Customize your burger with fresh, quality, ingredients at this cool, fun burger place. And now, in addition to the awesome burger-in-a-bowl (pictured), all Northern California locations now serve Udi’s gluten free buns for their outstanding burgers.

When you walk into one of the many Counter restaurants, you get the industrial warehouse feel with a very simple concept. After you are seated, you are handed a clipboard with all the ingredients and you spend a few minutes checking boxes on the order form, so that your burger is built is exactly the way you want it.

You begin by picking your meat and size of burger: beef, turkey, veggie (not GF), or chicken (not GF). Next you choose the gluten free bun, if you are in one of the locations that offers that, or you have the option called “Burger in a Bowl.” That’s the one you choose if you’re looking for gluten free. It comes on a huge bed of lettuce, and then you work your way down the list to choose the toppings you would like. All together, there are 312,120 different combination possibilities, so they say.

They have many cheese choices, besides the expected, you can get something like horseradish cheddar or herb goat cheese spread – or skip the cheese if you’d like. All the cheese is GF, except the blue cheese, according their allergen chart.*

The next step is toppings like boiled eggs, grilled pineapple, cranberries, coleslaw, sprouts, tomatoes, just to name a few. Sundried tomatoes, avocado, fried egg and bacon make up some of the premium choices. All  toppings are gluten free, except for the onion strings.

By the time you get to the sauce choices, you feel like you are taking a pop quiz in school, “Wait, I didn’t study this part!” Twenty-one sauces like roasted garlic aioli, basil pesto, honey mustard, and more unusual plus all the expected choices. More than half of the sauces are gluten free.

If you’re not a burger eater, order the side salad or the Hobo Pack, which is a yummy assortment of grilled veggies with fresh herbs.

If all that isn’t enough to make you want to try The
Counter, here’s a message from corporate headquarters about that huge order French fries or sweet potato fries that you will certainly want to order, “We dedicate one fryer to the sweet fries and French fries. There is another fryer used for food items that have flour. The teams are trained on how to use each fryer.” (We’ve eaten there many times with no evidence of cross-contamination with gluten items.) The Sweet Potato Fries are reason enough to eat there!

If you’re missing your old burger and fries, this place should definitely be on the list of restaurants to visit! It’s not your old burger and fry joint – it’s much better!

*Keep in mind that if you look at their allergen chart, the items checked in the Gluten Free Column DO NOT contain gluten, as opposed to the other columns that have a check if the ingredient IS contained in the item.

(Updated review from March 2010)

CURRENT LOCATIONS (as of 12/11):

Illinois
Chicago – Lincoln Park

I visited my local BJ’s a little while ago to test out the new Pizookie. What’s a Pizookie, you may ask? It’s a gooey warm cookie in its own little 8″ pan (cookie cooked like a pizza=hence the name), hot out of the oven, and topped with ice cream. Big enough to share, but why would you? Until now, it has been strictly off limits to the gluten free diners at BJ’s. Since they added their great gluten free thin crust pizza to the menu, this is a natural next step.

The gluten free Pizookie is just slightly crumblier around the edges and contains mini chips, so it a bit less chocolate than the original, and is topped with an optional two scoops of gluten free vanilla bean ice cream. The taste is right on. There’s pretty much no way to mess up a gooey warm chocolate chip cookie, and they didn’t! This is a delicious addition to their awesome gluten free thin crust pizza and other gluten free choices.

Ordered with no ice cream so I could really taste it

I was told that the cookie dough comes from the same company that provides their crust (Venice Bakery in El Segundo, CA.)

Here are the ingredients: Sugar, Semi-sweet chocolate chips, rice flour, palm and sesame oil, eggs, water, brown sugar, dehydrated soy flour, corn starch.

Just as the pizza tools and prep area are separate from the regular area, the gluten free ice cream tools receive special handling that all employees has supposedly been trained on. It is also listed on a handout of new menu items that all employees have. The flyer states that this is the process for handling the ice cream, “The gluten free ice cream scoop requires special handling. It is kept with the other gluten free tools on the pizza station. Pulled from there for use, it is then sent through the dish machine immediately, then returned immediately to the pizza station storage. The scoop may never touch or be left in the dipping well at the ice cream cooler.”

From August 7 through September 30, 2011, you can also order the “Gluten Free Party for Two,” which includes two Small House, Caesar or Wedge Salads (without the croutons), a Gluten-Free Thin Crust Pizza and the NEW! Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Pizookie. The Gluten-Free Party for Two is just $19.95.

