Doing Seattle

Dilettante Mocha Cafe & Chocolate Martini Bar

2011-09-08T22:35:00.000-07:00

Price: $$
Thoughts: ☆☆☆½
Dilettante Mocha Cafe & Chocolate Martini Bar: Menu

Their cake of the day: Mint Ice Cream Cake (slightly to the left of the center)

After burning our stomach with the spicy and salty Laotian food we needed something cold and sweet to finish off the night. I opted to try someplace else rather than going for the "easy win" with B & O Espresso's Chocolate Pot.

Broadway always has lots of places to try and almost has a similar feel to Robson Street up in Vancouver (except not as large). Chocolate was still the target theme and a mocha cafe is as close as it gets.

Our little booth

We seated ourselves inside a cozy little booth and hunted for what would best suit our cravings. I got a quick glance at their hot chocolate section and felt compelled to get one (next best thing to chocolate soy milk).

We were torn between several options between the Strawberry Chantilly and Chocolate Rendezvous from their Patisseries as well as their Dilettante Coupe and their special Mint Chocolate Brownie from their Ice Cream section (the menu provided in the link appears to be out of season as Huckleberry was not available but instead Salted Caramel was). We settled for the Rendezvous and Coupe in the end.

Hot Dark Chocolate with whipped cream

Dilettante Coupe served with mint, strawberry, and salted caramel ice cream

Chocolate Rendezvous

This is probably the thickest whipped cream I have ever had in my life. It definitely helped cool down the hot chocolate which had a nice very light bitter taste (I like my chocolate dark). I will probably pass on the whipped cream next time or ask for half the portion of it. The rendezvous was fluffy with a nice layer of frosting that tasted sweet but not exceeding my low level of tolerance to sweets. The coupe however was the highlight of the three items. The ice cream showed little resistance to my casual prodding with my fork and the salted caramel ice cream was simply sublime.

Sometimes our eyes are bigger than our stomachs, as in this case we definitely over-ordered but we agreed to finish the coupe and hot chocolate and just box up the rest of the cake.

The atmosphere makes it a great place to spend time with someone without worries of distractions or feeling rushed at all.

Viengthong

2011-03-08T22:23:00.000-08:00

Price: $$
Thoughts: ☆☆☆
(Website and Menu not available)

I have never really explored much for varying Asian ethnic dishes aside from the usual Korean, Japanese, Vietnamese, and Chinese food. When Laotian food was mentioned I could only make a very loose assumption that it would be similar to Filipino food. The mention of a papaya salad also intrigued me deeply and my curiosity was creating fantastic images of what it could look like.

a basket full of sticky rice + som tum + sien savanh

This was also when I realized what a papaya really looks like in this salad. Which was a white pale look that had a similar texture to daikon. Without much thought we got the Som Tum (papaya salad) with three stars (typically recognized in Thai restaurants when the waiter/waitress will ask you how many stars out of four or five in how spicy you would like your meal to be) out of three.

Along with this we got the Sien Savanh (Lao Beef Jerky) with a basket of their sticky rice. Another thing that surprised me was how dry the sticky rice was compared to what I had imagined in my head (that being the kinds you find wrapped in leaves from dim sum carts). We ate everything with our bare hands. It felt a little odd at first, but I grew comfortable with it and let the rest of my fingers join in (rather than just using my thumb and index only).

Now I may love spicy food. But when you ask for three stars here, keep in mind that you will be eating something beyond your capability unless you are completely impervious to peppers. Expect a pitcher of water to be drained as well as frequent breaks to breathe in through your mouth and out through your nose. The salad was still great, just a bit too much on the spicy side.

The sien savanh was very good. At a glance I was expecting it to be very tough to chew like what most beef jerky tends to be. But it's rigid exterior hid it's deceptively soft and tender inside. I could've eaten another whole plate of this.

The service was what I kind of expected from the moment I walked in the door. The waitress seated us, and left us on our own for a good length of time. The occasional checkup with us would happen once every 15 or so minutes and she would plant herself back in front of the television. However the time from when we placed our order to receiving the cooked goods was astoundingly fast.

If you want a good helping of what I would label as Asian 'soul' food, this would definitely be it. Get their papaya salad with one star or two. Three if you're really looking to sniffle and sweat. Also, this is a cash only establishment so make sure you have some before you come in! Each dish is about $10.

Shawarma King

2011-03-04T23:20:00.000-08:00

Price: $
Thoughts: ☆☆☆☆
(Website and Menu not available)

Hummus and Pita Bread

This was a suggested restaurant from pictures that were spotted on someone's Facebook. After a little looking around and with no luck on seeing their website I had no choice but to rely solely on the reviews of fellow Yelpers.

A very casual restaurant with a homely feel. The walls were adorned with many Egyptian plates and statues and had very vivid tapestries draped along the walls. Their menu was angled downwards from the ceiling so you had to crane your neck as if you were sitting in the front row of the movie theater, an awkward angle for all heights. The first thing we ordered were two beef/lamb shawarmas which we later added a side of hummus and pita as well.

Lamb/Beef Shawarma

Prior to ever trying a shawarma, I have always been confused as to what the differences between a shawarma and a gyro were. A shawarma seems to resemble a burrito stuffed with extremely tender slow-cooked meats that you would typically find in your gyro, except it is rolled in a similar fashion to a burrito. The meat is also diced rather than laid down in strips as seen in many gyros I've had. On the topic of the meat in the shawarma. I found it difficult to actually distinguish the taste of the meat itself, as it was completely overwhelmed with the flavors from the rest of the ingredients inside (which is not entirely a bad thing).

The service was quick and humble, but the food is definitely good. We gazed at another dish being served to another table which looked very appetizing as well (we were unsure of the dish but I will take a picture of their menu next time).

I will definitely suggest coming here if you are craving for some great tasting Egyptian food. Don't expect a single shawarma and hummus to fill you up though. But it will curb your cravings.

Palomino

2011-03-01T23:13:00.000-08:00

Price: $$
Thoughts: ☆☆☆½
Palomino: Menu

the Happy Hour menu

I have always been a fan of the thin crust pizzas over the typical rolled crusts. With that being said it is safe to assume that I have not ever ventured outside of Palomino's Happy Hour selection (namely their flat bread and pizzas) primarily due to the fact that $6.00 for a whole pizza is hard to pass on.

Incredible Pepperoni Pizza

Sicillian Meatball Flat bread

We started with two pizzas, their Incredible Pepperoni Pizza and the Sicilian Meatball flat bread. Both which we had them divide the cheese onto only half of each of them. There also was a miscommunication on the meatball order and we ended up with just their Sicilian Meatball appetizer. Which I deeply regret letting them take away.

Sicilian Meatball Appetizer

Between the two pizzas the Sicilian Meatballs won without a contest. Juicy and just the right amount of spiciness that left a pleasant feeling lingering after each bite. I'm surprised I had missed this one before. The pepperoni was just as you expected, your ordinary pepperoni pizza.

