Gluten-Free Jive
Photo by J.R. Eyerman
3-D Movie Viewers, 1952
Surprisingly, during my road trip, as I stayed on the road from point A to point B, I found very very little gluten free love between Austin and Santa Barbara (with the exception of the Arizona Inn, of course). Although gluten free was a known phrase at the farmer’s market and Lazy Acres, the very fine grocery store that I got to know quite well, had a very robust gluten free section, when it came to eating out, whenever I asked about gluten free, everyone agreed that there were only a few places that were dedicated to the cause, which I found shocking. I mean, I honestly was prepared to arrive in a gluten free mecca where you could saunter in to any restaurant and they would have the gluten free jive down. Not so.
Granted I wasn’t staying in the heart of Santa Barbara. I was staying on the beach in Carpantineria, which is just south of Monetcito, but I drove in to SB for yoga every day at Yoga Soup, so I felt like I was getting a feel for the city. SB is an extremely rare place. Outside of the Mediterranean, it is one of the only other places on the planet that has a Mediterranean climate, so everything thrives there, including the people, who all seem to be injected with an extra California gene that makes them taller, leaner, and capable of a major ass kicking. It’s like the women were all born in their bikinis and the men with pedals on their feet and neither sex ever had a single clogged pore in their lives. So the eye candy was staggering and that is still gluten free, so in that regard, SB was hopping.
Upon closer inspection, though, and the resources of my friend Bridget, I was slowly but surely directed to the gluten free veins of the city. The top of everyone’s list was Sojouner Cafe, which is a vegetarian establishment that has been going strong since 1978. They have a robust gluten free menu and strongly suggest you put in on your list of gluten free friendly places to hit up if you are in the area. The newest place that caters specifically to gluten free is Alchemy Arts Cafe, which is vegan and gluten free. The interior is beautiful, filled with tons of sunlight and the nicest staff you could hope for. While there, I asked the man behind the counter what he thought of the gluten free vibe in Santa Barbara and he said it was on the radar but people weren’t very jazzed about it, but that you were definitely beginning to see it a little more.
“There is definitely a consciousness about the gluten free thing, but most people think of it as a way to be more healthy rather than an actual lifestyle.”
“So there aren’t very many people who espouse the gluten free lifestyle here? That’s surprising!” I said, dumbfounded.
“Yeah, I know. I guess we are a little late to the party,” he blushed.
“No way, I said, it’s invaluable information for me! It just goes to show that gluten free is still very nascent and that people are still educating themselves about it. I think it’s exciting!” I gushed.
“What places do you recommend that are gluten free friendly? ” Well, here, of course, Sojourner’s, Adama next door has a few gluten free items, but we are the only place in town that is 100% gluten free.”
Adama was another vegan restaurant that had gluten free offerings and happened to be right next door to Alchemy, but I never got the chance to saunter in and try anything. I was with a VERY demanding person that particular day and vegan food was not to be tolerated. They wanted a ‘proper’ brunch. I’m such a push over. I should of told them to suck it up and wait for me to see what it was like, but I didn’t want a fight to erupt in front of my son, so I made the wise choice of moving right along. So the rest of my discoveries were, sadly, made on the phone, which is a long story I am judiciously deciding not to share as to why things panned out this way.
Anyhow, the other haunts that were suggested to me that are gf friendly, are Opal, Corktree Cellars which is a fabulous little tapas bar with gorgeous salads. Also, Simply Pies has a gluten free selection that will knock your hair back.
I did get a chance to sneak off with a few friends one day to Cava for a much needed margarita. I asked what their gluten free menu was like and they pointed out the items I should stick with. I wasn’t in the mood for a heavy meal, so I kept is simple with a shrimp and scallop salad with a cilantro lime dressing which paired perfectly with my añejo margarita. We were so hungry we literally inhaled the roasted queso stuffed pablano peppers, but everyone at the table seemed to graze on my, even after their main courses arrived, so that always says something.
Speaking of traveling, if you need a reference for great places to eat while on the go, I strongly suggest you check out the wonderful Gluten Free Travel Site! It’s a wellspring of well researched gluten free friendly environs, including restaurant reviews, so you can drop your gluten free jive without the worry.
