nothing's finer than some fishies

sushi is one of those things that i can eat for every meal, day in, day out, and never get sick of it.  i just love those raw fishies.  i also love how going out for sushi is just so easy, and common sense seems to go a long way towards enjoying a fabulous meal and making it through the whole thing without chowing down on some gluten.  through my numerous hunts for the best tasting sushi at a price that i can afford, i have discovered what i believe to be a general truth about the food -- the super high-end places aren't the best.  maybe i'm just a sushi purist and i don't like those crazy deep friend, cream cheese filled, and otherwise fancy-pants-ified rolls that are common at more formal joints.  I like to taste my fresh salmon for what it is, and it's pretty damn tasty.

there have been a few things i've learned in my many years enjoying the raw stuff.  here's a brief run down:

1.  never order take out.  you get whatever is left over, and you're not able to complain about it.

2.  sushi + refrigerator + 12 hours = dog food

3.  octopus ain't never gonna be eaten by me.  i'd rather chew on a belt.

4.  same goes for sea urchin.  i'm not going to tell you what that's like chewing on.

okay okay okay.  enough with the jokester act.  i do have some useful information that you can use the next time you find yourself perched at the sushi bar, wondering what deliciousness needs to find its way to your plate.  first off, and i'm sure this is redundant, don't reach for the soy sauce.  i usually bring my own, in that big, awkward bottle, and like someone sneaking home-brought snacks in a movie theater i'll guiltily shove my heavy purse to the far side of the booth.  i'll look about with shifty eyes, in hopes that the sushi chefs don't see me fill that little dish with some dark liquid pouring from my bag.  my goodness that makes dinner entertaining! 

for those of you that refuse to go without the 'sauce, i found this AWESOME product just this afternoon, and i'm trying to figure out how to order it for home delivery.  kari out, a company that supplies restaurants with condiments and such, makes little tiny, ketchup-sized packets of low sodium, GLUTEN FREE SOY SAUCE.  oh hell yeah.  i am NOT kidding.  a product like this deserves a description containing words in all caps.  i so want a box of these babies in my pantry, each of them at the ready and oh-so conveniently sized and non-leaking for my small purses!  come to momma!  i am sending the company an email on non-corporate orders, and will let you know what they say about it.

let's get back on topic.  soy sauce is a no.  check.  

miso can also be a no-no, but not always.  white miso is sometimes made with only rice and soy, however you can always cross red miso off of your list.  ask your server what's in their miso recipe if you're just dying for some.  same goes for that seaweed salad.  recipes differ, and some places are GF when making that green deliciousness.  some are not.  

speaking of green deliciousness, wasabi is only okay if it's pure wasabi.  some places use wasabi that's been cut with other ingredients, and this often includes some gluten product to maintain its consistency.

crab stick is made with pure wheat gluten.  yeah.  doesn't get any better than that.  if you eat anything with "crunch" or tempura you might as well stick a spoon in a bag of whole wheat flour and start feasting.  eel, or "unagi," is cooked in a wheat-based sauce and then drizzled with it, and pretty much anything with a sauce or a drizzle is probably a good idea to avoid.  

spicy rolls are iffy, and you are best off to ask how they are prepared as the spicy aspect of it might be a naughty gluteny sauce just waiting to turn your innards into knots.  most salad dressings and such are also suspect.

sake can sometimes be made with barley.  although it is distilled, some super sensitive folks will react to that.  i suggest that you either find a brand you're familiar with on the menu, or go for one of the more premium offerings, as the barley-containing sakes are the lower end varieties.  otherwise, sake is rice wine is should be a-okay.

perhaps this is why i love the simple sushi approach, and i stay away from the crazy combo rolls.  when sushi is just so fresh it is just so so delicious, and i'd rather not have those sauces and extras anyway.  who wants "crunch" when that bit of bright pink buttery salmon melts in your mouth?  the rice is seasoned just-so and the seaweed hugs it all together and keeps all of those gorgeous colors in place?  sushi feels healthy in my body after a meal, and it's not just a treat for my taste buds but it's also a feast for my eyes.

man, i just love those fishies.

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my fav wallet-friendly sushi place:

OYSY

 

888 s michigan avenue

chicago 60605

312.922.1127

50 e grand avenue

chicago 60611

312.670.6750

monday - friday: 11:30am - 2:30pm, 5 - 11pm

saturday: 5pm - 11pm

sunday: 5pm - 9pm

got a lot to say today.

my sister, who lives in brooklyn and is oh-so up to date and UpToTheMinute about so many things posh and handy, has made me aware of the gluten-free restaurant awareness program.  this is a tremendous resource for anyone heading to the new york area, however, it just hasn't quite taken off in chicago just yet.  i say this because my zip code search for GF restos within chicago resulted in only ONE listing, and it was for outback steakhouse.  while i have nothing against a chain with decent recipes, this is really a sad showing.

chicago.  where are you?

hello?

i have to hand it to the gluten intolerance group though.  they've gone and done a lot of the work by making this sort of list available and checking on those GF menus to make sure that they meet certain requirements.  but wait, that's not all.  they will actually help a place become GF by providing the restaurant with info about GF dietary needs, how to maintain an allergen-controlled kitchen, and ways to train their staff so that they are aware and educated.  furthermore, there are levels of GF recognition, and they list these with the participating restaurants and rank them by stars.  how handy is that?  i'm into handy.  check it out.

