Masa

I drove down to Tacoma to visit and have dinner with Angela.  It's been a while since the last time I drove south of Renton.  I don't even know where the good restaurants are.  She suggested Masa, a Mexican Restaurant that transforms into a bar as the night goes on.  

We got there pretty early, about 6:30, but the restaurant was already half full.  The decor was nice, it was dark and a bit on the trendier side.  

The menu offered the normal Mexican fare.  Although I just ate tacos for lunch, I chose to get more for dinner.  I got a taco and an enchilada.  Angela ordered a Surf and Turf Appetizer.  Overall, I enjoyed this restaurant.  It reminded me a lot of the Matador or Pesos.  If I lived in Tacoma, I'd be back.

What we ate:

MASA SURF AND TURF

Seared Steak Tips with Prawns in a Spicy Cream Sauce. Served with Tortillas.

CARNE ASADA TACO

Carne Asada with Caramelized Onions and Cilantro

SHRIMP ENCHILADA

Shrimp, Jack Cheese, Verde Sauce and Spicy Cream

Taste: 7.5

Presentation: 7.5

Ambience: 7.5

www.masatacoma.com

La Carta De Oaxaca

I wanted a quick lunch and decided to try out La Carta de Oaxaca in Ballard.  I heard they had really good tacos.  We got lucky and found parking immediately right in front of the restaurant.  (unheard of on a Saturday at noon!)  However, there were no seats available so we had to put in a to go order.  

The menu wasn't too extensive, but I saw a few good options....I ended up ordering the BBQ Pork tacos.  

The interior of this restaurant was cute. They had framed photos covering one wall, a small bar in the back and an open kitchen where you could see the cooks preparing the food.  

After a 15 minute wait, we had a our food in hand and bill to pay.  $7.00 for two tacos?  Yikes! The to go package I was carrying was tiny.  No chips and salsa.  No other types sides. Nothing.  Just two small tacos.  Hmm...these better be the best tacos ever!

After getting home, I complained about the size once more before diving in....but I'll admit, they were good.  They were damn good!  Fine, fine...the next time I'm craving *good* tacos, I'll shut up and happily pay the $7.00 again.

What I ate:

TACOS AL PASTOR

Barbequed Pork in Homemade Tortillas with Cilantro, Onion and Hot Sauce

Taste: 7.5

Presentation: n/a

Ambience: 7

www.lacartadeoaxaca.com

Cupcake Royale

I love cupcakes.  They're so fun and cute!  

I've had cupcakes from Cupcake Royale once, it was a housewarming gift, but I had never actually been to the shop until today.  Erin and I met here to catch up over some coffee and cupcakes.  In addition to their regular flavors, they were offering Fall Cupcake Flavors - Harvest Pumpkin, Caramel Apple and Carrot.  I chose the Pumpkin. A cupcake paired with good black coffee and great conversation equates to a great way to start the day!

What I ate:

HARVEST PUMPKIN CUPCAKE

Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Taste: 7.5

Presentation: 8

Ambience: 7.5

www.cupcakeroyale.com

Macrina Bakery

I've never been to the original Macrina downtown location, but was happy to see that they opened one up near my work.  Located on 1st Ave, its less than a 3 minute drive....plus street parking is actually still free in Sodo District.  

Met CeCe here for lunch.  I really liked the interior, it was very industrial looking.  Plus, we could see the bakers rolling out dough and shaping pastries from where we were sitting through the large windows dividing the bakery to the back.

I'd rate my lunch as average tasting...but seeing as though it was on the pricier side - I'd probably deduct points.  I don't mind paying more for good food..but when mediocre food is accompanied with a larger price tag, it makes me like a place even less.  

I may come back here for coffee and a pastry in the morning, but I most likely won't be back for lunch.

What I ate:

PETIT SANDWICH

Portobello Mushroom, Spinach, Goat Cheese, Balsamic Vinaigrette

RICK'S APRICOT ESPRESSO COOKIE

Taste: 6

Presentation: 6.5

Ambience: 7

www.macrinabakery.com

Smarty Pants

Smarty Pants is about a mile from my job.  Looks like (and probably is) a dive bar at night, but at lunchtime they serve the some yummy sandwiches!  Today I had the Ms. Piggy - BBQ Pork, Coleslaw, Cheese all on a large hoagie....so good!!  

What I ate:

MS. PIGGY

Slow-simmered Succulent Pork Topped with Slaw, Monterey Jack and BBQ Sauce. Served on a Toasted French Roll with Chips & Salsa.

