Boardwalk Pizza - Winter Park

A couple of weeks ago, we had dinner at Boardwalk Pizza in Winter Park with family that was visiting from out of town.  We first discovered Boardwalk Pizza about four years ago, when I was still teaching full time.

Before Boardwalk Pizza, I had never had a gluten free pizza that I liked at a restaurant.  Last month, I found this picture of a Margherita pizza I ordered there years ago.  I enjoyed their pizza so much, we ate at Boardwalk Pizza pretty regularly until I retired from teaching and started making pizza with Chebe at home.

The Bistro on Park Avenue - Winter Park

Last night, we had dinner at The Bistro on Park Avenue in Winter Park.  I was excited to try it after reading my friend Amanda's glowing review on her blog Eating Out Without.  

The Bistro on Park Avenue can be a bit hard to find, though there was signage on Park Avenue pointing guests back to the Hidden Garden where it is located.  

Cocina 214 - Winter Park

My family has enjoyed dining at Cocina 214 in Winter Park for several years.  Cocina 214 is a contemporary Mexican and Tex-Mex restaurant located right off Park Avenue.  On cooler days, we love to dine on their covered patio.  

Today is National Ceviche Day, and Cocina 214 has created a summer ceviche dish to celebrate.  

The summer ceviche recipe contains tilapia, fresh lime juice, purple onion, avocado, jalapeno, grape tomatoes, cilantro, mango, pineapple, and salt.  When making ceviche, it is important to use enough fresh lime juice to completely cover the fish, because it is the lime juice that actually "cooks" the raw fish in this dish. 

I regularly order The 214 Ceviche, which contains tilapia, jalapeno, red onion, tomato, citrus, and avocado.

We also love Cocina 214's guacamole, and their complimentary chips & house salsa.

On previous visits, I have enjoyed their Carne Asada, which is grilled skirt steak with grilled onions & peppers, and chimichurri salsa.  

February 28, 2015 Update

Last night, we dined at Cocina 214 in Winter Park, and started our meal with orders of queso blanco and guacamole to go with our chips.  The queso is very good, and reminds me a bit of The Laughing Cow cheese. 

For an entree, I chose the Don Carlos - three blackened fish tacos with coastal slaw, sliced avocado, and a citrus dressing.  I enjoyed my tacos, but a couple of pieces of my fish were a little fishy tasting.

For dessert, I ordered the vanilla flan with caramel sauce.  If you like flan, Cocina 214's version will not disappoint.

Gluten free choices are clearly marked on their menu, which you can view here.  

What are your favorite gluten free dishes at Cocina 214?  

Prato - Winter Park

After two long days at the Gluten-Free Living Conference, I did not have the energy to cook last night, so we decided to go to Winter Park for dinner.  While we were walking down Park Avenue, we spotted Prato, and decided to eat there.  I had recently learned that they were making their own gluten free pasta, and we hadn't been there in over a year, so it was the perfect spot for dinner.  The restaurant is beautiful, and has both indoor and outdoor seating on Park Avenue.  

Prato serves Italian cuisine, blending Italian classics with modern techniques and seasonal ingredients.  I have always found the wait staff to be incredibly knowledgeable about their gluten free options.  In the past, I have had both chicken and pasta dishes, but I was excited to try their house made gluten free pasta, which wasn't available on our last visit.  I asked our server about how they prepare the pasta.  It is rice based and prepared in a separate area of the kitchen to avoid cross contamination.  Prato has even been experimenting with a gluten free pizza, but it is not currently on the menu because they feel it is not up to their standards yet.  I was told that they have many customers with celiac and gluten intolerance, and understand the importance of avoiding cross contamination in their food preparation.   

I ordered a large portion of gluten free pasta with radicchio, speck & balsamico, which our server recommended.  I wish I had written down her full description of this dish, because it definitely convinced me to order it.  It was incredibly rich and flavorful, and I loved the balsamic reduction.  

I also ordered a small portion of the spring garlic carbonara with English peas & tellicherry pepper.  My daughters enjoyed sharing this dish with me.  It was probably my favorite of the two, but I enjoyed them both.  

Here's a closer look at Prato's gluten free pasta.  It was impressive!  It was like a cross between a regular pasta noodle and gnocchi or cavatelli.  It was soft, but not mushy.  

My family sampled my pasta dishes and enjoyed their gluten-filled pizza.  Hopefully, some day Prato will perfect a gluten free version of their amazing looking pizza!

You can view Prato's menu here.  I suggest you make a reservation, because they are always pretty busy, but we were able to get a table without one around 5:30 on a Saturday night.

