Where to eat in Montreal, Canada - Gluten Free

Next stop on the honeymoon was the marvellous city of Montreal. Despite packing for mixed weather the sun shone down on us as we walked round the beautiful parks and saw the sights of this fantastic French-speaking city. I speak French but most people seemed to speak English as well so there were no issues with explaining dietary requirements! One of the highlights was the incredible Cirque du Soleil, so if you get chance to see it in it's home-town then do so. Of course the food was a highlight too so here's a run down of some of the places we ate at:

Toqué

Toqué is for serious foodies! The experience here was easily equal to some of the best Michelin starred restaurants in Europe. We had booked in advance and they acknowledged that I was gluten free when we were seated. We couldn't resist the temptation of the tasting menu. You've got to be brave at Toqué, you have no idea what you're going to get but I can assure you it will certainly excite and enthral. As we were on honeymoon we had to start with the champagne and oysters. You receive two glasses of champagne and the extremely knowledgeable sommelier talks you through the differences while you sample the fresh tasting oysters. I won't go into all 7 courses but I can guarantee that you'll have flavours and combinations you'll have never tried before. Highlights included a scallop ceviche with strawberries. It sounds like one of those terrible combinations an over-enthusiastic Masterchef contestant would try but it worked seamlessly. Sea urchin was certainly a first for me and with a creamy taste of the sea it didn't fail to disappoint. A beef dish provided rich dark meat and the pigeon dish which followed looked like artwork on plate. Toqué gave me the most unusual cheese dish I'd ever had, with flowers of cheese, smoky hay cream, and tangy mustard seeds. Everything was effortlessly gluten free and the little touches such as a different crumb around the cheese really showed the attentiveness of the chefs at Toqué.

Sea Urchin at Toqué

Cheese at Toqué

Accords

Accords is a fantastic wine bar and bistro with a quaint courtyard just down from the Notre Dame Basilica. They clearly mark the gluten free options on their menu which is great to see. We went there for a spot of lunch but as it was a Sunday they only serve brunch. In fact, we were in for a treat! They had a simple set menu with a few choices again clearly marking what was gluten free. We both had the salad to start and simple though it was, it was beautifully dressed. We both then had what we thought was the eggs Benedict (mine ordered without the muffin). This is where my French let me down in a good way! What we in fact ordered was eggs Benedict but instead of the usual ham or bacon we had huge lobster claws. The perfectly poached eggs and zingy hollandaise made for one delicious dish. As well as a large selection of wines they also have gluten free beer available!

Lobster Benedict at Accords

Le Comptoir - Charcuteries et Vins

One of my favourite restaurants of our entire trip was Le Comptoir. It was helped by the fact that we had front row seats! Being able to sit at the bar and watch the chefs meticulously put together these delicately crafted plates of superb food was brilliant. The waiter checked each of the dishes we ordered was gluten free or could be adapted. It was hard not to watch the chefs with eagle eyes, but I soon relaxed when you could see the level of care and attention that chefs take in such a well-oiled professional kitchen. The dishes are small and perfect for sharing. We started with one of their home-made charcuterie platters, delicious smoked and cured meats. My favourite was a smoked bacon carpaccio with parsnip purée, sprouts and pickled onion. The combination worked perfectly and was some of the best bacon I've ever tasted. I loved this place and would definitely recommend booking as it was packed all night.

Bacon Carpaccio at Le Comptoir 

Veal at Le Comptoir

Café Pavé & Nococchi

Just opposite Accords we found Café Pavé which is a great place to grab a gluten free sandwich for lunch. There's a whole host of different fillings you can have in your gluten free bread. I had the pulled pork sandwich which was the perfect fuel after a morning seeing sights. It's worth noting that like some gluten free bread in the UK, the slices are a little smaller so for those with big appetites, you might want to order two!
Nococchi was also another good spot to grab a gluten free sandwich - the BLT was particularly good. They also had a number of salads on the menu too.

Gluten free BLT at Nococchi

Cartel Street Food

For our last night in Montreal we found the Cartel Street Food Bar an eclectic mix of tacos, quesadillas, ceviches and Asian dishes. The menu was clearly marked with gluten free options and once again we found the staff knowledgeable. It was at Cartel that I had my first poutine, a sort of chips, cheese and gravy medley that is a Montreal speciality! Other dishes we tried included a blackened grilled chicken with a fruity guava dressing and a pork belly and pineapple fried rice. There's certainly something to please everyone here.