Rotisserie Chicken Flatbread, Watercress pesto + roasted peppers + romano cheese

We ended up sharing one more pizza, the Rotisserie Chicken Flatbread, which we could not finish. I initially had mistook the watercress for baby spinach but the taste was different. Very flavorful and almost looked like a salad, but the Sicilian pizza was still the winner for the night.

A great place for a quick fix after work or just to unwind with friends. The restaurant itself takes up the entire top floor (save for the restrooms) of the shopping plaza.

B & O Espresso

2011-02-27T23:41:00.000-08:00

Price: $$
Thoughts: ☆☆☆☆☆
B & O Espresso: Dessert Menu

THE Chocolate Pot

After dinner at Wann's I wanted to share this little cafe to end the night on the highest possible note (which it did!). I had discovered B & O Espresso many years ago as part of branching out and exploring. It had become the place for me to turn to when I needed a dessert fix. There is only one thing that I ever order here, and that is their chocolate pot. There is just simply no way to describe how addictive this small little almost-soufflé is.

Served in a large ramekin with a spoonful of house made whipped cream, it is just a simple combination that keeps itself from tasting too sweet, but enough to have people who do not care for desserts (such as myself) to come running to.

Strawberry Italian Soda

To add to this we also shared a strawberry Italian soda, which was a nice addition. This place also has it's good share of Middle Eastern food and fondues as well. But if this is your first visit, you must get the chocolate pot, no questions asked.

Wann Japanese Izakaya

2011-02-27T23:09:00.000-08:00

Price: $$
Thoughts: ☆☆☆½
Wann Japanese Izakaya: Menu

I wanted to surprise my girlfriend with Japanese food from a place that got pretty good recommendations from several friends. However, Seattle decided to drop a windstorm mixed with torrential rain.

We had arrived an hour too early (it opened at 4PM), so we took shelter at the Starbucks next door. I got my usual (Venti Chocolate Soy Milk) and found a $100 laying on the floor as well, this day is going well so far. After we warmed up a bit, the Starbucks closed at 4PM (pretty early if you ask me for a Sunday) which worked out fine since Wann would be open by then.

Miso Soup

Spicy Tuna Crunch Roll (back), Unagi Roll (left), Spider Roll (right)

To start off we went with two bowls of miso soup followed by a Spicy Tuna Crunch, Unagi, and Spider roll. It still boggles my mind to know that there are people who think that miso soup has a taste comparable to mud. Then again I have not had mud before, but if this were true I could just eat mud instead, that is cheaper.

I regret not taking a picture of their bar that we sat across from. It was well arranged and an art in it's own right.

Mecha Godzilla Roll, seared kobe beef tataki covered asparagus, cream cheese, cilantro with habanero teriyaki sauce, spicy aioli, wasabi mayo

Robata Grill sampler

About halfway through the rolls I ordered the Mecha Godzilla Roll and their sampler platter from the grilled meats portion of the menu. The roll was nowhere near as spicy as advertised (if you want a spicy roll Umi's Hotter than Hell roll will have you draining your water). It was still good, but I would have expected the beef to be hot, but it was warm (leaning towards the cool side) but still tasted very good.

The grill sampler had bacon-wrapped prawns, chicken yakitori, shiitake mushroom skewers, and a pork falafel of some sort. Of the lot, the chicken was the best, although the pork was also pretty good. There was an odd aftertaste in the beef too, which was pointed out to me. The shrimp wasn't bad, but a little on the salty side, maybe a little bit of mustard would have been a good compliment to it. Anyways, this place is definitely worth a visit.

For those who looked carefully did you see the "hand" she gave me with taking each of these pictures?

Park Chow

2010-12-24T23:51:00.000-08:00

Price: $$
Thoughts: ☆☆☆½
Park Chow: Menu

The Dinner Menu

After dinner at the Bistro 9 we went to Park Chow, which was only a few steps away. The entrance to the place sported a rather thick looking curtain which opened into their entrance which was well-heated with many heat lamps.

This place was very packed when we came in. Seating did not take long at all which was surprising, or convenient that a table just opened up as we came in. I was told that she only gets one thing here, which was a dessert. Their ginger cake. I was a bit scared since I am mildly allergic to ginger. I took the plunge and went along with it.

ginger cake with pumpkin ice cream and whipped cream

Thankfully there was not a lot of ginger inside the cake so I was able to enjoy the cake without any reaction that I could notice. I really enjoyed the unusual combination of a ginger cake coupled with pumpkin ice cream. Definitely a good pair. We split one order and it disappeared as quickly as it came.

fin

A great way to end the night with a non-heavy dessert. I would like to try their food sometime as well. There were lots of pleasant smells all over the air. I should have eaten more slowly to enjoy the atmosphere and good company. But habits are hard to break, especially when it comes to eating slower.

Bistro 9

2010-12-24T23:36:00.000-08:00

Price: $$
Thoughts: ☆☆☆½
Bistro 9: Menu

Bistro 9's Menu

A chalk easel with today's specials

One of the two restaurants I went to while in San Francisco visiting a friend and my family over the Christmas holiday. She frequents this restaurant after work and suggested we give it a shot.

There is something about hand drawn chalk menus that really attracts me. Bistro 9 had a nice one sitting just outside of it's entrance. I did notice that it was a bit on the empty side but hey it wasn't peak hours (not to mention it was the day before Christmas). So as always, reservations aside I went in with an open-mind.

House bread with olive oil and balsamic vinegar

The Moussaka: eggplant + potatoes +onions + mushrooms + cheese + served with couscous

Her usual choice is the moussaka (which I almost got, but opted for a suggestion made by the waitress). I was given a pretty generous share of her plate and it was definitely good. Unlike most dishes I've had with eggplant, it's taste did not overpower the dish as a whole. Which worked out nicely (then again Indian food does not hold back on spices).

the lamb moussaka

As for myself, I ended up with the Lamb Moussaka. I am a little preferential to lamb meat. Okay I lied, I'm very partial to it. Anyways, the meal went down really quickly and the meat was very tender as I should expect.

This place despite it's lack of customers that night is definitely worth making a visit to, especially to those who love Indian food.

A quick Jja Jang Myun (짜장면) run

2010-12-19T22:38:00.000-08:00

Price: $
Thoughts: ☆☆☆

During my trip to California there was a restaurant called "China Road" or something along these lines in San Jose. They were known for a different dish (which I did not order) but my current cravings were more onto jja jang myun. This is one of those things I grew up eating and calling it brown noodles for the longest time.

The two parts separated

Just before stirring

Time to eat!

It's really hard to go wrong with preparing this dish unless you overcook or burn any of the ingredients. However the noodles in this were slightly overcooked, as a result the noodles were breaking apart just from lifting it to my mouth. The sauce was prepared nicely with a generous helping of potato and pork (no complaints here).

My craving was definitely sated, but it would have hit the spot if the noodles were more chewy. Still a pretty good place.

