Recent Stories in the last month in Food

As skeptical as I was about going on a food-related trip to Whistler, I was even more skeptical about making a similar trip to Vancouver Island. I’d been to both places about fifteen years ago, but I figured that Whistler had probably evolved more. The Olympics were there, foreigners hung out there on an ongoing basis, and you could drive there from Vancouver. It’s part of Canada, whereas Victoria is, what, part of England? I always told inquirers that it’s a place you only need to see once. Too prim-and-proper. See the Gardens, enjoy the buskers, maybe have tea…but bring some cartons of Chinese food from Vancouver if you want something good to eat.

And then, recently, I got gifted a bottle of balsamic vinegar from Venturi-Shultze, and told that Vancouver Island is a bounty of good food. One sip of the vinegar, and I was already making plans to give Victoria and environs another chance.

And am I glad I did!It’s an easy trip from Seattle. My partner and I planned on the Victoria Clipper outbound and then a return via a Kenmore Air seaplane in order to experience the trip both ways. Three hours on the boat gave me time to review our itinerary, as the eating would begin almost immediately upon arrival. It was a majestic entry into the harbor, and then just a quick (five-minutes or so) walk to the Inn at Laurel Point, our home-away-from-home in Victoria.... (more)

[UPDATE: Giveaway is over.] "Due to the large volume of visitors we are experiencing--since our "World's Best" Mac & Cheese became a favorite of a certain TV talkshow diva--we are currently offering a limited version of our website," explains Beechershandmadecheese.com. 

Turns out the "World's Best" Mac & Cheese from Beecher's is a claim Oprah might stand behind. To celebrate the sudden fame, Beecher's is giving away--that's free, folks!--hot dishes of mac & cheese until close of business (6 p.m.) today, November 19. You have three locations to choose from: their Pike Place store, Pasta & Co. at University Village, and Bennett's Pure Food Bistro on Mercer Island.

'Scuse us. Gotta run.

I've been on a bit of a burger binge lately.

Part of the reason: USA Today asked me to pick a best (though not necessarily the best) burger in Washington for a national feature. So I ate a few from around the state, and even sampled what turned out to be the best in our adjoining state of Idaho, and you can find my pick here.

In the midst of this, Kidd Valley asked me to judge their 35th Anniversary Burger Battle. It was a fun event, featuring six local firefighters serving up their specialties in a friendly competition to benefit the Muscular Dystrophy Association.

Our judging panel picked a clear winner: Mike "Suey" Sulak's Blazin' Flashover Bacon Burger.... (more)

So many in Seattle are atwitter with Canlis' menu contest. And rightly so. In hiding 50 menus in 50 days (Sundays off, generally), Canlis is providing 50 lucky Seattleites the chance to dine (with a guest) at 1950s prices. It's all part of Canlis' 60th birthday celebration.

The contest is brilliant on many levels. First, the clue-giving is a fantastic use of social media. Second, it's intellectually stimulating, as the answers often emerge from riddles, plays-on-words, etc. Related to that, the contest connects Canlis and all the contestants (and that's anyone) to Seattle, teaching a lot about regional history in the process. And finally, it's hip, bringing a new generation of fans into the Canlis fold.

For those not fortunate enough to find a menu, I always say that you can enjoy the splendor of Canlis by enjoying a bite (maybe teriyaki, or dessert and a drink?) in the bar area. Better yet, instead of a $2.75 salmon steak or $3.85 filet mignon from that 1950s menu, see how Canlis has changed by checking out the chef's tasting menu. Here's what Jason Franey is serving up this fall:

Amuse Bouche: Sunchoke soup and white truffle ice cream (this connected to the amazing white truffle menu that I enjoyed the same night)... (more)

Thanks for the memories, BlogsGivingers! Our annual social hour and fundraiser for Northwest Harvest was last night at the Bourbon Bar at Columbia City Theater, and we raised $150 and a big box of food (mostly canned, which I discovered makes hauling it to the car quite a workout).

Co-sponsoring blogerati included Amber from Rainier Valley Post, Maia from SouthendSeattle, Justin from Capitol Hill Seattle (our Tutta Bella pizza provider, everyone thank CHS!) and Allecia, Amy, and Morgen from Seattlest--along with guests Curt Milton of Eastlake Ave., Tri Nguyen of the late, lamented Columbia City Blog, John Jensen from Seattle Transit Blog, and ECB from PubliCola. Oh, and Danae, all the way from Lake City Live, ladies and gentlemen!

