Gastrolust

Michael Pollan may not have the same rock-star celebrity appeal, but unlike Anthony Bourdain, he did have notes. Lots of them. Most known for his recent books The Omnivore’s Dilemma and In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto, Pollan put together a patchwork of thoughts about food, farming, and well-being, throwing out some of his [...]

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The old cliché is that if you eat Chinese food, you’ll be hungry again one hour later. We’re not sure of that, but in reviewing restaurants, we surely want to know what’s enduring one hour, one day, even one week later. Delicious when dining, perhaps, but ultimately fantastic… or forgettable?
We’ve been bemoaning the lack of [...]

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Having recently returned to the States from Asia, I’m thinking about all the great noodles, dumplings, and sushi you can get at airports on the other side of the Pacific – not to mention the bento boxes the Japanese take on their trips. And I’m reminded of an odd experience I had last year, transferring [...]

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Three weeks in Asia gave us a burning desire for a burger, but a snowstorm put out the flame at Flame, so stuck on foot, we settled upon Hilltop Ale House to satisfy our craving. We’ve liked Hilltop since back when its non-smoking days mattered most, and we appreciate the neighborhood feel. The menu hawks [...]

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After three weeks of fabulous food in Asia, what restaurant did I most want to hit after coming home?
Joule.
Recall that Joule is in my list of top five Asian restaurants in Seattle, and may be my top pick overall for the past year. It’s that good.
I enjoyed some of my favorite dishes, like the spicy [...]

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On the topic of kaiten sushi (or kaiten-zushi), we go, well, round and round. Instant gratification in grabbing dishes upon seating, but hard to know how long they’ve sat on the conveyor belt. A festive feeling, but no natural interaction with the sushi chef. Unlimited gari (pickled ginger), but no self-serve green tea like in Japan. [...]

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For years, we’ve heard that the best New York-style pizza in Seattle is actually in Snohomish.
Snohomish? Who goes to Snohomish?
We did. With New York in our blood, and not quite satisfied with Seattle options, it was time to test the waters. (According to some, it’s the water that makes New York’s pizza the best.)
#1 New [...]

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I’m just back to Seattle after three fun-filled and food-filled weeks in Asia. Jumping back into the local food scene, there’s good news and bad news to report.
The bad: Austin Cantina is now permanently closed. I appreciated Chef Jefe Birkner’s participation in a recent Sound Dish-Off, and wish him the best with whatever’s next.
The good: [...]

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I’ve been blogging on my site for about a half year now, and as we ring in 2009, I find myself thinking about “resolutions” for the food year ahead.
At some point, I’m hoping to update my site just a little bit by improving the bannerhead and better organizing the categories. I’ll try to post my [...]

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