satay you stay - very best Thai food

I was always fond of Thai cuisine. Sweet, spicy, sweet, tangy, what's there not to love? Since 2007 I have really ramped up my appreciation and consumption. I think I have unintentionally sought it out almost everywhere I have traveled.

Bloomington, Indiana - Esan Thai (best northnern Thai I have ever had)
Chicago, Illinois - Pho's Hot & Spicy Thai Cuisine (best green papaya salad I have ever had)
London, UK - Manorom Too Thai Restaurant (really knowledgeable staff that double checked everything)
Cambridge, MA - Pepper Sky (always a slam dunk, eat in or take out)
Smile Thai closed in Cambridge, which broke my heart. They actually brewed their own gluten-free soy sauce.
Boston, MA - Chili Duck

See what I am saying? And there are just my greatest hits.

It takes a lot for a place to nudge on my list. It takes even more for me to be surprised. Well Krua Thai blew my expectations out of the water. It is a tiny spot that would be easy to miss because there is a giant service bridge overshadowing this small 10 table restaurant. Photos of food don the walls, but don't let you think there is anything cliched about this find. Dishes are made to order, and before I could even snap pictures half of our meal was devoured. We expected greasy, overcooked pad thai, but could not be more wrong. The server was incredibly well versed in the entire menu and understood allergens and double checked ingredients. I don't have anything bad to say - nothing. The food was fresh, interesting, well prepared. I am not even a fan of eggplant and truly could not stop eating the basil eggplant special we ordered. The satay was truly the best I have ever had... and I sure do enjoy me some meat on a stick.

I didn't realize how much I liked this place until I was plotting how or why I needed to be back near Buzzards Bay just to get a chance to eat here again. 

Gluten free Chicago deep dish

The internet is a wonderful thing. You can type: "gluten free pizza Chicago" into the googler and find places like: Marcello's Father & Son Restaurant offering both deep dish and thin crust gluten free offerings. You can even order online.

Do you think I could resist?


Deep dish with mushrooms, onions & sausage:


Thin crust with spinach, mushrooms, & artichokes:

Flavor-wise, the thinner crust won out. I am pretty sure its the same dough, just shaped differently, but the thicker crust of the deep dish tasted a bit odd or off - though both held up very well, even with delivery they didn't get soggy or fall apart.

The left overs were even better.

Rose's Pancakes

Back in Chicago and the need to gluten free pizza is palpable.

Yesterday's attempts to get some were foiled by traffic. Today's by the "brunch." One must not pout in the face of lack of pizza... one must eat pancakes instead!
Not only were they fluffy, they were served with real maple syrup and a fresh fruit compote. I got to meet Rose herself. Not only a lovely woman, she stopped to talk to a couple who had a family member recently diagnosed with Celiac Disease. I was amazed by not only her patience, but the time she spent with them - after they had technically closed - filling them in on tips and suggestions and explaining cross-contamination. I was really impressed.

(In addition to a large quantity of cookies and a fresh loaf of bread, gluten free pizza crusts were purchased. Pizza will be had!)

Rose's Wheat Free Bakery

While in Chicago, I checked out Rose's Wheat Free Bakery in Evanston.

I might have hurt myself by smiling so much throughout the entire experience. The whole facility is gluten free and the food was really good. It was so exciting to have an entire menu of options!

Goats' milk mozzarella, artichokes & katamala olive pizza:


Children's order of chicken strips w/homemade sweet and savory potato chips, applesauce, ranch and sweet dipping sauces:


Box of desserts to go, including: oatmeal cookie, cranberry oatmeal cookie, 2 types of almond cookies, cheesecake, cupcake and a brownie.


(More than enough so that leftovers were breakfast!)