Eric's Fish and Chips, Thornham, Norfolk

A couple of years ago finding gluten free fish and chips was like finding the holy grail. Now, as awareness of food intolerances continues to increase and gluten free food becomes more mainstream the choice of chippies is getting better! Frustratingly, there are still those that claim to do gluten free but don’t have separate fryers (I won’t name and shame).  Let’s not dwell on the negative though; I think I’ve found my favourite fish and chip place ever

Eric’s fish and chips is in nestled in North Norfolk in the picturesque village of Thornham. At just over an hours drive from Norwich, I think it could be the first ‘destination chippie’. Plus there are tons of beautiful places to visit in this area, we were nearby at Wells beach this weekend but couldn’t resist the short drive to Eric’s.

It’s simply decorated inside with a stripped back colourful look. The menu is kept simple too, which means that they pay plenty of attention to everything they do. Both times I’ve visited I’ve had the battered cod loin. The fish is the most succulent I’ve ever had, the batter crunchy and crispy. The gluten free batter is a thing of beauty… I had a look around and I think it actually looks better than the ’normal’ one. They use separate fryers so there’s no cross contamination. The chips are great too, crispy on the outside, soft on the inside. Letting you know which of the local spuds was used is a nice touch. Mushy peas and homemade tartare sauce are both excellent. An extra special mention has to go to the battered gherkins… I could just eat a plate of these! That same crunchy batter gives way to the acidic hit of the pickle and it just works brilliantly! There are so many dishes I want to try too but it’s hard to resist when the cod loin is so good. The squid and prawns both sound delicious, plus there are more unusual fish shop catches like gurnard and mackerel.

My only niggle would be that we couldn’t take the dog in. As I said the décor is pretty minimalist so I wouldn’t see a well behaved dog causing a problem. In the summer though, there a tables outside which will be dog friendly but it was cold and raining this weekend. We saved her a little fish to make up for it. Even she was a fan of Eric’s cooking!

I absolutely love this place and can’t wait to go back.

For a couple of other Norfolk gluten free fish and chip reviews, check out these links:

No.1 Cromer, Norfolk

Orford Plaice, Norwich

Gluten Free Guide to California and Las Vegas Part 3

In this final part we head out of San Francisco and on to Napa Valley for some wine tasting. We stayed in an Airbnb, which had a BBQ so we took the opportunity to eat in a couple of times. The local supermarket was well stocked and things like gluten free bread was readily available. I would definitely recommend the wine tasting experience at Gloria Ferrer! We took the 'Bubbles and Bites' package and got to sample an array of still and sparkling white wines with a few nibbles alongside. Our host was hugely entertaining, giving us a mix of information about the wines and gossip about the Ferrer family, weddings and other tales. The setting is stunning; overlooking the vineyard and to finish we were treated to another large glass of our favourite wine!

Bubbles and Bites at Gloria Ferrer

We headed on to our next stop - Yosemite National Park. We stayed at a place called Tenaya Lodge on the outskirts of the park. It was great to be nestled in amongst the forest and wildlife and we did a trek to nearby waterfalls. The food was good and like most places in America, knowledgeable about gluten free. As it's the only place around, it was quite expensive, knowing it had a captive audience. Deep fried sprouts were again a highlight and dishes of salmon and steaks were well presented and tasty. During the day the bar served sandwiches on gluten free bread and I had a good club sandwich.

Salmon at Tenaya Lodge

After a stunning drive through the breath-taking Yosemite park, we headed for Death Valley. The contrast is incredible. We broke up the journey with a stop in a little town called Bishop where we'd heard about an amazing BBQ joint. It didn't disappoint, Holy Smoke did amazing BBQ meats including brisket, pulled pork, ribs and more. Nearly everything was gluten free and the staff were clued up. Sides of potato salad and slaw were nice accompaniments to the delicious slow cooked meat.

