Planted in Hamilton

Looking for something celiac safe in Hamilton? Look no further than Planted in Hamilton on Locke St. S. All of their food is 100% gluten free, and also happens to be vegan. I am not vegan myself, don’t want to give up cheese and bacon, but I appreciate the safety of ordering from a restaurant that is 100% gluten free.

I discovered Planted while I was nursing my oldest.¹ She had a dairy intolerance that meant I was avoiding gluten and dairy for months. Then when I had the same issues with my second child and the pandemic started Planted became my go to take-out.²

My favourites are the BBQ Jackfruit Sandwich and the Classic Planted Burger. If you like sweet potato fries, then definitely opt for those as the side.³

I also love Planted for their baked goods. Their donuts are really great, and they switch up their bakery case regularly. Have a special occasion coming up? They also do catering and cakes, just make sure to order at least 2 days before your event.⁴

Planted in Hamilton is active on social media through their Instagram and Facebook pages, posting their weekly specials and bakery creations. As a celiac safe establishment, I highly recommend you give them a try. I give Planted in Hamilton 5 G’s out of 5.

¹Side note: Turns out I was late in the discovery, my brother and sister-in-law were enjoying Planted in Hamilton well before I ordered from them.

²Side note: Ordering from Planted during the pandemic felt good because I was supporting a local business while also getting a risk free meal just for me.

³Side note: You may notice that the allergens on the Planted in Hamilton website say “gluten free wheat starch”. As I understand it from the Canadian Celiac Association (CCA) gluten-free wheat starch undergoes a lot of processing to be able to extract what is needed and to keep it at or below certification levels, that being said we are advised to look for a warning that states that the gluten free wheat starch was properly processed under a governing body certification. I have not contacted Planted in Hamilton about this personally. They do indicate that their establishment is 100% gluten free, and I believe I saw a facebook post that mentioned it is certified gluten free wheat starch, but please as always do your due diligence to ensure your food is safe to eat before you order.

⁴Sidenote: I’ve never ordered their cakes, I need to remember they have this option for the next birthday party I go to.

China Palace

If you have celiac disease you know that takeout Chinese food is something that you must give up… or is it? Friday night my husband and I were both working late, and we didn’t have any plans for what to make for dinner. We thought we might go out, but I was just too tired, so that meant ordering in! 

I find ordering takeout/delivery difficult with celiac disease. Most places have deep fried breaded foods which means anything deep fried on their menu is a no go. I decided that we should look for something different than pizza, so I started a search for Chinese food. I thought that this was an impossible task, I haven’t had restaurant Chinese food since I was diagnosed with celiac disease in 2015. The deep-fried dishes and soya sauce made it seem like an impossible option.

Turns out takeout Chinese food isn’t impossible for people with celiac disease in Hamilton. In my search I found China Palace. On their home page they have a section for “Customers with Allergies” and they indicate that they can accommodate gluten free needs.¹

We ordered chicken fried rice, beef with broccoli, sliced chicken and mixed vegetables, Singapore Mei Foon (Rice Noodles), and glutenous Sweet and Sour Chicken Balls for my husband.² I recommend ordering your gluten free items first to avoid confusion. The food was delicious and no gluten reactions. I would order from them again. Next time I’d like to see if the rice noodles could be substituted in one of the other noodle dishes.

China Palace is an exciting find for me. I’ll be ordering from them again in the future for sure. I give them 4 out of 5 Gs.

¹Side note:  I think it was at this point I jumped out of my chair and did a happy dance.

²Side note: It was a ton of food, but I got excited about gluten free Chinese food. We’ve had 7 meals out of this order.

Agave (Mex-I-Can)

So if you’ve been looking through the articles on my blog you may think that all Hamilton has to offer is Mexican food. Well that isn’t true, but the Mexican restaurants in Hamilton are particularly good, and I feel like I am making up for lost time. Before I was diagnoses with celiac disease I thought that I might have an allergy to nightshades. I was sick all the time, but worse when I would eat peppers, or raw tomatoes. So it’s been 8-9 years since I’ve enjoyed anything with peppers in it, which includes Mexican food.

