Pastrami Dip Sandwich at The Hat (Alhambra, CA)

At the risk of repeating my previous post's circumstances, I can't recall how many times I'd driven past The Hat in Alhambra (California) and not stopped. Though I live in Seattle, my in-laws live in the restaurant mecca of the San Gabriel Valley. As if by self-proclamation, "World Famous Pastrami" plastered on signage dares you... Continue Reading →

Tacos at El Maestro del Taco

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 →

Airline Food Deconstructed?

I came across this interesting article on an experience that most of us would prefer not to think about too seriously: eating airline food. It posed the question whether it was truly horrible or is it that we expect it to be. It turns out that one big physiological problem to be overcome is the... Continue Reading →

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