ramblings of a Seattle travel, food and photography hound
Tommy Di Nic’s is another hoagie stand (Reading Terminal Station in Philadelphia) that appears on many favorite lists. They specialize in roast beef and roast pork, as well as pulled pork. I got the roast pork, plentiful slices that were piled into a light, crispy roll, mounded with sautéed broccoli rabe and sharp Provolone, and... Continue Reading →
Chickie’s is one of many restaurants in Philadelphia that make Italian hoagies. The veggie and tuna sandwiches are their two famous specialties. The vegetarian in particular has received several awards and media recognition. Chickie’s claims that even blue collar workers can’t resist it. Roasted red bell pepper, baked eggplant and sauteed broccoli rabe are nestled... Continue Reading →
Within a few blocks of our daughter and son-in-law's house is Mercato, a restaurant that draws inspiration from Italian and Italian-American cooking. It’s nestled in a tiny space on Spruce near 12th, but the cheerful saffron yellow walls make it feel more expansive. Our daughter brought along an Italian soave because of a BYOB policy observed... Continue Reading →
One person, the proprietess of Wonton City, runs the entire operation: preps, cooks, waits and cashiers. Who we presume to be a daughter occasionally helps out. In a tiny space in the Lake Hills Shopping Center, having no more than 10 tables, she serves noodles and congee (rice porridge) at very reasonable prices. Of the... Continue Reading →
Emotionally, springtime is my favorite season. Life is springing up everywhere and better weather lies ahead, though here in the Pacific Northwest, that is a relative expectation. Still, flowers are blooming wherever you turn. One of Seattle's great showcases for flora is the Washington Park Arboretum, jointly managed by the University of Washington and the... Continue Reading →
In early March, Coupeville, home of the world's largest mussel farm, plays host to the annual Penn Cove Mussel Festival to showcase its famous bivalves. Even though the weather this morning was ominous (freezing rain), a group of us decided to take part in the festivities. The rain shadow effect didn’t disappoint; the closer we... Continue Reading →
Ezogiku has a large, cult following in Japan of ramen connoisseurs. Since its Tokyo opening in 1968, it has served Sapporo-style ramen. As with any serious ramen shop, it makes its own soups from scratch. On top of that, Ezogiku makes its own miso paste for its signature miso ramen. Its production is confined to... Continue Reading →
Winds were whipping across Hawaii all week. As we approached the North Shore, located on the windward side of Oahu, I wondered if the famed big surf tides that draws serious surfers (and their fans) from all over the world would put on a good display today. In December of each year, there is a world-famous... Continue Reading →
I'm not a cream pie fan, with one exception. I much prefer fruit-filled pies, especially fresh (uncooked) marionberry or strawberry pie. Word was though that Ted's chocolate haupia cream pie was to die for. Since the bakery was on our route to Hale'iwa anyway, we made a dutiful stop here. This was a great pie.... Continue Reading →
Though originally from Australia, the macadamia nut here in the U.S. is associated with the Hawaiian Islands. Just look around the confection section of most supermarkets, and you're bound to find chocolate-covered macadamia nuts. Several species of the nut are toxic to humans unless specially treated, but the edible varieties are quite delicious, meaty and... Continue Reading →
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