I've driven past the corner of NE 8th and 156th Ave NE many times in the last year or so and couldn't help but notice a new taco truck parked behind the 76 Station. The reviewers on Yelp, though small in number, were almost unanimous in their praise, a few of them even going so... Continue Reading →
Birthday Dinner at Monsoon East
Celebrating our birthdays at Monsoon East may be becoming a tradition. Granted, two years in a row hardly qualifies as an annual observance, but truthfully we couldn't think of any better special place to be that was within a short driving distance of home. Along the two-block distance on Main Street in Old Bellevue can... Continue Reading →
Dinner at Loulay Kitchen & Bar
Despite the fact that I was under the weather, three of us ventured out to have dinner and attend a one-night performance of Stuart McLean's Vinyl Cafe at The Paramount. Our choice for a restaurant was Thierry Rautureau's new dining venture, Loulay Kitchen & Bar, which opened months after his closing of the legendary Rover's... Continue Reading →
Dinner at Kama’aina Grindz
I am always in search of good Hawaiian food in the Northwest. Not surprisingly, what we get here is not in the same league as what you'd find on the islands, but not for the lack of places that serve it. The numbers of Hawaiians living up here ensures some level of demand, not to... Continue Reading →
Dinner at Thai Ginger
My wife and I made arrangements to have dinner with a couple of friends at one of our favorite Chinese restaurants (Shanghai Cafe), but when we arrived, a sign posted on the door informed that the kitchen was undergoing renovation for another two days. One of our friends then suggested Thai Ginger, right around the... Continue Reading →
Kansas City Beef Brisket at Stan’s Bar-B-Q
The best way to enter Stan's Bar-B-Q is from the back, directly from the narrow parking lot that always seems crammed with vehicles, wedged in by Front Street to the west and railroad tracks to the east. En route to the front of the diner, you'll pass walls plastered with sports photos and award plaques... Continue Reading →
Ramen Fever: Seattle’s Push Toward a Higher Profile
It's been a particularly curious phenomenon that the Seattle area, claiming as much connection to Japan as any other major U.S. city, has had a mediocre track record as far as having great ramen restaurants. As any ramen fanatic can tell you, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Vancouver, B.C., are several steps ahead of Seattle... Continue Reading →
Black Garlic Oil Ramen at Setsuna
When I started looking for a place to have dinner after a movie, my friend KirkJ suggested Setsuna Japanese Restaurant & Bar in the Northgate area of Seattle. As a restaurant to have ramen, Setsuna fell under my radar as it is not explicitly a ramenya. If I'd read the Yelp reviews carefully, I would have been duly... Continue Reading →
Spicy Szechuan Chicken at Spiced
For authentic Szechuanese food in the Seattle area, I've yet to find a place that is more so than Spiced (a previous review here) in the Crossroads area of Bellevue. The menu seems to have gotten more extensive if that's possible; there were plenty of items on the older one. New to the menu are helpful... Continue Reading →
Chef’s Choice at Café Munir
I was seriously bummed when Omar al Khyam in Renton closed its doors. I had been going there since my early working days in the Seattle area. It was my first introduction to Lebanese food and I loved it. Here is where I had my first hummus, baba ghanouj, shish tawouk, tabbouleh. I would have these... Continue Reading →