Food Trucks have arrived in Bellevue and the Eastside!  I have seen that food trucks bring people out of their office and fosters a gathering in the community.  I have had the pleasure of trying – Skillet serves up tasty street food with stops in Seattle, Bellevue, and Redmond (via an Airstream)… and is worth the gourmet price.  The burger is oh so good – grass-fed beef, arugula, bacon jam, and cambozola on a soft roll.  Have you tried Skillet Bacon Jam?  Ooh la la…this is really tasty on a burger, Panini, or whatever you choose.  http://www.skilletstreetfood.com/  “Like” them on Facebook.   And as of this past week, I tried Tuscan Stone Wood Fired Pizza, which is located at the corner of Bellevue Way and Main Street in Bellevue…with more locations to come.  They have 8 delicious wood fired varieties.  Carne Amante is made of Red Sauce, 5 Cheese Blend, Fresh Mozzarella, Pepperoni, Italian Sausage, Onion and Tomato.  Fabulous flavor!  Definitely recommended!  http://www.tuscanstonepizza.com/  Check out this article from Downtown Bellevue… http://www.downtownbellevue.com/2011/04/07/food-trucks-bellevue/#txt8!

Blue C Sushi – If you like the idea of getting your food via a conveyor belt (Kaiten Sushi dining), this is a fun option.  Blue C Sushi has six locations in the Puget Sound area.  Although Sushi snobs might choose other, Blue C Sushi provides a taste for those hankering for a fresh, vibrant atmosphere offering high quality ingredients.  On this visit, the following was had: Scallop Nigiri, Red Dragon Roll, Shrimp Tempura Roll, Spider Roll, Lobster Roll, Eel Nigiri, Sesame Noodles and a special order of calamari.  And after all that, you are sure to be on the full side, with a decent sized lunch bill.  Blue C Sushi also offers a number of sweet options for those with a sweet tooth.  http://www.bluecsushi.com/

Oma Bap –  located in Bellevue, WA on the corner of Bellevue Way and NE 2nd….I love this newly opened Korean inspired joint!  Oma Bap opened a month or so ago and what a hit it is!  If you have not tried BibimBap, this is a good place to do it!  Oma Bap offers flavorful  and colorful dishes with a modern casual atmosphere.  Those of you who have the delicious BibimBap elsewhere, you just might miss the traditional stone bowl you are accustomed to.  Vegetarian options are available. We chose the traditional Chicken BibimBap (bee-beem-bop) with brown rice (you may choose white or special as well).  This is a Korean rice dish that is served with a variety of vegetables, a fried egg on top, add a sauce…whether it be spicy or mild and then mix it all together (image shown above).  Check out their website to view how it is made.  My only complaint would be the gal taking our order rolled her eyes to a co-worker after my friend asked a number of questions of her.  Oma Bap also has outdoor dining to enjoy those longed-for sunny days.  A delicious accompaniment to any of the dishes, is Mandoo “Korean pot-stickers” (pork) …Yum! Yum! Yum!   http://omabap.com/

River Rock at Maplewood Golf Course in Renton – a nice stop on a sunny day for outdoor dining and a golf course view.  We were lucky enough to get a seat outside on our only sunny 70 degree day.  The Spinach Crab Dip was a really nice starter.  It did not come with enough crisps (advertised as warm french bread) so we asked for a few more…and found that when we got the bill, an extra charge.  ok.  For an entree, we ordered the Bronzed Tilapia Spinach Salad.  I substituted romaine lettuce for the spinach which I liked.  The gorgonzola cheese and sliced red onion were good.  The walnuts were stale.  The big disappointment was the salad dressing…promoting it as a creamy citrus vinaigrette.  It was basically mayo – yuk!  We then asked for a vinaigrette and then that was pretty much only vinegar…and we were charged for the new dressing.  What!  My friend mentioned that it was a “south king county” salad.  I am smiling at this.  The service and food is “ok”.  So, there is room for improvement here as I saw a number of wrongly cooked or unsatisfied plates being returned.  But, give it a try as it can be a nice experience.  There is dining in the bar and dining room as well.  http://www.riverrockgrill.com/

Not posting info on others tried this month…