Chinese

Nectar

“Enjoy the little things”

… And it’s already Memorial Day Weekend! Gosh time flies by. Hope you’re soaking in the sun and getting a little extra vitamin D that the prolonged winter deprived us of. Celiac Awareness Month is coming to an end, so I’m going to try my best to sneak in a few more posts before the month’s over.

Nectar is one of my all time favorite restaurants. I haven’t had the opportunity to dine there as often as I would’ve liked, but I have been there enough to know that the summery contemporary decor + the excellent Asian-inspired food (with a French flair) make it a wonderful place to dine. The venue is perfect for a spring time party- you can use the patio and open the window-paneled doors for a breeze. The buddha statues bring through the Asian theme while the bright orange decor is a nice contrast that gives it a modern edge. For the private event I hosted there recently, we adorned each tableset with sandalwood fans and mini take-out boxes with handmade French chocolates.

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As for the service, we had a terrific server named Bob managed to keep straight a variety of allergies and dietary restrictions. The group had one gluten-free gal (guess who?!) and three pescatarians, one strict vegetarian, one peanut-free, and one nut-free gal. Quite a crew, right? But that just attests to how on top of everything our server was.

Anyways, the food. Absolutely delicious. For an appetizer, they modified their crispy goat cheese salad to a “true leaf organic greens salad with pickled root vegetables.” The crispy goat cheese was lightly fried in a glutinous batter. However, the pickled root vegetables were quite interesting (for the better). I can’t quite think of anything just like it. Maybe the closest thing- which is still a bit of a stretch- would be a spicy Indian pickle called achar. But this was a more of a sweet Japanese version if that makes any sense. For the main course, I ordered a classic: a spicy tuna roll. When there is sushi, you get sushi. Need I say more? And for desert, the chef was extremely accommodating. The private party menu had said dessert was a “fantasy finish.” Now honestly, what does that mean? Well considering we had no idea what to expect, I was delightfully surprised. There was a slice of gltuen-free chocolate hazelnut bread, a vanilla mousse with apricot jam, and a strawberry sorbet.

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Hopefully you’re tempted enough to give this place a try. Enjoy the long weekend!

Cheers,

Anika

Yangming

Whether it is Mother’s Day or Father’s Day, a celebration or a treat, my family and I consistently return to this Chinese restaurant− Yangming. We always enjoy ourselves filling our bellies and sharing laughs.

As a girl who is gluten-free, it is a bit upsetting that Yangming does not have a gluten-free menu. I am quite familiar with the menu, but the staff is usually helpful in navigating through any new additions and seasonal specials.

As for appetizers, I would recommend the grilled Thai chicken or char-grilled satay lamb. The grilled chicken is essentially the satays that you could find at any Thai restaurant. However, the lamb is different and worth trying! In the entrees, from experience, I know the Spicy Pad Thai with Jumbo Shrimp and Spicy Rice Vermicelli Singapore Style are also gluten-free. But my go-to dish is the Spicy Wild-Peppered Lamb. Just a word of caution, the dish is named rightfully so. This is a rather spicy dish, but with an adequate amount of rice and a few refills of water, it’s quite delicious!

As you can tell, I am a fan of the food here, it never disappoints, but I can’t say the same regarding the waiter’s knowledge of gluten-free foods. About one year ago, when dining at Yangming, I had wanted to try a different dish. I had settled on the Half Peking Duck. I was aware that it is typically served with Mandarin pancakes and Hoisin sauce (the wrap and sauce used in making Mu-Shu Chicken). However, he waiter checked with the chef and informed us the duck would be gluten-free when served without the wrap and sauce. So, I decided to go ahead and order it. And let me tell you, to this day, that is the best duck I have eaten.

But, when I returned to Yangming just over a week ago, I remembered the delicious duck I had eaten and decided to order it again. Since a year had passed, we aired on the side of caution and asked the waiter our usual questions regarding what’s gluten-free. This waiter told us right off the bat that the duck was not gluten-free. He said the actual duck has a coating that would not be suitable. I was disappointed that I wasn’t able to eat the wonderful meal once again, but I was more concerned with which waiter’s words hold truth. In any case, it never hurts to air to the side of caution when there’s even a shred of doubt.

Whether you decide on giving this restaurant a chance or would rather not take the risk, keep in mind that this isn’t the first or last restaurant to make mistakes regarding gluten-free foods. Restaurants can prove to be a bit of a challenge. Just remember, the key lies in staying away from foods that you aren’t certain are 100% gluten-free.

Have a great weekend!

Cheers!

