Sun Liquor & Cornuto Happy Hour

I recently went to two great happy hour spots -- one on Capitol Hill, one in Phinney Ridge.


Sun Liquor
607 Summit Ave E
It just so happened to be a sunny afternoon in Seattle, so my co-workers and I decided to sit on the patio at Sun Liquor Lounge for happy hour. (Not to be confused with Sun Liquor Bar & Distillery, which is on Pike just a few blocks away.) Our server was kind and knowledgeable, and he took the time to answer our questions about the menu and their own distilled spirits.

The happy hour special boasts $2 off signature cocktails (most regular priced drinks are $8) as well as $3 well drinks.  My first drink was the Bitter End, which tasted exactly like it sounds -- bitter -- and I loved it. My friends ordered a whiskey sour and a champagne cocktail that the bartender whipped up with lots of freshly squeezed juices. Our second set of drinks allowed me to try almost every cocktail on the menu, and each one was prettier than the next.

Cornuto

7404 Greenwood Ave N.

Nowhere on their website does it mention the killer happy hour from 5 to 6 pm where free pizza is served at Cornuto. And this pizza is good. My friend and I decided to check it out and were impressed with the servers, the pizza and the cocktails. I didn't think I liked a Negroni until I tasted their special grapefruit Negroni (pictured here.) Like the Bitter End at Sun Liquor, it was definitely savory and bitter, but that bite sits well on the palate.  My friend said that it tasted medicinal, and I suppose she's right, but if this is what medicine tastes like, sign me up for a bottle or two!

In addition to the free pizza (Margherita and Marinara pizzas,) we ordered the Cracked Nocellara olives, marinated in wild oregano, olive oil & garlic and a Caesar salad to share. The crust of the pizza was a little soggy, especially for a thin crust. The salad and olives were both tasty. I admit that I need to return to eat a few other items on their menu in order to give Cornuto a fair assessment, but overall, I was very happy with this visit. Leaving with a full stomach of free pizza is nice!

Vegfest

Although I am a voracious meat eater, I promised my friend, a vegetarian, to post more often about vegetarian events and dishes. Here is my first attempt: Vegfest will be in Seattle this coming weekend at the Seattle Center Exhibition Hall.

Many people recognize the health and other benefits of vegetarian food choices, but they are not sure what to eat, what to buy and how to cook it. This festival provides all the support that people need, and it's fun too. With free health screenings, books and lots of food, there's something for everyone. There’s even a special kids section where kids can learn about healthy food while having fun, with clowns, face painting and more.

There will be more than 500,000 free food samples from over 200 companies. (Technically, it's not free--there is an $8 entry fee for adults and kids 12 and under are free.)

Moisture Festival

This is the ninth year that Moisture Festival has been around.  The dates are March 15 - April 8. There are several local food/beer sponsors including Hale's Ales, New Roots Organics, Georgetown Brewery, Kind Healthy Snacks, Poppy and Agua Verde.  Have fun!

The Golden Beetle

Forget about going grocery shopping tonight. Don't take out those old pork chops to defrost. Instead, head to Golden Beetle for an amazing happy hour with to-die-for small bites and creative cocktails.

property of Golden Beetle

I knew that Maria Hines was a genius in the kitchen, what with the 2009 James Beard Award for Best Chef Northwest and her triumph over Morimoto on Iron Chef America in 2010 in "Battle of Pacific Cod," but I hadn't tasted her food until last week.  The woman knows flavor, and she hires a staff who follows through with these flavors.


The only bad part about my dinner at Golden Beetle was that I had an hour to eat, drink and observe.  The atmosphere is comfortable Mediterranean. The lounge area is in the front of the restaurant and has several dark wooden tables and a semicircular bar with about ten stools.  There are floor to ceiling windows, allowing natural light to make the bottles of liquor on the shelves twinkle.  The dining area is in the back of the restaurant, and diners have a clear view of the pristine kitchen.  I don't think I've ever commented on a restaurant's bathroom, but I must say that the soap was divine.  It was a thick, gooey yellowish soap that looked like honey but smelled like mint.  It makes you want to wash your hands over and over again!

The happy hour food specials are $4 each, and there is always a specialty cocktail on the menu for $7, which is a couple of dollars off the regular menu price. I ordered the Spiced French Fries, which were fried in beef fat -- that's right, beef fat -- and spiced with sumac and salt.  They were very spicy, so I was glad to have the harissa aioli to dip the fries in and wash them down with a Fremont Pale Ale.  The highlight was two Skagit River Ranch Beef Sliders served with a tomato-garlic sauce and pickled onion.  The level of flavor in a patty that was about 4 inches round was astonishing.  My mouth watered between bites, and I wondered if my drool was visible to the woman next to me.  Speaking of the woman next to me, she let me taste the spiced pistachios, which had an unexpected brightness to them.


The drink specials at happy hour include $2 Rainier drafts and PBR tallboys, house red or white wine for $3 and well liquor for $4.  (The house wine is Kiona Lemberger, which is a great Washington red.)  The regular drink menu has all sorts of cocktails with an Eastern Mediterranean influence, but what I like best is the I'm in Your Hands drink that allows you to explain what you like to the bartender and allow him or her to mix something special for you. The only other place in Seattle that really touts this sort of thing is the Zig Zag Cafe. One final thing that I want to mention is the wild array of concentrated syrups on the shelf. I noticed cinnamon, cardamom and burdock root.  Aaron, the bartender, told me that they make their own syrups and use them to make interesting cocktails.  There was one syrup that looked like marinated jalapenos in mucky water, so I inquired about it. It's unfortunate name is Falernum, which is a sweet cordial made from almonds, ginger, lime and a few other spices.  Aaron let me taste a bit, and it was delicious!  I'll ask him to concoct a cocktail using Falernum next time.


