Surviving Super Bowl Sunday -- For Party Hosts with Celiac Guests

This post isn't so much for celiacs, but for people hosting parties today. For some of us, the best part of the Super Bowl is the copious amounts of food that will be served, from takeout to homemade. Here's a guide to help hosts without gluten issues understand what their guests with celiac can and cannot eat.

• Baked goods -- Obviously, this is the big one for us. We can't have anything with flour, or that's even been dusted with flour. Most people understand this. But what about when you're cooking, and are in a rush, and decide to reuse a cookie sheet for something that will be celiac safe? That's the kind of cross contamination that makes a celiac really sick. 
• Wings/BBQ -- My formerly favorite part of watching Super Bowls was ordering a ridiculous amount of wings and chowing down. Unfortunately, if they're from any wing takeout place, they aren't gluten-free, even if they don't dust the wings in flour. They fry them in the same oil as the battered chicken, and that's enough to make us sick. Same goes for BBQ -- it's not the preparation, but the BBQ sauce. Most restaurants use vinegars made from gluten (such as malt vinegar) for the marinade/sauce, so this is not gluten free.
• Chips and salsa -- Seems pretty clear cut, right? No flour in any of this. Except.. still not gluten free, depending on the brand. Tostitos chips are gluten free, but NOT the ones that are "Hint of..." flavored. And Tostitos salsa is not gluten free. Many companies will process their chips and salsa on the same equipment that processes items with gluten, and this is enough to sicken us. For someone with just a sensitivity to gluten, these items are probably fine. 
• Potato chips and snacks -- Many potato chips are safe (Utz brand, for example, and regular Lays), but many are not. Miss Vickie's are not gluten free, nor are a bunch of Lays flavors. Doritos are also not gluten free -- they are processed on the same equipment as some gluten items. For those of us who are so sensitive that even the slightest contamination will make us sick, here's a list of Frito Lays products that are positively gluten free and those that are not made with gluten products, but processed on the same equipment.
• Pizza -- Obvious. Gluten-free pizza is the only kind of pizza we can eat, and if you are making a frozen one, make sure it's a clean cookie sheet.
• Chinese takeout -- Another common takeout food for the Super Bowl (I used to work in a Chinese restaurant, and Super Bowl Sunday was always nuts), Chinese food, especially the bastardized American version, is chock full of gluten. Everything is battered and fried, or fried in the same oil. Soy sauce is made from wheat, so anything with soy sauce is off limits -- that means pretty much everything.

Please understand that most celiac sufferers will show up with their own food. I, personally, do not plan to put anyone out or inconvenience a host by making them accommodate my food issues. But when I host parties, it is important to me that I accommodate all food allergies (I had a dedicated food allergy plan, including separate desserts, for guests with allergies at my wedding) and take this task very seriously. If there are any others out there like me, I hope this helps!

Also.. GO PATS!

Feelin' Like a Tourist: Legal Seafoods with Celiac Disease

For years, I've raised an eyebrow at people who go to Legal Seafoods. Honestly, I found it stale and boring, and the type of place that only tourists go to. I also never understood the buzz surrounding their "award-winning chowder." I ordered it once, and it's one of the few things I've ever sent back to a kitchen. It was cold and runny, and the potatoes were mealy.. absolutely inedible. The chowder paled in comparison to the chowder at my old place of employment, Great Bay. The chowder at GB absolutely knocked it out of the park and is still the best chowder i've ever had.

After they introduced Legal C Bar in Dedham, however, I saw the changes going on at the company. They were evolving as a restaurant with new menus and decor, and I started to warm up to the company. Once I learned about their attitude towards food allergies, I warmed up even more. Legal Seafoods is one of the few restaurants where my little nephew can eat. He's got severe food allergies (dairy, eggs, nuts, mustard), and they take his allergies in stride and are prepared when we call ahead. The staff is trained about allergies, and I've heard they even scrub the dishwashers in the bar to prevent any cross contamination.

They also have a great dedicated gluten-free menu. The meal began with hot gluten free bread (!!) with a sprinkle of sesame seeds and poppy seeds on top. I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the bread -- the texture was a bit rougher than their usual rolls, and they weren't crusty, but they were a little closer to cornbread in texture, though less crumbly. But the bread was moist and warm, and I was thrilled to have the rolls. Nothing makes me sadder than watching my husband eat his chock full o' gluten warm crusty rolls at a restaurant while I sip my water.

