New gluten-free pizza bases at Pizza Hut

I was really lucky to win a Twitter competition recently to try the new and improved gluten-free pizza bases at Pizza Hut.

You may recall I've blogged about my success at Pizza Hut  before and how much I love their GF pizza.

Pizza Hut is probably one of the best places I've found to eat out gluten-free and I've never had any problems there or accidental-glutenings. Since my first blog post about their pizza's I have been back time and time again and always get a great experience.

You can certainly tell the difference between the new bases compared with the old ones. They are a bit thicker and doughier, which I like. I'm not the biggest fan of the thin and crispy crusts to be honest, not that there's anything wrong with them - I just like a bit more bread on my base. I think the Pizza Hut GF bases are the closest I've found to a "normal" pizza. In my opinion the bases taste just like the Italians would make them.



The base I had was lovely and soft, not hard or crispy and I actually couldn't really tell it was a gluten-free base if I'm honest (apart from the fact it was a square base not round - this is a really great way that Pizza Hut staff distinguish between the gluten-free and normal bases, so there is less chance that mistakes might be made in the kitchen and you get given the wrong pizza base).

You might notice from my photo, however, that I was not supplied with my own pizza cutter this time (just a steak knife). Does anyone know why Pizza Hut have stopped providing pizza cutters with the GF bases? I liked the fact that I had my own cutter before. It's still good that I had my own knife and could cut it myself (all GF pizza's arrive un-sliced), again this is another good way Pizza Hut try to limit the risk of cross-contamination - by making you cut your own.

I went for the Meat Feast with added Roquito peppers, I like my pizza the spicier the better!

What's your favourite Pizza Hut topping?

Why I won't be eating at Chiquito any time soon

You may remember me telling you recently about the new extension to the Potteries Shopping Centre in Hanley with 6 new restaurants and a 9-screen Cineworld Cinema? In case you missed it, my review of the first Coeliac-friendly eatery I tried - Gourmet Burger Kitchen - is here

My second visit to the new restaurant complex was not quite so successful. We decided to try Chiquito, as regular readers of this blog will know that I love all types of Mexican food, and spicy food in general. 

However when we sat down in Chiquito and I was faced with their menu, I was really disappointed to see that they only had a "Gluten Intolerant Menu". I quizzed the waiter on what this actually meant and he said that the dishes contained on this menu were suitable for gluten intolerant diners, but like with many restaurants, they couldn't guarantee that the food served was 100% gluten free, leaving me to make the decision as to whether to stay and risk the food being cross-contaminated, or leave. This was a really tricky decision because I had been so looking forward to the meal and I just really wanted Mexican food! But we have to be really careful with places like this, I mean, it's really not worth risking making yourself ill, just for something you really want to eat. If there's any chance of cross-contamination I try to avoid it. 

I also checked the small print in their menu and saw that they advised that they don't cook their "gluten-intolerant" menu in a separate fryer, meaning obviously the chance of cross-contamination was really high. Here's what their website says:-

Wheat and gluten ingredients which are deep fried will use the same fryers in our kitchens as dishes not containing these ingredients - there may be risk of cross contamination which may therefore affect extremely sensitive sufferers.

You can read more about their menu's here

We actually got up and left, before even ordering. What a complete disappointment! If other restaurants can make the effort to have controls in their kitchens to minimise the risk of cross-contamination with nasty gluten, why can't a big chain like Chiquito do the same thing?

Cue angry/grumpy face from me! 

If you are gluten-intolerant and not as sensitive to a small amount of gluten, then you may just be OK here at Chiquito, but for Coeliacs who need to completely avoid gluten, Chiquito really isn't the place for us. 

Shame! 

Gourmet Burger Kitchen

Since changing jobs a couple of years ago and now working in Macclesfield, I rarely visit Hanley (Stoke-on-Trent) anymore. However, I had read in the press that the Potteries Shopping Centre in Hanley has recently had a 60,000 square foot extension added to the main shopping centre which includes 6 new restaurants and a 9-screen Cineworld Cinema.

A number of the new restaurants cater for Coeliacs and have their own separate gluten-free menus, which has opened up a whole new bunch of eating out options for me.

The 'safe' places to eat out there are:-

• Gourmet Burger Kitchen
• Nando's
• Pizza Express
• Frankie and Benny's
• Chiquito

A couple of weeks ago it was my husband's birthday and we wanted a quick bite to eat before catching a film on Friday night, so we decided to pay a visit to the new Gourmet Burger Kitchen, or GBK.