Holy Smoke BBQ in Bishop

Slow cooked brisket and sides at Holy Smoke

On to Death Valley and we were treated to 120 degree heat and desert landscapes. Little did we know that we'd be caught in a rare storm! Half way through our meal at Furnace Creek the power went out leaving only a back up generator powering the kitchen and a couple of lights. Even worse, we now had no air conditioning in the restaurant or any of the rooms. I've never felt heat like it, even the wind brought by the storm was hot! The food included dates wrapped in bacon with blue cheese for starter, followed by a huge Tomahawk steak. My friend and I shared this but we were beaten, a combination of the sheer volume of meat and the heat was just too much. After very little sleep we were up and out early to escape the heat and headed on to Las Vegas.

Tomahawk steak at Furnace Creek

Bacon, dates and blue cheese at Furnace Creek

There's a huge choice of places to eat in Vegas from luxury hotels to casual diners and like the rest of our trip, it was easy to find great gluten free food. Here's a quick list of places we found:

Pink Taco at the Hard Rock Hotel
We stayed at the Hard Rock and this was definitely one of my favourite places. Really great corn tacos filled with things like re-fried beans, slow cooked pork and beef, and fresh salsas were delicious. Make sure you try the bacon wrapped jalapenos, stuffed with melting mozzarella as these were a real hit.

Tacos at Pink Taco at the Hard Rock Hotel

Mr Lucky's at the Hard Rock Hotel
We only had breakfast here but they do some awesome gluten free blueberry pancakes. The menu was clearly labelled and staff were knowledgeable. Washed down with some maple syrup they were a great way to start the day.

Pancakes at Mr Lucky's at the Hard Rock Hotel

PF Changs
If you fancy a gluten free Chinese then PF Changs is a chain that's always worth hunting down. With a dedicated gluten free menu they know what they are doing. We tucked in to delicious dishes including Chang's spicy chicken and Mongolian beef.

Chang's spicy chicken at PF Changs

Mongolian Beef at PF Chang's

The Buffet at Aria
I'm always a bit wary of buffets, they conjure up images of generic beige food but this was something else! The chef came and took me round the plethora of different stations. Most was gluten free so he just pointed out the things to avoid. Highlights were definitely the snow crab and the various sweet treats I could have. Worth adding on the all you can drink option too to stock up on cocktails!

Snow crab and seafood at Aria

Desserts at Aria buffet

Chart House at the Golden Nugget
On our final night we headed to the older part of Vegas - Fremont street. We had a delicious steak dinner at Chart House. I had the crab to start, a mountain of fresh crab meat with a mango and avocado salad - delicious.

Crab at Chart House at the Golden Nugget

We loved our American road trip and from a gluten free perspective it was easily one of the best places we've visited. It was always easy to get great food and the service and knowledge was brilliant.

Gluten Free Guide to California and Las Vegas: Part 2 - San Francisco

So only a few months since the last instalment... I've made a vow to get quicker at blogging, wish me luck! If anyone can tell me a quick way of getting photos from icloud to blogger, I'd appreciate it.

Here's part 2 of my whistle stop tour of places to eat gluten free in California. First up San Francisco:

Tony's Pizza
This place was busy so we had a little wait but it was well worth it! It was referendum night in the UK and we were watching on with dread as news came through that we would no longer be EU citizens. Luckily amazing gluten free pizza was on the way! It was even fantastic cold the next day before going to a ball game.

Gluten Free Pizza at Tony's

Fog Harbour Fish House

After spending the morning on Alacatraz, we headed to Pier 39 at Fisherman's Wharf for a bite to eat and found Fog Harbour Fish House. Fantastic seafood and very accommodating for gluten free too. Fresh oysters and crab and a tuna steak and prawns all beautifully cooked.

Oysters at Fog Harbour

Fresh Crab at Fog Harbour

Copita, Sausalito
Biking over the Golden Gate bridge was well worth it and at the other side is a fantastic town called Sausalito. We had some incredible mexican food at a place called Copita. Delicious gluten free tacos and the best guacamole I've ever had!

Mexican feast at Copita

The Pub at Ghiradelli Square

Baked wings at the Pub at Ghiradelli Square

For an all out American feast the pub is the place to go. We definitely over ordered, we should have paid more attention to the look our server gave us! Ribs, brisket, pulled pork - it's all about the BBQ. We started with some baked chicken wings and then all had duo's where you can pick 2 meats and 2 sides!


