Monthly Archives: May 2017

Prickly Beauty

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I love cactus flowers. They are for me the most arresting sight in the desert. Come springtime, from out of these spiny plants pop up these spectacular flowers. The contrast is remarkable, delicate beauties that seem to float on a bed of thorns.

Mammillaria wiesengeri (Volunteer Park Conservatory, Seattle, WA)

Claret cup cactus, Echinocereus triglochidiatus (Capitol Reef National Park, UT)

White torch cactus, Echinopsis spachiana (Mexican Hat, UT)

Mammilaria wiesengeri (Huntington Library Desert Garden, San Marino, CA)

Mammillaria haageana (Huntington Library Desert Garden, San Marino, CA)

Opuntia engelmannii (Joshua Tree National Park, CA)

Silver torch cactus, Cleistocactus strausii (Huntington Library, San Marino, CA)

Beavertail prickly pear, Opuntia basilaris (Anza-Borrego State Park, CA)

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Needle in a Haystack

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Monday was a fine sunny day to visit Seattle Center. The Space Needle is so tall (605ft/184m) that it can be seen from anywhere on the 40-acre campus, even through leafy trees.

Matt’s Chips and Dip Just Might Be the Best in Seattle

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Potato chips aren’t typically the subject of food posts. French fries maybe, but potato chips?

What I thought would be a fun snack to munch on at Matt’s in the Market is deserving of a cult following. I noticed afterward that other diners were ordering it too, so they were either as curious as me or were indulging again on a repeat visit. I have the feeling it was mostly the latter. Our waiter warned that it would take a while since every one is made to order, but the wait would be worth it. What eventually arrived was an enormous pile of chips, clearly more than an ‘appetizer,’ looking like they were over-fried, a dark brown rather than a golden color I would’ve preferred. Luckily they didn’t taste burnt, but had an intense potato flavor, very crispy and amply salted like potato chips should be. Their uniform thickness—or I should say thinness—was the work of a mandoline. The chips were delicious on their own, but they come with a hot dip flavored with bacon and caramelized onions, a tasty and rich accompaniment that explains why the menu item is listed as both chips and dip. They were the star of a very good lunch.

Matt’s is hard to find, located on the second floor of the Corner Market. There isn’t even a prominent sign outside. But, plenty of people know about it. By noon, even on a Monday, the restaurant was full with a crowd of people waiting for an open table.

Matt’s in the Market
94 Pike St. Suite 32
Seattle WA 98101
206.467.7909