I was really impressed - they had their own separate gluten-free MENU which includes gluten-free burger buns, which is sometimes hard to find in some places. There really is no point calling something a burger if there's no bun!

There's a good selection of burgers, salads and sides to choose from. At GBK you basically custom-make your own burger, choosing your own meat, toppings, sides, dips etc. Sadly, you can't have the fries, but I guess we can't have it all.

Here's my burger...

That's what I would call a proper burger! This is the "Blazing Sombrero"

The only thing I would say is the bun was rather dry and it did fall apart in my hands, maybe partly because of the amount of burger inside and fillings, and maybe partly because, well,  we all know what gluten-free bread can be like don't we - dry, holey.

I did have to eat the rest of my burger with a knife and fork - slight pet hate of mine. But I'm hoping maybe this was a one-off bad bun. I'd definitely go back and try another burger. Has anyone else found a similar thing with the buns at GBK? I'd love to hear about your experience. Feel free to comment below. Is it a common problem with GBK gluten-free buns?

So despite the dry bun, I think GBK are doing a great job but perhaps more care is needed when preparing and storing their GF bread buns. Fresh is always best! No more stale GF buns please, GBK! I would also like to see fries as an option on their GF menu too. Maybe if enough of us get on to them they might do something about it, you never know.

The Pepper Mill, Longton, Stoke-on-Trent

I've visited The Pepper Mill in Longton a few times these past couple of months and every time I've visited I've had a great gluten-free meal with no nasty after-effects.

I was recommended to go here by a friend I used to work with as she had noticed when she went for a meal there that on the menu it advertised they offer Genius bread as an alternative to normal bread with their sandwich options.

I then visited their website and discovered their whole Main Menu Allergy List. This is basically a condensed version of their main menu highlighting all the dishes that do not contain wheat or gluten. There are starters, sides, mains and desserts to choose from. Even better, the chips are marked gluten-free!

The Pepper Mill serves mainly pub food but they also have a tasty carvery served daily. So far I've tried the chicken tikka masala, chicken melt and the carvery (twice). All four meals I could not fault.

Not only do they offer Genius bread sandwiches for Coeliacs but if you ask the staff they will provide gluten-free gravy with their carvery. It's awesome that I can now go out and have a carvery just like everybody else (avoiding the yorkshire puddings, stuffing and normal gravy of course).

What I like about The Pepper Mill is that their staff seem pretty knowledgeable about the gluten-free diet, they are very accommodating and willing to help and there is an impressive choice of dishes to choose from, not just one or two. It's great to find somewhere like this where I don't feel restricted or left out and where I am treated the same as everybody else.

I can see myself visiting here time and time again not only because the location is handy for a lot of my friends and family but also because The Pepper Mill offers great gluten-free pub food in a lively atmosphere.

Zizzi, Cambridge

My first taste of gluten-free pasta (not cooked by myself at home) happened at Zizzi in Cambridge as part of my friend's hen weekend. Zizzi is a large chain of Italian restaurants which you will find all over the UK and the great thing about them is they have their own allergen menu's.

They offer a vegetarian, nut free, gluten-free, vegan, soya free, alcohol free, fish free, egg free, and dairy free menu, all separate from the regular main menu - that's quite an impressive list of dietary requirements if you ask me!

I was keen to try their gluten-free pasta dishes as I have found it quite difficult to master the art of pasta cooking at home myself. I've noticed with gluten-free pasta if you overcook it even just by a few seconds sometimes you end up with a sticky mess of pasta all congealed together. Not good! Timing is definitely key.

If you ask for the allergen menu you will soon find the gluten-free section clearly labelled and it's easy to navigate your way down the list. Plus there is actually quite a lot of choice if you love Italian food. Zizzi very helpfully list all their pasta sauces from the main menu that are gluten-free which can all be served with gluten-free fusilli. They also do gluten-free pizza bases which I would love to try next time.

You can view their entire allergen menu online here

I went for the pesto rosso which was a spicy chicken dish with red pesto. Sadly when my pasta arrived it was a little bit undercooked but I blame this on the fact that it was a busy Saturday night and we were part of a hen party of 21 people! The staff were rushing around like mad things trying to get all our meals out at the same time and to be fair they didn't do a bad job. That said, I enjoyed the meal and the sauce was lovely and rich, full of flavour and it tasted pretty authentically Italian too.

