A New Burger Tradition

We have started a tradition on Wednesday nights after my son's hockey practice - that is going to Five Guys for burgers and fries. My son absolutely loves it - from the free peanuts to the fresh made burgers, it is a fun post practice routine.

Five Guys Burgers is not fancy and they do not have a large menu - burgers, hot dogs and grilled cheese sandwiches, plus cajun and regular fries and that is it! But what they do, they do well. When you walk in, they have boxes of peanuts for you to help yourself to while you wait in line. You step up to the counter and order, get your cup and fill it up with a drink, then wait for your number to be called and then you eat your food!

The thing that I like the most about Five Guys is that the toppings are free and plentiful. You can get grilled onions, grilled mushrooms, jalapeno peppers, green peppers, pickles, lettuce, tomatoes, relish, onions, and sauce all for free and in any combination. They have two sizes of burgers, regular and little - the difference is that little burger is a single patty and the regular is a double patty.

My son always gets a little bacon cheeseburger with mustard, while I get a little bacon cheeseburger with grilled onions, grilled mushrooms, tomatoes and mustard, plus we share a small order of hand-cut fries. It is a fun meal for us to share together and we both look forward to our burgers!

All-in-all, Five Guys Burgers is a no frills restaurant that does burgers and fries really well. For the two of us, it costs about $15 and I always know what the quality is going to be. I would definitely recommend Five Guys - make sure you get some peanuts!

The Best in the World

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Chef Rene Redzepi from Noma

Every weekday I drive home from work, listening to NPR.  Yup, I'm a pubic radio nerd and I have been for at least a decade (wow, I'm old!).  Anyway, the other day NPR aired an interview with René Redzepi, the chef and creative mind behind Noma, a restaurant in Denmark that has recently been rated the best in the world.

Can you imagine being told you're the best in the world at something?  How do you even judge that?

I digress.  Noma is a tiny restaurant (I think NPR mentioned it seats just 12) and the main focus is on local food.  You can't get the trendiest offerings in the culinary world at Noma, but you can get food that is made from ingredients local to Scandinavia.  They smoke and salt their own meats, pickle their own fruits and veggies, and--from what I heard--a true artisinal restaurant. 

I'm sure dinner at Noma would be unforgettable--if you could even get in!  All the press from being labeled the best restaurant in the world will probably make it a bit tough to get a reservation these days.  I'm not planning a trip to Denmark anytime soon, but I did take a look at their menu nonetheless.  I haven't the foggiest idea what some of these ingredients are, though I must admit that chowing down on "The Oyster and the Sea" sounds appealing.

I also checked out the website that lists the top 50 restaurants in the world.  The good old US is represented three times in the top 10, so that's encouraging.  For fun, here are the eight US restuarants declared to be in the top 50 of the world...anyone ever been to any of these?  I don't live in NYC and I am not made of money, so I can't say that I have.  Still, I can click on their websites, read their sample menus and imagine what I would order.  Vicarious eating through the internet!

• Alinea, Chicago, IL (chef Grant Achatz)
• Daniel, NYC (Daniel Boulud)
• Per Se, NYC (Thomas Keller's restaurant)
• Le Bernardin, NYC (Eric Ripert)
• The French Laundry, NYC (Thomas Keller, again!)
• wd-50, NYC (Wylie Dufresne)
• Eleven Madison Park, NYC (Daniel Humm)

Get Your Eat On!

Ok, Seattle peeps: Seattle Restaurant Week is almost here!  From October 17th through 28th (excluding Friday and Saturday, of course), you can get a three course meal for $25 (per person) at the over 100 participating restaurants. 

What's really awesome is that the participating restaurants are all around the Puget Sound.  Normally, it seems like all the "it" restaurants that get involved in Restaurant Week are confined to Seattle proper. But this year, a bunch of places up in my part of the world are on the list. 

My husband and I are taking off the last week in October (we always do--our anniversary is on Halloween, so a week of no work and togetherness is how we celebrate), so I am hoping to hit up some of these restaurants.

If you live in the Seattle area or are planning to be up in this part of the woods, be sure to check out some of the restaurants.  A full list of participating places (and more details) can be found here.

Super Yum!

