Gastrolust

This was a big deal. We usually go out for so-called “exotic” food like bugs, tripe, and chicken liver mousse popsicles (dipped in dark chocolate), but for a belated birthday dinner, we wanted to check out the fuss about Cascina Spinasse.
We rarely go out for Italian food, opting instead to make it at [...]

[Read more →]

After our unfortunate Bourdain/Bizarre-Foods-like bug-eating bungle, we were determined to go back to Federal Way (known to some as South Korea, who refer to Edmonds/Lynnwood/Shoreline as North Korea) for a more satisfying Korean food experience. Friends recently told us about eating naeng-myeon. So, noodleheads that we are, we had a hankering [...]

[Read more →]

After our recent jaunt up to Ballard for burgers at Lunchbox Laboratory, the quest continues on Queen Anne Avenue. We already hit Dick’s and Hilltop Ale House, so upon recommendation, we headed to Peso’s for happy hour.
Look beyond the short menu at your table (if you can get a table) and ask for the full [...]

[Read more →]

Per the dictionary definition, a tidbit is a delicate or tender morsel of food…a choice or pleasing bit.
Tidbit, the north Capitol Hill restaurant that’s Italian meets Spanish in a non-fusion fashion, offered us tidbits aplenty during a recent visit. And it was in the tidbits called tapas that we found our favorites—with carryover to other [...]

[Read more →]

We recently had an opportunity to head out to the Hood Canal for an overnight stay at Alderbrook Resort & Spa. It’s a nice escape less than two hours from Seattle, either driving by car, or hopping on the Bremerton Ferry part of the way (which we recommend eastbound for the return view of the [...]

[Read more →]

The fine folks at The Four Swallows invited us over (by over, we mean across Puget Sound) for some supper. Saturday was a superb day for a ferry ride, and after a short stroll through town, we reached the farmhouse that’s been home to the restaurant for 16 years.
Inside, it’s quaint and charming, with the [...]

[Read more →]

Maybe it’s the springtime snow that’s got us savoring the South—or any taste of it we can get. Last time it was Waterfront Seafood Grill. This time, when Sazerac asked if we wanted to sample some “damn good food” from its Southern-inspired menu, we said “damn right we’ll be there.”
Sazerac’s had a bit of a [...]

[Read more →]

What is it about a dumpling that’s so delightful? We love dough that’s filled and then folded or otherwise formed. Dumplings come in different shapes and sizes (recall our reviews of pelmeni, xiao long bao, and har gow, to name a few) and cut across all cultures. Proper preparation requires attention—and the finished product demands [...]

[Read more →]

A sakana ichiba (fish market) at Shibuya station is our favorite Tokyo battleground. Close to closing time, customers hover around the refrigerator cases, scouting out the sushi and sashimi assortments–especially the packages of maguro, mutsu, and more. Then, at about 7:45, the man with the marker does the “makete” (discounting) action, slashing prices on fish [...]

[Read more →]

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 [...]

[Read more →]