Jul
14
2009
Gluten Free Food Critic’s goal is to help you save time and money by reviewing gluten free food products and letting you know which ones are worth buying. We appreciate the companies that make gluten free products but some of these companies’ products are just horrible. If you have ever bought an expensive gluten free product and have been very disappointed, this is the website for you.
We also review restaurants that have gluten free menus or have catered to our gluten free needs.
If you are a food manufacturer or restaurant that would like your product reviewed please contact us at reviews@glutenfreefoodcritic.com
Rating Scale
May
2
2010
Carrabba’s Italian Grill (Two Locations)
5425 University Parkway
Sarasota, FL 34201
(941) 355-4116
1940 Stickney Point Rd.
Sarasota, FL 34231
(941) 925-7407
www.carrabas.com
Gluten Free Menu
Columbia Restaurant
411 Saint Armands Circle
Sarasota, FL 34236-1492
(941) 388-3987
www.columbiarestaurant.com
Gluten Free menu
Lee Roy Selmon’s
8253 Cooper Creek Blvd
Sarasota, FL 34201
(941) 360-3287
www.leeroyselmons.com
Gluten Free Menu
LongHorn Steakhouse (Two Locations)
2020 Gulf Gate Drive
Sarasota, FL 34231
(941) 926-0344
5440 Fruitville Rd
Sarasota, Fl 34232
(941) 377-4343
www.longhornsteakhouse.com
Gluten Free Menu
Outback Steakhouse (Two Locations)
6390 N. Lockwood Ridge Rd.
Sarasota, FL 34243
(941) 351-3711
7207 S. Tamiami Trail
Sarasota, FL 34231
(941) 924-4329
www.outback.com
Gluten Free Menu
Pei-Wei Asian Diner
8511 Cooper Creek Boulevard
University Park, FL 34201
(941) 359-8570
www.peiwei.com
Gluten Free Menu
Apr
27
2010
Columbia Restaurant
www.columbiarestaurant.com
411 Saint Armands Circle
Sarasota, FL 34236-1492
(941) 388-3987
See their gluten free menu here:
http://www.columbiarestaurant.com/gluten_free.asp
Chicken and Yellow Rice “Sarapico”
The traditional dish from Tampa’s Ybor City, one quarter chicken baked with yellow rice, green peppers, onions and tomatoes, spices and virgin olive oil.
The Lunch price was under $10 and was good value!
Oct
5
2009
I have learned you can eat at Disney World with out to many problems. If you want to eat at a sit down restaurant you need to make reservations in advance. The first thing I always do is find a restaurant that has something I think I could eat. If everything is fried at a particular restaurant they are going to have a hard time making you something gluten free. Once I pick a place I ask for the manager and they have access to a book with all the ingredients and help you select something to eat. A lot of the restaurants will have access to gluten free breads, buns and pasta.
On my latest trip we ate at Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe. The manager was very helpful and I decided to eat the Half Rotisserie Chicken – served with mashed potatoes & green beans. The food takes a little while because they get everything from the back. The meal was very tasty and was a good value at $9.00. I would recommend Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe if you are looking for quick affordable place to eat at the magic kingdom.
Sep
1
2009
The Melting Pot Sarasota, Florida
I heard The Melting Pot had a gluten free menu so I contacted them via e-mail and here is the response I got from them:
“We do offer a gluten free menu at The Melting Pot. A person with gluten allergies may enjoy all four courses of fondue with a few minor modifications. Just alert the manager on duty when making your reservation. “
So my wife and I made reservation and ate there on Friday night. Here is what we ate:
Big Night Out: $79 per Couple
Cheddar Cheese Fondue
Aged, medium-sharp Cheddar; vegetables and apples for dipping. (They have to make this special, no bread, no beer or flour)
Spinach Mushroom Salad
Fresh spinach, baby Portobello mushrooms,
red onion, chopped bacon and Roma tomatoes
with a warm Burgundy Shallot Vinaigrette.
