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?

News & Events

Don’t forget to make your reservations for Restaurant Week which ends on April 19!

Passport to Woodinville will take place on April 21 & 22.  More than 30 wineries will be participating in this wine fest.  Tasting rooms will be open both days from 11 am to 4 pm, and tickets are $65 for Sundy or $75 for both days.
 
If you’re feeling particularly generous, want to support a good cause and want to enjoy a five-course meal, check out Children’s Trust Foundation’s A Place at the Table on Saturday, April 28.  There will also be hands on cooking lessons from local chefs, including Sheri LaVigne, Owner & Cheesemonger, The Calf & Kid.

New Orleans Comes to Seattle

When people find out that I was born and raised in New Orleans, they often want to know if I've had any good Cajun or Southern food in Seattle (or Los Angeles since I lived there for nine years.)  My answer is always a big, fat NO. Unless the chef is from New Orleans or spent several years working at a restaurant in the Crescent City, chances are, he or she will not know how to cook authentic Cajun cuisine.

Imagine my delight when I learned that Matt Lewis, who grew up in my fair city and owns Where Ya At Matt foodtruck, is opening a brick and mortar restaurant called Roux in Fremont.  When I'm feeling homesick or just want a bowl of red beans & rice or a shrimp po'boy, you better believe you'll find me at this spot! It will be in the old Buckaroo Tavern location just down the street from the Center of the Universe. They hope to open in August 2012.(Thanks for the tip, Huff.)

News & Events

Restaurant Week is here! April 8-12 and April 15-19 get your grub on.  Lots of great restaurants offering three course lunches for $15 and dinners for $28.

Seattle Met's Nosh Pit is always chock full of information about upcoming events.  Last week, they did a special on great places for Easter brunch.  Check it out. (ART Restaurant's riff on classic eggs benedict sounds scrumptious!)


Another Nosth Pit News item: Poquitos is putting on a fundraiser this coming Monday, April 2, for the families of three skiers, Jim Jack, Chris Rudolph. and John Brenan, who were lost in a recent avalanche. The event begins at 4, and chef Manny Arce will be roasting two whole pigs and offering $2 tacos on the patio—ski attire is suggested.


Purple in Kirkland is paying tribute to Washington Wines this month with a special Sunday Dinner offering:

Each month, our Chef and Wine Director create a three-course wine paired dinner featuring food and wines from different regions or with a different theme. The menu is priced at $50 with wine pairings, $30 without and is offered each Sunday evening of that month. The theme for April is "Washington Wine"

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!