Poutine & Beef Tacos at Cartel

Blackened grilled chicken and guava sauce at Cartel

Finally if you're looking for a great bar, we loved Dominion Square Tavern - you have to try the Orange Julep!

Next stop Toronto!

Hotel Sacacomie, Quebec, Canada

Three weeks ago, the Hungry Boyfriend became the Hungry Husband. Yes I tied the knot with my beautiful wife! For blogging purposes though I'm sticking with the Hungry Boyfriend, primarily because of the effort involved in changing it all over! The next few posts are going to cover our honeymoon; we've just got back from an amazing trip to Canada followed by Antigua in the Caribbean so lots of food stories to share.

Anyone who has recently got married will testify that it takes a lot of organisation and hard work, particularly in the run up to the big day, so we decided that our first stop in Canada needed to be for some relaxation. Having flown into Montreal, we hired a car and headed to Hotel Sacacomie. Although it was blissfully relaxing when we got there, the journey there was anything but, as I managed to reverse our Chrysler 300 hire car into a ditch! We had to get pulled out by some friendly French-Canadians living nearby! The less said about it the better!

When we did finally arrive we were greeted by the most breathtaking view from our room. It was such a peaceful place, the rooms, all made out of wood were like log cabins and we had large jacuzzi bath and a log fire. I'd notified the hotel in advance that I was gluten free and they did a fantastic job throughout our two night stay. It's a French speaking place and although I speak French, many spoke perfect English/Canadian. Having admired the view, we headed downstairs for some lunch. It was a great lunch menu with lots of variety. I had the smoked trout salad, the trout was caught from the lakes nearby. It was absolutely huge (as were a lot of the portion sizes) but was beautiful. Lots of flaked trout and perfectly dressed salad. We shared some fries but it was more than enough for lunch. The next day I couldn't resist ordering the salad again as it had been so good, so we agreed to share a salad and some chicken wings. The wings were great too, succulent and flavourful. 

Smoked trout salad

Our breakfast and evening meals were included in the package we booked (which also came with Swedish massages - which were amazing!). Breakfast was a buffet and so there were plenty of gluten free options. The chefs also made omelettes to order which were great, especially with a side of crispy Canadian bacon. There was plenty of choice on the dinner menu too and I could have easily eaten here for a week without getting bored or having the same thing twice. We had booked Sacacomie without knowing too much about it but couldn't have picked a better place to relax and enjoy some delicious (gluten free) food! Each day they had a delicious homemade soup to begin the meal which was always gluten free. Some of the starters we enjoyed included more of the smoked trout, this time in a delicious rillettes, a type of coarse paté garnished with thin strips of the smoked trout and baby beetroot leaves. My wife (still not quite got used to saying it!) enjoyed a carpaccio of venison with pine nuts, parmesan and balsamic which was perfectly balanced. On the first night we both enjoyed some perfectly cooked blade of beef which was melt-in-the-mouth tender. For our final night at the lodge, I had the scallops and king prawns which came on a bed of pea purée with celeriac and crispy bacon. The scallops nicely caramelised on the outside and soft in the middle, the prawns meaty and flavoursome. My wife enjoyed the duck, which as with everything, was cooked perfectly, crispy skin and pink in the middle It was a struggle finding room for dessert but the creme brulée was heavenly! Crunchy top with a silky smooth vanilla custard. I had the crème brûlée both nights as there wasn't as many gluten free desert options but I was more than happy to have it again! We washed this all down with some great Canadian wines.

Trout rilletes

Venison Carpaccio

King Prawns and Scallops

Duck with sweet potato mash

It was a fantastic place to which we would happily return The spa was excellent with outdoor jacuzzis and saunas with stunning views and a cold plunge pool which I didn't stay in long enough to admire the view! We were slightly out of season but there's a huge array of activities you can do depending on the time of year or you can just go and relax and enjoy some great food!

Next stop Montreal!

A gluten free defence of Nando's

When Jay Rayner recently put pen to paper in defence of Nando's - 'Don't even think of knocking Nando's' - it struck a chord. The Guardian's chief restaurant critic was merely defending the British high street from sneering food snobs. When you factor in being gluten free though, the case for the defence is even stronger. Unlike 'ordinary folk', when coeliacs go out for a spot of lunch, much like everyone else, they want some decent food, but they also want to know that it's safe for them to eat. Step up the British high-street chain. It's a god send. Yes it can be predictable and yes it doesn't necessarily support 'eating local' but sometimes all you want is a decent, safe meal.

