11/19/2011

2/5 stars

Pick an ethnic group. Take a sausage. Place said ethnic group's food atop the sausage and in a bun. Ta-da! You have a restaurant from an award winning chef! Or you have a street vendor with a schtick. This case is the latter. Not fantastic, not bad. Definitely not bad for the downtown-Seattle-scaled price.

Nori on a dog is almost interesting. Just dropping heaps of non-hot-dog on top of the bun (not really into it) isn't. Neither are the flaccid buns. There are ways this can work. After all, many of the sausages are related to bacon. Many of the ideas in my head wouldn't work tossed quickly out of a rain-soaked corner trailer. Honestly this doesn't quite work either. You have to walk and eat in the rain, so the bun needs more heft and the toppings less blown-away-in-the-wind lightness. The high level idea isn't all bad, though.

Yelp tags: Food Stands Hot Dogs Japanese

11/19/2011

4/5 stars

This place has saved my butt on many a vegetable-hating-suburban-MD business trip. As with all TJ's, they're sliding down the prepackaged pseudofood slope, but it's a damned sight better than what most restaurants dish out. If your hotel has a kitchen, head here. Even if it doesn't, check out the wraps and other light eats.

BTW, there's a wine and beer store in the same strip mall.

Yelp tags: Grocery

11/19/2011

2/5 stars

It's been long enough that I can write this with hindsight and not in anger.

First: Do not come here as a large group. They refuse to split the check between tables. No, not between people, between *tables*. Their money-maker spreads legs across a table, so figure that one out. Calling ahead doesn't help with garnering tables with any alacrity.

Second: Seriously sad seafood, sorry. Sure they have crabs. That really isn't a big deal. Many people get crabs at one point or another. They're not dungeness or king, so there's not much for getting all bothered. The shrimp? eh. All are far from the boats but with carnal knowledge of the freezer.

Third: This establishment follows in the area's hatred of all things vegetable. Want green beans fresh from the 49 cent can heated by a lamp? They've got it.

Two stars for not making me physically ill even with the oil slick food. I'm feeling pity. I've known too many shacks right at docks that put this place to shame in quality for the same or lower price. Not in MD, however.

Yelp tags: Seafood

11/20/2011

5/5 stars

Dungeness dungeness DUNGENESS dungeness DUNGeness dungENESS WOO-HOO DUNGENESS!

It had been at least four years since we'd had Dungeness. We realized they were in season while we were in Seattle. I'm walking around checking menus. My wife kicks me and points at the sandwich sign proclaiming crab specials at the bar. I wondered which crab it could be. Duh. Me not so smart'n'stuff. In we go, dodging a tour group that appears to be dodging the nearly nonexistent rain while not actually buying anything… But they also were being treated well by the not-obviously-flustered hostess.

Once seated at tables by the bar, we receive our Dungeness-filled menu and proceed to push off to our happy place. A salad with a heaping helping of Dungeness. And then… the penultimate in crustacean eating and the ultimate crab, whole Dungeness. For cheap-ness during happy hour. Our East-coast-timed tummies were happy.

I'm sure they have other things on their menu, but during Dungeness season one must ask why? Well, except for salmon, which weren't running at the time.

The barkeep of the day, Morgan, completely rocks. He not only mixed a cocktail my wife *finished* (that never happens), but he also had in-depth knowledge of the seafood and its origins. His descriptions lead me to try oysters for the first time later in the week, but that's a different story (and, alas, a different place). The saison also hit the mark.

So my rating really is based on a single primary (drool-worthy) ingredient that needs a very light-handed preparation and a single (alas) visit and our encounters with a few excellent (droo… oh, um) staff. Take it as it is.

Yelp tags: Seafood

11/20/2011

3/5 stars

'Salright. Not much more, nothing less. Cheese is well-browned, but the crust stays too moist outside and lacks any crunch. Folds ok for walking and eating, but not great. Flavor is middling to missing. Fine for a quick pizza stop. Good folks there on both sides of the counter.

Yelp tags: Pizza

11/20/2011

2/5 stars

A proper gent from the old country might say that this is a proper place for a proper although partial pint of proper beer among proper people.

Others might proclaim a raging boregasm.

I don't get it. Maybe it's because I can fetch the same bottled beers here at home. Maybe it's the leaden atmosphere. Maybe it's the gimmicks like trying to imitate the inane Brit currency by only using dollar coins and two dollar bills. Dunno. Whatever it is, doesn't quite tickle my fancy if you get my meaning. (Also, no cask ale on my visit. Just the same things I can pick up at Hop City in Atlanta.)

Yelp tags: Pubs Bookstores

11/20/2011

5/5 stars

HOW?!??!!?!!!????!?!?!?!??!!!!???!!!!!!

