Month: November 2010

Taste of Tulalip 2010

/ dkaltenb / Leave a comment

The second annual Taste of Tulalip (Grand Taste, Saturday, November 14th) was again a success. 

Taste of Tulalip is the Washington Wine Restaurant Awards 2010 winner for “Best event featuring Washington Wine” 

http://www.tulalipresort.com/entertainment/taste-of-tulalip.aspx

The Rock ‘n Roll Challenge, mc’d by Q13 Fox’s Lily Jang, was fun to watch as there was healthy competition while viewing the big screens with some of history’s favorite Rock…I happened upon Guns n’ Roses and Free.  Wine Tasting was plenty.  I can give a shout out to   1. Lachini Vineyards (Oregon) 2007 Pinot Noir  2.  Isenhower Cellars (Walla Walla and Woodinville) El Conquistador 3.  Five Star Cellars…Everything! 4.  Walla Walla Vintners Sangiovese 5.  Flying Trout Malbec blend  6.  2008 Turnbull Red (Napa Valley) 7.  and my favorite new find..Lantz Cellars (Lake Stevens)…especially the Syrah and the now released cabernet sav.  And if you like to Tweet, watch the posts in the Twitter Lounge. 

A good preamble for this event can be found at http://blog.seattlepi.com/eastsideinside/archives/227940.asp. 

Missed the Grand Taste Pass at TOT this year? Mark your calendar for 2011 – Saturday, November 12th! 

The food served at this event is varied, modern, and tasty.  A variety included Crab Cobb Salad (my favorite..absolutely wonderful), Scallop sautéed in butter (so good…) and lamb, among others.

The Resort showcases top of the line guest suites.  The rooms are all suites and offer many comforts of a road trip worthy getaway.  The staff was fabulous…from housekeeping to the service by William in the Shehal Room while we enjoyed the Seattle Seahawks game the following morning. 

Tulalip hosts a great array of restaurants.  As this was a Saturday evening and the Resort and Casino were packed, we picked up some snacks to go and brought them in to the Canoes Cabaret  for consumption while we danced in our seats to The Spazmatics..and then cut a rug at mpulse Lounge.  On Sunday, while watching the Seahawks game, we enjoyed Prime Rib, Club Sandwich, and Burgers in the Shelal Room.

Spend the weekend, stay the night, enjoy the experience of pure delight!

November Eats

/ dkaltenb / Leave a comment

Imperial Garden Seafood Restaurant   –  East Valley Hwy. in Kent, WA off 180th and Hwy 167.  Dim Sum –  Baked Pork Buns, Ribs in black bean sauce,  Sticky Rice in lotus leaf wrappers, Shrimp spring rolls,  Shrimp in steamed rice noodle, and hot tea.  We have stopped here a number of times as we enjoy Dim Sum.  Lunch entree’s run $3-4 a piece .  If you’re in the mood for Dim Sum and can’t get to Seattle or Issaquah, this is a nice option.  Our rating…2-1/2 out of 5.  Reviews tend to be mixed per Yelp, citysearch, and others…http://www.yelp.com/biz/imperial-garden-seafood-restaurant-kent

Palomino –  in Washington…located in Seattle and Bellevue.  This visit was to Bellevue as it was recommended for its lunch specials.  Combination specials are a hit here…allows for a mix/match of soup, salad, sandwich or pasta.  The two choices are served in bowls on a rectangular platter.   The presentation was key!  I can recommend the chop chop salad, tomato basil soup, and Rigatoni  Bolognese. Check out the menu  http://www.palomino.com/page/menu/      The hostess was top notch and service was nice.  The person removing dishware from the table could have waited a bit longer.

