Showing posts with label Seattle. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Seattle. Show all posts

The Tasting Room - Post Alley 

Tuesday, November 30, 2010 -
Hubs and I were able to sip many wines while we were in Seattle, and one of our favorite stops was The Tasting Room, located in Post Alley of the Pike Place Market.  I had read about them during some online research and after finding them on twitter, they made my list of "must see's" while in Seattle.  So after a day in the market and some fantastic luncheon fare at Matt's in the Market, we meandered our way through the alley to sip on some wines.
The concept of TTSeattle is great: local wineries all got together and decided to open a spot where their wines could be presented. It is truly a collaborative effort and shows how wine lovers can come together to showcase a great product.  There are two locations in the state of Washington, and I'm happy that they picked such a great location to feature their products.
The location is fantastic as it tucked away from the busy market, but easy to find in the alley.  It is a great spot to relax after shopping in the market and side shops.  Or, if you are going to dinner, a perfect place to stop there for an after (or before!) dinner drink.  Not only can you purchase some great wine, but you can relax in the cozy wine cellar atmosphere over samples and small bites. They have great events planned including a trivia night or even a pie night (they teamed up with a local pizzeria who delivers pizza at low cost, so you don't have to go anywhere and can have a full meal.)  They havelong, wooden tables that makes the perfect venue to share some great conversations (or game, they have board games available for play) with friends or smaller, round tables for intimate conversations.
Hubs and I sat at the bar and immediately were greeted by some great staff.  Not only were the knowledgeable and made some great recommendations, they were so personable.  I immediately knew this was a place where I could relax for hours and feel among friends.  I decided to sample one of there many themed wine flights. I love wine flights - a small taste of many (like my love of small plates) is always great for me.  These flights aren't your basic "Chardonnay flight" or "Red Wine Special" types - they were all creatively named to capture the true experience of each taste.  As I was wearing flip flops in chilly weather, I began with the 'Sandals & Socks' flight which was a variety of both red and white that you could easily sip during warm or chilly weather.  It was a great way to kick off the afternoon.
My next flight was 'White Noise' which was a trio of bold whites.  It went perfect with the cheese plate that hubs and I ordered.  Though we were stuffed after lunch, we had these two Wisco kids couldn't pass up a cheese plate!
It was really one of the best parts of our trip.  We were relaxed, drinking and eating local food in an atmosphere that was conducive to our feeling of the day.  We even pondered on heading back that way the next day, but knew there was still so much more to see in the area that we had to resist the temptation.  If you enjoy wine and are looking for a relaxing time with great nibbles and wine, stop by The Tasting Room.  And pick up the Operation board, you'll be in for a treat.

The Tasting Room Seattle
1924 Post Alley
Seattle, WA 98101
206.770.9463

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Matt's in the Market 

Friday, November 12, 2010 -

This is the last of the Seattle recaps.  But, this may be the best of them all - because another highly recommended restaurant in Seattle is Matt’s in the Market.  No one verbally told me about it, but every where I read, Matt's was listed.  Located in the best location a restaurant could be in, it is located within the Pike Place Market, immediately across the street of the famous flying fish of Pike Place Fish on the third floor of Corner Market Building.  After we perused the market, we made our way upstairs for some delectable delights.
Even though it was a Friday at the end of a busy lunch time, we only had to wait a few minutes for a table.  And I couldn't have asked for a better spot as it was a window overlooking the Market.  The sun was shining, and it made the restaurant that much more comfortable.  
 
I was pleased with the simplicity of the restaurant - it felt like I was visiting a friend's kitchen.  From the open kitchen to the simplistic counter bar where people could dine, the whole feel of the restaurant was home with a twist.  Being across the street from some of the most beautiful flowers I've ever seen, they did not disappoint with simple sunflower blooms on the table.
Our server greeted us with a smile and explanation of the menu.  She was utterly fantastic, friendly and spot on with her recommendations when I asked her opinion between a few options (she is in the photo above, all the way to the right in the blue shirt and some fantastic earrings!)  I ordered a glass of 2009 Leyda Sauvignon Blanc to enjoy during my meal.  At this point, I was expecting to get some sort of seafood so I wanted wine that was light, crisp and refreshing to accompany it.

