Food & Drink

Portalis + D’ambrosio Gelateria

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Have you taken a day to experience the various neighborhoods in and around your city?  This day, I spent a couple of hours in Ballard.  It was the first day of Spring in Seattle and was actually the first spring like day this year as well. 

1st stop – D’ambrosio Gelateria   Known for the best and truly authentic gelato in the area,  the Frangola  (Strawberry Sorbet) and Pistacchio di Bronte (Pistachio) were enjoyed.   The gelato is available in Frutta or Crema, in a dish or in a cone.  Cannoli is also offered.  The gelato is made from traditional recipes…the same as in any true Italian Gelateria and handmade fresh each day with natural ingredients and organic products.  D’ambrosio Gelateria…delicious! Stop by and grab a cup, cone or a pint to take home.  http://www.dambrosiogelato.com/

2nd stop – Portalis Wine Shop + Wine Bar  What a pleasure on a lazy afternoon, or anytime for that matter,  Jens and Gina make for great hosts at this local haunt which has also been written up in the NY Times. 

This afternoon the Charcuterie Plate was ordered (coppa, dry salumi, sicilian olives, house pate, mustard, bread) along with the day’s wine tasting selection and a Stone Double Bastard ale.  http://www.portaliswines.com/

Portalis is also a great local wine shop, Jens can help you select a perfect local or international wine for any occasion, and if you talk a little “futbol” ie (soccer) with him, he will regale you with the exploits of the German national team or the Bundesliga as well. This is a great little night spot for dinner or wine tasting.

A very satisfying stop.

Salish Lodge

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The Salish Lodge is one of the most majestic and relaxing lodges to experience in the Puget Sound area….or within 4 hours reach anyway.  The Salish Lodge is located in Snoqualmie, WA which is approx. 40 minutes east of Seattle.  It sits above the raging and wonderous Snoqualmie Falls.  This experience was all of the S’s….stay, satisfying, spa, scallops, Stellar, and more…

The first European settlers discovered the falls in 1851 and began running wagons from Seattle along logging roads to open up the natural wonder to the rest of society.  The first lodge was built in 1919 as a food and rest stop for travelers.  The present day Salish Dining Room showcases the lodges’ original fireplace where you can feast on their traditional Country Breakfast that’s been the talk of the many area towns for generations.  Today, make no mistake about it…this is a place for luxury.

We had the pleasure to dine in front of this fireplace for our 4-5 course chef’s dinner…see our recommended/fine selections below:

  • Local Farm Lettuces
  • Braised Kurobuta Pork Belly
  • Halibut Cheek
  • Yuzu Poached Prawns
  • Scallops with Salish Alderwood Smoked Salt
  • Grilled Sturgeon as the Auction Block Catch of the Day
  • Braised Beef Shortrib
  • Cheese Pairing…three delectible choices served with whole grain bread and a vanilla bean-apple compote
  • Creamsicle…frozen heirloom orange curd, creme fraiche ice creams, amaretto cookie crumb, herb garden thyme-canilla foam, huckleberry coulis…so yummy!

Service was excellent, a true fine dining experience with the change of silverware between courses.  Shout out’s needed for Donna C. and Tim.  The fire keeper was certainly an expert at this as well.

Prior to the evening dinner, a duet massage was enjoyed.  A therapeutic massage for two in the fireside room.   This was one of the most relaxing and best massages I have had…the pressure, the crackle of the fire, and I especially liked the hot stones used.  Katie is highly recommended.  Afterwards, a dip in the soaking and mineral pools, sauna, all the while sipping on refreshing citrus water.  The spa area is meant to be silent and tranquil.  It was not as tranquil as it could have been this particular afternoon due to the many people getting spa treatments/taking advantage of the service this day.

And in the Attic, a Falls Cosmo and Lavender Sapphire Collins.  The morning breakfast was also a treat – a Poinsettia, Salish Infused Mary, Sumatra-Putrarimbun french press service, the Railroad Avenue breakfast as well as the Vanilla and Spice Infused Waffles.  Great service by the hostess’, Ricardo, and manager Brian.  Shout out’s to Blake at check-in and the valet.  We will certainly be back.

Check out the beautiful country store located in the Salish Lodge as well.