I was skeptical when I saw calamari on the menu, but it's battered with brown rice and cornmeal. I was still skeptical, as calamari is obviously fried, and I asked if the calamari was fried in the same oil as everything else. The server assured me that the calamari was actually pan fried to prevent cross contamination. I ordered it Rhode Island style, with hot peppers (is there any other way?), and was relatively pleased with the product. The pan frying vs. deep frying meant a chewier product, unfortunately. But I understand that I can't have it all! The flavor was great, though it would have benefited from a marinara dipping sauce.

I had a mild panic attack when I found a French fry in our calamari. I know that the fries at Legal are NOT gluten free, and I wasn't sure if that was because of the frying oil or because the fries were actually dusted with flour -- some places actually do that to boost crispiness. Our server let us know that the fries were not treated with flour, but she also double checked with our chef to make sure that I was still safe. I felt VERY taken care of, and every dish was delivered by the manager because of my allergy. The server also told me that though it isn't on the menu, Legal will pan fry French fries for its customers with celiac disease. Woohoo!

For entrees, I tried Anna's baked scrod, with jasmine rice and sauteed spinach. The scrod was perfectly baked, though I found the gluten free crumb to be a bit flavorless. A dash of salt and lemon juice helped a lot. The portion was plentiful, but it just wasn't my favorite.

My husband's entree was much more successful -- he got a mixed grille of seafood. Scallops, shrimp, mahi mahi, swordfish, and tuna, all cooked on the wood grille, with a side of broccoli and brown rice. I LOVED the shrimp and the scallops.. I stole two shrimp from him. They were perfectly cooked with just the right seasoning. I even enjoyed the swordfish -- I normally don't go for swordfish. Once you've seen prep cooks "deworming" a swordfish, your desire for swordfish changes. Next time I go to Legal (and there WILL be a next time), I am ordering the wood grilled shrimp.

The sad thing about Legal's gluten free menu is that all of the interesting sides are only on the regular menu. Broccoli and cheese, mashed potatoes, jalapeno cheddar polenta, seaweed salad, onion strings -- all of these things are contaminated with gluten. And honestly, I think this is easily avoided. Do the onion strings like the calamari, with brown rice flour and cornmeal. Use freshly grated cheese on your items instead of bagged shredded/grated cheese, and the broccoli, mashed potatoes, and polenta will be celiac safe. Use gluten-free vinegars and soy sauces in the seaweed salad. I hope someone at Legal will read this and take these ideas into consideration!

Our dessert was this decadent Belgian chocolate mousse parfait, both gluten free and sugar free. The rich chocolate mousse was light and fluffy, layered with an unsweetened whipped cream. It was pure dessert heaven. This was easily the best gluten free dessert that I've had since my diagnosis, and it gave my taste buds hope for dessert in the future.

Overall, this was a great experience. My gluten free needs were not only met, but they were understood by the entire staff. That's the biggest frustration for me, when I go out and eat. It's hard to explain celiac disease to people and get them to understand that I'm not on a gluten-free diet as a choice, but because I will become gravely ill if even the teensiest bit of gluten finds its way into my food. The food was good, and it wasn't even an expensive evening -- I believe our bill was $80. I will definitely be returning to Legal when I want some gluten free seafood. I am dying to try their crispy fried haddock. I miss fish and chips so much!

Check out Legal's gluten free and regular menus here.

Next up: The failed (but salvaged) gluten free mac 'n cheese experiment.

Panera -- Being Gluten Free Where the Name Literally Means Bread

For my husband and I, our go to "I don't feel like cooking tonight so let's just pick something up" place is Panera Bread. Their bread is great, their sandwiches filling, and their baked goods delicious. After getting my celiac diagnosis, I just assumed I, and by extension, my husband, would never be able to enjoy Panera again.

That's one of the hardest things about celiac disease. It's not the giving up of food, but for my husband to also have to give up stuff. I certainly don't make him give things up, but he just doesn't want to go to Panera by himself. And he's not going to make a big box of regular pasta for himself if I can't eat any. I feel guilty a lot, despite his assurances that he hasn't really had to give up anything. While he hasn't, WE as a unit have. We no longer have the same "share a pizza" night. We don't get to go to our favorite Italian place with handmade pasta and enjoy the fresh-baked bread together.

