All posts filed under: Restaurant Reviews

gluten free chicken at Clutch

Gluten Free Chicken Goodness at Clutch, Hackney

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Free-range fried fowl – hold the gluten.   Clutch, which we’ve just learnt can refer to a group of female chickens, is a fitting name for this East End restaurant, which serves all things chicken (and sides). Of course fried chicken is usually a no-no due to it always being slathered in that ungodly gluten, but at Clutch all is not lost! You can get gluten free chicken tenders (boneless pieces of chicken) in two different flavours. If you’re gluten-intolerant and not a coeliac you may be ok with the sweet soy garlic tenders, which contain small amounts of gluten from the soy sauce, but if you’re coeliac your choice is lemon and parmesan – this flavour is totally gluten free and so tasty. Clutch uses free-range poultry, each limb is firm and succulent (no bingo wings here). Portions are enormous; there are sides, such as double-cooked fries and a few salads, but you won’t need those! This is not refined or subtle cooking, it’s the kind that goes brilliantly with a beverage or three …

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Gluten Free Goodies at Leon

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You’ll find tonnes of gluten free options at Leon – both sweet and savoury. But the thing I was most excited about on my last visit was the huge selection of gluten free baked goods (all in their own separate serving counter).   Behind the glass I found a gluten free brownie, double chocolate chip cookies, lemon and ginger crunch, billionaire’s shortbread, cherry bakewell and almond and orange cookie.   After some tricky decision-making I opted for the cookie (£2) – it didn’t disappoint. Chewy, chocolatey and totally delicious, I’ll be back soon to try the rest of the gluten free range. Check it out here.   leonrestaurants.co.uk

live dosa gluten free 2

Live Dosa, Chelmsford Essex

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Live Dosa is a small family run restaurant that recently opened near Chelmsford station in Essex. The restaurant’s owners know their stuff when it comes to gluten free diets and were happy to talk us through which dishes were suitable. The owners take pride in being the first Keralan (South Indian) restaurant in Chelmsford; they serve traditional Keralan food which, we’re pleased to report, is almost all suitable for gluten free diets. The biggest surprise was that many of the battered dishes were made with corn flour and rice flour, so were fine for us to eat. We also got a huge selection of bread dishes to choose from – which never normally happens! We began with a dosa, filled with chicken – and gluten free! It was served with a selection of sauces and tasted great. Next up was a starter of chicken, deep fried with spices. For mains we tried the tandoori chicken, one of the best versions of this we’ve had!   It was accompanied by ‘uthappam’ a gluten free type of Indian bread made by …

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Gluten Free Dining at Blixen, Spitalfields

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Blixen is a new opening just around the corner from Spitalfields Market. It stands on the site of an old bank, two walls house huge windows with metal fanlights to let in acres of natural light.   The interior décor is all rough brickwork, whitewashed and surmounted with walnut wood. The ceiling’s a beautiful construction of pale floorboards. The bar’s a white shrine, cunningly lit, with bottles of spirits in glass-fronted cupboards, and globe lamps on stalks. Beside the kitchen is a cute pergola hung with vines, past which you’ll find an outdoor terrace for drinks. Downstairs there’s a little cocktail bar that takes up to 45 drinkers and a private dining room for 18 in the old vaults.   The owners are Clive Watson, who’s spent a decade doing up London pubs (notably The Garrison and The Riding House Café) and Justin Gilbert, a designer of immense style and swishiness. Their first restaurant is perfectly proportioned, cosy, bustling and instantly appealing to walk into.   Gluten Free Food at Blixen: Gluten free options on …

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Gluten Free Pizza at GB Pizza, Exmouth Market

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The London branch of Margate pizza restaurant GB Pizza makes gluten-free pizza bases – and they’re a damn lot better than the usual carboard catastrophes. The Telegraph’s Zoe Williams called them “outrageously edible”. Hurrah! Made off-site by gluten-free chef Annie, they handle cross-contamination with care, but do warn that they are a “wheaty” environment. Toppings feature top-notch ingredients in simple combinations: charcuterie from Brixton’s Cannon & Cannon, British mozzarella and Kentish vegetables. It all rounds off with flavour-packed gelato from Soho’s Gelupo. We all scream for ice cream, as they say.   GB Pizza, 50 Exmouth Market, EC1R 4QE greatbritishpizza.com