I've already written extensively about the high-street pizza chains conquering the gluten free market. Plus there's the likes of Carluccio's, new French-inspired Cote Brasserie, even Wagamama's, with it's somewhat restrictive menu, can provide a few 'safe' dishes. The high street often provides a consistency when it comes to dietary requirements that unfortunately some independent restaurants fail to consider. Not all by any means, as you'll see from my reviews there's plenty that can cater for the needs of the gluten free, but sometimes there's something comforting in consistency.

With over 250 branches nationwide, Nando's is something of a gluten free Mecca. With it's naturally gluten free, peri peri grilled chicken, fries and a number of side dishes to chose from it provides a safe-haven for coeliacs up and down the country. Nando's keep a dietary requirements bible behind the till, so I've no doubt it provides guidance on a number of other food allergies too. You can use this to check for yourself exactly what you can and can't have but tends to be the obvious things to avoid. Stay clear of pittas and wraps but feast on chicken marinated in a peri peri sauce of your choice and sides such as spicy rice, macho peas, coleslaw or corn on the cob. I always notify the person at the till that I'm gluten free and they add a note to the order to let the chefs know so they can take extra care. Equally it's always worth checking the 'bible' as recipes and ingredients can change.

Mr Rayner may be in defence of Nando's because he can't take another duck confit, for me Nando's provides a hassle free eating experience, something those with food allergies will know can be like gold dust.

Yalla Yalla, London

The trend for street food has taken off during 2013. With the likes of Yalla Yalla, you can see why. It's billed as serving Beirut Street Food, providing a mix of Lebanese and Middle Eastern dishes. There are currently three branches dotted around London and we headed to one in Soho. It's a little café with cushioned benches, walls adorned with various pictures and trinkets giving the feel of a real neighbourhood place. We arrived at around 5pm and were seated straight away but an hour or so later and people were having carafes of wine in the street as they waited for tables. I'm sure it won't be long before they'll be investing in a mobile app queuing system which seem to be the new thing in London. 

Halloum Meshoue - grilled Halloumi cheese with tomato, black olives, fresh mint and olive oil

As always when we were handed menus, I mentioned I was gluten free. I was informed that this wasn't a problem and to take a look and decide what we fancied, the waitress would let me know what they could do. There's a fantastic selection for coeliacs or those on a gluten free diet and all of the dishes we fancied could be done without any issues. We went for sharing some mezze dishes, small tapas style portions which were great value. All the dishes packed the punch of flavour you would expect from the complex spicing and flavours of the Middle East. Halloumi was nicely browned, it's saltiness offset by a fresh salad of olives, tomato and mint. Batata Harra a sort of Middle Eastern version of Patatas Bravas was arguably the dish of the night. Expecting it to be more of a 'filler', I was impressed with crisp potatoes, fluffy in the middle and beautifully seasoned with cumin and chilli. Tender chicken wings were perfectly complimented by a bright garlic and harissa sauce. We also chose the chicken livers, I've never really been a fan but these had the accolade of being one of Time Out's 'top 100 dishes' so I couldn't resist trying them again. I'm glad I did, they were sautéed perfectly leaving them soft and tender and served in a sticky garlic and pomegranate molasses sauce which I couldn't stop dipping the potatoes in. The only disappointment was the Shawarma, hummus was fresh and vibrant but I found the lamb a little dry given how on point the rest of our dishes were. 

Hommos Shawarma, Batata Harra and Jawaneh Meshoue

One of Time Out's top 100 dishes - Sawda Djej

With places like Yalla Yalla giving street food a great name, I can see this trend continuing into 2014.

Where to eat out in Reykjavik, Iceland - Gluten Free

Iceland's Blue Lagoon

I'm not about to start writing a travel blog but when I said I was going to Iceland it was met with a few puzzled looks and comments like "Isn't it just cold and dark?". We went this December and with an average temperature of about -9 and around 4 hours of daylight it's certainly both of those! It's also an incredible country with some fantastic places to visit. Highlights such as the Blue Lagoon, Gullfoss waterfall, friendly natives and some extremely good food made this a memorable trip. A little online research suggested it wasn't going to be impossible to eat gluten free so off we went to explore. I really didn't struggle at all, as always I printed some gluten free translation cards, armed myself with cereal bars and emailed the hotel in advance (Hotel Klettur) but I ate with relative ease. With a population of circa 330,000 they're the only people in the world speaking Icelandic, so most have learnt that it's very helpful to be able to speak English. Of all the places I've visited the Icelanders certainly came across as the most knowledgeable in gluten free terms. I hate seeing coeliacs put off travelling so I hope you all find this useful.