Fondue Feast
Filet Mignon Florentine
Shrimp Diablo
Sun-dried Tomato Chicken
Orange Fennel Pork Tenderloin
Fresh Vegetables
(No Porcini and Portobello Sacchetti, No Limoncello Balsamic Sirloin)
Dark Chocolate Fondue
Fresh strawberries, bananas
(No cheesecake, tasty marshmallows, pound
cake and brownies)
Atmosphere:
The Melting Pot has a very relaxed atmosphere.
Value:
It is on the expensive side.
Overall:
The Melting Pot was a treat, the food was good, the service was ok, the atmosphere was relaxing, and the cost was on the expensive side.
Aug
27
2009
I was really ecxited when I discovered these gluten free shortbread cookies as a brand new item. So new, apparently, that they are not listed on the website. Tree of Life has introduced these cookies very recently. I found them at a small local health food shop.
Appearance
Tree of Life Shortbread Cookies are well represented on the box. They are thick, textured and definitely not bite sized.
Taste and Texture
Tree of Life Shortbread Cookies have a nice texture. They are light and nice to bite into. They are firm, but not hard.
I wasn’t overly thrilled with the taste. They have a bit of that “gluten free flavor” that is not so great. Unfortunately, a dry and unpleasant aftertaste tends to stick with you. I have to mention here that I had several friends try these with me and we all had different opinions.
Versatility
Tree of Life Shortbread Cookies have the perfect texture to crumble for a pie crust. They also would hold up very well when packed in a lunchbox.
Overall Value
I bought my box for $2.16 plus tax. The box contains nine large cookies. Not a bad value!
Rating
Though I’m not thrilled about the aftertaste, I’ve found that a cup of coffee nullifies it nicely. Other than that, the texture is nice and I would buy Tree of Life Shortbread Cookies again, just not every week.
Aug
11
2009
Mrs Leeper's Beef Lasagna
Mrs Leeper’s Beef Lasagna is on the menu for review today. A while ago, I did a review on Mrs Leeper’s Creamy Tuna. It went so swimmingly that I decided to see how another one of Mrs Leeper’s dinners would compare.
Ease of Use
Mrs Leeper’s Beef Lasagna is very easy to make and takes very few ingredients. You supply one pound ground beef and three cups of water. The box supplies the rest (though, technically, you supply the box as well…)
Brown the beef, drain it, add water and seasonings. Add the pasta when it boils and cover and cook.
Appearance
I don’t know if I over-stirred my lasagna or if it would have happened anyway, but all of my noodles broke. I had very few that maintained their mini lasagna shape. Even so, the finished product looked very appetizing. It got an emphatic, “Mmmm” from my daughter when she saw it.
Taste and Texture
Mrs Leeper’s Beef Lasagna had a pleasant texture. I know that seems oddly phrased, but I enjoyed eating it. The noodles were not over cooked, just soft enough to blend with the textures of the beef and sauce very well.
It tasted good, but I have to say there was something odd about the aftertaste. It wasn’t bad enough that I would avoid buying this product in the future, but it did keep Mrs Leeper’s Beef Lasagna from becoming an instant favorite in the categories of gluten free lasagna or gluten free boxed dinners.
Versatility
Aside from topping it with cheese or adding veggies, Mrs Leeper’s Beef Lasagna does not lend itself to a whole lot of versatility. It seems to be one of those products that just is what it is.
Value
This gluten free lasagna can feed a family of four for the price of a box (about $4.50) and a pound of hamburger. Not bad in my book, especially when you factor in time saved in the kitchen.
Rating
Though the aftertaste was odd, it didn’t stick with me. I recommend this product for a quick weeknight meal.
Aug
1
2009
Southern Homestyle Corn Flake Crumbs have become one of my favorite and most used gluten free pantry staples. I stumbled upon this product somewhat by accident and have become pretty attached to it. It comes in a recognisable (and resealable) bright red can. Read on to find out why this product has become one of my favorites.
