tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60372656649718711922024-03-19T01:48:51.185-07:00Entertaining FoodReal. Restaurant. Reviews.Jared K. Wengerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08298552683281691371noreply@blogger.comBlogger45125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6037265664971871192.post-60812876770868720792010-10-06T22:46:00.000-07:002010-11-10T21:33:49.640-08:00Hook, Line, and Sinker<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Trapper's Sushi - Sushi (3.5 Stars)</span></b><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.sushitownbonneylake.com/">http://www.sushitownbonneylake.com/</a></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Following a long workout, sushi is one of those dinner options that helps you maintain at least the appearance of being "healthy". You even feel smarter just contemplating which rolls and wraps and Nigiri you're about to consume. Seafood plus rice plus sauce has got to be good for you, right? After two weeks of talking up his favorite sushi spot, and an upper body workout that'd leave me sore for three days, Joe decided it was time for me to see what Trapper's Sushi had to offer.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One look at the menu and it was easy to see the main thing Trapper's has going for it: the accessibility of its menu. Things like shrimp tempura didn't appear to show up with tails or heads and of their 45 eight-piece long rolls, nearly one-third have crab. Despite over half of their long rolls incorporating a "spicy" ingredient, for folks who are connoisseurs of spicy, you'll need to ask for more Sriracha. Again, think accessible.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By the time we'd polished off the starter bowl of edamame (which I wish had been steamed a few minutes longer), the first of our long rolls had arrived. The <u>Trapper</u> combined a roll of tempura Crystal shrimp wrapped with seaweed <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/TK1bGvHV07I/AAAAAAAAH-I/d049DL0dbjk/s1600/Trappers+Sushi+-+Trapper+-+Crystal+shrimp+covered+with+spicy+cooked+scallop,+green+onion+&+tabiko2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-right: 1em; margin-top: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/TK1bGvHV07I/AAAAAAAAH-I/d049DL0dbjk/s320/Trappers+Sushi+-+Trapper+-+Crystal+shrimp+covered+with+spicy+cooked+scallop,+green+onion+&+tabiko2.JPG" width="288" /></a>and rice that's then covered with spicy cooked scallops, green onions, and tobiko in a spicy mayo dressing like a chilled "salad". The warm, crispy shrimp paired nicely with the chilled scallops. All of the flavors were mild, despite having "spicy" as an ingredient, and the textures were crispy and creamy, with little pops from the tobiko. The scallop texture was just right. This was definitely our favorite roll of the evening.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The second roll that arrived was the <u>Willis</u>. The long roll featured spicy crab, green onion, and cucumber all rolled in tempura crumbs. The top also had two sauces: a sweet, red-brown sauce (tasted exactly like the bottled Mae Ploy Sweet Chili Sauce) <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/TK1bLp4Vf6I/AAAAAAAAH-M/SnEmOsnhUVQ/s1600/Trappers+Sushi+-+Willis+-+Spicy+crave,+green+onion,+cucumber,+rolled+in+tempura+crumbs+in+special+sauces+and+cilantro2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; margin-top: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/TK1bLp4Vf6I/AAAAAAAAH-M/SnEmOsnhUVQ/s320/Trappers+Sushi+-+Willis+-+Spicy+crave,+green+onion,+cucumber,+rolled+in+tempura+crumbs+in+special+sauces+and+cilantro2.JPG" width="288" /></a>as well as a Sriracha mayo to help add heat. The Willis was the sweetest of the three rolls, though the cilantro and mayo helped cut through the sweetness of the crab and sauce. Unfortunately, the predominant flavor was the sweet chili sauce, though there was a cilantro burst on the pieces with extra cilantro. In keeping with the "accessibility" of the sushi, the roll would easily be one most people would enjoy given the flavors were mild.</span><br />
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<u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bonney Lake</span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> was the last roll Joe and I shared. Trapper's does an interesting job combining a regular rice roll with cold salads and the Bonney Lake long roll continued that tradition. <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/TK1bBlxMo3I/AAAAAAAAH-E/AqX5ZuO6SCM/s1600/Trappers+Sushi+-+Spicy+sauce+&+crab2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; margin-top: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/TK1bBlxMo3I/AAAAAAAAH-E/AqX5ZuO6SCM/s320/Trappers+Sushi+-+Spicy+sauce+&+crab2.JPG" width="288" /></a>There is a huge amount of spicy crab salad on top of the roll. So much, in fact, that the serving plate still had probably 20 percent of the salad on it after we had served ourselves. It almost goes without saying, but it was a very hearty roll. The salad is topped with a thick stripe of Sriracha that helps balance the sweet crab salad and sushi rice. The roll itself has tempura, Crystal shrimp, and cream cheese.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you're someone who typically orders at least three rolls for just yourself, Trapper's does offer an all-you-can-eat from their long roll, wraps, and Nigiri menu sections. The lunch special is $17.95 and dinner's just $26.95. The long rolls range between $5 and $11, so it wouldn't take much for the all-you-can-eat prices to look cheap. You will have to sit at the sushi bar in order to get the special. Also, for parents with adventurous kids, children under 10 eat free on Wednesday nights which is a great deal for budget-minded families.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Overall, despite relatively mild fare, the sushi was fresh, well-prepared, and the eight-piece long rolls are a serious bargain compared with the usual six-piece higher priced sushi offered elsewhere. (For those of you who drink a lot of water with your meal like me, you'll be thrilled with the vat-sized glasses of water.) If you're off the beaten path, stop by and see why Trapper's Sushi earned 3.5 Stars.</span><br />
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/1/1469859/restaurant/Seattle/Trapper-Sushi-Covington"><img alt="Trapper Sushi on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1469859/minilink.gif" style="border: none; height: 36px; width: 130px;" /></a><br />
<script src="http://connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1"></script><fb:like href="http://www.entertainingfoodblog.com/2010/10/hook-line-and-sinker.html"></fb:like>Jared K. Wengerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08298552683281691371noreply@blogger.com73tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6037265664971871192.post-48903502268063655982010-05-06T22:35:00.000-07:002010-12-16T16:15:13.360-08:00The Best Meal I've Ever Had<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Gitane - Eclectic Spanish, French (5 Stars)</span></b><br />
<a href="http://www.gitanerestaurant.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">http://www.gitanerestaurant.com</span></a><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Aaaah, Gitane: you wandering gypsy, you. With a menu that spans multiple cuisines, from French to Portuguese, North African to Spanish, there truly is something for everyone. The interior is also as eclectic as the menu with lush, velvety seating, tons of non-matching sconces and lighting fixtures, quaint outdoor seating in the alley (it’s more romantic than that sounds), and an extremely friendly and competent staff.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(One note: the interior is dimly lit which offers a "romantic" setting, though it can also be somewhat difficult to read a menu or visually enjoy your food. While my experience wasn't diminished for the ambiance, my apologies ahead of time for the dimness of the photos.)</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">While contemplating the menu, I stumbled upon three main choices: Bastilla, Chicken Tajine, and Ananas Roti. The pizza was a complete afterthought as I knew I'd only have one opportunity to eat at Gitane and pizza's one of my favorite foods.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I couldn’t help but inhale deeply once I saw the crispy-brown, powder sugar dusted pockets of phyllo that was the <u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bastilla</span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">. <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/S-OjyTpTWyI/AAAAAAAAHlY/ZMA0BJmjptc/s1600/Gitane+-+Bastilla+2+(110409).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/S-OjyTpTWyI/AAAAAAAAHlY/ZMA0BJmjptc/s320/Gitane+-+Bastilla+2+(110409).JPG" width="288" /></a>To say they were succulent would be an understatement. Rife with almonds, golden raisins, duck, chicken, and spices like cinnamon and cloves, the sweet and savory meat pies were sinful and it practically took an act of God to prevent me from licking the plate clean. In a lovely and unexpected treat, they’re served with a side of tagliatelle cut cucumber in a dill-yogurt sauce. It offered a bright note that cut cleanly and coolly through the tremendously decadent appetizer.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <br />
For my entrée, I selected the </span> <u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Chicken Tajine</span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">. To be honest, I haven’t shut up about this dish, or my entire experience at Gitane, since I ate there during my trip to San Francisco. </span><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/S-OkJWTSLzI/AAAAAAAAHlo/CA253QYOp98/s1600/Gitane+-+Chicken+Tajine+(110409).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-right: 1em; margin-top: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="216" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/S-OkJWTSLzI/AAAAAAAAHlo/CA253QYOp98/s320/Gitane+-+Chicken+Tajine+(110409).JPG" width="288" /></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This was, by far, the most incredible chicken I’ve ever had. The meat was so tender that I accidentally cut through it with my spoon while scooping off a part of the nearby potato. The Tajine featured large chunks of carrot, potato, zucchini, and several dried apricots that had been plumped to perfection in the incredible broth. Cinnamon and cloves along with the vegetable and chicken juices coat every last morsel of the buttery and golden-raisin topped couscous served alongside the Tajine. Even though I saved some of the Tajine for “leftovers”, I barely made it back to my hotel room without devouring the doggie bag contents.<br />
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The portabello mushroom and truffle oil pizza (the "</span> <u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Champignon</span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">") was pretty good. Not great or stunning, but pretty good. </span><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/S-Oj72EotCI/AAAAAAAAHlg/4UrCCC0Oy6Y/s1600/Gitane+-+Champignon+1(110409).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-right: 1em; margin-top: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="216" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/S-Oj72EotCI/AAAAAAAAHlg/4UrCCC0Oy6Y/s320/Gitane+-+Champignon+1(110409).JPG" width="288" /></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The toppings were definitely the highlight of the dish as the portabellos were thinly sliced and plentiful, the truffle oil was earthly and warming, and the overall flavor of the pizza was woodsy and mushroomy – just what you’d expect from a fungi fest. The crust was okay; certainly not the best, but far from the worst. It was somewhat flaky and very mildly flavored; thin enough to not overwhelm with dough, but crispy enough to offer a nice contrast in textures to the gooey cheese and heady mushroom strips.<br />
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The </span> <u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ananas Roti</span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> was an unusually sized rectangular strip of white chocolate cheesecake topped with coconut crumble and served along with Tajine </span><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/S-OkSMS1W_I/AAAAAAAAHlw/OKKKW2hgGY8/s1600/Gitane+-+White+Chocolate+Cheesecake+(110409).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-right: 1em; margin-top: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="216" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/S-OkSMS1W_I/AAAAAAAAHlw/OKKKW2hgGY8/s320/Gitane+-+White+Chocolate+Cheesecake+(110409).JPG" width="288" /></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">spiced pineapple and an incredibly thin dehydrated slice of pineapple as the headboard of this bed of deliciousness. The cheesecake was dense and creamy and the topping offered enough contrast to warrant its place on the plate, despite not adding much coconut flavor. The tajine spiced pineapple was tender and had spicy flavors that tied in beautifully the Moroccan flavors of the bastilla and chicken tajine.<br />
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For those of you who aren’t already aware, a special pet peeve of mine is seeing my water glass reach empty...and stay there. Ultimately, it bodes poorly for the waiter’s tip because it means they stopped paying attention to my table. That said, very special kudos to my waiter, Norm, who not only suggested exactly what I was already wanting to order, but was very attentive and never let my water glass empty (even though he provided me with a large bottle of water for all the self-help I could manage).<br />
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Without a doubt, this was the best meal I’ve ever had, even with the pizza crust being so-so. I’ve raved about it ever since and feel confident you will have a truly amazing dinner. I highly recommend Gitane and give it 5 Stars.</span><br />
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/6/394176/restaurant/Nob-Hill/Gitane-San-Francisco"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="Gitane on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/394176/minilink.gif" style="border: none; height: 36px; width: 130px;" /></span></a></span></span><br />
<script src="http://connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1"></script><fb:like href="http://www.entertainingfoodblog.com/2010/05/best-meal-ive-ever-had.html"></fb:like>Jared K. Wengerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08298552683281691371noreply@blogger.com39tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6037265664971871192.post-86383756428188223782010-03-10T00:44:00.000-08:002010-11-10T00:27:48.531-08:00How Wood-Fire Ovens Make For A Perfect Sunday<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>La Fiamma Wood Fire Pizza - Pizza and Italian (4 Stars)</b></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.lafiamma.com/">http://www.lafiamma.com</a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I first learned about La Fiamma when my then roommate (and long-time best friend) Chris said he was applying for a job there and casually mentioned how fantastic their pizza was. According to their website: "An immediate sensation, Dan and Ken’s restaurant was showered with acclaim, winning the Best New Business and Bellingham’s Best Pizza awards, as well as garnering two Best Recipe awards in the National Association of Pizza Operators (NAPO) International Recipe Contest." That was in 1998, and I've been a hearty fan ever since.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">That fanaticism has proven over the years to be the perfect companion to a Sunday afternoon and a casual, not-too-lengthy drive up to Bellingham. La Fiamma's decor is upscale with its aluminum table tops and chairs, yet accessible and feels more like a great place to hang out with your family and friends. Of course, the pizza "is not burnt - it's kissed by the flame!!" and who can resist such a charming, delicious kiss?</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Despite knowing for sure I was going to order pizza (well, to be honest: pizzas), and despite Dan and I taking forever to decide how to best half-and-half our options to maximize our dining pleasure, <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/S5dQpxEiYnI/AAAAAAAAHgg/Gd2AS4oHqDU/s1600-h/La+Fiamma+-+Green+Salad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-right: 1em; margin-top: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/S5dQpxEiYnI/AAAAAAAAHgg/Gd2AS4oHqDU/s320/La+Fiamma+-+Green+Salad.jpg" width="288" /></a>I had to start with a salad. Arriving with crispy, leafy mixed greens, shaved carrots, a sprinkling of sunflower seeds, shredded mound of cheese, and a hearty saucing of an amazing house-made "Sudden Valley Ranch", the <u>Green Salad</u> was exactly what you'd hope for in a house salad. The side is large enough to whet your appetite, though it can be ordered in a gigantic "party size" that serves 10 if you're feeling extra generous (or greedy!).</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Speaking of our half-and-halfing, our first pizza combination united The Bella and Pizza Diablo. <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/S5dlmgmnWoI/AAAAAAAAHiM/nbjruEGBBuE/s1600-h/La+Fiamma+-+The+Bella+Pizza.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-right: 1em; margin-top: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/S5dlmgmnWoI/AAAAAAAAHiM/nbjruEGBBuE/s320/La+Fiamma+-+The+Bella+Pizza.jpg" width="288" /></a>With its spicy tomato sauce, shitake and white mushrooms, green and yellow zucchini, Kalamata olives, feta and mozzarella cheeses, red onions and red peppers, and sprinkled with black sesame seeds (yes, it's practically the kitchen sink), <u>The Bella</u> is a veggie lover's dream. The vegetables were perfectly cooked with plenty of bite left to offer crunch atop the chewy thin-crust pizza and the sauce offered just enough kick to keep your mouth happy.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Despite all that yumm, the <u>Pizza Diablo</u> was no slouch either. As the name suggested, the tomato sauce was spicy, Insernios Italian link sausage was the hot variety, and the <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/S5dljpBW5TI/AAAAAAAAHiE/b_NrEn_iHDg/s1600-h/La+Fiamma+-+Pizza+Diablo+Pizza.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-right: 1em; margin-top: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/S5dljpBW5TI/AAAAAAAAHiE/b_NrEn_iHDg/s320/La+Fiamma+-+Pizza+Diablo+Pizza.jpg" width="288" /></a>pickled cherry peppers and mozzarella were a perfect tangy and creamy pairing. This isn't the pizza for serious burn fans, but there's enough warming and a solid tickle in the back of the throat (which seems to be more heat that most can handle in the Pacific Northwest). You can always add more hot red pepper flakes if the need for true heat is calling.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Our second attempt at our "taste everything possible in one sitting" affair combined the Greek Havoc and the Chicken Potato pizzas.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>The <u>Greek Havoc</u> is another of La Fiamma's vegetarian selections. It starts with their herbed white sauce and ends with red bell peppers, <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/S5dlg4RJTKI/AAAAAAAAHh8/nRVmrcl92QQ/s1600-h/La+Fiamma+-+Greek+Havoc+Pizza.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-right: 1em; margin-top: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/S5dlg4RJTKI/AAAAAAAAHh8/nRVmrcl92QQ/s320/La+Fiamma+-+Greek+Havoc+Pizza.jpg" width="288" /></a>Roma tomatoes, grilled artichoke hearts, Kalamata olives, fresh spinach, and feta and mozzarella cheeses. At first blush, it looks similar to The Bella, but it's the sauce that keeps the flavor of these two worlds apart. Even the vegetables on that half of the pizza seemed creamy thanks to the grilled artichoke hearts and Roma tomatoes. Bottom line: herbs + white + sauce = divine.</div><br />
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The pizza got even better being paired with the <u>Chicken Potato Pizza</u>. It featured a roasted, onion-garlic potato sauce. <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/S5dleDsv-lI/AAAAAAAAHh0/6pgneGZiUhc/s1600-h/La+Fiamma+-+Chicken+Potato+Pizza.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-right: 1em; margin-top: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/S5dleDsv-lI/AAAAAAAAHh0/6pgneGZiUhc/s320/La+Fiamma+-+Chicken+Potato+Pizza.jpg" width="288" /></a>Oh, and the smoked chicken, fire-roasted rosemary potatoes, smoked mozzarella, and balsamic vinegar syrup were hearty and unconventional. Yes, the smokey chicken and cheese made for a wonderful bite (after bite, after bite), but it was the rich, tangy balsamic syrup that really put the pizza over the top and moved it from an average pizza into a fantastic pizza.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
The only two points of disagreement between Dan and I on the star rating for La Fiamma were that he prefers pizza loaded to the gills with toppings, while I am more impressed by the quality and flavor of the ingredients, and he was hoping for a bit more spice in the Pizza "Diablo". For this particular dining experience, we agreed on a 4 Star review. (It wasn't until after we had shared a few other pizza pies from other restaurants that he decided to agree with my 4.5 Stars rating. Maybe next time, La Fiamma.)</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Whether it's the Wood-Fire S'more complete with caramel and Belgian chocolate or the perfect "stolen" Rosemary Lemonade recipe (you really should try that!), La Fiamma serves continually delicious salads, pasta, and flame-kissed pizzas that should definitely be included in your next visit to Bellingham.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/88/816226/restaurant/LA-Fiamma-Wood-Fire-Pizza-Bellingham"><img alt="LA Fiamma Wood Fire Pizza on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/816226/minilink.gif" style="border: medium none; height: 36px; width: 130px;" /></a></div><script src="http://connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1"></script><fb:like href="http://www.entertainingfoodblog.com/2010/03/how-wood-fire-ovens-make-for-perfect.html"></fb:like>Jared K. Wengerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08298552683281691371noreply@blogger.com34tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6037265664971871192.post-22489025536872657082010-03-07T19:56:00.000-08:002010-11-10T00:28:22.004-08:00Ninety-Nine Bottles Of Beer (Times Eight)<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Von's Grand City Cafe - Eclectic Pub Food (3 Stars)</b></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.vonsroasthouse.com/">http://www.vonsroasthouse.com</a></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Von's RoastHouse & 1000 Spirits Martini-Manhattan Memorial, a.k.a. Von's Grand City Cafe (I have no clue why it has two different names depending on where you're looking), has more alcohol on their bar shelves than a state-run liquor store! During our visit, their sign outside said they were serving up over 760 different types of alcohol. Even for a non-drinker like me, that's impressive.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Another impressive tidbit about the cafe is the bar's tchotchke-laden ceiling and kitschy "spin the wheel for discounts" experience. A skateboard, bicycle, and even a Seattle Police car door are just three of what must be several hundred items hanging (we hope securely) from the ceiling. There are also two menus if you're sitting in the bar. The first is the Martini-Bar Starters menu that offers 24 items from Kushi Yaki Pork Potstickers and Wild Alaska Salmon and Chips, to the Bloody Mary Prawn Cocktail, Saucy Sliders, Ale Battered Chicken Fingers, and Cast Iron Ahi Tuna. The main lunch menu offers nearly 60 different items.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">That said, when three big, burly, hungry guys sit down and peruse a menu, it's hardly shocking that appetizers (and ordering a dozen of them) soon becomes the primary topic of conversation. In our case, we ordered four plus burgers!</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Our first appetizer was an order of <u>RoastHouse Pork Eggrolls</u>. It was this plate that set the tone for complete disagreement about all of the rest of the dishes. <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/S5RyrMAwAqI/AAAAAAAAHgU/YcOFBA1OBhc/s1600-h/Von%27s+-+RoastHouse+Pork+Eggrolls+%28121309%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-right: 1em; margin-top: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/S5RyrMAwAqI/AAAAAAAAHgU/YcOFBA1OBhc/s320/Von%27s+-+RoastHouse+Pork+Eggrolls+%28121309%29.JPG" width="288" /></a>Mark and I thought the eggrolls were greasy and tasted frozen (despite the menu specifically saying they're made fresh daily), while Mike thought they were amazing and offered: "These things have NEVER heard of a freezer!" I will say that when the eggrolls were finished, there was a hearty pool of oil on the plate. Also, the "sweet and sour" dipping sauce tasted like it was from a bottle and was thick and gloppy.