On this occasion I was meeting a friend for dinner to catch up. She recommended this new place, Agave. I decided to look it up online and found that Agave is the new name for   Mex-I-Can, located in Hess Village. My friend and I decided that we would sit inside because the sky was threatening to rain, but Agave has a great patio. The inside of the restaurant was not very busy for a Thursday night. I know how popular Mex-I-Can was so I think it is just a matter of time before there is a line out the door. There was a sign outside the restaurant indicating that they have gluten free options. Unfortunately though the menus had awesome pictures of luchadores on them they didn’t have any gluten free indicators. I asked the server what was safe to eat and he checked with the kitchen.

Our server was very friendly and attentive. Chips with a mild tomato sauce were brought for our table. We weren’t keen on the sauce. It tasted like tomato soup with hot sauce added to it. A salsa or guacamole would be better. After reviewing our options on the menu my friend ordered a pork and pineapple burrito and I ordered the pork and pineapple quesadillas. I was going to order tacos, but it only came with two and I wanted to be able to bring left overs for work the next day so I ordered the four quesadillas.

Our food came fairly quickly. The portions were very large. The side of rice was nice and spicy and the quesadillas were delicious. Agave had a nice atmosphere and a great patio that I would like to go back and use. There were plenty of gluten free options once you check with your server and the food is plentiful. I would recommend Agave to the Hamilton celiac community. I give it 4 out of 5 Gs.

The Mule

I’m really excited for my review of The Mule. I’ve actually eaten here twice before, but my blog didn’t exist then and I didn’t have any pictures from my previous trips. The Mule has a really young and hip atmosphere with red and white chandeliers hanging from the ceiling and large murals on the walls. My colleagues and I have made The Mule a frequent after work hangout.

One of the main reasons I was excited to review The Mule is their menu. Is anything gluten free you wonder. Well let me tell you, everything is gluten free! That’s right, not just a salad minus the croutons, no fryer to worry about, and no blank stare from the server. Everything in their kitchen is gluten free, which means you don’t need to worry about cross contamination at all. You can pick anything you like from the menu. If you are celiac like I am the freedom of choice is enough to make you giddy.

So what did I choose? On this occasion I decided to start with a mule cocktail and the Queso Fundido with Fresh Tortilla Chips. A mule is a cocktail with lime, ginger beer, sugar syrup and tequila or bourbon.¹ I went with a tequila mule. I’m not normally a tequila drinker, but I thought I would give the mule a shot. The Queso Fundido is nacho cheese with tortilla chips. I really enjoyed both the appetizer and my cocktail.

For my main course I ordered the Taco Bell and Chicken tacos. On my first trip the Taco Bell was my favourite. I tried the crispy avocado and halloumi tacos before but was not as big a fan of those, they lacked the kick the Taco Bell and Chicken tacos had. This time I preferred the Chicken tacos. If you are with a large group they will mix all your tacos together, so you have to try and remember what the server says they are when they’re dropped in front of you.²

For my first visit the service wasn’t fantastic; but, the menu and food were enough to bring us back, and we haven’t had an issue with the service since. The atmosphere, the quality of the food and the totally gluten free menu are what make The Mule great. I highly recommend this restaurant, and not just to those who have celiac disease. I give this restaurant 5 G’s out of 5.

¹Side note: From what I’ve read about bourbon and whiskey there is still debate on whether they are gluten free, so I generally avoid them. I’m also not the biggest fan of whiskey, so it’s not that hard to avoid it.

²Side note: What’s that? You’re worried they mixed up the tacos? Stay calm, gluten free on. Don’t worry it’s all gluten free! How often do you get to say that!

Burrito Boyz

The other night I went to my gym for their anniversary party and tried out some of the classes I hadn’t done before. I ended up staying longer than planned and didn’t leave the gym until 8pm. I was supposed to make dinner, but by the time I left the gym I had absolutely no energy left to cook. So, I decided to stop by Burrito Boyz.

Burrito Boyz is a fast food restaurant. You can order ahead and pickup or just walk up to the counter. They do have a seating area if you want to eat in. They have a number of locations in Ontario, but only one in Hamilton on King Street East.

Burrito Boyz has a few gluten free options. They offer gluten free tortillas for their burritos and quesadillas or a naked option if you prefer. Burrito Boyz uses the same grill for their wheat tortillas and gluten free tortillas, so depending on your sensitivity to gluten the naked option may be the only one for you, or nothing at all. I ordered the chicken and sweet potato gluten free burrito.

