camping with the grandparents – everybody wins!)

    At the suggestion of our friends, we went to try out La Vaca in Broomhill, which is a Southern American Steak House. The restaurant was a bit quiet, but it was a Wednesday evening. I can imagine when it’s busy and the open charcoal grill is sizzling along to some Latino music, it’s probably got a lot of atmosphere. However, it made for some very attentive service and food that arrived promptly.

    img_6184The menu, which I checked out beforehand, has gluten free options marked on clearly. There are a few GF options for starters, and we opted to share some Anticuchos (beef and chorizo skewers), and the Duo de Ceviche.

    The skewers (at the back of the photo) are self explanatory – they were very tasty; the ceviche is salmon, cod and prawn cured in citrus and served chilled. Not something I have very often, although I have made ceviche once in the past for a friend who I later discovered was allergic to lime so didn’t eat it. Whoops!

    We had 2 portions of the skewers and one portion of the ceviche between four of us, and it was plenty to whet our appetites.

    For mains we had steak, of course. We all had an 8 oz steak, which was plenty even for the guys. I have no idea how people manage the bigger cuts, which start from 16oz! Most of us had the ribeye, but I went for a sirloin, and it was excellent. Nicely medium rare and with an assortment of side dishes.

    Fourteen out of seventeen side dishes are marked as gluten free, so we had plenty to choose from. Ours were chips, sauteed potatotes, warm chick pea and feta salad, tomato and red onion salad, and baked tomatoes with garlic and basil. All were lovely, although I would have preferred the sautees to be crispier. (We were assured the chips were cooked separately, so are gluten free.)

    There are non-steak main courses available, which include a larger portion of the skewers we had to start, seared tuna steak, grilled halloumi with quinoa salad and stuffed mushrooms – so plenty to choose from.

    I have no idea about desserts, as they aren’t on the main menu and we were all too stuffed to fit in anything else!

    La Vaca, 477-479 Glossop Road, Broomhill, Sheffield S10 2QE