Fooding

Today for lunch I decided to forgo the "bring in your own gluten free lunch" idea, and bought my lunch. I was getting kinda sick of rice cakes with ham and cheese (no idea why ), so I figured I'd bring in the epic "restaurants with food that won't kill you" guide that the Coeliac Society sent me in their new member's pack (which contained, among other things, a guide to every ingredient ever with if its gluten-free or not, a gluten-free cookbook, and a sample for some decent gluten-free pancakes).

So, I feel briefly ill around 11am, which forces me to have lunch later than I normally would (I refuse to eat when I'm feeling sick in the gut on the grounds that food may make me implode). 1.45pm rolls around, and I decide its time to look at the guide.

After realising that the majority of the ones in the Surry Hills section of the guide are sit-down restaurants (not especially conducive to a short lunch break for work, anyways) I look at the websites for two places. Matsuri, and Wafu.

Wafu freaked me out a little bit. Mainly because they had guidelines to eating and drinking there - and reserve the right to refuse takeaway service to people who don't bring their own containers. I wish I was making this up, but I'm not! Heck, they even have a policy page, where they advise you that they prefer you to eat your entire meal - and if not, take a container for the leftovers. I understand the ethics behind this, but it seems a bit harsh - and what are you gonna do if I don't eat the greens on the edge of the plate anyway?

So instead I decided to give Matsuri a look. Unable to find a website beyond some hit and miss reviews from people, I gave it the benefit of the doubt and walked up to Crown Street to check it out, reasoning that if I decided against eating their stuff, I could go back and get a gluten-free sandwich or something at the place at the end of the street (which I have been warned against - apparently that place overcharges for stuff that isn't particularly good in general, let alone the fact that gluten free bread tastes like a vague imitation of bread that's quite brittle ad has the distinctive mediciney taste that Dr Pepper shares), and that the 10 minutes or so walk up a hill to find the place would be good exercise.

So after walking the wrong way, I eventually find the place. To my delight, they served takeaway, and the ENTIRE FREAKING MENU is gluten free. At least, that's what they advertise, and I doubt they'd lie about it since they're a professional member of the Coeliac Society. Those guys would come and kick their asses if they were found to be lying. Its true. Really, I saw it happen*.

I order a beef teriyaki bowl, once its cooked head back to the office to eat. I open it up... realise I ordered way too much (large bowl), but somehow manage to eat the entire thing anyway. It was A M A Z I N G.

If anyone is near Crown St in Surry Hills, and feels like some Japanese food (without the pressure of having to eat all of it, or being forced to take a container for leftovers / takeaway), give Matsuri a look. It makes me happy.

*actual bashing event may not have happened.