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The other evening I found myself in a part of town that I normally do not frequent while attending a theater production.  So I jumped online and did a quick search of restaurants near the theater to get a feel for what was around.  I came across a restaurant that I had heard of before but never tried so decided to head on over to their Web site and look at their menu to see if there was even a remote possibility of me dining there.  I am a huge fan of BBQ.  I like northern, northern, southern, and just about everywhere in between types of BBQ.  Dry rub…check.  Heavily sauced…check.  I was over the moon when I saw that Blue Smoke (the restaurant in question) actually had a gluten-free menu.  Yep, those two magical words appeared larger than most in the word cloud on the restaurant’s site.  I quickly made a reservation as images of my BBQ sauce stained fingers passed before me.

When the evening we’d be dining there finally rolled around, I was, to say the least, giddy with excitement to sample this new locale.  My other half and I had imbibed for an hour or so prior to heading over to the restaurant at one of my all-time favorite bars – The Campbell Apartment.  There is just something about that place that has always drawn me to it.  Not to mention early evenings on weekends are far less chaotic than during the week or later at night so I always try to pop-in for at least one cocktail when in the neighborhood.

So after tying on a few, my other half and I headed on down to Blue Smoke.  What’s nice about this place is that it features a rather good Jazz club on its lower-level (The Jazz Standard) and the restaurant above.  So technically you can binge at the restaurant and then roll yourself down the stairs for some smooth Jazz stylings…but I digress.

The restaurant was hopping when we arrived and we finally made our way to the front desk.  We were told our table was just being set and within a few minutes were seated at our table.  Oh, I forgot to mention that when the host was grabbing the menus I asked for a gluten-free version which first seemed to surprise him but he quickly grabbed a smaller red-framed menu that offered only gluten-free options.

Now I am always a bit leery of restaurants that have a gluten-free menu but are not really gluten-free establishments.  I always wonder how many requests does the kitchen actually get and do they really take it seriously.  Well, Blue Smoke definitely shines in this area.  When ordering I told the waiter that not only was I Celiac, but that I have a severe (read deadly) allergy to shellfish which he repeated to me and noted on the order ticket.  Nice.  I opted for the Baked Chipotle Wings as a starter.  I cannot remember the last time I have anything remotely related to Buffalo wings when dining out.  Not only is the gluten-contaminated oil a factor but most places tend to fry shellfish (and anything else) in a communal fryer.  Disgusting I know, but I learned the hard way when I reacted not once, but twice to shellfish laced French Fries – fool me once…  So the baked wings seemed like such a fantastic option I could not understand why more places don’t offer such an item.  The GF menu noted not to have the bleu cheese dressing.  I ordered the lean Brisket of beef for my main which came with a side of mashed potatoes (sans fried onion topping) and my other half and I shared a side of beets.

When the pile of rather large-sized wings arrived at the table I nearly squealed like a school girl but something caught my eye – a small cup of blue cheese dressing was next to a larger bucket of Chipotle sauce.  I found it strange but simply removed the offending sauce and pretty much inhaled the plate in front of me.  When the waiter came back to clear the dishes, I nicely noted that he may want to tell the kitchen about the blue cheese.  He stated that when the plates are dressed the runners put both sauces on because some people tend to order them for a table vs. themselves and like to share ;-).  Well, me being a greedy guts (I did share two with my partner, who indulged in the bleu cheese, it made perfect sense.

The Brisket arrived next was a HUGE portion.  It was cooked to perfection and the table was filled with a variety of sauces and shakers to accommodate a wide-rage of taste preferences (all of which were GF by the way).  The mashed potatoes were heavenly and beets cooked to simple perfection.  While completely stuffed, I decided to binge even more and have some plain ice cream and coffee for dessert.

When the ice cream arrived, the runner (not the waiter) said “Ooops, sorry, there is a cookie underneath there.  I am sorry, let me get you another”.  I thought that was incredible that they knew what to look out for before it even hit the table.  Also, after we were finished our waiter came by and said he owed me an apology as he heard the first dessert arrived with a cookie.  What?  Are we still in N.Y.C.?  I though that was such a nice move (though unnecessary) on his part because it shows that they take allergies seriously and it is comforting to know you have a line of two or three people looking out for you.

I could not have been happier with the entire experience and highly recommend Blue Smoke to all of my Celiac and non-Celiac friends out there.  Oh, and they mix a mean cocktail, which I can personally attest    to ;-).
 