Le Fournil (third trip)

2010-12-03T23:30:00.000-08:00

Price: $
Thoughts: ☆☆☆☆½
Le Fournil: Menu

a warm turkey sandwich

A friend asked me to help with her Finance papers (none of which I really understood offhand) tonight. What better way to do this than over some pastries at a cozy little cafe right? A quick turkey baguette to start off the evening of exciting finance. The bread was nice and crusty as I would expect a baguette to taste like. Very simple and satisfying enough to leave room for something else.

a various assortment of pastries including a cup of latte and the opera cake to the left)

Anyways, to fuel ourselves as we continue to read through this dry material we grabbed a few of their seasonal cakes (and the sandwich pictured earlier). Unfortunately for myself, I am unable to recollect the names of them other than the opera cake.

This was also the first time having fondant (the green surface on the tart to the right). It just tasted like flavorless candy and seemed to do just what I would expect; decorative purposes mostly.

As of now, this is the third time Le Fournil has been featured as a post on my blog. So far it has not disappointed me.

Le Fournil (second trip)

2010-11-07T23:51:00.000-08:00

Price: $
Thoughts: ☆☆☆☆½
Le Fournil: Menu

A hot cup of latte

To start the day before heading back to the last day of the convention we opted for breakfast at Le Fournil.

Chai (left) + Latte (right)

We started off with a nice warm drink with a sweet cinnamon bun along with a ham & cheese croissant. The croissant was not heated and was a bit on the cool side which was alright, next time I would suggest asking them to toast it. The cinnamon bun was very good and tasted great without any need of additional heating. The meal also came with a free pastry of your choice. I went for the éclair and a chocolate orange cake. She went with a lemon curd tart.

the éclair

the chocolate orange cake

lemon curd tart

The éclair was as expected, larger than what most places give, but without a doubt very delicious, I can never figure out the proper way to eat this without making a huge mess of things. This also goes with the chocolate orange cake's cocoa powder that is generously dusted across one half of it's triangular surface. I tend to inhale it just before biting the fork which results in a violent coughing chocolatey fit. The cake is also flourless which makes it very rich and not something to try to down really fast. Latara's lemon curd tart was pretty nice, although the lemon taste was not as strong as I had imagined it to be. But the raspberry in the center added to that.

Le Fournil, while they may have sandwiches and other such treats, I would recommend getting what they do best. Their handmade baguette loaves and their pastries. Other than that, it's best to come in the morning when they have just opened (as they are closed relatively early for a cafe in Seattle).

The Crab Pot

2010-11-06T23:51:00.000-07:00

Price: $$$
Thoughts: ☆☆☆
The Crab Pot: Menu (embedded flash on their site)

The Crab Pot, while yes it is a tourist trap (so expect 30+ minute waits). It does prepare you for what you waited for, getting messy and devouring seafood. I thought it would be fun to take my friend here whom was visiting from Oregon for the weekend.

their signature mallet for shell crushing

The Pacific Clambake- steamed clams, mussels, dungeness crab, snow crab, oysters, shrimp in the shell, halibut & salmon skewers, andouille sausage, corn on the cob, and red potatoes in their jackets

A close up of the skewers

This would be what makes the dining experience the most fun. Given a hammer and some boiled and seasoned crustaceans is bound to be an adventure. Which also draws in tourists by the droves. However, with my personal experience with eating massive amounts of seafood, I knew the more effective way to crush these shells is to use your teeth (primarily because you can gauge the appropriate amount of bite pressure needed without creating a countless number of shards).

The halibut & salmon skewers were coated with plenty of cajun seasonings which felt just right, but not excessive. The waitress also brought out a tray full of butter for dipping the glorious mountain of food for extra flavoring (the worse it is for your body, the better it tastes --true story).

the Electric Watermelon and Crab Pot Iced Tea

almost there!

the aftermath

Washed down the food with a couple of drinks and continued our feast. I like to brag about how much I can shamelessly stuff my food without end, especially when it comes to seafood. However, I found myself slowing down a little bit past the halfway point of the remaining items while my friend continued eating and dipping the remains into the butter. Color me impressed!

rhubarb cake with a side of vanilla ice cream

Initially we both felt satisfied with the dinner alone, but we felt confident enough we could still add in dessert. The rhubarb cake was a lot larger than what the waitress had indicated (using gestures with her hands), and we were too intimidated to even eat more than two bites before surrendering and getting it boxed.

The Crab Pot, located right off the Waterfront with a nice view over Puget Sound. The interior sports a very casual atmosphere with it's checkered white/red plastic tablecloth and the chalkboards that pepper the walls and ceiling. Great place to take your friends and family for a very unique seafood experience, if you're the person that is afraid to get their fingers dirty, I do not suggest this place.

Plan in advance as no matter when you come you will be waiting in a line for at least 30 minutes.

Lake Wenatchee & Leavenworth

2010-08-22T21:49:00.000-07:00

Price: n/a
Thoughts: ☆☆☆☆☆

Alright, it has been far too long since my last update. Having gone camping for a few days with some good friends of mine, I realized that I did not take as many pictures as I had hoped (partially due to the fact that I did not carry my phone with me at all times.

Without further ado, here are the pictures! (As scarce as they may be)

Roasting corn in the fire pit

Having gotten picked up from my condo in the morning, we began our drive over to the campsite. I didn't really take many photos as I slept through the majority of the car ride. Some interesting conversation between Lanna and her family in Alaska, included her repeatedly saying something about someone's "butthole". Eventually she cleared our confusion by indicating that it was the shorthand form of "halibut hole".

It was well into the afternoon when we finally reached our destination. Which was a good time to start cooking dinner for the group. We separated ourselves into groups to manage the food tasks for each day. Tonight was mine and we decided to go with making tacos.

Warming up some tortilla wraps

More roasted corn

It was safe to say that the tacos turned out pretty well. Not to mention the roasted corn was always another bonus (there was so much corn that it is safe to assume we had that for every meal except breakfast).

Heating up some tomato sauce

The second day's dinner consisted of spaghetti and tomato sauce. Very simple, but definitely hard to go wrong with. Again, roasted corn made it's appearance.

A cooler full of beer and soda

Leavenworth

I have never been here before, but many of my friends have visited here before. My general impression of the entire place is a German-themed Disneyland.

Sandy's Waffle & Dinner Haus

The Menu

Shrimp and Chips

The customer service here was very nice. The price for your food was also very nice ($) and I would have to say is worth coming to eat. It had a similar atmosphere to Sherry's except without the all-you-can-eat fish and chip dish.

I played it safe and got the shrimp and chips since it was the first meal of the day.

An easel featuring their cherries

Baskets of Cherries

On the drive back to Seattle we came across this easel featuring $1.00/basket of cherries. That's a pretty good deal for some local farm produce. However, it was definitely misleading as the $1.00 baskets were painfully tiny. The larger basket you see next to it was $6.00.