The Burrito Boyz employees were quick and friendly. I got my burrito to go and walked home. Unfortunately, when I got home and started eating the burrito I realized it was only sweet potato, not chicken and sweet potato. I was a little disappointed, but didn’t want to walk all the way back to complain. I’ve been to Burrito Boyz a few times and have had a range of experiences from great to not good at all. The inconsistency and lack of devoted gluten free preparation and cooking areas are why I give Burrito Boyz 2 G’s out of 5.

My Thai

I recently visited My Thai with my husband and a friend who was in town for a few days visiting family. The My Thai in Hamilton is the first of the chain. They do eat in or take out and also offer cooking classes for groups of 10-12. Thai food is often gluten free; it’s the sauces you need to watch out for.

I was the first to arrive at the restaurant. A very friendly host brought me to my seat. One great thing about My Thai that I noticed on the website is that they have a gluten free menu. I asked the host for the gluten free menu and he was happy to bring it over. There aren’t as many options on the gluten free menu as the regular one but it’s nice to know what is safe to order.

I chose the Pad Thai for dinner. It was good, didn’t have a ton of flavour. I don’t know how it would compare to the glutinous one. My husband got the grilled chicken and my friend got the Thai basil.

The food seemed a little pricey for what we got.¹ I think it would be more worthwhile if you order a bunch of dishes and share with a group. Overall a pretty good experience and I would order from My Thai again. I give it 3 G’s out of 5.

¹Side note: I did get dinner and lunch out of my Pad Thai.

Creamy Chicken and Rice

This dish has become one of our favourites. I found the recipe while searching through Pinterest for easy one pot dinners. The original post from Natasha’s Kitchen is well laid out, easy to follow and gluten free. The first time we tried this recipe I followed it to the letter. It’s creamy like risotto, but much easier, and so delicious it became an instant favourite.

After making it the first time I thought about what else I could add to it. I wanted to add more vegetables, I thought mushrooms would be a good addition since mushroom risotto is one of my favourites, and try it with chicken breasts instead of thighs. These are the ingredients you need to make my gluten free Creamy Chicken and Rice,

• 1/4 cup oil
• 4 Tbsp butter
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 large carrots, diced
• 1 stalk celery, diced
• 5 or 6 Cremini mushrooms
• 2 large or 3 small boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 1/2″ pieces
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 cup white wine
• 5 cups gluten free chicken broth
• 2 cups white long grain rice
• 1 head garlic
• 1/2 cup grated or shaved parmesan cheese

To make prep really easy I use my food processor to dice the onions, carrots, celery and mushrooms. I keep the onions, carrots, and celery together and the mushrooms to one side. I prep all the veggies before I turn on the stove.

You’ll need a large heavy bottom pot, or use a dutch oven if you have one. I don’t, but I have a great heavy bottom pot that makes this really easy. On medium to high heat add 1/4 cup oil and 2 Tbsp butter. Once the butter is melted add the onions, carrots, and celery and ½ tsp of salt, sauté until golden brown. While the onions, carrots and celery are cooking cut the chicken breasts¹ into ½ cubes. This is also a good time to heat or prepare your chicken broth².

Add the mushrooms, bay leaves and fresh ground pepper. Then add the chicken and last ½ tsp of salt. Brown the chicken on all sides.

Once the chicken is golden brown turn the heat up to high and add 1 cup of white wine³. Natasha suggests Chardonnay and I agree with her because it also happens to be my favourite, though I use whatever white wine is in the fridge and have had good results.

Reduce the wine stirring frequently; make sure you scrape the bottom of your pot to get all the flavour in. Depending on your pot you may need to watch this step carefully, mine doesn’t tend to stick so I don’t have to be too careful.

While the wine is reducing I prep my garlic head. You simply chop the top off, keeping the root intact so the cloves don`t separate.

Once the wine is mostly gone you add the hot chicken broth and 2 cups of rice, stir. Place the garlic head on top⁴ reduce the heat to simmer with a lid on for 15 minutes, or until the rice is done and the liquid has been absorbed.

Turn off the heat. Stir in the remaining 2 tbsp of butter then add ½ cup of shredded/shaved parmesan cheese, sometimes I add more of the cheaper grated stuff. We find it’s best eaten right away, but you can put the lid on it and keep it warm until you are ready to eat it.