But after some research, I discovered that Panera is not only good about celiac disease, they go above and beyond to make sure there's no contamination. For example, a lot of people assume that because the bread is baked on-premises, there must be flour floating about. Obviously, if this were the case, it would not be safe to eat there. But Panera gets their bread dough delivered every morning -- it's already made, so there's no flour being tossed around. Also, if you tell them you have a food allergy, they actually have a command on their computers that says "change gloves." It shows up on the receipt you get, which I appreciate. I watched the guy making my salad check the receipt and toss out his gloves for a fresh pair. You can also ask them to open a new bag of ingredients, in case you're worried that a gluten-contaminated glove reached into the container of lettuce.

Many of their soups are gluten-free, such as my favorite -- the low-fat black bean soup. Obviously, you can't have any of the sandwiches, but they will do them for you as a salad or a lettuce wrap instead. I for one can't stand lettuce wraps (just eat a damn salad instead of wrapping it in lettuce and getting your germy hands all over it), so I always get the salads. My personal favorite is the Chopped Chicken Cobb -- I order it with feta instead of gorgonzola (Panera warns that their gorgonzola, like much of the stinky blue cheese family, could be cultivated with gluten). With the pick 2, I get a small soup and a half salad, and I am very happy.

Obviously, there are never guarantees unless you've made it yourself. There's always human error. But as someone who enjoys food as much as I do, I don't think it's worth living in fear. People are going to do the best they can. But the convenience of being able to pick up a salad at Panera outweighs the tiny risk that I might get some gluten contamination. Yes, it could happen at Panera -- but it could happen at any restaurant that also touts itself as gluten-free. And even cooking at home, I might absentmindedly contaminate what I make. No one is infallible, so I will continue to test my options in and out of my home. That includes Panera Bread, or as my husband calls it, "Bread Bread."

Check out the full list of gluten-free menu items from Panera.

Gluten-Free Ham Glaze

I am a pork lover. I love any iteration of pork, but especially bacon and ham. I refuse to accept that ham can only be eaten around Christmas, so I asked my husband to pick up a good 10 lbs-er when at the grocery store. He picked up a gluten-free brand, but neither of us thought about the glaze that would go on the ham. After a little research, I found out that most glaze packets are made with wheat. Boo-urns. The best part of a ham is the crackly glaze, and my mother's pineapple topping just didn't do that crackly thing.

So I started experimenting. Ham went into the oven at 275, tightly covered with tin foil, at about 15 mins per pound. And here's the glaze that I used:

1 cup brown sugar, packed
2 tbsp yellow or Dijon mustard
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

I took the ham out and uncovered it about half an hour before it was ready. I whisked it all together and spooned it over the ham, then popped it back in at 300 without the tin foil.

The result? A wonderfully crackly and perfectly savory-sweet glaze to go with the ham. I plan to use this versatile glaze the next time I broil up some salmon or some pork chops, too.

Obviously, we didn't just eat ham. We had some brown rice, and I fine chopped some fresh Brussels sprouts to pair with the sweet and salty ham. I cooked them down in EVOO and salt, with some grated garlic, then deglazed the pan with some apple cider vinegar. It paired really nicely with the ham glaze!

Forum in Boston

I did my first official review for TableCritic.com. My wonderful editor, Carol, has embraced my situation and is assigning me restaurants that can cater to my dietary restrictions. See what I have to say about Forum on Boylston St. in Boston. It replaced Vox Populi, and boy, am I glad it did. What a waste of real estate that was. Overpriced drinks, crappy food, and cougars all over the place. Forum is a welcome replacement to that mess.

It did not have a dedicated gluten-free menu, but most of the menu was gluten-free already, thanks to the chef making everything from scratch. I was also thrilled with how educated the server and management were about celiac disease.

Read my Forum review on TableCritic.com.

How My Health (and Body) Has Changed Since Going Gluten-Free

When I was diagnosed with celiac disease, it was not a surprise. My brother is also celiac (actually, both of them are), and has been living gluten-free for three years. I knew this was genetic. However, I didn't have symptoms. My choice in getting tested yearly was not due to intestinal distress or issues, but instead because of my brother's celiac disease. I had a blood test every year, and this was the first year it came back positive. As a result, I had an endoscopy and biopsy to confirm.