Two of the larger baskets were purchased anyways and it was back to the road again. We passed by a reptile farm that one of us wanted to go to. But we passed on it when we opened the door to see how empty it was. Definitely not worth the admission price. But the BBQ Bus was a nice touch to their parking lot.

The front of the BBQ Bus

BBQ Bus Menu

I regret not snapping a picture of the huge smoker next to the bus where the ribs were all being cooked. The smell of smoked meats was addictive.

Eventually we made it back to Seattle and I prepared the shower for a nice deep cleaning after not bathing properly for a few days.

D'Ambrosio Gelato

2010-08-16T23:30:00.000-07:00

Price: $
Thoughts: ☆☆☆☆☆
D'Ambrosio Gelato: Menu

Following the dinner at Quinn's was sating the craving for something cold. Initially I wanted frozen yogurt from Red Mango, but passed up on it for gelato instead. This was one of the closer locations that was on the way back from the restaurant so we gave it a shot.

It was a race against the clock for this one considering the establishment closed at 10:00 PM and it was 9:56 when we got there. However to our relief they were still open and had a steady stream of customers. This was already a good indicator that the gelato here must be worth trying out.

The server was highly amused by the shirt I was wearing from Korea. Always good to see and amuse people. I'll post up a photo of it later. They had interesting flavors, and the one I went with was the Bacio di Dama with the Nicciola delle Langhe. My friend got the Bacio di Dama with Cantaloupe (pictured below). The combination of mine worked well with each other. Cantaloupe; not so much.

Bacio di Dama w/ Cantaloupe gelato

Mine looked identical to the above picture, except the flavor that was inside. The gelato was very generous with the amount of hazelnut chips that were in each scoop. Lots of different textures only complimented the experience.

Bacio di Dama translates to Woman's Kiss which was the reason why I chose this as my flavor. Without any description of it other than being located on their crema selections it piqued my curiosity. From what I tasted, it's creamy flavor I believe has possibly a hint of almond or something alike. The portions are great for the money. The quality of the gelato is great without a doubt.

Located on Ballard ave, which is quite confusing if you are unfamiliar with the area and it is dark outside. A great place to go on a summer night as the area is still well-lit and there is lots to see.

Quinn's

2010-08-16T23:09:00.000-07:00

Price: $$
Thoughts: ☆☆☆☆½
Quinn's: Menu

Today would be what felt like the hottest day since the heat wave we had last month and resorted to taking cold showers (three of them over the course of six hours) to keep myself from perishing under the heat. Having a condo on the third floor will continue to haunt me during my summer days.

After looking through possible places to eat out at we settled for this gastropub which told us that they had air conditioning; something I wish all homes in Seattle were equipped with. What made this place stand out from the typical bar was they served foie gras, which was praised by several customers as being worth trying.

Quinn's is located at the Southern end of Broadway about a block south of Cal Anderson Park in Capitol Hill, one of the most difficult places to find parking. As we drove past it we could see it was packed full, with a small line leading to it. We were told the wait time was about 15 minutes.

We both already settled initially for something light, and their Wild Boar sloppy joe was apparently the hot item amongst previous eaters. I also got their home made cherry-orange soda but did not take a photo of it (as I downed it a bit too fast).

Wild Boar Sloppy Joe, crispy sage leaves

This was served with a roasted jalapeño which literally broke apart on contact and only added to the flavors of the joe. Be warned it is extremely messy, but it didn't slow us down.

This only led us to ordering more food instead of going for dessert.

Oxtail gnocchi with crispy marrow

I found the oxtail to bit more on the salty side but the gnocci helped disperse some of the saltiness from the marrow and the oxtail. Other than that, it was still nothing compared to the joe.

Wagyu beef cheek Philly, with sweet peppers and manchego

My friend told me the beef cheek was a little on the chewy side, which would make sense considering the texture of a cow's cheek. However, still juicy and tasty otherwise.

Next time I would probably get the Sam Smith's organic apple cider to go with the meal. It was the other drink on the menu that caught my eye, and may have been better suited than the soda, which tasted more like a cross between juice and Italian cream soda.

The service was pretty fast. The air conditioning was actually just a bunch of ceiling fans, but the place was still very ventilated considering the amount of people packed into here. If it's your first time eating here, I would highly recommend going with the joes without hesitation.

Forgive the quality of the pictures degrading as the night went on. Camera phones aren't meant to work well in darker rooms :(

Cactus

2010-08-11T21:28:00.000-07:00

Price: $$
Thoughts: ☆☆☆☆
Cactus: Menu

So I needed to help pass time for a friend, what better way to do it than with food. With the weather as warm as it was, the last thing on my mind was wearing anything that was not shorts, sandals and a t-shirt, so as casual as you can get without dipping into the dangerous realm of fast food. After much thought I settled on a Tex-Mex restaurant called Cactus. And picked the furthest one from us, which was all the way in front of Alki Beach, which is a good drive away.

The place was literally packed from inside out with customers. If there's this much activity, it must be good. When we placed our name for a table the hostess informed us it would be a 45 minute wait, which was fine, killing time was the mission. The buzzer they provided us went off after 15 minutes so we were seated a bit earlier than expected.

As most Mexican restaurants go, we were given complimentary baked tortilla chips with some very delicious fresh salsa. We ordered some drinks, a prickly pear and Mexican lemonade.

Complimentary tortilla chips with fresh salsa

One of the interesting things I found with the Mexican lemonade is the chopped jalapeño pepper inside it. Other than that, the prickly pear lemonade was a nice and fresh feeling.

Prickly Pear Lemonade

Mexican Lemonade

Our server asked us if we had eaten here before. We answered no, and got a quick rundown of what the recommended dishes were. He suggested a few of his favorite antojitos of the menu were. One of them being the spicy Mexican prawns; Camarones D’ El Diablo. We ordered that along with the grilled scallops con tocino; We're very partial to scallops.

Camarones D’ El Diablo- Crispy white Mexican prawns, spicy Diablo sauce, mango–pineapple mojo

These were definitely worth trying. The spicy prawns tasted great as they were without the help of the mojo. Will remember to get this next time as well.

Grilled Scallops con Tocino- Bacon–wrapped natural sea scallops, smoked Fresno aïoli and cilantro oil

Quite juicy and the smoky flavor from the bacon works nicely. Although a bit on the salty side (scallops + bacon can definitely do it), it was still good. But it was no contest against the spicy prawns we just had.

The main entrées were my Cactus fajitas with grilled natural Harris Ranch Angus skirt steak and the grilled skirt steak.

Cactus Fajitas- Served in a sizzling skillet with Spanish rice, cumin black beans and caramelized onions. Guacamole, sour cream, Jack cheese, lettuce, pico de gallo and warm flour tortillas on the side (skirt steak)

This was a lot of food. Despite the warmth from the weather, I had no qualms with eating from a sizzling hot iron skillet. There was a lot of food, and I found myself running out of the tortillas even after heavily stuffing each one with as much meat and beans as I could.

