Review - Piroshky, Piroshky - Seattle, WA

Piroshky, Piroshky - Seattle, WA

What better way to return to my blog than to rave about one of my favorite indulgences in Seattle!  Piroshky, Piroshky in Pike Place Market... Not to be confused with other Piroshky spots scattered throughout the city.  I think this spot might be the best one!

Review - Toulouse Petit - Seattle, WA

Toulouse Petit

After doing a little shopping at Urban Craft Uprising my Mom, my friend and I decided to go to Toulouse Petit for lunch.  I just returned from a week long cruise to Alaska (which I will blog about soon) where the food was absolutely horrible, and I was craving something good, anything good.  A little spicy Cajun/Creole food on a sunny day in Seattle sounded great!

Review - Taste Of India - Seattle, WA

Taste Of India

So there was a time that I gave this place four stars, but either they have gone slightly downhill, or I've become more of an Indian food snob.  Our last couple experiences here just weren't as great as I remember them.  However, the bottomless Chai is still the best!  And when I say bottomless, I mean, literally, bottomless.  They refill your cup faster than you can drink it!  The iced and hot versions are both to die for, sweet and spicy...

Review - Wann Izakaya - Seattle, WA

Wann Izakaya

I just love Izakaya style dining.  It's like Japanese Tapas, small plates meant for sharing, and lots of drinks to go around.  We've been going to Wann for quite some time and the food is consistently good!  I love the ambiance of the restaurant, and almost every time we are there, Japanese hipsters are there, boisterously speaking in their native tongue and having what appears to be a great time!

Review - Root Table - Ballard - Seattle, WA

Root Table

Entering into Root Table is how I imagine it feels to be transported to a treehouse in Thailand.  Everything is made from raw cuts of wood, some intricately carved into sculptures.  Each chair and table is unique.

Review - Mesa Grill - Las Vegas, NV

Mesa Grill

Sometimes it's difficult to write a review for a restaurant that you have been so repeatedly, it's hard to remember your initial reaction to the decor, the lighting, the overall ambiance.  If the food is good the first time, you will likely return a second.  If it's good the second and third times, you will likely become a regular.  I'll admit, the first time we dined at Mesa Grill, it was solely because I was hooked on watching Bobby Flay on Boy Meets Grill.  I followed a few of his recipes, and thought we might as well try one of his restaurants.

Review - Brenda's French Soul Food - San Francisco, CA

Watermelon Sweet Tea

Brenda's French Soul Food

Who doesn't like to indulge in a little Soul Food from time to time?  Wait, what is French Soul Food? It turns out that Brenda's serves up New Orleans inspired cuisine.  It's a little Cajun, it's a little Creole.  It's French Soul Food.

Review - Shiku Sushi

Shiku Menu

Shiku

It seems like Ballard has a sushi place on every corner lately.  Moshi Moshi (yuck, I got food poisoning there..), O'shan, the list goes on.  We finally decided to try Shiku.  

Review - Dahlia Bakery

Dahlia Bakery

Where does one find the best doughnuts in Seattle? Not at Top Pot.  Definitely not at Krispy Kreme.  They are at the Dahlia Bakery!  As you enter, you can smell the baked goodness of fresh breads wafting in the air.  You can pay more to have them served on a plate at Lola during brunch or at the Dahlia Lounge, but why?  Dahlia Bakery is right next door to Dahlia Lounge, and across the street from Lola, and a bag of 6 doughnuts is $6.  (used to be $5 not so long ago, but eh, inflation, no worries).

Review - Jade Garden

Jade Garden

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I miss when Dim Sum were truly bite sized delicacies.  Now, it seems that most if not all Chinese Dim Sum restaurants have given in to what America wants.  Oversize Siu Mai, giant Hum Bow and portions so large they have to use sketchy kitchen scissors to cut the food up when they serve it.  ARGH!  If anyone knows of a place that serves what Dim Sum used to be, please, let me know.   Not to bag on Dim Sum, I love it, and I am not holding Jade Garden accountable for my rant, Jade Garden is actually pretty good for Dim Sum, if you are willing to battle the crowd.

Review - Nishino

Nishino

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A friend and I decided to go to Nishino during the Dine Around Seattle promo, a 3 course meal for $30. Neither of us have dined here before so we weren't exactly sure what to expect. We have made our way to several Japanese restaurants in Seattle, so I was looking forward to Nishino!

Recipe - Chicken Parmesan

Chicken Parmesan

Chicken Parmesan can seem like an overwhelming task in the kitchen, anything deep fried can be a lot of work to clean up.  This quick and easy recipe isn't baked, it's fried, just the way Chicken Parmesan should be!  I topped each piece of chicken with Provolone cheese and served it with Marinara sauce and spaghetti.  I doubled up this recipe and made this for a birthday party for a group of 8, and it was simple, and it was a hit!

Review - Dahlia Workshop

Dahlia Workshop

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A few years ago, we started having brunch at the Dahlia Lounge downtown.  The most memorable part of the brunch was the biscuits - they were phenomenal!  My friends and I continued to go there, mainly for the biscuits, but because brunch at the Dahlia has always been consistently good.  So weekends often started with brunch at either Lola or Dahlia. My fabulous friends even held my Bridal Shower Brunch at the Dahlia Lounge!  Everyone LOVED it, and they still talk about how great the food was!  (Thanks again C & A, you guys are wonderful!)

Review - Japonessa Sushi Cocina

Japonessa Sushi Cocina

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I am Japanese American.  Sometimes it feels awkward to say this, because my family is so much more American and so far from traditional Japanese, or even Japanese American, if you catch my drift.  My parents, and grandparents were born in the US.  No one in my family speaks, writes or reads Japanese.  Most of us have never even stepped foot in Japan.  However, the one thing most of us enjoy, is Japanese cuisine. (Uhh.. I can barely use chopsticks...)

Thomas Keller's Ad Hoc Fried Chicken

Let me preface this by saying, although I am a fairly skilled cook, I am not a chef - I contemplated going to culinary school when I was in High School, but I hated HS so much, I had no desire to go back to school at all - Truth be told, I still have no desire to go back to school. I could barely make it to a pottery class I signed up for.


I have never made fried chicken before - I think it's partially the guilt involved with making anything deep fried, and also not understanding how to get the crispy flakes. I've tried some really gross home made fried chicken, and always preferred getting a bucket of Ezell's or even KFC. Then for my birthday, I received Thomas Keller's Ad Hoc At Home cookbook. My SO and I dined at Ad Hoc back in September and really loved it, so I was excited to give some of the recipes a try! I'd heard about TK's famous Fried Chicken Monday nights, but unfortunately we weren't there on a Monday.