Overall, a really wonderful experience, a relaxing and highly rated getaway.  http://www.salishlodge.com/

You can come for all of the above or al la carte, as both the spa and restaurant can be experienced without a stay at the lodge. The restaurant is a must for all foodies, whether for dinner or the incredible breakfast.  While you are there for any of these reasons… make sure you walk around the paths to take in the breathtaking views of Snoqualmie Falls from different areas of the park – you will not be disappointed!  www.snoqualmiefalls.com

Poverty Bay Wine Festival

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March is Washington Wine Month.  To kick off the festivals and other tasting events throughout the month, check out the Poverty Bay Wine Festival, held the first weekend of March.  For 2011, it took place on March 4, 5, and 6th and was the 7th annual wine festival breaking attendance records with over 1,600 people.  This festival celebrates fabulous wines, cool jazz, and Northwest cuisine.  All proceeds benefit the Rotary Club of Des Moines and takes place at the Landmark Event Center.  The Poverty Bay Wine Festival has raised over $200,000 over the past six years and benefits community, educational, and international projects.  This year, there were over 20 wineries and it was great to see how many people came out to taste new wines, support their favorite wineries, and enjoy the great variety of jazz over the weekend….on this day Uncle Ernie and Michael Powers entertained.  Relationships, friendships and even a few marriages have been introduced here.  This happens to be my 4th annual trip here and I will continue to mark my calendar for this event in the future. The  http://www.waterlandblog.com/   normally has a good story to tell too!  http://www.dmrotary.org/winefestival.php

Serious Pie, West Seattle Bowl

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Serious Pie … I have been waiting to write about this amazing feast for over a year now.  Hands down, Serious Pie serves up the best pizza in the area…in my opinion.  The pizza is more artisan style cooked in a stone-encased applewood burning oven.  Two locations in Seattle offer visitors and locals alike, a taste of heaven…located on Harrison & Westlake Ave in the South Lake Union area (new!) and on Virginia St. in downtown Seattle.  Just minutes away from Pike Place Market and great shopping.  This is a Tom Douglas restaurant.  The ambiance…electric and the space… very cool.  The South Lake Union site was the location for this birthday dinner with a group of 13 or so.  I had a seasonal pizza… roasted apple, gorgonzola dulce, and toasted pistacios…with an olive oil base.  So delicious!  There are seasonal options as well as a few standards such as yukon gold potato, rosemary, pecorino or penn cove clam, house pancetta, lemon thyme or sweet fennel sausage, roasted peppers, provolone or buffalo mozzarella, san marzano tomato.  Check out the menu and more info at  http://tomdouglas.com/index.php?page=serious-pie .

Afterwards, we enjoyed a game at the West Seattle Bowl.  I was really impressed…this has to be one of the nicest bowling alley’s in the area, and definitely would like to return sooner than later.  Winning!  http://www.westseattlebowl.com/

Dine Around Seattle

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It’s that time again, Dine Around Seattle is here for the month of March.  Check out my November post for more details on this bi-annual event.   http://www.dinearoundseattle.org/ There will likely be a number of visits this month…

1.  Barrio — Bellevue, WA  (also located on Capitol Hill).  Barrio is part of Dine Around Seattle this month but, instead we enjoyed Happy Hour.  Negra Modelo on tap.   This night, we started out with Guacamole Made to Order served with chips and salsa.  My friend made mention that she could eat it with a spoon.  I can say that it is not as good as my husband’s, but a nice starter.  Highly recommended is the Tina del Pollo taco – chipolte braised pulled chicken, escabeche slaw, avocado salsa and cotija cheese.  Really great flavor!  I think the slaw is what really made it.  Also, the Pork Loin al Pastor taco is delicious – caramelized pineapple, shaved red onion and cilantro.  Barrio in Bellevue shares a hallway with its sister restaurant, Purple Cafe, part of the Heavy Restaurant Group Concept.   http://www.thepurplecafe.com/barrio/downtown-bellevue.html

2.  Chez Shea —  Chez Shea is located at Pike Place Market…the building across the bricked drive overlooking the Pike Place Market sign.  http://www.chezshea.com/ This is the first time I have visited Chez Shea and that is a surprise considering it has been around since the 80’s (or so I was told).  I am happy that I was able to experience it as the ambiance was lovely…even when the noise level rises.  It has been voted “the most romantic” as well.  I really liked the metal sliding door, the artwork, and rustic chandeliers.  The service was good (the door hostess…fabulous!) and a nice menu selection was offered.  The party agreed on the following:

  1. Roasted Beet Salad and Lobster Bisque – good
  2. Pan Seared Alaskan Halibut Cheeks and Strip Loin Steak (really nice sauce) – both delicious!
  3. Asparagus Risotto – definitely skip it – it is mush!
  4. Pineapple Basil Sorbet – refreshing…and Chocolate Mousse Cake – yummy (I was told…great presentation…one blackberry and one blueberry sitting on top)

Overall, a pleasant experience…and really good choice.