Grilled Skirt Steak- Harris Ranch natural Angus skirt steak, guajillo mole, sautéed hominy with corn and rajas, and crispy fried sweet onions

As a steak should be done; medium-rare. Juicy and looked quite filling. There was nothing left to take home by the time we were ready for the check. I was debating on getting dessert despite feeling a little full, but I saw one of the other customers eating a flan with a birthday candle in it, and that seemed simple enough.

When the waiter came to us, he surprised us with a flan on the house for being first time customers.

Three Milk Cuban Flan (on the house!)

This trumps my previous attempt at making flan. I would definitely suggest coming to the Alki location while the summer weather is still here. All-in-all, good food and passed a good amount of time for the day.

津津锅 Gourmet Noodle Bowl

2010-08-09T21:50:00.000-07:00

Price: $$
Thoughts: ☆☆☆½
津津锅 gourmet noodle bowl

Of the 11 years I've lived in Seattle, I've only had hot pot twice. One at a friend's place, and one at a restaurant called the Seven Peppers in the International District. Located next to Dearborn Street on the Southeastern side of the International District it is very easy to miss this place save for the small sign displaying 津津锅 Gourmet Noodle Bowl. Upon arriving, we were immediately seated and given plates of veggies, meats, and garnishes:

Chopped garlic, cilantro, and green onion with some kind of nutty sauce

Udon, tofu, enoki mushrooms, endives, and various leafy greens cover a plate of vermicelli.

Left Side: Chicken stock with scallion, fried tofu, and fish balls. Right Side: Spicy chicken stock, cow intestine, scallion.

Sliced beef and chicken

I found that the non-spicy chicken stock to be very plain, in the sense that all it seemed to do was just act no differently than boiling water. The spicy one however, really added flavor to the meats and vegetables. One of the things I really enjoyed about this place was how attentive the waitress was to refilling the plates with more meats. Which leads to one of the things that bummed me out, they only refilled the meats, then again we did not think about asking for more of the vegetables. But for an all you can eat hot pot for $15/person. It's a really good deal.

If you're with some friends and need a cheap fix to fill you up, this will definitely get the job done.

Poppy

2010-07-20T20:44:00.000-07:00

Price: $$$
Thoughts: ☆☆☆☆☆
Poppy: Menu

My friend CJ recommended trying this place out, so I made a note of it in the back of my mind (which is filled with too many other places recommended to eat at) to try this place out. They were also featured on the Food Network, a channel that is a must have to give myself an excuse for calling myself a food enthusiast (or at least an eating enthusiast).

Located at the northern outskirts of Capitol Hill it could be easily passed over for it's very low-key exterior. However, the interior was very well furnished, and very clean with a very tall ceiling that exposed the ceiling beams. It was almost like the owner wanted to create this little dichotomy.

We arrived just around when the happy hour had started and seated ourselves at the bar. Glancing through the menu, we spotted oysters and knew we had to get them. Fresh kumomoto oysters from Willapa Bay and poached oysters served with bacon. The waiter was nice enough to add an extra oyster on both orders as they are normally served in sets of three.

half shell kumomoto oysters with anise hyssop ice

The heat outside may have also added to the appeal of this dish as well. Served over a bed of ice, and fresh cold oysters that went very well with the herbal taste from the side of ice.

poached oysters with sorrel sauce and bacon

I never imagined bacon and oysters, but this was quite a lethal combination. The smoky flavor from the bacon works wonders with the poached oyster. Both of the oyster dishes were flawless, and would be an unfair challenge for me to place one above the other.

We went for a duck salad and spiced pork ribs and debated on desserts.

duck confit, grilled radicchio, hazelnut and juneberry salad

A very light and easy to manage salad. My primary reasoning for choosing this dish was because I do not think I've ever had juneberry before. But it was long forgotten as I ate the duck.

I'll be putting up two pictures of the spiced pork ribs (as it was presented, and how large it was).

spiced berkshire pork ribs

If I could, I would even put a video up showing how tender it was. With the butter knife provided, it sliced through the meat like it literally was softened butter. The expression exchanged between us was a mixture of complete shock and awe. Without hesitation, this would be the first thing I'm ordering upon any and every future visit to Poppy.

Being unsure of whether to get dessert or not, we went with a yelper's suggestion of their eggplant fries:

eggplant fries with sea salt & honey

My friend does not like eggplant. But this was an exception. At a glance the dark skin from the slices of eggplant made it look like fried catfish. The fries were very fresh and fried in honey and sprinkled with coarse sea salt. This and the pork ribs would be the two things I would be getting to start before venturing further down the menu.

Everything was solid all around. The ambiance and the service was excellent. Definitely would like to try their after 9PM selection, like their naan sandwich.

Kingfish Cafe

2010-07-12T21:47:00.000-07:00

Price: $$
Thoughts: ☆☆☆☆
Kingfish Cafe: Menu

Having lived in Georgia for a few years, I do not recall ever having genuine Southern food. My diet then consisted almost entirely of Korean food and McDonalds and/or Carls Jr. With my trip to 5 Spot being the only experience with it.

The Kingfish Cafe was originally a fall-back plan in case our initial restaurant of choice was closed (to which we learned, is always closed on Mondays). Located right across the street from Monsoon, the same people that also run the Baguette Box down in Capitol Hill. The restaurant had a very homely feel to it, from it's well worn wooden furniture to the extremely spacious ceiling. The lighting was kept to a minimum, as the restaurant took advantage of the natural light flooding in from the floor to ceiling windows. I felt like I could waste my day just sitting there, reading a book and munching on something from their menu.

As usual, we consulted their Yelp page for any possible suggestions and decided to start with their Percy’s Plate for Sharin’ – a trio of Wonderful Dips:

A fresh smoked catfish spread with herbs and a touch of mustard a creamy cool artichoke and roasted garlic dip, and our spicy black-eye pea spread served with a jumble of toasted bread and crackers

The catfish spread was the best of the three, and the water crackers were the best of the four dipping choices. The black-eye pea spread was not anywhere near as spicy or flavorful as one would hope, perhaps it was too overshadowed by the artichoke and catfish dips.

For the main plate my friend got the buttermilk fried chicken. I stuck with the simple mac and cheese:

My way or the highway buttermilk fried chicken

A very juicy chicken dipped in a buttermilk batter and fried nicely keeping the skin crispy and the meat tender and juicy. The side of potato salad really helped after burning our mouths on the chicken as well. This is a very heavy meal and was quite filing by itself.

Down home mac and cheese

Baked with three kinds of cheese along with onions and mushrooms, the serving size was daunting. Imagine a cake-sized macaroni and cheese dish and you get this. Very simple and also scalding hot as well. I found myself shoveling in the entire salad before getting through the entire dish.