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The <u>Fried Brie</u> was an unusual find and we mostly agreed it was good. Despite the overdone hand-breaded Panko crust, the brie inside was delicious and gooey and spread easily over the Carr's water crackers. However, the oddity on the plate was the bottled strawberry sauce. <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/S5RynAVRJmI/AAAAAAAAHgM/Kgy7Lq-tk24/s1600-h/Von%27s+-+Fried+Brie+2+%28121309%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-right: 1em; margin-top: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/S5RynAVRJmI/AAAAAAAAHgM/Kgy7Lq-tk24/s320/Von%27s+-+Fried+Brie+2+%28121309%29.JPG" width="288" /></a>It definitely tasted like something you'd put on a sundae, not something you'd serve to offer a sweet counterpoint to the savory cheese. And as if bottled strawberry sauce wasn't enough, they added a small bowl of roasted apple cranberry chutney. The chutney was a bone of contention at the table with half of us thinking the apple texture was too mushy and the other half thinking it was perfect. In all, strawberry sauce plus apple chutney is just too much sweet on a savory plate.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Of the appetizers, the <u>Ale Battered Chicken Fingers</u> were actually very good. Moist, tender, and with a slightly spicy coating, the chicken was the best appetizer of the lot. <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/S5RydEKYzdI/AAAAAAAAHgE/XPiU-Aqen70/s1600-h/Von%27s+-+Ale+Battered+Chicken+Fingers+%28121309%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-right: 1em; margin-top: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/S5RydEKYzdI/AAAAAAAAHgE/XPiU-Aqen70/s320/Von%27s+-+Ale+Battered+Chicken+Fingers+%28121309%29.JPG" width="288" /></a>Even the ranch dressing was better than run-of-the-mill. The fingers were served in a basket along with Von's Roaster's House BBQ sauce, though Mike opted for a side of ranch instead. Unfortunately, they put the fingers and condiment bowl on top of chopped lettuce which wilts and sticks to the chicken fingers. Any time you need to scrape something off what you're eating, the enjoyment factor drops.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The last appetizer of our afternoon was the <u>Chinese BBQ Pork</u>. The biggest frustration with BBQ Pork "Chinese style" tends to be very dry pork. <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/S5RyW4ct9-I/AAAAAAAAHf8/a5LnAeYWqB0/s1600-h/Von%27s+-+Chinese+BBQ+Pork+2+%28121309%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-right: 1em; margin-top: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/S5RyW4ct9-I/AAAAAAAAHf8/a5LnAeYWqB0/s320/Von%27s+-+Chinese+BBQ+Pork+2+%28121309%29.JPG" width="288" /></a> Unfortunately, this wasn't an exception. The "sweet marinated slice loin 'o pork" flavor was average, though it was served with a hearty side of Hot Chinese Mustard as well as a sesame seed-toppped Asian salad with cabbage. The salad offered a savory, crunchy texture in contrast to the pork, but the flavor overall just wasn't very noteworthy. The dressing on the salad tasted like an Asian inspired vinaigrette.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">As if four appetizers weren't enough, all of us decided to order the <u>Von's Classic Cheeseburger</u>. The patty was pretty huge (third-pound?), <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/S5Rx9jH5_zI/AAAAAAAAHfs/sJqRosWxflY/s1600-h/Von%27s+-+Von%27s+Classic+Cheeseburger+3+%28121309%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-right: 1em; margin-top: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/S5Rx9jH5_zI/AAAAAAAAHfs/sJqRosWxflY/s320/Von%27s+-+Von%27s+Classic+Cheeseburger+3+%28121309%29.JPG" width="288" /></a>bacon thick-cut and delicious (though my bacon was definitely burned), and the bun was slightly sweet and actually perfect. The usual lettuce, tomato, and cheese accompanied the burger. The odd thing about the burger was the Von's secret sauce. It combined maple syrup and savory components and was very hit and miss at our table. The large pile of fries on the plate were barely touched by any of us due to completely full stomachs, but the few fries we did manage to consume were well-seasoned and crispy.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">In a restaurant well known for copious amounts of alcohol, Mike couldn't get through the meal without ordering a <u>Lemon Martini</u>. He mentioned several times that it was well-mixed, <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/S5RyK7s4YWI/AAAAAAAAHf0/JIKHJHhhcAs/s1600-h/Von%27s+-+Lemon+Martini+%28121309%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-right: 1em; margin-top: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/S5RyK7s4YWI/AAAAAAAAHf0/JIKHJHhhcAs/s320/Von%27s+-+Lemon+Martini+%28121309%29.JPG" width="288" /></a>had a great lemon flavor without being too tart or acidic, and he certainly didn't stop with just one. It sounded like the martini was the best thing he had all meal.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">In all, Von's is an eclectic, interesting establishment with average food and an above-average decor. After much wrangling with my fellow diners, the best we could agree to was a well-deserved 3 Star rating. Mike wanted it to be 3.5, Mark was voting 3, and I didn't see much hope with a 2.5. As such, the average was 3 Stars and that's the best Von's was able to do during our visit. Go in expecting average fare, above average eye candy, and an unparalleled list of alcohol and you won't be disappointed.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/1/3470/restaurant/Downtown/Vons-Grand-City-Cafe-Seattle"><img alt="Von's Grand City Cafe on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/3470/minilink.gif" style="border: medium none; height: 36px; width: 130px;" /></a></span></div><script src="http://connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1"></script><fb:like href="http://www.entertainingfoodblog.com/2010/03/ninety-nine-bottles-of-beer-times-eight.html"></fb:like>Jared K. Wengerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08298552683281691371noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6037265664971871192.post-48486152956861501462010-03-03T11:37:00.000-08:002010-11-10T00:28:45.355-08:00Dine Around Seattle = Affordable High-End Dining<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Dine Around Seattle</b></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.dinearoundseattle.org/">http://www.dinearoundseattle.org</a></span></div><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">For those of you looking for extraordinary dining at affordable prices, March is your month!<br />
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This year, 28 of Seattle’s finest restaurants are participating in Dine around Seattle, including Dahlia Lounge, Barolo Ristorante, Chez Shea & Shea’s Lounge, Ponti Seafood, and Steelhead Diner (one of my personal favs). The offerings provide three-course meals for $30 and many lunches are only $15 (beverages, tax, and tip not included).</span><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> All of the menus are listed by clicking on each of the restaurants at the URL above. Specifics on times, addresses, telephone numbers, and which meals each restaurant serves (e.g. lunch and/or dinner) are also provided. The $30 options typically includes an appetizer, entree, and a dessert, so this really is a "you'll be sorry if you miss it" event! You can even book your reservation directly from the Dine around Seattle website. What could be easier?</span></span> <span style="font-size: small;"><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> If you’ve balked at trying some of these restaurants because of the price of their entrees, now’s the time to investigate some really delicious eats for a very limited time only.</span></span><br />
<script src="http://connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1"></script><fb:like href="http://www.entertainingfoodblog.com/2010/03/dine-around-seattle.html"></fb:like>Jared K. Wengerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08298552683281691371noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6037265664971871192.post-37903705102824518322009-12-15T16:00:00.000-08:002010-11-10T00:29:09.799-08:00A Northern Italian Gem Hidden In West Seattle<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Cafe Revo - Italian (4 Stars)</b><br />
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<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">When one of my close friends raves about a product, service, or experience, you can practically guarantee you'll end up enjoying it as much as they did. Thankfully, Ryan, Kyle, and I were in West Seattle when Kyle suggested one of his favorite dinner and cocktails restaurants: Cafe Revo.<br />
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<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Cafe Revo is a charming restaurant in the odd block of shops amidst the sea of condos, apartments, and homes on Avalon Way. As both Kyle and Chris had lived only blocks from there for years, I was surprised I had missed this gem (you probably did, too). Fortunately, it was a warm, sunny Seattle day and there was plenty of room on the patio for us to relax and soak up the afternoon.<br />
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<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">After our drinks arrived, we took a few minutes to peruse the somewhat limited lunch menu. One thing you won't find here is a multi-page novel that includes a laundry list of eats. What you will find are a handful of well-crafted appetizers, soups and salads, and pasta, meat, and fish entrees. If you're a relatively picky eater and it takes you a while to find exactly what you'll be ordering, this could be a blessing or a curse. I would recommend asking the waitstaff what they'd prefer as our waiter was very knowledgeable about the lunch offerings and made excellent suggestions for each of us.<br />
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<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">When Kyle said we absolutely had to order the <u>Pane con Aglio</u>, Cafe Revo's version of "garlic bread and marinara", we rolled our eyes and said, "Really? The garlic bread is that good?" <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SyghcAfu6JI/AAAAAAAAHZI/sqg6MRJKSYA/s1600-h/Cafe+Revo+-+Pane+con+Aglio+%28051609%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-right: 1em; margin-top: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SyghcAfu6JI/AAAAAAAAHZI/sqg6MRJKSYA/s320/Cafe+Revo+-+Pane+con+Aglio+%28051609%29.JPG" width="288" /></a>He proceeded to remind us that he loved the restaurant, that they had incredible cocktails, and that the garlic bread was not to be missed. And he was right! The order arrived with several thick, crusty pieces of olive-studded, freshly baked bread topped with Parmesan, garlic, olive oil, parsley, and a light and savory marinara sauce for dipping. If you love carbs, or garlic, or olives, this really is an appetizer you shouldn't pass up. The crunch and slow tearing of your bite through the savory bread very nearly had us ordering seconds!<br />
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<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">For our entrees, Kyle and I both ordered a salad: <u>Luna di Mare</u>. The seafood salad was loaded with Dungeness crab, shrimp (albeit what appeared to be canned, cocktail shrimp), tomatoes, avocados, chunks of Gorgonzola, and dressed with a Gorgonzola vinaigrette. <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SyghZ-h0V8I/AAAAAAAAHZA/FCUTm_NyTF0/s1600-h/Cafe+Revo+-+Luna+di+Mare+%28051609%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-right: 1em; margin-top: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SyghZ-h0V8I/AAAAAAAAHZA/FCUTm_NyTF0/s320/Cafe+Revo+-+Luna+di+Mare+%28051609%29.JPG" width="288" /></a> There were also two pieces of regular garlic bread on the side which certainly helped the overall texture of the salad. Despite the salad's generous portion, Kyle managed to finish almost all of it. Unfortunately, I think I was distracted by the Pane con Aglio because I completely forgot to ask them to hold the Gorgonzola (though I remembered to have them exchange the dressing for ranch). As a result, I had to send back my salad and find something else to order. Given Ryan's lasagna had been taunting me, I decided it would be best to just give into the temptation and order it myself.<br />
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<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">To be honest, the <u>Saluti Tutti Lasagna</u> is a pretty serious entree. It features a seven-layer mountain of fresh, thick pasta noodles, Parmesan cheese, Uli's famous sausage, marinara sauce,<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SyghetL9RVI/AAAAAAAAHZQ/Di_gpZof-iI/s1600-h/Cafe+Revo+-+Saluti+Tutti+Lasagna+%28051609%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-right: 1em; margin-top: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SyghetL9RVI/AAAAAAAAHZQ/Di_gpZof-iI/s320/Cafe+Revo+-+Saluti+Tutti+Lasagna+%28051609%29.JPG" width="288" /></a> and it's topped with a creamy bechamel sauce and a heavy dusting of fresh herbage. The flavors were outstanding! The lasagna noodles are hearty but tender and provide a perfect platform for layering a ton of sausage. Ryan said the only drawback was the number of noodles and that he wished there was a bit more filling. I thought the noodles were the most unique thing about the dish and felt it helped the dish stand out as something unique to Cafe Revo.<br />
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<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">When the bill came, I was pleasantly surprised they had only charged us for one salad. Excellent service that goes above and beyond like that, especially when it was clearly my own mistake, is what makes Cafe Revo a distinctive and delicious dining destination (and earned our server a serious tip). The next time you're in West Seattle, see for yourself why the 4 Stars are deserved.<br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/1/1421276/restaurant/West-Seattle/Cafe-Revo-Seattle"><img alt="Cafe Revo on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1421276/minilink.gif" style="border: medium none; height: 36px; width: 130px;" /></a></div><script src="http://connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1"></script><fb:like href="http://www.entertainingfoodblog.com/2009/12/northern-italian-gem-hidden-in-west.html"></fb:like>Jared K. Wengerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08298552683281691371noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6037265664971871192.post-16557276070249946432009-12-12T14:13:00.000-08:002010-11-10T00:29:32.762-08:00Canadian Invasion: One Restaurant At A Time<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><font=arial><b>Joey's - "New World Cuisine", Eclectic Fare (3.5 Stars)</b><br />
<a href="http://www.joeysmedgrill.com/">http://www.joeysmedgrill.com</a><br />
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It's surprising what a $240 million dollar expansion can do to a bedraggled mall: 400,000 square feet of new and shiny, 75 new specialty shops, and seven new restaurants ("real" ones, not just food court noshes). According to Joey's website, "It's a lively place where we've used the rocket science of acoustic design to let you sit at the centre of the action and still enjoy a quiet conversation."<br />
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Despite my general lack of interest in chain restaurants, Chris always rallies a defense: "It's CANADIAN! And it's only located in the Seattle metro area." And yes, that's true. Joey's only non-Canadian locations are in Bellevue, Southcenter, and Lake Union. An invasion never looked so good! With an ultra modern, yet relaxed decor, clean lines, and an attractive staff, Joey's serves up an ambiance as much as a menu and that's Chris' favorite part.<br />
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Typically Joey's ends up being our destination of choice when needing to fuel-up before a mad shopping spree that inevitably involves visiting the two-story H&M, a trip to Starbucks (though, admittedly, Chris is now boycotting them), and whatever else meets with our fancy along the way. One note: when visiting on a Sunday during football season, expect to have the game playing on half the LCD TVs and a radio broadcast being piped into the dining room. This may or may not be your cup of tea.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">After sizing up our options for all of about a minute (we WERE starving after all), we agreed to start with the <u>Nachos Grande</u>. The corn tortilla chips are house-made, cut extra thick (this was arguably the best part of the nachos), and stacked about six inches high. <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SyQUdAf-A-I/AAAAAAAAHWc/o7pO0pakde8/s1600-h/Joey%27s+-+Nachos+Grande+4+%28120609%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-right: 1em; margin-top: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SyQUdAf-A-I/AAAAAAAAHWc/o7pO0pakde8/s320/Joey%27s+-+Nachos+Grande+4+%28120609%29.JPG" width="288" /></a>The plate was loaded with shredded chicken, fire-roasted tomato salsa, sour cream, pickled jalapenos, sliced black olives, Monterey jack cheese, diced avocado, and refried black beans (the chicken was actually in the beans)! You can choose between mild, medium, hot, or even "hurt me hot" salsa for your largely portioned appetizer/entree. This is definitely a hearty eat, though the $12.99 feels about two dollars too much. Also, despite being stacked to the rafters, about a third of the chips underneath had no toppings and they put all the salsa on one side and beans on the other. Be sure you uncover the hidden gems before the loaded chips are gone or you'll be left snacking on them au natural.<br />
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</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Chris typically orders the Better Beef Dip, but decided to be adventuresome and go with the <u>Hi-Rise Burger with Cheese</u>. The menu states this is a classic, using ground chuck, and that it's loaded with "all the groceries", which means lettuce, onion, pickle, tomato, and cheddar cheese. <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SyQUXYPHqGI/AAAAAAAAHWU/iZslJum52i8/s1600-h/Joey%27s+-+Hi-Rise+Burger+2+%28120609%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-right: 1em; margin-top: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SyQUXYPHqGI/AAAAAAAAHWU/iZslJum52i8/s320/Joey%27s+-+Hi-Rise+Burger+2+%28120609%29.JPG" width="288" /></a>The large, probably third-pound burger, comes with a side of thin-cut fries and ketchup. We did lament to the waitress, twice, that they're no longer serving the shoestring fries - arguably the best we've ever had. The burger had a meaty, beefy taste to it, with no heavy seasonings so the beef could actually shine. For some reason though, about half of the burger was relatively done and the other half was very pink. The inconsistent cooking (not sure how they actually accomplished that) was barely a complaint from Chris and he said he would definitely order this again. He even had a compliment for the fries.<br />
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</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">When it came time for me to select an entree, I waffled. A lot. The "New World Cuisine" that Joey's offers means they have a little bit of everything from Thai and Chinese, to American and Mexican, plus seafood. <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SyQUVITxsDI/AAAAAAAAHWM/9_AE8QS7RJo/s1600-h/Joey%27s+-+Grilled+Chicken+Souvlaki+3+%28120609%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-right: 1em; margin-top: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SyQUVITxsDI/AAAAAAAAHWM/9_AE8QS7RJo/s320/Joey%27s+-+Grilled+Chicken+Souvlaki+3+%28120609%29.JPG" width="288" /></a>However, I was finally able to settle on the <u>Chicken Souvlaki</u>. I was missing the original skinny fries, so chose a Cesar salad instead of the regular accompaniment. Also, for those of you with large appetites, take note that this entree will be on the smaller side. That said, the warmed pita is slathered with hummus, then topped with lettuce, perfectly roasted chicken, and drizzled with tzatziki. Bottom line: this sandwich is delicious, but felt overpriced given the mediocre portion.<br />
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There were really only two things that kept Joey's from being 4 Stars. The first was the haphazard nachos (toppings not very evenly topped) and the second was the odd doneness for Chris' burger. Chris summed it up well when he said, "I really just like coming here for the ambiance. It's so cool!"<br />
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/1/662676/restaurant/Tukwila/Joeys-Grill-Lounge-Seattle"><img alt="Joey's Grill & Lounge on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/662676/minilink.gif" style="border: medium none; height: 36px; width: 130px;" /></a></div><script src="http://connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1"></script><fb:like href="http://www.entertainingfoodblog.com/2009/12/canadian-invasion-one-restaurant-at.html"></fb:like>Jared K. Wengerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08298552683281691371noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6037265664971871192.post-88211589976761422672009-12-10T12:33:00.000-08:002010-11-10T00:29:48.879-08:00Since When Is Mall Food Zagat Rated?<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Mexico Cantina Y Cocina - Mexican Fare (3.5 Stars) </b></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.eatatmexico.com/">http://www.eatatmexico.com</a><br />
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<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">If you’re in Pacific Place and want to grab a quick bite to eat before seeing a movie, your choices are sushi, burgers, Thai, American, or Mexican. Fortunately, Mexico Cantina Y Cocina serves up delicious food at a price that will leave you enough money for popcorn and a drink.<br />