I am just back from a weekend mini-vacation to Ocean Shores, WA.  My hubby and I have visited Ocean Shores many times (and I wrote about Galway Bay, one of our favorite restaurants in the greater Ocean Shores vicinity), in the past) but this was the first time we ever spent the night there.

Though our trip was short (we only stayed over Friday and Saturday nights), we had a ton of fun.  We stayed at this awesome inn that overlooked the harbor.  Our room was the Turret Room--we had a big soaking tub, a medieval-looking four-poster bed, and a wrap around balcony.  The Inn served up a tasty breakfast each morning and the place had a lingering smell of inciting food.  The innkeepers also offer a 4-course dinner on Friday and Saturday nights--we had dinner at the Inn our first night there and everything was perfect.

On Saturday night, we headed into the retail section of town and ate at Pasta di Vine, an Italian place that--as we later learned--is also owned by the couple who own and operate the inn (it's a small town!).  The food at the Italian place was very, very good, but it was dessert that blew us away.  We ordered their cheesecake and OMG!  I've never had a cheesecake quite like the one we got.

The cheesecake itself was very simple--just a plain cheesecake served without fruit or any type of sauce.  What set it apart from other cheesecake was that it was a creme brulee cheesecake.  They sprinkled sugar on the top and sides of our slice of cake and then torched the sugar, creating that familiar caramel-y shell of a creme brulee surrounding the cheesecake.  The results were amazing!  There were two contrasting textures: the smooth, velvety cheesecake and the crisp burnt sugar that cracked when you dug your fork into it.  And the flavor?  Perfection!  It was deep, rich, creamy, caramel-y and oh so good.

I've never had a creme brulee cheesecake before, but if I ever see this on a menu, I'm ordering the biggest slice ever.  It was out of this world!  I can't wait to go back to Ocean Shores to get this super yummy dessert again.

Leave the Kitchen and Go Out!

While I love to cook, sometimes I just don't have the time (or the desire) - but I love to sit down around the table with family and friends and share a meal. So when cooking is not looking possible, it's time to head out and find a good place to eat.

Recently, I went out with my Dad for some lunch at Barney's in Everett. They serve amazing pastrami sandwiches and little else. There is no ambiance - Fox News, plastic tablecloths, cobwebs, pictures of celebs that have never been there - but the pastrami is incredible. I would recommend the food - but get it to go! Anyway, it was a nice Dad and daughter outing and we are the only ones in the family that would appreciate it.

Another outing was to Kafe Neo for some Greek food with Lydia and Mom 0 a girls night out. This place is the complete opposite of Barney's and is delicious. The lamb melts in your mouth, souvlaki is grilled to perfection, the pitas are yummy and the beer goes well with everything. The other thing that is really nice (and seems to be the trend) are small desserts. They have a full menu of them from classic baklava to a chocolate cake to an almond cookie. Plus it is very affordable.

So the next time you want a good meal with your friends and family and some time to enjoy it, head out to your favorite place!

Greta's Best Picks

So yesterday Lydia gave you her views and they were all good ones (although i have to admit that I have not been to Tub's). Here are my choices in other catagories.

First up would be breakfast and the winner is (at least in my view)...
Patty's Eggnest! They are super delicious and serve a mean cornbeef hash - one of my absolute favorite breakfasts. Theirs is far superior to any that I have had and is served with really good hash browns and eggs (over-easy). They have a really nice sized menu too and you are sure to find something to make your mouth water. One of these days I am going to have to breakdown and try the gyros and eggs!


Next would be the best mocha and that is hands down, Arosa Cafe - they also have fresh made waffles to go with their mochas. They used shaved chocolate to make these and are unlike any other mocha you will ever have. I would go to First Hill in Seattle just to satisfy a chocolate craving. These are absolutely amazing and the waffles to go with them are also quite a treat!



Last up is my favorite doughnut shop and that is definitely Frost here in Mill Creek. They have everything from the simple glazed and cake doughnuts to the gourmet red velvet ones. I have never been disappointed by their offerings and used to take them to work as a thank you to my coworkers - they (and I) were always a hit. To this day, if I want to treat the family to something sweet in the morning, I head over to Frost for a little bit of yum! And yes, my personal favorite is German Chocolate - I love the coconut.

