Right in the freaking window!!

Hey there people! Long time no chat. I apologize for my absence but I do hope you’ve been following on Insta as I’ve been sharing gluten-free meals across the land. Wow, have I eaten well. Mostly. Now that I’m home I haven’t left my own kitchen for a week because almost a month of dining out is not so awesome for us celiacs, no matter how safe. Amiright?

And Boulder was pretty safe, or at least I assume. I was battling a bit of a stomach thing so while I didn’t get MORE sick, I also couldn’t say with 100% certainty if I didn’t have any cross-contact action. So let me tell you where I went and how I felt, and then you go forth with your own comfort level. Yes? Yes!

OH! Something else fun is that while we were in Boulder we were totally staying in a haunted hotel, something my kids figured out before we did as my daughter walked into our room and said, “NO.” My son woke up early the first morning stating, “This hotel is haunted.” Turns out, it was. I thought it was cool. My kids were terrified. Win?

Boo.

I had a great gluten-free time in Boulder and I think I should probably be living and eating there all the time. I mean, my book is right up there in a window at Peppercorn up there in that top photo! I LOVE YOU BOULDER!!! Plus, see this?

Boulder Book Store is also super awesome. I felt the love, and loved the feel. But you want/need to know about the vittles. Guess what? Also awesome.

Yellowbelly Chicken

A lovely reader tipped me off to Yellowbelly and wow, am I happy she did. When the plane landed in Denver I was in a car full of hungry family members. I’m so happy to have had Yellowbelly on my list so I just plugged it into the GPS and we landed in gluten-free fried chicken heaven. I recommend the dark chicken, but I’ve always believed that’s where the flavor lies. Do you know how awesome it is to go somewhere and order gluten-free fried chicken???? With gluten-free fat coated french fry nuggets???? I know you do. My MIL wanted to come back with the entire family we were about to reunion with, but sadly we had a lot on the schedule. I’m crossing my fingers for Yellowbelly to come to California because I need that chicken. You do too.

Shine

We DID find ourselves in Shine Restaurant & Gathering Place multiple times. My husband’s aunt and uncle had hit up Shine before we even arrived. It was close to our hotel and had fresh, delicious food and cra-cra elixirs alongside their own brewery. And guess what? 100% gluten-free (except for a few beers). The first time I went I dined with a smaller group which included this adorable cousin chowing down on gluten-free mac and cheese—

The next time the whole dang group had a sit-down and it seemed to me that everyone loved their gluten-free dinners! This is a win, as the space was so comfortable for a big group and no one was complaining about the gluten-free food since I was the only one who required such things. My second time in I enjoyed this burger action with a side of mushroom bisque BECAUSE I COULD—

The pic all the way above is the pulled pork, also SO GOOD. I loved eating safely here and would recommend it to every single person who hates gluten, ever. Having a gluten-free beer brewed right on site is also pretty amazing.

Dushanbe Tea House

One hot day when everyone was hiking and biking, my daughter and I stumbled into the Dushanbe Tea House and I’m so glad we did. Mostly for the tea, because do you see that deliciousness and super nice tea-tender up there? The Dushanbe came over from Persia and was reconstructed in the middle of Boulder. The intricate designs and wide open space makes you truly feel like you’re in another world. And the tea knowledge this guy dropped on us was off the hook. I’m not even a huge tea person but I wanted to go back and try ALL THE TEA.

I talked some people into going back for dinner because the menu was also incredibly eclectic, and I’m glad I did. Everyone found an option they loved, and while it is not dedicated GF, they do have GF marked clearly on the menu and I was able to eat well with some gluten-free toasts added in the crostini appetizer—

And I enjoyed the naturally gluten-free tinga poblano—

Yes, those are corn tortillas. Swearsies.

We also had a big dinner at Brasserie Ten Ten our first night. But between hugging new babies and catching up with long-distance family members, I not only didn’t take any pictures, but I feel like I didn’t eat much either. I honestly don’t remember what I put in my gob but I do remember having to have a private chat with my server because it was somewhat limited. I also remember my martini. Mmmmmmm.

So yes, Boulder was awesome. I didn’t even make it to other gluten-free spots that came highly recommended, so know there are plenty of gluten-free places to get your eat on. I also wanted to high-five the people at Boulder Brands, but I was deep into family reunion mode and couldn’t get away. Which obviously means, I must go back, and soon.

What are your Boulder faves???