Gluten-Free Events Calendar
If it’s gluten free and happening in Victoria, Vancouver Island or the Gulf Islands, you’ll find it listed here! From tastings to contests, farmer’s markets to food trucks – this is your calendar to Gluten-Free Paradise! Join Victoria’s Gluten-Free Foodies and add a new restaurant – and possibly a new gluten-free friend – to your repertoire!
The CCA’s GF 101 Sessions are normally ‘Members Only’ BUT because we know that so many people need this kind of support, we have opened up the webinar to the public. Everyone welcome! Who is Ellen Bayens?
Communication is the key ingredient to every successful gluten-free restaurant meal. When diners, chefs and servers are able to collaborate on what is required and what can be reasonably delivered, there is cause for celebration!
But where to begin?
The following is a list of suggested questions to help Start the Conversation on Celiac-Friendly Dining©. In very short order, the responses you receive will allow you to gage any given restaurant’s degree of gluten awareness – and willingness. For the very best outcome, call ahead or take your host or server aside before ordering.
NOTE: Restaurants that have carefully researched how to serve us love going into detail. If your questions are met with impatience and exasperation – go with your gut. When restaurants get gluten free right, reward them generously!
Question #1
- Please tell me about the meals you recommend to diners who need to eat gluten free?
Ingredients
- What ingredients will be used to make my order?
- How do staff know whether ingredients are really gluten free?
- Says so on labels?
- Checked product website?
- Called the manufacturer?
- Checked with The Celiac Scene? The CCA?
- Will pure spices, prepared seasonings or soy sauce made from wheat be used to make my meal?
- What other food items are cooked in the oil that ‘gluten-free’ items are cooked in?
- How are sauces and dressings thickened?
Procedures
- How will my server communicate with the kitchen that a gluten-free order has been placed?
- How are gluten-free orders prepared in relation to the regular flow of the kitchen?
- Will staff wash their hands / change gloves / change aprons clean surfaces before preparing my order?
- How do staff ensure that all utensils used in preparing my food are free from any trace of gluten?
- Separate or scrubbed frying pan? Griddle scrubbed? Aluminum foil barrier? Dedicated pots? Dedicated colanders?
- What other precautions do staff take to minimize / prevent cross contamination?
- How will my server confirm with the kitchen that the order they are collecting has been prepared gluten free?
- How will my server confirm that the order they are delivering to me is gluten free?
How did the restaurant learn how to meet the needs of gluten-free diners?
- Through The Celiac Scene? Canadian Celiac Association?
- Registered dietitian? Local health authority?
- Staff members with celiac disease?
- The risk of cross contamination with airborne gluten flour is HIGH. Partake only if strict protocols are in place to protect your safety.
- Are ‘gluten-free’ crusts prepared on-site?
- During regular operations? Before regular production? During downtimes / days?
- See questions in Ingredient section above.
- Are pre-made ‘gluten-free’ crusts purchased from a dedicated gluten-free manufacturer? Who is the manufacturer?
- How are gluten-free sauces and toppings prepared?
- During regular operations? Before regular production? During downtimes / days
- See questions in Ingredient section above.
How do staff ensure that all utensils used in preparing gluten-free orders are free of any trace of gluten?- How are utensils, crusts, sauces and toppings protected from cross-contamination with gluten while waiting to be used?
- How will my order be protected from cross-contamination with gluten once it has been prepared and/or while waiting to be served?
How do staff ensure that all utensils used in preparing gluten-free orders are free of any trace of gluten?If the prospect of grilling restaurants about their gluten-free friendliness feels intimidating, you’ve got options!
Visit The Celiac Scene for restaurants that enjoy an excellent reputation within Victoria and Vancouver Island’s celiac community.
Join Victoria’s Gluten-Free Foodies to dine with a gluten-free group at carefully vetted restaurants. With more than 100 Meet-Ups under our belts, choose from a huge inventory of tried and tested celiac-friendly restaurants.
Six Mile Pub pulls out all the stops for Gluten-Free Mother’s Day! Enjoy eggs benedict, omelettes, hash browns, amazing desserts and more!