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<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Ryan and I have eaten a late lunch or early dinner here on more than one occasion as it’s our fall-back restaurant when our <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SyFYBqbw7KI/AAAAAAAAHUM/_yRf9cBiMJg/s1600-h/Mexico+Cantina+Y+Veracruz+Cooking+-+Flautas+de+Pollo+%28050709%29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-right: 1em; margin-top: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" width="288" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SyFYBqbw7KI/AAAAAAAAHUM/_yRf9cBiMJg/s320/Mexico+Cantina+Y+Veracruz+Cooking+-+Flautas+de+Pollo+%28050709%29.jpg" /></a>favorite waitress isn’t working next door at Gordon Biersch. This time, Chris was able to join us. Because we mercilessly devoured the chips and salsa, we had to settle on ordering an appetizer and <u>Flautas de Pollo</u> looked perfect. Stuffed with shredded chicken, peppers, and cheese, then wrapped in a flour tortilla and deep-fried, you really can’t go wrong with the Flautas. It even came with a side of their house guacamole topped with Cotija cheese. The portion was just big enough for us to stop greedily eyeing the chips and salsa and wait patiently for the rest of our order.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Ryan confessed he wasn’t terribly hungry, so he wanted to order a soup and salad. (This happens rarely enough that Chris and I both had to tease him about it.) <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SyFYF-2G1VI/AAAAAAAAHUU/TowzsS59jJY/s1600-h/Mexico+Cantina+Y+Veracruz+Cooking+-+Jane%27s+Mexican+Wedding+Soup+%28050709%29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-right: 1em; margin-top: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" width="288" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SyFYF-2G1VI/AAAAAAAAHUU/TowzsS59jJY/s320/Mexico+Cantina+Y+Veracruz+Cooking+-+Jane%27s+Mexican+Wedding+Soup+%28050709%29.jpg" /></a>He started with <u>Jane’s Mexican Wedding Soup</u>, a classic, hearty, chicken and Mexican rice soup with a Southwest twist: green chilies, corn, and avocados. The chicken was plentiful and tender and the soup had big chunks of each ingredient. The bowl was actually a generous portion that could probably replace an entree (maybe with a few chips and salsa) if your appetite’s on the smaller end of the scale.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The salad Ryan decided would best accompany his Wedding Soup was the <u>Mexican Chop Salad</u>. <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SyFYJlkxJOI/AAAAAAAAHUc/Pu9TGwXw494/s1600-h/Mexico+Cantina+Y+Veracruz+Cooking+-+Mexican+Chop+Salad+%28050709%29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-right: 1em; margin-top: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SyFYJlkxJOI/AAAAAAAAHUc/Pu9TGwXw494/s320/Mexico+Cantina+Y+Veracruz+Cooking+-+Mexican+Chop+Salad+%28050709%29.jpg" /></a>Ironically, though in keeping with Ryan’s love of carbs, he said the best part about the salad was the slightly sweet jalapeno cornbread croutons. The salad is packed and included organic greens, avocado, sweet and smoky roasted red peppers, roasted corn, Cotija cheese, pico de gallo, and black beans. It was topped with a cumin vinaigrette that, unfortunately, was a bit heavy-handed with the cumin. Also, for two dollars more, you can include either grilled chicken or fajita beef added and make this a serious entree.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Our love of deep-fried foods is hardly a secret, so it was no surprise when Chris ordered the <u>Chicken Chimichanga</u> <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SyFXzbeewlI/AAAAAAAAHTs/e18SdLJOzA0/s1600-h/Mexico+Cantina+Y+Veracruz+Cooking+-+Chimichanga+%28050709%29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-right: 1em; margin-top: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" width="288" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SyFXzbeewlI/AAAAAAAAHTs/e18SdLJOzA0/s320/Mexico+Cantina+Y+Veracruz+Cooking+-+Chimichanga+%28050709%29.jpg" /></a>complete with shredded chicken and jack cheese served piping hot in a deep-fried flour tortilla. It was accompanied by scoops of sour cream, guacamole, and pico de gallo as well as refried beans and rice. The chimichanga was slightly overcooked (you can see in the photo that the end was crunched in and crumbling), but the inside was piping hot and very cheesy. The condiments were nearly the most flavorful thing on that dish because the beans and rice were boring and bland.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">In keeping with the “healthy choice” theme Ryan had started and Chris completely ignored, I found myself searching the menu and continually coming back to the <u>Ensalada a la Evelyne</u>. <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SyFX87kD18I/AAAAAAAAHUE/fWv8WGTmlQE/s1600-h/Mexico+Cantina+Y+Veracruz+Cooking+-+Ensalada+a+la+Evelyne+%28050709%29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-right: 1em; margin-top: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" width="288" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SyFX87kD18I/AAAAAAAAHUE/fWv8WGTmlQE/s320/Mexico+Cantina+Y+Veracruz+Cooking+-+Ensalada+a+la+Evelyne+%28050709%29.jpg" /></a>The generously portioned salad comes piled high with fire-grilled chicken stacked on organic greens, roasted artichoke hearts, tomatoes, and avocado. It also had pepita-crusted (yes, that’s right: pumpkin seed crust) provolone cheese that was absolutely delicious. There’s nothing better than grilled cheese, except maybe tender and juicy grilled chicken. The big chunks of tomatoes worked well with the large pieces of chicken and provolone. The salad usually comes with a tequila-lime dressing, but I was glad I ordered it on the side as it was a bit overpowering.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It’s about as rare for us to order two desserts as it is for Ryan to order a salad. However, sugar deliciously compels and we were left with a unbreakable tiebreaker: crunchy or creamy. <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SyFX1C3tgmI/AAAAAAAAHT0/sbMZLQfEEaU/s1600-h/Mexico+Cantina+Y+Veracruz+Cooking+-+Chocolate+Mousse+%28050709%29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-right: 1em; margin-top: 1em;"><img border="0" width="216" height="288" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SyFX1C3tgmI/AAAAAAAAHT0/sbMZLQfEEaU/s320/Mexico+Cantina+Y+Veracruz+Cooking+-+Chocolate+Mousse+%28050709%29.jpg" /></a>Given there were three of us at the table, we figured two desserts couldn’t be more appropriate!<br />
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<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We began the sugar rush by ordering the <u>Chocolate Mousse</u>. The Patron XO and Kahlua chocolate mousse was thick, rich, and creamy, and topped with a blackberry and strawberry, along with a generous dollop of whipped cream. The dense mousse clung to our spoons as we hungrily licked our lips. Honestly, I wasn’t expecting much from the mousse but it was surprisingly good. It definitely tasted homemade and the serving glass was large enough for all three of us to have several bites each.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We ended our late lunch with arguably the most well-known and beloved of Mexican sweets (at least by an American audience): the <u>Churro</u>. <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SyFX4k2WiSI/AAAAAAAAHT8/dnvb_FjC5iQ/s1600-h/Mexico+Cantina+Y+Veracruz+Cooking+-+Churros+%28050709%29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-right: 1em; margin-top: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SyFX4k2WiSI/AAAAAAAAHT8/dnvb_FjC5iQ/s320/Mexico+Cantina+Y+Veracruz+Cooking+-+Churros+%28050709%29.jpg" /></a>The carnival favorite of slightly sweet "donut" dough is deep-fried, then immediately sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar which stick to the hot oil. The order of four churros was plenty, but unfortunately they weren’t as good as the mousse. The churro dough had an unidentifiable accent flavor (we three finally agreed it was “citrus”, but even that was vague at best) that was unexpected and unwelcome. We felt the star flavors should be the cinnamon and sugar, but instead found it competing with the secret ingredient.<br />
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<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Overall, you can expect a meal at Mexico Cantina Y Cocina to be better than average and a solid choice regardless of the real reason you were in Pacific Place. The service has always been at least good and sometimes excellent, though we haven’t tried dining during primetime hours or holidays.<br />
</div><a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/1/2087/restaurant/Downtown/Mexico-Cantina-Y-Veracruz-Seattle"><img alt="Mexico Cantina Y Veracruz on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/2087/minilink.gif" style="border:none;width:130px;height:36px" /></a><br />
<script src="http://connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1"></script><fb:like href="http://www.entertainingfoodblog.com/2009/12/since-when-is-mall-food-zagat-rated_10.html"></fb:like>Jared K. Wengerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08298552683281691371noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6037265664971871192.post-76931545105777158622009-12-06T12:46:00.000-08:002010-11-10T00:30:07.937-08:00Wasabi Wannabe<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Wasabi Bistro - Japanese Fusion, Sushi (2.5 Stars)</b></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.wasabibistro.net/">http://www.wasabibistro.net</a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></div><br />
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It's interesting to me how most cuisines have a freebie food to help whet your appetite: chips and salsa, bread and butter, edamame, breadsticks, pita and garlic vinaigrette, etc. Depending on how delicious each of those are, it's almost easy to fill up before the appetizers even arrive. During this visit, it was apparent we should have done just that.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I like <u>Edamame</u>; most of the time. I've yet to figure out why the preparation is so hit-and-miss at restaurants offering this hands-on finger food. <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SxwVSloRXFI/AAAAAAAAHEA/pbAm8NVCmQk/s1600-h/Wasabi+Bistro+-+Edamame+%28050609%29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-top: 1em; margin-right: 1em; width="288px"; height="216px";"><img border="0" height="216" width="288" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SxwVSloRXFI/AAAAAAAAHEA/pbAm8NVCmQk/s320/Wasabi+Bistro+-+Edamame+%28050609%29.jpg" /></a>The beans have a tendency to either be mushy or completely underdone and I often have a pod split without notice and launch a bean across the table. That trend of mediocre edamame continued at Wasabi Bistro as the undercooked beans were so heavily salted, what's usually a completely empty bowl for just me at, say, Miyabi Sushi, was less than half eaten by the two of us. I can appreciate flaked salt, but a finely ground salt would have served them better and wouldn't have dominated the subtly sweet beans.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">One thing Dan and I both agreed on wanting to try was the <u>Spicy King Crab Soup</u>. At $10 per small bowl, we definitely expected to be wowed. <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SxwVeQOEKUI/AAAAAAAAHEY/JhQ_HPiGYGU/s1600-h/Wasabi+Bistro+-+Spicy+King+Crab+Soup+%28050609%29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-top: 1em; margin-right: 1em; width="288px"; height="216px";"><img border="0" height="216" width="288" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SxwVeQOEKUI/AAAAAAAAHEY/JhQ_HPiGYGU/s320/Wasabi+Bistro+-+Spicy+King+Crab+Soup+%28050609%29.jpg" /></a>However, we found the broth completely lacked any real crab flavor and the "leg" wasn't cracked so extricating the two tiny bites of crab meat was nigh impossible. The slice of lemon riding the crab leg raft tricked me into believing there would be brightness with a citrus note to the soup. Instead, it was apparently just there for decoration as no amount of citrus could cut through the highly salted, raw onion flavor of the soup. There was also no notable "spicy" to the soup at all. Definitely two strikes in a row for Wasabi Bistro.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">At least the <u>Maguro </u>(raw tuna on a finger of sushi rice with a tiny amount of wasabi) looked great. The amount of tuna and the texture of the rice was great. Unfortunately, the tuna had a slight fishy scent to me, so I forced Dan to smell. <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SxwVada9QOI/AAAAAAAAHEQ/q4BnbF7yl9o/s1600-h/Wasabi+Bistro+-+Maguro+%28050609%29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-top: 1em; margin-right: 1em; width="288px"; height="216px";"><img border="0" height="216" width="288" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SxwVada9QOI/AAAAAAAAHEQ/q4BnbF7yl9o/s320/Wasabi+Bistro+-+Maguro+%28050609%29.jpg" /></a>He said he couldn't really smell anything odd, so we went ahead and ate it. Apparently, all of the soup's missing spice ended up here as there was so much wasabi hidden under the tuna that I barely choked it down. As tears came to my eyes, I looked at Dan and said, "Okay, your turn!" He reluctantly attempted one of the ruby red fingers and said it was good, which of course shocked me. In trying a second piece for myself, the wasabi level was back to normal though I could still taste a bit of fishiness. Of the four pieces we ordered, the one in the picture was left orphaned.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The most ubiquitous roll at any sushi establishment in the US must be the <u>California Roll</u>. At most places, you can expect imitation crab meat, mayo, <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SxwVWXMZ7wI/AAAAAAAAHEI/uftfrtySYSM/s1600-h/Wasabi+Bistro+-+California+Roll+%28050609%29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-top: 1em; margin-right: 1em; width="288px"; height="216px";"><img border="0" height="216" width="288" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SxwVWXMZ7wI/AAAAAAAAHEI/uftfrtySYSM/s320/Wasabi+Bistro+-+California+Roll+%28050609%29.jpg" /></a>avocado, cucumber, and sometimes tobiko (flying fish roe). At Wasabi Bistro, you can expect real crab meat given the roll's price is much higher than at many other restaurants. In its favor, the avocado was plentiful and the crab salad inside was just right: slightly sweet and very creamy. The roll was plated on top of spicy mayo and garnished with a sweet brown (teriyaki?) sauce. It was a relatively average roll though beautifully presented in its caterpillar-esque goodness.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The <u>Volcano Roll</u> (pictured in front) featured a center of spicy tuna and asparagus, and was topped with a mouthwatering seven ingredients: ahi tuna and avocado, spicy mayo, tobiko, toasted macadamia nuts, and unagi and sriracha sauces. <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SxwVhyMb6sI/AAAAAAAAHEg/8DpXR3eg8MQ/s1600-h/Wasabi+Bistro+-+Volcano,+2nd+Ave+Rolls+%28050609%29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-top: 1em; margin-right: 1em; width="288px"; height="216px";"><img border="0" height="216" width="288" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SxwVhyMb6sI/AAAAAAAAHEg/8DpXR3eg8MQ/s320/Wasabi+Bistro+-+Volcano,+2nd+Ave+Rolls+%28050609%29.jpg" /></a>Despite the hefty price tag for this roll ($14), the textures were incredible. The sauces added depth and a creamy heat, the tuna and avocado added richness, and the macadamias offered a nutty warmth as well as some crunch and pop with the tobiko. This was definitely the best roll we ordered and I'd say it was actually worth the price. Plus, I do have a fondness for macadamias, especially in sushi rolls as I feel they offer something savory and unexpected.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The hidden roll just behind the Volcano was the <u>2nd Avenue Roll</u>. Ironically, it's akin to being the love child of the first two rolls we had. It had cucumber, avocado, spicy mayo, and tobiko like the California Roll, but also spicy tuna and shrimp tempura. The roll didn't do much for either of us as somehow it was lacking even the average flavor of the California Roll. The shrimp tempura was hardly noticeable because the tempura was soggy so the crunch was completely missing. The rice was good and the spicy mayo and tobiko were par for the course.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The worst roll of the evening was definitely the <u>Wasabi Roll</u>. Apparently we have a thing for the California Roll because this one also offered crab, mayo, avocado, tobiko, and cucumber, <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SxwVmCE2lwI/AAAAAAAAHEo/vhv6iK0S1-w/s1600-h/Wasabi+Bistro+-+Wasabi+Roll+%28050609%29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-top: 1em; margin-right: 1em; width="288px"; height="216px";"><img border="0" height="216" width="288" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SxwVmCE2lwI/AAAAAAAAHEo/vhv6iK0S1-w/s320/Wasabi+Bistro+-+Wasabi+Roll+%28050609%29.jpg" /></a>but did included a spicy wasabi aioli and was wrapped with seared albacore. Dan said he felt the roll had too large a piece of albacore and he was stuck chewing far longer than he wanted to, resulting in an aftertaste that was too fishy for even two mayos to adequately cover. The chewing issue was exacerbated by the fact that this was a six-piece roll, not an eight-piece roll like the others. Unfortunately, this means a much larger bite per piece.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Over the past few years, I've eaten at Wasabi Bistro several times and usually came away thinking it was great sushi and a good price. However, when a mediocre dinner for two sans dessert and alcohol (because we didn't have any of either) ended up three figures after tip, it's time to rethink another visit. Wasabi Bistro unfortunately earned its 2.5 Stars this visit and is no longer a sushi restaurant I'm willing to recommend.<br />
</div><a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/1/2247/restaurant/Belltown/Wasabi-Bistro-Seattle"><img alt="Wasabi Bistro on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/2247/minilink.gif" style="border:none;width:130px;height:36px" /></a><br />
<script src="http://connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1"></script><fb:like href="http://www.entertainingfoodblog.com/2009/12/wasabi-wannabe.html"></fb:like>Jared K. Wengerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08298552683281691371noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6037265664971871192.post-54642888142466956182009-12-01T11:18:00.000-08:002010-11-10T00:30:30.087-08:00Brunch Worth The Wait?<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Circa Neighborhood Grill and Alehouse - American Fare (3.5 Stars)</b></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.circawestseattle.com/">http://www.circawestseattle.com</a> </span></div><br />
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Aaaah, breakfast: you luscious, eggy, buttery, bacony, delicious event filling my plate with the edibly divine in the form of foods you're not allowed to eat at every meal. I think that's why no other meal can really compare to breakfast and why Chris, Ryan, and I definitely go out of our way to enjoy it. Circa does what it can to keep up with the Joneses, but falls a bit flat compared with our expectations.<br />
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</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">After a 30-minute wait, we were finally seated. Circa's brunch menu reads like a who's who of the brunchy standards: Louisiana Eggs Benedict, Hawaiian French Toast, several omelettes and scrambles, along with a handful of sandwiches including the Circa Burger and Beer Battered Fish and Chips. From what we saw at other tables and experienced for ourselves, the portions are on the large side, looked amazing, and the service was decent, if not overly attentive.<br />
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</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span style="font-size: small;">For some reason, Chris decided that breakfast wasn't good enough for him and ordered the <u>Steak Salad</u> (I don't get it either!). <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SyC1WmXea0I/AAAAAAAAHRc/7R2QINcX0I0/s1600-h/Circa+-+Grilled+Steak+Salad+%28050309%29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-right: 1em; margin-top: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216", width="288" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SyC1WmXea0I/AAAAAAAAHRc/7R2QINcX0I0/s320/Circa+-+Grilled+Steak+Salad+%28050309%29.jpg" /></a>The "house favorite" salad was quite large and Chris barely finished off the beef itself. The generously portioned "marinated, naturally-raised Painted Hills skirt steak" was beautifully charred and sliced in chunky strips that sat atop the mixed greens base. Chris said the steak was juicy and excellent and I must admit I agreed (despite my less than hearty enjoyment of steak). The salad was dressed with a balsamic vinaigrette, large-chopped tomatoes, and a small amount of Gorgonzola sprinkled over the greens. Despite it not being breakfast, Chris was quite pleased with his choice. Fortunately, I was able to count on Ryan to stick with the breakfast theme.</span><br />
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</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Ryan ordered the <u>Big and Fluffy Banana Pancakes</u>. The two average-sized pancakes where light and fluffy, if not "big". They were filled with pieces of banana and served with thick-cut, well-cooked and crispy bacon. <a 288="" ;="" height="216" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SxVqoHvL01I/AAAAAAAAHDc/sfqi1owXzXg/s1600/Circa+-+Big+and+Fluffy+Pancakes+with+Pecan+Praline+Syrup+%28050309%29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-right: 1em; margin-top: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SxVqoHvL01I/AAAAAAAAHDc/sfqi1owXzXg/s320/Circa+-+Big+and+Fluffy+Pancakes+with+Pecan+Praline+Syrup+%28050309%29.jpg" width="288" /></a>The order comes with your choice of eggs and Ryan's scrambled eggs arrived on a second plate (not pictured). The only drawback was the pecan praline syrup. Ryan felt it was overly sweet and was left wishing they just had regular maple syrup. It was the first time any of us had seen such a non-traditional syrup, so you'll have to pass this up if you have nut allergies or it just doesn't sound appetizing as there weren't any alternatives available. This may not seem like a big deal, but at least half of the flavor profile of "pancakes and syrup" is the syrup and this one was overwhelming.</span><br />
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</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The second "ding" against Circa were the <u>Biscuits and Country Gravy</u> that I ordered. The portion was large and the biscuits were definitely original. However, instead of being served as individual biscuits, they baked off the cake-like mixture in a sheet pan and then cut out rectangles to be served. I can see how this would be infinitely easier than having to roll out, cut, prep, and bake-off a multitude of biscuits, but it felt like a shortcut that definitely wasn't worth it to me. <a 288="" ;="" height="216" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SxVqsYXFmUI/AAAAAAAAHDk/fvAlI4UU8r4/s1600/Circa+-+Biscuits+and+Country+Gravy+%28050309%29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-right: 1em; margin-top: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SxVqsYXFmUI/AAAAAAAAHDk/fvAlI4UU8r4/s320/Circa+-+Biscuits+and+Country+Gravy+%28050309%29.jpg" width="288" /></a>The biscuits were texturally mediocre (think cornbread cake) and completely missing all of the flaky, pillowy goodness that make for extraordinary biscuits. The sausage gravy was obviously very chunky and there was plenty of it, but the flavor was average on the whole. My scrambled eggs were light and fluffy and the potatoes were extra crispy and tasty. Oddly, the eggs with the biscuits and gravy as well as Ryan's pancakes were served on a completely different plate which just cluttered the table and broke up the breakfast experience as you had to shuffle plates to eat different parts of your breakfast.</span><br />
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</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Overall, we felt the quality ingredients couldn't put their best foot forward through odd flavor pairings and mediocre biscuits. Chris' steak salad definitely saved the day for Circa and is the reason they edged up to 3.5 Stars. That said, Circa's eclectic menu should provide any party the opportunity to find something they'd really like to eat and I'd recommend trying Circa's offerings for yourself.<br />
</span></div><a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/1/5786/restaurant/West-Seattle/Circa-Seattle"><img alt="Circa on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/5786/minilink.gif" style="border: medium none; height: 36px; width: 130px;" /></a><br />
<script src="http://connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1"></script><fb:like href="http://www.entertainingfoodblog.com/2009/12/brunch-worth-wait.html"></fb:like>Jared K. Wengerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08298552683281691371noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6037265664971871192.post-1239621178764127052009-11-18T12:32:00.000-08:002010-11-10T00:31:09.722-08:00Yes, That's A Rat On My Plate<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Mayflower of China - Chinese (1 Star)</b></span><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://seattle.citysearch.com/profile/10812038/tukwila_wa/mayflower_china_restaurant.html">http://seattle.citysearch.com/profile/10812038/tukwila_wa/mayflower_china_restaurant.html</a></span><br />
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</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Given I've found several restaurants in the Southcenter area that keep me coming back again and again (frozen yogurt, sushi, Thai, and Indian), I figured I'd branch out to other strip malls in the area and see if my luck would hold. Unfortunately, not getting food poisoning was as lucky as I got.</span><br />
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</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Mayflower of China seems innocent enough until you go inside. To the right is the entrance to the bar where a middle-aged woman in a mini-skirt, big hair, and a voice deeper than mine served up drinks to a haggard crowd. I eagerly avoided that room and was seated alongside the left part of the restaurant. It was at that point, two words struck fear into my heart: Wicker. Furniture.</span><br />
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</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Seriously? C'mon now, wicker furniture? INSIDE? I really should have made a dash for the front door, but I was determined to give Mayflower a shot and was really hoping their food would be better than the decor complete with plastic flowers and Asian tchotchkes. For sheer entertainment, I was happy to be within earshot of a table having a meltdown about the slow-going expansion to their trailer and which of the "lovely ladies" had been sleeping with whom over the previous month. I was convinced any of the four women could have easily taken me in a bar fight, so I'd definitely leave Mayflower off your list if you were considering it for a romantic rendezvous.</span><br />
