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 - Cascina Spinasse - Seattle, WA

Cascina Spinasse

Spinasse is a cute and intimate Italian restaurant on Capitol Hill.  The white lace curtains add to the charm, as do the mismatched chairs and bar stools. 

Review - Nettletown - Seattle, WA

Nettletown

Almost hidden in a tiny strip mall along Eastlake Ave is Nettletown - It's in the old Sitka & Spruce location and next to Eastlake Teriyaki. After meeting a friend in Capitol Hill we decided to try lunch at Nettletown. 

Review - Petite Provence Boulangerie & Patisserie - Portland, OR

Petite Provence Boulangerie & Patisserie

After a 3 hour drive from Seattle to Portland our group was craving something sweet.  We had heard good things about a bakery in the Alberta Arts District, Garden Of Eden, or something like that.  So we decided to drive a little more to go there.  As we arrived at the bakery, we walked in, realized it was a Vegan bakery, and got terribly disappointed.  I'm not Vegan, so not down with the Vegan bakery - I've had bad experiences with Vegan Bakeries and their chickpea flour. ugh. It was pouring rain out, but we decided to walk down the street and see what we could find.  We were thinking that even a Starbucks would suffice.  

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 - Fresh Bistro - Seattle, WA

Fresh Bistro

Despite living only about 20 minutes away, I rarely make it over to West Seattle.  But the occasional stroll along California Avenue is great!   For a friend's birthday dinner, we went to Fresh Bistro.   We were with a group of about 20, and unfortunately we didn't get to sit together.  So good to note, this place isn't great for groups.  We were seated in an area with our tables near each other, but were turning our chair around to be able to talk to people at other tables.  

Review - Bluebird Homemade Ice Cream & Tea Room

Bluebird Homemade Ice Cream & Tea Room

With warm weather approaching (FINALLY!), cold treats are so tempting!  While wandering through Capitol Hill on a lazy Sunday afternoon, we hit the Broadway Farmer's Market, then Bluebird Ice Cream!  

Review - Cupcake Royale

Cupcake Royale Capitol Hill Location

Cupcake Royale

With 5 locations in the Seattle/Bellevue area, Cupcake Royale has become the biggest local cupcake brand... Each of the locations is unique, and adorable, as are the cupcakes!  The frosting can be a little too sweet, and it's very sugary.  The cake is good, and the flavors seem endless!

Review - Luc - Madison Park, Seattle, WA

Luc

Ugh.  I don't particularly enjoy writing bad reviews, there are some meals I just wish I could forget.  This Sunday my SO and I decided to head to Madison Park and check out Luc.  I wish we had just gone elsewhere. Anywhere else.

Review - Island Soul Caribbean Restaurant - Seattle, WA

Island Soul Restaurant

I headed south to meet a friend for dinner in Columbia City.  We didn't have a set place to dine, so we wandered through the neighborhood until we found something.  We decided on Island Soul.  I had been there once before, but it's been quite a while so I didn't remember what I previously ordered... I just remembered that the Habanero Hot Sauce was really good!

Review - Ting Momo - Seattle, WA

Ting Momo

The most recent opening of Tom Douglas's empire is Ting Momo, a Tibetan dumpling house.  I imagine this restaurant is a bit swankier than a traditional Tibetan dumpling house, although the ambiance is unique and warming.  

Review - Green Leaf Vietnamese Restaurant - Seattle, WA

Green Leaf Restaurant

With all of the choices in the International District it can be difficult to find the good spots.  Thanks to the internet and sites like Yelp and Urbanspoon, restaurants are a little easier to choose.  More than reading reviews, I love to see the photos of the food - You can tell a lot from a photo!  So after visiting my Aunt and Uncle who live near the ID, we decided to finally try Green Leaf.

Review - Staple & Fancy Mercantile - Ballard - Seattle, WA

Staple & Fancy Mercantile

 Located in Ballard just minutes from my house is the newest addition to the family of Ethan Stowell Restaurants, Staple & Fancy Mercantile.  We love Tavolata, and How To Cook a Wolf, so I have been looking forward to Staple & Fancy.

Review - Mr. Gyros - Seattle, WA

Mr. Gyros

I love this place!  This is our go to spot for Gyros!  There are two locations, one on Greenwood, and a newer location in Ballard.   The Ballard location is much bigger than the original Greenwood spot, and we live right in between the two.  I actually prefer the Greenwood location for takeout, Ballard is good if you plan to dine in since there is more seating. 

Review - List - Belltown - Seattle, WA

List

I'd been wanting to give List a try for quite some time... So, before seeing a show at the Crocodile, we decided List was going to be a good choice.  It's a tiny restaurant, easy to miss, located on 1st in Belltown.  It's a 21 and over spot, so no children allowed!  It's a small restaurant, that seats maybe about 36 people.  

Review - Local 360 - Seattle, WA

Local 360

So I would be lying if I didn't tell you that I have a slight bias against the hip "Localtarians" that are so prevalent in the Pacific Northwest.  A friend recently moved to PDX and one of his first observations was the over the top localtarianism.  Portlandia even spoofed the whole local sustainable movement in one of their shows.  With a roll of the eyes, I think to myself, "Really? What is the big deal?"  

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 - Seatown Seabar and Rotisserie - Seattle, WA

Seatown Seabar and Rotisserie

Located next to Etta's in the Market is Seatown Seabar and Rotisserie, another Tom Douglas creation... The menu consists mostly of seafood for obvious reasons, and unfortunately there isn't much for my SO to eat here.

Recipe - Burmese Tea Leaf Salad

Burmese Tea Leaf Salad (Lahpet Thoke)

During a recent trip to San Francisco, we finally dined at the much raved about Burma Superstar.  One dish we knew to try was the Tea Leaf Salad.  According to their website they actually go to Burma to get the tea leaves (Lahpet) for their salad.