“Our Culinary team will plate food directly from the Kitchen, to avoid cross contamination at the Buffet, for no additional charge. We do ask for diners’ patience in case there is a wait due to high demand.”
Gear up with a Mimosa, a Caesar or even a gluten-free Bard’s Beer! Gots Kids? Ask to be seated in the Family Room and order from the Kids Menu!
Reserve now 250-378-3121!
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Six Mile Pub Believes in Great Food that Happens to be Gluten Free!
- TESTIMONIAL: Just had dinner last night at the 6 Mile Pub on Old Island Highway. Wow! I have eaten here before but was amazed again at the GF menu selection, presentation, deliciousness, and the feeling of safety eating there. We went with another family and it was so awesome that I could share food with others who easily ordered GF even though they aren’t Celiac because there is just so many good things to choose from. The calamari is the best I have had anywhere. All the deserts were gluten free. How is this possible I wondered? I asked the waitress and she told me the chef is Celiac! We need more Celiac chefs that are this creative!! I this has got to be best restaurant for dinner for Celiacs in the Victoria area.
Find Six Mile Pub at 494 Old Island Highway in View Royal, British Columbia
250-478-3121 • Free Parking • Accessible • Six Mile Pub • Facebook • Twitter • Instagram
Click for details
The 160 year-old View Royal pub that served the Gold Rush has set the gold standard for gluten free! Pub fare created with culinary flare, Six Mile is proud to serve ‘SIX-Nature’ chicken wings, deep-fried halibut and – wait for it – safe french fries & yam fries cooked in a dedicated deep fryer!
Six Mile Pub’s Red Seal Chefs and their protégées pride themselves on meeting the needs of celiac diners and anyone with sensitivities i.e. dairy, soy, nuts or shellfish.
The kudos continue – it is not necessary to call ahead to announce a gluten-free diner, but those with additional sensitivities will be treated like royalty if you let the chefs know at 250-478-3121. They’ve yet to meet an allergy they have not been able to accommodate.
- Six Mile Pub Videos – click here.
- Proud to serve 100% Gluten-Free Bard’s Beer
- Six Mile Pub Celebrates 160 Years in View Royal
There’s a cozy corner, a sun-drenched patio or a pool table just right for you. Families are welcome with a menu made with the celiac child in mind. The family room, open daily until 9pm also makes a great space for group functions.
Gluten-free pizza is a Happy Hour feature everyday from 3 – 5pm made with Six Mile’s Signature Sourdough Crust.
Six Mile produces its own light and fluffy gluten-free buns with a Celiac Scene Approved Secret Ingredient!
DID YOU KNOW?
- That all the Pastas, Breads and Corn Tortilla Chips we serve are made fresh, right here in our own kitchen.
- That we keep our own Honey Bees in our Riverside Culinary Garden and Apiary to produce pure, unpasteurized honey for our Bar syrups and desserts.
- That one of our goals is to foster a healthier community by serving only wild Ocean-Wise seafood, “Drug-Free” meats and Organic produce wherever possible and practical.
- That it is important to us to help sustain the Local Economy by providing local employment and purchasing from Local farms such as Parry Bay Sheep Farm, Laughing Ducks Farm and Saanich Organics.
- That because of the purity of our food, many of our guests with Food Allergies and Sensitivities are now able to enjoy a proper “restaurant” meal.
- That we long for the day when ALL our Guests will already know that EVERYTHING we serve is made from scratch, on-site, and that we will no longer need to use terms like “house-made” and “fresh” to describe our food.
A Very Special Gluten-Free Mother’s Day Brunch & Dinner
at Union Street Bar & Grill in Courtenay
(scroll down for menus)
BRUNCH NOTES: Enjoy the Shrimp Omelette gluten free or adapt the Back Bacon English Muffin with a gluten-free English muffin. Brunch is 11-4
DINNER NOTES: all items are gluten-free or can be adapted to gluten free. Dinner 5-9
Reserve: 250-897-0081 • 477 5th Street in Courtenay
unionstreetgrill.ca • Facebook • Twitter
Menu • Music and Events • About Union Street Grill • Testimonials • Blog
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Print Brunch Menu • Print Dinner Menu
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Anyone tuned into Vancouver Island’s gluten-free dining scene has heard the call of Union Street Grill & Grotto’s amazing celiac-friendly menu – with its extensive selection of gluten-free appetizers, entrees and desserts.
