Gastrolust

On the heels of my return from Tokyo, where I restrained myself in only eating four bowls of ramen in eight days, I’m excited to see Seattle’s ramen scene on the rise. We’re not likely to see certain items like niboshi (dried sardine) broth in the near future, but we’re lucky to have a lot [...]

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Racing around to Portland restaurants has become an annual June ritual of late, but with a rare Rothko exhibit in town until May, my partner and I were rarin’ to go to the Rose City sooner than usual this year. Outings to the Portland Art Museum, the Lan Su Chinese Garden, and OMSI would provide [...]

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I’m endlessly asked to recommend the best sushi restaurant in Seattle. Along with Sushi Kappo Tamura (featured in a previous Sexy Feast about head), I heartily recommend Kisaku in Tangletown. The fish is fabulous, there’s a neighborhood feeling, and the quality to price is probably the best in the Seattle area. My favorite item is [...]

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Dish: “Salted fish w/chicken in vermicelli & rice sticker” Place: LA Café, International District Price: $8.99 On the plate: Two types of noodles, which require a close inspection to see. Onions, green onions, carrots, bean sprouts. Shrimp, which are presumably not the intended salted fish, with the chicken missing in action. Supporting cast/What to do: [...]

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What I miss from New York: choices of subway lines, reliably aggressive driving, and attitude. Food-wise, I miss pizza, bagels, and bialys. And good delis. Oh, we have some amazing sandwich shops in Seattle, like Paseo and Salumi. But I’d gladly trade a few of our fabulous Vietnamese delis doing cheap and delicious banh mi [...]

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Last month I stayed at the Hilton Portland & Executive Tower Club, as mentioned in this fuller piece about my fuller Portland experience. When I’m on the lecture circuit (i.e., business travel), I’m loyal to the Hilton family of hotels. My number of stays earns enough points to enjoy a fairly lengthy stay at the [...]

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Dish: Cheng Du Dan Dan Noodle Place: Bamboo Garden, Bellevue Price: $6.95 In the bowl: You’ll see slightly yellowish egg noodles topped with little bits of ground pork and thin slices of green onion. The chili sauce is at the bottom of the bowl. Supporting cast/What to do: It’s all there, in the bowl. What’s [...]

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Koral Bar & Kitchen in Bellevue calls itself a “New American Kitchen,” serving regional American cuisine–comfort food favorites and a few upscale dishes–in an atmosphere more casual than sister restaurant Pearl. After trying pan-fried trout, roasted beets with arugula, tuna crudo, Penn Cove mussels, roasted marrow bones, and Koral’s nod to Tai Tung pot stickers, [...]

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Dish: Gourmet Chow Mein (Lo Mein) Place: Bamboo Garden, Queen Anne Price: $8.95 On the plate: Per the menu: “pan-fried thin noodles with mixed vegetables, sausage, and chicken.” That description will warrant further explanation. Supporting cast/What to do: Dig in. There’s no option for spice level when ordering. You’ll find chili sauce on the table, [...]

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With food trucks a-travelin’ and pop-up restaurants a-poppin’, a lot of people are talking about different dining options these days. As for me, I like the idea of kitchens cooking just about any time and any place. Preferably preparing anything interesting. Just over a month ago, I enjoyed a terrific soba dinner that popped up [...]

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