Hook, Line, and Sinker

Trapper's Sushi - Sushi (3.5 Stars)
http://www.sushitownbonneylake.com/

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.

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.

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 Trapper combined a roll of tempura Crystal shrimp wrapped with seaweed 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.

The second roll that arrived was the Willis. 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) 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.

Bonney Lake 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. 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.

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.

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.

Oh, Pabla: Why Are You So Delicious?

Pabla India Grill - Indian Cuisine (4.5 Stars)
http://www.pablacuisine.com

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.

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, pakora, 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.

The Vegetable Samosas 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 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.

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 Chicken Pakoras. 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".

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. The Garlic Nan 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.

Chris waffles between Chicken Tikka Masala and Butter Chicken as his must-have entree and the former won out during this 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.

As for me being hooked, my new favorite entree is the Pabla Special Masala, mainly because I adore anything with paneer in it. That said, the quartered mushrooms, 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.

As has been our tradition for a while now, we generally end our meal with Kheer. 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 cardamom and almonds. The kheer is served chilled and we've yet to eat just one bowl of it while attending the lunchtime buffet.

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.

Since When Are Samosas Served Chilled?

Pabla Vegetarian Cuisine - Kosher, Vegetarian Indian Fare (1 Star)
http://www.pablacuisine.com

This will be my shortest and most negative review. Ever. Hopefully, it will never happen again. Yes, that's 1 Star.

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. 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.

When I spoke with one of the employees there, she explained what happened 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.

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).

Even if the food had been spectacular, I'm not sure I could recommend more than 3 Stars for this limited buffet

Black, Pink, And Yellow Chum-Chum, Oh, My!

Pabla India Grill - Indian Cuisine (4 Stars)
http://www.pablacuisine.com

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.

Thankfully, it wasn't long before I stumbled upon Pabla India Grill. Despite having a few locations in the Seattle metropolitan area (including a fully vegetarian and Kosher restaurant in Renton), their family business actually began over 60 years ago in India.

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!

Although buffets do not lend themselves to good picture taking, mostly due to the fact that you pile your plate high with a dozen offerings each time you pass through the service tables (and because I'm really just not gifted in the picture-taking department), they do provide the fantastic opportunity to try a ton of dishes in whatever quantity your heart desires, and spend next to nothing in the process. The buffet here is under $10 and more than worth the "Hamilton".

Starting at the top right of the photo and moving clockwise, here are the 11 dishes I tried:

1. Pabla Shahi Paneer. 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.

2. Mixed Vegetable Curry. Carrots, peas, and other vegetables were simmered with a delicious sauce and plenty of spices.

3. Garlic Nan. 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.

4. Saag Paneer. 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.

5. Pulao Rice. The saffron flavored rice is cooked with peas and various spices. It was moist, well-cooked, warm, and earthy.

6. Chicken Masala. 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!).

7. Vegetable Pakora. 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.

8. Punjabi Vindaloo (I think). The potatoes and tomatoes are cooked with vinegar and spices leaving the potatoes extremely tender.

9. Tandoori Chicken. 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.

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.

11. Vegetable Samosa. 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.

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 buffet. I really enjoyed the buffet and completely forgot to check out the entire second table of cold foods (desserts, yogurts, sauces, fruit, and salads).

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 back some homemade goodies. I had no idea what the names of the sweets were, so I just pointed 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.

Starting on the left of the take-home dessert box:

1. Rasgula, 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.

2. The other three sweets are various forms of Chum-Chum 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.

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.