3. Not at all part of Dine Around Seattle but wanted to make mention of Tap House Grill in Bellevue, WA – a wonderful House-Made Hummus… with toasted pine nuts, olive tapenade, broiled tomato salad, and flatbread

and Elysian Fields – I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again – Hamburger with Truffle Fries…excellent!

and Jimmy’s on First – located on First Ave. South across from Safeco Field (and Qwest Events Center), breakfast has been had here (2x) as we just missed the start of the lunch menu.  The portions are quite large.  Service is good (especially by Jackie!).   The party ordered Brioche French Toast, Jimmy’s Breakfast, Great Northwest Breakfast, and the Ham & Cheese Omelet.  I especially liked the potatoes which included a salt rub. The eggs were cooked just right.  The OJ was a bit different…maybe grapefruit was added?  The bacon…yummy!  Come hungry!   http://www.jimmysonfirst.com/

Lucia – Kirkland

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I like this place.  We enjoyed celebrating a birthday this night and have been to Lucia a number of times.  Happy hour is the preferred experience so far (as that is the only experience had).  The evening started out with Frank Sinatra, a perfect accompaniment to happy hour.  It then changed to electronic/dance which also fit the packed bar area soon thereafter.  I also liked the Italian lessons heard in the ladies room.  What else can you ask for?  The happy hour fare of  this evening?  Carmelized Pear and Onion Pizzetta (delicious!) and the Tomato and Basil Bruschetta.  Both of these are a standard favorite. Also, a half caesar and a half seasonal green salad was enjoyed.  The Italian white and red on the happy hour menu were savored.  I would suggest that a second bar server be added…just to seal the deal.  Oh, and this is a must mention – a black and white film was showing this night…Step Lively, on the wall above the fireplace as you walk in..no audio, big screen. Can I use the word “cool” here?  http://www.iloveluciakirkland.com/

Walla Walla…Whitehouse-Crawford

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OMG!  Whitehouse-Crawford Restaurant in Walla Walla, WA served up one of the most appetizing, flavorful meals I have experienced.  Yum!   The high tressled ceilings, open kitchen, warming fireplace, brick walls, and windows showcasing wine barrels from a local winery make for a warming ambiance.  It is suitable for a couple wanting a romantic evening, a business dinner or a group gathering.   We brought in our own local bottle of wine but also enjoyed a 1/4 bottle of Perrier Jouet (as it was Valentine’s weekend).  The appetizers chosen were crispy fried sweet onions and Vietnamese style deep-fried calamari with ginger and two dipping sauces.  The entree of choice was the House made spaghetti with Dungeness crab, fennel, and pancetta.  Absolutely delicious!  The flavors lingered.  Also, a bite was had of my Valentine’s Wagyu beef tenderloin steak with red wine sauce, mushrooms sauteed in foie gras butter and mashed potatoes.  The beef was incredibly tender and flavorful (medium-rare).  David P served us with professionalism and a quick wit.  Would love to tell you about the dessert, but was way to full and satisfied to indulge.  If traveling to Walla Walla this is one of the must go to dinner spots, you may also have the desire and time to try their six course chefs prix fix dinner, I hear it is wonderful. The Whitehouse-Crawford building used to be a mill and furniture factory…check out the history portion of the website.  http://www.whitehousecrawford.com/

Wine and Chocolate Festival – Enumclaw

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The Third Annual Enumclaw Wine & Chocolate Festival was this last weekend, February 4-5, 2011 at the Enumclaw Expo Center.  The event showcased 30+ shops for your perusing pleasure, 30+ wineries for tasting, and 13 chocolate vendors.  This year’s event was for persons 21 and over which allowed for more vendor flexibility, as the wine and chocolate booths were next to each and dispersed throughout the Expo Center.  This allowed for a fun time out for the adults.  Tickets were good for both days and additional wine tasting tickets were only $1 each (as long as you came back with your wine glass).  Entertainment included Moody Music and a number of seminars on wine, truffle making, and food pairing.  There were a couple stops along the route for a bite as well.  My favorite chocolatiers there was Carter’s Chocolates out of Port Orchard, WA  http://www.carterschocolates.com/ .  Carter’s Chocolates can be found in other locations too…check out the About Us section of their website for where to purchase.  There were different kinds of chocolate makers… from fudge to chocolate bars, chocolate nuts to chocolate drinks, as well as the specialty chocolatiers like truffles and caramel.  Doesn’t this sound heavenly? Also, a bit like Forest Gump’s Shrimp analogy? 🙂   Mark your calendars for next years event but be sure to go on Friday or earlier on Saturday (as some chocolate vendors ran out of samples).  There were plenty of different wines for all tastes, from inexpensive, to fruit wines, dessert wines, as well as some really good wines to share with your special valentine.   Some of my favorite wines there this year were from Five Star Cellars, Brian Carter Cellars, Kontos Cellars, Barrister Winery, and Gamache Vintners, in no particular order.  And because this was a Chamber of Commerce event, wine was available for purchase at a good discount.  Make it a day (or evening) out, and enjoy the ride.  http://enumclawchocolatefestival.com/

