News & Events

There are two events that will make me happy on JUNE 1:

• Grocery and retail stores with a minimum of 10,000 square feet of floor space will begin selling spirits as state liquor stores close.

• The Phinney Farmers Market opens!

Here are some other farmers markets opening in June:

Magnolia: June 9

Lake City: June 14

If you find yourself in Ballard and are in the mood for a cookie, muffin or gluten-free pies or cupcakes, head to the renamed Wild Prairie Bakery.  It is located in the heart of Ballard at 2019 NW Market Street. Wild Prairie also serves lunch and weekend brunch.

Chino's

Had a surprisingly good happy hour experience at Chino's on Capitol Hill. Our server was attentive and knowledgeable, which always adds to any dining experience.  I was shocked that we were the only people in the restaurant at 6 pm on a Tuesday, but it might have had to do with the sunshine and high temps on that particular day. They do not have air conditioning, so it was a bit stuffy, but that's nothing a few well-mixed cocktails can't fix.


My two friends and I ordered the Jamaica Buck and Vicious Virgin, which were $6 each during happy hour (4-7 pm.) Most of their cocktails feature rum, and these two were no exception. I preferred the Jamaica Buck for its tartness (ginger beer, rum, lime) but my buddy who prefers sweet drinks really liked the Vicious Virgin.  Make no mistake, this is an alcoholic drink, not a virgin mocktail! Chino's prides itself on its tiki drinks, and there are many to choose from in the laminated Pee Chee folder that serves as a menu cover.


We ordered the happy hour tacos for $2 each and were satisfied with the flavors of the beef as well as the chicken, but it was the Gua Bao platter that stole the show. The plate came with three perfect portions of pork belly nestled in a bun (think hum bao) with pickled mustard greens, cilantro and crushed peanuts. The meat melted in my mouth and the pickled mustard greens added a sweet & sour, unexpected texture. 


We also had the popcorn, which was popped in popped in pork fat and seasoned with Asian spices. It tasted like pumped up kettle corn, and I kept thinking how awesome it would be to have a bowl of that stuff at the movie theater.


Finally, our waitress sold us on the chicken wings, which were recently named some of the best in Seattle.  I can understand why -- the fish sauce/garlic glaze makes them pop in your mouth as you salivate for the next bite.


Besides the lack of air conditioning, the issue I have is with the branding.  Their tag line is "Urban Tiki House and Taiwanese Cantina," and their logo is a picture of an old car with the Space Needle in the background. None of it melds together, and when I originally read the tag line, I was confused about how tiki drinks go with Taiwanese.  Add the word 'cantina' and my mind goes to Mexican, so put that all together and you might have some befuddled customers who would rather go across the street to Quinn's or next door to Poquitos where they know what to expect -- a straightforward concept.

Lettuce Chicken Wraps Recipe

I'm traveling now, but I figured I'd post a recipe that I've tried three times that is worth copying for anyone looking for a quick, easy recipe.


1 lb of ground chicken (ground beef and even shrimp work just as well)
Hoisin sauce to taste (about 4 tablespoons)
2 cloves of garlic
1/4 onion
1/2 bell pepper
1 mango
Butter leaf lettuce
Rice noodles
Salt and pepper
Olive oil


Mince garlic and dice onion and bell pepper.  Sautee them in a pan with a little olive oil until the onions and pepper soften. Bring water to boil and cook rice noodles.  Add ground chicken and season with a small amount of salt and pepper (the Hoisin will add sodium so don't over salt!) After the meat browns, add the Hoisin and stir.


Julienne or dice the mango and arrange a Butter leaf lettuce on a plate. Place the noodles and chicken on the lettuce with a couple of slices of mango and you're ready to eat!


Note: I've tried this recipe with other types of lettuce, and none hold up to the weight of the chicken mixture and noodles like Butter lettuce.

Woodinville Wineries

I had no idea that the Woodinville Wineries had their own site for tasting events!  Check it out here.

A few highlights: 

• 3rd Thursdays wine walks - $20 will get you wine tastings at 15 different wineries.
• Scavenger hunt in the Warehouse District on May 17
• Warehouse Wineries Spring Food & Wine Festival on Saturday, May 26 from 12-5pm - festival is free, but tasting fees apply.  There will be food trucks for the drunk and hungry!

Hot Restaurants

Do you want to dine at the hippest restaurants in Seattle? Eater Seattle has come up with a map of "talk of the town" spots, complete with name, address and brief description of each place. They don't provide websites, so you'll have to do a little web surfing to see the menu or check out the operating hours. The map is scheduled to change monthly, so stay tuned for some new, highly regarded restaurants like The Sexton which should surely make the list in May.

News & Events

Many of you know that I'm a huge fan of FareStart, and I hope to go to their 20th Anniversary Bash on June 9 at Fremont Studios.

The FareStart community is celebrating 20 years of transforming lives! Your generous support has enabled the new beginnings that happen here every day.

 

Over the past 20 years, FareStart has provided opportunities for nearly 6,000 people to transform their lives, while also serving over 5 million meals to disadvantaged men, women, and children.

The 2011 Seattle Wine Awards were announced last month, and the list is impressive. If you're looking for a bottle or five to buy for a party, check out the list of double golds, many of which are under $20.


To that end, there will be a Gold Medal Experience Wine Tasting event on July 22 at The Rainier Club where you can sip on some of Washington's finest wines. You can choose the regular admission price for $65 or VIP, which includes a steak dinner for $89.


You'll have to wait a few months, but mark your calendar now for Northwest Tequila Fest on August 18 at The Phinney Neighborhood Center. Not sure what the cost will be, but who doesn't love tequila, food and music?