Proposition Chicken
San Fran really is a treat for gluten free eaters and no more so than Proposition Chicken. Crispy, crunchy, seasoned deep fried chicken of the sorts that coeliacs can usually only dream of! Go for a side of deep fried brussel sprouts too.

Deep fried chicken at Proposition Chicken

Fries and deep fried Brussel sprouts

Ben Thai Cafe

Final night in San Fran and we headed out for a Thai meal. Tasty classic thai dishes were serve at Ben Thai Cafe and they were good at handling allergies.

Gluten free Thai at Ben Thai Cafe

Next stop, on to Sonoma, Yosemite, Death Valley and Vegas!

Gluten Free Guide to California and Las Vegas: Part 1

Earlier this summer my wife and I had an amazing break with our friends travelling around California and on to Las Vegas. We started in Los Angeles before travelling up the coastal road to Pismo Beach, Monterey Bay and on to San Francisco. After a few days in San Fran it was on to Sonoma, Yosemite National Park and Death Valley before ending our epic adventure in Vegas. It was an awesome holiday, from trekking the Hollywood Hills, to the amazing coastal drives, Alcatraz, wine tasting, waterfalls, the brutal heat of Death Valley, to pool parties and landing in the Grand Canyon for breakfast! But this blog is always about the food! Eating gluten free was easy, a bit of research to make sure there were plenty of options but everyone understood and had a good knowledge of what I could and couldn't have. So here's a whistle stop tour of some great gluten free places to eat.

Denny's (LA and Vegas but nationwide)
First stop was a classic American diner breakfast and Denny's has lots of gluten free options clearly marked on the menu. Be prepared for huge portions and refillable drinks. We ate at Denny's a couple of times for breakfast / brunch, I tried the Santa Fe Skillet - chorizo, potatoes, peppers and eggs and a Philly Cheesesteak Omelette with hash browns. Both very tasty, both absolutely massive.

Santa Fe Skillet at Denny's

Cheesecake Factory (LA and Vegas but nationwide)
Another American institution with a lot of gluten free options on the menu. Tasty pasta dishes and burgers with gluten free bread buns and an epic gluten free cheesecake called Godiva. It's a huge portion of deliciously rich chocolate cheesecake - make sure you save room!

All gluten free at Cheesecake Factory

Odys and Penelope (Los Angeles)
A trendy Los Angeles restaurant that specialises in grilled meats. They were really knowledgeable about what I could have and there were lots of options or adaptations they could make. For starter, I had grilled squid which was filled with potato hash and a roasted tomato sauce. Squid was beautifully cooked with a nice char and the tomato sauce had a real depth of flavour. For main course I had tri-tip with a Bearnaise sauce and grilled broccoli. The tri-tip, a cut of sirloin was sensational and really showed off their grilling skills!

Squid, potato hash and roasted tomatoes

Tri-tip with Bearnaise sauce and grilled broccoli

Bay Cities (Santa Monica, LA)
Recommended by a friend as the best sandwiches in LA we had to try it! The place is an old Italian style deli and was packed with keen customers. The sandwiches were well worth the wait though. The gluten free ones are served on a delicious Italian style flat bread. I had the 'Godmother', an insane amount of Italian meats, provolone cheese, salad and peppers.  Definitely one of the best sandwiches I've ever had.

The Godfather at Bay Cities

Sea Venture (Pismo Beach)
Great seafood restaurant overlooking Pismo beach. Succulent scallops were served with crispy Brussel sprouts and goats cheese. For main, the Sea Venture special, shrimp, scallops, mussels, white fish and sausage in a delicious tomato broth. All of the seafood was cooked perfectly. There were lots of clearly labelled gluten free options on the menu too.

Scallops, Brussel sprouts, goats cheese

The Sea Venture special

Hula's Island Grill (Monterey Bay)
A busy bar with a great atmosphere and cocktails. The seafood on the Californian coast is so good we had to have the ceviche which was fresh and flavourful. The chicken wings came with a delicious coconut curry sauce. We shared shrimp tacos and shredded pork tacos for main, all washed down with plenty of Hula's Mai Tais!