Taste: 8.5

Presentation: 6.5

Ambience: 5.5

www.smartypantsseattle.com

Cedars Restaurant

I am NOT a fan of Indian food. I have to admit though, my fears are totally unmerited. I guess I've always seen TV shows depicting Indian food as precursor to getting a 'stomach sickness'...but since this is a food blog - I'll stop right there and won't elaborate on details.

I've tried Indian food for the first time at age 25. It was at a very popular Indian restaurant in Seattle. I went with someone who loves Indian food, but as usual, I thought I was the one who could choose the best entrees on the menu. WRONG! I chose some kind of fish dish. It was gross. My dinner mate also hated it...the only saving grace that night (for me) was the Naan. Spinach Naan to be exact. I don't think anyone can mess up bread...I'll eat bread all day everyday, no matter what form it comes in. Needless to say, my first Indian food experience was not a success.

Fast forward 2 years later...

Tonight I was brave. I went in for a second try....this time to Cedars. I hear good things about this place so I figured it would be a good restaurant to help me form a second opinion. We ordered Naan (of course)...and it was HUGE! They were hanging off the plate it was served on. Yum! For my entree I chose Tandoori Chicken Tikka. I didn't mind the taste of the chicken, but the pieces of chicken I was served were disgusting. Fatty and grissly....bleh! But the Basmati Rice and Veggies were ok. Jared ordered the Tikka Masala, I didn't try it but it looked good and he said it was good. Sadly once again, the bread was the best part of my meal. What am I doing wrong? Everyone loves Indian food! Should I try once more...third time's the charm?! Uhh...maybe.

What we ate:

GARLIC NAAN

Leavened White Bread Stuffed with Garlic. Served with Cilantro and Tamarind Chutneys.

TANDOORI CHICKEN TIKKA

Boneless Pieces of Chicken Rubbed with Indian Herbs and Spices. Served with Sliced Onions, Fresh Vegetables and Basmati Rice.

TIKKA MASALA

A Cream Based Curry Cooked in Ginger, Cilantro, Curry and a Tomato Sauce. Served with Basmati Rice.

Taste: 6.5

Presentation: 6.5

Ambience: 6.5

www.cedarsseattle.com

Portlock

I was sent on a work errand to Ballard during lunch today...wasn't quite sure what I felt like eating.  I saw a sign for Portlock - a smoked salmon company.  Their retail store in Ballard sells sandwiches at lunch and since I didn't eat a lox and cream cheese bagel yesterday, I decided to go for it today.

Once I stepped into the small shop, I ixnayed the lox bagel idea (AGAIN!) and chose their Smoked Salmon Caesar Wrap.  It came with chips and a drink.  It was a lot tastier than my picture looks.  

What I ate:

WILD SMOKED KING SALMON CAESAR WRAP

Smoked Salmon, Lettuce, Caesar Dressing Wrapped in a Tortilla

Taste: 7.5

Presentation: 5.5

Ambience: n/a

www.portchatham.com

Yea's Wok

Best Chinese food in (dare I say it....?) Washington!  Yep, I love it here!  Always busy, always quick, always delicious!  My favorites here include Moo Shu Pork, Happy Family, Stir-fried Eggplant in Brown Sauce and Hot & Sour Soup.  The only thing I would suggest staying away from is anything that contains their 'Tangy Sauce'....basically it's a really sweet ketchup sauce....not good, kind of ruins the dish.  But everything else is GOOD!!!  I really love the Hot & Sour Soup here!  Spicy and sour and filled with mushrooms!! Yea's Wok serves better Chinese food than any place I've tried in the ID.  It's a drive, but well worth it.  

What we ate:

HOT & SOUR SOUP

MOO SHU PORK WITH 4 PANCAKES

Shredded Pork Sauteed with Cabbage, Mushroom, Carrots and Served with Hoisin Sauce.

CRISPY SHRIMP WITH BLACK BEAN SAUCE

Deep Fried Shrimp, Topped with Black Bean Sauce. Served over Cabbage and Deep Fried Noodles.

Taste: 9

Presentation: 6.5

Ambience: 6.5

Yea's Wok 

Le Bambou

Had run an errand during my lunch break on Broadway, so I was going to grab a quick lunch at Noah's Bagels.  However, when I was waiting to cross the street, I saw a sign for a Vietnamese restaurant that served Bahn Mi...sounded better than a bagel.  