The macaroni and cheese would be my personal favorite for the night. As simple as it was, it really hit the spot for me. The waitress offered us desserts which we immediately declined. We boxed up the leftovers and left feeling quite full. Better to back out before ordering too much and feeling more pain than a satisfied feeling.

I would say that the appetizer we selected was a bit weak compared to the main course but the portions were very generous. Expect to take home leftovers.

Nishino

2010-06-21T21:52:00.000-07:00

Price: $$$
Thoughts: ☆☆☆☆
Nishino: Menu

Whenever I think of Japanese food, sushi is almost the first and only thing that comes to mind. While skimming menus to see where to eat next, Nishino's menu stood out in the sense that it had a much more diverse variety of dishes that I don't think I've seen at any Japanese restaurant. Here's their specials of the day when we went:

Located on the southern tip of the Arboretum in Madison Park, it was a nice drive through the lesser traveled roads winding around the large garden. The exterior of the building is very nondescript, I almost mistook it for the small fitness club that was in the same plaza had I not seen their shop sign. The inside however, was quite a contrast from what I was expecting.

We started off with two rolls, the Spicy Tuna and Arboretum Roll (yellowtail, jalapeño, and avocado). I ordered the foie gras and seared tuna and my friend, the dynamite.

Spicy Tuna Roll and the Arboretum Roll- yellowtail, jalapeño, and avocado)

It's really hard to go wrong with a spicy tuna roll, so that was a safe choice. The Arboretum roll was nice and sweet which tasted great. The jalapeño was mild like a bell pepper so it didn't provide an unnecessary spiciness for the roll.

foie gras and seared tuna- with shiitake mushroom and red wine soy reduction

This was their first time having foie gras which was the highlight of all the dishes eaten tonight. I was debating on another order of it as it melted in your mouth and just left such a savory taste lingering in your mouth.

dynamite- baked geoduck, scallop and mushrooms with creamy sauce

Both of us have never eaten geoduck so we were not sure what to expect, other than assumptions from what we know from the taste and texture of other mussels. The ratio between the mushrooms and geoduck (which looked almost like the mushrooms too) was pretty good; 60/40. My impression of the geoduck is it feels just like eating a mussel, but not as tough. The scallops hid under the creamy sauce which I could not separate the flavors other than mayonnaise, still very good. The scallops were cooked enough to sustain it's shape but still break apart very easily.

soft shell crab- served with ponzu sauce

Deep fried until crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, tasted exactly as I would have expected. Very simple, but it felt like it was missing something, but still tasted great.

shiso shrimp dumpling with spicy yuzu sauce

The minty kick from the shiso that was wrapped around all of the shrimp was very pleasant. The spicy [and sweet] yuzu sauce made an excellent compliment to the fresh taste. The dumpling skin was so fragile that the skin slid off a few of the shrimp, but it helped soak up a lot of the yuzu sauce.

grilled salmon skin with arugula

Normally when I eat salmon skin, it is deep fried and served in a roll. Having it grilled gave it a nice smoky taste to the salad. At first I was having a difficult time determining whether I was eating daikon or a pear. After a little bit of time, I concluded it was a daikon from the barely noticeable sour aftertaste, it was unusually sweet for a radish.

Green Tea 'Tiramisu'

There was no dessert menu, so I had to use my best guess as to what each of the layers were. The top of the cake was a matcha mousse, the dark layer in between would be a matcha-soaked ladyfinger, followed by more matcha mousse, and then another ladyfinger. It almost reminded me of the matcha cakes I used to eat at the Panama Hotel (before the lady who baked it moved back to Japan, taking the secret recipe with her). This would be the second best dessert (Ristorante Machiavelli holding the top place with their Mousse Tiramisu) I've had so far.

The restaurant is suitable for casual and formal (as the table behind us was filled with people in suits while a few tables across had people in causal wear and kids playing with their training chop sticks.

From what we have sampled, I am curious as to what the Omakase had (as we kind of created our own tasting menu). I'll save that for next time.

Gorgeous George's

2010-06-07T20:10:00.000-07:00

Price: $$
Thoughts: ☆☆☆☆
Gorgeous George's: Menu

Mediterranean food is something I cannot recall ever having, and Gorgeous George's was the only Mediterranean restaurant on my list. Very simple interior, nothing fancy and relatively quiet. At first I thought it was closed due to how dark it appeared from the outside.

I had been craving for some stuffed grape leaves during the weekend so that was a definitely something I was getting. I also got the Grilled Lamb Chops and my friend their special, the Spring Lamb Ribs along with a Greek salad with a side of fresh made feta cheese on the side (my friend does not like feta cheese). Complimentary hummus and bread was served as we waited for our appetizer.

Hummus- Mashed Garbonzo Beans Flavored with Garlic, Tahini, and Lemon

It had been a while since I've had hummus, they were very generous with the portion as well, which meant I did not have to hold back on dipping large amounts of it onto the bread.

Stuffed Grape Leaves- Six Pieces Veggie Grape Leaves Served with a Side of Mint Yogurt Sauce

The grape leaves were brought to us before we had a chance to finish our hummus and bread. Even though the menu stated that it was served with five pieces, the chef was kind enough to add another to make it an even amount between the two of us. It was my friend's first time having grape leaves, which was thoroughly enjoyed by us. I was tempted to order more, but held back on it.

Greek Salad- Field Greens, Feta Cheese, Olives, Tomato, Cucumber, Basil, Green Pepper, Red Onion, Zatar in a House Basil Vinaigrette Dressing

Again this dish was brought as we were just finishing the grape leaves (which disappeared really fast). The salad was loaded with the house vinaigrette which had a lot of zatar in it. This was a very fresh tasting and delicious salad, and would've been fine just eating that as a meal itself. As we were finishing up the salad, our entrées were brought to us. Starting with my Grilled Lamb Chops:

Grilled Lamb Chops- Three Succulent Lamb Chops, Grilled to Perfection. Served with Grilled Tomato Onion and Parsley

This had to be the juiciest lamb I've ever had. Slicing through it littered my plate with juices and the rice was very fluffy and light. I had to slow myself down so I could actually enjoy it and not let my eating habits finish this in a matter of minutes. There were no leftovers.

Spring Lamb Ribs- Succulent, Tender Spring Lamb Ribs Prepared to your Desire using Delicate Herbs and Spices. Served with Garden Vegetables

As my friend cut the ribs, it reminded me of slicing through a grapefruit, very juicy and no resistance while cutting the flesh. It puts the lamb ribs I've had at Ruth Chris' to shame, both in price and in quality (and quantity). Despite being served with ramekins filled with some kind of sauce (most likely variety of yogurt), we did not need it to add more flavors to these dishes.

To finish it off, a house baklava:

Baklava- Layered Filo-dough with a Nutty Filled Center. Chef George's Recipe

This baklava was very fresh and still warm. I think it was a good way to end the meal, as it was nice and small and very light. Unlike most of the baklava variations I have had in the past, it was soft all the way through, which made it easier to eat it with just a fork.

