It's been 8 months since COVID-19 started; since the start of the pandemic, I have been to so many restaurants using their takeout services. But now that I have tried many restaurants using takeout, I can finally give you all the run-down on where the best gluten-free takeout options are in Austin. In this post, I will tell you all why one of my favorite takeout places in Austin is Flower Child. Plus, I will be explaining why I take back most of the positive comments I said about Honest Mary's after trying it a few more times.
Flower Child, or should I say Dirt and Sticks? Well, if it was truly made of dirt and sticks, then why does it taste so good? The Organic Kale Salad, which I should hate due to my passionate hatred of kale, is amazing.
The sweet potatoes, which sound like the definition of a lame thanksgiving, are spicy and unique, bathed in a silky red chili glaze (if it wasn't clear enough, just know that I loved them).
For dessert, I got the gluten-free chocolate chip cookies. They have a peanut taste to them, but they are really good.
But then, there is the mac and cheese.
The gluten-free macaroni and cheese is magical. It was creamy, it was cheesy, it was gluten-free, but most importantly, it was delicious. Not too rich, but packed with flavor, the gluten-free Mac and Cheese is my favorite thing at Flower Child. And that isn't easy to say.
With their delicious food that is also super fresh and gluten-free, I would recommend Flower Child to anyone with Celiac disease. But does it even matter if the takeout process is unsafe? No. That is why I was thrilled when I saw that they do curbside. It probably took only a minute once we arrived. You pull up to a spot next to the restaurant, you text the number for the spot, and the food comes out really quickly. To most of you reading, this seems like nothing. For me though, it really mattered because I didn't feel unsafe at any point while picking the food up. Overall, I would give Flower Child almost as high of a score as before COVID. The only reason I would rate it slightly lower is hat you lose their collection of different lemonades.
Overall Rating: 9.5/10
GF Rating: 10/10
COVID-19 Safety Rating: 8.5/10
Recommended: Yes
How has Flower Child affected my opinion on Honest Mary's? It is kind of embarrassing, but when I went back to Flower Child, I realized how pointlessly boring their food is. I gave Honest Mary's the pass because it was fresh and there were gluten-free options. After Flower Child, I realized that although there are a lot of gluten-free options on Honest Mary's menu, it didn't matter that much because their menu is very small, to begin with. However, when I went back to Honest Mary's, the quality of their food was WAY lower. While the limeade was still great, my poke bowl had mysterious-looking onions in it (they weren't pickled, and they weren't anywhere on any of the items on the menu). But then, I found hair in my poke bowl. It was disgusting, and it made me completely lose my trust in their safety procedures. And while I praised their bag system for pick-up, after going to more restaurants for take-out, I realized that it wasn't the best system due to having to get out of your car to get the food and the potential for people accidentally picking up the wrong order. But worst of all, I realized how bland Honest Mary's food was to Flower Child's. Healthy does not have to mean bland, but I feel (just as I felt the first time I got Honest Mary's, but now worse) that Honest Mary's falls into and supports this stereotype. My new rating for Honest Mary's is lower than I previously gave, and I feel it reflects how it is better, as I have now tried many more restaurants using their pick-up options.
Overall Rating: 4.5/10
GF Rating: 8.5/10
COVID-19 Safety Rating: 7/10
Recommended: No
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