Chicken wings at Hula's

Shrimp tacos at Hula's

If you've got time be sure to drop into Lilly Mae's in Monterey Bay for gluten free cinnamon rolls!

Coming up - San Fran, Sonoma, Yosemite, Death Valley and Las Vegas!

Your gluten free guide to Thailand!

Our creations at the Thai Farm Cookery School

Thailand was always going to be a culinary adventure but as a coeliac, I was a little apprehensive. With no language skills or EU allergen labelling to fall back on it could have been very challenging. However, a combination of restaurants cooking everything from scratch and the extremely accommodating people, it proved one of the best places I've ever been for gluten free food. We were there for just over two weeks and went to Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Koh Samui. I'll use this blog to give some general tips and some of the stand-out places we ate:

General Tips:

• Do a cookery class or school. We did one called the Thai Farm Cookery School in Chiang Mai which was fantastic. You learn a lot of the common ingredients in Thai food and therefore what can be made gluten free. 
• I didn't find the translation cards overly useful. They talk about wheat, barley and rye which isn't overly useful in Thailand. The most common things to avoid are soy sauce, oyster sauce and deep fried pastry type things like spring rolls. 
• Everywhere we went understood my request for 'no soy sauce / no oyster sauce'. Better still we took our own in little plastic bottles. As everything is made from scratch most places were happy to use my gluten free versions even if they didn't quite understand why!
• Street food is delicious! Most places rinsed out woks etc. between dishes but you'd have to determine whether you thought that was safe for you. I never had any issues.
• Supermarkets can be a little tricky. It was very challenging to work out which crisps etc. were gluten free but eating out is so cheap and tasty we didn't need to use them much.
• Generally curries are gluten free - thai red, yellow, green, penang etc. Stir fries usually contain soy sauce and oyster sauce - either ask for without or take your own. Soups were generally gluten free e.g. tom yum. Rice and rice noodles are popular so you can always substitute any other type of noodle. Pad Thai is made with rice noodles but some add soy sauce, again just ask for it without.
• Desserts tended to be mango sticky rice or bananas in coconut milk which were both gluten free and delicious!

Bangkok

Where we stayed - Hotel Muse - fantastic boutique style hotel with an infinity pool overlooking downtown Bangkok.

Where we ate -

• Nahm - for an extra special Thai treat check out this Michelin starred restaurant. Thai food as you've never tasted before. Flavours are ramped up, presentation is spot on and the whole experience is spectacular. We went for the tasting menu and any dishes were modified seamlessly to be made gluten free. The soft shell crab was out of this world!
• Soul Food - trendy downtown restaurant which did Thai dishes with a twist. Dishes such as red curry with smoked duck and pork cheeks with green peppercorn curry provided a break from the usual. Staff were very clued up and the cocktails washed everything down very nicely.
• Street food off Koh San Road - first time braving a little cafe style place on the side of the road. Super cheap and tasty so we never looked back!

Street food off Koh San Road

Amazing food at Nahm

Soul Food

Chiang Mai

Where we stayed - Anantara - amazing colonial style hotel looking out over the river. The food and drinks here were amazing too.

More Thai street food from Anusan Market

Where we ate -

• Lemongrass - doesn't look much from the outside but this was a favourite of ours for lunch. Cheap but ridiculously tasty and they were more than happy to use my soy and oyster sauce to make delicious stir fries and pad thai. Washing it down with a cider was a treat too.
• Anusuan market - there's a whole host of fantastic street food places in this night market where we ate regularly. There's also a cool bar where local Thai bands play covers - don't miss it!
• Salsa Kitchen - if you need a break from Thai food this Mexican is great for gluten free options including a dedicated menu. 
• Whole Earth Restaurant - Set in a traditional Thai house this has an Indian influenced menu common in northern Thailand. Tasty curries alongside classic Thai dishes in a beautiful setting.

Tom Yum soup and cocktails at Anantara

Koh Samui

Where we stayed - Sareeraya - beautiful ocean front hotel in Chaweng Beach. Great food, cocktails and breakfasts. Only downside was they brought me gluten free bread every day which was like a rock! Full marks for effort though.