One of the things I really enjoyed about eating here was that there was no waiting between our orders. Everything came in, one after another without any waiting for our next meals which is pretty impressive for what appears to be run by two people. The ratio between quality and price was very well matched, and the atmosphere was suitable for dressing up or just coming dressed casually.

I highly recommend getting their lamb and grape leaves, as I'm already craving for some again.

Elliott Bay Brewery (second trip)

2010-06-02T23:42:00.000-07:00

Price: $$
Thoughts: ☆☆☆☆☆
Elliot Bay Brewery: Menu

It has been six weeks since my last post. A lot of scheduling conflicts and getting sick has caused many delays for the entire month of May. Once the dust had settled we decided to start off with our top choice (so far) from the places we've eaten; Elliott Bay Brewery. This time around we decided to try some of the happy hour items for starters. We got the Onion Rings and Mussels with Fries. Both were $4.95 each:

Onion Rings

These rings were huge, about the same diameter as an apple. I do not think I have ever seen any this big before. Trying to pace ourselves we left a couple onion rings to box up as leftovers. I discourage doing this, as they do not reheat very well (both microwave or oven still leaves it a little damp). Their "house sauce" (which I am pretty sure is a combination of BBQ sauce and ranch and something else (maybe worchestershire) tastes great. I found that crushing the rings works better for dipping them into the undersized dipping containers.

Mussels with a side of fries

The mussels aren't anything out of the ordinary, as there isn't anything wrong with preparing them with the lemon and garlic.

For the main dishes we ordered the California Avenue and Black Angus Philly Cheese Steak (his turn to try it).

CALIFORNIA AVENUE- Topped with guacamole, Swiss cheese, and bacon with mayo on the side

The burger wasn't too difficult to scarf down (although we were already getting a little full from the two happy hour portions already). The swiss cheese was a little difficult to taste as the guacamole overpowered the flavors from the other ingredients (save for the bacon and patty), which still tasted great. The burger is quite messy regardless of how much caution you put into eating it. I saved a small portion of it to take home for lunch (or breakfast the next day).

BLACK ANGUS PHILLY CHEESE STEAK makes it's return

My friend enjoyed the cheese steak and had to take some of it home as the daunting hoagie along with the fries makes for an already filling meal.

The last time eating here, I was not able to make it through for desserts (too much food kills the cravings). But we gave one of their seasonal desserts a shot, Shortbread Sundae with Hazelnuts.

Shortbread Sundae with Hazelnuts *SEASONAL*

This was too big for one person, at least the waitress gave us a warning and discouraged us from ordering two. Good call on her end, as we didn't even finish the one that we had shared. The shortbread breaks up nicely with a spoon making it easy to get a little bit of the ice cream, chopped hazelnuts and some shortbread all in one scoop. We weren't able to finish this one unfortunately (we scooped out all the ice cream and hazelnuts towards the end).

Once again the Elliott Bay Brewery has done a great job providing a lot of food for the money. Still number one in my book!

Etta's

2010-04-21T21:56:00.000-07:00

Price: $$$
Thoughts: ☆☆☆☆
Etta's: Menu

This is a first in a while; an early dinner. Etta's was a missed opportunity when my friend Gilbert came to visit from New York, as I had work to do. Anyways, this place is located on the northern side of the Pike Place Market, which is home of the first Starbucks ever; expect a lot of tourists standing around.

Parking is actually really easy if you know where to look. Past dates have left a good memory of where to find them, which came in handy. I had made a reservation using Open Table as suggested by their website, so there was no waiting for our 6:15 arrival.

We were promptly served a very crusty olive bread along with two dry beverages, kumquat and vanilla bean:

Artisan bread with and without olives

The last time we had olive bread I was not fortunate to find any pieces with any in them. After inspecting and a minor discussion about all the possible baking methods, we concluded that there were just two separate breads that were served. Primarily because they were separated on the plate each time we were given more bread.

Kumquat Dry Soda

Vanilla Bean Dry Soda

We had already pored over their SRW menu and knew what we were getting. The baby spinach salad, and sake cured salmon bites; which wasn't a regular menu item:

Baby spinach salad -curried cashews, sesame dressing, crispy bacon

The dressing tasted really good, and had a subtle sweet aftertaste to it. I did not find any of the cashews with the portion I forked but with or without it, the salad still tasted great.

Sake cured salmon bites -hot mustard, cucumber

I did not realize that they had put horseradish into the mustard so I took a nice deep breath after taking in a good bit of salmon covered in the mustard. It was a simple but very flavorful meal. The salmon itself was nice and firm, although I ran into a piece that was a bit tougher than the rest. The cucumbers give the whole dish something that feels fresh, and helps with the hot mustard.

Dinner we had Etta's rub with love wild Coho salmon and Seared Washington chicken breast which was also not listed on their regular menu:

Etta’s Rub with Love wild Coho salmon -shiitake relish, cornbread pudding

The cornbread pudding had more attention than the salmon itself. Soft and had a taste that reminded me of the stuffing you eat inside a Thanksgiving turkey. The salmon was flaky and soft and easy to split apart without anything more than the fork. Apparently one of the asparagus was a little old, or possibly improperly cooked, but was your typical blanched vegetables.

Seared Washington chicken breast -sugar snap pea succotash, easter egg radish salad

Again, the main attention was not the seared chicken breast but the succotash that was underneath it. Cooking chicken breast and preventing it from being dry is something that takes a little bit of work. The breast was very juicy and had a nice crusty skin. I found the radish salad to be a little on the bland side as eating it separately or with the rest of the meal produced nothing that I could taste. The succotash on the other hand had a nice curry taste to it that left me wishing they served more of it with the dish.

Dessert was going to be an adventure. A triple coconut cream pie and the vanilla and rhubarb crisp; I have an allergy to ginger but love the taste.

Triple coconut cream pie + white chocolate

At a glance I was expecting this to be as rich as the mud pie we had from 5 Spot. But it was very light and easy to eat even on a full stomach.

Vanilla and rhubarb crisp + ginger ice cream

Luckily there wasn't enough ginger in the ice cream to warrant an allergic reaction. The rhubarb has a very strong tart taste that overtakes the Vanilla crisp part of the dessert; I could not taste any vanilla at all in-between the helpings of rhubarb and ice cream. It was still a pleasant order and very hot. I think pear or a more subtle fruit would have worked better with the ginger ice cream.

Etta's is definitely a place I recommend grabbing reservations for; the place is not very big. The tall glass windows that look across the Puget Sound is great as it faces the sunset.

Possibly due to the fact that the place is small, it ensures that the waiter or sommelier will always be checking up on you throughout the meal. At the end of the meal, if you give them your email address and your birthday, they will send you a gift certificate as an incentive. I definitely will come back again, with or without a certificate in hand.

