Review of Wild Wood Bakehouse

UPDATE: I have eaten here many times before with no reaction, but am extremely unhappy to report that I had a celiac reaction last time I ate there (onion rings and stuffed avocado). For non-celiacs, let me explain: when a celiac is exposed to wheat, barley or rye, we get (at least my symptoms) crippling abdominal pain, bloating, and diarrhea for several days and even weeks. It causes the cilia in the intestines to flatten and reduces nutrient absorption, so we become weak from malnutrition and it affects our moods from lack of vitamin absorption. Long-term it causes osteoporosis and colon cancer and a shortened life span. And for me, it also triggers thyroid malfunction. That is what happens when we get the smallest amount of cross contamination. The standard for a GF label on packaged food is 20ppm, but many celiacs are sensitive to levels below this and can still get sick by food labeled “GF.” So for the people who show a complete lack of compassion for us, shame on you! You have NO idea what a nightmare it is to get sick a majority of the time you try to eat out, so you stop eating out. Then think about the impact that has on our social lives! Imagine all the times you meet up with friends and how often that involves food. I can’t even eat food made at friend’s houses due to contamination. The only way I can maintain a social life is to have people over to eat my safe cooking (which is a lot of work and effort), or sit around at a restaurant watching my friends eat while I drink my GF protein shake because I will not risk getting sick again. It’s extremely depressing to watch people eat food you can never eat again. So when I became sick at the ONLY “fully” GF restaurant in Austin, it was a HUGE blow to my life.

A celiac friend told me she toured the Wild Wood Bakehouse kitchen a couple years ago and was alarmed by gluten products in the kitchen the cook staff used to make meals for themselves. Idk if this practice continued and was the source, but I definitely had a reaction. Maybe it was from corn products that were cross contaminated with wheat field or processing facility. Not sure if I will ever go back. Extremely disappointed that a restaurant claiming to be 100% GF (and the ONLY one in Austin) still managed to make me sick.

For those of you who do not have celiac disease, I’m sure it’s fine unless you chose a Paleo diet in which case you will have to navigate all the corn and rice.

Celiac friendly?

No