 
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I have to apologize for the little break I took from my blog.  GFM has been swamped between work and travel but these activities have become fodder for some new postings.

I recently was in North Carolina for the Christening of my two (absolutely adorable) identical twin nieces.  Not having children of my own yet (the operative word being yet) I like to live vicariously through my brother’s children – the two twin girls and a 4 year-old nephew who is equally as cute.  There is just something magical about hearing “Hi Uncle Mike” that makes me so proud to be an uncle.  Also, because they are not my own children, I can spoil them as much as I like which is what uncles are for, right?

Anyway, the North Carolina coast seems to be scattered with every conceivable chain restaurant that is currently in existence.  Yes, there is the occasional independent-type restaurant but they tend to be few and far between – or, given the proximity to the ocean specialize in seafood, which for me is a no-go given my severe allergy to all things from the sea.  I am, needless to say, glad to be back in the land where chains are the exception rather than the rule.

Also of note while I was away…

Yours truly was featured on Fab Grandma’s blog which is a really good gluten-free read.  I was honored to be the first in her series Gluten-Free and Loving It.  You can read all about my Celiac experience or just peruse some of her recipes, reviews, and musings.  She leads a really interesting life as a full-time RV’er that offers some great travel insights as well.  Definitely head over to www.fabgranma.com and check it out.

So, I am jumping headfirst back into my site and have some really interesting product reviews in the pipeline.  Dorothy definitely had the right idea as there is no place like home.
 
 
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Time for another quick update of what GFM has been up to.  In case you missed it, you will not want to miss the fifth episode in my Quintessentially Gluten Free New York (QGFNY) series.  This episode finds me dining high above Manhattan at the Mandarin Oriental’s Asiate restaurant.  While you are checking this out, don’t miss the previous episodes featuring some of the most unique dining experiences in the City. 

Oh, and if you are looking for gluten -free or -friendly restaurants you can find them in the Dining section as well.

GFM will be hitting the road again this week with my travels taking me south to the North Carolina coast.  I am looking to sample some of my reader’s favorite places to dine while I am down there gluten-free or otherwise.  So, if you are familiar with the coast from Wilmington to New Bern and know of a place I should check out, please contact me and let me know.  I am really looking for places you frequent that can at least adapt to dietary restrictions…and remember if it is seafood exclusive it is a no-go for me.  See, you knew there had to be at least one condition.

Finally, if you haven’t checked out my Resources and Links section lately, please do.  I have added some new GF blogs that are definitely worth a read.  If you have a blog that is not listed, just use the blog submission form and I would be happy to add it.  All I ask for is a reciprocal link on your blog.  I am always amazed at the great quality and wide-range of topics and interests that my fellow Celiacs cover in their blogs.  I always learn something new and what better resources than ourselves to help guide us as we continue our journey to gluten-free fabulousness.

So there you have it in a nutshell.  Be sure to check out my real-time Tweets and Facebook updates as I make my way down the Eastern seaboard as I am certain it will be a interesting journey – particularly given the amount of snow that is supposed to transpire over the next two days.  It should be a very interesting journey indeed.
 
 
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Fair is fair and to be fair I can now say that Fairmont Hotels (both corporate in Canada) and Le Montreux Palace have 100% redeemed themselves in my eyes.  Some of you may remember my recent incident where a wayward metal staple made it onto my plate and was served to me.  Well, the hotel promised a full investigation to find out where the staple came from to prevent it from happening again upon my departure and with some gentle prodding of Fairmont corporate (who actually did reach out to me) I received my explanation yesterday from the Director of Operations at the hotel.

Apparently the wayward staple can from a delivery to the kitchen from one of their suppliers who uses that type of staple and who will now not be using staples of any sort on future deliveries.  Somehow one must have gotten loose and along the way hitched a ride on my plate.  To the restaurant’s credit they have also briefed the entire restaurant staff of the incident and will be paying even close attention to the plating of food.

I could not be more pleased for future diners, that the restaurant was able to track down the origin of the object and followed through with their promised due diligence.  Did I think it would actually come to fruition – well yes and no.  I liked to believe it would but did not fully understand the degree to which the restaurant took the incident nor did I think finding the proverbial needle in a haystack would even warrant such a detailed search.  I was clearly wrong and to both Fairmont’s and Le Montreux Palace’s credit they delivered on their word to get to the bottom of this and for that I am truly thankful.