Via Tribunali

2010-04-19T23:20:00.000-07:00

Price: $$
Thoughts: ☆☆☆☆¾
Via Tribunali: Menu

Lately I noticed I have been eating dinner later and later. This was the first restaurant I tried during the Seattle Restaurant Week event which I will refer to as SRW from now on. They have many locations, but we chose the Fremont location due to the higher ratings, also it was conveniently closer to our homes. Finding parking was not too difficult, but then again it was past 9:30 at night. We were the only ones there save for one other customer at the bar, the interior had a very homely feel.

My friend was told to try the Margherita D.O.C. which was also on their SRW menu as well. The event menus are broken-down into a 3-course dinner or lunch for $25 and $15, an appetizer, entrée, and a dessert. The portions given as they should, so this is quite a good deal.

For our appetizers we got the Saute Di Vongole and the Misto Salumi:

SAUTE DI VONGOLE -fresh clams with olive oil, garlic, white wine oven fired

It's hard to go wrong with clams in garlic and oil. Nothing that made it stand out from anything we've had before, but it doesn't make it bad either. I was curious and imagined how good it would taste if they used the same garlic sauce that Ocho used on their prawns.

MISTO SALUMI -coppa, prosciutto di parma, speck, olives, grana padano

Served on a wooden paddle with the meats laid across and the olives in a ramekin. It was the first time having green olives that looked like green kumquats. I tend to consume a lot of prosciutto at home (wrapped around prawns) so my bias would make this my favorite on the plate. The grana padano tasted great when wrapped around with the prosciutto and speck (which is smoked prosciutto). The small slices of coppa had enough kick of spiciness to leave a taste lingering in my mouth. I ended up just popping the olives like they were grapes and removing the flesh around the seed.

For the entrée we got the Margherita D.O.C. and the Piazza Dante:

MARGHERITA D.O.C. -pomodoro, mozzarella di bufala, basil

A very basic pizza with three ingredients. This pizza is tied together very well with the fresh basil, which sealed the deal as the best pizza between the two. Served piping hot, but because of how thin it is, it cooled down really fast.

PIAZZA DANTE -pomodoro, arugula, prosciutto crudo, smoked mozzarella, cherry tomato

Served over literally a mountain of arugula and porsciutto. I chose this one because of my last experience eating pizza with some kind of tomato as a topping rather than a sauce. Eating the cherry tomatoes provided the similar bursts of flavor that the pancheta did at Tutta Bella on a much smaller scale, but still pleasant nonetheless. I think the most difficult part of the pizza was dividing it into quarters.

And for the desserts. Their Mezza Luna di Nutella and Tartufo Affogato:

MEZZA LUNA DI NUTELLA -chocolate, hazelnut calzone

This is BIG... it's the same size as the pizzas we ate for dinner, except fold one half over and stuff it with nutella. In other words, it is best to share this dish. Putting a little of the espresso from my dessert made it an interesting, but pleasant taste as it gave it a hazelnut espresso mix.

TARTUFO AFFOGATO -vita espresso over chocolate gelato

I don't drink coffee. Ever. But I still got this because I really wanted to eat the chocolate gelato. Their espresso comes from the Caffé Vita next to the restaurant, and is quite strong. With the gelato melting alarmingly fast into the espresso masked the bitterness that deters me from coffees in the first place. I found myself enjoying the espresso and the portion is small enough to keep you from feeling like you had too much, but large enough that you will be done for the night.

We both saved a quarter of our pizzas for leftovers which was a good idea, as we were already full after dessert. The water they served us was lukewarm, it would have been nice if they provided a few ice cubes especially with the weather slowly warming up. This place knows how to make pizza well and a wide variety of it too. I too, would recommend the Magherita D.O.C. to anyone as their first pizza here. Sometimes, the simplest pizzas just cannot be beaten.

Ocho

2010-04-12T23:53:00.000-07:00

Price: $
Thoughts: ☆☆☆☆½
Ocho: Menu

It's 9PM, and I'm tired. I was reluctant to go out and eat tonight, but a spur of the moment decision to give Ocho a try. This small tapas bar was very difficult to notice despite it being on the corner of a busy intersection, is near impossible to find at night if you have never been there before. After walking past it three or four times passing it off for the "bar section" of AZTECA, the familiar two panel menu taped to the window caught my eye.

There were about six tables, and a bar. The music was on pretty loud and reminded me of my previous weekend's experience at the Last Supper Club, but the music was at the same time pleasing. The bar is lit almost entirely by candles save for a few light bulbs in the kitchen and some low-watt bulbs overhead. We grabbed one of the two empty tables and examined the menu. We ordered a LOT. The pictures were all done by our phones as usual, and with the very dim atmosphere they're not very good.

Gambas al Ajillo -spicy garlic prawns

This is the first time I've had a lemon sauce that just jumped out at me. I'm not sure what was in it, but I was sad when they took the bowl with the sauce still at the bottom (was hoping for some bread to dip and absorb the sauce with). The shrimp was nice and crisp and was served with their signature olive oil toast.

Huevo del Diablo -deviled egg, salmon roe, pickled onion, tomato dust, fried capers, dill

The saltiness from the salmon roe lingered nicely in my mouth for a while. I didn't want to gulp any water until the flavor was completely gone.

Setasde Ferez -sherried mushrooms, olive oil toast, arugula

I was intimidated with the size of this mound of sherried mushrooms and arugula. Biting into this piping hot mountain of mushrooms and herb was a messy but delightful experience. The olive bread was warm and soft in the center, and crisp on the edges, but held itself together well.

Bisteca -flank steak, white bean caper olive oil vinaigrette

Having previewed the menu while driving to Ocho's, I was under the impression this would be the dish that I would like the most. While the meat was tender and delicious, I found the olives hidden inside the white beans a pleasant surprise.

Banderilla de Boqueron -anchovy, piquillo pepper, fried artichoke, allioli

This was the best thing for the price as well, for $1.50. The anchovy and fried artichoke tied in nicely with the allioli sauce. We almost ordered seconds, but decided to continue expanding our selection of good food.

Pan con Chocolate -olive oil toast, chocolate, almonds, flor de sal, truffle oil

This was the only "dessert" oriented item on the menu. The nutty taste from the almonds mixed with the chocolate on the toast felt like a rich biscotti. I couldn't taste much of the salt or the truffle oil.

Tortilla Espanola -egg, potato, onion, brava sauce, artichoke allioli

When I saw this, it looked more like a cake than anything like a "tortilla". The texture was very similar to a quiche. The artichoke allioli was delicious, salty and garlic in one sauce is hard to go wrong. My friend cleaned the plate of any food leftover.

While Ocho would make a great date spot, the music takes away from making that a viable option. The food all around is solid, since we were able to sample almost half of their entire menu, and each dish provided excellent presentation and taste. Finding parking does not seem to be a problem, despite the location of many popular restaurants in the area. As expected, it is a tapas bar so most people come for a dish or two and to socialize rather than devour half of their seasonal menu, but if you choose to do the latter; you will not be disappointed.