ramblings of a Seattle travel, food and photography hound
Squish. Pop. Squish. Pop. My shoes were making sounds on fields of muddy clay. In order to admire the daffodils in the Skagit Valley, i had to carefully plant one foot, then lift the other while trying to avoid water puddles, not exactly my idea of having fun. The epic rains that got dumped on our area yesterday soaked everything. But, if... Continue Reading →
When Din Tai Fung came into town, the Seattle area suddenly was made aware of how superb xiao long bao can be. There have been versions of it served by restaurants in these parts, but never the billowy, savory, soup-filled dumplings that the great restaurant from Taiwan made. Almost immediately, the crowds descended on Lincoln Square... Continue Reading →
It's a reality that in the U.S., it's hard to find street food. You know, when you can buy locally prepared food from street vendors or carts that specialize in a single item (or two). The closest we've come to it are the hot dog or ice cream carts, but they're few and far between, certainly not part of a crowded phalanx of... Continue Reading →
Is it possible that there is a better place in Seattle that serves better bành mì than either Saigon Deli or Seattle Deli? A provocative question here in the Seattle area where the sheer number of places that serve the sandwich means everyone has his or her own favorite. I can say this though. I might've found... Continue Reading →
Every holiday season, Seattleites can look forward to the Gingerbread Village, sponsored by the Seattle Sheraton Hotel (on 6th Avenue, between Union and Pike Streets). Architects and chefs combine their creative talents to design and construct large gingerbread creations. This is the 22nd consecutive year of the event. While all of them were worthy of admiration... Continue Reading →
Seattle's Ballard neighborhood has a stellar group of pizzerias, several of which opened only recently. Delancy, Veraci, Ballard Pizza, Stoneburner and Pagliacci come to mind. The latest entry is Patxi's Pizza serving a Chicago-style, thick crust pie. It originates from the San Francisco Bay Area, where the chain has nine outlets. There is great effort to use quality ingredients. The... Continue Reading →
A five-course omakase dinner for two at Miyabi 45th for $60? Yessiree, Groupon. I was motivated because of an excellent soba lunch that I had there recently. The Groupon special is not the only way to have this kind of dinner. A party can otherwise decide how much to spend per person and the Miyabi kitchen... Continue Reading →
The intriguing black ramen that I enjoyed a year ago at Setsuna Japanese Restaurant & Bar got me to wonder whether there was a hidden gem of a ramenya in the Northgate area. Opportunity knocked when we went with friends for dinner there. Setsuna's ramen menu offers four kinds: white, sakura, black and red, roughly descriptive of their colors. White... Continue Reading →
Fish and chips restaurants abound in the Pacific Northwest, not surprising when there's nothing but the Pacific Ocean to the west. Perhaps the most well-known fish-n-chippery in the Seattle area is Ivar's, once owned by Ivar Haglund whose image and personality in local circles rivaled those of Colonel Sanders. His corporation also used to fund a big... Continue Reading →
It's easy to miss, even as you're driving slowly along Front Street in Issaquah looking for it. The storefront is just a sliver, which also describes the very tiny space inside, taken up by four small tables and a skinny counter with stools. Don't let any of that fool you. Max's World Cafe is world-class cuisine. The... Continue Reading →
zoomeboshi 