Gastrolust

Peter Gabriel’s “Blood of Eden” inspires complicated, but delicious, relationships. This month’s Dish-Off features Urbane, a glistening restaurant in the new Hyatt at Olive 8 hotel, and Volunteer Park Cafe, a neighborhood meeting place in a building that’s more than one hundred years old. Moreover, it’s a chef’s battle of the sexes, as Urbane’s Savuthy [...]

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It was one year ago that I was craving eastern European dumplings known as pelmeni, giving them a try at Café Yarmarka. The menu listed beef, pork, chicken, turkey and lamb options, but while I liked the many options, I found the pelmeni a little mushy and bland, and the sauce lacking in kick. I [...]

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When I moved to Seattle ten years ago, I found comfort in Malena’s Taco Shop—about the only hole-in-the-wall on upper Queen Anne. A basket of chips and some bright salsa to start, and there are a wide variety of burritos, enchiladas, tacos, and other dishes that make for a substantial snack or meal. I like [...]

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Since today is International Hot and Spicy Food Day, my thoughts turn to the Eastside, home of some of the spiciest food in the area. So, what better place to try than Bellevue’s Boiling Point? The clientele is almost exclusively Chinese, and the menu is simply a selection of hot pots – along with some [...]

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Here in Seattle, we need another cupcake maker like we need another food blogger. (Seriously, who isn’t a food blogger these days?) I admit it: I’ve been pretty cynical about the whole cupcake scene. Apparently, I’m not the only one. When I posted to Twitter, Facebook, and some food message boards asking advice about cupcakes, [...]

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It was standing room only at Murphy’s Pub as Chefs Rachel Yang and Seif Chirchi of Seattle’s highly acclaimed Joule restaurant did battle against Chef Jose Garces on last night’s Iron Chef America. Friends and family cheered and jeered throughout the sixty minute show, with Kitchen Stadium events stirring passion that easily rivaled the fevered [...]

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The team at Toulouse Petit is proud of the restaurant’s 85,000 Italian mosaic tiles and 40,000 glass tiles. I’m told that Chef Eric Donnelly (formerly of Oceanaire Seafood Room) even helped install a few of them. When I first opened Toulouse’s menu, it seemed like there were 125,000 items from which to choose. I’m pro-choice, [...]

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Before the year-end announcement of my Top 10 food experiences of the year, I finished a surge of write-ups with a report on places perhaps best known as drinking establishments (of the alcohol variety), but also serving food. So it seems fitting to start the new year with a drinking establishment of the coffee variety. [...]

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Happy New Year to everyone! As we slide into 2010, I present my Top 10 restaurant experiences of 2009 (click on photos to enlarge): 1. Most Memorable, I-Wish-I-Could-Have-One-More-Bite Dish: Local King figs at Spur. For my City Arts Dish-Off gig, I’m lucky to have local chefs creating fantastic, off-menu dishes inspired by songs. The figs [...]

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