Tapas Barinn

We found Tapas Barinn for our first night meal and it set the bar high for the rest of our trip. Stood outside in the freezing cold, we couldn't really tell if there was anyone in there but we walked down the steps into what turned out to be a lively, bustling but cosy restaurant with a great atmosphere. I told the waitress I was gluten free and she just told us to pick whatever we wanted and she would check it was gluten free or ask the chef to make it gluten free. We were off to a great start. Fusion food can be terrible when done badly, a mishmash of flavours, but what Tapas Barinn did brilliantly was use fantastic Icelandic produce in some creative Spanish-style dishes. Some of the highlights were a beautiful Serrano ham served with melon and horseradish, a combination I would never have thought of, that worked well. Scallops served skewered with salty bacon, dates and a sweet chilli glaze were an absolute winner. The pan fried salt fish with sweet potato once again showcased some of the fantastic fish they have in Iceland. It was served drizzled with a punchy pesto. Finally the Icelandic foal, one of the more unusual choices and served medium rare with a chorizo sauce, was tender and succulent.

Bacon wrapped scallops with dates and a sweet chilli glaze

Pan Fried Salt Fish with sweet potato and pesto

Lobster tails with garlic

Fillet of Icelandic foal with chorizo sauce

Kitchen Eldhus

Chicken Tikka

For most coeliacs curry is a safe option and often a last resort. Kitchen Eldhus in Reykjavik certainly shouldn't be a last resort; it's Nepalese style curries are packed with flavour. When we arrived it was the chef who seated us at our table and after a quick mention of being gluten free he assured us that everything except the breads and samosas were suitable. He even said if we'd given him a call earlier he could have done gluten free breads - worth remembering if you're going to pay this place a visit. Iceland isn't cheap for eating out and the curries here ranged from around £12 - £20. The dish of the night was a smoked lamb starter, beautifully marinated meat with a hint of smoke served with crispy flaked rice, giving the dish some great texture. The chef took real pride in explaining that some of the dishes contain a mix of more than 20 spices and there was a real depth of flavour in everything. A chicken tikka starter was again well balanced and the succulent meat came out sizzling. A Nepalese lamb curry and a creamy paneer curry were equally delicious.

Rice and curries at Kitchen Eldhus

 Sakebarinn / Sushi barinn

With access to such an array of fresh fish, sushi is a must in Reykjavik. Sakebarinn is the larger restaurant with Sushi Barinn a small take away place next door - both are run by the same team. We ate at Sakebarinn, a stylish, modern sushi restaurant with a relaxed atmosphere. As became the norm in Iceland, our server was untroubled by requests for gluten free and just checked with the chefs after I ordered. They also provided gluten free soy sauce which meant I didn't need to buy a full bottle from the local supermarket. We ordered a chef's combination plate which was everything you would expect from good sushi, beautiful fresh produce with clean flavours. We also tried to be a bit adventurous but the grilled reindeer skewers were marinated in advance so couldn't be adapted, instead we settled for the succulent beef ones instead. There's all the usual array of sushi but the menu is also peppered with some of Iceland's more unusual delicacies. We tried some of the horse sushi, a little tough but very flavoursome!

Chef's combination plate

Grilled beef skewers

The Sea Baron (Saegreifinn)

Plenty of fresh seafood to choose from

We were running out of time but we had both read a lot about the Sea Baron so we managed to work in a quick stop for lunch on our last day. We accidentally went through the back door and were beckoned in by a gentleman stood by the kitchen door... The same man also appeared to be sat down in a chair in the restaurant... Then we realised he was in fact the Sea Baron and the man sat down was just a life-sized replica! We were taken through the kitchen and shown to a large refrigerator. The refrigerator contained all manner of seafood on skewers. We went for a skewer of scallops and a potato one as we were really only there to try it out. I mentioned I was gluten free and they said they would do it without the sauce they paste on as this contained gluten. The Sea Baron is also famous for it's lobster soups although I didn't check these were suitable for coeliacs. We parked ourselves on a couple of barrels on a long table. The scallops were certainly a good size and tasty and it was clearly a popular place as it filled up quickly. It's very no frills but if you want some fantastic fresh seafood then look no further!

Scallop and potato skewers

Iceland really is an amazing place to visit and personally I found it a very accommodating place to eat out on a gluten free diet.