Union Street Grill’s recipe is simple and effective – provide the Comox Valley with three essential ingredients! Good Food, Good Drinks and Good Times!
Check out their daily gluten-free specials here!
SUNDAYS AFTER 5PM: Kids’ meals are $2 off. Seniors receive a 10% discount. Frequent Diners earn double points!
Thursday, March 19th at 6pm. 735 Yates Street – tucked inside St. Andrew’s Square Building – across from Cineplex Odeon.
RSVP to ellen@theceliacscene.com
DOSA – a cooked flat thin layered rice batter, somewhat similar to a crepe.
PARAGON – a person or thing regarded as a perfect example of a particular quality.
• dosaparagon.ca • Facebook • Instagram • Contact • 778.440.2206
• Hours: Tues-Wed-Thurs 11-8:30 • Fri-Sat 11-9 • Sun11-8 • Closed Mondays.
• About Dosa Paragon
• Dosa Paragon Menu
• Order Online
• Take Out Menu
• Skip the Dishes
Thursday Special – Vegetable Biriyani
- A bold and flavorful Indian rice dish with bell peppers, peas, carrots and potatoes in a spiced rice dish made with turmeric, garam masala and other warm spices.
Friday-Saturday-Sunday Special – Chicken Biriyani
- a delicious savory rice dish that is loaded with spicy marinated chicken, caramelized onions, and flavorful saffron rice.
About South Indian Cuisine
- DOSA – a crispy savoury rice crepe cooked flat thin layered, made from fermented rice and lentil batter, then filled.
- UTHAPPAM – thick pancake made from rice and lentil batter, with different toppings.
- PAPADUM – a thin crisp disk shaped lentil wafers, made from seasoned black gram flour, either fried or grilled with dry heat.
- VADA – a savoury fried snack from India. It is made from lentils.
- IDLY – a savoury, steamed rice cake very popular in Southern India and Sri Lanka , from Indian subcontinent. IDLY are made by Steaming a batter consisting of fermented black lentils and rice. Learn more about this super food here.
- SAMBAR – lentils and Vegetables cooked with tamarind and blend of spices.
- INDIAN PICKLE- known as Achar, made from a variety of vegetables & fruits, preserved in brine, vinegar, edible oils and a blend of various Indian spices.
- Click here to view the complete menu.
Victoria Buzz Review by Brishti Basu 1
- On July 8th, Prashant “Bob” Unnikrishnan and his wife Lathika quietly opened the doors to Dosa Paragon, a south Indian restaurant that is one of its kind in Victoria, and perhaps all of Vancouver Island. Unlike other East Indian eateries in town, this restaurant specializes in cuisine local to the south Indian state of Kerala and everything on the menu is made from scratch by the husband-and-wife duo. Bob, who has lived in Victoria for the past 6 years, brings his dishes straight from India after having worked in major cities like Mumbai, Chennai and Bangalore. Before opening Dosa Paragon, he worked as a chef at several restaurants around town including Irish Times Pub, John’s Place, and Varsha Indian Kitchen.
- Some of their highlights include the Masala Dosa (a rice crepe stuffed with spiced potato), their Onion and Cilantro Uthappam (a savoury pancake topped with onion and cilantro), and for meat eaters, an aromatic and flavourful Chicken Biryani (a spiced rice and chicken dish). Of course, no Indian meal is complete without a drink to go with it.
- Those who prefer a cooler beverage may choose the thick, sweet concoction that is their mango smoothie. For those partial to hot drinks, the restaurant offers an authentic ‘masala chai’ or tea flavoured with a mix of spices and herbs.
- While Bob and his wife have done practically nothing to advertise their new restaurant, the small eatery always has a steady stream of customers to keep them busy – a testament to the nearly addictive flavours and aromas emanating from Dosa Paragon. They have been so busy, in fact, that the owners have had to extend their business hours up to 9 p.m. to keep up with the demand.
- “That’s our motivation,” said Bob when asked about how customers have been responding to his restaurant. “We just want to maintain that momentum as our main goal is customer satisfaction.”