**

now onto the next topic ~

 

i can dig some good chain dining every once in a while.  if anything, knowing which places are good and suit your tastes always comes in handy if you're traveling.  let's start out with a little moo-goo-no-gluten.

p.f. chang's.  i'm sure you've seen it.  walked past those faux foo dog statues guarding the front doors.  maybe even climbed on top of one of the creatures and made yourself a little kodak moment.  perhaps next time you should head inside.  it's kind of fun to enjoy a little chinese, especially since it's just so difficult to find anything that is truly GF (or without MSG) unless you make it yourself.  well, you already know that the home-cooking biz is not for me, so i opt for professionally done meals.  and i must stay that i've had some good ones here.

GF menu breakdown:

starters/salads = 2 options

noodles = 1

entrees = 9

vegetarian entrees = 2

sides (also vegetarian) = 2

desserts =1

i have had 2 things off the menu on 2 different occasions.  one was the buddha's feast, which is for the vegetarian sect or just for those that would like to detox and eat chinese at the same time.  it's basically a little basket of steamed veggies that comes with the GF dipping sauce.  it's bland.  the sauce is kind of bland.  and the veggies are, well, steamed and just steamed.  but, if you're a health nut or just madly in love with your vegetables, you may enjoy it.  i would not recommend this dish for the heartier eaters among us, but i like it.

the next item i tried was the singapore street noodles dish.  this consists of super thin vermicelli rice noodles, made yellow with a nice, light curry sauce.  nicely jullianed veggies are mixed in along with shrimp and chicken.  i really like this one.  the vegetables are crispy and the flavors are strong (beware of garlic!  but you don't eat chinese and expect to chat it up without popping some altoids after).  it's a big portion for me so i took 1/2 of it home for lunch the next day and then used what was left for a side with dinner.  it reheated well, and made my whole apartment smell like it for the next 12 hours.  which made me hungry all over again.

reservations:  yeah, on a friday or saturday night if you're heading to the one downtown.

cost:  $25-30 per person for dinner

info:

p.f. chang's china bistro

530 n wabash ave

chicago 60611

312.828.9977

there are lots of other locations so check out the website if you're dining outside of downtown chicago.

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let's go outback tonight.. doo doo doo (got that song in my head along with visions of boomerangs).

steak?  shimp?  hankering for that hearty feast at a reasonable price?  then go outback tonight.  it's decent.  i'll give it that.  but everything is incredibly salty-ish which gives me the feeling that it's been preserved to all heck so whatever you could possibly want will be ready at a moment's notice.  but that's just me.  i know lots of people that love this place and one person in particular that even calls this her favorite spot.  i have to be honest and say that my tasting of the menu has been very limited, and so their steaks and pork and so forth may actually be quite good.  the variety on their GF menu is certainly good.  here's the breakdown:

starters = 3 options

salads = 3

steaks = 7 with various options to add stuff on like shrimp

grilled entrees = 4

fish = 6

"classics" = 4 (this is stuff like baby back ribs)

sides = 8

desserts = 3

burgers and sandwiches = 6 (but they suggest you order it without the bread and bring your own bun, building your burger at the table.  to me this is cheating having it on the GF menu then!  also, the "aussie fries" are not GF, so you're outta luck.)

kid's entrees = 5

cocktails = 8

reservations:  eh.  if you're so inclined.

cost:  about $20 per person

info:

outback steakhouse

8101 w higgins road

chicago 60631

773.380.0818

since this place is super duper chain-eriffic, there are TONS of locations.  you can find another one here.

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lastly, i have a double rule-breaker.  bonefish grill is another place that i have not been and while it is in IL, it is not in chicago.  but, i thought i'd list it since they (1) fall into the chain restaurant category, and (2) they have a separate and established GF menu.  from what i gather about this place, it's basically a seafood joint (duh and, of course, duh) that touts freshness and so forth, but it also has some steak and pork and such on the menu.  here's the GF breakdown:

starters = 2 options

salads = 3 

(there are no listed GF soups)

sides = 1, and to add to that their usual entree add-on of seasonal veggies is GF, with the zucchini being the exception.  this confuses me.)

grilled fish = 9 (plus 3 sauce options to go with that)

specialties = 3 (1 chicken and 2 steak)

alcoholic beverages = all wines and cocktails 

reservations:  can't say.  never been.  

cost:  about $35 per person

info:

bonefish grill

no chicago locations, but there are a WHOLE BUNCH of others listed on the website.