Oh, The Places You Will Eat!

Every year, our local TV station hosts a "Best of Western Washington" contest.  They ask viewers to vote for their favorite establishments in a wide range of different catagories.  Once voting ends, the winners get bragging rights for a year (and probably an uptick in business).  The Best of Western Washington contest has been going on for years, but I've never voted until this year--though I only voted for a handful of my faves.

I'm not going to go into all my picks, but here are my top three places to get your grub on in the greater Seattle area:

BEST PLACE FOR SANDWICHES: Tub's Gourmet Subs
From the preliminary voting results, it doesn't look like Tub's has a chance of winning, but that's ok.  I love them no matter what...and I don't even like sandwiches that much.  Here's why they rock: everything is made fresh when you order it.  All their subs are served toasted.  Their bread is beyond amazing--crunchy and flavorful, it really makes the sandwich. 

I have my husband hooked on Tub's.  And even though their menu offers a great selection of sandwiches, we always seem to get the same thing.

Me: A mini Caesar Chicken (chicken, lettuce, provolone, garlic mayo and Caesar dressing)

The Mister: A small or large Joker (roast beef, ham, turkey, bacon, cheddar, mayo and lettuce with a side of BBQ sauce for dipping)

If you go, prepare to be fed well.  And don't forget a breath mint.  You'll need it!

BEST PLACE FOR PIZZA: The Rock Wood Fired Pizza
Their motto is "Hell Yeah...That's Good Pizza!" And that sums up the whole experience.  We've been going to The Rock for over 5 years now, and in that time they've expanded their business.  The atmosphere is "rock 'n roll"...there are murals of the Beatles painted on the brick walls, classic rock album covers hang over booths, and Neil Young plays on the speakers. 

The pizzas are delicious.  Their sauce is made of real tomatoes (you can see chunks of them on your pie) and is slightly sweet.  The dough is yummy--thin but not cracker-thin--and it gets added flavor from the wood fired oven they use.

While they have a ton of toppings and specialty pizzas to order, we like the Classic Rock (cheese and pepperoni) or a cheese with meatballs.  They also sell burgers and sandwiches, but why bother with that when you can get an amazing pie instead? 

Oh!  I forgot to add: The Rock also has a few special microbrew labels that are Rock exclusive.  They have an extensive alcoholic beverage selection and sell something called a Bucket.  I'm not a big binge drinker, so I just go for the food.

BEST PLACE FOR BURGERS: Dick's Drive-In
Dick's has been in Seattle for ages, serving up handcut french fries, milkshakes made from actual ice cream, and some of the yummiest (and cheapest) cheeseburgers in town.  I am not a big fan of their fries (probably because I am not a big fan of the potato in general), but their burgers and shakes are crave-worthy. 

The majority of their locations are drive-up only, so you have to eat in your car after you order.  That's kind of fun and adds to their appeal.  Their only sit-down restaurant on Queen Anne is a bit run down and dodgy, but that, too adds to the appeal.

Dick's recently announce that it's going to expand operations and move to either the North End (where I live!), the South End (near the airport), or the snooty Eastside (where I used to live!).  They asked people to vote for the location of their choice, and there was so much traffic on their website that it crashed several times.  Then someone figured out how to hack into the voting software to rig the votes.  After all the kinks were worked out, voting picked up again and as of today, the North End is well in the lead (woo-hoo!).

Dick's is so good and so cheap that when I took my hubby there the first time he said he was glad he had to travel to get to it...that having one too close to work or home would be dangerous.  He's probably right.  Dick's rocks!

The Teriyaki of Our Discontent

Teriyaki: It's What's For Dinner (on Monday night).

Now that the school year is officially underway, my workload has increased and my schedule is back to “work normal.” This means that I have to work late the first two Mondays of every month. I don’t get home until 6:30 at the earliest, and after pulling a longer than normal day (and sitting through an agonizing meeting) the last thing I want to do is make dinner.

So what’s a girl to do?

Pick up teriyaki, that’s what!

Now, I don’t have any problems with teriyaki in general. It’s a very decent carry-in. It’s just rice and meat, and it’s served up fast. But for me, teriyaki for dinner means I’ve had a long day, that I’ve had to suffer through an extended day at the office (and that’s never a good thing).