So, while I may have been a bit direct in my post describing the incident I want to be even more direct in giving Fairmont credit where credit is due and thank them for taking the incident seriously AND more importantly finding a way to prevent this from happening to another guest in the future.  Well done Fairmont and Le Montreux Palace.  And for those skeptics out there who think that people are just out to get something take note, all I ever wanted was an explanation and that is exactly what I got – nothing more, nothing less.  So yes Virginia, customer service does still exist.
 
 
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I am going to take my gluten-free hat off for just a moment and stand on my soapbox briefly (I promise to relate my rant to gluten free living at the end).  I don’t know if it is the craziness of the holiday season but I am beginning (read well on my way to) losing faith in the concept of customer service.  Now, I am not just talking about going into a store or out to dinner but rather what seems to be a plague of the I don’t care attitude that is becoming increasingly apparent in more and more of my daily interactions.

I have come to grips that service will never be what it once was but I just don’t get it.  Perhaps I am just living in a dream world but I personally take pride in what I do in my professional and personal lives.  How does the old saying go – Things worth doing are worth doing right?  I get that times are tough but this noticeable decline came about well before the economy entered the proverbial crapper and quite frankly I am tired of excuses.

Don’t get me wrong – there are still shining stars out there that take pride in what they do but they are fast becoming a dying breed.  So, I suppose I will have to live vicariously through old movies and television shows to return to a time where the concepts of pride and service were not the exception but rather the rule.

So what does any of this have to do with being gluten-free – quite a lot actually.  Since I have started my blog and site I have had the opportunity to virtually meet and deal with many GF companies and brands out there.  What do they all have in common?  They are REAL people who take pride in the products they offer and provide real interaction with their customers and wait for it…customer service.  Yes, many of these companies are small (not all though) but it at least gives me some hope that our GF circles yield people who can hopefully turn a profit but never forget why they are in business.  Sure we are a small (but growing) niche but I am happy that not only can I purchase fantastic GF items but more often than not it comes with a virtual smile…free of charge. 
 
 
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So, my partner and I were entertaining a rather famous friend at the new Brasserie du Palace at Le Fairmont Montreux Palace where we were staying – our first time since it rebranded as a Fairmont from previously having been a Raffles (still part of the Fairmont chain). 

Well, this trip proved that there is something about a name.  We are talking about a five star deluxe hotel that charges a rather high premium for what was previously a truly renown level of service.  Now – not so much.  The hotel itself was still pretty much the same with the exception of a garish (and expensive) remodel.  The hotel services are still top shelf – the new design and dining options, not so much.

The gourmet restaurant and bar are now gone replaced by a miniscule lobby bar a remodeled (not for the better) Brasserie.  On this trip we were ignored by a bartender who though it more important to socialize rather than serving customers.  This would be addressed later by the duty manager who graciously apologized for the incident.

On the third night of our stay my partner sat on the bed and it collapsed, clearly having been incorrectly put together which resulted in wooden blocks propping up a corner for two nights until they could properly repair it.  Okay, not really a big deal but rather unexpected.

The piece de resistance came on our final evening while entertaining our friend.  The meal was off to a rough start as the bar could not figure out how to make a Martini.  My poor partner went through three before one was actually drinkable.  But here is where it gets interesting…we were all well into our entrees and I was savoring a rather well-prepared filet de boeuf and was nearly ¾ of the way through it having consumed all of the accoutrements that came with it but suddenly among conversation I spied something that looked a bit like a spice at first but when I looked more closely I noticed that it was…wait for it…a STAPLE.  Yes, a metal un-bent staple that clearly was cooked along with some portion of my meal, the metal having turned a nice dark charred color.  I was shaking and immediately let the manager know who quickly disappeared into the kitchen and return with the chef.  Well, multiple apologies later from a variety of staff an investigation was promised.  The chef maintained that they do not use staples in the kitchen…well, somehow from the kitchen to the table it clearly got in there and truly looked like it had been cooked having lost the shiny patina that a new, unused piece of metal would have.

Needless to say I was beside myself thinking what if I HAD chewed on that piece of metal?  Yes, I am anal about looking at my food (and expirations dates) – always have been.  Thankfully this time it all paid off because my OCD is the only reason I saw the staple prior to ingesting it.