This is a *new* book store. It was relatively crowded. It carries *MANY* rows of poetry from classics to microscopic (although apparently no chapbooks?). And it seems to be open for business across its entire large space. HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE?!?!? HOW CAN PEOPLE DO THIS ELSEWHERE?!?!?!?!

Seriously. Nothing here was out-of-whack pricewise for new books. Cody's couldn't make it because of their pricing (IMHO). But yet they're open in an area with quite pricey real estate. And have a great, wide, inclusive selection. The staff picks take up an entire wall. Each aisle has many tags with notes and selections.

Ok, maybe that's part of it. You half feel like you're looking through peoples' personal libraries. Except you can take things home (for a price).

There's something magical here. I don't know what it is. I hope nothing breaks that spell. I *really* hope others find their right words.

Yelp tags: Bookstores

11/20/2011

5/5 stars

Two crab. TWO CRAAAAAB!!! Crab one. *swoosh* CRAAAB ONE!!! Crab two. *swoosh* CRAAAB TWO!!!

Ok, all reviews need taken in context. My context is as a visitor. Locals have more direct access to the docks at the right hours and the full thermos of coffee that helps establish a rapport with the fishermen. The prices here seemed on-par with other places in the market and Capitol Hill. The showmanship here exceeded the rest. As does the salesmanship. These folks could sell an unarmed kayak to a Bedouin.

The salesmen were generous with the samples. In season, fresh Dungeness doesn't need more than a quick taste. Boiled just right with all the wet sweetness these gorgeous beasts can provide… And then there's the smoked salmon…

The seafood is marked clearly by what's fresh and what's frozen. Anyone expecting fresh Gulf-coast shrimp to be sitting out in a Pacific market is, well, not so clear on reality. The fresh food looks back at you with clear eyes. There is no smell beyond your sampling fingers.

But we were staying at a mega-chain with no kitchen and frightful food prices. Couldn't partake properly of the seafood there, so I had to bring it home. *Had* to. Imperative. In-season Dungeness. Again, context. Bringing crabs home to my wife in this context is required. Others, well, it's up to your own relationship.

As far as I could tell, every seafood place in Pike Place will deliver to your hotel. This market's no exception. I didn't have to haul my load all over downtown as I maximized my per diem time. The folks here have the patience to handle those carefully choosing their crabs and also the knowledge to just pick some for you. The transport box is freakin' solid. Delta couldn't even ding it substantially. Two massive and *re-usable* gel packs kept our crabs chilled for over 36 hours (they state 48, but I didn't push it that far). There is no odor. Our cats didn't care about the box except that it's a box. Once opened and the inner layers of plastic removed, they just wanted to jump in and play.

Our crab now is secure. Don't even think about trying. Also don't even think about vacuum sealing. That route leads to cursing and pounding the cancel button. Oops. Lesson learned. Gonna be a pain to clean that one.

Yelp tags: Seafood Markets

11/21/2011

4/5 stars

This was the best coffee I had in my short, spatially limited trip to the Seattle area. The Sulawesi they served drip still had its bite. That's enough to end the coffee review, and it's very positive.

The atmosphere made me weep for its lack back at home. Swing-out seats in one portion, a hand-written menu rolled down the wall, and a mix of tourists (us) and regulars (them). The place *felt* warm. The fact that it was cold and raining outside may have helped.

Yelp tags: Coffee & Tea Breakfast & Brunch American (New)

11/21/2011

3/5 stars

Fair coffee for an in-transit place. This is for the in-terminal location. The proprietress was quite cognizant that she was serving commuters, even if the people in line were utterly clueless that the ferry would be leaving soon. Poured directly into my travel mug (from a roaster in SW VA), they coffee stayed warm as long as the coffee lasted.

The blend's flavor was middle of the road, but what do you expect from a ferry dock's coffee joint? It was fresh and hot. That's much better than many. Mind you, I roast myself, appreciate drip brews, and never could get enthused about the Blue Bottle circle-jerk in SF. Scale your expectations appropriately.

Yelp tags: Coffee & Tea

11/21/2011

5/5 stars

I was in Seattle for seven nights. I visited the Chocolate Box for four of those. The difference? I was tied to events and people past their closing time on the other nights.

If you're just visiting (like me) and want to try a variety of local chocolate products, this is your place. It's not exclusively any source. Nor is it exclusively local, but you can ask.