So rather than being overcooked my pasta was undercooked which surprised me a little but I would definitely go back again on a quieter night and probably order the same thing to give Zizzi a second chance. Top marks to Zizzi for their allergen menu though!

The Honey Pot, Keswick, Lake District

OK, so the service here wasn't great - we were served by a really miserable waitress who didn't seem happy to be there - but the Honey Pot in Keswick does cater for Coeliacs so I definitely wanted to pay it a visit when in the Lake District. Here's their menu...

Looks good so far

It was great to see they actually had a gluten-free section in their menu as not all places do. I really fancied a bacon and cheese ciabatta but sadly they had sold out of ciabatta's so I opted for a toastie instead. I have to admit I was a little disappointed when my food arrived. It wasn't really presented that well and it looked like something I could have just easily made myself at home with a sandwich maker, nothing special at all. Still, I was hungry and ate it although I did find it a little too greasy for my liking (probably the melted cheese).

To cheer myself up I decided to order the New York Cheesecake which was advertised on the specials board as gluten-free. This was much better and it was my first taste of cheesecake since going gluten-free and I really enjoyed it.

I'm kinda hoping I visited the Honey Pot on a bad day because they have the potential to be a really lovely gluten-free venue, they have variety on their menu and the fact they also do Coeliac-friendly dessert gets them an extra bonus point in my book. I just hope they will work on their presentation in the future - just because it's gluten-free doesn't mean it has to look bad - and also they need to make sure they have everything in stock that they advertise on the menu otherwise they will end up with a lot of unhappy Coeliacs.

I did love their pretty tables though!

You can find the Honey Pot at

6 New St  Town Centre, Keswick CA12 5BB 017687 74974

Primo Piano, Leek, Staffordshire

Primo Piano is a Ristorante and Pizzeria based in Leek, Staffordshire. Yes, you did hear me right, Leek - that's where I live! Finally, somewhere in Leek I can review, Hurrah! As far as I know this is the only restaurant in my home town offering to cater for Coeliacs (at the moment). But I'm really hoping I can change that soon.

It was a special occasion, our 3rd wedding anniversary, so we decided to book a table there on a Wednesday evening (I've heard it can get quite busy on Friday and Saturday nights so definitely book in advance). Family friends had mentioned that they offer some gluten-free options on the menu and I also checked www.onionring.co.uk in advance too and was pleased to see that "gluten free dishes available" was clearly stated on this website. A quick phone call to the restaurant a couple of days beforehand also clarified this for me. You can find a copy of their menu on onionring (although I'm not sure how up to date this menu is).

Once we were seated at our table the waitress very kindly explained that all the chicken and steak dishes could be prepared gluten-free so I could choose any of those. I had heard that they do provide gluten-free pizza bases so you can also get a pizza there but I decided to go for a steak, it was a special occasion after all, and I never would normally choose steak on a menu.

I must say I was a bit disappointed to see that although there were options I could have on the menu, there was no mention of a gluten-free pizza base on the menu and it would have been nice if there had been a gluten-free pasta option on there too. Still, the meal I had was delicious, steak in a blue Italian cheese sauce with salad and potatoes. The steak was cooked exactly how I liked it and the sauce was absolutely moreish, rich, creamy and filling and yet not too overpowering to the steak. I would most definitely order this again when I go back although I am trying to be careful with my dairy intake at the moment so I have to be careful with creamy sauces like that.

I'm hoping that the more people that get diagnosed with Coeliac Disease (and it is becoming more and more common) and as the demand increases for gluten-free cuisine, smaller restaurants like Primo will develop their menu to include more pasta and pizza dishes in line with some of the bigger chain restaurants that are already doing this. The good thing about Primo though is that it is my local restaurant and they do offer some gluten-free choices so it means I don't have to travel to Manchester for a meal out, however, if you don't like chicken or steak (or you happen to also be vegetarian) I do wonder whether there would be anything for you to have here. Also, the steak dishes happen to be the most expensive meals on their menu rather annoyingly! I do think in the future Primo should work on their menu, maybe highlight on there with a 'GF' symbol all the dishes that are gluten-free so it is really clear and if they could expand their menu to include one pasta dish this would ensure I came back time and time again. Still, I have to give it to Primo for being the first restaurant to openly advertise gluten-free choices in Leek and I'm hoping that other venues in Leek and the surrounding areas will catch on and also do the same.