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</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The extensive menu of over 130 items seemed very reasonably priced with almost all of the entrees under $10. As with most Asian restaurants, egg rolls, spring rolls, and pot stickers are a staple, so I ordered their Fried Prawns and Spring Egg Rolls appetizers first, to be followed by their Pot Stickers. I was hoping for a bite or two of each to get a feel for how fresh their apps were.</span><br />
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The <span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><u>Fried Prawns</u></span></span> were...disgusting. Wrapped in all together too much batter, the tiny shrimp inside could barely be tasted as they were drenched in frying oil. Oddly enough, the stale, boring shrimp chips had more shrimp flavor than the Fried Prawns. For one of the prawns, I scraped off the coating and saw that it wasn't even deveined. I couldn't help but feel these were purchased in a jumbo bag that was resealed with a <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SwRZBzCDzEI/AAAAAAAAGuI/CuOOjF-mFxA/s1600/Mayflower+of+China+-+Fried+Prawns+and+Spring+Egg+Rolls+%28042809%29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-top: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SwRZBzCDzEI/AAAAAAAAGuI/CuOOjF-mFxA/s320/Mayflower+of+China+-+Fried+Prawns+and+Spring+Egg+Rolls+%28042809%29.jpg" width="288" /></a>twisty-tie and aging away in their freezer as there was no way these were fresh. The Spring Egg Rolls left me with the same feeling.<br />
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</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The </span><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><u>Spring Egg Rolls</u></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"> were so greasy, I had to place them inside my napkin and squeeze to drain them enough to be eaten. The cabbage and "meat" inside had little flavor and couldn't stand up to flavor of the deep frying oil. I doubted they changed that vat oil more than once a month, if that, because both the egg rolls and prawns tasted about the same. Served with a red, ketchupy sauce and Chinese hot mustard, not even slathering both sauces onto the Egg Rolls would make them worth eating. Moving on!</span><br />
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</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Because the </span><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><u>Pot Stickers</u></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"> weren't going to be deep fried, I hoped they would be half as delicious as those at Wild Ginger. <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SwRY6ST1L9I/AAAAAAAAGt4/HcU4ynzoLSw/s1600/Mayflower+of+China+-+Pot+Stickers+%28042809%29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-top: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SwRY6ST1L9I/AAAAAAAAGt4/HcU4ynzoLSw/s320/Mayflower+of+China+-+Pot+Stickers+%28042809%29.jpg" width="288" /></a>As you can see from the photo, they were beyond "stuck" to the pan and all of them were quite burned. The soy sauce with chilies served alongside them as the dipping sauce was too salty and generally not worth dipping anything into. It was incredibly frustrating that the three appetizers I ordered are all staples for this cuisine and yet were so poorly prepared that they weren't worth eating. It's rare that I have this kind of a bad dining experience, but I remained slightly hopeful the entrees would be worth it.</span><br />
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</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><u>General Tsao's Chicken</u></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"> seems to be prepared differently just about everywhere. The sauce ranges from orange to brown and mild to spicy, the batter is anywhere from thin to thick, <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SwRY8ykcUYI/AAAAAAAAGuA/E412c7N0smo/s1600/Mayflower+of+China+-+General+Taos+Chicken+%28042809%29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-top: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SwRY8ykcUYI/AAAAAAAAGuA/E412c7N0smo/s320/Mayflower+of+China+-+General+Taos+Chicken+%28042809%29.jpg" width="286" /></a>and the chicken is often just white or dark meat, but sometimes both. If the dark meat used here would have been less stringy and gristly, it would have been a 2.5 or 3 Stars dish. The batter was crispy and not overwhelming and the sauce was a pleasant, slightly sweet and spicy addition. It was a fairly large serving as well, though I doubt I would have resorted to a doggy bag to shuttle home the leftovers.</span><br />
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</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">By far, the best flavor and texture of the evening belonged to the </span><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><u>Sweet and Sour Chicken</u></span></span><span style="font-size: small;">. The plate was packed with crispy, sweetly sauced chicken, pounded thin and served piping hot. <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SwRZF9_A6DI/AAAAAAAAGuQ/Kr_LyIAe7y8/s1600/Mayflower+of+China+-+Sweet+and+Sour+Chicken+%28042809%29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-top: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SwRZF9_A6DI/AAAAAAAAGuQ/Kr_LyIAe7y8/s320/Mayflower+of+China+-+Sweet+and+Sour+Chicken+%28042809%29.jpg" width="288" /></a>Normally, you get some onions, carrots, and possibly a few other vegetables like bell peppers along with the pineapple, but Mayflower decided sauce and a few chunks of pineapple were all you were getting. Despite looking greasy, the sauce actually cut through the oil well (not exactly a compliment, I suppose) and I finished most of what was on my plate. I wouldn't cringe if I had to eat this entree again, but as I'm never stepping foot back in this restaurant it's a moot point.</span><br />
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</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">And now for the rat on my plate. As you can see from the photo, there are chunks of charred, burned pot sticker swimming in pools of oil. I have no clue why they would think a cookie-cutter rat made out of a carrot was <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SwRZJLD4e_I/AAAAAAAAGuY/-F3yVD93oQ0/s1600/Mayflower+of+China+-+Creepy+Carrot+Rat+%28042809%29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-top: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SwRZJLD4e_I/AAAAAAAAGuY/-F3yVD93oQ0/s320/Mayflower+of+China+-+Creepy+Carrot+Rat+%28042809%29.jpg" width="288" /></a>classy and deserved to be provided as an edible garnish for the worst Pot Stickers ever, but, alas, I'm not in charge of the menu at Mayflower. It was the only dish served with any kind of garnish, which made the inclusion even more weird.</span><br />
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</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I can see now why people question my remarkable food finds for Thai, sushi, and Indian food just a block away. Mayflower of China is the type of restaurant that gives strip mall fare a really, really bad name. As the worst Chinese food I've ever eaten, my advice would be to avoid this at all costs.</span><br />
</div><a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/1/1490803/restaurant/Seattle/Mayflower-of-China-Tukwila"><img alt="Mayflower of China on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1490803/minilink.gif" style="border:none;width:130px;height:36px" /></a><br />
<script src="http://connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1"></script><fb:like href="http://www.entertainingfoodblog.com/2009/11/yes-thats-rat-on-my-plate.html"></fb:like>Jared K. Wengerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08298552683281691371noreply@blogger.com99tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6037265664971871192.post-41017327644017841182009-11-12T13:43:00.000-08:002010-11-10T00:31:29.581-08:00Oh, Pabla: Why Are You So Delicious?<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Pabla India Grill - Indian Cuisine (4.5 Stars)<br />
</span><a href="http://www.pablacuisine.com/" style="font-weight: bold;">http://www.pablacuisine.com</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;">My best friend Chris and my favorite Indian restaurant is, by far, Pabla India Grill in Tukwila. Despite their website not having been updated to include this location yet, you know a restaurant has delicious food when you go out of your way (by 20-30 minutes) just so you can sneak in before the everyday lunch buffet ends mid-afternoon. Ironically, even if we are milling about on the weekend in Bellevue, the drive is never too far to satisfy our craving for sweet and savory Indian goodness.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;">Regardless of how many times we eat there, we've slipped into a comfortable routine that includes ordering one type of each of the following: samosa, </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;">pakora, </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;">nan (or naan, depending on where you're dining), and masala. Of course, we also lap up a bowl or two of the kheer for dessert and this visit proved to be no exception.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">The <u>Vegetable Samosas</u></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> are a guaranteed comfort food no matter where you're from. The pastry is always buttery and flaky (think savory pie dough) and the filling is bursting with<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SvyEF4774AI/AAAAAAAAGto/b2Sby5FgTUU/s1600-h/Pabla+India+Grill+-+Veggie+Samosas+%28042609%29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-top: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SvyEF4774AI/AAAAAAAAGto/b2Sby5FgTUU/s320/Pabla+India+Grill+-+Veggie+Samosas+%28042609%29.jpg" width="288" /></a> well-spiced potatoes and peas. It's impossible to eat just one and we often end up eating at least two each. As usual, we alternate dousing them with the cool and spicy cilantro chutney or the sweet and savory tamarind chutney. Those sauces are so good, there are usually six or eight condiment bowls of them on our table shared between just the two of us. The combination of warm, savory, spicy, and cool...whew! You'll find it difficult NOT attending the buffet.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;">As our Indian dining habit suggests, a pakora was next. While I often order the Paneer Pakora to help feed my complete addiction to paneer, this time we chose the </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><u>Chicken Pakoras</u></span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;">. <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SvyAi3xn2bI/AAAAAAAAGtg/c05h3q_-Ea4/s1600-h/Pabla+India+Grill+-+Chicken+Pakoras+%28042609%29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-top: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="217" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SvyAi3xn2bI/AAAAAAAAGtg/c05h3q_-Ea4/s320/Pabla+India+Grill+-+Chicken+Pakoras+%28042609%29.jpg" width="288" /></a>Holy fingers of goodness! The chickpea batter was light, crispy, a bit spicy, and very well seasoned. The chicken was ridiculously fresh and juicy. Literally, Chris and I looked up from our respective plates and gave each other the, "OMG. Honestly. How are they this good?" look. I didn't shut up about them for at least a week. We were so thrilled with how surprisingly good they were, we've ordered Chicken Pakoras other places and have always been disappointed. These really are the perfect "chicken finger".</span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;"> </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;">Nan at Indian restaurants is as ubiquitous as "chips and salsa" at a Taqueria, but it can make a big difference to the overall food experience if it's great.<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SvyAfK4BkHI/AAAAAAAAGtY/t_olr_SYhmI/s1600-h/Pabla+India+Grill+-+Garlic+Nan+%28042609%29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-top: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SvyAfK4BkHI/AAAAAAAAGtY/t_olr_SYhmI/s320/Pabla+India+Grill+-+Garlic+Nan+%28042609%29.jpg" width="288" /></a> </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;">The </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><u>Garlic Nan</u></span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;"> at Pabla is so flaky and flavorful, it would be a shame to pass it up. It's crispy and sturdy enough to hold spoonfuls of your favorite masala or curry, yet tender enough to fold taco-like for easy chowing. Pabla features several types of nan including spinach, paneer, and cauliflower, as well as a "special nan" that includes nuts and dried fruit. They also have puri (puffy wheat based bread; think sopapilla) and parathas (also whole wheat based), among others, for over a dozen various bread accompaniments to dinner.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;"> </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;">Chris waffles between </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><u>Chicken Tikka Masala</u></span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;"> and Butter Chicken as his must-have entree and the former won out during this<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SvyASrKEX8I/AAAAAAAAGtA/RWl9v6Ntm6g/s1600-h/Pabla+India+Grill+-+Chicken+Tiki+Masala+%28042609%29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-top: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SvyASrKEX8I/AAAAAAAAGtA/RWl9v6Ntm6g/s320/Pabla+India+Grill+-+Chicken+Tiki+Masala+%28042609%29.jpg" width="288" /></a> dinner. Even at four or five stars, the tender, yogurt-marinated and tandoor-cooked chicken chunks swim through the luxurious tomato and cream sauce and right down your gullet. It's often by this point in the meal that Chris starts uttering nonsense like, "I'm starting to get full" or ridiculous notions of "Taking the rest home in a doggie bag". Of course, given another five minutes, his masala bowl will be spotless and the nan nowhere to be found and this dish is usually the cause of him being completely unable to say no. If you're new to Indian food, this is probably one of the most accessible and delicious dishes you can try. One bite and you'll be hooked.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;"> </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;">As for me being hooked, my new favorite entree is the </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><u>Pabla Special Masala</u></span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;">, mainly because I adore anything with paneer in it. That said, the quartered mushrooms,<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SvyAXMUhx7I/AAAAAAAAGtI/cQCM0P_zKFg/s1600-h/Pabla+India+Grill+-+Pabla+Special+Marsala+%28042609%29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-top: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SvyAXMUhx7I/AAAAAAAAGtI/cQCM0P_zKFg/s320/Pabla+India+Grill+-+Pabla+Special+Marsala+%28042609%29.jpg" width="288" /></a> large diced onions and peppers, and sinful cubes of paneer can't help but play nice while surrounded by the velvety ginger, tomato, and onion sauce. At four stars, it packed enough heat to cause sniffling, though the only tears that came to my eyes were when my spoon scraped the bottom of the empty bowl. I really feel that Indian food is as much about the sauce as it is the bites floating in the sauce and this dish delivers a rich, creamy, flavorful sauce that's worth dipping everything else into.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;"> </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SvyAa-61iSI/AAAAAAAAGtQ/CRVfpPWL39Y/s1600-h/Pabla+India+Grill+-+Kheer+%28042609%29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-top: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="217" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SvyAa-61iSI/AAAAAAAAGtQ/CRVfpPWL39Y/s320/Pabla+India+Grill+-+Kheer+%28042609%29.jpg" width="288" /></a><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;">As has been our tradition for a while now, we generally end our meal with </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><u>Kheer</u></span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;">. For those of you who have never tasted this creamy, porridgy delight, think rice pudding. It's made with milk, sugar, and usually basmati rice, but isn't cloyingly sweet like a lot of rice puddings thanks to the </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;">cardamom and almonds. The kheer is served chilled and we've yet to eat just one bowl of it while attending the lunchtime buffet.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;">With a buffet that features over 20 items for $10 (easily the BEST deal anywhere) and dinners worth taking anyone you love, it's no wonder why Pabla India Grill is by far my favorite Indian restaurant in the greater Seattle area. The 4 Stars are well deserved. Ironically, this restaurant sits in the same strip mall as Miyabi Sushi and Bai Tong, so you can enjoy fantastic sushi or amazing Thai food before or after an incredible Indian feast.</span><br />
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/1/1489754/restaurant/Seattle/Pabla-India-Grill-Tukwila"><img alt="Pabla India Grill on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1489754/minilink.gif" style="border:none;width:130px;height:36px" /></a><br />
<script src="http://connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1"></script><fb:like href="http://www.entertainingfoodblog.com/2009/11/oh-pabla-why-are-you-so-delicious.html"></fb:like>Jared K. Wengerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08298552683281691371noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6037265664971871192.post-68230506143561125662009-10-22T13:39:00.000-07:002010-11-10T00:31:48.946-08:00Yeah, It's Lost Its Mojo<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:arial;" >Agua Verde Cafe </span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:arial;" >-</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"> Mexican Fare (2.5 Stars)</span><br />
<a href="http://www.aguaverde.com/">http://www.aguaverde.com</a><br />
<br />
Given Dan and I both enjoy Mexican food, and he'd heard great things about this restaurant in the U-District, we were excited to try a place new to both of us. Once we arrived, the long line out the front door lead us to believe it was worth the wait. Well, at least the view was stellar.<br />
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Agua Verde splits its seating into indoor and outdoor, though the outdoor portion is tiny and you're awkwardly seated in a odd traffic zone (I was seated behind a skinny wall) so you're constantly getting interrupted by people milling about in the grass below you and forgotten by the wait staff since they can't see you. Fortunately, we were seated facing the water and it was sunny and warm despite the cool breeze. However, being outdoors, </span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >even on a perfect evening, isn't necessarily a plus when the courtyard nearby has a "band" providing its amateur entertainment. As such, it's very hit or miss, so I'd recommended not dining here if you're trying to have a romantic meal.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" ><br />
</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >While we investigated the menu, our organic chips and hand-made salsas arrived. I </span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >definitely have a thing for salsa <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SuDOtKmfTzI/AAAAAAAAGgE/R47__TryKeU/s1600-h/Agua+Verde+-+Salsa+Selections+%28042009%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-top: 1em; cursor: pointer; width: 288px; height: 216px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SuDOtKmfTzI/AAAAAAAAGgE/R47__TryKeU/s320/Agua+Verde+-+Salsa+Selections+%28042009%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395539628925079346" border="0" /></a>and </span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >we were happy to see three different varieties offered. The </span></span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><u>Salsa Mexicana</u></span></span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" > had tomatoes, onions, chilies, and cilantro, and was the weakest flavored of the three. The darker green "</span></span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><u>Salsa Verde</u></span></span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >" was smokey and had more bite than the Rojo, though the lighter green salsa (the waitress didn't know the name) was our favorite with its sweeter, warmer flavors of cilantro and chilies.<br />
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</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >For his entree, Dan decided on the </span></span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><u>Tacos de la </u></span></span></span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><u>Casa</u></span></span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >. Agua Verde actually offers 10 different fillings for their house tacos including the traditional beef with peppers and onions, chile-rubbed chicken with cranberry slaw, <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SuDOtYPXlSI/AAAAAAAAGgM/DN2C-j2y7no/s1600-h/Agua+Verde+-+Tacos+de+la+Casa+%28042009%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-top: 1em; cursor: pointer; width: 216px; height: 288px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SuDOtYPXlSI/AAAAAAAAGgM/DN2C-j2y7no/s320/Agua+Verde+-+Tacos+de+la+Casa+%28042009%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395539632586200354" border="0" /></a>and shredded pork, along with vegetarian options of portabellas or yams, and even five different seafood options including grilled catfish, smoked salmon, sauteed shrimp, grilled mahi mahi, or coconut beer tempura cod. Each of the entrees is served in three soft corn tortillas along with sides of pureed black beans and their "green rice". The taco filling includes red and green cabbage and most are topped by an avocado cream sauce. Despite looking tasty, the rice was bland, the beans were an odd soupy texture (pureed really doesn't work well for a side), and the mahi mahi could have easily been any other meat as the flavor was very mild.<br />
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Once I saw the </span></span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><u>Burrito de Mole</u></span></span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >, my love for the rich, complex, nutty, chocolately brew took over. I did order mine without the </span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SuDOss7I0kI/AAAAAAAAGf8/YH1YZBb1SxY/s1600-h/Agua+Verde+-+Burrito+de+Mole+%28042009%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-top: 1em; cursor: pointer; width: 288px; height: 216px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SuDOss7I0kI/AAAAAAAAGf8/YH1YZBb1SxY/s320/Agua+Verde+-+Burrito+de+Mole+%28042009%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395539620958622274" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >chipotle-flavored tortilla which is why there's a "side salad" along with a cup of the mole and the filling in a separate bowl. Overall, the filling texture was great: chunky, well-cook</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >ed beans, the organic free-ranged chicken was tender and juicy, and the rice was fine. The lettuce, sour cream, and "pico de gallo" topping was pretty standard fare. The problem, however, was the mole. It tasted like bottled BBQ sauce and was too sweet (even for my sweet tooth). I'm glad the extra mole was put on the side because it certainly would have detracted from the filling otherwise.<br />
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Despite their drive to use "o<span style="font-family:arial;">rganic, </span></span></span><span style="font-family:arial;"> sustainable, and eco-friendly food," and Agua Verde's pride in their recycling and composting efforts, the overall experience left us feeling bored with the food, but grateful for the view.</span><b><br />
</b><a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/1/3129/restaurant/University-District/Agua-Verde-Seattle"><img alt="Agua Verde on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/3129/minilink.gif" style="border:none;width:130px;height:36px" /></a><br />
<script src="http://connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1"></script><fb:like href="http://www.entertainingfoodblog.com/2009/10/yeah-its-lost-its-mojo.html"></fb:like>Jared K. Wengerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08298552683281691371noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6037265664971871192.post-75940196440803790342009-05-20T12:38:00.000-07:002010-11-10T00:32:06.071-08:00"I Think They Used Dog Food In This Lasagna"<span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >Vince's Italian Restaurant - Traditional Italian Fare (2 </span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >S</span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >tars)</span><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><a style="font-weight: bold; font-family: arial;" href="http://www.vincesitalian.com/">http://www.vincesitalian.com</a><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family:arial;">It seems that every time Ryan, Chris, and I drive anywhere, food's never far from our minds. After managing to take scenic routes through Burien, we were desperate for eats and decided to make use of our combined technology powers: two iPhones, a G1, and an in-dash navigation system. You'd think we could have made a wise choice given the vast powers we wielded; alas, we are obviously not super heroes.</span><br />