I read a lot of forums where people say how they feel SO much better since going gluten-free, and that they no longer have stomachaches and pains. I wish I could say the same. I suffer from abdominal migraines (related to my own chronic migraines) and have been getting treatment for them from both neurologists and gastroenterologists, but they are unrelated to my celiac disease. I keep a dutiful journal of my migraines, and being gluten-free has not affected their frequency. I was secretly hoping that gluten was triggering these migraines, but alas, it is not the case. Maybe things will change as I am gluten free for a longer period of time -- one can always hope!

However, while I don't feel a huge difference in my digestive system and intestines, I have had overall health improvement. For the past three years, I've had severe eczema on my legs that two dermatologists have been unable to treat. I was at the point where I would wake up with my legs bleeding from scratching in my sleep. I was on the strongest prescription steroid cream available, and wrapping my legs in Saran Wrap after coating them before bed. I've long since given up on trying to treat it -- nothing seemed to make it go away completely. Now, after going gluten-free? My eczema has gone from bloody and scaly broken skin to pale pink healing skin, and it no longer itches.

I also feel like I have tons more energy. I just wasn't digesting my food properly, and not reaping the benefits of the nutrition. Now that I'm digesting food properly, I am more alert and energetic all day. With this energy, I have been more motivated to exercise and work out.

Best of all? I've lost two inches on my waist. I haven't lost any weight or body mass, but I didn't realize that the gluten was bloating my midsection. I am a fairly skinny person, but I always had an oddly large waist that I would hide under empire-waist shirts and dresses -- I chalked it up to being apple-shaped. Since going gluten-free, I've noticed (and others have too) that my natural waist has shrunk. My apple shape has gone to a more feminine pear shape, and it's pretty awesome.

So if you have celiac disease and no symptoms, don't feel like giving up gluten won't change how you feel. It may improve your health in unexpected ways.

Things I Miss the Most

Since switching to the gluten-free lifestyle, there are certain things that I miss the most. I'm sure I'm not alone here, so I've compiled a list of most-craved items, and how I satisfy that craving.

1.) Fried chicken. I have yet to try fried chicken-on-the-bone at home yet, but I did make delicious fried chicken tenders using corn flour. I dredged the tenders in corn flour, then egg, then more corn flour.. then more egg, then more corn flour. The corn added a really nice texture and flavor to the chicken, actually. It was better than the ones I used to make with flour.

2.) Pasta. This is a common one. But the more gluten-free pasta I try, the more that I like. We really enjoyed corn pasta, and brown rice pasta. My next goal is to try to make homemade fresh pasta, gluten-free. I have a pasta press, so I will be sure to blog about that when I give it a shot. I am planning to give Paparazzi a try -- I hear they have gluten-free pasta dishes.

3.) Pizza. I. love. pizza. Who doesn't? Cheesy and wonderful, crispy crust.. there's nothing like it. I miss it. However, there are plenty of good gluten-free options out there. The best one I've found is at The Grilling Greek in Natick, on Route 135. This place quite frankly deserves its own review, because it is my favorite place to order takeout. The tiny unassuming shack churns out some of the best food you will ever have -- pita baked to order, fresh gyros, all for incredibly reasonable prices. But now with my gluten allergy, I order their gluten-free pizza, especially the White Greek pizza -- feta, roasted red peppers, grilled chicken, and roasted garlic. The pizza is wonderfully crispy and chewy all at once, and the best part? It heats up well the next day. I have yet to find another gluten-free pizza that lasts a day. If you aren't in the area, Wicked in Dedham also has excellent gluten-free pizza that heats up well the next day. It's pricey, but tasty.

4.) Toast. I didn't think I would miss a simple thing like my slice of toast in the morning. I used to eat, every morning, multi-grain toast with peanut butter and dried cranberries. Instead, I now eat oatmeal. Be warned, many oatmeals are processed with wheat. So I had to order the Glutenfreeda brand from Amazon. There are also some celiacs who cannot eat oats. However, research shows that the majority of celiac sufferers can tolerate oats just fine -- it's best to check with your doctor. Either way, I get a packet of plain oatmeal, add honey and dried cranberries, then some boiling water. Breakfast is restored!

