The Blue Mountains

Travelling Oz has never felt so easy. If you head to the beautiful Blue Mountains in NSW, where I've just been, you will find many great places to eat which have prepared their menu especially for YOU. It seems us folk are not so unique after all.

♥ The Red Door Cafe - Leura Village
"GF" written on large parts of the menu. Bangers 'n mash, omelettes, and a very yum plate of zucchini and fetta fritters. A++

♥ The Savoy - Katoomba Village
Step into a 50's diner, even the older waitress was wearing vintage cat eye glasses straight from the era. Blast from a past I never knew!

♥ Solitary - just outside Leura Village
Standing alone, a quaint cottage serving amazing, fresh food. For the price (expenso!) they were more than happy to ease any qualms.

Melbourne

It's been 2 weeks since my Melbourne expedition (photo above from my personal album). I am sincerely sorry for not yet relaying to you my scrumptious discoveries from there. So here's a much needed little peak into Gluten-Free Melbourne (as much that fits into 3 days)...

1. Outpost - 9 Yarra Street, South Yarra
http://www.stali.com.au/outpost.php
We were lucky enough to stay right next door to this cafe. Can you imagine my delight - walking a few steps from my accommodation and finding that they have PASTA on the menu that I can eat? Well sadly, I never did try that dish because I was more excited by the egg and asparagus breakfast which was certainly amazing in itself, even sans le pain. You might be discouraged by the fact the cafe is right across from a train station (see photo above) with nothing else in the street but dodgy buildings, but when you step into the kitchen and literally EAT in the open kitchen too, you sure will be thinking you've stepped into some cultural heaven far from Ozzie land.

2. Seamstress - 113 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne
http://www.seamstress.com.au/
This is a modern Cantonese restaurant in China Town. It has been creatively decorated and the service is wonderful. Now, use the term 'Cantonese' lightly - I managed to eat a cheesy risotto but a delicious one at that. Just let them know you have the intolerance and they are extremely accommodating and will let you know exactly what is safe and what is not. You might find comfort in the fact that one of the hostesses (who I booked with) has coeliac herself and I have no doubt she eats in the restaurant where she works and endorses.

3. Tusk - 133 Chapel Street, Windsor
I can't review too much about this place as I was chatting too much with old friends that I was hardly concentrating on the food. But what really surprised me was after a simple question of "what breads do you have?" I had special toast for us cooler people on my plate. And it wasn't even on the menu!! Shows you just gotta be assertive sometimes.

4. Arcadia - 193 Gertrude Street, Fitzroy
Dragging my very unarty boyfriend through an area like Fitzroy (Brunswick, Gertrude, Smith Streets) was quite a feat. And you can imagine what a feat it was when I say it was Sunday and most shops were closed. We stumbled across this gem on Gertrude Street. You order at the counter from a chalk board with a huge selection of real goodies. They cooked me a normal egg breaky and as a side I got to eat this potato blob which they usually cook in flour, but for moi there was nudda of that. Yummy!

Know Melbourne? Would love you to share your GF experiences in this awesome city. Become a follower of the blog and just leave a comment!

Forbes and Burton

I really don't want to be letting you in on this delightful secret. I've never enjoyed sitting in a cafe space so much. It gave a feeling as close to how you do when you're romanticising over an epic travel moment in your mind.

They have art like this...

....hanging on sandstone walls. It's real cosy. And I forgot to mention they have "GF" written on large parts of their menu. Important stuff!

So, I've done it. The name of the place is in the title (so is the address). Now that I've let it out the bag, check out their cool website and read up about what they offer.

http://forbesandburton.com.au/

And yes, I give you permission to go there too (just remember who told you about it). Enjoy!

Glorious Glenayr

I had a thought. I don't know how profound it was (they rarely are). But it clicked, on one morning stroll last week that if you walk Glenayr Avenue (sorry, Bondi again), you will find almost every food store caters to our needs. Hooray to the whole world becoming edible!

I'll take you on a little visual 'eatable' journey through the street.


I'm sure you're surprised I went to art school. So am I. Here's what you can find at each place...

Iku - Loads of health food lunch and dinner potential. Yummy riceballs and the likes.

Organic Bakery - See past post on this bakery.

La Piadina - I usually pick up my pace from strolling to sprinting when passing this place, as the piadinas (Italian flatbread) look and smell gorgeous. A few months back, the nice Italian ragazzo told me they're working on making gee-free ones. In the mean time, they've introduced a rich cake that sits on the front counter. I'm yet to try it.

Pizzaiola - Again, haven't tried it but there's a pizza option for any of you ladies and lads wanting to beat me to it.

Green's Cafe - See past post on Bondi Breakfasts.

***Note to the keen alcoholics out there: Beach Road Hotel is across the street from the first few stores mentioned. Most alcohol is good to guzzle down the gullet. Obviously the big no-no's are beer and alci ciders. Cheers to wine and vodka!

Bondi Breakies

As you can probably tell by past posts, I hang out in Bondi a lot. So in keeping with this pattern, I'm dedicating this post to eating breakfasts in Bondi.

There's nothing better than a Sunday morning spent with your lady/gentleman friend, catching up with good mates or sitting peacefully alone reading the paper (or brain-frying fashion mags in my case) and enjoying a mighty egg breakfast made just for you. Now that's called relaxation.

Green's Cafe ---- 140 Glenayr Avenue, Bondi Beach
A quaint, little organic cafe. Feels like you've stepped into gran's house for a meal, or maybe just an old-fashioned, girly friend's home. Not your average menu with food such as parmesan scrambled eggs and home-made baked beans. They serve gee-free toast. Ask what else you can eat. 8.5/10

Joe and Willy's Depot ---- 1/286 Campbell Parade, North Bondi
Not only do they have toast for us, they also have pancakes! I love this place but I've struggled to get my normal friends to join me for a meal there. Why don't you try? 7.5/10

Brave Cafe ---- 68 Gould Street, Bondi
Grungy, arty (the whole place is painted with street art) and kind of dirty if you walk to the bathrooms (although dirt pretty much partners grunge). They use the Organic Bakery's bread but more on that later. I'm not a huge fan of these guy's menu. But it's do-able for a snack and coffee. 7/10

Hot Chocolate

For a good couple of years now, I've rarely enjoyed a warm cuppa hot choccie on a cold winter's day. Often the cocoa powders used in cafes aren't very pure, with all sorts of nasty ingredients added. You can be sure to enjoy your chocolat-E kick in a cup at these haunts around Sydney town.

Harry's Deli ---- 136 Wairoa Ave, Bondi
Not too sweet or rich. $4 a pop.

Berkelouw Books ---- 19 Oxford Street, Paddington
Catch an art house flick across the road at Verona after page-flicking and sipping on a hot choccie here. Open until pretty late each evening.

Perfection Chocolates ---- 700 New South Head Road, Rose Bay
Indulgent!!! I've been told by the owner they use their traditional handmade chocolate, but this time, it's melted and whipped up with milk. See ingredients of their plain milk chocolate to be sure.

For a yummy home recipe, good ol' choc Nesquik will do - try it on the stove. Be heavy handed with the 'quik, add milk and boil!