The restaurant was empty when I got there, but started to fill up a little before I left.  I always order the same type of Bahn Mi - shredded chicken, but they didn't offer that here.  They had grilled chicken....bleh.  I chose the BBQ Pork, which was merely just much slices of char siu.  It came with a can of soda and a salad...not bad for $4.  

The salad was pretty gross.  The lettuce was wilted and it was doused in Ranch dressing...needless to say, I didn't touch it.  The Bahn Mi was pretty good, although I noticed that the cilantro was wilted as well...but since I usually take it out before eating, it didn't matter all that much.  

This vietnamese sandwich doesn't quite compare to my favorite shredded chicken version I get at Saigon Deli, but it made for a nice, quick lunch.  

What I ate:

BBQ PORK BAHN MI

Slices of BBQ Pork, Cilantro, Cucumber, Carrot, Jalapeno, Radish, Mayonnaise on a Toasted French Roll.

Le Bambou

Hiroki

Beautiful!  That's how I would describe their pastries.  It took me 5 minutes to decide which dessert I wanted, so many good looking options.  To help narrow things down, I asked the guy behind the counter which was his favorite...his reply - "Everything in there is my favorite." Uh....okay, thanks!  

After much deliberation, I went with their Souffle Cheesecake.  This wasn't an ordinary, run of the mill cheesecake.  No, no, no!  In fact, it was completely opposite of any cheesecake I've had in the past, it was super light and airy.  Not what I expected when I bit into it, but I was pleasantly surprised.  

Although everything here was a little on the pricier side ($5.00 - $7.00 for a slice of pie or cake), it was well worth it.  I wanted to just stare at the pastry case for a while...did I mention everything was gorgeous?!!  Next time I'll try their Hawaiian Purple Potato Pudding, it sounded so good!  

CeCe got the Matcha Tiramisu, we both agreed that it was just 'ok'.  Her Hojicha (green tea latte) was yummy though!

What we ate:

SOUFFLE CHEESCAKE

MATCHA TIRAMISU

HOJICHA

Taste: 7

Presentation: 9.5

Ambience: 6

www.hiroki.us

Sam's Sushi

I always see this sushi restaurant when I go to the gym since it's right across the street.  It always looks busy, so we decided to give it a try.  The sushi was fresh (good), the Katsu wasn't too oily, the Miso Soup had a lot of tofu.  Overall, I thought this was a pretty decent place.  We waited about 15 minutes for a table, but service was quick.  

What we ate:

BENTO BOX A

One Piece Each of Albacore and Ebi; California Roll; Chicken Katsu; Cucumber Salad

DRAGON ROLL

PARADISE ROLL

Taste: 7.5

Presentation: 6.5

Ambience: 6.5

www.sams-sushi.co.nr

The Other Coast Cafe

Best Reuben sandwich I've ever had (granted I have only had one other Reuben before today...but still, it's the BEST).  Yummy yummy for my tummy!  Mmmmm....

What we ate:

MUSHROOM AND BARLEY SOUP

1/2 REUBEN SANDWICH

Razor Thin Slices of Pastrami, Swiss Cheese, Sauerkraut, Mustard and Thousand Island Dressing on Rye.

1/2 RAJUN CAJUN SANDWICH

Cajun Style Turkey, Pepper Jack Cheese, Tomato and Onion with Spicy Salsa Mayo. 

Taste: 7.5

Ambience: 5

Presentation: 6

www.theothercoastcafe.com

How to Cook a Wolf

First off...I just want to say that these photos do NOT do the food justice.  This place is amazing!!  Everything we ate was ambrosial!  (Yep, that is a real word, meaning 'highly pleasing' - this place was THAT good. I had to dust off the thesaurus to find a new word for delicious!)

We had a bottle of 2005 Furat Sicilia - never heard of it, but it was good.  Then we ordered a bunch of small plates.  The stand out dish was the Beef Carpaccio.  Mmmmm..I am craving it right now!  The cucumbers and shaved cheese were perfect accompaniments.  One of the best dishes I have had in a long time!  The pasta was a little bit on the salty side, but was still very very good.  The restaurant itself was beautiful - small, cozy and dark; just the way I like it!