Anika

Ruby Foo’s

Ruby Foo’s

On our last day in New York City, we grabbed a quick bite at Ruby Foo’s for lunch, an upscale Pan-Asian restaurant conveniently located next to Theater District. We had tickets to a matinee showing of Wicked that afternoon at the Gershwin Theater, which was just around the block! This was not my first time dining at Ruby Foo’s- it was actually my third. They do have a gluten-free menu (the link will lead you to the Menus and Food tab, click on “Ruby Foo’s Full Menu” and the ninth page of the pdf file has the gluten-free menu), but none of their sushi are listed. So, if you are interested in sushi, do ask your server and he or she will be able to identify which ones are gluten-free. I had vegetable roll, which consisted of cucumber, avocado, and asparagus. And upon request, I was a gluten-free soy sauce. For a quick dessert (we were in a hurry to get to the show), I had a scoop of Vietnamese coffee ice cream. As far as I recall, this is the best coffee ice cream I’ve had. It’s even better than Starbucks Java Chip Frappuccino Ice Cream, which is really saying something!

Anyways, if you are dining with friends or family who are nor restricted to a gluten-free diet, I know my family enjoyed the dim-sum.

Cheers!

Anika

Han Dynasty

This past Sunday, my family and I treated my dad out for a special Father’s Day lunch. We celebrated him at Han Dynasty in Philly. Now, Han Dynasty is not your typical run-of-the-mill Chinese restaurant. Oh no, it’s much more. The menu contains a variety of appetizers, soups, entrees, and a unique spice level scale. The spice levels range from 1-10, and each dish has a given number that can be altered based on the desired taste.

For an appetizer, I ordered the spicy crispy cucumber with a spice level of 5. Although the restaurant did not offer a gluten-free menu, the waiter was well informed and said based on what dish I chose, she would tell me if it was gluten-free, can be altered to be gluten-free, or simply not doable. The soy sauce from the cucumbers was removed so that it could be gluten-free. For the main course, I ordered the Garlic Sauce Style Lamb with a spice level of 5 as well. Since the restaurant serves the dishes family-style, I tried the Cumin Style Chicken that my brother ordered, with a spice level of 5. Both dishes were assured to be gluten-free.

I have to warn you, don’t let the spice level fool you. A level 4 or 5 is pretty spicy! (And I love spicy food). Sadly, there was no dessert on the menu, and I really could’ve gone for a cold, refreshing sorbet to cool my taste buds down. But we did make our way to Kiwi, a frozen yogurt (froyo) place just about two blocks away.

Hopefully all of your dads or you (if you’re a father) had a special and memorable Father’s Day!

Cheers,

Anika

Chifa

Those who are looking for an exotic twist on some delicious gluten-free dishes in Philadelphia, Chifa is the place to be. My family and I discovered this Peruvian and Cantonese restaurant about two years ago, and it’s most definitely a family favorite! The waiters were a great help in identifying gluten-free options.

My personal favorite was something I usually miss out on: the rolls! Whether it be Olive Garden or Bertucci’s the fresh rolls with olive oil are something we must skip. But in Chifa, they have complimentary yucca-flour manchego cheese rolls that come with a tangy guava dipping sauce on the side. These gluten-free rolls are incredible and arguably the best part of the meal! They were so good that we had the chef pack half a dozen rolls to go!

P.F. Chang’s

P.F. Chang’s has been a family favorite for years as it brings back fond memories. Every time my cousins visit Philly or we fly down south, we always manage to find time to have one meal at this restaurant. It’s the place where we tried to teach my left-handed cousin how to eat with chopsticks and where I celebrated my 12th (or was it 13th?) birthday with a couple of gals. It’s the wonderful memories and experiences that keep us coming back.

Anyways, to what you’re really interested in, “what’s in it for me? gluten-free?” Well, they have an excellent gluten-free menu (check it out!), which they do update as they discover new gluten-free dishes. And the servers are very well informed. And sometimes when it’s a large party, they serve the gluten-free foods on black-trimmed plates with the P.F. Chang’s trademark, so it’s easily distinguishable which is a nice touch.

From much past experience, I can say the GF Chang’s Chicken Lettuce Wraps are my go-to appetizer, and the GF Philip’s Better Lemon Chicken and GF Chang’s Spicy Chicken are entrees that never disappoint. I have heard that the GF Chang’s Spicy Chicken is comparable to the glutinous General Tso’s Chicken that one can order at nearly any Chinese takeout restaurant. The taste and texture of PF Chang’s GF chicken is as close as it gets to the flavors of the breaded favorite. At least that’s what my brother claims.

Now to dessert, I don’t even glance at the menu for this course! The GF Flourless Chocolate Dome is rich and chocolately in taste. It is heavenly with a raspberry sauce drizzled along the side. I would highly recommend it, but remember to save room!

Cheers,

Anika