A couple of weeks ago I found myself in Toronto’s St. Lawrence Market neighbourhood. It was nearing dinner time, and I was hungry and craving pasta. I have a friend who lives in the area, so I reached out to her to see if she was up for dinner and drinks on a patio.
Impromptu dinners out are great; however, they can be a bit nerve wracking if you are gluten intolerant or have Celiac Disease. I bet I’m not alone when I say that I like to plan my dinners out since it gives me an opportunity to check menus online and call the restaurant ahead of time to see if they’d be able to serve me a gluten free meal. Thankfully, over the past few years I have found several staple restaurants around the city that are able to prepare safe and good tasting gluten free meals. They have become my go-to places when I suddenly find myself out and about, and ready to eat.
Toronto is such a beautiful city. I love the wide variety of architecture from this viewpoint outside of The Hot House.
The Hot House in the St. Lawrence Market area is one of those places as it has gluten free pasta on its menu. The restaurant was first introduced to me a couple of years ago by an elementary school friend. She worked nearby and recommended it when we met for dinner to settle a bet over an NFL game. The staff at The Hot House is really knowledgeable about gluten intolerance/Celiac Disease and they have always served me well. Plus, it has a huge patio with couches, which is very appealing during summer. It’s conveniently located at the corner of Front and Church, offering a stellar architectural view of the city.
Gluten free pasta for two.
On this visit, both Lisa and I ordered gluten free pasta. I had the Wild Boar Bolognese, which is my favourite dish from The Hot House (OK slight exaggeration – it’s the only dish that I’ve had at The Hot House; I like it so much, I haven’t ventured to try anything else!). I love how rich and meaty the sauce is. While Lisa had the spicy Italian sausage with roasted red peppers, mushrooms and sun dried tomatoes pasta. She really enjoyed her pasta and liked how spicy it was.
We had a great evening. Girls’ nights are the best and are so important for your sanity. I’m glad I messaged Lisa last minute and I’m also glad that there are so many great restaurants around Toronto that serve amazing gluten free food. It sure is a lot easier to go out for dinner nowadays than it was four years ago.
Lisa on the patio