You can also add a movie to your gluten free party!  BJ’s has partnered with local movie theatres so guests can enjoy a party AND a movie for two. Guests can upgrade their Party for Two to a Gluten Free Party and a Movie for just $15 more. Party and a Movie upgrade includes two movie tickets. Visit your local restaurant for more details.

Read my review of their yummy thin crust pizza here.

Use their restaurant locator to find a BJ’s near you.

In general, the BJ’s chain has a great reputation for their Gluten Free Process and Employee Training. Please be sure and add your review and rate your BJ’s location to Gluten Freeville Directory.

There is no pizza or pasta on the menu just yet, but hopefully they will figure out how to add those at some point. The items on the menu are very nice choices for  gluten free guests. It includes a few small cravings such as Asparagus and Arugula Salad and White Corn Guacamole and chips. All the soups are vegetarian and two of them are gluten free. Six salads, two of the fish dishes and an ice cream sundae are also included on the menu. The kids meal is very disappointing – grilled chicken, broccoli and fruit. Are kids really going to be happy eating that meal while those around them are having pizza?

If you are a frequent diner here, you will look at the menu and realize they have not gone out of their way to add anything new or change anything for the gluten free diner, but the fact that they have pulled some things off the regular menu onto their own menu is at least a start and an acknowledgement that there are gluten free people that eat there! Now let’s work on getting them to figure out a safe way to serve some gluten free pizza!

Click here to go the Gluten Freeville Directory and add your zip code in the “search by zip” field to find California Pizza Kitchen near you and please RATE and COMMENT on your experiences if you’ve eaten there. I went today and I give it 3 stars – 5 for taste and service and 2 for effort and choices.

The gluten free menu and maps to each location can be found in the directory as well (or click the link to download it).

Here’s the gluten free information sent to me from Peet’s Coffee & Tea Customer Service on February 1, 2011. There is currently no GF information on their website, but they are prompt about providing it when asked. It is directly quoted unless otherwise noted.

• All of our coffees are produced without gluten and in a plant that does not process or share equipment with glutinous items.
• Our teas, and herbals (black, green, Oolong, white, and herbals) are made without gluten ingredients. The only exception would be our Genmai Cha which contains roasted rice kernels, so this tea would contain rice gluten, which is generally considered “safe gluten”.
• Our Dutch Cocoa powder and syrup are both made without gluten ingredients. Our syrup is a mixture of sweeteners and Dutch Cocoa (which is ground cocoa) as well.
• The additional ingredients used in our various bar beverages (milk, Freddo powder, cocoa powder, and all of our other syrups) are all made without gluten ingredients.
• Our Pacific Soy Milk is made with organic soybeans, is both gluten free, and casein free.
• The only item I would recommend avoiding is the Godiva Freddo, as we do not produce the chocolate for this beverage, and cannot speak to the condition of the plant where it is produced. (Note from Gluten Freeville: Since common pitchers are used for Freddo’s, it would be wise to ask them to clean the pitcher before making yours)

This also from Customer Service: “We are aware that many of our customers have to avoid gluten, and we have been actively looking into offering some gluten-free baked goods”

Check and see where the nearest Peet’s Coffee & Tea is located.

You can tour the spotless kitchen anytime (holds true for the ones I have been in), and they will happily show you how your meal is prepared. It’s always a good idea to tell the manager that you are gluten free when you arrive so your meal can be supervised, but we’ve always had conscientious and knowledgeable chefs and wait staff regardless of whether or not we alert the manager.

Their Gluten Free menu (below), which has some very nice choices, but long before they had a gluten free menu, my family was ordering gluten free Chicken Parmesan or steak and mashed potatoes at Buca di Beppo. The chefs there can whip up most menu items “without the dusting of flour” and in their own pan.

Last night we had the tasty Chicken Cacciatore filled with large mushrooms and rich red sauce, their heavy, buttery, mashed potatoes, and chopped salad – with more chopped stuff than lettuce. Their gluten free items are every bit as delicious as the ones with flour, just healthier. Skipping the quick fry stage subtracts many calories off the dish and makes it taste fresher and lighter anyway.

You can order for dining in, to go, cater an office lunch, or reserve room for a banquet or party. Join their email club and they send coupons for large discounts frequently.

Use their restaurant locator to see if one of the 87 locations is near you.

