Restaurant Review: EVOS

EVOS in Eastgate Shopping Center next to Trader Joe’s offers a healthier type of fast food. The burgers are without the usual extra hormones and antibiotics. The French fries called “Airfries” are gluten free because they are baked in an oven instead of fried in a fryer.

You can go here to see the complete EVOS menu. EVOS does not currently have a gluten free menu. The allergen menu on their website does not work yet because they are updating it. However, when you walk into EVOS there is a sign that reads, “Lower carb? Gluten free? Ask a team member.” The team member I talked to was very helpful and had all the knowledge involving gluten free options.

Before you walk up to the counter to order you'll see a display of healthy snacks you can purchase. I was surprised to see Kind bars, Think Thin bars, and other foods labeled as gluten free.

I decided to get a steak burger (minus bun, of course) with Airfries and a chocolate milkshake. I believe the Mesquite sauce was the only sauce that was not gluten free, but still make sure to ask. Though I was surprised that the food portions were smaller than normal I shouldn't have been because EVOS is a restaurant that helps people eat healthier.

When you visit EVOS you’ll see that their business concept revolves around social responsibility and being kind to the environment. The EVOS in Chapel Hill is the only one in North Carolina and there are not very many locations in other states. EVOS seems to be a little ahead of its time, but I hope that the concept of healthier, organic fast food continues to catch on even more.


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Gluten Free Bake Sale TODAY

There are flyers posted around the campus at UNC detailing a bake sale that is going on today. I apologize for the late notice. I just found out about it.

Here is the information I got from the flyer:

UNC SILS Special Libraries Association
Bake Sale - including vegan and gluten free
Today, Monday, April 20
11-4 pm
Outside Manning Hall

I contacted Brendan, who is in charge of the bake sale (brthomps@email.unc.edu) and he said that he was not sure which baked goods would be gluten free but there would probably be cookies. EDIT @ 1:50 pm - I was told that there are delicious gluten free brownies.

Here is a map showing where Manning Hall is located.

Here is the webpage from Visitor Services showing parking information.

Unfortunately, I will not be able to check out the bake sale today. If you get a chance to go, please let me know!

Ben & Jerry's Scoop Shop

I frequently enjoy Ben & Jerry’s ice cream that I purchase from the grocery store. I recently remembered that Ben & Jerry’s has a scoop shop at 102 West Franklin Street and wanted to see what that particular location had to say about gluten free options. I e-mailed Ben & Jerry’s and received an e-mail from Antonio, the catering coordinator at the shop in Chapel Hill.

The following is a list of gluten free options that you can get in a cup:

Ice Cream
Butter Pecan
Cherry Garcia
Chocolate Fair Trade
Chocolate Macadamia
Chunky Monkey
Coffee Fair Trade
Coffee Coffee Buzz Buzz Buzz
Mint Chocolate Chunk
New York Super Fudge Chunk
Orange & Cream
Phish Food
Strawberry
Triple Caramel Chunk
Vanilla Fair Trade
Vanilla Heath Bar Crunch

Yogurt
Black Raspberry Swirl LF Yogurt
Strawberry Banana LF Yogurt
Vanilla LF Yogurt

Sorbet
Berry Berry Extraordinary
Lemonade
Mango Mango
Strawberry Kiwi

No Sugar Added (NSA)
NSA Vanilla Fudge Chip

The bottom of the e-mail says that you should let your ice cream scooper know if you have food allergies so that he or she can take any extra precautions to ensure your safety. Also, according to the website the hot fudge, caramel, and butterscotch sauces that the scoop shops serve are completely gluten free.

You can go here to read Ben & Jerry’s allergen statement concerning their ice cream that can be bought in grocery stores.

Ben & Jerry’s also has locations in Raleigh and Durham.

Twins Kitchen Update: Local Farmer's Markets

Twins Kitchen/Twin Cakes Bakery recently announced the upcoming 2009 Farmer's Market schedule and which markets they will be participating in. Stop in to any of the markets below in Raleigh, Chapel Hill or Hillsborough to try out their awesome Gluten Free products if you have never tried them. They will be offering a wide range of products at the market this year and of course everything offered is gluten/wheat free and vegan.

Mid-Town Farmer's Market (formally North Hills Farmer's Market)
8 AM - 12 PM every Saturday beginning April 11, 2009
Located by the movie theater at North Hills

Carrboro/Chapel Hill Farmer's Market (a.k.a. Southern Village Farmer's Market)
3:30 PM - 6:30 PM every Thursday beginning May 7, 2009
Located at Southern Village on Market Street

Hillsborough Farmer's Market
4 Pm - 7 PM every Wednesday beginning April 8, 2009
Located in the Home Depot parking lot on NC86 and I-85

If you have any special request or want to make a pre-order to pick up at the market please call the Twins at 919-306-5304.

Also, stay tuned for some more exciting news from Twin Cakes Bakery - they will soon have a brand new Web site up and running which will focus solely on their bakery products. They also will be offering dry mixes for you to take home and bake yourself. Stay tuned!

Honey Nut Chex Cereal Now at the Harris Teeter in Meadowmont

General Mills has recently announced that they will be reformulating a number of their cereals to be gluten free. You can read Zach’s post over at Gluten Free Raleigh for more details. I recently went to the Harris Teeter at Meadowmont and was very happy to find that the gluten free Honey Nut Chex is already on the shelves. I actually was not buying cereal, but the huge writing on the box caught my eye. The word is that the other cereals will be available by June 1.