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</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">Vince's Italian Restauran</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">t actually has locations in Federal Way, Renton, Rainier Beach, and Burien, which leads one to e</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/ShRr6krftbI/AAAAAAAAFgk/WSRCmIr4HNk/s1600-h/Vince%27s+Italian+Restaurant+-+Breadsticks+%28042309%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-top: 1em; cursor: pointer; width: 288px; height: 216px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/ShRr6krftbI/AAAAAAAAFgk/WSRCmIr4HNk/s320/Vince%27s+Italian+Restaurant+-+Breadsticks+%28042309%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338010112363574706" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">xpect good enough food to demand expansion. However, when yo</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">u walk into a restaurant and see each table laden with "</span></span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><u>Breadsti</u></span></span></span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><u>cks</u></span></span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">" (I'm ashamed to say it but we actually ate several because we were so hungry!) and kitschy red-and-white vinyl tablecloths, the best course of action is to immediately resign yourself to a horrible experience and figure out a wa</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">y to just enjoy the ride.</span><br />
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</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">The entrees came with </span></span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><u>Side Salads</u></span></span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;"> that we used to help wash down the breadsticks. T</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">he salads are the ubiquitous head lettuce bag mix with carrot sh</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/ShRr7sajwHI/AAAAAAAAFg8/UqdxInbEC6c/s1600-h/Vince%27s+Italian+Restaurant+-+Side+Salad+with+Caesar+%28042309%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-top: 1em; cursor: pointer; width: 288px; height: 216px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/ShRr7sajwHI/AAAAAAAAFg8/UqdxInbEC6c/s320/Vince%27s+Italian+Restaurant+-+Side+Salad+with+Caesar+%28042309%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338010131619889266" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">avings, though they did doctor the salads up slightly by adding canned, whole black olives. The ranch dressing was okay, but the creamy pesto dressing is actually amazing and is the *best* pizza dipping sauce (sorry ranch, but your end is nigh). After</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;"> quickly hoovering the salads down, we placed our entree and pizza orders and sat back commenting (well, mocking is more accurate) the decor and fellow patrons.</span><br />
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</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">For his entree, Chris ordered the </span></span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><u>Lasagna alla Napoletana</u></span></span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">: a three-layered lasagna with ground beef, ricotta, tomato sauce, a</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/ShRr7ajpPPI/AAAAAAAAFg0/5HSjLvKBgwU/s1600-h/Vince%27s+Italian+Restaurant+-+Lasagna+with+Meat+Sauce+%28042309%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-top: 1em; cursor: pointer; width: 288px; height: 216px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/ShRr7ajpPPI/AAAAAAAAFg0/5HSjLvKBgwU/s320/Vince%27s+Italian+Restaurant+-+Lasagna+with+Meat+Sauce+%28042309%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338010126826159346" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">nd mozzarella. The portion was "just enough", but the quality of the meat caused Chris to state the horrifying: "I think they used dog food in this lasagna." Mu</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">ch akin to the "This smells so gross; here, smell it!" psychosis that sweeps over your friends when they find a long-forgotten, now-turned lab experiment of leftovers in their refrigerators, Chris asked us to try it. After combining faux vomiting with scrunched faces, Ryan and I "politely" declined.</span><br />
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</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">Given how low the standard of excellence was set with Chris' e</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">ntree, it's not surprising Ryan </span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">fared far better with his </span></span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><u>Fettuccine alla Caprese</u></span></span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">. The al dente </span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/ShRr7Jr_NrI/AAAAAAAAFgs/0vTA6lKCArI/s1600-h/Vince%27s+Italian+Restaurant+-+Fettuccine+alla+Caprese+%28042309%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-top: 1em; cursor: pointer; width: 288px; height: 216px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/ShRr7Jr_NrI/AAAAAAAAFgs/0vTA6lKCArI/s320/Vince%27s+Italian+Restaurant+-+Fettuccine+alla+Caprese+%28042309%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338010122297751218" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">fettuccine noodles are tossed with fres</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">h cream and butter, thinly sliced ham, and mozzarella and parmesan cheeses. It was rich and creamy and he didn't have any complaints about it though it could have used fresh-cracked black pepper instead of the seasoning of whoever-knows-how-old jars of black pepper in the back.</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br />
<br />
</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">I selected the </span></span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><u>Pollo Marsala</u></span></span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;"> for my entree. The two chicken breasts were actually cooked quite well and they were juicy and </span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/ShRr752S3PI/AAAAAAAAFhE/SYqnN2oiWBc/s1600-h/Vince%27s+Italian+Restaurant+-+Pollo+Marsala+%28042309%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-top: 1em; cursor: pointer; width: 288px; height: 216px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/ShRr752S3PI/AAAAAAAAFhE/SYqnN2oiWBc/s320/Vince%27s+Italian+Restaurant+-+Pollo+Marsala+%28042309%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338010135225883890" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">delicious. The mushrooms were plentiful and added great texture to the sauce made with wine, cream, and black pepper. However, the fettuccine were just wrapped in a bundle under the chicken and then the sauce was poured over the top. The lack of sauce on noodles caused them to be very gummy and stick together. I had to actually cut the n</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">oodles to eat them.</span><br />
<br />
</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">After two strikes, we hoped our pièce de résistance would prove to b</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">e the </span></span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><u>Vince's Special Pizza</u></span></span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">. I mean, the pizza is "special" and carries the </span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/ShRsBRgVSFI/AAAAAAAAFhM/G_kyGwNPcnY/s1600-h/Vince%27s+Italian+Restaurant+-+Vince%27s+Special+Pizza+%28042309%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-top: 1em; cursor: pointer; width: 288px; height: 216px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/ShRsBRgVSFI/AAAAAAAAFhM/G_kyGwNPcnY/s320/Vince%27s+Italian+Restaurant+-+Vince%27s+Special+Pizza+%28042309%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338010227475564626" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">restaurant's family name. It has to be great? Right? With toppings such as pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms, and either black olives or bell peppers, the pizza is pretty standard fare. However, the crust was too doughy and lightly-flavored to impress and we were thankful we only ordered a medium. It certainly wasn't the worst pizza we've ever had, but I also wo</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">uldn't call it a selling point for Vince's.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family:arial;">Any culinary experience where the subject of dog food comes up as a reference point to what you're actually consuming, you'd probably expect 1 Star to be the end result. However, the entrees did have a few, brief high points and the pizza was average. Ryan did mentioned he would only dine there again if he had to attend a function with friends or family and the restaurant was already selected.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family:arial;">As for the service, the only reason our waitress paid any attention to us at all was because Ryan finally got frustrated with her complete lack of enthusiasm, how many times she said "We can't do that for you" while we were ordering, and disregard for our empty glasses and dropped the: "By the way, he's reviewing your restaurant right now" bomb and pointed to me. Vince's, well, at least this location, deserves 2 Stars for all imaginable reasons. Do yourself a favor and pass this by the next time you're in Burien.</span></span><br />
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/1/334060/restaurant/Seattle/Vinces-Burien"><img alt="Vince's on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/334060/minilink.gif" style="border:none;width:130px;height:36px" /></a><br />
<script src="http://connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1"></script><fb:like href="http://www.entertainingfoodblog.com/2009/05/i-think-they-used-dog-food-in-this.html"></fb:like>Jared K. Wengerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08298552683281691371noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6037265664971871192.post-6047577911809564962009-05-19T20:00:00.000-07:002010-11-10T00:32:25.130-08:00"Thai" One On: An Upscaled Experience<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Chantanee Thai Restaurant - Thai (4 Stars)</span><br />
<a href="http://www.chantanee.com/" style="font-weight: bold;">http://www.chantanee.com</a><br />
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I've been dining at "Chantanee Family Thai" for about six years, long before they changed their name and moved to much more upscale digs on 108th Avenue. As my friend Jeff was coming into town for the weekend and loves Thai food, I could think of no better place to take him than Chantanee which is known for consistently great food, good service, and now has an incredib</span><span style="font-size: 100%;">ly gorgeous restauran</span><span style="font-size: 100%;">t truly worthy of their fare. In fact, they can now showcase Naga: a "destination cocktail bar" that offers an extensive traditional and c</span><span style="font-size: 100%;">reative new drink menu with categories such as Sours and Daisies, Fizzes and Bucks, Slings and Tikis, and even Dessert and Digestifs (in case you needed a classier excuse to drink) along with the expected beer and wines.<br />
</span><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">For an extra fun twist on your visit, check out the Classic Cocktails Specials online in their cocktails menu (<a href="http://www.chantanee.com/resources/cocktails.pdf">http://www.chantanee.com/resources/cocktails.pdf</a>). It offers a dozen "creative" ways to get a drink half off or even free such as the Robert Hess Special: "If you give a cocktail book to the bar (specif</span><span style="font-size: 100%;">ically one the bar doesn't have) you get a free drink"; Dallas Taylor Special: "Half off any on</span><span style="font-size: 100%;">e cocktail with a completed original sonnet, the subject of which is your choice. Penmanship counts."; or even the AJ Rathburn Special: "One free cocktail when a new cocktail menu from another state or co</span><span style="font-size: 100%;">untry is brought to the bar". Figuring out ways to complete the Specials' challenges is almost as fun as the drinks themselves.<br />
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Chantanee's completely revamped and now extensive menu offers over 130 items to choose from. Even with the dazzling array of offerings, it's tough to stray too far from the classic spring rolls and satays that are practically mandatory eats at every Thai restaurant.</span> Fortunately, there are seven different satays to choose from including tofu, pork, prawns, lamb, and scallops. We selected the chicken and beef satays. (You should note that the menu's listed price is per skewer.)<br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">T</span><span style="font-size: 100%;">he </span><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><u>Chicken Satay</u></span></span></span><span style="font-size: 100%;"> was grilled perfectly, well seasoned, and p</span><span style="font-size: 100%;">ulled easily from the skewers.<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/ShODPWDEZ7I/AAAAAAAAFgU/0jUJ5AXFiEY/s1600-h/Chantanee+Thai+-+Chicken+Satay+%28041709%29.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5337754283003897778" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/ShODPWDEZ7I/AAAAAAAAFgU/0jUJ5AXFiEY/s320/Chantanee+Thai+-+Chicken+Satay+%28041709%29.JPG" style="float: left; height: 216px; margin: 1em 10px 0em 0pt; width: 288px;" /></a> The flavor was mild and slightly swee</span><span style="font-size: 100%;">t, with the grill marks adding just enough char to enhance the flavor of the tender chicken. The marinade used for the chicken seems to practically guarantee a moist, delicious satay and Jeff commented that he really liked them. The peanut dipping sauce is so delicious, you'll wish they served you a much larger condiment container and the pickled, slightly tart and sweet cucumber relish compliments deliciously.<br />
<br />
</span><span style="font-size: 100%;">The </span><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><u>Beef Satay</u></span></span></span><span style="font-size: 100%;"> was even more tender than the chicken, but </span><span style="font-size: 100%;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/ShODP2S8sCI/AAAAAAAAFgc/nK8rYTUnWMM/s1600-h/Chantanee+Thai+-+Beef+Satay+%28041709%29.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5337754291660435490" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/ShODP2S8sCI/AAAAAAAAFgc/nK8rYTUnWMM/s320/Chantanee+Thai+-+Beef+Satay+%28041709%29.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 216px; margin: 1em 10px 0em 0pt; width: 288px;" /></a>a bit more difficult to r</span><span style="font-size: 100%;">emove from the skewer (while keeping appropriate din</span><span style="font-size: 100%;">ner table manners in</span><span style="font-size: 100%;">tact). The beef is </span><span style="font-size: 100%;">cooked closer to medium-rare, so if you prefer medium-well or well (like me), you'll want to be sure you tell your waiter. Between</span><span style="font-size: 100%;"> the two satays, I preferred my regular chicken standby. Also, b</span><span style="font-size: 100%;">oth satays come with a peanut dipping sauce as well as a light, refreshing cucumber and red onion "salad".</span><span style="font-size: 100%;"><br />
<br />
</span><span style="font-size: 100%;">In addition to the satays, I ordered </span><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><u>Gang Som</u></span></span></span><span style="font-size: 100%;">. The cauliflower, nappa cabbage, carrot, daikon radish, and green beans <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/ShODOo9GGCI/AAAAAAAAFgM/JOZvjq2yd9w/s1600-h/Chantanee+Thai+-+Gang+Som+%28041109%29.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5337754270899247138" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/ShODOo9GGCI/AAAAAAAAFgM/JOZvjq2yd9w/s320/Chantanee+Thai+-+Gang+Som+%28041109%29.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 216px; margin: 1em 10px 0em 0pt; width: 288px;" /></a>were served in a s</span><span style="font-size: 100%;">picy and sour broth made </span><span style="font-size: 100%;">with curry paste. All of the vegetables, as well as the tofu, were firm enough to hold their shape and provided excellent texture and freshness. The broth is slightly thicker than a traditional chicken noodle soup, but is still </span><span style="font-size: 100%;">hearty and filling. Given I love coconut, I don't think this soup will replace my favorite Tom </span><span style="font-size: 100%;">Kha, but it's definitely a worthy alternative especially if you're looking for a lighter soup.<br />
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</span><span style="font-size: 100%;">My typical Thai entree consists of </span><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><u>Green Curry with Chicken</u></span></span></span><span style="font-size: 100%;"> (an</span><span style="font-size: 100%;">d extra mixed vegetables) and this visit pro</span><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/ShODNwb-IpI/AAAAAAAAFf8/IO6Y14GAMGA/s1600-h/Chantanee+Thai+-+Green+Curry+with+Chicken+%28041709%29.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5337754255727927954" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/ShODNwb-IpI/AAAAAAAAFf8/IO6Y14GAMGA/s320/Chantanee+Thai+-+Green+Curry+with+Chicken+%28041709%29.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 216px; margin: 1em 10px 0em 0pt; width: 288px;" /></a><span style="font-size: 100%;">ved no exception. Th</span><span style="font-size: 100%;">e curry is extremel</span><span style="font-size: 100%;">y flavorful and the broth is thicker and even more luxurious and velvety than Bai Tong's. The eggplant, red bell peppers, peas, basil, and zucchini still offered plenty of texture despite the dish being served piping hot. This is also the most tender, juicy chicken of any Green Curry I've had anywhere which is why I rarely stray from this selection.<br />
<br />
</span><span style="font-size: 100%;">Jeff decided to order the </span><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><u>Phad Bai Grapao Thai Style</u></span></span></span><span style="font-size: 100%;"> under the Hot and Spicy section of the menu. (Apparently after you live for a </span><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/ShODOZ47W3I/AAAAAAAAFgE/H8JwVgPPA0A/s1600-h/Chantanee+Thai+-+Phad+Bai+Grapao+Thai+Style+2+%28041709%29.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5337754266855234418" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/ShODOZ47W3I/AAAAAAAAFgE/H8JwVgPPA0A/s320/Chantanee+Thai+-+Phad+Bai+Grapao+Thai+Style+2+%28041709%29.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 216px; margin: 1em 10px 0em 0pt; width: 288px;" /></a><span style="font-size: 100%;">few months in Thailand, hot and spicy is the *only* way to go!) The stir-fried ground chicken is served with Thai chilis and holy basil and is stewed in a hot and spicy broth. Jeff felt there was enough spice to make it worthy of being listed in that section of the menu (I could see beads of</span><span style="font-size: 100%;"> sweat on his forehead) and said it was a delicious dish. He also commented that he hadn't found any Thai food as good in the States as it was in Thailand, but that this was "a pretty good effort".<br />
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Overall, the experience was exactly what I have come to expect from Chantanee over the years: great service, delicious food, and a meal that leaves you wanting to come back again and again.<br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/1/6633/restaurant/Seattle/Chantanee-Thai-Restaurant-bar-Bellevue"><img alt="Chantanee Thai Restaurant & bar on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/6633/minilink.gif" style="border: medium none; height: 36px; width: 130px;" /></a></div><script src="http://connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1"></script><fb:like href="http://www.entertainingfoodblog.com/2009/05/how-to-upscale-favorite.html"></fb:like>Jared K. Wengerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08298552683281691371noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6037265664971871192.post-35454434716106777592009-05-06T10:50:00.000-07:002010-11-10T00:32:42.072-08:00Bullfights and Hot Bites<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:arial;" >The Matador - Tex-Mex Fare (4 Stars)<br />
</span><a style="font-weight: bold; font-family: arial;" href="http://www.matadorrestaurants.com/">http://www.matadorrestaurants.com</a><br />
<span style="font-family:arial;"><br />
In trying to find a fun restaurant in West Seattle that Ryan and I hadn't been to recently, we came up with The Matador. The last time we had visited this tasty Tex-Mex restaurant, we fell in love with their grilled, charred, spicy asparagus. Unfortunately, it wasn'</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">t on the menu this time but we found something almost as good (more on that in a bit).</span><span style="font-family:arial;"><br />
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The Matador appetizers offer a generous variety of spicy, chilies-infused options, but it was the </span></span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><u>Chilean Rock Crab Cakes</u></span></span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;"> that really caught my attention. Even though they're not packed as<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SgHZmyGHkvI/AAAAAAAAEnw/c4CHxcjpg1M/s1600-h/Matador+-+Dungeness+Crab+Cakes+%28041609%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; margin-right: 1em; cursor: pointer; width: 288px; height: 216px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SgHZmyGHkvI/AAAAAAAAEnw/c4CHxcjpg1M/s320/Matador+-+Dungeness+Crab+Cakes+%28041609%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332782694089069298" border="0" /></a> full and aren't as chunky as the Steelhead</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;"> Diner's jumbo lump cake, you do get two cakes and they offer a completely different and</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;"> equally rewardin</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">g flavor. Packed with Habaneros and shredded crab, then pan seared and served with a sweet and spicy pineapple cream sauce and tomato and</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;"> green onion relish, the crab cakes certainly won't disappoint. The combination of sweet coconut and heat from the chilies is reminiscent of Thai curries, but this definitely stayed Tex-Mex with the tomato salsa.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family:arial;">As for the aforementioned asparagus, Ryan had to settle for the </span></span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><u>Grilled Broccolini</u></span></span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">. Oddly enough, this dish is not listed on their website or in-house menu</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">s and was simp</span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SgHZnLhCfiI/AAAAAAAAEn4/PXoSn2Wr7yc/s1600-h/Matador+-+Grilled+Broccolini+%28041609%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; margin-right: 1em; cursor: pointer; width: 288px; height: 216px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SgHZnLhCfiI/AAAAAAAAEn4/PXoSn2Wr7yc/s320/Matador+-+Grilled+Broccolini+%28041609%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332782700912868898" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">ly on an insert for "current specials". That said, these were a satisfying replacement to their incredible asparagus side. Complete with red chili flakes, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, and charred from being grilled to al dente perfection, the mound of vibrant green stalks were quickly finished off. It's served wi</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">th a side</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;"> of their southwestern sour cream "ranch" dipping sauce and Ryan said he loved it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family:arial;">For my entree, I had to order the </span></span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><u>Pan Seared Mahi Mahi</u></span></span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">. It's very lightly floured, then pan seared and served on top of a roasted Serran</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">o and tomatillo tequila salsa.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SgHZnriUVaI/AAAAAAAAEoA/lsYInOGyuJc/s1600-h/Matador+-+Pan+Roasted+Mahi+Mahi+%28041609%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; margin-right: 1em; cursor: pointer; width: 288px; height: 216px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SgHZnriUVaI/AAAAAAAAEoA/lsYInOGyuJc/s320/Matador+-+Pan+Roasted+Mahi+Mahi+%28041609%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332782709508167074" border="0" /></a> A generous dollop of Habanero cream tops the fillet. This dish usually comes with annotti rice, but I asked for "seasonal veggies" instead and got a side of the charred broccolini along with halved grape tomatoes. The Mahi Mahi was perfectly cooked, moist, flaky, and had a great flavor that didn't get overwhelmed by the bold flavors on the rest of the plate.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family:arial;">Despite being at a Tex-Mex restaurant, Ryan decided he really wanted the huge </span></span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><u>Matador Burger</u></span></span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">. This half-pound all-beef patty is served with caramelized onions, <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SgHZn1E7e8I/AAAAAAAAEoI/sp4bAa0IlAs/s1600-h/Matador+-+Matador+Burger+%28041609%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; margin-right: 1em; cursor: pointer; width: 288px; height: 216px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SgHZn1E7e8I/AAAAAAAAEoI/sp4bAa0IlAs/s320/Matador+-+Matador+Burger+%28041609%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332782712069258178" border="0" /></a>thick-cut bacon, sweet cherry peppers, cilantro, cheddar cheese, lettuce, and tomato. It's accompanied b</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">y chipotl</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">e mayo both on the bun and in a side sauce container. Ryan ordered his giant burger without tomato but with extra onions. Ryan said the burger was excellent even though he waited almost 10 minutes for his extra caramelized onions (the burger was served with literally only three). His fries had a slight spice on them and were crispy, but ultimately just "regular fries".</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family:arial;">Overall, we both felt the depth of flavors, interesting use of chilies and heat throughout the course offerings, and generally quite delicious food was more than enough to award Matador 4 Stars. This is a local chain restaurant, but the West Seattle location is certainly worth a visit especially if you are a tequila connoisseur as they have over 80 varieties!</span> </span><br />
