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 - 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 - Paseo

Paseo

Food:  

Ambiance:  

Service: 

Paseo has become a Seattle institution.  Caribbean food with a twist.  And definitely a hole in the wall.  But, 4 stars, because the food is THAT good.  Fortunately I live within 10 minutes of both the Ballard and Fremont locations, so we usually get our food to go, and bring it home.

Paseo Midnight Cuban Press $8.95

Fremont almost always has a long line, and they are known to sell out of sandwiches from time to time.  That's truly a disappointment when you arrive to see that sign!  So I have to admit, I haven't tried anything on the menu except the sandwiches.

Recipe - Japanese Tsukemono Layered Rice

As with most families, we have a bunch of family recipes and foods that remind me of my childhood.  I plan to share them on my blog, I am sure other families have similar recipes to ours!  I don't know where this recipe originated, I just know we make it for family gatherings when the theme is Japanese food.  Like our recent Mochi Making day, I figure, if we're going to get together to do a Japanese tradition, we should probably have Japanese foods!   

Tsukemono are Japanese pickles and are common in most Japanese households.  Some may be an acquired taste, and some smell awful!  But even my SO, who isn't Japanese, and wasn't exposed to them until he met me, enjoys them.  If you enjoy pickled vegetables, give them a try!

Japanese Tsukemono Layered Rice

Makes 20-25 servings

• Assorted Japanese Tsukemono pickles

Recipe - Pakui, Pacqui, Pakai...Uhh... Grandma T's Sweet and Sour Pork

I have no idea what the name of this dish is called, or how it's spelled.  My family had a small debate about it, and I don't know if we ever really came to an agreement.  My Grandma's famous recipe is written in Japanese, and none of us can even come close to translating it and even if we could, I don't think she ever cooked from a recipe.  This is a family favorite and really easy to make!

Grandma T's Sweet And Sour Pork

Review - Musashi's

Musashi's

Food: 

Ambiance:  

Service: 

I have driven by this place a million times and I've said to my SO, "We should try that place sometime..." But the line out the door always changes my mind. It's a tiny little restaurant located in Wallingford, right down the street from Archie McPhee's! The restaurant seats maybe 25-30 people, so it's easily crowded.

We had good timing, arriving around 6:30pm, and we only had a 5 minute wait. That was a relief. We had a back up plan to go somewhere else in Wallingford if the wait was more than 15 minutes. I really hate waiting for a table, but on rare occasions, I'll be patient and wait.

Chirashi $14

Recipe - Vietnamese Sandwiches (Banh Mi)

Vietnamese Sandwiches (Banh Mi) 

One of my favorite sandwiches is the Banh Mi.  Here in Seattle we have several restaurants that sell them for anywhere between $2.50 - $10.   We enjoy the International District's Saigon Deli $2.50 chicken or pork Banh Mi, and in Ballard, The Monkey Bridge serves up a tasty beef version for about $7.75 (it comes with soup too!).  This is my version, perfect when I have left over Lemongrass Pork.  This week, since I had already made Bun, I was able to use most of the same ingredients to make these savory and sweet sandwiches. 

Recipe - Vietnamese Pickled Carrots and Daikon Radish

Vietnamese Pickled Carrots and Daikon Radish