Hubs ordered some of the most succulent crab I have ever seen.  He surprised me by ordering a salad, but when I saw it presented, it all made sense.  Baby arugula was lightly dressed in a citrus vinaigrette, presented with slices of orange and avocado.  But the star of his meal was the dungeness crab, and there was a lot of it!  It was absolutely delicious and simple.  I was able to take a nibble (with hubs permission of course!) and knew that he had a stellar dish on his hands.  I wouldn't have been surprised if they picked it up from across the street when he ordered it - that is how fresh it was.  It was meaty (in a crab sense of course) and savory.
Onion jam changed my life.  To be honest, my whole meal changed my life.  I had ordered Don & Joe's lamb burger, and it may have been the best decision of the day (and trust me, I had a GREAT day!)  The lamb was fantastic, melt in your mouth fantastic.  It was perfectly cooked and perfect size to indulge in.  Covered in goat cheese (you may remember - I adore goat cheese) and thick slices of bacon, this play on a bacon cheeseburger was beautiful.  An earthy herb aioli and spicy arugula complimented the great flavors.  The onion jam - as I said - is life changing.  It was slightly sweet because of the caramelized love that it was.  Honestly, I could have just eaten that on the rustic, hearty brioche the burger was served with - but not really because the whole sandwich was amazing.  This was the kind of burger that you don't want to share, but you keep asking the person you are with to try it (again and again) so they can see why you are drooling and eating at the same time.  I needed hubs to understand why I was so in love with my meal. 
Trust me.  Go and get it.  You won't be disappointed.  If I was on Food Network's "Best Thing I Ever Ate" and it was about burgers, this would be it.  Thank you Don & Joe for making such a beautiful thing.

I do have to comment on the fantastic side as well - a garbanzo bean-sultana salad.  It was crunchy and earthy, with hints of delicious grain mustard.  I loved the texture, and I'm not normally a garbanzo bean lover so I was surprised to be eating it up.  It was quite a large serving, but that could have been because I was having a love affair with my burger. 

My Seattle recommendation: take a stroll through the Market with a cup of original Starbuck's love, buy some great food and try to not nibble (at least for that day) because you should be dining at Matt's.  Dinner or lunch - it is reasonably priced with a great view, fantastic service and some unforgettable nosh.

Matt's in the Market
Corner of Pike & First
94 Pike Place Street, Suite 32
Seattle, WA 98101
206.467.7909

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Tom Douglas - Etta & Serious Pie 

Thursday, November 11, 2010 -
If you read this blog, you know that hubs and I had made our way to Emerald City last month and that we ate some amazing food.  Prior to our arrival, I knew that I wanted to eat at any Tom Douglas restaurant because of his influence in the city.  Not to mention, he is kind of a genius when it comes to seafood, which I adore.
We made our way to Etta's in the Public Market around 7 for our reservations.  We were seated early - which was great because the restaurant was packed - and escorted us to a booth in the corner by the bar.  The restaurant was very dark - my only complaint - because though I love having the atmosphere, it made for taking photos horrific.  So I apologize in advance - they are not even close to showcasing how great the food actually was.  But I had to tell you how great the food was because it was some of the best food I've ever had.  You need to check out the website because the photos will make you drool.

We each started off with a glass of wine and noshed on the warm bread as we perused the menu.  I wanted oysters, sashimi, crab cakes...I wanted it all.  Douglas is famous for his crab cakes - so you think that would be an easy decision.  But I didn't know if I wanted it as an appetizer or for dinner. In the end, we settled on it as an appetizer and I couldn't have been happier.  These were the best crab cakes I've had.  There wasn't a lot of fill - it was all crab meat.  There was a mild crunch from diced red peppers, but really, holding it together was the crab.  It was lightly breaded on each side to give the saute pan something to grasp onto.  They were smaller in size and served with a green cocktail sauce.  To be honest, it didn't need the sauce, just a squirt of lemon.  Don't get me wrong, the sauce was great, but those crab cakes stood on their own and didn't need anything.

