16 Mar 2010

A choice of dessert for a change


Since I was a baby I have had a sweet tooth, to the point where my mother would feed me my pudding before my main in order to get me to eat everything. If I had the choice I would do the same now, or even forgo the formalities of main course and just have three courses of puds. Heaven.

Unfortunately, gluten free desserts are usually a little predictable on restaurant menus and if there is more than crème brulee or ice cream its an exciting night! Nowadays I will scandalously be found choosing a starter over dessert just for interest and to avoid yet another crème brulee. But it must be said that every now and again, as I dive straight to the back of the menu to check out the sweet stuff just in case, I am pleasantly surprised. And, never more so than during lunch at Bob Bob Ricard in London’s Soho yesterday with my dear travelling buddy Kate.

Not only were they confidently competent in dealing with my gluten free requests, but they had a total of eight desserts that were gluten free, not including the chocolate truffles. Eight desserts! What a dream? They included my childhood favourite Knickerbockerglory, plus two seasonal jellies, home made gourmet ice cream, passion fruit pavlova, the ubiquitous crème brulee, home made sorbet, and a flour-less chocolate cake for the less sensitive Coeliacs. And for the health conscious one there was a seasonal fruit plate, and truffles for the very full.

Whilst I would normally have gone the Knickerbockerglory route without question, I was so full from probably the best chicken Caesar salad, fries and coleslaw I have eaten outside of the US that I went for ice cream. I cannot resist salted caramel in any form. Part of a gelato trio with valrohna chocolate and simple vanilla it finished the meal perfectly and came wafer free (for a change)!

But tell me, do you bother with pudding when eating out? Any places to recommend that have great gluten free desserts? Let me know...!


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