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/1/5866/restaurant/West-Seattle/Matador-West-Seattle-Seattle"><img alt="Matador (West Seattle) on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/5866/minilink.gif" style="border:none;width:130px;height:36px" /></a><br />
<script src="http://connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1"></script><fb:like href="http://www.entertainingfoodblog.com/2009/05/bullfights-and-hot-bites.html"></fb:like>Jared K. Wengerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08298552683281691371noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6037265664971871192.post-32251593798871038272009-04-14T12:07:00.000-07:002010-11-10T00:33:02.291-08:00Kind Of Like A Drunken Picnic!<span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">Miyabi Sushi - Japanese, Sushi (4.5 Stars)</span><br />
<a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.miyabisushi.com/">http://www.miyabisushi.com</a></span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" ><br />
<br />
Thanks to a restaurant location application on my handy-dandy G1 phone, I've been wanting to try Miyabi Sushi for several weeks. Unfortunately, every time I got the hankering it was Sunday and they weren't open. After the Oriental Spoon sushi encounter, I had mixed feelings about trying more sushi even though Yelp and CitySearch readers seemed to really dig this restaurant. Ironically, this really delicious sushi restaurant sits in the same strip as Pabla India Grill and Bai Tong. How is it possible such good eating is all in the same strip mall...in Tukwila? Really?<br />
<br />
When I entered the restaurant, I was immediately enchanted. Even with the blue tarps on the ground (to provide a "picnic" feel to their Hanami week celebration), there were dozens of cherry tree branches in full bloom hanging from the ceiling. The restaurant felt like you were in a privat</span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >e outdoor garden </span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >and the hostess quickly found me a</span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >n open ta</span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >ble and introduced me to "Hanami". According to Miyabi's website: "Hanami is a tradition in Japan to celebrate the coming of Spring and the cherry blossoms in full bloo</span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >m. Friends and family would gather to drink and eat under a cherry blossom – kind of like a drunken picnic. Mi</span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >yabi’s Hanami Week is a week full of eating, drinking, singing, and cherry blossoms." Miyabi act</span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >ually holds nine </span><span style="font-size:100%;"><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SeT6s3zgzPI/AAAAAAAAEk4/eLMGaP9OULE/s1600-h/Miyabi+Sushi+-+Edamame+%28041009%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; margin-right: 1em; cursor: pointer; width: 288px; height: 216px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SeT6s3zgzPI/AAAAAAAAEk4/eLMGaP9OULE/s320/Miyabi+Sushi+-+Edamame+%28041009%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324656308259966194" border="0" /></a></span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >different celebrations a year including typical American holidays and more traditional "Doyou no Ushi no Hi" and "Natsu Matsuri" events.<br />
<br />
</span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >While I was trying to decide what I was going to order, I enjoyed some of the best <span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><u>Edama</u></span></span></span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><u>me</u></span></span></span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" > I've tried. Usually edamame </span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >is very salty and the beans are a bit too soft for me. Th</span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >ese were beautifully cooked (still al dente) and only slightly salty as if they were blanched in salt water instead of being tossed in salt after steaming. The beans were sweet and delectable and I ate about a third of them before finally moving back to the menu. Decisions, decisions.<br />
<br />
</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SeT6t7zWtkI/AAAAAAAAElQ/ppOB5QVjDuQ/s1600-h/Miyabi+Sushi+-+Gyoza+%28041009%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 216px; height: 288px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SeT6t7zWtkI/AAAAAAAAElQ/ppOB5QVjDuQ/s320/Miyabi+Sushi+-+Gyoza+%28041009%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324656326512916034" border="0" /></a></span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >In the end, I chose to pass up the Hanami specific </span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >offerings in favor of items</span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" > they have year 'round and nothing could be more a</span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >ppropriate</span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" > than staring with </span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><u>Gyoza</u></span></span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" > stuffed with</span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" > pork and tons of green onions. The outside was crispy on the "potsticker" side and tender and almost buttery on the other. The flavor was saltier than I had expected, but really mellowed out after the second one. (A</span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >nd no, the plate of six didn't stand a chance with me!) I really liked the amount of green onion as it ad</span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >ded a bit more "bite" to the internal texture and helped th</span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >e Gyoza stand out as a solid appetizer selection.<br />
<br />
</span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >Next came a beautiful plate with all of my Nig</span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >iri Sushi and Makimono selections sitting atop banana leaves. Given you "eat </span><span style="font-size:100%;"><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SeT6uKkZgpI/AAAAAAAAElY/0tlbne0yrw4/s1600-h/Miyabi+Sushi+-+Maguro+Tuna+%28041009%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; margin-right: 1em; cursor: pointer; width: 216px; height: 288px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SeT6uKkZgpI/AAAAAAAAElY/0tlbne0yrw4/s320/Miyabi+Sushi+-+Maguro+Tuna+%28041009%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324656330476716690" border="0" /></a></span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >with your eyes" first, I couldn't wait to get started.<br />
<br />
</span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >The first morsel I tried was the <span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><u>Maguro</u></span></span></span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >: tuna-topped </span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >finger-width rice sushi. The bright-red tuna was so unbelievably buttery it just melted in my mouth! The portion was perfectly-sized, but be warned: You will want to order a half-dozen of these at least. At $2.25 per piece, you really can afford to eat and eat.<br />
<br />
Just because it was sitting next to the</span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" > Maguro, the </span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><u>Veg Veg Wrap</u></span></span></span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" > was next to be tasted. The rice paper </span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >wrapping gently houses a </span><span style="font-size:100%;"><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SeT67x1LxoI/AAAAAAAAElg/Gsypi95jWqM/s1600-h/Miyabi+Sushi+-+Veg+Veg+Wrap+%28041009%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; margin-right: 1em; cursor: pointer; width: 288px; height: 216px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SeT67x1LxoI/AAAAAAAAElg/Gsypi95jWqM/s320/Miyabi+Sushi+-+Veg+Veg+Wrap+%28041009%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324656564354401922" border="0" /></a></span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >roll stuffed to the brim with goodness: carrot, avocado, cucumber, asparagus, a few gree</span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >n leaves and watercress shoots, along with a very sweet, brown something (I really should have written it down). The wrap is quite large so even the two pieces are plenty.<br />
<br />
</span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >The </span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><u>Spicy California Roll</u></span></span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" > not only looked incredible, but was actually spicy; the heat continued to grow as I savored every bite. </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SeT8WsTSfrI/AAAAAAAAElo/Vfw36g5v8UI/s1600-h/Miyabi+Sushi+-+Spicy+California+Roll+%28041009%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; margin-right: 1em; cursor: pointer; width: 288px; height: 216px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SeT8WsTSfrI/AAAAAAAAElo/Vfw36g5v8UI/s320/Miyabi+Sushi+-+Spicy+California+Roll+%28041009%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324658126238154418" border="0" /></a><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >The filling was a traditional crab meat salad with cucumbe</span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >r and avocado, but also included a yellow-orange roe and flakes and was topped with a delicious, spicy mayo and more vibrant red roe. The small pops of eggs offered an amazing texture contrast t</span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >o the soft, fluffy rice. The six bite-sized pieces were simply not enough and definitely left me wanting more.<br />
<br />
Despite how great the other tastes and sights were, the </span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><u>Geisha Wrap</u></span></span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" > had to be my absolute favorite dinner item. The warm, baked, shredded </span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >crab meat hu</span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >gged </span><span style="font-size:100%;"><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SeT6tO3rAyI/AAAAAAAAElA/3FxeVUMKCOY/s1600-h/Miyabi+Sushi+-+Geisha+Wrap+%28041009%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; margin-right: 1em; cursor: pointer; width: 288px; height: 216px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SeT6tO3rAyI/AAAAAAAAElA/3FxeVUMKCOY/s320/Miyabi+Sushi+-+Geisha+Wrap+%28041009%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324656314451428130" border="0" /></a></span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >asparagus spears and roe and the entire bundle was held together by the same fluffy rice and tender sesame-seeded rice paper on the Veg Veg Wrap. The warm crab meat was unexpected and the creamy texture was addictive. My mouth couldn't have been happier.<br />
<br />
I figured there was no way I still had room left for dessert, but one look at the </span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><u>Green Tea Tiramisu</u></span></span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" > and I knew I had to try it. The green tea is used in powder form, so there's no bitterness. It's combined with traditional mascarpone cheese an</span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >d very little sugar<a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SeT6tZ8A3eI/AAAAAAAAElI/fg7i2UXtqp0/s1600-h/Miyabi+Sushi+-+Green+Tea+Tiramisu+%28041009%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; margin-right: 1em; cursor: pointer; width: 288px; height: 216px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SeT6tZ8A3eI/AAAAAAAAElI/fg7i2UXtqp0/s320/Miyabi+Sushi+-+Green+Tea+Tiramisu+%28041009%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324656317422427618" border="0" /></a> (if any) is added as it stays only lightly sweet. The layers of creamy filling sit between two very light and moist sponge cakes used instead of the expected ladyfingers. As I came to find out, about </span><span style="font-size:100%;"></span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >two-thirds of the desserts are made at an Asian b</span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >akery "up north" (I assume North Seattle), though they do make the tempura ice cream and two or three other desserts in-house. If you're looking for a rich, sweet dessert, this may not be the ideal choice for you.<br />
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In all, I was a bit shocked to have encountered such a warm, inviting, delicious restaurant. I guess lightning can strike thrice in the same strip mall location. Do yourself a favor and visit Miyabi tonight.</span><br />
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/1/107552/restaurant/Seattle/Miyabi-Restaurant-Tukwila"><img alt="Miyabi Restaurant on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/107552/minilink.gif" style="border:none;width:130px;height:36px" /></a><br />
<script src="http://connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1"></script><fb:like href="http://www.entertainingfoodblog.com/2009/04/kind-of-like-drunken-picnic.html"></fb:like>Jared K. Wengerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08298552683281691371noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6037265664971871192.post-83530015963319769992009-04-12T18:26:00.000-07:002010-11-10T00:33:19.746-08:00Shrimp Twice Not So Nice?<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:arial;" >Oriental Spoon - Asian, Sushi (3 Stars)<br />
</span><a style="font-weight: bold; font-family: arial;" href="http://www.orientalspoonusa.com/">http://www.orientalspoonusa.com</a><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family:arial;">It was Friday and we were hungry. The usual "What do you want for lunch" conversation started between the few of us brave enough to drive into the office on an unusually sunny Friday in Bellevue. As it turns out, there's a "mainly sushi" place in Factoria I had yet to try and Rob kept saying, "It's pretty good, man. Really!" So off we went to Oriental Spoon.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family:arial;">The inside is like a quintessential Japanese cafe, complete with the red, black, and white decor you'd expect to find from a place trying to be "Japanese". The menus are printed on the wall with</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;"> large pictures and adequate descriptions of what you'</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">ll find on each rice, noodle, salad, or sushi roll plate. Prices are actually higher than you'd expect ($8-$10 per roll), but the rolls in particular are quite large and have eight pieces each instead of the usual four or six you find elsewhere. You </span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">also receive a bowl of</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;"> Miso Soup and they are currently offering a 10% off their regular menu price so you'll save a buck or two.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family:arial;">As we waited for our sushi rolls to arrive, we received med</span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SeKgsxeE0qI/AAAAAAAAEh8/0FC8MnxWQ7M/s1600-h/Oriental+Spoon+-+Miso+Soup+%28041009%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; margin-right: 1em; cursor: pointer; width: 288px; height: 216px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SeKgsxeE0qI/AAAAAAAAEh8/0FC8MnxWQ7M/s320/Oriental+Spoon+-+Miso+Soup+%28041009%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5323994400559518370" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">ium-sized bowls of </span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><u>Miso Soup</u></span></span><span style="font-family:arial;">. The soup was slightly salty, a bit sweet, and actually good. In most cases, Miso soup tends to have chunks of tofu bobbing around with carrots or other veggies, but this bowl just contained the broth and some scallions. The portion is generous and I only ate about half of so I'd be sure to have room left to sample the rolls.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family:arial;">The first roll to arrive was the </span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><u>Fantasia</u></span></span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">. Inside was shredded cream cheese crab with slices of avocado and cucumb</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">er. Sm</span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SeKgtEZOZLI/AAAAAAAAEiE/BXnM-YIPu9w/s1600-h/Oriental+Spoon+-+Fantasia+Roll+%28041009%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; margin-right: 1em; cursor: pointer; width: 288px; height: 216px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SeKgtEZOZLI/AAAAAAAAEiE/BXnM-YIPu9w/s320/Oriental+Spoon+-+Fantasia+Roll+%28041009%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5323994405639447730" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">all shrimp top the roll along</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;"> </span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">with a rather sweet sauce. Both Rob and I ordered this </span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">roll and we thought it was "okay"</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">. When I asked if he could really taste the shrimp, Rob said, "Kind of" but ultimately we decided, "Well, the sauce is sweet". The sauce is actually a bit overpowering and the sushi roll filling acts more as a change of texture than it does offer distinct flavor.<br />
<br />
The </span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><u>Shrimp Twice</u></span></span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;"> roll used the common crab, avocado, and cucumber innards along with tempura shrimp inside and thin slices </span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SeKgtjhK6pI/AAAAAAAAEiU/YQutyJ4T_UE/s1600-h/Oriental+Spoon+-+Shrimp+Twice+Roll+%28041009%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; margin-right: 1em; cursor: pointer; width: 288px; height: 216px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SeKgtjhK6pI/AAAAAAAAEiU/YQutyJ4T_UE/s320/Oriental+Spoon+-+Shrimp+Twice+Roll+%28041009%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5323994413994273426" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">of shrim</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">p on top of the roll. The cream cheese shredded crab inside was actually almost as strong a flav</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">or as the "twice" shrimp, which left me thinking it would have been tough to taste the difference between this roll and a California Roll. When paying about $1 per bite of roll, I was hoping it would have melted in my mouth, but really just turned out to be about as average as expected.</span><br />
<br />
</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">Rob and I both thought the </span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><u>Crispy Hot</u></span></span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;"> roll was the best of the three. It also uses the shredded crab and cream cheese along with slices of avocado and c</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">ucu</span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SeKgtZ_EyUI/AAAAAAAAEiM/hgXx_8myqGU/s1600-h/Oriental+Spoon+-+Crispy+Hot+Roll+%28041009%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; margin-right: 1em; cursor: pointer; width: 288px; height: 216px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SeKgtZ_EyUI/AAAAAAAAEiM/hgXx_8myqGU/s320/Oriental+Spoon+-+Crispy+Hot+Roll+%28041009%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5323994411435346242" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">mber, but includes large shrimp inside the roll. The "hot" comes from spicy, delicious tuna and the "crispy" comes from tempura flakes. This roll easily had the most flavor of the three and the spice and crispy certainly made it more interesting and flavorful than the other two rolls. Rob did mention that the spice caught up with him a bit, so if you're meek on spices you may want to pass on this roll.<br />
<br />
Overall, Rob's takeaway comment was, "Well, it's certainly better sushi than you'd expect to find from a place like this in Factoria". The service is very quick and it is nice to be able to add some variety to the usual sandwich, Mexican, and Thai lunch cuisine. </span></span><br />
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/1/776993/restaurant/Seattle/Oriental-Spoon-Bellevue"><img alt="Oriental Spoon on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/776993/minilink.gif" style="border:none;width:130px;height:36px" /></a><br />
<script src="http://connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1"></script><fb:like href="http://www.entertainingfoodblog.com/2009/04/shrimp-twice-not-so-nice.html"></fb:like>Jared K. Wengerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08298552683281691371noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6037265664971871192.post-71497733640201211682009-04-12T17:17:00.000-07:002010-11-10T00:33:39.373-08:00"Diner...Evolved"<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:arial;" >Steelhead Diner - Eclectic Pacific Northwest (4.5 Stars)<br />
