Back for more: Top 10 gluten-free haunts in Sydney

As I mentioned in my last post, I haven't been that well recently. I've been experiencing bad gut symptoms, getting tests done, and trying some new strategies. 

But today I don't want to focus on managing my gut problems - or not, as the case may be. 

Instead, I want to talk about the great gluten-free cafes and restaurants we have tried here in Sydney. After all, some days a girl just really needs her brunch - regardless of the consequences. 

Smashed avocado might give me a terrible stomach ache, but I am still a millennial, after all. 

These are the top 10 cafes and restaurants that keep us coming back for more. 

Top 10 gluten-free haunts in Sydney

These are cafes and restaurants where we have had good gluten-free experiences in central Sydney. They may not be suitable on the low-FODMAP diet, depending on personal tolerance levels. As always, be sure to speak to the staff about your dietary requirements. 

1. Malabar

Excellent Indian food in Darlinghurst / Kings Cross. The menu is marked with lots of delicious gluten-free options, including a range of starters. Try the Dosai! 

2. Kindness cafe 

Modern, organic Thai food in Darlinghurst. This casual restaurant is vegetarian and vegan with gluten-free options marked on the menu. The food is light, fresh, and incredibly delicious. 

3. Contrabando

Tasty mexican food in the CBD with a separate gluten-free menu. The tacos are amazing and they're served on boards - proper hipster. Plus, they're $3 each on Taco Tuesdays. Why not have five?

4. Mahjong Room

Cantonese food that's just a little bit fancy. The menu is marked at this Surry Hills favourite, but don't forget to check out the specials board - you might find something extraordinary. 

5. Thai Nesia

This bustling Oxford St restaurant is fun, vibrant and flavourful. There's a separate gluten-free menu with a range of items - but we can never go past the beef Massaman curry. 

6. Micky's

You'll find something for everyone at this cafe come causal diner in Paddington. For me, it's gluten-free salt and pepper calamari. Gluten-free options are marked on the menu.  

7. Assembly

Gluten-free Italian noms in Sydney CBD. Excellent pizza options, crispy potatoes and yoghurt panna cotta to finish. The menu isn't marked so ask the staff for assistance. 

8. Silom Soi Song

Another one of Oxford St's gems. The menu isn't marked but the staff are helpful and dishes can be adapted. The Massaman lamb shank is a must try. 

9. Shenkin

Not just any old weekend brunch. With an extensive menu, generous portions, and gluten-free options marked, you'll find Israeli and Australian food aplenty. Multiple locations. 

And last, but by no means least: 

10. Claire's kitchen

Exquisite French food and great service in a gorgeous setting. The perfect option for something a bit special. The menu is marked and the dessert trolley features a range of tempting treats - you won't be able to say no. 

Finally, honourable mentions must to go to Tap, Gumption and Mr Mo who make the best strong flat whites we've had in Sydney to date. 

So long and thanks for all the fish

It's been so long since I last posted. And, to be honest, it might be a while until I post again.

When we moved to Sydney, I was really keen to keep blogging. There aren't many resources detailing where to find gluten-free options here - let alone low-FODMAP options - so I thought I could add something useful by documenting my gluten-free adventures.

Sadly, it hasn't been that easy.

Since moving here, I have struggled to establish safe food options and keep my symptoms under control - even when I think I am being quite strict with regards to FODMAPs. And my unpredictable digestive issues make it difficult to eat out or recommend food with any degree of confidence.

Thankfully, we are in one of the best suburbs for gluten-free options. But there's a catch: a lot of the restaurants and cafes that provide gluten-free options aren't catering for low-FODMAP eaters or coeliacs. They are catering for a health-conscious market, which of course is totally fine.

But it has two downsides.

First, the other ingredients in these "superfood"-packed dishes are often high in FODMAPs, which triggers my symptoms in a really major way. Sugar substitutes, pulses, some vegetables, and fruit juices can all be problematic. And don't even get me started on my super-food nemesis - why must everything contain avocado??

Second, knowledge of gluten-free protocol is sometimes lacking. Sure, there's gluten-free bread aplenty, but basic concepts are sometimes missed - so it's entirely possible that gluten contamination has contributing to my symptoms - I can't know for sure. (Only a few weeks after arriving, I found myself explaining to the kitchen staff of a CBD restaurant that adding wheat-crumbed chicken to a gluten-free burger kind of negates the point. They looked surprised - I kid you not.)

Reliable options for eating out are really helpful. But it's not just eating out that's tricky. For people with IBS the everyday parts of your diet can make all the difference for symptom management. You can get away with a few indulgences if you know you're eating low-FODMAP the rest of the time. But since we arrived, I've even struggled to find a safe lactose-free yogurt for my breakfast!