5.) French fries. Who doesn't love a crispy crunchy fried potato? I am a sucker for French fries, and giving them up has really sucked. Admittedly, it makes me order a healthier side when at a restaurant, but most restaurants simply don't have a dedicated fryer for their fries, meaning they are contaminated with gluten from the other battered items in the fryillator. However, the saving grace? McDonald's. That's right. The best French fries in fast food are, in fact, gluten free. McDonald's does in fact list a gluten byproduct in the beef flavoring put into the fries (yeah, they put beef flavoring in their fries... why do you think they taste so good?). However, tests have shown that the beef flavoring is SO processed that the amount of gluten left is negligible and not enough to trigger a reaction in celiacs. And Mickey D's has dedicated fryers for just their French fries! Amazing. I'll stop into McDonald's for a hot fudge sundae (also gluten-free) and a big side of fries for a treat. Obviously, this is a once in awhile thing.

6.) Burgers. I love burgers so much. They are my favorite comfort food, a nice burger and fries. I am sick of restaurants saying "We have gluten-free burgers!" and what they really mean is "We can serve a meat patty with no bun and call it a burger!" I've tried the gluten-free burgers at several restaurants at this point. BBC is well-known for its gluten-free menu, but the burger bun is terrible. It tastes like drywall. Not Your Average Joe's also has a gluten-free menu, with a very good bun (they also serve the bun as a bread basket in the beginning of the meal), but disappointingly, the burger itself sucks. My server didn't even take a temperature, and it came out medium well and dry. If I could somehow combine BBC's meat patty with the bun from Not Your Average Joe's... So, in lieu of this, I turn to The Cottage in Wellesley. The L.A. Burger is very tasty, and it is actually served on bread.

7.) Wings. Every Valentine's Day, my husband and I have a tradition. We watch terrible movies on the living room floor, with a gigantic order of chicken wings. We love Wing It in Allston, and even the Wings Over... chain. I just love chicken wings (on the bone, of course. Don't give me that fried chicken tender crap and try to tell me that's a wing. If it ain't flapped, it ain't a wing.) and I love getting all gross from the sauce and working for the meat on the bone. Unfortunately, most chains fry their wings in the same fryers as their boneless (and covered in gluten) counterparts. It just isn't safe to eat. Luckily for me, we live near the BBC in Framingham. They have an expansive gluten-free menu, which includes their wings -- they oven roast them in lieu of frying. So not only are they gluten-free, but they're technically better for you anyway! BBC does takeout, so we will order their buffalo wings plus entrees, and it's an affordable and delicious dinner. Do they taste as good as deep fried wings? Well, no. But they are extremely satisfying, and as close to the real thing that I can get without busting out my Fry Daddy at home.

8.) Cupcakes. I do not normally have much of a sweet tooth, but I love cupcakes. Treat Cupcake Bar in Needham has fantastic gluten-free vegan cupcakes, but more importantly, they have varying flavors. There are plenty of good bakeries with gluten free cupcakes (Glutenus Minimus, for example) that are delicious, but they only ever come in chocolate with vanilla frosting. Treat has an entire menu of gluten-free vegan cupcakes, and they do custom orders. I've even emailed with the baker to discuss their practices to avoid cross-contamination. In this picture, you can see the varying flavors they have -- chocolate with orange frosting, mint chocolate cookie with mint frosting, cookies 'n cream, pumpkin with cinnamon frosting, mochaccino, chocolate with coconut frosting and chocolate ganache.. so delicious.



So, that's it so far. Any other substitutions people out there recommend? Is there any craving you're having a hard time satisfying? I'd love to hear from you!

Gone Gluten Free

I've been absent from this blog since I began writing for TableCritic.com (I didn't want to be competing with myself), but my recent diagnosis of celiac disease has brought me back to blogging for myself. My life as a foodie has completely changed since being diagnosed a month ago, and it's hard to say if it's for the better or the worse. For those of you who don't know, celiac disease is when gluten (found in all wheat and wheat byproducts) creates an autoimmune response in the intestines, eroding the intestinal lining. Untreated, the disease leads to malnutrition, osteoporosis, and even cancer. The only treatment? Cutting all gluten and gluten-contaminated products out of your diet.

No bread, pasta, wheat noodles, cakes, cookies, etc. The obvious stuff. But there's also the not so obvious stuff -- some kinds of vinegar, soy sauce, shredded cheeses, processed foods, fried food from restaurants (the oil is often shared with battered items), and even makeup and toothpaste. This really required a full-life overhaul for me.

That being said, I was prepared. My brothers also have celiac disease, and my nephew has severe food allergies (dairy, egg, nuts, mustard), so I cook Thanksgiving dinner and it's a gluten/dairy/egg/nut/spice free meal. If I can cook that, I can deal with just a gluten allergy. Since my brother was diagnosed 3 years ago, I've made it a point to educate myself on the disease, so I had a better starting off point than most people diagnosed with celiac disease. The other difficult thing for people who go gluten free is giving up beer -- however, I gave up beer and alcohol years ago due to an allergy, so I have already won half the battle!