If you're a restaurant/cafe in Leek, I'm coming for you!!!!

Happy Anniversary to us!

The Custom House, Barnstaple

I have quite mixed feelings about writing this blog post, which may explain why it's taken me a while to write this review but I'll do my best to explain why now.

Essentially, what I had at The Custom House in Barnstaple was a delicious burger with chips (my first since being diagnosed), a meal that I could actually eat without being ill afterwards and a meal I enjoyed out with my friends. All in all, a very pleasant evening which certainly mustn't go unnoticed.

However, due to a slight mix-up with my food order with another lady's in our party, I ended up being given the wrong topping for my burger, the consequences of which, looking back now, could have potentially been serious for me as a Coeliac.

I really don't want to make this post sound negative because I did really enjoy my time at The Custom House. It's a lovely restaurant offering British and American cuisine "with a twist". Their specialty of course, is the burger. What's great about this place is you can pretty much tailor make your burger to suit you, depending on how you like it. The decision starts with what type of meat you want for your burger, then you pick the bun (hooray for the gluten-free bun!), followed by salad, cheese, a topping and then finally you pick a sauce. It kind of reminded me of going to Subway - lots of decisions to be made! And many, many different combo's. Apparently there are 544320 combinations? Wow!

It was refreshing to see a gluten-free bun option on the menu and the chips I was informed are gluten-free also.

So, what happened?

As always, I made sure I spoke with the waiting staff to let them know that I was Coeliac and they were very pleasant and friendly, going through the menu and explaining what I could have. They also made a point of alerting the chef to my dietary requirements to ensure there was no contamination in the kitchen.

Unfortunately when our burgers arrived it soon came to my attention that the kitchen staff had got my topping mixed up with someone else's - I had been given mushrooms and she had my bacon. Now there was no real harm in this and thankfully I hadn't taken a bite out of the burger - a simple human error which was quickly rectified by them very kindly offering to cook me some bacon to put on the side. But this then got me thinking... What would have happened if they had accidentally got the buns mixed up and I had been given a regular bun? Or I had been given a topping that had not been prepared correctly or had been cooked with other gluten-containing ingredients? What if I hadn't noticed before and had simply started tucking in? You may be able to see where I'm going with this. I do need to stress here that none of this happened and it was just the bacon and mushrooms that got mixed up.

Despite this, I did think the staff here were really clued up on gluten-free cooking and they did seem very accommodating to a Coeliac's needs. It's just a shame this little mishap came about but thankfully no harm was done and I still enjoyed my first gluten-free burger.  Please please please don't let this put you off trying the Custom House, mistakes can and sometimes do happen, particularly if a restaurant is busy and there are a lot of food orders to prepare, not to mention the hundreds of different combinations of burger. Maybe just double check before your food comes out that they have got what you ordered right, that's all I'm saying.

And what about dessert?

Well, I would highly recommend their bubblegum (yes, bubblegum!) ice cream which I absolutely loved and was a great end to a fantastic meal. I'm now on the hunt for more.

The Jolly Roger Tea Room, Exeter

After a few relaxing days away in Barnstaple, North Devon, I'm back and ready to review some of the places I managed to eat out at.

I was very surprised to find that there were actually a lot more Coeliac-friendly places to eat out in Barnstaple than in my home town of  Leek, Staffordshire. (Come on Leek get a move on!) On further thought though, Barnstaple is a very touristy place so I suppose it does makes sense that there are a lot more gluten-free places to eat out there as there is probably more demand for them. But still, it frustrates me that there is hardly anywhere for me to eat out where I live in Leek, and further affield, in Stoke-on-Trent.

I was immediately drawn in to the place as there was a sign outside advertising their gluten-free choices on the menu so this seemed like an obvious place to lunch whilst visiting Exeter for the day.

The tearoom is a very quirky little place, located on the riverside in Exeter. You can eat outside or indoors but as the weather was bad we ate inside. The interior of the tearoom is decorated in pirate-themed paraphernalia and there are pirate ships mounted on to the wall all around the room so, plenty of things to look at whilst you are waiting for your food to arrive.

The Jolly Roger specialises in their loose-leaf tea (white tea, black tea, herbal tea and rooibos tea) and I was completely overwhelmed by the choice on their menu. I have only recently been converted to tea drinking (and fruit tea only) but after much deliberation I decided to go for a pot of strawberry black tea. It's also worth mentioning that they actually sell all their tea in a little shop next door too.