Nasty Teriyaki Salad (this usually goes right into the trash)

So for me, Monday nights taste like sweet teriyaki sauce mixed with special blend of stress, apprehension, and work dissatisfaction.

Yummy?

Vacation Food, Part 1

Sadly, I am back from my week-long vacation on the coast of Washington.  Every year, my husband and I rent a super cute cottage on the Pacific for a week in July.  We like having a place to call home--a place with a kitchen so I can do some cooking if the mood strikes.  I did manage to whip up a few things this time around...and I'll get to that soon enough...but today I'm going to talk about our adventures eating out.

While the town where we rent our cottage is awesome, there's not a whole hell of a lot around.  That's part of the charm, I suppose!  So when it comes to eating out, we have limited options.  Thankfully, we've found a few really good choices.  If you're planning a trip to the Pacific Beach/Ocean Shores/Lake Quinault part of WA state, let me share with you my dining selections.

Crappy iphone camera!  The view from Ocean Crest's dining room ROCKS!

Ocean Crest Resort (Moclips, WA)
Moclips.  Great name for a town, eh?  If you drive fast enough, you just might blink and miss fabulous Moclips.  And you can certainly drive by the Ocean Crest Resort without thinking too much of it.  But what it lacks in curb appeal, Ocean Crest more than makes up for with its insanely beautiful view of the Pacific.

The restaurant is perched high up in the trees and overlooks the beach.  You dine on top of the world, with the ocean and setting sun in full view.  Your entertainment comes from various birds and other wildlife (we saw the resort's unofficial cat--Mr. Kitty--while eating there.  According to a waitress, raccoons sometimes make visits to the resort's bird feeders.)

The food is pretty good.  I wish they had a few more options on the menu, but that's just me.  Highlights of meals I've eaten there include: crab cakes (they come with a yummy red pepper puree!), Asian-style scallops (my mom's favorite thing on the menu), Louisiana-style shrimp (an appetizer, but I would LOVE it as a main dish over pasta), steamed clams with gremolata (a special appetizer that was high on the nom-factor--as in nom, nom, nom...delicious), and a dish of local chanterelle mushrooms (also a special appetizer that my mushroom fiend of a husband went wild for).

If you're a wine lover, this is the place to visit.  For being in a nothing town, Ocean Crest has a crazy wine selection and often hosts winemaker dinners.  Their wine steward is friendly and knowledgeable.  They recently added wine flights to their menu, and I had three wines from Charles Smith that were AMAZING.  

One final note about Ocean Crest: Apparently, this is one of Apolo Ohno's favorite vacation spots.  That's kind of awesome!

Sausage Roll and Mashed Potatoes/Cabbage at Galway Bay

Galway Bay (Ocean Shores, WA)
I'm not the biggest fan of Irish food, but for some reason, my husband loves it.  We always make at least one trip to Galway Bay and my hubby almost always gets either their sausage roll or chicken and mushroom pasty. The last time we went, I tried their fish and chips.  Oh My God!  They were amazing.  I could care less about the chips (I'm not a fan of the potato in general--I guess that's why I'm also not a big fan of Irish food!), but the fish was so damn good.  It was crispy, tender, and not one bit greasy.  I'm hooked.

Galway Bay is kind of a dive--in a good way--but it's a fun place to go grab a bite.  They also have an Irish import store with some cute items and they feature a lot of live music at night. I once convinced my non-alcoholic husband to down a Guinness here, so this place will always be special! In my mind, it's the best place to eat in Ocean Shores, but that's not saying much, I'm afraid!

View from the deck at the Roosevelt Dining Room

 Roosevelt Dining Room, Lake Quinault Lodge (Lake Quinault, WA)
Ok, so the food here isn't the best or the most budget-friendly, but we always seem to stop here.  The views from the Lake Quinault Lodge are incredible.  The lake is gorgeous and sometimes the clouds hang low over the surrounding hills/forest making the view even more magical.

We love hiking in the rainforest that surrounds the lake, and always work up an appetite.  The Roosevelt Dining Room is one of the few dining options in the area (the other option is the general store across the street, but they're slower than molasses and not that great).  At the Lodge, my husband usually gets the Monte Cristo with a side of sweet potato fries (see below). Me?  I usually opt for something boring like a salad or a burger.  As I said, I don't think the food here is great, but the location and views can't be beat!