I guess my food dramas are all just part of moving country. Many things in our lives are new and different - it's exciting, but it does take some adjustment. I thought my stomach would adjust too, but it hasn't.

I have refined my diet a lot over the past few months but to no avail. So in the past week or so I've gone completely back to basics - cooking all my meals at home, controlling FODMAPs quite strictly, and keeping a food and symptom diary. Hopefully it helps.

My food & symptom diary (and a breastfeeding pen. Hmmm not sure when I stole this - sorry Mum!)

The past few months have been frustrating and painful at times. But right now I'm feeling thankful.

There are things I can do to help alleviate my symptoms. If my FODMAP exclusion doesn't work, then I have a great dietician that I can get in touch with. And there are still lots of things that I can eat.

My recent experience has also made me really grateful for the restaurants and cafes that do cater for people with digestive issues. I hope that I can get my symptoms under control so we can find more such places. But for now I am enjoying the relaxation and creativity of home cooking.  

And I'm especially thankful for the plethora of delicious options we had back home in New Zealand. We were really spoilt with baked goods, a variety of trendy cafes, and restaurants of many cuisines.

Oh and one kiwi classic that I really miss....

Thanks for all the fish. xx

Gluten-free fish and chips from Double 8 on Main in Palmerston North.

Settling in Surry

Welcome to Surry Hills!

The Wellington-esque foodie hub of inner Sydney - and our new place of residence. 

It's now a month since we arrived and we are finally feeling settled, especially now that we have internet.

We have moved into a lovely - albeit frighteningly expensive - apartment. During the move we survived a flooding dishwasher, a Saturday-night initiation that involved 2am drunken yelling from Oxford St bars (#DoDarlo), and the revelation that we do not have air conditioning. But, hey, I've completed my first lunchtime run in 34 degree heat. If I can survive that (just), then I can surely sleep in summer. 

We been acquainted with a pair of cockatoos that live in the tree outside our window, and who may or may not be responsible for our daily 6am wake-up call.

We have been initiated into the experience that is furniture shopping at Ikea. 

In the town-sized store: 

"Oh it's so NICE! And so CHEAP. Oh look, we could buy a WHOLE KITCHEN if we wanted.... How hard can it be to put a set of drawers together?" 

Four hours, 12 different types of screws, and a few touch-and-go moments involving a hammer and my thumb later:

"Hmmm it's a bit wonky.... Do you think you can tell?"

We've settled into our jobs. Work is a scenic 20-minute walk away - twice the commute we had in Wellington, but a third that of an average Sydney commuter. The work is interesting and our colleagues have been really friendly and welcoming. We've discovered some delicious gluten-free lunch options nearby, drinkable coffee (hooray!), and feel like we know the area pretty well. 

(I know Martin Place especially intimately after an inaugural faceplant on my way to work that resulted in me sliding down the street soaked in freshly-bought coffee.)  

We've been exploring our suburb and loving it. Surry Hills is filled with cute wee town houses, leafy streets, cafes, restaurants, and the best coffee we've had by far. There are so many exciting gluten-free options, and all a short walk from our place. As part of our exploring, we've started sampling the exciting, delicious and unique food available. 

But the top attraction of Surry Hills, according to locals and non-locals alike? Sydney's number one dessert option: Gelato Messina. 

After so many rave reviews, well, it would be rude not to. 

The perfect way to settle into our new suburb on a sunny Saturday afternoon. 

I'm a bit of a sucker for ice cream, so it was a huge treat. The gelato is super tasty and there are SO MANY exciting flavours. Gelato Messina are really conscious of food allergies and warn that there is a risk of cross-contamination. But if you aren't too sensitive to take that risk, there are heaps of gluten-free options on offer.

Sitting in the park with white chocolate and salted caramel gelato. 

Creamy, sweet and moorish. 

It reminded me just a little bit of home. 

Settling into Surry. Like a boss.

Wake up, you're in Sydney!

Well, we made it. We've been here for four days, exploring this exciting new city.

Now the next step: adapting to Sydney life.

Acclimatising ourselves to the hotter temperature, getting our bearings on the city, and setting things up to move into our new apartment this weekend. So far, everything is going smoothly.

Taken during my first morning run in Sydney.

But one thing that is requiring a bit more of an adjustment: getting used to the coffee.

We've been pretty busy since we got here, so our morning coffee fix has been absolutely essential. But the coffee here is different to what we are used to - and, so far, decidedly worse.

For starters, milky coffee is made with only one shot of espresso. And one shot of coffee doesn't really count if you ask me.

Truth be told, I wouldn't get out of bed for a one-shot coffee.