So anyway, this will be the new direction of the blog. I've hated how long I ignored this blog, but now I have a focus that will help differentiate from what I do for TableCritic.com. I plan to blog about trying to live gluten free in the Boston area, and review gluten free items. If there's anything you'd like me to address, please let me know!

Brazzille in Framingham, MA

When I think Brazilian food, I think of men carrying meat on swords and going from table to table, a la Midwest Grille in Cambridge. While my meal at Brazzille was full of meat, it was at a more reasonable price than Midwest Grille, though I'd argue not quite as tasty.

Parking in the area isn't the greatest, as it's right on 126, but on a Wednesday night, we didn't have a problem. The restaurant was pretty dead, as we were one of three restaurants the whole night, but they were running a post-work special of 10 cent wings to try to boost business. More on the wings later.

I started by ordering a frozen mango juice, which is probably one of my favorite beverages ever. I almost threw up from the first sip. Someone had used SALT instead of SUGAR to make my drink! It tasted like ocean water with a kick of tropical fruit. I brought it to the attention of our waiter, and he quickly remedied it and brought me a new, much more refreshing one. He explained to me that someone had put salt in the sugar jar. How nice.

For appetizers, we tried ten wings, and an order of the Brazilian sausage with chicken and yucca fries. When asked if we wanted the wings spicy or mild, we went for mild. Unbeknownst to us, that meant that there was no sauce on them. I wish we had tried some spicy, but the mild sauceless wings were perfectly crispy and juicy. I will definitely return for 10 cent wing night.

The Brazilian sausage was weirdly deep fried, but tasted good nonetheless. The chicken was deep fried as well, with an awesome garlic kick and the skin still on. Loved it. The yucca fries tasted like pretty much any other yucca fries I've had.

For entrees, I had the shrimp. My meal came with hearts of palm salad, potato salad, chicken salad and rice. The shrimp were beautifully cooked, with a tangy chunky tomato sauce on top. The hearts of palm salad couldn't really be called a salad, as it was just diced hearts of palm with a cured meat. The potato salad was full of potatoes, carrots, peas, corn and raisins, but I did find it had a bit too much mayonnaise. If it pulled back slightly on the mayo, it would've been supreme. The chicken salad was ironically dry, and could've used a little mayo. The rice was well cooked, but I found it oversalted.

For dessert, we had the passion fruit mousse. It was heavenly. I expected it to be a bit thicker, but the mousse was light and fluffy, and much tangier than I had expected. With a dollop of whipped cream on top, it may have been the best part of the meal.

Overall, I did find the food a bit over-salted for my tastes. But the portions are huge (I had lunch the next day, plus a little extra), the service was friendly, and the prices were right. For 2 apps, 2 entrees, a dessert, and two drinks, our bill was around $45 with tax. I can't wait to go back for more 10 cent wings.

Apologies... Oga's!

So, I've been a very, very bad blogger. But I can explain!

I recently began writing for TableCritic.com. It's a site designed to promote restaurants in a review-like format. So most of my time has been spent there.

But it doesn't mean I haven't been eating at restaurants! Oh yes, I have. And the reviews will start coming again, I promise. Starting with Oga's in Framingham!

Since I've moved out here, I've noticed that Oga's is always packed every single time I drove down Route 9. It's not exactly the ideal location, in a plaza with a Blockbuster (I have no idea how those stores stay open and operating) and some cell phone carrier, so I had always been skeptical. I finally decided to give a shot, and boy, was it worth it.

The room is surprisingly beautiful, with dividers and a beautiful sushi bar. The tables were full with a lot of happy people, which is always a good sign.

The fluke ceviche with ponzu was just amazing. With thin slices of fluke garnished with shiitake mushrooms and what I think was chervil, the grapefruit-y juice turned the fluke into this wonderfully tender yet firm ceviche. I could've eaten two more plates. The raw tuna/raw salmon spring roll was delicious as well, with a black bean and garlic sauce dip.

We ordered a two person sushi boat, and ate every single bite. The fish quality is very high, and well cut. While a little on the pricey side, I would absolutely return to Oga's for a special occasion or date night out.