Dinner arrived shortly after I finished gushing about how great our appetizer was.  Hubs ordered the Alaskan Halibut - and yes, it was phenomenal.  He had ordered the smaller size and immediately regretted it after the first bite (as did I, because I wouldn't have felt bad to ask for a second bite!)  Simply seasoned, it was the best cut of halibut one could have.  Fresh, tender and perfectly cooked, it was served with smashed potatoes.  Normally, hub goes for these potatoes immediately, but he didn't even touch them until the halibut was cleared from the plate.  This is a must try for you or someone at the table when you dine here.

I decided (after being reassured my our wonderful server that it was fantastic) to order a house special - the "rub with love" salmon.  The Wild Coho Salmon was breathtaking.  The spices (don't think heat) were rubbed into this fine piece of salmon before being grilled.  It flaked easily with a fork - cooked perfectly - which is so refreshing after trying some not so great salmon here in the Midwest (coastal cities know how to do it, and Tom Douglas is a master and has taught his staff well.)  It was perfect on its own - but when paired with the shiitake relish on top, it was even better.  The mushrooms gave it an earthy element which played well with the variety of spices on the fish.  Underneath were crisp green beans and a cornbread pudding that was the best cornbread pudding money could buy. And portions were generous for me as I sopped up every last bite not wanting to waste a single memory of this food.

For dessert, we opted to share the triple coconut cream pie.  It is great to know that chef's who excel in some great seafood also excel in some great sweets.  This pie was not overly sweet or strong in coconut flavor.  Don't get me wrong, you can taste the coconut, but it was creamy yet crunchy with the slivers of white chocolate.  Honestly, it was the perfect ending as it wasn't heavy like our meals.  With fresh whipped cream, this will be a pie to remember!


Etta's - a must try - but Douglas has many other restaurants in Seattle as well.  We did head to Serious Pie too - a pizza establishment.  I wasn't as impressed (the dough was salty for me) but it was still good.  That restaurant was (once again) extremely dark so my photos REALLY did not show up.  Which is unfortunate because the food was beautiful.  We had a great appetizer involving speck and thinly sliced Parmesan (see below) and hubs enjoyed a buffalo mozzarella and San Marzano tomato pizza.  His pizza won over my taste buds and our friendly "who has the better dinner" competition, but my Penn Cove clam pizza with pancetta (pictured below) was also delicious.  I even had good intention of splitting dessert, but I somehow consumed the rice pudding with apples and caramel/cinnamon sauce to myself.  I also discovered hubs isn't a fan of rice pudding, but only after I had selected it.  Oh well, my tummy was grateful for sure.

Etta's
2020 Western Avenue
Seattle, WA 98121
(206) 443-6000

Serious Pie
316 Virginia
Seattle, WA 98121
(206) 838-7388

If you've been to Seattle - where would you say has the best seafood?  Have you dined at a Tom Douglas restaurant?

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The Emerald City! 

Saturday, October 9, 2010 -
Seattle...what a beautiful city to visit during our anniversary trip!  We had started north of the city and in Vancouver, but were really excited to make our way to downtown Seattle to see what the city was all about.  It was a wonderful experience: we got to see so much, eat some fantastic food and drink some great brews and vintages.  And the views - lots of great things to look at!  Thank you to all of those who reached out to friends in the area to give us the "must see's" of the city, the information was invaluable.  Alas, another photo recap (and I'll get to the food, wine and beer soon!):

After getting to our hotel, we quickly dropped our bags off and made way to the sports area of Seattle.  I wanted to see where the Seahawks and Mariners played their home games, and there was also a brewery in the area we wanted to see. We didn't go inside (though there was a Mariner's game that evening,) but I can say both vicinities were quite impressive.  Outside of Qwest Field, more specifically the Seahawks pro shop, there were these huge sculptures.  I have no idea what they meant, but they were so interesting.  I LOVED the big mit outside of Safeco (Mariners), I couldn't resist to sit down in it.  Elysian Brewery was a great spot to relax after walking around (though the lack of pumpkin brews was a disappointment, more on that later...)