So if you want something resembling a caffeinated beverage, you have to ask for your latte or flat white 'strong', and it will cost a little extra. 

A long black will have two shots of espresso, as you would typically expect. But beware of black coffee. Like I said, the coffee here is worse than in New Zealand. And black coffee is completely unforgiving. On Sunday, I had a long black that made me want to gouge out my own tongue to make the badness stop. 

So white coffee it is. 

Thankfully for me, almond milk is really common here, more common than in New Zealand. And you'll find lactose free milk offered in a lot of cafes, too. Some cafes use a really delicious almond milk, designed for making smooth and silky coffee - Almond Breeze barista blend. To give Aussie some credit where it is due, it is much better than any of the almond milk I've had in New Zealand cafes.

On our travels so far, we have found two places that produce quality coffee on par with Wellington and that also provide decent almond milk.

Two black sheep - Sydney CBD

This award-winning wee gem is two minutes from our hotel on Pitt St in an underground complex. Its central location is easy to access for travellers and workers, and it is frequented by lots of busy commuters on their way from Town Hall station. Along with tasty coffee, gluten-free snacks are also available. 

Rogue - Surry Hills

The best coffee I have had in Australia, hands down. And perhaps one of the reasons we fell in love with Surry Hills from the outset - we move into an apartment there this weekend. The gluten-free food here is also spectacular (more on that another day), making Rogue a strong contender for our new weekend brunching favourite.

We are still exploring the city and I'm sure we will find more good coffee, especially once we start work. No one demands good - and plentiful - coffee like government employees. 

But these delicious options are a great place to start. 

The best coffee I've had in Sydney - Rogue, Surry Hills.

This gluten-free foodie's pre-travel checklist

Moving city calls for a lot of life admin. It's a logistical test that has challenged even this spreadsheet-loving planning enthusiast. 

Lists. So many lists.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, Ross and I are moving to Sydney for two-year secondments. We have spent the last week packing our belongings, moving out of our apartment, finishing up at work, saying goodbyes, flying across the ditch, and acquainting ourselves with a new city. 

Of course, we are super excited about our Sydney adventure. But there are lots of things about New Zealand that we will miss. The people, for sure. Plus there are a lot of things about living in Wellington that we we are sad to leave behind, too.

This photo was taken during my last run along the Wellington waterfront. 

One thing that we will miss about Wellington is the food, not to mention the coffee. And this is hardly surprising, given my prolific blogging about it. 

So, to make sure we experienced all of our favourites before leaving, we have been working through our gluten-free foodie pre-travel checklist - arguably the most important list of them all. And being homeless after we handed over our keys means we have had the perfect excuse to do it.

Ross and Liz's pre-travel checklist - gluten-free eats in Wellington

1. Dinner at Long Xiang. This was so good we did it two nights in a row.
2. Cocktails at Alice for a last strawberry doddle (avoiding the biscuit sticks).
3. A visit to Capital Market for delicious Korean food and treats from Miss Kangsta's gluten-free bakery. The chocolate chip cookies are my favourite; Ross goes gaga over the strawberry and cream cheesecake. 
4. Weekday breakfast at Mixed Business for top-notch gluten-free bread and hash browns.
5. Dinner at Great India for the best onion bhajia in town.
6. One last lunch at Pita Pit - my number one low-FODMAP lunch option. 
7. A celebratory dinner at Royal Thai on our last night in Wellington.
8. Followed by decadent gluten-free desserts at Library. 
9. Breakfast at Ti Kouka, eating from their exciting low-FODMAP menu.
10. Lunch at Neo, where they serve buckwheat pancakes made of happiness and dreams.  

Our last night in Wellington, celebrated at Royal Thai.

Caramel-peanut popcorn and vanilla bean sundae from Library.

Buckwheat pancakes from Neo, served with banana, greek yogurt, and cinnamon-crusted almonds.

As I'm sure you can imagine, we had a lot of fun sampling these goodies before flying out. 

And now that we have arrived in Sydney, the eating out continues - and so too do the logistics. 

We are having lots of great adventures over here and we have found some mind-blowing gluten-free options, too (although, I'm not going to lie, I'm starting to crave meat and three veg - emphasis on the veg). 

But then that's a post for next time... 

Our descent into Sydney.

Eat your veggies!

I love running. As mad as that may sound. I really love it.

And it isn't just an excuse to lounge around in activewear. (Because, seriously, who needs an excuse??) 

Running is simple. You pick up one foot, move it forward through the air, place it on the ground again, and repeat. For a more advanced version, you do this quickly. 

But while running is straightforward, running nutrition is not. 

There is a lot of conflicting information out there about what you should eat, how much, and when. 

At one point I tried to understand and synthesize all this information, but I soon gave up. I decided that the best piece of advice I had heard - and the only one I really needed - was this: "Eat your veggies".

