Happy anniversary to me

Today marks the two-year anniversary of my celiac diagnosis. Ugh.

At least I won't spend Christmas Eve day in a panic visiting every supermarket I can to find anything labeled gluten free, like I did two years ago.

Some Loops have gluten-free buns, but...

A representative of The Loop confirmed that the restaurant chain does have gluten-free buns available for burgers at three of its locations.

However, it's not all good news. The restaurants do not have separate preparation areas for gluten-free food, so it seems that there is a big risk of contamination.

Cathy Manzon, director of marketing at The Loop Restaurant Group Inc. said gluten-free buns are available for burgers and other grilled sandwiches at its restaurants in Neptune Beach, Amelia Island and Orange Park. Those restaurants also have gluten-free pizza crusts available.

But I'm not sure if I want to try them out, given the high possibility of cross-contamination.

Another drawback is that these restaurants don't have gluten-free french fries.

I think I'm still pinning my hopes for a GF burger and fries at the new Epik Burger restaurant.

Yes, a GF burger is coming to Jacksonville

The news gets even better.

I got an e-mail today from someone who's planning to open a new restaurant called Epik Burger at the corner of Girvin and Atlantic. And yes, he will be offering gluten-free buns.

The owner Korey Konopasek, said his mother is celiac so he understands our needs. The french fries will not have any coatings and no gluten will be cooked in the frier.

This restaurant is probably a couple of months away, but I'll keep you posted.

I should also tell you that another reader tells me the Loop on Wells Road has a gluten-free bun. I don't know if any other Loop restaurants have it, but I plan to investigate this further.

The Loop has a gluten-free menu for the chain posted on its website and it looks kind of risky, because it says they don't have separate cooking areas for gluten-free. So I'm not sure what to make of this.

A gluten-free burger on Amelia Island

Thanks to one reader, I can report that you can get a gluten-free burger on Amelia Island.

The Falcon's Nest, a bar and restaurant at the Omni Amelia Island Plantation Resort, does offer a hamburger with a gluten-free bun, according to its menu. It doesn't say if the french fries are gluten free.

That's a long way to go, for me anyway, to get a burger. But you may want to check it out.

You can find more information and a link to the menu here:
http://www.omnihotels.com/FindAHotel/AmeliaIsland/Dining/TheFalconsNest.aspx

My search for a gluten-free hamburger

This column is supposed to run in Thursday's paper but for some reason it's posted now. It is Tuesday, isn't it?

http://jacksonville.com/entertainment/food-and-dining/2012-12-11/story/gluten-free-glutton-all-i-want-christmas-my-gluten

A celiac's experience at the Chart House

Now I've never been to the Chart House and probably wasn't going anyway. But I thought I'd share this interesting blog post about another Jacksonville celiac's experience there:

http://www.celiac.com/gluten-free/topic/98665-nightmare-at-charthouse/