The Triple Door Happy Hour –  Located on Union Street in downtown Seattle, happy hour is offered from 4-6 pm seven days a week.  On Fridays, live music is featured at 5:30 pm.  The happy hour menu serves up bites inspired from China, Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam.  We enjoyed the pot stickers, duck sliders, and both the shiitake and prawn satay.  The Triple Door is next door to Wild Ginger.  We originally had said we were going to Wild Ginger for their happy hour but were sent to The Triple Door…the two venues share the same kitchen and are related.   The lounge is called the Musicquarium as there is a large freshwater aquarium that separates the lounge and main stage.  If you have not been to the Triple Door for a show, do so!   http://www.tripledoor.com/Our-Lounge/happy-hour-(1).aspx

Daniel’s Broiler, Bellevue – Dining at Daniel’s Broiler is one of the real treats in the Puget Sound area.  Great service, excellent food options and high quality beverages served.  On this evening in the vintage room, the following was savored:  Scallops wrapped in bacon (I would have preferred the bacon to be cooked more, as it was hard to chew), Sirloin tips, Ahi Tuna, Five Star Cellars Stellar and a limited edition 12 year old Kentucky whiskey…Pappy Vanwinkle…so good!  http://www.schwartzbros.com/daniels.cfm

UPDATE 3/10/11 – ooohhh…got the last of the Pappy Vanwinkle.  So worth it!  This visit…celebrating an anniversary found us ordering the crab legs, filet steak strips, steakhouse slider with fries, artichoke hearts, and an apple tart.

The Old Spaghetti Factory –  Believe me, I am all for the extraordinary scallop, pate, sushi, etc… but I have to admit that when it comes to comfort food, I love The Old Spaghetti Factory.  My favorite?  A combination of mizithra cheese and white clam sauce, blue cheese dressing on the salad, and a Bloody Mary to go with (if lunch..and at the Lynnwood location).  It is so satisfying to me, that I had to make mention of it.  🙂

Thanks…

/ dkaltenb / Leave a comment
When I look into your eyes
I can see a love restrained
But darlin’ when I hold you
Don’t you know I feel the same
‘Cause nothin’ lasts forever
And we both know hearts can change
And it’s hard to hold a candle
In the cold November rain.
–  Guns N’ Roses, November Rain

The name ‘November’ is believed to derive from ‘novem’ which is the Latin for the number ‘nine’.  In the ancient Roman calendar November was the ninth month after March.  As part of the seasonal calendar November is the time of the ‘Snow Moon’ according to Pagan beliefs and the period described as the ‘Moon of the Falling Leaves’ by Black Elk. –   Mystical WWW
The wild gander leads his flock through the cool night,
Ya-honk!  he says, and sounds it down to me like an invitation:
The pert may suppose it meaningless, but I listen closer,
I find its purpose and place up there toward the November sky.
–   Walt Whitman, Leaves of Grass, 1855, I Celebrate Myself, Line 238

It’s mornings like this;
The stingy sun trying to hold back
Even the warmth of its reflection
Flashing coldly In the lake.
When November leaves drop in sudden gusts,
Like a red and yellow flock of birds
Swooping at once to ground.
Or even nights:
When winds reach wet hands
To take you spinning with random paper
Down back street gutters, under straining bridges
To clogged rivers.
It’s this:
The time of year, along with spring,
When poets must take care
Not to sing the same old songs
Stolen from tribal memory.
–   Thomas R. Drinkard

T  hanks for time to be together, turkey, talk, and tangy weather.
H  for harvest stored away, home, and hearth, and holiday.
A  for autumn’s frosty art, and abundance in the heart.
N  for neighbors, and November, nice things, new things to remember.
K  for kitchen, kettles’ croon, kith and kin expected soon.
S  for sizzles, sights, and sounds, and something special that about.
That spells THANKS for joy in living and a jolly good Thanksgiving.
–   Aileen Fisher, All in a Word

Dine around Seattle 2010

/ dkaltenb / Leave a comment

This November, there are 38 restaurants who participate in the 3 for $30 promotion.   The 3-course meal includes an appetizer, entrée and dessert.  Enjoy the delicious fare at some of the top restaurants Monday thru Thursday during the month of November.  Some offer lunch specials as well for $15 per person.

Check out http://www.dinearoundseattle.org/about.php and you will find the participating restaurants.  Click on the restaurant and you will find the mouth-watering menu selections.  Reservations recommended.  Menus are not available on Thanksgiving.

An added bonus for those who might like to write about food…open the Table Talk tab!  You are encouraged to compose a review and then submit it for a possible chance of winning two $30 gift certificates to one of the participating restaurants.  So much fun!