Pretty great life advice in general, really! 

But alas, vegetables can be a little bit problematic on a low-FODMAP diet. Gone are the days of being fussy about what vegetables I will eat, that's for sure!

Admittedly, my days of fussiness are now over, almost exclusively because I am unable to tolerate peas. Some have speculated that my adoption of the low-FODMAP diet is actually an elaborate plan to avoid my culinary nemesis, such is the extent of my loathing. However, I am simply not that cunning. 

Besides, irritable bowel syndrome has to have some perks!

And indeed, there are some pretty exciting, delicious vegetable options that FODMAP-averse foodies can sink their teeth into. 

To help me make the most of them, I've compiled a wee table of common low-FODMAP vegetable options by season (similar to the post I put together on low-FODMAP fruit). 

All of the veggies I have been eating will surely help me smash my half-marathon next weekend. Well, the veggies, months of training, and, of course, my shoes. 

Little known fact: pink shoes make you run faster.

Low-FODMAP vegetables by season

This guide was put together using the Monash University app and Healthy Food Guide. 

This list is not extensive. A range of other vegetables may also be suitable, depending on the portion size and your tolerance to different FODMAPs.

Some of these vegetables listed below (and denoted by asteriks) are high in FODMAPs when large quantities, or certain varieties or parts of the vegetable are consumed. See the app for details. Blue denotes that the vegetable is imported at that time of year.  

Prepared for flight

It's been a slow start to the year, at least as far as this blog is concerned. 

But, in every other way, it has been a hectic, fast-paced start to the year for us.

This year Ross and I are starting a new adventure. We have accepted two-year secondments, working at the Reserve Bank of Australia so we will be moving to Sydney on the 10th of March. We have absolutely loved our time in Wellington, but it's time for us to take this amazing opportunity and do something a bit different. 

Much about our lives in Australia will be very new, including the food we will be eating - so this blog will be coming along for the ride. There'll certainly be lots of new experiences to write about - and hopefully there'll be some great food to try!  

But, first things first, we need to get there.

So for the past month we have been drowning in our ever-expanding to-do list. And every item we tick off leads to three new things that we need to add to the list - oh, and each of those things takes about twice as long as you would expect. 

But we are getting through it. In fact, this weekend we booked our flights and accommodation for when we arrive in Sydney. I also submitted my passport application. So, all going to plan, we are prepared for flight. 

To celebrate that - and because long weekends are the BEST - Ross and I decided to take some time this morning and head to one of the cafes that we intend to visit before we leave. 

(The list of such cafes is about as long as, but a hundred times more exciting than, my cleaning to-do list, and similarly seems to be growing by the day!)

So, to take a break and digest the fact that we have purchased our one-way tickets, we decided to celebrate with brunch at the aptly named Flight Hangar.

Our sensational brunch at Flight Hangar.

Flight Hangar is one of Wellington's trendiest cafes of the moment - it's edgy and cool, while being fresh and welcoming. There are a number of other hipster cafes in Wellington, some of which are overrated, pretty stale, and have been getting away with average customer service for way too long. Flight Hangar should be giving them a thing or two to worry about.

And don't just believe me - it's super popular. We arrived at about 8:45am to avoid it being busy and the environment was vibrant yet relaxed. But by the time we left, the place was buzzing. 

An observation that is perhaps unsurprising once you try the coffee.   

Flight coffee is run by a family of self-confessed coffee nerds and it really is outstanding Flight Hangar has a coffee menu where you can pick your roast of choice, and the brew is made with love and expert precision.  

Made with love.

The menu, with its range of gluten-free options, is extensive too. There were some delicious-sounding healthy choices we could have made, but I was feeling indulgent - and not even remotely guilty, since I completed my last half-marathon long run yesterday (yay, taper time!). 

So (armed with lactase tablets) I ordered a regular flat white and gluten-free french toast. 

Now, this wasn't just old egg-soaked-white-vogels french toast, either. It was made with soft, fluffy gluten-free brioche that had been laced with cinnamon and brown sugar, drenched in blueberry syrup, and smothered in creme fraiche. It was absolutely magical. 

French toast.

Ross had the honey roasted strawberries on toasted brioche and vanilla mascarpone. This was less FODMAP-friendly than the French toast, so I couldn't steal some (lucky for Ross), but he tells me it was yum - sweet and exquisite from what I can imagine! 

Honey roasted strawberries.

Overall, we had delicious brunch at Flight Hangar for a relaxing wee break - with excellent food, coffee and service. Exactly what we needed. 

Sadly, we won't have much time to try more of their yummy options before we take flight. 

But I may just have to add it to my to-do list...