<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

I am sorry it has taken me so long to send this email, after being away
for two weeks there is alot to catch up on. I must first say that Israel
is a fascinating and beautiful country. We had a fabulous time and I
look forward to a second trip in the future. There is so much to see and
one would need a long time to see it all. I would be happy to tell
anyone who is interested what specifically we saw and would recommend.
we were two families traveling together with private guides, which did
give me flexibility to some degree.

As I do not react to gluten, I cannot ever be sure I have not been given
it. This seems like it is a good thing for people who get very sick( and
maybe it is) but I do not know when a mistake has been made and i can
repeat the mistake.

Throughout Israel & Jordan, our breakfasts were included. I brought a
box of cereal and alternated with eggs ( poached or an omelette made in
oil), fruit was always avaiable and plentiful. Lunches were more of a
problem as we did not stop at restaurant as we did not want to waste
time and ate at fast take outs along the way. The rest of the group ate
falafel and shish kebabs, etc.  I had taken crackers with me from home
and would order humus, which in principle should be gf. Again I cannot
sure of this. I ate salads where possible.

Dinners are always easier as they are at home. I had brought three
restaurant cards with me- English, Hebrew and Arabic. The only place I
was in trouble was a Thai noodle bar at  the Dead Sea. I ordered simple
sushi but was assured that my husband's rice noodle dish was gf, with no
soya sauce. I had my cards but unfortunately the chef was Chinese and
did not read any of the languages. After I had tried some of his dish,
the waitress apologized and said it did indeed have soya sauce. I did
not get sick but was annoyed.

the two nights in Jordan were also without problems; we ate at an
exceptional restaurant in Petra at the Movenpick Hotel and as in all
good restaurant, it was without incident. In Amman, we ate at a
restaurant recommended by our guide where there were no English menus. I
order lamb kebabs and gave the waiter my card. When they first brought
the food, my dish was decorated with Bedouin bread straight across all
the meat, I explained and they made me a new one. The food was excellent
and not expensive.

We ate at the following restaurant that I feel I am comfortable enough
to recommend, there were one or two that I am not 100% sure of and will
indicate.

Jerusalem

Yemenite Step -on Yoel Salomon Mall near Ben Yehuda Mall- I am not
comfortable recommending it as I am not confident as to what I ate.
everyone else enjoyed their meal

Focaccio- (Italian/Mediterranean) 4 rabbi Akiva Street (off Hillel
Street) Tel-6256428
I ate a wonderful salad, fun atmosphere

Darna ( Moroccan) 3 Horkanos St Tel-6244745
Beautiful restaurant and excellent food- expensive , may not be good for
young children, lamb was excellent

Eucalyptus- Safra Square Building No 4 (City hall Sq, Jaffa Rd)
Tel-6244331
well known chef, food very good


Dead Sea

Giraffe- Thai Noodle Bar in Intercontinental hotel,
sushi was fine, nothing else for celiacs, do not recommend


Petra

Movenpick Restaurant- excellent, need reservations, expensive and not
for young children


Amman

Reem Albawady - Tel-5535170
excellent food, beautifully decorated


Rosh Pina

Auberge Shalumit - on David shuv Rd Tel-06-6931485
very good, accommodating to celiacs


Mitzpe HaYamim -
we ate at the hotel, buffet, but I found a few things

Kibbutz Kfar Blum--
we ate at the kibbutz, buffet style, I did not have much to choose from,
baked potato and sweet corn

Tel Aviv


Two of the three nights we were provided light snacks at the hotel and
ate there

the other night we ate at Taboon in Old Jaffa, Jaffa Port Tel 6816011
which was excellent, they serve mostly fish cooked in a taboon.
delicious and accommodating

I did stop at Kibbutz Gan Shmuel at the supermarket near haifa to pickup
more cereal and some crackers. They do have a decent selection of gf
foods.

If anyone has any questions, please write

Elaine (Montreal)