The mister's Monte Cristo.  Too ham-y for me!

 Next time you hear from me, I'll share a few of the meals I made during vacation!

Coffee Break!

Arosa Espresso

1310 Madison St
Seattle, WA 98104
(206) 329-5881

Today my friend took me out to coffee and a waffle - not just any coffee and waffle though, the very best in Seattle! My coworkers have been raving about Arosa Espresso and the "waffle man's" mocha's. Since it is my last week, I finally decided to give it a try and I wish I had much sooner!

We walked up the hill to this little shop (across the street from a Starbucks) and walked in to the smells of fresh made Belgium waffles and chocolate. Next to the espresso machine, there was a bucket of grated chocolate the the Batista used when he steamed the milk. There were also bags of the grated chocolate for sale - I thought seriously about buying one!

The waffles are coated in crystallized sugar and were truly scrumptious! Then there was the mocha! Liquid silk and the the chocolate was both bitter and sweet and unlike the syrup that most places use. I am a convert and would make a special trip to get another cup of this coffee! It really took me back to drinks that I had in Germany, where you were served little pieces of chocolate for your coffee - it would melt and add a new layer of flavor.

So, thank you Melissa and Lula for introducing me to Arosa Espresso! You were both right about it being the absolute best. If you find yourself on First Hill stop in and have waffle and a mocha or make a special trip - it is worth it!

Treat Yourself To Something Good!

One of my favorite meals out is breakfast. I always feel like I am treating myself to something special when I start the day off with breakfast out! No matter where you live, you can always find a good cafe, dive or diner that can serve up some up some good grub!

This past Thursday, I took the day off of work to be able to attend my son's Valentine's Day party. I got him up and ready for school, dropped him off at school and came home. My Mom usually does this routine, but I was able to give her the morning off and let her sleep in a bit. I thought that it would be nice to treat her to breakfast out, so we headed to Patty's Eggnest in Mill Creek, WA.

This was my first visit to Patty's Eggnest (and it won't be my last) and my Mom's second. Mom had French toast with a sunny-side-up egg and bacon. I had the cornbeef hash with eggs-over-easy, hashbrowns and English muffin and we both enjoyed a few cups of coffee with our meal. The tables all had 2 different types of freezer jam - strawberry and raspberry and tasted great on my English muffin.

It wasn't a fancy restaurant, but it was delicious, the service was good and the price was very reasonable too! I was full until dinner. We both enjoyed our meals and more importantly, the time we spent together! On my next visit, I want to try the eggs and gyros with pita and tsaki sauce!

Sushi Bowl

Our family is not made up of football fans. As such, we never watch the Super Bowl and could really care less about all the pigskin hoopla. While most of America was sitting home watching commercials--I mean football--we went out for sushi. But not just any sushi, no. We went to Blue C, the home of sushi on a conveyor belt.

I know conveyor belt sushi is not unique to Blue C--hell, it's all over the world--but Blue C's atmosphere make it so much fun. When you go in, you slide into an extra long booth and have your beverage delivered to you. You mix up wasabi and soy sauce to your taste and then let the real fun begin.

Throughout the entire restaurant, a conveyor belt snakes past booths, carrying on it color coded plates, each topped with a plastic dome. Under the dome are all sorts of yummy options: different variations of raw and cooked rolls, gunkan and nigri, hand rolls, teriyaki, katsu, salads, tempura, and, when you're all done with your meal, the yummiest puff pastries. You get to eat as much (or as little) as you want, and the color coded plates tell you how much each plate costs.

As a bonus--or perhaps to make the whole experience more kid-friendly--Blue C sells funny Japanese toys that are a must. They also project anime or street scenes of gothy Japanese kids in Japan.

One of my favorite things about Blue C is the bathroom. Since they're playing up their Japanese-ness, all of the Blue C locations have Japanese hand dryers in the bathrooms. If you haven't seen or used a Mitsubishi Jet Towel, you're missing out (click here for a post I wrote about them on my now defunct personal blog).

Even if you're not a sushi fan, a trip to Blue C will put you in a good mood.