I will definitely return to The Golden Beetle sooner rather than later.

Dine Around Seattle

Seattle Restaurant Week is one of my favorite dining events in the city, particularly for lunch.  It only happens twice a year -- in November and April, so here we are in early March with another option to consider: Dine Around Seattle, which runs the entire month of March.

Right off the bat, let me say that I'm not a big fan of Dine Around Seattle, mostly because the list of restaurants is half of the ones who participate during Restaurant Week. However, I'll list my picks for the restaurants that I've tried in the past year:

Betty, Queen Anne - I ate here several months ago and had a happy hour appetizer (salami, olives and marcona almonds.)  For dinner, I had the fish du jour, that if I remember correctly, was trout with Medditeranean vegetables. My friend had a luscious duck confit.  It was a very enjoyable meal.

Andaluca, Downtown - I've eaten lunch here twice during Seattle Restaurant Week and loved my meal both times.  I remember having the halibut last year that was juicy, tender and perfectly cooked.  They have a new executive chef, Sarah Lorenzen, who has been on the line at Andaluca since 1999.  I'm eager to show my support for Chef Lorenzen and applaud Andaluca for promoting from within!

Blueacre, Downtown - I went to lunch here with six co-workers in November during Restaurant Week and was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the food and service.  If you're looking for an intimate dining experience, this is not it, but the seafood was fresh and the restaurant was packed.

Lecosho, Downtown - I've been here for lunch during Restaurant Week and for dinner on a "normal" Wednesday night.  There was definitely a difference in service.  At night, the server was attentive and pleasant.  I'd brought a special bottle of wine to share with a friend during our meal, and the server didn't charge us for a corkage fee.  She explained the menu in depth, making me feel like the chef was cooking just for us.  However, during our lunch, the menu changed from the one posted online, and the portions were incredibly small.  A little cookie was the only thing they offered for dessert.

Eva, Greenlake - I had dinner with a friend here about a year ago and insisted upon returning.  I want to write a full review of this restaurant, so stay tuned.

There are a couple more restaurants that I've tried that aren't half bad, but their Dine Around Seattle menus look bland, so I'll stop here.

Wild Mountain Cafe

I've passed Wild Mountain Cafe hundreds of times as I made my way from Greenwood to Ballard on 85th, but I'd never eaten here until this past weekend.  What a treat!  It's an old house with several rooms arranged with dining tables, unique chairs and a small bar area.  The best word to describe the space is kitschy.


I knew that they were open for breakfast, but I learned that they're open for lunch and dinner as well and have a kick ass happy hour.


I enjoyed breakfast with three friends on a Saturday morning, and there was a 10 minute wait, which was probably less than the wait when we left around noon.  The servers are exceptionally friendly and the timing of the meal was ideal despite the rush. I had the tasty La Cabana:

This is a baked specialty item available Saturday & Sunday only - Our popular mexican breakfast casserole! Corn tortillas layered with chicken sausage, green chiles, tomatoes, jack cheese and cumin-seasoned eggs, topped with scallions, fresh cilantro, salsa, sour cream, & served with fresh fruit & toast.

My friends had the Florentia, the bagel with lox, and the B.A.T. Bennie, which was bacon, avocado and sauteed tomatoes served eggs Benedict style. Everyone was very satisfied with their meal The prices are reasonable and the portions are substantial enough to either leave stuffed or take some home.


Although we didn't order Mimosas or bloody mary's, next time that will be on my list.  A great treat hidden between Crown Hill and Ballard!

Washington Wine Month

It's Washington Wine Month!  It should be a national holiday, you know, for the whole month.

• The culmination of the month is Seattle's Wine & Food Weekend on March 31 and April 1, which I blogged about on February 10. You can buy tickets online using the link above or at many retailers in the city.  

• There are several great promotions going on around town this month, including 50% off bottles of Washington wines at Rover's. Another good one is Bin on the Lake: wine happy hour March 22.

Ilustration by Andrew Saeger, tHE ARTdept. SW

Seattle Weekly's blog has a cool article called Three Cheap Ways to Celebrate Washington Wine Month. I think I'll take a trip to Metropolitan Market for their free tastings!

Cheese Please

In honor of Beecher's announcement of their gluten free mac and cheese, this blog post is dedicated to one of my favorite food groups: CHEESE.

• You don't have to get fancy French cheese to make guests ooh and ahh at a party.  Check out these Washington State cheesemakers.
• PCC Market offers cheesemaking classes. Each class costs $40 for non-members.

For many, cheese making is shrouded in mystery, but you’ll discover how easy it is to make your own Mozzarella, Ricotta, Crème Fraîche and Queso Blanco (fresh Mexican-style cheese). These are the most simple of all the cheeses to produce because they do not require aging beyond a few days, and can be made in your kitchen.

• Although I haven't been to The Calf and Kid at Melrose Market, I've heard good things, including a blurb on Evening Magazine. They have all kinds of cheese related classes and outings in addition to a well stocked store of cheeses. 

• Curious about cheese pairings?  Check out Beecher's recommendations.

• There is a website with places to buy cheese in Seattle as well as a Q&A page and local events where cheese is the highlight of the meal. Click here: Seattle Cheese.

• This is far in advance, but since this post is all about cheese, mark your calendar for the 8th Annual Seattle Cheese Festival at Pike Place Market, May 19 & 20.

I'll end this post with two of my favorite cheeses for your consideration: Robiola, which is a luxurious, creamy white cheese with more flavor than Brie, and Burrata, a type of mozzarella served at room temperature with a very short shelf life. Both are great on their own or with a little olive oil, salt and pepper.  Yum!