The next morning I was the talk of the town and upon our departure the Head of Operations personally came down to apologize for the incident – which was very much appreciated and I can only hope that their investigation will find out where the foreign object came from.  I can only think perhaps a crate or something that was delivered because the ends of the staple were still straight and not like it had gone through a traditional stapler (for paper).

It was more shocking and unexpected than anything.  I did not eat it so no harm other than my nerves and the restaurant in its defense comped the entire meal which was not necessary as no harm was done and no one else’s meal had any problems.  They need not have done that and I like to believe they will look into the matter so that it will NOT happen again.  I truly hope to hear back from the hotel once their investigation into where the staple came from so that we can ensure that this not happen again in the future. 
 
 
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I truly had (as always) a wonderful time in Switzerland and really did not have to worry about gluten.  While always a concern I simple asked the right questions when dining out and was fine the entire trip.  Fortunately, languages are kind of my thing and I am fluent in quite a few so I can effectively communicate my multiple food allergies.  Even if you cannot speak the local tongue, simply do a bit of research prior to your departure and even print out some allergy-related phrases to take with you.  You can always whip them out and show them to your server or the manager when you are dining abroad. 

I was amazed at how many wonderful and rich sauces were in fact gluten-free.  When I lived in Europe for several extended periods I was not diagnosed Celiac so each subsequent visits are always still a learning experience.

On this trip I had fabulous sauces, creamy sauces, that were gluten-free and you would never know otherwise.  It just goes to show that if you keep food simple, it can taste wonderfully rich and not necessarily need a gluten-based thickener to make it rich.  I had everything from decadent gratin potatoes to Rösti to Züricher-style veal to fondue to sinfully rich desserts.

Thank goodness walking more than normal was always on the agenda ad otherwise I would likely have put on a ridiculous amount of weight J. 
 
 
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I am taking a quick break here in Switzerland to blog about my trans-Atlantic gluten free meal on the outward leg of my journey.  To start, we had a bit of a delay (well, about 2 ½ hours as they had to replace the cockpit windscreen).  Now, my other half is quite the nervous flyer so when we left the lounge to board we were greeting by the gate agent announcing if everyone looked out the window they would see the missing windscreen…nice.  Well, no worries we were directed back to the lounge and would be collected when the “problem” was resolved.  The departure time on the screens kept moving ½ hour forward as time went on but 2 ½ hours later we were finally boarding.

We were welcomed to the cabin personally by the cabin manager (who profusely apologized for the delay repeatedly and asked if we would like to use the arrivals lounge to freshen up upon arrival – already behind schedule we declined) and subsequently an array of flight attendants that would be taking care of us on this flight.  Menus and amenity kits were distributed and welcome cocktail orders taken and delivered.  My heart skipped a beat when I mentioned that I had a gluten-free meal and there was a moment of confusion as to whether it had in fact been boarded – it had.

So let’s get to the meal service.  Warm nuts which were salted only made for a nice snack while having a glass of wine.  Next came the appetizer cart (demitasse of mushroom soup, spring rolls, and shrimp) which I could not indulge in (but my partner did) but I was presented with a selection of smoked salmon with grilled baby asparagus, a lovely salad (everyone else’s would arrive at the next course with a selection of garlic bread and assorted rolls) that was served without dressing but rather Mrs. Dash which I thought a bit strange but I just squeezed some lemon on top and it was fine.  A plate of strawberries rounded out my quirky appetizer presentation.  For my main course I was presented with a nice grilled chicken breast with a tomato sauce and rice along with a side of steamed haricots vert.  My partner had the Osso Buco (from a selection of 4 choices) with rice and brocolini which he said was very good.  Next came the cheese cart with a selection of cheeses (only one was not gluten-friendly) and they were washed down with a nice port.  Finally came the ice cream (GF) with a selection of toppings.  I was hesitant to go crazy with toppings because I clearly could not look at the labels so just opted for a safe strawberry topping.  This was fine because I did not relish getting glutened at 36,000 feet.

Prior to landing I was served a rather large fruit salad while my partner had fruit and yogurt along with a selection of cheeses and meats (which I was surprised to not be offered as a GF option) and breads, cinnamon rolls, and croissants with preserves.

The in-flight service was really very good and yes, would I have liked to have been able to indulge in all that was offered – yes.  Alas, I was more than pleased not to have to eat my GF pack across the Atlantic  and most definitely was well fed and watered.
 