Molly Moon's balsamic strawberry plus their hot chocolate on top is perhaps my greatest in-store creation ever. Trying the honey mead truffle from a local chocolatier (augh! I'm blanking on correct credit! Someone help?) may be my best in-store choice ever. *EVER*. Re-cemented my determination to keep bees and make either mead or tej or both or everything. The hot chocolate with peppermint marshmallows? Oh, oh, OOOOHHHH… *insert Meg Ryan orgasm impersonation here* Molly Moon's cinnamon is from real cinnamon and needs no extra sweetening.

And the people working here? Wow. Ideas, conversation, interest, everything. And it's honest. And chocolaty. They manage to sweeten everything with their personalities and joy.

Yelp tags: Chocolatiers and Shops Coffee & Tea

11/26/2011

4/5 stars

Stumbling, indeed. Definitely stumbling on the way out. Dark and moody like some of the beers. Didn't seem to have a large selection but did have an excellent selection. Good place to round out a full evening.

Yelp tags: Pubs

11/26/2011

4/5 stars

I'm willing to eat things bought from this Kroger. This is unlike the one by my home, Ghetto Kroger. Decent produce, although none of the local focus I remember from Appalachian Krogers up in Virginia and that state below it on the west side. Ok bakery. That isn't saying much in Atlanta from what I've seen. And gluten-free resources, including Udi's.

Parking seems to suck even with the massive complex's lot, as does surviving the drive into and out of that complex. I'd give away my tricks, but I want to keep them for myself.

Yelp tags: Grocery

11/26/2011

4/5 stars

We caught last one outside for the season. The rain was more a strong mist by that point, not interfering with our stroll of the small market. There still was a decent crowd, and we found the market simply by walking towards the source of people carrying their bounties. The garlic and potatoes made me wish our hotel room had a kitchen. And the ice cream… oh, wow, but that's another review.

Yelp tags: Farmers Market

11/26/2011

4/5 stars

Open the door, and get hit by the delicious smell. The food lived up to that smell. Yes, it's "fusion," but it's good. I no longer remember which satays we tried, but they were a good beginning. My clams were fresh, tasting both of spices and the sea. If I remember correctly, my wife chose a gluten-free curry that also was quite clean-tasting. Poor curries end up muddled, but this was bright.

Our excellent server helped with selecting gluten-free items, and there was no shortage of choices. Or of food. The smaller portions were more than enough for us; we left quite stuffed. Decor's kinda bland, but we were too busy with the food to notice much.

Yelp tags: Thai Chinese

11/26/2011

4/5 stars

Salmon can be easy to over-cook when you're going for the wonderful marks on the outside, but Café Nola pulled it off perfectly even for a brunch sandwich. The salmon was moist and still that soft yet cooked pink inside. And the bread was great. It was airy like a ciabatta but toasted strongly to make a crunchy contrast to the salmon. My wife's meal graciously was modified to avoid gluten. Can you guess what *was* in it? Yes, that's right, more Dungeness! Oh, happy crabs. Fresh, bright veggies on both our plates, and plenty of green left in the wallet.

This was a great recommendation from our neighbor on the flight. Glad he pointed us this way. It's not the first or second or… brunch place from the ferry, so many of the less patient peeled off before reaching Café Nola. Nice, cozy place that wasn't crowded.

Yelp tags: American (New)

11/26/2011

3/5 stars

Ding dongs! The correct typeface! Wall-mounted pencil sharpeners! Efficient people!

Oh, and pretty good coffee. I've only been here during the day and didn't sit a spell, but I did quite like my short experiences here.

Yelp tags: Coffee & Tea

11/26/2011

4/5 stars

Small one- to two-biters. Glazed, cinnamon, chocolate, and powdered. Freshly warm but not overly oily. Wasted on students who didn't appreciate that someone brought them good doughnuts. sigh. Inexpensive enough that the waste wasn't financial as well. Great little sugar and dough pills.

Yelp tags: Bakeries Donuts

11/26/2011

3/5 stars

Hidden behind the scaffolding, this Caffe Ladro was open west coast early / east coast late when I needed a quick travel breakfast. Can't say much for the atmosphere; I wasn't yet awake. The Queen Anne blend was quite nice and pretty well balanced for a cup that won't displease. Muffins were a tad dry, but I suspect they don't have much early-ish Sunday morning business. Pretty solid place with a good counter-lady that early on an off day.

Yelp tags: Coffee & Tea Bakeries

11/26/2011

5/5 stars

For $7.50 each on foot, we saw a seal swimming, a bald eagle with its fishy catch being harassed by crows, logs aplenty, gorgeous views, and people being blown onto their butts by the wind. It was cold, wet, and wonderful. The wind across the bow was more than hurricane strength, but you can stand just back from the bow and keep an amazing view.

We only rode to Bainbridge and back. We'll try other routes on our next visit.

Yelp tags: Public Transportation