Where we ate - 

• Greenbird - has to be one of my favourites. Small place with plastic tables and chairs but incredible authentic Thai food and happy to use my soy and oyster sauce to make incredible dishes like the chilli chicken stir fry and sweet and sour. Brilliant service too, this became a regular lunch spot and we might have even gone twice in one day!
• There's loads of great places for seafood. They all do different offers - lobsters, prawns, crabs, squid etc. all BBQ'd on searing hot grills.
• In neighbouring Bophut we ate at an awesome steak place called the Shack run by an American and Irish guy where they imported Australian beef. 
• For amazing sushi, check out Tai by Red Snapper. They make the most of the fantastic seafood available and were easily able to adapt dishes to ensure they were gluten free.

A holiday favourite - Greenbird

Some of the amazing seafood available in Chaweng

Delicious sushi at Tai by Red Snapper

It was an amazing trip with amazing food. If you're gluten free don't let that put you off, it's easy enough to navigate and you certainly won't be disappointed.

The Gluten Free Cafe, Norwich

I have to admit, I think I need to eat a little gluten free humble pie. I was sceptical when I heard that Norwich was getting a dedicated gluten free cafe. Even more so when I heard it was going to be called 'The Gluten Free Cafe'. I thought there would be nowhere near the demand in my adoptive home city. I thought that the name would make anyone who had no need to follow a gluten free diet run a mile.  However, a few weeks after opening my wife and I had to wait for a table on a Friday lunch time and every time I've been in since it's been busy. I really hope it stays that way because this place is an absolute gem for coeliacs and gluten sufferers.

The cafe is located downstairs and upstairs you'll find a shop which is like an Aladdin's cave of gluten free products. On the cafe menu, there's a whole host of usually 'off-limits' options including sausage rolls, cheesy dough balls, pies and pasties. There's also salads and soups on offer and a mouthwatering selection of cakes. I went for a pie filled with chicken and ham with a stuffing topping. Delicious pastry stuffed with well cooked meat and a tasty stuffing flavour really hit the spot. My wife's cheese and onion pasty was equally good and definitely on my list for next time. We took a couple of millionaire shortbreads back to the office which were faultless. Having this place a stone's throw from work could be dangerous! I have since tried a slice of their Bakewell tart which was as good as any I've tasted. It was my favourite dessert at school so I had fond memories (pre-gluten free days) and I really wouldn't have been able to tell this was gluten free. They sell a great selection of breads in the shop too which I've been getting weekly, much better than anything the supermarkets currently stock. I'm really pleased it seems to be doing so well and if they keep up the good work I'm sure it will continue.

Wagamama's, Nationwide

After a fairly mixed gluten free dining experience at Jamie's Italian, the following day we were having a much better time at Wagamama's at Heathrow Terminal 5. Obviously buoyed by the excitement of going to Thailand that day (more on that to come!), I tried to remain level-headed enough to write an impartial review.

I've eaten at Wagamama's quite a few times since being gluten free, but lately I think they've made some big improvements, so I thought it was time to put pen to paper. Until recently options were fairly limited, although always tasty. My 'usual' was Chicken Itame, a warming and spicy coconut broth, packed with Asian vegetables, chicken and rice noodles. It's one of the few dishes that was naturally gluten free. In recent times though, the gluten free options seem to have expanded and they seem better equipped to modify dishes.

Lollipop Prawns

The setting at T5 is pretty impressive with huge floor to ceiling glass overlooking the aircraft. We were given a comprehensive allergen menu to look through and the website also has similar dietary filters. We were told that because we had specific dietary requirements the manager would take our order. I guess this is a fairly simple way to ensure consistency in the level of service for those dining with allergens. I did initially go for the chilli salt squid for my starter but was told that that despite the dish not having any gluten containing ingredients it was fried in the same oil as other products rendering it unsuitable for coeliacs. I was impressed with their knowledge and he quickly pointed out some alternatives. Instead I had lollipop prawns which were awesome. Grilled beautifully leaving them sweet and succulent and bathed in flavours of lemongrass, lime and chilli and whetting my appetite for what was to come in Thailand. For my main course they've recently added a new curry. Surendra's chicken curry come's in a rich, thick and spicy green curry sauce with crispy sweet potato straws and perfectly cooked rice. It's a delicious dish and gluten free too.

