Gastrolust

I recently broke my Seattle-area dim sum boycott by going to Bellevue for the so-called “brunch” at Wild Ginger. Why the dim sum boycott? Easy: dim sum in Seattle is mediocre, while just over two hours north in Richmond (just south of Vancouver), it’s simply amazing. As a result, I save my dim sum cravings [...]

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Vancouver… a city full of Calvin Klein underwear models? This might not be your typical scene in Vancouver, especially after summer ends, but we have a few more weeks before that becomes a worry. Now’s the perfect time to visit our international neighbor to the north. It’s a beautiful city with wonderful scenery, parks, shops, [...]

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Portland is the perfect place for a couples getaway centered around sex and food. It’s an edgy city that’s fairly open about sex and adventurous in its culinary pursuits. So let’s spend the night together in Portland, where we stamp this week’s Passport to Pleasure—a hedonistic quest for great food and good times. CHOCOLATE TAKES [...]

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Last year at this time, I interviewed Chef Jason Wilson for an Edible Seattle article about sex and food, exploring the idea that diners’ eating preferences can predict what kind of sex lives they have. In discussing variety, he mentioned that some people come to Crush for 6-course or 12-course tasting menus, while some simply [...]

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After a fun first day on Orcas Island, you’ll find that waking up on the island brings a further sense of relaxation. And a desire for exploration, at whatever pace you’d like. Enjoy a slow, well-deserved morning with your loved one, lingering over breakfast at Otters Pond Bed and Breakfast, where you stayed for your [...]

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Much like the characters in Lewis Carroll’s poem “The Walrus and the Carpenter,” I stumbled upon oysters at Renee Erickson’s restaurant of the same name. But this Sexy Feast isn’t about oysters. (Given the oyster’s alleged aphrodisiacal qualities, that would be too obvious.) Instead, it’s about boquerones. Typical of many of Erickson’s dishes at this [...]

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Tickled by the notion of overnights after last week’s Passport to Pleasure at Hotel 1000, it’s time to embark on a series of more distant trips. Let’s start with Orcas Island, the largest and most rugged of the San Juan Islands. So close, and yet such a far away feeling. Once you get on the [...]

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If you’re a farm-to-table fan and missed the two Outstanding in the Field dinners in Carnation a month ago, you’ve got two more chances to enjoy a similar experience. If you’re willing to drive. To Pemberton, just north of Whistler. I’m here to say it’s well worth the effort. Last weekend, I attended the second [...]

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Brave Horse Tavern is a boisterous place. It’s full of Amazon employees trying to interact face-to-face, rather than online, though most conversations are teeming with tech talk. At the shuffleboard area, I’m surprised that the players aren’t sliding smartphones down the tables. When you walk in, you’ll see steel baskets of house-made pretzels. And when [...]

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How about golf, a spa, a comfortable room with scenic views, and a wide variety of interesting dining options—right in or outside your hotel on 1st Avenue in downtown Seattle? There’s also a world of restaurants right outside the door. If I was visiting Seattle for business, I’d want to stay at Hotel 1000. I [...]

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