Rachel Stephens
Google
As a Celiac, I was so excited to hear that a 100% gluten-free restaurant was opening up. It's so hard to find a restaurant that can safely do real gluten-free food and I don't have to ask 400 follow up questions to make sure the food isn't cross-contaminated.
I figured that a place with a name like "power soul cafe" with a giant orange slice logo would feature healthy foods. I imagined they'd have gluten-free sandwiches, bowls, salads and soups. Nope!
This place sells the same gluten-free junk foods that I can buy at Walmart in the frozen section, but at a massive premium. They also sell $15 5-inch keto pizza and $10-$17 smoothies. Is this Erewhon?
Speaking of pizzas, why are the pizzas so small for the price? 5 and 6 inch pizzas are not standard anywhere else. I can get the most expensive 10-12 inch frozen gluten-free pizza at any grocery store cheaper than $15. It seems like selling mini pizzas is going to do nothing but drive potential repeat customers away.
As far as the rest of the menu, what seems like previously frozen waffles, previously frozen chicken tenders, bagels and mini desserts can be ordered at a walk-up window and then you go next door to go into an area where your order is left in a little locker. There's no place to even throw away your straw wrapper. I used the hand sanitizer pump to put my drink on so I could put my straw in. They need a table and a trash bin.
I ended up ordering a $9 vegan "chicken" and waffle sandwich. It was 2 faux tenders, faux egg and 2 waffles that clearly weren't made in-house.
As a Celiac, I'm so tired of only being able to get super processed junk food as a gluten-free option. Did anyone poll the gluten-free community what foods they're unable to get or that they'd like to purchase before creating this menu?
Gluten-free food is already so expensive, I'm not going out of my way to go to a restaurant unless it's something I can't make at home or can't buy at the grocery store. Please reconsider the food menu. I don't see this place staying in business if they don't.
Visited August 2024