I recently did a fabulous caviar tasting at Seattle Caviar Company and now I’m hooked! I knew I liked caviar before but I didn’t know how many different types of caviar there are and what the differences were. Owner Betsy Sherrow and her friendly staff are so helpful and make the tasting so much fun! They do a caviar tasting with champagne every Thursday so sign up and go…you’ll be happy you did:)
In my most recent issue of Bon Appétit I came across the taco recipes and couldn’t wait to try them out…so I put my magazine in my purse and headed straight to the grocery store! I decided to try out the homemade chorizo for my first batch along with the homemade corn tortillas (so excited to finally use the tortilla press I registered for:)) and the pickled red onions.
I’m just going to post the chorizo recipe however if you’re interested in the tortillas and/or pickled onions just go HERE and HERE. I know you’re probably not going to believe me but this recipe is SUPER easy and so delicious! My husband had to talk himself out of eating everything I made because he knew he wouldn’t feel good. The good news is the chorizo saves well and is great with some scrambled eggs, avocado and tortillas. Yum!
This post is very overdue but I just wanted to say congrats to local chef Tom Douglas for his much deserved win for Outstanding Restauranteur from the James Beard Foundation. I may be biased because I’m from Seattle but Tom is outstanding in all that he does. From the restaurants that he has opened and runs to the cookbooks and spices and to the events and philanthropic work he does…he’s amazing! Short and sweet…congrats Tom…you earned this!!!
Since going to Melrose Market for the first time I’ve had a serious urge to go back so my husband and I tried Terra Plata for dinner the other night. It was a gorgeous night as we were going home from the airport and since they were still open we went for it!
The decor combines exposed wood beam ceilings with steel…it’s beautiful and what I often refer to as contemporary Northwest architecture. Philip Christofides of Arellano Christofides is responsible for this gorgeous space (in collaboration with owners Tamara Murphy and Linda Morton).
The food was outstanding as well! So flavorful that midway through the meal we ordered some bread just so we could sop up what was left on our plates:) We started with the Shisito peppers. Anytime I see those on a menu I always order them. We were lucky this time and didn’t get a hot one…nice! For my entrée I chose the Sea Bream with chorizo, clams, preserved lemon and tomatoes…awesome! I would order this again in a heartbeat. And for dessert…who can say no to homemade churros? Not us! Great choice and I can’t wait to go back. Maybe next time for brunch!
Blistered Shisito Peppers – aioli, sea salt
Crispy Brussels Sprouts – serrano ham, maple, rosemary
Steak & Potatoes – hanger steak, remoulade potatoes, cabrales butter, crispy onions
Whole Fish – sea bream, clams, chorizo, tomato, preserved lemon
Churros with dipping chocolate
Ballard Pizza Company – Seattle, WA
Ethan Stowell just doesn’t stop…and I couldn’t be happier about that! So far each restaurant he’s opened has had it’s own personality. His latest – Ballard Pizza Company – serves up huge slices of pizza for lunch and dinner everyday and is even open until 1am on Fridays and Saturdays…that could be trouble:) Along with pizza there are fresh pastas each day and a selection of salads.
I ordered a slice of the mushroom pizza as well as a mixed green salad. The pizza was very good and I was pleased to see that the bottom of the slice was nice and crispy, not soggy. Perfect! The salad was good however my only complaint is that it was over dressed…so much so that I couldn’t eat half of it and normally the salad is my favorite part. Next time I’ll just have to order the dressing on the side.
I look forward to going back – maybe for dinner next time – and trying a new slice!
Laurelhurst Market – Portland, OR
On a quick trip down to Portland I did a little restaurant research without any suggestions and stumbled upon Laurelhurst Market. GREAT choice!!! It’s got that neighborhood feel all the while being super current and hip! Everything we ate was divine. Not one morsel was left on the plate. And because there were 6 of us we were able to order a lot of shared plates to get a better idea of what this place has to offer.
We started with the charcuterie plate which was a must considering they have their own butcher shop attached to the restaurant. Wow…that’s all I’ve got to say:) Next were the deviled eggs topped with pork belly. Really?! I think we all could have eaten a lot of those:) There was some mac & cheese, fried cauliflower (amazing!), steaks, fish and then dulce de leche cheesecake to finish…whoa!
If I were back in Portland I would definitely want to go here soon and I would feel very confident recommending this spot to anyone!