After lunch, we walked around the Pioneer Square - a historical yet eclectic district where "the home" of Seattle really is.  We learned so much about Seattle's history - why you may ask?  Because we decided to take an underground tour of the city.  Did you know the city built itself ontop of itself?!  Let me explain briefly - there was a fire that destroyed Seattle, and in dealing with high tides of the ocean, they built themselves higher than the original city.  There are sidewalks one story down from the real streets.  It was an interesting and amusing tour of the area.  I highly recommend you take it if you ever visit the city.  After, we walked around the shops and made our way back to the hotel before cleaning up for dinner at Etta's, one of the restaurants of the renowned James Beard receipient, Tom Douglas.  Nom.

We began the following day by making a stop at SAM - the Seattle Art Museum.  The Renaissance, where we were staying, has free tickets for their guests so we took advantage of this opportunity and strolled a few blocks to see some great exhibits.  It is a gorgeous, two level museum with both modern and traditional exhibits.  My favorites included the car exhibit in the entrance, the huge mouse that was staring at a sleeping man, and the Chinese garment made out of army dog tags.  Amazing.
 
 

When people think of Seattle, most think of Pike Place Market.  And why shouldn't one - we absolutley were excited to make our way there after the museum.  We grabbed drinks from the original Starbucks - isn't anything too spectacular though I did have the best soy pumpkin latte of my life (hubs got a mocha) - and then began our journey through the market.  We spent the majority of the day smelling fresh flowers, tasting the best smoked salmon jerky that could have possibility been made, and touching all of the crafts that were for sale in this farmer's market.  Cheeses, homemade pastas, sauces, honey...there was so much to taste - but the wonder of it all was the seafood.  I love seafood and had had no problem gawking over the salmon, halibut cheeks, clams, oysters, mussels...you name it, everything looked divine. 




We started to snack in the market, but I saved my appetite because I was dying to try Matt's in the Market - I was extremely happy that I did because the food was amazing.  We also made a stop in The Tasting Room, a fantastic place for flights of wine in Post Alley (I admit, we spent a lot of time in there!)  And of course, a stop at the gum wall was a must.  We were having a great time (I mean really, I'm in this fabulous city with the one I love, what could be better?!) and then hubs stopped to buy me some flowers.  Gorgeous, and extremely reasonable on cost.  I am quoting him, "If we lived here, I'd give you flowers at least three times a week."  Put that in the books people, it is now written down!  After a stop at the hotel, we meandered our way to Serious Pie, another of Tom Douglas' restaurants, for some much talked about pizza. 



We spent our final day visiting the University of Washington, as I always had this 'thing' about wanting to attend there.  The women of the Sigma Kappa Mu chapter took us on a tour of their beautiful home, as well as showed us around the area of the Greek life.  We also made a stop in the University Store, where I got my hoodie from the University - Go Huskies!  I had then wanted to try Poppy for lunch, but alas, it was closed on Saturday until dinner, so we grabbed some sushi instead.  We then hopped on a city bus (side note - it is free in the downtown area until 7pm...everyday...isn't that amazing?!) and made our way to the first spot that made us feel like a tourist - the Space Needle.  The views were great, but I do have to say I was a little disappointed as I thought it was taller.  But still, beautiful view of the city. 

We had an early flight the next morning, so we ate some dinner (we have this tradition about relaxing in the hotel room and getting room service on our last night - no idea why, but we do) and watched some tv before saying our goodbyes to the Emerald City.  Was it sad leaving?  Absolutely.  I love Seattle - it is a modern city with young history, a city full of vibrant food, culture and landscape.  Will we go again?  Absolutely - there is still so much more to try, see and experience.  After all, isn't that what traveling is all about?

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