Current Gluten Free Menu (as of Jan. 2011)

RedBrick claims that “meticulous safety and consistency” are the goals of their new gluten free offerings, as well as providing healthy dining choices for the entire family.

“Every gluten-free RedBrick Pizza is made with the freshest ingredients of the highest quality including heart healthy olive oil. Each serving contains less sodium, calories, and carbs than ordinary pizza. RedBrick offers a full array of gourmet pizzas ranging from 280 to 450 calories. “We are delighted to be able to serve this audience with a delicious product that they can enjoy without guilt or worry,” says Jim Minidis, co-founder and CEO of RedBrick Pizza Worldwide, Inc.”

“For those with celiac disease, the gluten intolerance can be severe, and although our cafés are not a gluten-free establishment, RedBrick has gone to great lengths to train their staff and utilize separate prep and bake processes to keep customers safe and prevent any potential for cross contamination. The entire process has been reviewed and accepted by the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness (NFCA) and Celiac Disease Foundation (CDF). “

RedBrick even donates a portion of all gluten-free pizza sales to CDF’s Team Gluten-Free to help send children with severe wheat intolerance to summer camp.

Named The Future 50 fastest growing emerging chains in America by Restaurant Business, RedBrick Pizza Worldwide, Inc. has Neighborhood Pizza Cafés across the U.S. and Canada serving its fire-roasted gourmet pizzas, Fhazani sandwiches, chopped salads, and real Italian gelato ice cream.

Read the entire Press Release here.

Visit their website here

See where the nearest Red Brick Pizza is located.

Their website claims that their waffle potato fries are actually GF, since all Chick-Fil-A’s apparently have a separate fryer for those. Also Gluten Free – their grilled chicken sandwich without the bread and grilled chicken salad. A few of the other sides are also GF – cole slaw, fruit cup, carrot raisin salad and side salad. On the breakfast gluten free list are eggs, bacon, sausage and hash browns.

Not on the menu – they will give you chicken nuggets or strips GRILLED instead of breaded and fried if you ask for them, which can make for a great GF kid’s meal there.

Click on Nutrition and Health and then Gluten Info.

Use their restaurant locator to find one near you.

Note: Many people have reported after reading this that Chick-Fil-A has told them that the location they checked with reported that the fried chicken is made with peanut oil, the grilled chicken uses no oil and the waffle french fries are now fried in canola oil. Speak to the management of the location near year you if you have a peanut allergy.

Hello Pasta,

The eleven sauces all originate from the Hello Pasta test kitchen. There are gluten free, vegan and vegetarian options. Below are the current Gluten Free sauce options:

• Pomodoro – Tomato, onion, olive oil, basil, carrot, garlic, spice (GF,V.V)
• Arrabiatta – Tomato, onion, EV olive oil, garlic, spice (GF, V.V)
• Primavera– Broccoli, cauliflower, onion, green pepper, red pepper, yellow pepper, snap pea, spice (GF,V.V)
• Bolognese –Tomato, (no HMO’s) ground beef, onion, carrot, EV olive oil, spice. (GF)
• Sausage & Pea– Tomato, sausage, light cream, peas, garlic, spice (GF)
• Chicken Tuscan – Chopped Tomato, chicken (no HMO’s), light cream, , EV olive oil, garlic, fresh basil, spice (GF)
• Carbonara – Fresh Light cream, bacon, garlic, canola oil, asiago cheese, spice (GF)

The customer will first choose a small or large order, then pick the shape and type of pasta, followed by one of 11 sauces, then parmesan cheese or a vegan/GF alternative.

“In addition to pasta, Hello Pasta will offer seasonal soups, ready-to-go salads and cold pasta options (Ratatouille and Tomato Mozzarella.)  Hello Pasta will also serve Ciao Bella ice cream, private labeled sweet treats and Nespresso coffee and cappuccinos.”

“We wanted to create a brand that perfectly balances tradition and innovation, transcends all language barriers and is as genuine as our absolute love for our pastas!” states co-founder and Chief Marketing Officer Gregory Baratte.  Adds Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer Nicolas Barthelemy, “We created Hello Pasta to be an inviting, fun space with a strong, unique design that provides both an efficient flow of service and a memorable experience.”

‘”Our goal is to be the Starbucks or Pinkberry of pasta,” said Gregory Baratte, partner and chief marketing officer of the operation, in a statement provided by his publicist.”

Click here to read the entire press release.

Check their website for locations, hours and delivery/ordering info.