</span><a style="font-weight: bold; font-family: arial;" href="http://www.steelheaddiner.com/">http://www.steelheaddiner.com</a><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family:arial;">Had I known ahead of time that a sunny Saturday in Seattle would lead to the Pacific Place IMAX theater being sold out for hours on end, and had I known about Steelhead Diner before dinner that day, I would have s</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">uggested eating at *least* two meals there: one before, then after, a movie at Pacific Place. Fortunately, Christopher knew all about it and I was eager to try out his recommendation.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family:arial;">After briefly perusing the "diner" menu posted to the right of the restaurant's entrance, I was excited about how many of the dishes sounded </span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">so good! We entered through two large doors and were quickly gr</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">eeted by the hostess who informed us they were fully booked for the evening unless we wanted to sit at the kitchen bar or </span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">the central bar. We chose central bar which was a slender, 20-feet (or lo</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">nger) table of shared "bar" seating that ran the length of the restaurant. From one side it offers a great view of the chefs in the kitchen while the other side offers beautiful views of Elliott Bay and the Olympic mountains. (By contrast, the kitchen bar actuall</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">y runs the length of the kitchen and you sit less than two feet away from the chefs preparing your meal.)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family:arial;">In seeing there were so many dishes we both wanted to try, we ended up order</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">ing and sharing four. We decided on options from the savory starters, soups and salads, and vegetables and legumes portions of the menu, thoug</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">h they also have sections for sandwiches, field and stream, and sweet nothi</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">ngs (</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">the dessert offerings).</span><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">The first dish we started with wasn't ordered: various </span></span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><u>Homemade Bread with Chilled Herb Oil Butter</u></span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">. </span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SeKRJ85djaI/AAAAAAAAEhU/5G-JLLNnOvg/s1600-h/Steelhead+Diner+-+Rye+and+Cheese+Bread+%28040409%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; margin-right: 1em; cursor: pointer; width: 288px; height: 216px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SeKRJ85djaI/AAAAAAAAEhU/5G-JLLNnOvg/s200/Steelhead+Diner+-+Rye+and+Cheese+Bread+%28040409%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5323977309657337250" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">I didn't really have high expectations of good "bread and butter" given they're as ubiquitous as chips and salsa at a Mexican restaurant. However, the bread was actually amazing and I simply couldn't get enough of the </span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">butter.</span> <span style="font-family:arial;">The two breads they served were a cheddar sourdough and a light rye.<br />
</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">The cheddar bread was loaded with h</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">erbs and plenty of cheese and was soft on the inside wi</span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SeKQ2_aFtDI/AAAAAAAAEg8/rPEkCjWidEQ/s1600-h/Steelhead+Diner+-+Herbed+Butter+%28040409%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; margin-right: 1em; cursor: pointer; width: 288px; height: 216px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SeKQ2_aFtDI/AAAAAAAAEg8/rPEkCjWidEQ/s200/Steelhead+Diner+-+Herbed+Butter+%28040409%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5323976983913542706" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">th a slightly chewy crust. The rye bread had an even more chewy crust with firmer innards and lots of rye s</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">eeds throughout. Both were fresh and whet our appetites for more, especially when coupled with the large triangle "pat" of butter topped with herbs and olive oil. Not only could you dip your bread in</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;"> the oil, but the double dose of oil and butter was absolutely perfect and definitely unexpected.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family:arial;">The first ordered item that arrived was the </span></span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><u>Jumbo Lump Dungeness Crab Cake</u></span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">. Typically, crab cakes are a disappointment for me as they either </span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">have far too much mayonnaise or breadcrumbs. Steelhead's crab cake was a definite e</span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SeKRDWZc1CI/AAAAAAAAEhM/xNroYrtODKU/s1600-h/Steelhead+Diner+-+Jumbo+Lump+Dungeness+Crab+Cake+%28040409%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; margin-right: 1em; cursor: pointer; width: 288px; height: 216px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SeKRDWZc1CI/AAAAAAAAEhM/xNroYrtODKU/s200/Steelhead+Diner+-+Jumbo+Lump+Dungeness+Crab+Cake+%28040409%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5323977196243309602" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">xception as it could barely </span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">contain the huge pieces of crab meat held together by scallions and Sau</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">ce Louis (think spicy chili mayonnaise) and topped </span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">with crispy parsley. It is the most expensive appetizer on their menu (a full dollar more than the Caviar Pie), but was easily large enough for the two of us to share. The Sauce Louis is quite spicy and very flavorful, though it managed t</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">o</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;"> enhance and not mask the sweet richness of the Dungeness crab. In all, just perfect.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family:arial;">From the soup and salad menu, we ordered the </span></span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><u>La Ribolita</u></span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">. This hearty, chunky, vegetarian Italian soup </span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">was chalk full of white beans, black bea</span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SeKSCPJKU_I/AAAAAAAAEhc/IwHQunn3lrc/s1600-h/Steelhead+Diner+-+Ribolita+%28040409%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; margin-right: 1em; cursor: pointer; width: 288px; height: 216px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SeKSCPJKU_I/AAAAAAAAEhc/IwHQunn3lrc/s200/Steelhead+Diner+-+Ribolita+%28040409%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5323978276627698674" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">ns, celery, potatoes, tomatoes, onions, and spinach, and was circled by fresh and chewy torn garlic bread and fruity olive oil. The vegetables were cooked perfectly as they still had great texture and could be tasted separately. This large bowl was about </span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">the same price as the crab cake and more than enough to serve two. This soup would be an excellent choice for vegetarians or anyone who wants a hearty, filling entree replacement that won't weigh you down.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family:arial;">The </span></span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><u>Jumbo Asparagus with Marcona Almonds and Crispy Capers</u></span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;"> was</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;"> next. I had never heard of</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;"> "jumbo asparagus" before and firmly held the belief that asparagus too</span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SeKRDC8EZ1I/AAAAAAAAEhE/Y-q_5_xn94U/s1600-h/Steelhead+Diner+-+Jumbo+Asparagus+with+Crispy+Capers+%28040409%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; margin-right: 1em; cursor: pointer; width: 288px; height: 216px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SeKRDC8EZ1I/AAAAAAAAEhE/Y-q_5_xn94U/s200/Steelhead+Diner+-+Jumbo+Asparagus+with+Crispy+Capers+%28040409%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5323977191019800402" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;"> thick was woody and chewy and bad. These couldn't have proven that theory more wrong. The thick, chunky, diagonal cuts of asparagus were a perfect match to the large Marcona almonds and held up well against the salty, fried pops of crispy capers. Even after trying each dish on the table, both Christopher and I kept coming</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;"> back to the asparagus as our favorite dish on the table. Christopher even mentioned: "I just want more of that taste in my mouth!"</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family:arial;">Our final choice for dinner was something we hoped would be decadent (and we chose it instead of a dessert): the </span></span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><u>Baked Macaroni</u></span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;"> (think macaroni and cheese). Grana Padano and Sharp Cheddar Cheese marry beautifully in a traditional bechamel sauce. The pasta is then baked to caramelize the to</span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SeKQ2jB0ztI/AAAAAAAAEg0/nsDwJaipPSk/s1600-h/Steelhead+Diner+-+Baked+Macroni+%28040409%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; margin-right: 1em; cursor: pointer; width: 288px; height: 216px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SeKQ2jB0ztI/AAAAAAAAEg0/nsDwJaipPSk/s200/Steelhead+Diner+-+Baked+Macroni+%28040409%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5323976976295579346" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">p and served in a ramekin just larg</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">e enough to feed two if you're sampling more than one dish.<br />
<br />
While the sauce was rich, I felt the flavor was a bit too singular. The Grana Padano offered too much bite and left me thinking "This is Parmesan macaroni". I wish the dish would have been rounded out with Fontina, Jack, or even Gruyere for more depth and less sharpness. Even something like fresh cracked black pepper would have helped. This is the only reason the review is 4.5 Stars instead of 5 Stars. (It's tough for me to award 5 Stars when I happen to like my own recipe for Mac 'n Cheese a lot more than the restaurant's.</span>)<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family:arial;">With nearly 50 constantly rotated menu items, Steelhead Diner is certainly a "must recommend" restaurant for me. In fac</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">t, I haven't stopped talking about it and have already recommended it to at least 10 friends.</span> </span><br />
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/1/55078/restaurant/Downtown/Steelhead-Diner-Seattle"><img alt="Steelhead Diner on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/55078/minilink.gif" style="border:none;width:130px;height:36px" /></a><br />
<script src="http://connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1"></script><fb:like href="http://www.entertainingfoodblog.com/2009/04/dinerevolved.html"></fb:like>Jared K. Wengerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08298552683281691371noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6037265664971871192.post-44795491766749806292009-04-04T23:13:00.001-07:002010-11-10T00:33:55.427-08:00Since When Are Samosas Served Chilled?<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:arial;" >Pabla Vegetarian Cuisine - Kosher, Vegetarian Indian Fare (1 Star)<br />
</span><a style="font-weight: bold; font-family: arial;" href="http://www.pablacuisine.com/">http://www.pablacuisine.com</a><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family:arial;">This will be my shortest and most negative review. Ever. Hopefully, it will never happen again. Yes, that's 1 Star.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family:arial;">The restaurant had a buffet warmer issue and a few of the burners had to be turned off. As a result, several of the entrees in the buffet were cold. </span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SdhPKoRMWvI/AAAAAAAAEdU/TfsittMlkL4/s1600-h/Pabla+Vegetarian+Cuisine+-+Buffet+02+%28040309%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; margin-right: 1em; cursor: pointer; width: 288px; height: 216px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SdhPKoRMWvI/AAAAAAAAEdU/TfsittMlkL4/s320/Pabla+Vegetarian+Cuisine+-+Buffet+02+%28040309%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321090003765058290" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">At an Indian restaurant where sauce is king and things like rice and naan serve only as vehicles to get more sauce to your lips, cold entrees are pretty much the last thing you want on your plate. The flavors were also so-so, but as they were cold it's tough to really know how flavorful each dish could have been.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family:arial;">When I spoke with one of the employees there, she explained what hap</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">pened and apologized. Carrie later asked if they offered to refund my money, but it didn't cross my mind to even ask for a refund.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family:arial;">As an additional note, this "buffet" only offered 20 items. That includes only five entrees, rice and naan, a few sauces (yes, these count as part of the 20 items offered), samosas and pakoras, salad and salad dressing, and two desserts. This was quite disappointing as it's easily three times smaller than the Pabla India Grill buffet in Tukwila (which was recently rated a solid 4 Stars).<br />
<br />
Even if the food had been spectacular, I'm not sure I could recommend more than 3 Stars for this limited buffet </span></span><br />
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/1/43604/restaurant/Seattle/Pabla-Veggie-Cuisine-Issaquah"><img alt="Pabla Veggie Cuisine on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/43604/minilink.gif" style="border:none;width:130px;height:36px" /></a><br />
<script src="http://connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1"></script><fb:like href="http://www.entertainingfoodblog.com/2009/04/since-when-are-samosas-served-chilled.html"></fb:like>Jared K. Wengerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08298552683281691371noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6037265664971871192.post-42605789659344522862009-04-04T22:11:00.001-07:002010-11-10T00:34:11.084-08:00Flaky, Fried, Tasty Corn Dough? Yes, Please!<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:arial;" >Huarachitos Mexican Taqueria - Mexican (4 Stars)<br />
</span><a style="font-weight: bold; font-family: arial;" href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/huarachitos-mexican-taqueria-seattle">http://www.yelp.com/biz/huarachitos-mexican-taqueria-seattle</a><br />
<a style="font-weight: bold; font-family: arial;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/93204832@N00/3346971528/">http://www.flickr.com/photos/93204832@N00/3346971528/</a><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:arial;" > </span><span style="font-family:arial;">(Interior)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family:arial;">I had read several times that the recently opened Huarachitos was the place to go for authentic Mexican fare in Seattle. Having received high praise on Yelp and Urban Spoon, and given Steve and my recent whining about lackluster "Mexican" food, we decided to give it a try.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family:arial;">The restaurant is quite small, but has a lovely open kitchen where all the food is prepared in plain sight. The owner, A</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">nna, greeted us warmly and later confided that they had opened five months ago and she and her husband, the chef, had plans of adding alcoholic beverage service later this summer along with a nice deck outside. (She als</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">o has a thing for well-made margaritas and loves tequila, so expect to see them offered soo</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">n.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family:arial;">While looking over the menu, we noticed a few typos. Neither of us would have said anything, but Anna actually pointed it out (along with a mildly embarrassed laugh). She then proceeded to blame her husband and his menu layout program for the errors. It's always the chef's fault, isn't it? She then offered to bring us chips and salsa.</span><br />
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</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">For </span></span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><u>Guacamole and Chips</u></span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">, Huarachitos really delivers. The verde salsa is quite spicy and has a</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;"> really tasty green chilies flavor. </span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SdhIAjbEwRI/AAAAAAAAEc8/DgASxmd5Gkc/s1600-h/Huarachitos+Mexican+Taqueria+-+Chips,+Salsa,+and+Guacamole+%28033009%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; margin-right: 1em; cursor: pointer; width: 288px; height: 216px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SdhIAjbEwRI/AAAAAAAAEc8/DgASxmd5Gkc/s320/Huarachitos+Mexican+Taqueria+-+Chips,+Salsa,+and+Guacamole+%28033009%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321082134084239634" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">Steve found it too spicy but did love the sweet and smoky rojo salsa with tomatoes and chipotle peppers. Freshly fried and topped with salt and black pepper, the chips were good enough to eat by themselves! Combined with the chunky, fresh, cotija-topped guacamole, you could easily get carried away and stuff yourself well before any entree arrived.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family:arial;">In response to "What's the best item on your menu?", Anna had mentioned several meat dishes. When asked specifically about a veg</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">etarian dish, she pointed to </span></span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><u>Huaraches Estilo DF</u></span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">: </span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SdhIA4GnBAI/AAAAAAAAEdE/7L9iEn57ZLs/s1600-h/Huarachitos+Mexican+Taqueria+-+Huaraches+Estilo+DF+%28033009%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; margin-right: 1em; cursor: pointer; width: 288px; height: 216px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SdhIA4GnBAI/AAAAAAAAEdE/7L9iEn57ZLs/s320/Huarachitos+Mexican+Taqueria+-+Huaraches+Estilo+DF+%28033009%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321082139635549186" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">a handmade, thick, flaky corn tortilla topped with beans, lettuce, cheese, onions, and "mixed vegetables". Steve thought maybe the vegetables were prepared from a frozen mixed veggies bag because it had broccoli and "Who's ever heard of broccoli in Mexican food?" That said, the tortilla was incredibly delicious, the toppings were plentiful and well-cooked, and Steve was quite happ</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">y with his choice.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family:arial;">I decided to go for the </span></span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><u>Gorditas</u></span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">. Both these and the Estillo DF use the same dough base for the tortilla, but the Gorditas </span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SdhIA4k6oNI/AAAAAAAAEdM/BbnbcK353pU/s1600-h/Huarachitos+Mexican+Taqueria+-+Gorditas+con+Pollo+%28033009%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; margin-right: 1em; cursor: pointer; width: 288px; height: 216px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SdhIA4k6oNI/AAAAAAAAEdM/BbnbcK353pU/s320/Huarachitos+Mexican+Taqueria+-+Gorditas+con+Pollo+%28033009%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321082139762663634" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">are small rounds that are fried then split and stuffed with cotija cheese, shredded chicken, onions, cilantro, and tons of shredded lettuce. Steve commented "That actually looks really healthy" once he saw all the greenery pouring out of the tortillas. These are probably the most delicious "Mexican" item I've ever had. I was dead set on taking one of them home, but after the first few bites it was a lost cause.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family:arial;">Two things of note. First, with both of our entrees (and from what I can see, the rest of the entrees on the menu), there are no ubiquitous "b</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">eans and rice" sides on every plate. If you have a voracious appetite, you can always order bean and rice sides for $2 each. Second, they are not yet serving desserts. Anna did mention they intend to start serving flan in a few weeks and possibly a tres leches cake starting this summer. Though, in all honesty, you probably wouldn't have room for dessert anyway.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family:arial;">Overall, I was impressed and will </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:arial;" >definitely</span><span style="font-family:arial;"> be returning (especially once flan is on the menu).</span> </span><br />
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/1/1415917/restaurant/Columbia-City/Huarachitos-Mexican-TaquerIa-Seattle"><img alt="Huarachitos Mexican Taquería on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1415917/minilink.gif" style="border:none;width:130px;height:36px" /></a><br />
<script src="http://connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1"></script><fb:like href="http://www.entertainingfoodblog.com/2009/04/flaky-fried-tasty-corn-dough-yes-please.html"></fb:like>Jared K. Wengerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08298552683281691371noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6037265664971871192.post-22117060137961909242009-04-04T21:13:00.000-07:002010-11-10T00:35:21.607-08:00White Meat's Dark Side<span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: bold;">Bai Tong - Thai (4 Stars)</span><br />
<a href="http://www.baitongrestaurant.com/" style="font-family: arial; font-weight: bold;">http://www.baitongrestaurant.com</a><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial;">I had been craving sushi and used my handy-dandy G1 phone application to find a sushi restaurant near where I had been shopping. It turns out Miyabi, the very well reviewed restaurant I had chosen for lunch, wasn't open on Sundays and apparently only recently opened on Saturdays as flyers in the windows said "Now open all day Saturday!" Much to my dismay, I took another look through the strip mall and decided on an old standby for me: Thai.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial;">O</span></span><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-family: arial;">nce inside, I was surprised at the number of awards (including being Zagat rated) and newspaper articles framed on the walls. I suddenly ratcheted up my expectations a</span></span><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-family: arial;">nd decided to order an appetizer, a soup, and an entree from their over 60 menu items. Fortunately, Bai Tong </span></span><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-family: arial;">did not disappoint.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial;">The first recommended item I ordered was from their appetizer menu: </span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><u>Gai Hor Bai Toey</u></span></span><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-family: arial;">. Their online menu actually reads: "All we can say is, if you don't like this one we will give you money b</span></span><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/Sdg8OWmljNI/AAAAAAAAEck/uSwHQASpqa4/s1600-h/Baitong+-+Gai+Hor+Bai+Toey+%28032909%29.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321069177021500626" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/Sdg8OWmljNI/AAAAAAAAEck/uSwHQASpqa4/s320/Baitong+-+Gai+Hor+Bai+Toey+%28032909%29.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 216px; margin: 1em 1em 1em 0pt; width: 288px;" /></a><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-family: arial;">ack. This is our favorite at all time." So really, how can you go wrong? Well, unfortunately, it did not mention it was dark meat chicken (which I just can't stomach for some reason). Though beautifully prepared in grilled herb leaves, two bites was all I could tolerate. The sauce was a sweet, slightly smoky soy-based glaze and was delicious. If you don't mind the dark meat, this really would be a wonderful appetizer.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial;">N</span></span><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-family: arial;">ext </span></span><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-family: arial;">arrived the </span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><u>Tom Kah Gai</u></span></span><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> which is quite probably my favor</span></span><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-family: arial;">ite soup ever. The top of the so</span></span><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-family: arial;">up was actually a bit frothy which is something I </span></span><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/Sdg8OkxF0II/AAAAAAAAEcs/fGPkWacDJPw/s1600-h/Baitong+-+Tom+Kah+Gai+%28032909%29.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321069180823654530" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/Sdg8OkxF0II/AAAAAAAAEcs/fGPkWacDJPw/s320/Baitong+-+Tom+Kah+Gai+%28032909%29.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 216px; margin: 1em 1em 1em 0pt; width: 288px;" /></a><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-family: arial;">had not seen before. The "broth" itself was hot (thanks to the chilies) and sour (thanks to the lemongrass, galanga root, and lime juice and leaves) and had a creamy, luxurious consistency that I've come to love with coconut milk based soups. The chicken was plentiful and there were quite a few mushrooms (no button mushrooms here, sorry, Ryan) swimming under the cilantro and scallions. I simply could not get enough of the soup and barely had any left to doggy bag.<br />