Ease of Use
Southern Homestyle Corn Flake Crumbs, by themselves, are incredibly simple to use. It is also easy to complicate them, depending on the recipe you are using them for.
Appearance
Straight out of the can, Southern Homestyle Corn Flake Crumbs are very light in color. Whether fried or baked, these superfine crumbs always end up golden brown.
Taste and Texture
Southern Homestyle Corn Flake Crumbs are very bland, having almost no flavor of their own. Though seemingly a bad thing, I found this to be a great feature. The lack of a strong flavor means that they will take on the flavor of anything that is mixed in, including the oil used for frying. I’ve used these crumbs for Mozzarella Sticks, Onion Rings, crumb toppings and many other things and have never been unsatisfied with the result.
For the most part, the texture is light, crispy and very agreeable. It is a little strange, however, that Southern Homestyle Corn Flake Crumbs almost form two coatings. The main coating is great. The second layer is a little less so. It’s almost like a few of the crumbs refuse to submit to the cooking process. They stay light in color and sometimes catch the teeth wrong with too much of a crunch.
Versatility
I couldn’t begin to scratch the surface of how versatile this product is. It is the perfect gluten free pantry staple.
Value
You can buy a 2-pak of Southern Homestyle Corn Flake Crumbs online for $15, and get them cheaper at most stores. In the case of this product, a little really does go a long way. They’re worth the money.
Jul
19
2009
New Grist is the first beer brewed without malted barley or any gluten-containing products to be recognized as beer by the U.S. Government. Each batch brewed at Lakefront’s Milwaukee headquarters is tested for gluten prior to fermentation, before being bottled and shipped.
Review Coming Soon!
Jul
16
2009
Review Coming Soon
Jun
17
2009
Pizza Fusion was created in the best interest of the individual and the environment. When originally designing the menu, Vaughan Lazar and Michael Gordon, founders of Pizza Fusion, wanted everyone to enjoy the good taste of their delicious food. So they did their research and sought out tasty alternatives that’d allow individuals with food allergies, selective diets and digestive intolerances to indulge at Pizza Fusion. The end result was a menu to be enjoyed by all that has made us especially popular amongst our vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and lactose intolerant friends alike.
I really like the crust Pizza Fusion has created. The toppings are good, but I like Vertoris Pizza House toppings better. When I travel it is a nice treat to have Pizza Fusion as another option when eating out. I have eaten at the one in Orlando & Weston, Florida.
Orlando
7563 West Sand Lake Road
Orlando, FL 32819
Phone: 407-351-3360
Weston, FL
2378 Weston Rd.
Weston, FL 33326
Phone: 954-641-5353
Jun
10
2009
A crisp delicious cracker with a rich nutty flavor. Wheat-free, Gluten-free and organic. Made of organic whole grain brown rice, organic quinoa (keen-wa: a high protein seed/grain), organic flax seeds and organic brown sesame seeds, with no added fat. Surprisingly satisfying on their own or with your favorite toppings. Always hold their crunch; unlike any other cracker you’ve ever had–they will soon become a staple in your cupboards.
http://www.marysgonecrackers.com
http://www.marysgonecrackers.com
I really like these crackers, they a very crunchy. My only complaint is they are sometimes too hard and the seeds get stuck in my teeth. The cost is also on the high side.
Mar
16
2009
6830 14th St. W.
Bradenton, FL 34207
751-0333
www.vertorispizza.com
I have eaten at Vertoris Pizza House about 15 times. They have the largest variety of food item you cannot get at most restaurants. There pizza is great, I like pizza fusions crust a little better but the sauce, cheese and toppings are far better at Vertoris Pizza House. They have several pasta dishes with wonderful sauces. They also have a dedicated fryer so you can have wings, mozzarella sticks, and French fries.
Check out their gluten free menu
http://www.vertorispizza.com/menu.shtml
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