Cafe Juanita

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Cafe Juanita deserves a separate posting in itself, as it is one of the top-rated restaurants in the United States.  Chef Holly Smith allows her patrons to savor the fare specializing in Northern Italian food with a commitment to organics and sustainability.  They offer a nice selection of exotic meats and seafood.  Cafe Juanita, located in Kirkland, WA is also known for their award-winning wine list.  On this night, we chose to bring a bottle in (as it was not on their wine list), and paid a $25 corkage fee to do so.  We also enjoyed rose champagne by the glass as a starter.   And take a look at this nice “birthday” spread…      

  • Seared Foie Gras with Onion Crostata, Candied Ginger, Cacao Nib and Charteuse Apple Brodo
  • Veal Sweetbreads with Fried Capers and Parsley, Ligurian Olive Oil
  • Local Rabbit Braised in Arneis with Baby Turnips, Pancetta and Porcini
  • Fish of the Day – Scallops
  • Bittersweet Chocolate Torta with Marcona Almond Gelato, Tangerine Reduction,Caramelized Banana
  • Piccoli Pasticcini; Diti di Mandorle, Golden Raisin Krumiri, Pinenut Biscotti and Gianduja (a cookie plate)

The evening could be described as a reserved quiet romantic elegance.  From the fireplace on one side, to the tea lights throughout the restaurant, a nice atmosphere.  The staff is attentive but not obtrusive.  The other patrons keep a hushed tone in deference to the surrounding atmosphere.  An all-around lovely evening!  http://www.cafejuanita.com/

January Dining

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Urbane –  http://www.urbaneseattle.com/    Urbane promotes their fare as from farm to table, bringing regional farmers goods and quality to the table.  Modern yet comfortable.  Water (in a pitcher) was placed on the table which was nice.  As Urbane is located in the Hyatt Olive 8 hotel (corner of 8th Ave and Olive Way), it is the perfect opportunity to view the hustle and bustle of the city.  We enjoyed the Caramelized Onion Flatbread (blue cheese and walnuts) and the Charcuterie & Cheeses  (lamb pate) selection.  This was a starter for us as we were headed to see Grease at the Paramount.   Since I am not doing a separate review of Grease, I will include it here.  Grease was only here for a three-day gig (January 7-9, 2011) and it is one that featured additional songs from Grease, the hit movie. We were treated to a special appearance, Eddie Mekka, from the popular 70’s show Laverne & Shirley, came out prior to the show to encourage the audience to participate in a sing along and hand jive.  Eddie also played Vince Fontaine/Teen Angel.  Grease itself was enjoyable and entertaining.  It followed the movie but some scenes took place in different venues (as to cut stage cost I imagine).  Matt Nolan, who played Danny was very good.  I would have preferred one of the other gals to have played Sandy though.  “A-wop-bop-a-loo-bop, A-wop-bam-boom!”

Spice Route – http://www.spiceroutecuisine.com/#  Located at 2241 – 148th in Bellevue (Overlake).  Spice Route is Indian cuisine (north, south and Fusion) and is recommended – for the Grand Lunch Buffet and courteous staff.  This is a favorite stop for the Microsoftees that work nearby.  Enjoy!

Blazing Bagels  –  this stop was on 1st Ave S at Safeco Field (SODO).  This location gets great reviews and based on their menu, I think you will find something that will please.  I won’t mention what I ordered (although it was really good) but I will say that the gentleman behind the counter was awesome…I liked that he called the men that came in “Boss”, and I believe he called me “sweetie”, although I can’t remember for sure.  Check out the www.blazingbagels.com for a menu or find it here:  Download Menu Page 1 (PDF)
Download Menu Page 2 (PDF)

Chantanee – http://www.chantanee.com/  As the choice of the birthday girl, this was a nice evening out among friends.  The hostess was most pleasant!  On this night, Martin Luther King day, it was a little slower as it was a Monday night and the usual business crowd was away.  We ordered brown rice and shared four dishes… Heavenly Beef, Phad Gang Paa, Crispy Garlic Chicken, and Green Bean Pric Pao.  All were delicious, especially the Crispy Garlic Chicken and Green Bean Pric Pao (ordered with Prawns).  I liked the entire meal.  What they didn’t tell me though was, by ordering the Prawns with the Green Bean Pric Pao, an additional $6 was charged for this selection.  Due to it being a birthday celebration, they were nice enough to bring out a scoop of ice cream for the birthday girl as well.  Chantanee is considered upscale Thai and is located at 106 108th Ave NE  in the Key Center building in Bellevue, WA.  Those friends who are considered experts in Thai, choose Chantanee.

Check out updates on prior posts of A Terrible Beauty, The Ram, Pearl and Rock Bottom Brewery.

Note:  not all outings or visits to fast food or chain restaurants are reviewed on www.within4hoursreach.com