The cupcake winner for 2011 is Di..licious

For a long time I was a huge advocate for Poppy Cakes and their low gluten cupcake. Today though their thrown was cruelly torn away by Di..licious.

I was out with friends for lunch today and someone brought a whole pile of cupcakes for dessert and very kindly came with a nicely boxed gluten free version.

Heaven in a paper wrapper is about the best way to describe what I ate. No other words could do it justice.

An inconsistent wrap

Chic Espresso
Where:109 Leichhardt Street Spring Hill QLD 4000 (07) 3839 2593
Lunch: Gluten Free Chicken Wrap ($6.50)

This is a great little coffee shop just up the road from me that started doing gluten free wraps (very handy). I say inconsistent about the wrap because I had one the other day that was the most delicious chicken wrap I'd ever had. Today, however it was pretty ho-hum, which was disappointing because I was really looking forward to it. They make them fresh so it could have been a different chef/cook today and that's why it wasn't as great.

Anyway it's still a pretty quick and cheap lunch in the city. And if you get a good one... they are fantastic.

Honestly is there anyone who doesn't like cupcakes?

I don't care how old you are.... cupcakes are delicious!

Poppy Cakes
Where:1000 Ann Street, Fortitude Valley QLD 4006 (07) 3257 4844
Treat: Low Gluten Cupcake

Now this is another one that you have to be a little careful of depending on how strict you are on the "Gluten Free" front. Poppy Cakes make (in my opinion) the best cupcakes around... for those of us who are gluten intolerant there is good news... They bake gluten free ones. So why the Low Gluten you ask? This is the reason "Classic vanilla made using gluten-free ingredients, baked fresh in the same kitchen as the glutenous cupcakes."

If you're happy with those odds then you HAVE to try these cupcakes!

If you're going with someone who is happy with Gluten the red velvets look devine

A pastry magician

Bonjour Patisserie
Where:876 Brunswick Street New Farm QLD 4005
Treat: Lemon Meringue Pie

This place makes it worth while being gluten free. The pastry chef here is an absolute magician with Gluten Free pastry. They have everything from mini cupcakes to chocolate eclairs to lemon meringue pie to the best gluten free pies I've ever tasted. They also have a pretty impressive selection of full size cakes that I've converted my last two workplaces to for birthday cakes.

If you have the slightest sweet tooth you simply must visit this place. The cabinets are just full of gluten free delights, so much so that they mark the non gluten free items with a gold star.

The only thing I could say against them is they have so many things I can never choose. At Christmas time there is a special treat they do a Bûche de Noël. I had one for Christmas a couple of years ago and it was divine.

What to do for lunch today?

Anyone have any suggestions for a lunch venue for today?

Now that's embarrassing

Grill'd
Where:134 Racecourse Road, Ascot QLD 4007
Other Locations
Nutrition Information: http://www.grilld.com.au/section/nutrition/
Meal: Mustard and Pickle ($9.90) + Gluten Free Bun ($1.50)

Well that was a little unplanned, I managed to visit the same chain two days in a row. Early days of the blog and already duplicating... woops. As it happens my client was taking a trip to grill'd for lunch and I was hardly going to turn down a GF lunch option.

This time I took one of my favourite burgers and had the Mustard and Pickle. I will say that it is worth finding a grill'd that you like as many of them use different gluten free buns. The ones they serve here were much more cake like than the ones in the CDB. Still the burger was pretty delicious, cakelike bun aside.

When sometimes only a burger will do

Grill'd
Where:Eagle Street Pier, Brisbane 4000 Ph. 3221 2907
Other Locations
Nutrition Information: http://www.grilld.com.au/section/nutrition/
Meal: Grill'd Caesar's Palace ($11.90) + Gluten Free Bun ($1.50)

This post comes with a bit of a caveat, and a pretty funny one at that. Really there menu board says it all "Gluten Free Bun* $1.50 *May contain traces of gluten".

Basically at Grill'd they've got all the ingredients for the delicious Gluten Free burger around just not the environment for it. So whether you eat here or not comes down to your opinion on the zero gluten policy. Most stores are quite good and cover cutting boards and surfaces for the gluten free orders but there is always that chance. (I've also tagged this post Low Gluten because it might not be gluten free)

Doom and gloom aside Grill'd do make some of tastiest burgers around gluten free or not. The hardest part I find is choosing. My favourites tend to be chicken ones but I often order beef because I'm at a burger place. Today I opted for the "Caesar's palace" which I'd basically the burger equivalent of a caesar salad. Not my number one favorite but every bit as good as it sounds.

My top 3 burgers would have to be:

• Bird and Brie
• Mustard and pickled!
• Baa Baa' Burger

It may not be a 100% gluten free solution but if you need a nice "up market" fast food place and not have to worry about strange looks it might be worth the risk.