Charcuterie Plate
Steak Tartare – vodka, chives, shallot, farm yolk
Marrow Bones – toasted soft pretzel, pickled mustard seeds
Deviled “Dancing Chicken Farm” Eggs – braised tasso ham, pickled fennel
Shrimp & Grits – griddled scrapple, gulf shrimp, cauliflower chow chow, spring shoots salad
Queets River Steelhead
Mac & Cheese with Tim’s Chip Crust
Braised Local Kale with Housemade Bacon
Fried Cauliflower with Parsley, Lemon & Caper – on cauliflower puree
Dulce de Leche Cheesecake
I’m a huge fan of Tyler Florence already but this just confirmed it even more. Located in the heart of Napa with a patio facing the Napa River, he’s opened another fantastic restaurant that is the perfect spot for any occasion. A thanks to his wife Tolan, his personal interior decorator, the decor couldn’t be more or a perfect marriage with the food. Rustic yet refined, it’s a comfortable spot that has managed to still be current. Whether it’s a casual lunch (like i enjoyed) or a birthday get together, you’ve got to try it!
The best surprise ever was the warm cornbread that came out before our meal. I seriously could have eaten tons of it but had to remind myself of all the food coming. My husbands R&W cheeseburger looked incredible. With the fried egg on top it was a little hard to share so lucky him…he got it all to himself. My salad was perfect for the middle of the day, especially since we had the deviled eggs as starters.
And don’t forget about his tempting kitchen store next door – Tyler Florence West Coast Kitchen Essentials. I could spend all day in there:) Here’s where you can get your hands on the pots and pans Chef Florence uses in his restaurants and at home as well as other top brands. His spice rubs and marinades make amazing hostess and holiday gifts. I’d be amazed if you walked out without purchasing anything:)
Complementary cornbread to start your meal with…yum!
Deviled eggs with fried capers, shallots and thyme oil
Chop salad – pulled chicken, bacon, avocado, jack cheese and a garlic vinaigrette
R&W Cheeseburger with an added fried egg
Quoin offers a variety of drink concoctions that change regularly and will have you wanting to try every one on the menu. There’s a throw back to old cocktails but with Quoin unique twist on them. On a recent beautiful Saturday night, I chose the Mighty Seventy Four (or Five…I can’t remember) but holy moly it was tasty! Gin, Earl Grey syrup, soda and Prosecco. Need I say more?!
Quoin serves the whole Revel menu in the bar and on the deck so in case you get there and your wait is just too long, remember that you have options! On the weekends try a Kimchi Bloody Mary with your breakfast!
Vitea – Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
This is always a must for breakfast when we make our way down to PV. Although they’re open for lunch and dinner as well, I’ve only ever been for breakfast. I get the same thing every time…the chilaquiles with chicken. It’s large and can easily be shared. I think about this dish a lot when I’m gone and always look forward to going back when I’m in town. The beans that are served with it are SO good…I could probably go for two servings of those:) I almost forgot to mention that with your breakfast you get a selection of sweet breads to munch on. My personal favorite is the sugar one…yum! You won’t be sorry you went here. The food is outstanding, the service is great and the location gives you a great view of the ocean along with some great people watching. (Dogs are welcome outside!)
If I lived in Beacon Hill I’d probably frequent this spot more than I’d like to admit. It’s got that laid back neighborhood feel while serving food that proves why it earned the title as one of the best new restaurants in Seattle. Jerry Corso uses his impressive pizza oven to fire Neapolitan style pizzas with seasonal ingredients that will have you not wanting to share. It’s a popular spot and because they don’t take reservations, don’t be surprised if there’s a wait but just get a glass of wine and be patient…it’s worth it!
I love octopus and tend to order it whenever I see it on a menu. This version was well done except I felt the peperonata overwhelmed the dish, not letting the octopus stand out. But…it was still a great dish and sopping up the leftover sauce with bread was amazing! Our salad was perfect…there was a great balance of sweet and acidity that made all the ingredients work together. And the pizza!!! SO good! I’d love to go back and try all the others but I have a feeling I would probably want to get the fungi again it was so good:)
Grilled Octopus - with heirloom peperonata
Arugula & roasted sunchokes - Pink Lady apples, pecorino, agro di mosto & extra virgin olive oil
Funghi pizza - crimini mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, housemade sausage, pecorino & fontina