I added Miglets to my GPS today, knowing I’d be passing through Danville, CA on a road trip, They weren’t open when I called, but Katie generously invited me to stop by and get some cupcakes ahead of the crowd they were expecting later for their buy one get one free sale.

Upon arrival, we were waved in past the closed sign. A fully stocked freezer to the right was full with Mariposa Bakery items, Udi’s, O’Doughs, and a few other GF bready goodies, but the real treats were in the case straight ahead. Beautiful cupcakes in many flavors and colors.

I picked the four that Katie recommended. First, the best-seller Red Velvet, decorated for the holiday weekend with blue, ultra sweet frosting and patriotic sprinkles. It was very moist and tasty, although my personal preference would have been cream cheese frosting.

The second taste was a yummy Chocolate Cream. It had really rich chocolate cake, filled with rich cream, chocolate frosting and a chocolate cream filled cooked on top.

The third was a wonderful Snickerdoodle Cupcake. Wow! Loved the cinnamon cake, creamy cinnamon frosting and bite of one of Miglet’s moist Snickerdoodle cookies on top.

There was a Lemonade Cupcake and Lemon Blueberry for my last choice. Katie recommended the Lemon Blueberry. I took it thinking it would be my least favorite, but it actually turned out to be my favorite. The large, sweet blueberries made the light cake extremely moist and the lemony cream cheese frosting was heavenly. This one was the perfect mix of sweet and tart with the just right amount of light and creamy. (Sorry, it was gone before I could get a photo of it.)

Since this was not a regular business day, I missed out on trying the other amazing sounding goodies that  Miglet’s makes – breads, cakes, quiches, pies, cookies, tarts and more – but next time I’m passing through Danville or near one of the other Bay Area stores below, I’ll definitely get more of these wonderful gluten free treats!

Where to Buy: There are a few other Bay Area locations where you can get Miglet’s goodies as well as in their cute little Danville dedicated gluten free bakery. They don’t ship, so stop by and visit if you live nearby or are passing through the Bay Area on vacation.

Miglet’s Cupcake Shop
480 San Ramon Valley Blvd, Danville CA

Draeger’s Market
Danville, Los Altos, San Mateo, CA

Mariposa Baking Company
Oakland CA

Vans Health Foods
Livermore CA

YEAH! BURGER is a casual, healthy fast food place with a commitment to sustainability and local, organic foods. How can you go wrong with Grass-fed beef burgers, naturally raised bison burgers, organic turkey burgers, organic chicken breast patties, organic veggie burgers, nitrate-free hot dogs, hand-cut French fries, and organic salads.

GLUTEN FREE BUNS will be supplied by Atlanta’s Dough Bakery, and the lettuce-leaf wrapped version is always available, as well as Southern White and Whole Wheat buns. YEAH! BURGER has created a menu with gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan options for diners with special nutritional needs. Burgers will start at $5.99 and increase slightly in price depending on guests’ patty and topping selections.

Prior to dreaming up YEAH! BBURGER, Chef Shaun Doty has long been at the forefront of the Atlanta dining scene.  For the past three-years, he has been the man behind Shaun’s Restaurant, which has a changing daily menu, but often features gluten free fare. “My son has autism, and I am hyper sensitive to food,” he said, so it would seem he understands the special needs diet.

“YEAH! BURGER’s socially-conscious approach also extends to its numerous green efforts including offsetting its energy usage with wind power; use of ENERGY STAR equipment throughout the restaurant; installation of water-efficient toilets, bathroom fixtures and kitchen faucets; use of reclaimed wood paneling and table tops; and use of 100% compostable cups and to-go packaging and utensils.”

1168 Howell Mill Road, Suite E
Atlanta, GA
(404) 496-4393

YEAH! BURGER is open everyday from 11 AM to 10PM, except on Fridays and Saturdays when they remain open until 11PM.

It’s already rumored that a second location of YEAH! Burger is slated for a former service station at the corner of Virginia and Highland also in Atlanta, and our fingers are crossed for the wild success and further expansion of this place!

If you have been there, please comment on your experience below as the rest of us live vicariously through you.

References:
• http://atlanta-restaurantblog.com/2010/06/yeah-burger-opens-on-the-atlantas-westside/
• http://www.foodiebuddha.com/2009/12/18/chef-shaun-doty-of-shauns-inside-the-chefs-kitchen-7/
•http://www.mydailythread.com/shauns-restaurant-01-atl.html#full