So that’s it, gluten free Creamy Chicken and Rice. We love this dish and hope you enjoy the naturally gluten free goodness.

Credits: Original Creamy Chicken and Rice Recipe (a one-pot meal) recipe found on Natasha’s Kitchen.

¹Note: It’s really handy if your partner is helping with the prep. My husband was dicing the onions carrots and celery while I washed and cut the mushrooms. Then while I sautéed the onions, carrots and celery he cut the chicken into ½ inch cubes.

²Note: I use chicken bouillon cubes because they are easy so for me this step means boiling 5 cups of water and adding 2 chicken bouillon cubes. Once the cubes are dissolved I turn off the heat and let it sit until it`s needed later.

³Note: I realize I said 1 cup and what I have pictured is not 1 cup. We were near the end of the bottle so I just tipped the rest in, no harm no foul.

⁴Note: Depending on how large your garlic head is you may want to use tongs to do this. I`ve burnt myself before when the broth splashed up on my hand.

New York Fries

My husband and I have a serious addiction to poutine. When I was diagnosed with celiac disease I was afraid that that would be it for my most favourite of Canadian delicacies. Lucky for me one day while in a mall food court I asked the cashier at New York Fries if there was any chance that the gravy they use is gluten free. Her response, “Everything at New York Fries is gluten free except the hot dog buns.” My jaw dropped. So excited!

Having celiac disease you learn to avoid deep fryers. Most places throw something breaded in them. That means it can be difficult to get your hands on fries that are gluten free. So it was even more surprising to find out that not only are New York Fries fries gluten free, but so is their poutine. If you are a fan of poutine and need to eat gluten free, New York Fries is the way to go. I have yet to find another poutine in Hamilton that is gluten free. As I mentioned my husband and I have a serious poutine dependency, so if you know of another place in Hamilton please add it to the comments. Though I love poutine, the fact that New York Fries is a fast food place and is lacking in menu variety¹ and has no ambiance whatsoever, I can only give it 3 G’s out of 5.

¹Side note: I know I said New York Fries doesn’t have much menu variety; however, it is mostly gluten free. It is a great fast food option for people with celiac disease, which can be hard to find.

Mesa

I decided that Mesa would be the first of my Must be Gluten Free restaurant reviews. I’ve been meaning to visit Mesa ever since sampling their guacamole at Supercrawl in September 2015.

They had a sign in the window advertising that they would be opening soon and offering gluten free, halal, vegetarian and vegan options. My brother and his girlfriend (who also has celiac disease) recently visited Mesa and gave it good reviews. So, I made a reservation at Mesa with a friend to celebrate our birthdays.

I let the server know I have celiac disease up front. She let me know that everything on the menu is gluten free with the exception of the chimichangas. The burritos are made with flour tortillas, but you can substitute corn tortillas instead. Chimichangas are deep fried so I was concerned that maybe there would be cross contamination with any fried items. I asked the server about this and she checked with the kitchen. It turns out that they use a separate fryer, which is great news for people with celiac disease.¹

We ordered a small guacamole to split and I ordered the quesadillas with steak.  When I made my order the server let me know that she made a note of my “allergy”.² I read reviews that the service is really slow at Mesa, I didn’t find this to be the case, though my friend and I were in no rush at all. The guacamole was great and a good portion size. My meal, and my friend’s meal (she got the glutinous burrito), were enormous. We both brought left overs home. My food could have been a little hotter – both temperature and spice. I went with medium, but I think I could have handled hot.  Those who like really spicy food may want to ask for an extra kick. If you want to learn more about Mesa check out their Facebook page.

I really enjoyed the atmosphere of the restaurant, the servers were friendly and attentive, the food was delicious, the portions were generous, and the gluten free options were plentiful. I give Mesa 4 G’s out of 5.

¹Side note: One of the things I hate is when restaurants advertise a “gluten” free option that is deep fried in the same fryer as the chicken nuggets, mozzarella sticks, or breaded pickles. Wheat loves oil, once a chicken nugget goes in it is no longer celiac friendly.

²Side note: Celiac disease is not an allergy or intolerance it is an autoimmune disease. That being said I do find kitchens take allergies more seriously, particularly if they do not have a good understanding of what celiac disease is.