When the waitress came to take our order I asked her about the gluten-free options, as it was not clear from the menu what I could have. She explained that they had scones, crumpets, and gluten-free bread if I wanted a sandwiche. I decided to go for the date and banana scone which came with dairy-free margarine spread or jam/cream. I opted for the dairy free spread (it's nice that they have the dairy-free alternative too). When my scone arrived it was warm and fresh as everything is baked on site. I would have perhaps preferred a little stronger banana taste but the scone texture itself was lovely and light, definitely not as heavy as you find with some gluten-free baked goods. However, I really wished I'd ordered two! Everyone else in our party had ordered sandwiches which were huge and came on a plate with crisps and salad and by the time I had gobbled up my scone they had barely started on their plate of food and I had to sit and watch them eat the rest of theirs. Next time I think I will probably order something more substantial but again I opted for something simple in the hope that there would be no way I'd accidentally eat any gluten. I definitely think there is a trust issue there for me.

Overall, if you like tea you should definitely visit the Jolly Roger. The fact that there are gluten-free choices on the menu is also a bonus.

The Only Way is Gluten-Free heads down south!

I'm off down south, to Barnstaple, North Devon for a few days to visit friends. I'm really looking forward to a nice break and a change of scenery but this is also the first time I will be away from home since being diagnosed as a Coeliac so I am feeling a little bit nervous about what/where I will be eating for the next 4 days.

Never fear I'm packing a few gluten-free essentials to take with me just in case - some bread, crackers, cereal and some macaroons for snacking plus some gluten-free stock cubes and gravy granules - always be prepared (can you tell I used to be in the Girl Guides?)

I've done my research and checked out Coeliac UK's venue guide on their website and found a couple of places to eat out in Barnstaple that they recommend but I'm looking forward to having a good old nosey round the place and hopefully I will find some great new places to eat out that are Coeliac-friendly. So watch this space...

Las Iguanas - muchos gracias

www.iguanas.co.uk/

Following on from Saturday's cupcake success I was feeling brave and found myself in Manchester on Sunday night to watch a gig. We needed a quick bite to eat before the concert started and so we decided to give Las Iguanas' gluten-free menu a try (yes, they have a whole gluten-free menu!) 

Having searched the Coeliac UK website beforehand, using their very handy venue guide, I had decided this was the best place to go for my first gluten-free meal out in Manchester (Deansgate) . It also happens to be my favourite type of cuisine and one of my favourite places to eat ever, and the fact that they also have a gluten-free menu was definitely a bonus. Their chilli is possibly the best chilli I have ever tasted (pre gluten-free) and yes I would consider myself to be a bit of a chilli connoisseur.

Upon arriving at the restaurant I made myself known to the waitress and explained that I required a gluten-free menu, no big deal was made of it, no fuss, I was just given the gluten-free menu instead of the normal menu when we got to our table- no problem. I think the staff here are pretty used to this kind of thing.

The gluten-free menu is basically a selection from their main menu that the chefs have adapted to be gluten-free. The gluten-free options are also on their main menu marked with a 'GF' by the side but it is handy having your own gluten-free menu and that way you don't have to trawl through the rest of the menu just to pick out the gluten-free options. There is a good selection to choose from (sadly no chilli option) and I found that there was something on the starter, main and dessert menu that tempted me. I opted for the Feijoada de Vaca (a Brazilian stew with beef, chorizo, and black beans in a red wine sauce) and I must say it was absolutely delicious!

To view their gluten-free menu click here

Although I am still new to gluten-free eating out I think Las Iguanas are certainly up there with the forerunners in Coeliac dining out. The fact that they have taken the time to produce their own gluten-free menu which means that you can see exactly everything that you can eat just shows how accommodating and aware of Coeliac Disease they are. I did worry that going to a restaurant for the first time with a special dietary requirement would be embarrassing and I might be made to feel like an inconvenience or one of those  'fussy eaters' but this simply wasn't the case with Las Iguanas. Asking for a gluten-free meal was about as normal as asking for a vegetarian option. The waiting staff are friendly and knowledgeable about the food and were keen to recommend a dish if you are unsure what to have.

It must be noted that I visited the Deansgate, Manchester Las Iguanas and although I'm sure the other restaurants within the chain across the UK will offer the same kind of experience, I have only commented on their Deansgate venue.

Muchos gracias Las Iguanas for a very enjoyable fuss-free gluten-free dining experience. First meal out - in the bag!