What we ate:

COLUMBIA CITY BAKERY FOCACCIA BREAD

Served with Castelvetrano Olives, Sicilian Olive Oil

FRIED ALMONDS

BEEF CARPACCIO

Served with Shaved Reggiano and Cucumbers

ROASTED VENISON

Served with Potatoes

STROZZAPRETTI

Served with Bacon, Onion and Marjoram

Taste: 8.5

Ambience: 9

Presentation: 8.5

www.howtocookawolf.com

Rays Boathouse and Cafe

I heart sweet potato fries. Doesn't matter who prepares them, they're always good and Ray's is no exception.  We went here for lunch because it was a cold day and hot clam chowder sounded good.  But because I can't ever (and will never) pass up the chance to eat sweet potato fries, I had to order some.  Had to!  I got the Rock Shrimp and Dungeness Crab Cake Sandwich (which is accompanied by the before mentioned Sweet Potato Fries).  

The view here is awesome, the food here is awesome, the location is awesome (2 miles from my condo)....overall, Ray's = awesome.

What we ate:

CLAM CHOWDER

SHRIMP AND CRAB CAKE SANDWICH WITH SWEET POTATO FRIES

BLACKENED RED ROCKFISH

Served on Corn Polenta with a Spicy Creole Sauce and Julienne Vegetables, topped with Whipped Avocado Lemongrass Sauce and Cilantro-Lime Sour Cream.

Taste: 7.5

Ambience: 8

Presentation: 7.5

www.rays.com

Kingfish Cafe

I've always wanted to try fried green tomatoes....I've seen it on the Food Network and it just sounded so interesting.  I found recipes for it, but I wanted my first taste experience to be prepared by a 'professional'.  

Q: Where do I get fried green tomatoes in Seattle?  

A: Kingfish Cafe!

This restaurant is cute, dimly lit and warm.  I like it.  We started off with fried green tomatoes, of course!  I have one word for this dish - DELISH!  It is soooo good! I loved it.  It sort of tasted like fried onions.  They come with hushpuppies, and is topped with a mayo-based sauce.  I would definitely be back just for this dish alone.  My entree on the other hand left something to be desired.  It's completely my fault for ordering a vegetarian meal.  I'm not sure why, but I'm always drawn to vegetarian dishes on menus but end up regretting my choice.  This time was no different.  The griddlecakes left a weird aftertaste in my mouth...bleh.  I ended up picking at the buttermilk fried chicken, which was wonderful.  The collard greens and mashed potatoes that accompanied it was yummy as well.  Then there's the dessert....

uh...ma...gawd! Their cake slices are HUGE! GINORMOUS! AWESOME! I was pretty full after eating fried green tomatoes two bites of my entree and 1/2 of the fried chicken dish, but everyone around us was ordering slices of cake.  And when I say 'slice', what I really mean is portions of cake.  Holy hell, it's the biggest dessert I've ever seen.  We ordered it to go so I can gorge myself later...the cake could not be passed up.  I'll be eating this damn thing for the next month!  Yum.  

*Note: The picture of the cake above was taken on a FULL-SIZED plate, not a dessert plate...that's how huge it was!

What we ate:

FRIED GREEN TOMATOES

Cornmeal-dredged Fried Green Tomatoes topped with House Chipotle Sauce.  Served with Hushpuppies.

BUTTERMILK FRIED CHICKEN

Served with Collard Greens and Mashed Potatoes with Gravy.

HOPPIN' JOHN GRIDDLECAKES

Vegetarian Cakes made of Tender Blackeyed Peas and Rice with Roasted Veggies, Grilled up and Served with Tomato Relish, Sour Cream and a Green Salad.

RED VELVET CAKE 

Topped with Cream Cheese Frosting

Taste: 8

Ambience: 7

Presentation: 6.5

www.thekingfishcafe.com

Salty's on Alki

Sunday Brunch at Salty's is nothing more than a glutton-fest.  I love it, it's wonderful!! Crab, Shrimp, Omelettes, Salmon, Waffles, Giant Chocolate Fountain, Desserts, Desserts and more Desserts!  Ahhhh....I gained 15 pounds at the restaurant and another 5 pounds just by writing that last sentence.  I love Salty's Brunch.  So much food, too little space in my belly.

What we ate:

WEEKEND SEAFOOD BRUNCH

Taste: 8

Ambience: 8

Presentation: 7.5

www.saltys.com

Ohana

Kushibar didn't quite fill us up, so we walked over to Ohana for more food and alcohol.  

Sushi - good.

Alcoholic beverages - good.

Creme Brulee - good!

What we ate:

ASSORTED SUSHI

FRUIT CREME BRULEE

Taste: 7

Ambience: 6

Presentation: 6

www.ohanabelltown.com