 
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GFM has been über busy with his day job and busy getting things in order for his upcoming vacation that he has been neglecting his blog duties.  First, my apologies, but hopefully you are following me on Twitter and/or Facebook (if not just click on the buttons to the left of this post) where I make real-time updates when I take a quick break.  If you are not friends with or following me please do as I am always up to something.

I always talk about finding gluten-free options when you least expect them and that is exactly what happened the other day.  It was time to bring the car in for ye olde annual state inspection and its 3,000 mile service.  Thankfully our dealer is fabulous and offers Sunday service appointments making life so much easier.  Being city-folk we really only drive on the weekends so the car sits in the garage 5 out of 7 days…but I digress.  Our dealer happens to be adjacent to a mall, albeit a very chichi and overly pretentious one that aside from two high-end anchor stores, really has nothing overly exceptional (or practical) – but they do have a rather decent food area though gluten-free options tend to be slim.  We had walked to another mall on this occasion as the weather was lovely and when our car was still not ready decided to pop-into the aforementioned mall.

I needed a little nosh so was looking, and looking, and…well, you get the idea.  It was an unseasonably warm day and I had a hankering for frozen yogurt.  Now I am a Pinkberry addict and am very particular about my FroYo.  This new brand, Yogorino/Baby Yogurt rang a bell because I had seen them in Dubai and they are in Europe as well haling from Italy.  I could not decide whether it would be safe and frantically tried Google on my BlackBerry.  Nothing but reviews as to how good the yogurt was.  Argh.  When suddenly I see a rather large sign (that clearly escaped me initially) telling passersby to ask the manager if you have food allergies.  Well, I walked to the counter and the two girls behind it did not know what gluten was but the manager quickly arrived and without missing a beat told me it was in fact gluten-free.  Hurrah!  When I asked one of the girls what flavors the listed plain, chocolate, and coffee.  The manager quickly chimed in “no” to the chocolate as it did have gluten…interesting.  I opted for a plain with fresh raspberries and it was really very good.

So, sometimes when we are not really looking for new products they happen to thrust themselves upon us.  You can check out the company's web site though the U.S. site is not yet up and running.
 
 
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GFM is entertaining again this weekend, though not in Halloween mode.  I was never a huge costume person, which is surprising actually.  I am however, VERY much looking forward to seeing my identical twin nieces (1 year old next month) dressed up as Thing 1 and Thing 2 with their older brother (4) as the Cat in the Hat. 

So what’s new with GFM?  Well, this weekend sees my partner and I entertaining yet again…quelle surprise!  We have actually enjoyed relatively quiet weekends as of late which were most welcome.  Our vacation to Switzerland is now less than three weeks away and I am looking forward to a bit of well-deserved R&R.  My gluten-free behind will be firmly ensconced at the Spa at Le Montreux Palace (one of my all time favorite great hotels) for the duration.  Well that’s not entirely true, I will be leaving for a fabulous once in a lifetime concert and party for one of the greatest sopranos of the 20th century. 

The pace of Montreux is what you make it and as long as you go before or after the famed Jazz Festival, you are treated to a wonderfully sleepy little town on the banks of Lac Leman that is the perfect hub for exploring the region.  I remember skiing just on the other side of the Alps that flank the city as a teenager and hope to revisit some of my old haunts with my partner.  Though every time we are in Montreux we say we are going to make a plethora of side-trips but just get so caught up in Montreux and its environs that we never leave until it is time to board the train back to Geneva.

For this weekend’s festivities, I am trying to plan my menu for the weekend festivities which is proving challenging as I never serve the same thing to recurring guests.  So I am running through, in my mind, everything that our guests have had during previous visits.  The hors d'œuvre portion of the evening always proves easy as I can rotate through my preferred cheese and nibbles portfolio.  The appetizer, main course, sides, and desserts remain elusive at this point.  I know in the end it will all come together so I am just going with the flow at the moment.  So stay tuned for the recipes from whatever I end up serving.

On Monday I am sampling a new gluten-free restaurant downtown for dinner with a dear colleague from the office (who selected it because of my Celiac) so look for a review soon thereafter.  I have already had a peek of their menu and am SO excited to sample what look to be fantastic gluten-free options.  The place has good buzz going on so it should be a great evening.