Gluten Free Review of The Gods Cafe at ANU

This article, on 20 June 2013, summarises the interaction between myself and The Gods Cafe at the Australian National University (ANU). It includes the body of two (2) emails - the first being one that was recently sent by me to the management team and the second being the response to the original message.

Let me begin by stating that I have never visited the cafe. I'd heard the name of it on a few occasions but never really got the chance to pay an actual visit, let alone try any of their gluten free fare. As a result, I unfortunately am not in a position to comment on the validity of their statements (which I actually found to be very considerate).

To whom it may concern,

I wish I had the chance to sample your gluten free offerings at your cafe but was too busy and/or sick most of the time.

I thought you would be interested in reading about my terrible gluten free experience at Ursula Hall, The Australian National University.

Recount:

http://icmn91.hubpages.com/hub/ursula-hall-gluten-free

Response from hall:

http://icmn91.hubpages.com/hub/ursula-hall-gluten-free-email-response

Sorry to read about your experience.

We are not in a position to comment on the validity or ethics of other food providers on the campus.

It is a shame that you did not discover us when at ANU. It would have been an extra cost to eat at either the cafe or Hedley Bull but we provide genuine GF foods, both as sweets and luncheon meals. We bake using almond meal or ground hazelnut and pride ourselves on the ability to provide for coeliacs.

If by chance you re-enrol then please drop into the cafe and announce yourself.

All the best.

While I highly doubt I'll ever re-enrol at ANU, I appreciate the invitation. While Ursula Hall did let me down (through mislabelling allergy-safe/allergen-safe meals on numerous occasions (up to a few times a week, every week, during the last six (6) months of my stay)), there does seem to be a reasonable amount of awareness amongst staff at The Gods of conditions that require lifelong avoidance of gluten such as coeliac disease.

Once again I'd like to thank them for responding and look forward to dining at this "Award Winning Cafe" in the event that I re-encounter Australia's "meeting place" at a later date. ;)