June 29, 2015 Update

Last night, we had dinner at Prato with friends.  I planned on ordering one of their pasta dishes, but was told that they are no longer making gluten free pasta.  Our server, who was incredibly knowledgable about their gluten free options, marked one of their menus for me with all of the dishes I could order.  I ended up choosing the salmon, which was incredibly delicious.  Served with oyster mushrooms, charred corn, peaches, greens, and a pea puree, it was a flavorful and light dish.  After dinner, we headed to Le Macaron, where I ordered two of my favorite macarons, the caramel salted butter.  It is hard to eat just one!  Overall, we enjoyed our meals, but I am disappointed that Prato is no longer making gluten free pasta. 

What are your favorite gluten free dishes at Prato?

Carmel Cafe & Wine Bar -- Winter Park

Last night, my husband and I had dinner at Carmel Cafe & Wine Bar in Winter Park.  My neighbor had told me about Carmel Cafe's gluten free menu about a month ago, and raved about the food.  I was especially excited that we had chosen to eat there after reading Celiac in Orlando's review, which you can see here.  

The gluten free menu can only be found on the iPads given to each table at Carmel Cafe.  At first, I was confused because I only saw a gluten free lunch menu, but the choices and prices were the same as the paper menu we had been given for dinner.  I love short ribs, so our first choice was easy.  

The braised short ribs were served with an olive tapenade and creamy polenta.  The short ribs were delicious, but the polenta was the star of the dish.  I could have eaten a whole bowl of it!  

My husband and I also shared the Citrus Grilled Salmon Salad, which is described as organic mixed greens, red & yellow beets, tomatoes, English cucumber, seasonal berries (strawberries), almonds, goat cheese crumbles, with orange thyme vinaigrette.  Not being a fan of goat cheese, I asked for feta instead.  When I received my salad, I really enjoyed the first few bites.  I loved the dressing and the kale that was part of the organic mixed greens.  When I lifted up my warm salmon, I noticed that a good amount of the cheese had melted on the greens and the bottom of the salmon.  When I tasted it, it tasted like goat cheese, so I asked our server if they would remake my salad because I thought I had mistakenly been given some goat cheese on my salad along with the feta.  In the end, I'm not sure if that was the case.  Their feta was very soft and very strong compared to the feta I am used to from Whole Foods and other restaurants.  If I ordered this salad again, I would ask for feta cheese on the side.

Some other menu items that are gluten free or can be modified to be gluten free include the edamame hummus, shrimp ceviche, rustic grilled chicken skewers, Moroccan lemon chicken, basil grilled salmon, and roasted vegetables.  I didn't take any pictures of the menu or write down choices from the gluten free menu like I usually do because we were having dinner with another couple that I had just met.  From reading Celiac in Orlando's review, I know you need to be cautious about fried items on the gluten free menu because they do not have a dedicated fryer.  I informed my server that I had Celiac, and she said that she would tell the kitchen so gloves would be changed and proper precautions taken to avoid cross contamination.

Overall, I was impressed with Carmel Cafe and would love to dine there again.  You can view their website and menu here.

Paris Bistro -- Winter Park

On Wednesday night, my daughters and I had dinner with my parents at Paris Bistro in Winter Park.  During our many visits to Le Macaron, which is in the same building,  I always noticed how many gluten free choices Paris Bistro had marked on their menu.  

I ordered the Beef Burgundy, and chose sauteed green beans and creamy au gratin potatoes as my sides.  

The beef burgundy was delicious!  This dish was so flavorful, and the beef was nice and tender.  

The star of my meal though was the creamy au gratin potatoes.  I could eat a whole plate of them and leave happy!  I don't think I have had au gratin potatoes since my Celiac diagnosis.  They were heavenly!  

For dessert, I could have had Creme Brulee, but I chose to order the special of the night, caramelized bananas with ice cream, whipped cream, and chocolate sauce, which I asked for on the side.  It's amazing how something so simple can be so delicious.  It was the perfect end to a great meal.  

We had hoped to sit outside at one of Paris Bistro's tables on Park Avenue, but had to sit indoors because of the rain.  Right outside of their restaurant, Paris Bistro has some indoor seating underneath this tree, which we were told was created by the company that makes fake trees for Disney.  It's pretty realistic looking.  

While my dad and I were sharing my dessert, my daughters dragged my mother to Le Macaron for some macarons.  

All of the macarons at Le Macaron are gluten free.  You can read more about Le Macaron here.  

On Paris Bistro's menu, there is a little GF to the left of every menu item that is naturally gluten free.  I was assured by the staff that they are very careful about cross contamination and use separate pans and utensils.  If you have Celiac or gluten intolerance, it is important to notify the staff at every restaurant you dine at, unless it's one of those rare restaurants that is 100% gluten free.  

Paris Bistro has a nice selection of gluten free appetizers and salads.  

The Beef Burgundy I ordered is described as beef slowly cooked with red wine and vegetables.  

My parents both loved their Veal Normande, veal slowly cooked in a white wine creamy mushroom sauce.  This menu item is also gluten free.  

Next time, I might try the Coq Au Vin, which is chicken slowly cooked in red wine, onions, bacon and mushroom.  

