Review: Portia’s Cafe

Columbus has a little known gem located on Indianola Avenue in the Clintonville area. This gem is called  Portia’s Cafe. I don’t often head to small, local places like this because there are so many foods that I can’t eat. However, I had heard from so many friends that Portia’s Cafe not only serves gluten-free food, but everything they serve is gluten-free. What?! Yes, a dream come true for those with celiac disease, a restaurant that is 100% gluten-free. Portia’s Cafe also serves a 100% vegan menu.

Portia's Blog

The options on the menu at Portia’s Cafe are plentiful. I had my lunch narrowed down to three or four different items, but checked in with our server to see which of those didn’t have any onions in them. Turns out that Portia’s Cafe also has a list of foods/menu items that don’t contain onions, too! I felt comfortable in this restaurant, which is the first time I have felt like that in a restaurant in a very long time. 

I finally decided on the burrito, which can be served in a bowl or in one of Portia’s house-made gluten-free wraps. Of course I chose the wrap since it has been over 10 years since I have had a wrap/burrito from a restaurant. 

Portia's Blog

My burrito was loaded with rice, black beans, Daiya cheeze, house-made vegan sour cream and lettuce. I can’t even begin to put into words how delicious this burrito was. I can tell you that I believe I have found a new favorite restaurant.

My friend ordered the Mediterranean Wrap served in a bowl as opposed to in a wrap. She loves this meal and orders it regularly.

Portia's Blog

Portia’s also has a number of vegan, gluten-free desserts that I am going to have to make a special trip to sample. Cheezecake, Mousse, and Macaroons? Yes, please! If you are missing gluten-free waffles, check out Portia’s on Sundays from 10AM to 3PM when they serve gluten-free waffles! Somebody please pinch me…I may be dreaming!

Weekly Hours:

  • Tuesday – Saturday: 11AM to 9PM
  • Sunday: 10AM to 3PM
  • Monday: Closed

Location:

4428 Indianola Avenue

(between Cooke Rd. and Morse Rd. with the burgundy awning)

Columbus, OH 43214

614-928-3252

The atmosphere in Portia’s Cafe is bright and cheery, which is exactly how I felt after this phenomenal experience. I highly recommend stopping in for bite to eat or ordering take-out if you live in the Columbus area or visiting from out of town. 

Katz Gluten Free Introduces New Donut Flavor

While eating donuts daily is not something I advise, I do like a treat every now and then. Katz Gluten Free makes a pretty spectacular Gluten-Free Glazed Donut, so I have no doubt this new variety is equally as tasty. The new donut variety is one I can’t wait to try… Sea Salt Caramel Glazed!

1156 2T

Ingredients:Gluten Free Flour (white Rice, Corn Starch, Tapioca), Eggs, Water, Palm Oil, Canola Oil, Sugar, Baking Powder, Xanthan Gum, Baking Soda, Salt, Natural Caramel extract , Confection Sugar, Agar, Calcium Carbonate.

The donuts are free of dairy, soy, and nuts in addition to gluten. If you aren’t familiar with Katz Gluten Free, take the time to browse their website and consider ordering a free sample pack. I also happen to be a huge fan of their bagels, English muffins, and pies (blueberry is my favorite!).

Do you have a favorite Katz Gluten Free product? If so, what is it?

Workout Tracking – Garmin vs. Apple Watch vs. FitBit Charge HR

Since I began exercising consistently in 2008, I have used some sort of gadget to track my workouts. I started with a Polar watch (heart rate monitoring) to track my workouts, but then switched to a Garmin once I began running on a regular basis and wanted GPS to track my mileage.

Earlier this summer I purchased a FitBit Charge HR. I wore the FitBit Charge HR 24/7. I also wore my Garmin Forerunner 620 along with the FitBit Charge HR when I was running. I found the FitBit Charge HR to be somewhat accurate for tracking distance (without GPS) and within a beat or 2 for the average heart rate when compared to the Garmin. The FitBit Charge HR does have the capability to use the GPS via the FitBit app on my phone for more accurate distance tracking, but I never used it for that.

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On Black Friday I ended up getting an Apple Watch and knew that there was no way I would wear all 3 devices at once, but wanted to figure out which was the best for the information I wanted to track. I knew I would continue to wear my Garmin for coaching MIT and speed work, but I didn’t figure I would continue to wear the FitBit Charge HR. I committed to wearing all 3 for one week to compare data and then I would make my choice.

As far as distance is considered, the Garmin and the Apple Watch were pretty much spot on. The downfall is you have to be carrying your iPhone in order for the GPS to work with the Apple Watch, just like GPS for the FitBit Charge HR. For me that isn’t a big issue, as I always run with my phone. As far as heart rate data is concerned, all 3 devices were within a beat or 2 of each other when comparing averages. The big deal here is the method of monitoring the heart rate…both the FitBit Charge HR and Apple Watch have wrist heart rate monitors and don’t require the chest strap the Garmin 620 does. It is important to note that the device must be tight on your wrist in order for the heart rate to be accurate. 

The device you choose is dependent upon what your preferences are. For my daily runs, I have been wearing only my Apple Watch and have been completely satisfied with the data it tracks and records. As I stated above, for coaching MIT and speed work, I use my Garmin. I no longer wear my FitBit Charge HR. My daily activity tracker of choice is the Apple Watch. It has more capabilities that I use than the FitBit Charge HR. The only missing piece is the sleep tracker, which you can do using an App on the iPhone if it is important to you.

  • FitBit Charge HR – Monitors steps, heart rate, sleep, and has caller ID. Recently received some bad press regarding a lawsuit about inaccurate heart rates. MSRP = $149.99
  • Apple Watch – This is the only one of the 3 that measures how much you stand throughout the day. It encourages you to stand for 1 minute out of an hour 12 times per day. You can also use Siri, the alarm clock, your calendar, maps, instant heart rate, weather, texts, emails, and a number of apps. MSRP – $349 (38 mm – women’s version); $399 (42 mm – men’s version)
  • Garmin Forerunner 620 – Lots of bells & whistles, including GPS, heart rate, recovery time, and VO2 Max predictor. Does not monitor other daily activity or sleep. MSRP – $399 w/ heart rate strap

So there you have it. If you have any questions regarding any of the devices I shared above, please leave a comment below.

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