Surprise! Sammy's Woodfired Pizza
I promise I'm not addicted. I don't drown all my problems in a sea of gooey cheese and pepperoni. The gluten free pizza, a perfect cheesy circle, just jumped out of no where and I swallowed it down! By, accident, of course.
As crazy as it sounds, that story isn't actually too far off the mark. When we left the house today, my family and I had no plans to experiment with another plate of gluten free pizza. That box was checked and marked from our lovely trip to Legoland only a few days ago. Instead, we were going to explore the Automobile Museum down at Balboa Park.
Everything went according to plan until we turned off the freeway back towards home and my dad mentioned a gluten-free pizza place he heard about. I, the ever-curious celiac, immediately looked up Sammy's Woodfired Pizza on my phone, reading off the items on their extensive menu aloud in the car. A few minutes later, we considered ourselves too covered in drool to drive and u-turned back to the restaurant.
Personally, I would describe Sammy's Woodfired Pizza as a higher end eatery (bearing in mind that my definition of fancy involves the appearance of button-down shirts) whose menu offers more than the name implies. This variety includes tons of gluten free options, from tapas to chicken breasts to pizzas with gluten-free crust. Always the constant, I ordered the same as in Legoland: cheese pizza with pepperoni and green peppers. I was a little concerned when the waitress explained that gluten-filled flour may have air-contact with my pizza, but I've found that 99% of restaurants can't, or won't, guarantee the safety of their gluten free food.
When I took my first bite out of my pizza, I knew it was worth the very slight risk. The crust was thin, but had an excellent crunch without being overcooked. My favorite part of the pizza was definitely the oregano, which was sprinkled lightly throughout the sauce. It gave another element of taste to the tomato sauce, resulting in a richer, more herbal flavor.
The only slightly negative aspect of my pizza was the green peppers, which were not added early enough in the cooking process for my taste. As a result, instead of being cooked into the pizza, they instead sat on top. The pizza also tasted more buttery, which meant I felt full after three smallish slices. Overall, though, I felt my second venture in the world of gluten free pizza ended in success!
As amazing as the food tasted, though, I enjoyed the "surprise" aspect of the meal even more. Since my diagnosis, every meal I've eaten out has been carefully planned and logistically balanced. Is it safe? What choices will I have? What are the reviews? These questions, like celiac disease itself, are just another new aspect of my normal routine.
As crazy as it sounds, that story isn't actually too far off the mark. When we left the house today, my family and I had no plans to experiment with another plate of gluten free pizza. That box was checked and marked from our lovely trip to Legoland only a few days ago. Instead, we were going to explore the Automobile Museum down at Balboa Park.
Everything went according to plan until we turned off the freeway back towards home and my dad mentioned a gluten-free pizza place he heard about. I, the ever-curious celiac, immediately looked up Sammy's Woodfired Pizza on my phone, reading off the items on their extensive menu aloud in the car. A few minutes later, we considered ourselves too covered in drool to drive and u-turned back to the restaurant.
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| Walking in...dun, dun, dun! |
Personally, I would describe Sammy's Woodfired Pizza as a higher end eatery (bearing in mind that my definition of fancy involves the appearance of button-down shirts) whose menu offers more than the name implies. This variety includes tons of gluten free options, from tapas to chicken breasts to pizzas with gluten-free crust. Always the constant, I ordered the same as in Legoland: cheese pizza with pepperoni and green peppers. I was a little concerned when the waitress explained that gluten-filled flour may have air-contact with my pizza, but I've found that 99% of restaurants can't, or won't, guarantee the safety of their gluten free food.
When I took my first bite out of my pizza, I knew it was worth the very slight risk. The crust was thin, but had an excellent crunch without being overcooked. My favorite part of the pizza was definitely the oregano, which was sprinkled lightly throughout the sauce. It gave another element of taste to the tomato sauce, resulting in a richer, more herbal flavor.
 |
| It's. So. Beautiful! |
The only slightly negative aspect of my pizza was the green peppers, which were not added early enough in the cooking process for my taste. As a result, instead of being cooked into the pizza, they instead sat on top. The pizza also tasted more buttery, which meant I felt full after three smallish slices. Overall, though, I felt my second venture in the world of gluten free pizza ended in success!
As amazing as the food tasted, though, I enjoyed the "surprise" aspect of the meal even more. Since my diagnosis, every meal I've eaten out has been carefully planned and logistically balanced. Is it safe? What choices will I have? What are the reviews? These questions, like celiac disease itself, are just another new aspect of my normal routine.
As I've hinted at during my past articles, I believe these steps, no matter how annoying, are for the best. Today, though, I loved walking inside a random restaurant and picking something good to eat like any other teenage girl.
Perhaps the real surprise was learning that, even with celiac disease, surprises are still possible.
What is your routine with eating out? Do you have a favorite restaurant?
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