Mongolian Eats

This weekend I managed to completely avoid cooking anything at all. I was in the kitchen for a total of 10 minutes - just long enough to place already cooked food on plates and to make coffee and tea. I had meant to cook a pot roast and blog about it, but Lydia reminded me that it was Super Bowl Sunday and a perfect time to go out to dinner (she is writing about our yummy meal out). Friday night, Lydia and I decided to cheer on the Washington Stealth, our professional indoor lacrosse team (the best in the league too). Before the game, we kicked around various restaurants and decided that Chang's Mongolian Grill would be the perfect accompaniment to the game!

The Food Line on a Friday!

Chang's is always a fun place to go. It is very reasonably priced (cheap), you can pick out food any combinations you want and it is all you can eat. The only thing you have to worry about is the possibility of a crowd - waiting for a table or waiting for your food to cook. The premise is you order your drink, pick a soup (hot and sour or egg flower), then grab a bowl or 2 and head to the food line. There, you add all sorts of meats, vegetables, noodles and sauces and then you hand it over to the cook where they cook it in front of you on the Mongolian grill. For dinners, they have all sorts of meats and seafood - lamb, chicken, turkey, beef, pork, fish, squid, and shrimp (lunches don't have the seafood options).

Noodle Yum!

Lydia and I usually start out with 2 bowls, one for the meat and one for the rest. After it is cooked up, you can top it off with sesame seeds, chili flakes, soy sauce, plum sauce and/or chili sauce. Once back at the table, there are rice wrappers and rice to complete your meal. We both like the sesame seeds on top. Lydia likes to wrap hers up in the rice wrappers with a little plum sauce, while I like hot off the grill with a bit of plum sauce. We both skip the soup too - it is not very flavorful and we like to head right to the line!

To end the meal, they also offer soft serve vanilla ice cream and a fortune cookie - both are included in the price. Again, we opted out of the ice cream and chose the fortune cookies instead!

We hit Chang's at the perfect time on Friday - we got there at about 5:45 pm and did not have to wait at all. By the time we left, there were lines to get a table and lines to go through the line and have everything cooked up. We headed to the Stealth game, where the Stealth beat the Minnesota Swarm and kept their undefeated record. Another fun night out!

Indian Adventure

Very poor iPhone photo.

Whenever someone in the family has a birthday, they get to pick the cuisine and restaurant for the celebration. This year for my family birthday dinner out, I chose the Clay Pit Cuisine of Indian at Mill Creek Town Center - super yummy Indian food! All day I looked forward to the rich sauces, spices and tender meats. My sister and I made the menu selections (Lydia and I often go to the Clay Pit for dinner together) and shared all the entrees - I was not disappointed by the meal!

For appetizers, we started with meat Samosas (golden fried flaky pastry stuffed with marinated ground beef with 3 cheeses) and Vegetable Pakoras (chickpea and cumin battered fritters). My favorite were the cauliflower pakoras with their crunchy batter - they are mouth watering. My son that hates most food even loved the pakoras!

The main dishes were Plain Naan (leavened bread baked in a clay pit), Puri (unleavened whole wheat bread), Lamb Kasturi Curry (lamb curried and finished in a creamy saffron and kasturi sauce), Chicken Tikka Masala (tomato based butter cream sauce seasoned with herbs and spices), Tandoori Chicken Tikedar (chunks of boneless breast of chicken marinated in yogurt and spice paste), Boti Kebob (lamb marinated in spices), and Malai Kofta (vegetable and paneer stuffed chickpea rounds in a saffron curry, finished with a nut puree). Everything was accompanied with their delicious basmati rice.

Finally, we ended the meal with Chai Tea, Kheer (rice pudding), Gulab Jamun (special dough golden brown in cardamon syrup), and Coconut Ice Cream. This was the first time that I had ever had dessert at an Indian restaurant and I am really happy that we decided to give it a try! I have had rice pudding and coconut ice cream before, but I have never had anything like Gulab Jamun - it was warm and sweet and very delicious!

The stars of the night for me were the Lamb Katsuri Curry, Malai Kota and the Gulab Jamun. Everyone left very full, even the picky 7 year old - he gave the evening a 3 out of 5 stars, I gave it 5 of 5!