Columbus Celiac Conference Eats and Treats

After a great and long day at Nationwide Children's Hospital, it was time to leave and find a great cup of coffee for my husband.

I knew just where to go. Not too far from the hospital is Cherbourg Bakery, located in Bexley, on Drexel Drive. This is the most wonderful and delicious bakery I may have ever visited....and it is ALL gluten and nut free. I had stopped here once on the way back from Myrtle Beach.. I wish I could buy one of everything and eat it all. But, I had quite a big lunch and some donuts already that day, so I bought a few treats for my dad and my step-mom who were watching our dog (a.k.a. Sir Barks-A-Lot). I bought a squash dinner roll to save for later and bought my husband a strong cup of their finest "pour over" coffee. The mug was huge, and my husband was happy.



Back to our hotel to watch MSU thoroughly beat University of Michigan. I don't think I've ever seen Michigan lose by that many points before, especially to Michigan State. It was a good day to be a Spartan. :)

After watching the game and geting some rest, it was time to go to dinner. With a little research on Find Me Gluten Free, we decided to head back to Bexley to eat at an Italian restaurant named Giuseppe's Ritrovo. This restaurant had gluten free pasta, pizza, and brought you gluten free bread with your meal. I ordered a chicken alfredo dish, and my husband ordered the lamb shank with gnocchi, which was that night's special. I tried to get pictures, but they didn't turn out very well. (I would have felt bad if it had not been for this wonderful post by Shauna.) My dinner was good, with a rich flavorful sauce. My husband's lamb was great, and it was huge. It was probably the size of my dog's head! My husband saved the meat to eat the next day for lunch. I will say we had a bit of sticker shock when we received the bill. As the lamb was on special and not on the actual menu, we didn't know the price before ordering. But in the end, it was greatly enjoyed and my special husband really deserved a special meal. And it gives us a great story to tell as well!



We then stopped down the street at Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream. Our waitress at the Thai restaurant in Maumee had mentioned it, so we decided to check it out. It was a neat place, with traditional ice cream flavors, as well as flavor combinations you would only put together in your dreams. They let you sample any flavor you like- so I tried the black coffee (too strong), the cinderella pumpkin, and the sweet potato with torched marshmallows. There are many more that I would have tried (like, ALL of them) if I had the time. Flavors like Pistachio & Honey, Queen City Cayenne, and Salty Caramel.
It may sound weird, but I chose the sweet potato with toasted marshmallow ice cream. This flavor is only avavilable in the fall. It is made with "roasted sweet potatoes scented with Vietnamese cinnamon, folded into silky, grass-grazed cream, and studded with made-from-scratch, hand-toasted (blow-torched) marshmallows." Brad didn't want any ice cream that evening, but really enjoyed the sample of what I ordered. Their website is great as it highlights which of their flavors are gluten free. I can see why our waitress Emma had recommmended it so highly. For those of my readers from Michigan, it reminded me of the creativity one would find at the MSU Dairy Store, but with a bit more refinement and class.

After that, a quick trip to Kroger to get my hubby some NyQuil, and we returned back to our hotel for a good night's sleep. We even managed to sleep in late with the time change due to daylight savings time.

In the morning, we got around slowly. I again had a breakfast of hard boiled eggs, yogurt and a banana, and we packed up and headed out. After a little Sunday drive, we finally got back on US-23 and headed back towards the great state of Michigan.

We stopped in Maumee again on the way back home, eager to find my husband a great cup of coffee, as the stuff at the hotel that morning wasn't all the great. We were almost out of the city limits when we came across a bastion of excellent coffee- Biggby! This is actually a company started in East Lansing, Michigan (originally called Beaner's), and they have excellent coffee and great customer service. They also have an allergen menu, highlighting which of their drinks and other foods are gluten free!



We stopped around lunch time and Brad was ready to eat. He had his lamb from the previous evening and a bagel waiting for him in the car. I on the other hand, had no leftovers waiting for me, and would have to find something to eat.

Two doors down was a Zoup! They have a location in Lansing, but I can't say I had ever eaten there before. Upon entering, all of their gluten free soups were labeled, and they let you sample the soups before ordering. I decided on the cheddar potato soup and the young lady taking my order substituted the Food Should Taste Good Sweet Potato chips at no extra charge, instead of the roll that they usually give you. She even let my husband bring in his leftovers so that we could eat lunch together inside, and provided him utensils. I am SO thanklful for the knowledgeable and courteous staff there.




After that, it was a long drive back to Lansing to pick up the pooch, with a quick stop off at Trader Joe's in Ann Arbor to pick up some Quinoa Fusilli. I think my dog enjoyed his time at my dad's, but was just as pleased to return home to his comfy couch where he can bark at the world as they walk down our sidewalk.

It's nice to go away sometimes, but it's even nicer to be home. :)


Where we've been this weekend:
Celiac Conference- The Beginning
Celiac Conference- Pre-lunch Presentations
Celiac Conference- Post-Lunch Presentations

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