There is even a gluten free choice on the kids menu.  My girls, who do not need to eat gluten free, ordered the kid's pasta and cheese with white sauce.  

Paris Bistro runs a great lunch special from Tuesday to Friday from 11:30 to 4:30.  With the purchase of a drink, you get a three course meal for $11.95.  For the first course, the gluten free option is a Bistro Salad.  For the second course, you can order Coq Au Vin, Veal Normandy, or Beef Burgundy, and for the the third course, Creme Brulee.  

Saturday and Sunday from 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM, you can enjoy a two course brunch at Paris Bistro for $11.95.  Gluten free choices for the first course include the Coq Au Vin, Veal Normandy, Goat Cheese and Spinach Omelet, and Mushrooms with Gruyere Cheese Omelet.  For dessert, the second course, the Creme Brulee and a scoop of vanilla ice cream are gluten free. 

March 7, 2014 Update -- I met my friend Shelley for lunch today at Paris Bistro.  We were seated inside the restaurant, which was fine with us on a cold afternoon in Orlando.  

We both ordered a beverage so we could take advantage of the 3 course lunch special for $11.95.  For my first course, I had the Bistro Salad, which was good, but nothing special.  Shelley enjoyed the soup of the day, a vegetable soup, that was also gluten free.  

For our second course, we both chose the Coq Au Vin, chicken slowly cooked in red wine, onions, bacon and mushroom.  I was not expecting chicken still on the bone, but I really enjoyed the dish and it was the perfect portion for lunch.  I was very excited that it was served with my favorite creamy au gratin potatoes.  

For my third course, I had planned to order the creme brulee, but when our server mentioned the special of the day, I couldn't pass up the caramelized banana.  The presentation is much prettier with the chocolate sauce, but I asked for it on the side.  I loved the cute little lunch portion!  

Arriving when they opened at 11:30, Shelley and I had the room we were sitting in to ourselves.  By the time we left, the restaurant was completely full, which is fully understandable with Paris Bistro's great lunch special and the quality of their food.

July 25, 2014 Update

My daughters and I took my husband to Paris Bistro tonight, for his first dining experience there.  We shared the salmon special, which was excellent, and an order of the beef burgundy.  Because everyone wanted the au gratin potatoes, we ordered two sides with each dish.

For dessert, I couldn't pass up the caramelized bananas with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, and chocolate sauce. Tonight, I forgot to tell our server to leave off the chocolate sauce, but I actually enjoyed it.  They didn't overdo it, so the chocolate was a nice subtle flavor.

We enjoyed all of our dishes tonight, and will definitely be coming back.  

Le Macaron

I have written about Le Macaron in previous blog posts and on my Facebook page, but it's time for Le Macaron to have its own blog post.  It most certainly deserves it!  

We have been going to Le Macaron for dessert since it opened in Winter Park.  It's located on Park Avenue in the same building as Paris Bistro, a restaurant I have been wanting to try because of all of their gluten free options.  

We love to check out the super-size goldfish on the way to their storefront.  

In the Orlando area, Le Macaron has locations in Winter Park and Altamonte.  You can view their other locations here. 

All of the macarons at Le Macaron are gluten free, with no preservatives or artificial flavors  They are not macaroons, the cookies with lots of coconut.  Macarons are French confections created from ground almonds and soft meringue.  They are slightly crispy on the outside, and have delicious creamy centers.  

I took a picture of all of their flavors for you.  The pistachio is one of my favorites.  My daughter Kate likes the candied ginger chocolate.  I'm not sure if we've ever tried the passion fruit dark chocolate.  

Le Macaron also has coconut, raspberry, and Columbian coffee, one of my daughter Emma's favorites.  

Other options include Belgian chocolate, blackcurrant, and walnut.  

Wait, there's more!  You can order Madagascar vanilla, rose, or chestnut.  

Still not done!  There is also Praline-Gianduja, lemon cream, and raspberry lime.  

 I saved the best for last -- the gingerbread, basil & white chocolate, and my favorite, the caramel salted butter.  They are like a little taste of heaven!  

Update -- Le Macaron now has lavender macarons!  I love the little decoration it has.

Le Macaron also sells gelato, which does not contain gluten, but I was told that there could be cross contamination issues where it is made.  My husband, daughters, and mother-in-law love the coconut chocolate gelato.

There are so many amazing restaurants that we love to go to in Winter Park.  We usually don't eat dessert at any of these establishments though, because we love to stop in at Le Macaron after dinner.

Here's a list of the other Winter Park restaurants I have reviewed.  Click on their names to see the blog posts.

Restaurants on Park Avenue

Cafe 118 Degrees

Bosphorous Turkish Cuisine

Orchid Thai Cuisine

Prato

Other Restaurants in Winter Park

P.F. Chang's 

Brio Tuscan Grille

Toasted

Have you been to Le Macaron?  What is your favorite flavor?