Merry Christmas from The Celiac Scene™

Thank you to everyone who shared their wonderful gluten-free experiences with us in our first year of operation. Your contributions have helped to make The Celiac Scene™ the vibrant and dynamic community that it is today! We look forward to celebrating with you every day in 2010!

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WOW! I was so impressed with the info and reception this past weekend in Victoria! Took your Celiac Scene map with me and ate at The Tapas Bar , Le Bon Rouge Bistro, and Wild Saffron at The Swan's Hotel . In ALL cases, waitstaff couldn't have been more gracious, knowledgeable and helpful. The person who waited on us at the Tapas Bar was celiac herself. I also appreciated the Celiac Scene decals in the doorways. On top of that, we had Afternoon Tea at Butchart Gardens and my GF selection was marvelous. Turns out that the "Tea Chef" also has CD. Thank you for this great service to us GF eaters. To date, I've never had such a friendly and knowledgeable reception in the States where I am from. 

We went to Topo's Restaurante and my meal was so amazing; I even had a chocolate mousse desert made with Bernard Callebaut chocolate. Yum, Yum, Yum!!! Bernice

We were in Victoria for my oldest son’s wedding. We needed a restaurant to host 15 of my family members for our rehearsal dinner (6 of us are gluten/dairy free). We chose Nautical Nellie's as it was within walking distance from our hotel and could accommodate us all on a busy Friday night. The waiter who served us requested our table as his girlfriend is celiac and he felt he could give us the best service. He was right! We all enjoyed an amazing meal and even the most sensitive among us enjoyed a safe meal. Bravo Nautical Nellies and The Celiac Scene™! Cathy

Just wanted to drop you a note to let you know that we have found a
different way to heat the flour tortillas that will leave the grill
strictly gluten free with no traces whatsoever of gluten. The new equipment should be installed within a couple of weeks. Yea! Tamara of Hernande’z Restaurant

I recently traveled to Calgary for a dance competition. Before I left I checked The Celiac Scene™ to look for restaurants that were within walking distance of my hotel that could provide GF options. I ended up going to the Redwater Rustic Grille. The service was great and the wait staff were very knowledgeable. I ordered from the pasta menu, as they could substitute GF corn pasta for wheat pasta. The waiter wrote down my allergies and double checked with the head chef that everything that I ordered was GF and dairy free. When complimentary bread and antipasto were brought out to the table for the others, I was served GF corn chips and antipasto on a separate plate. The meal was fantastic!!! This was the first time I had had a pasta dish at a restaurant since going GF 4 years ago. As with every time I eat out, I am always skeptical of my meal, even after all the precautions. I can tell within 10 minutes of eating a meal whether or not it was contaminated with gluten. After the 10 minute mark, my stomach was getting full, but the signs I experience with gluten contamination were not there! My meal was delicious AND safe! I returned to the restaurant the next night for the exact same dish! I highly recommend trying this restaurant for a delicious GF meal! Stephanie

We ate recently at Bistro 161 in Duncan. Celiac friendly, a very nice place to eat. Barbro

Another great restaurant! Blues Bayou. Our waiter’s knowledge of celiac disease was very reassuring. He was able to give confident recommendations about what I could and couldn't eat without my having to educate him. The food was spicy and the evening was fun! I highly recommend Blues Bayou!. Judy

My department at work had their Christmas lunch at the Duke of Dublin Irish Pub in Abbotsford last Friday. I emailed the General Manager and he assured me that they could provide a gluten free meal so that I was able to join the rest of my department for lunch. He suggested I contact the chef the morning of the lunch to make the arrangements. I called the chef and was pleasantly surprised by his knowledge of Celiac Disease and gluten-free foods. He suggested the Bangkok Chicken Stir Fry served with Basmati rice (instead of chow mein noodles). He told me that they are more than willing to accommodate food allergies at the restaurant as he suffers from an allergy to seafood. The meal was fabulous - grilled chicken, lots of fresh vegetables with a wonderful curry peanut sauce served over basmati rice. The bonus: I had no symptoms of any gluten contamination. If you are looking for a restaurant in the Abbotsford area where you can have a wonderful gluten free meal I highly recommend the Duke of Dublin Irish pub, both the food and the atmosphere are fantastic. Rosemary

Café Ceylon was amazing! The waiter was wonderful, the meal was very very delicious, and Tamara's husband came out to talk to us at the end to make sure everything went well with our meal. He was extremely gracious! Two Thumbs up for Cafe Ceylon! Bernice