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Finally, I ordered my absolute favorite Thai dish: </span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><u>Green Curry</u></span></span><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-family: arial;">, with chicken of course. As always, I asked for them to</span></span><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/Sdg8O-a8O-I/AAAAAAAAEc0/LSSB6oMxD6s/s1600-h/Baitong+-+Green+Curry+with+Chicken+02+%28032909%29.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321069187710073826" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/Sdg8O-a8O-I/AAAAAAAAEc0/LSSB6oMxD6s/s320/Baitong+-+Green+Curry+with+Chicken+02+%28032909%29.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 216px; margin: 1em 1em 1em 0pt; width: 288px;" /></a><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> add "extra mixed vegetables" so it came with the basic bamboo shoots, basil, and red bell pepper along with cabbage, carrots, and mushrooms. I later asked how spicy this dish was prepared and I was told "zero stars, no spice". This was actually quite spicy, so be forewarned if you don't like to sweat or get the sniffles while in public. Of course, I could hardly offer up a fuss when the silky broth kept me seriously interested in finishing the bowl.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial;">The Green Curry and Tom Kah Gai were easily some of the best I've had and I will definitely be back soon.</span><br />
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/1/1238230/restaurant/Seattle/Bai-Tong-Thai-Restaurant-Tukwila"><img alt="Bai Tong Thai Restaurant on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1238230/minilink.gif" style="border:none;width:130px;height:36px" /></a><br />
<script src="http://connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1"></script><fb:like href="http://www.entertainingfoodblog.com/2009/04/white-meats-dark-side.html"></fb:like>Jared K. Wengerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08298552683281691371noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6037265664971871192.post-74116944374697365662009-04-04T01:26:00.000-07:002009-04-14T12:30:11.837-07:00Polls, Interactive Changes, And More!<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">It's been just over two months since I started writing Entertaining Food. In that time, I've reviewed over 20 restaurants, had hundreds of visitors from nine different countries, and received helpful hints on everything from where I should dine next to how to better my (admittedly horrendous) food photography skills. (I am trying. Hopefully upcoming photos starting with Pabla Vegetarian Cuisine will be better!)<br /><br />In appreciation of the IMs, texts, and email I've received from my friends (especially), family, and complete strangers, I've included three new ways to be interactive and help me improve this blog!<br /><br />First, I'm now featuring a "Cuisine Most In Need Of Review" poll for two week intervals that lists six different cuisines. Please vote for your favorite(s) and I'll choose a restaurant twice a month that fits the winning category.<br /><br />Second, at the bottom of each post are three new "Reactions". Basically, this gives me an idea as to whether or not you are finding the review helpful because: it sounds delicious and you found it interesting; you're actually going to visit that restaurant; or for whatever reason it wasn't really your cup of tea but you read it anyway. Regardless of your choice, you can still add full comments by following the comment link.<br /><br />Third, if you would like to create your own link to any particular review, there is now that option along with an easy icon for sending a link to a post via email to your friends, coworkers, relatives, etc.<br /><br />I hope you enjoy the updates thus far and thanks for supporting Entertaining Food!<br /></span></span>Jared K. Wengerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08298552683281691371noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6037265664971871192.post-44196524739838251822009-03-31T14:29:00.000-07:002010-11-10T00:35:55.384-08:00Black, Pink, And Yellow Chum-Chum, Oh, My!<span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">Pabla India Grill - Indian Cuisine (4 Stars)<br />
</span><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.pablacuisine.com/">http://www.pablacuisine.com</a><br />
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Chris and Ryan left on separate two-week vacations, which left me bored, lonely, and completely up to my own devices. In general, that means I want to eat something and I had been dying for some good Indian food. In searching for a place to eat, I realized I had ordered in from three different Indian restaurants via 2GoServices.com, so I set out in search of one that I knew existed somewhere amidst the throng of store fronts in the Tukwila/Southcenter area.<br />
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Thankfully, it wasn't long before I stumbled upon Pa</span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >bla India Grill. Despite having a few locations in the Seattle metropolitan area (including a fully vegetarian and Kosher restaurant in Renton</span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >), their family business actually began over 60 years ago in India.<br />
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I parked, got out of the car, and walked up to the windows to see if they had a menu posted. Somehow I completely missed the gigantic, across-the-bottom-of-every-window, sign that says, "Buffet Served 7 Days a Week". Had I know that before entering, I would have been more successful in avoiding the ridiculous need to feed that tempts my very soul each time I see vats of delicious smelling food taunting me from steaming serving hotel serving trays. WHEW!<br />
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Although buffets do not lend themselves to good picture taking, mostly due to the fact that you pile your plate high wi</span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >th a dozen offerings each time you pass through the </span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >service tables (and because I'm really just not gifted in the picture-taking department), they do provide the fantastic </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SdKhpK2Y3PI/AAAAAAAAEcE/Tn4I6hR_fME/s1600-h/Pabla+India+Grill+-+Buffet+Plate+%28032809%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; margin-right: 1em; cursor: pointer; width: 288px; height: 216px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SdKhpK2Y3PI/AAAAAAAAEcE/Tn4I6hR_fME/s320/Pabla+India+Grill+-+Buffet+Plate+%28032809%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5319491838537161970" border="0" /></a><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >opportunity to try a ton of dishes in whatever quantity</span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" > your heart desires, and spend next to nothing in the process. The buffet here is under $10 and more than worth the "Hamilton".<br />
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Starting at the top right of the photo and moving clockwise, here are the 11 dishes I tried:<br />
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1. </span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><u>Pabla Shahi Paneer</u></span></span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >. The paneer was tender, but firm, and so delicious. It was found swimming in peppers, onions, and tomatoes and I could not get enough of this vegetarian offering.<br />
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2. </span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><u>Mixed Vegetable Curry</u></span></span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >. Carrots, peas, and other vegetables were simmered with a delicious sauce and plenty of spices.<br />
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3. </span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><u>Garlic Nan</u></span></span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >. They do offer non-garlic nan, but really...what's the point? The nan was fresh, flaky and crispy, and charred just enough to really bring out the flavor of the bread.<br />
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<span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >4. </span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><u>Saag Paneer</u></span></span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >. Okay, I admit: I'm addicted to paneer! Anytime I see those white triangles or cubes bobbing in a savory sauce, I can't help but order it. Besides, with that much spinach and broccoli along with spices bringing a medium-heat, it's impossible to go wrong.<br />
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</span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >5. </span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><u>Pulao Rice</u></span></span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >. The saffron flavored rice is cooked with peas and various spices. It was moist, well-cooked, warm, and earthy.</span><br />
<span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" ><br />
6. </span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><u>Chicken Masala</u></span></span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >. The white meat chicken was tender and the spices and I didn't leave a drop of sauce on the plate (sauce really is the absolute best thing about Indian food!).<br />
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</span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >7. </span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><u>Vegetable Pakora</u></span></span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >. The mixed vegetables are deep-fried "fritters" and include potatoes, cauliflower, and eggplant. The breading was perhaps a bit too thick as the vegetable pieces were small and overwhelmed by the batter. You can definitely taste each of the separate vegetables, though the finish was oily.<br />
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8. </span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><u>Punjabi Vindaloo</u></span></span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" > (I think). The potatoes and tomatoes are cooked with vinegar and spices leaving the potatoes extremely tender.<br />
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<span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >9. </span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><u>Tandoori Chicken</u></span></span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >. Unfortunately, this is mostly dark meat and served on the bone, but I did scoop up the onions and they were quite good. Tender, but still a bit firm, the bright red tandoori onions were smoky and delicious.<br />
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10. Well, you've got me here. Normally I visit the restaurant's website if my memory becomes fuzzy, but in this case they've only listed their vegetarian dishes and haven't updated to include Tukwila's menu. It was Chicken Something Or Other. It was not as tender as the Chicken Tikki Masala, but the sauce was more buttery and creamy.<br />
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11. </span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><u>Vegetable Samosa</u></span></span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >. The flaky, crispy dough is packed full of well-spiced potatoes and peas. I dare you to eat just one! These are possibly the best samosas I've had and are well worth the taste.<br />
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Overall the spices were a smidge beyond "mild" with the Pabla Shahi Paneer and the Mixed Vegetable Curry actually being more spicy than I had expected for a regular buff</span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >et. I really enjoyed the buffet and completely forgot to check out the entire second table of cold foods (desserts, yogurts, sauces, fruit, and salads).<br />
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On my way out of the restaurant, I passed by a display case stuffed with vibrant, beautiful sweets. I had only experienced Indian sweets once and that was a few years ago when a team member had been home to India and brought us </span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >back some homemade goodies. </span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >I had no idea what the</span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" > names of the sweets were, </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SdKho9goNJI/AAAAAAAAEb8/TRuFmRats3c/s1600-h/Pabla+India+Grill+-+Assorted+Sweets+02+%28032809%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; margin-right: 1em; cursor: pointer; width: 288px; height: 216px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SdKho9goNJI/AAAAAAAAEb8/TRuFmRats3c/s320/Pabla+India+Grill+-+Assorted+Sweets+02+%28032809%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5319491834956231826" border="0" /></a><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >so I just pointed </span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >to everything on the top shelf and asked for one of each. The owner wrote down the names on the back of my Grand Opening Coupon that I could use on my next visit.<br />
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</span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >Starting on the left of the take-home dessert box:<br />
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1. </span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><u>Rasgula</u></span></span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >, or Indian Milk Balls, is a dessert made by adding lemon juice to boiling milk to separate the whey and solids (a.k.a. making "paneer"). The solids are then drained and mixed with cardamom, then later boiled in sugar syrup. These are quite tasty, only lightly sweet, but a good bit more firm than a donut hole because of the cheese base.<br />
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2. The other three sweets are various forms of </span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><u>Chum-Chum</u></span></span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" > and are named for their color: black, yellow, and pink. They use the same initial process as the Rasgula above (create paneer), but also have a filling of cream, powdered sugar, and Khoya (think less moist ricotta cheese). The black has the most distinct flavor which was sweet and mild (a bit like a dense, plain donut), while the yellow and pink both tasted of banana to me. All three use the same filling and are sprinkled with nuts.<br />
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Bottom line: For accessible, delicious, inexpensive Indian food, I'd certainly suggest Pabla as the place to go, especially if you're at all hesitant about trying Indian cuisine.</span><br />
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/1/1489754/restaurant/Seattle/Pabla-India-Grill-Tukwila"><img alt="Pabla India Grill on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1489754/minilink.gif" style="border:none;width:130px;height:36px" /></a><br />
<script src="http://connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1"></script><fb:like href="http://www.entertainingfoodblog.com/2009/03/black-pink-and-yellow-chum-chum-oh-my.html"></fb:like>Jared K. Wengerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08298552683281691371noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6037265664971871192.post-34178695154522976562009-03-31T13:29:00.000-07:002010-11-10T00:41:17.953-08:00The Trouble With Tartar Sauce<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Bamboo Bar and Grill - Tropical Bar Fare (3.5 Stars)<br />
</span><a href="http://www.bamboobarandgrill.com/" style="font-weight: bold;">http://www.bamboobarandgrill.com</a><br />
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Despite being the primary place in Alki (or even West Seattle) where Ryan, Chris, and I dine, it had been almost two months since we last ate at Bamboo. As always, manager Sarah was there, gave us big hugs, got us caught up on her man news, and instructed us to come for lunch as she apparently hired and impossibly cute bartender to work days. (It's now only a matter of time until we attend brunch.)<br />
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Sarah guided us over to the bar and our waitress decided we were youthful enough to deserve being carded. Aaaah, the naivety of kids these days! Ryan ord</span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;">ered his usual 25-oun</span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;">ce Manny's beer and we began perusing the menu. (I stuck with the really hard stuff: tap water on the rocks.)<br />
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Ryan finally decided on the <span style="font-size: 100%;"><u>Chicken and Sausage Fettuccine.</u></span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;"> It usually comes </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;">with chicken and Italian sausage, peppers, <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SdKIn5hls_I/AAAAAAAAEbk/zGLdzI-5FLk/s1600-h/Bamboo+Bar+and+Grill+-+Chicken+and+Sausage+Fettuccini+%28032609%29.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5319464328915956722" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SdKIn5hls_I/AAAAAAAAEbk/zGLdzI-5FLk/s320/Bamboo+Bar+and+Grill+-+Chicken+and+Sausage+Fettuccini+%28032609%29.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 216px; margin: 1em 1em 1em 0pt; width: 288px;" /></a></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;">mushrooms, and onions in a rose sauce, but Ryan </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;">asked them to replace the rose with their Alfredo sauce. The waitress commented that was a really good suggestion and she wanted to try it. The serving was</span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;"> quite large with plenty of sauce covering green and red bell peppers, garnished with a handf</span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;">ul of parsley, and left Ryan commenting, "It was delicious". It's tough to go wrong with pasta and I have to admit: I wanted to order that!<br />
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With the recent Keg Halibit and Chips review, I was hankering for some crispy breaded fish and tartar sauce. (Ryan was actually going to order this, b</span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;">ut when he found out they used sweet pickles instead of dill in the tartar sauce, he opted for the pasta.)<br />
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I was actually disappointed w</span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;">ith the thinness of the fillets for Bamboo's </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><u>Halibut and Chips</u></span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;"> as the ratio of breading to fillet was nearly equal and the fish seemed slightly overcooked because of it. </span><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SdKIn8_pmcI/AAAAAAAAEbs/8WtYoBDR-v8/s1600-h/Bamboo+Bar+and+Grill+-+Halibut+and+Chips+%28032609%29.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5319464329847347650" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SdKIn8_pmcI/AAAAAAAAEbs/8WtYoBDR-v8/s320/Bamboo+Bar+and+Grill+-+Halibut+and+Chips+%28032609%29.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 216px; margin: 1em 1em 1em 0pt; width: 288px;" /></a><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;">The breading was actually very light and crispy, did not taste oil</span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;">y, and well-covered the fish. Unfortunately, it leads one to believe it came from a freezer bag and wasn't made from</span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;"> scratch (though I didn't actually ask for confirmation of that). The entree comes with a very sweet tropical "coleslaw" that has pineapple, carrots, and cabbage, along with a sweet dressing. I wasn't prepared for such a sharp contrast to how coleslaw is usually prepared, so it took me a few bites to start enjoying it.<br />
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Along with my fish, and instead of the "chips" (which is probably why the plate above looks so empty), I ordered Bamboo's <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SdKIoKN89rI/AAAAAAAAEb0/a55Yrha8e9E/s1600-h/Bamboo+Bar+and+Grill+-+Side+Salad+%28032609%29.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5319464333396997810" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SdKIoKN89rI/AAAAAAAAEb0/a55Yrha8e9E/s320/Bamboo+Bar+and+Grill+-+Side+Salad+%28032609%29.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 216px; margin: 1em 1em 1em 0pt; width: 288px;" /></a></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><u>House Side Salad</u></span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;">. Side salads are generally safe bets and this proved to be no exception. Their ranch dressing is very good and I like the almost deconstructed serving of lettuces with a thick slice of cucumber and tomato, along with black olives and thinly sliced red onion.<br />
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Chris was actually able to join us later in the meal, so we had their regular </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><u>Cheese Burger</u></span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;"> <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SdKInvGF5jI/AAAAAAAAEbc/zavEvQB11S0/s1600-h/Bamboo+Bar+and+Grill+-+Cheeseburger+%28032609%29.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5319464326116271666" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_vKaXM5lYSAY/SdKInvGF5jI/AAAAAAAAEbc/zavEvQB11S0/s320/Bamboo+Bar+and+Grill+-+Cheeseburger+%28032609%29.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 216px; margin: 1em 1em 1em 0pt; width: 288px;" /></a>ordered and waiting for him when he showed. As mentioned before, their burgers are actually quite tasty (though the thick-cut fries</span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;"> were the first thing to go missing from his plate). Despite how the picture looks, the top of the bun is actually covering the tomato, lettuce, red onion, and pickles that come standard with all of their burgers. Chris polished off the burger in record time amidst group work chatter and talking about the two-week vacations he and Ryan were due to start later that weekend.<br />
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Despite an underwhelming fish entree, both Ryan and Chris' menu choices were strong enough to retain Bamboo's 3.5 Star rating.</span><br />
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/1/5994/restaurant/West-Seattle/Bamboo-Bar-Grill-Seattle"><img alt="Bamboo Bar & Grill on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/5994/minilink.gif" style="border: medium none; height: 36px; width: 130px;" /></a><br />
<script src="http://connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1"></script><fb:like href="http://www.entertainingfoodblog.com/2009/03/trouble-with-tartar-sauce.html"></fb:like>Jared K. Wengerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08298552683281691371noreply@blogger.com4