Surendra's Chicken Curry

I've not had too many dishes adapted but I know they can substitute rice noodles in dishes such as the chilli chicken men. I think if they committed to using gluten free soy sauce throughout the restaurant (it is available for gluten free diners) and had separate fryers for certain dishes they would exponentially increase the number of gluten free dishes. Until then, we'll just have to make do with the delicious ones they have on offer at the moment.

A return to Jamie's Italian - gluten free hit or miss?

As I've posted before I'm a big fan of Jamie's and I'm particularly enjoying his new Superfood book. You know you're always going to get straightforward recipes packed with flavour and for me I carry that expectation to his restaurants. I originally reviewed Jamie's Italian back in 2011 and thought it got off to a great start. However, a blip in 2013 caused by a diner taking the chain to court left a sour taste in many coeliacs mouths when the chain pulled their gluten free pasta options. Without the pasta option, I remember one visit where I was left eating a sorry looking burger without a bun at an astronomical cost.

Fast forward to autumn 2015 and I was invited back to the Jamie's Italian in Norwich with reassurances that gluten free pasta was back and that the chain had focussed on creating even more gluten free options. The menu on the website was promising, it now had a specific allergen filter and there were certainly more options than I'd noticed previously. Unfortunately, the hard work that's gone into creating the online menu just doesn't seem to translate into their restaurant experience. My server enthusiastically talked about the gluten free pasta options and that they could possibly modify other dishes but that was it. I'm left guessing as to which ones could and couldn't be modified, using my own knowledge of ingredients to try and guess and trying to look on the website to see what I'd found previously. When it came to ordering there even seemed to be a mismatch between the website and what our server thought. I chose the spinach and ricotta croquettes because I thought this was an unusual dish to be gluten free. It's specifically stated as gluten free on the website but my server thought otherwise. Even if it was, she thought it might be fried in the same fryer as other gluten containing produce so either way it was a no go. Not a great start. When it comes to allergens, diners are looking for a seamless experience, anything else leaves you with a constant nervousness which detracts from the excitement of eating out.

Pork scratchings will chilli, fennel and apple sauce

Thankfully when we did agree on some starters they hit the usual flavour highs expected. We ordered the meat plank to share and the quality of the cured meats was the real stand-out. Antipasti is common place on menus up and down the country these days but it's rare that you find places using quality ingredients. Again, disappointingly the Manchego was brought on a cracker which I couldn't eat. When prompted the server offered to bring us some without the cracker but it really shouldn't have needed us to ask. Problems continued when we were informed the slaw on the plank contained gluten in the dressing so I was to avoid this too. We also shared pork scratchings which were some of the best I've ever eaten. Powdered with chilli and fennel and served with an apple sauce they were deliciously moreish.

Cured meat plank

With pasta back on the menu I was determined to give it a try. I went for a fresh crab dish served with capers, chilli, fennel and anchovies. I was pleased to see it come out with a brown pasta (so often the gluten free pasta is the same from chain to chain) but it was sadly overcooked. It was a real shame as the combination of flavours in the sauce and with the crab was spot on. The pasta however, just fell apart on my fork. It hit the flavour expectations of a Jamie inspired dish but the execution was sadly lacking. My wife had the Chicken Cacciatore which again received plaudits for flavour. Beautifully grilled and succulent piece of chicken with a rich sauce full of the heady flavours of Italy. Bizarrely though, the decision to serve it on the garlic bread rather than next to it meant that the bread was a soggy mess by the time you got to it.

Crab with gluten free pasta

Chicken Cacciatore

So an overall mixed experience. The flavours and quality of ingredients give you a lot to get excited about but sadly there's still work to be done for those dining with allergens. With so many competitors getting it right (Cote Brasserie for  mid-market diners, Pizza Express for Italian) it baffles me that with the resources behind Jamie's Italian, it's still not quite hitting the mark.