Newcastle Brown Ale refreshed us while we were out "walking the dog"--note professional-level product placement in the photos, beer promoters!--and the people at Bourbon Bar fulfilled every heart's desire (largely, for bourbon cocktails, crab dip, and pulled pork nachos). If you missed it, don't despair. BlogsGiving will return next year...possibly north of the Cut. 

Our annual social hour and fundraiser for Northwest Harvest is tonight, November 15! Visit our Facebook invitation page for more details and to RSVP.

Join the writers and readers of such blogs as Rainier Valley Post, SouthendSeattle, CD News, Capitol Hill Seattle, and Seattlest for some fun with YouTube, a beer tasting courtesy of Newcastle Brown Ale*, and a limited supply of complimentary pizza from Tutta Bella.

This year we're going to be meeting up in Columbia City, at the Bourbon Bar (4916 Rainier Ave. S.) from 6 to 9 p.m.

If pizza and beer isn't enough, know that the Bourbon Bar also has a new bar menu of small plates and, you guessed it, a wonderful selection of bourbon.

We're also hooking the bar's TV up to the internets for the evening, so help us build a YouTube playlist by posting your favorite(s) in the comments.

All of this for just a $5 suggested donation at the door, or two cans of food. See you there!

*Please enjoy the one and only Newcastle Brown Ale responsibly.

Too much time away from Seattle means an admitted lack of local reviews, but here’s a look at some “competition.”

I’m in Philadelphia, where Jose Garces is gathering together a little empire of restaurants. I went to two of his seven properties: Chifa and Distrito.

Recall that Garces took on Rachel Yang and Seif Chirchi of Joule in his debut battle on Iron Chef America. Like others in attendance at the viewing party, I thought Garces got gifted a victory, as his food look less inspired than that of the Joule chefs.

My visit to Chifa confirmed my doubts. This Asian-influenced tapas place features Peruvian and Cantonese flavors, but lacked the boldness I was seeking and enjoy at Joule. For example, the highly acclaimed pork belly bao buns suffered a bit, primarily because the buns overpowered the meat. Maybe I just prefer a simpler bun, like Momofuku’s or the one I had at Joule, in a dish they did for me that’s featured in the current issue of Edible Seattle.

The crab empanada and marlin tataki were uninspiring. I did find the chicharrones with crispy pork and green curried lentils interesting, and my favorite dish was the Chinese water spinach with ginger-soy glazed snap peas, enoki mushrooms, and fennel—perhaps the “purest” dish of the bunch with less force of fusion.... (more)

The first thing about La Bête is to be clear where on Capitol Hill it actually is. It turns out to be down around where The Saint is, but around the corner on Bellevue. It's a decent-sized spot, able to crowd in a good amount of brunch-goers; brunch on the weekend begins at 10:30 a.m. Coffee comes in French presses. The food and drinks are the work of Tyler Moritz and Aleks Dimitrijevic, with cocktails and wines by the glass generally ranging from $8-$10. We were looking for a brunch spot suitable for an editorial meeting, and this fit the bill nicely--it was never too loud, even when full. Read on for thumbnail reviews of brunch options.... (more)

While some are supping on sushi in Seattle, I'm down in the Napa Valley attending the Culinary Institute of America's Worlds of Flavor International Conference & Festival, with this year's theme being "Japan: Flavors of Culture."

And while I was especially amused seeing Masaharu Morimoto and Hiroyuki Sakai yukking it up, I must say there's an incredible number of amazing chefs, Iron and otherwise, doing presentations and preparing food. Many of the masters from Japan are here, along with the likes of Thomas Keller, David Chang, and Chris Cosentino from the States.

Yoshiki Tsuji, president of the Tsuji Culinary Institute in Osaka, gave the opening keynote. His look at traditions and innovations of Japanese cuisine was jam-packed with facts, philosophy, and a bit of fun. For example, while Japan is roughly the same size as California, the country has 50 percent more coastline than our entire country, which helps explain (along with other factors he outlined) the popularity of seafood there.... (more)

South Lake Union is the scene of Chef Christine Keff’s relocated Flying Fish restaurant. I went in for a tasting menu experience, expecting a series of small bites, but was blown away by a big, welcoming platter of crabs. Keff explained that she loves to serve such platters (which can also be sizzling Gulf shrimp by the half-pound or a whole fried rockfish) because they immediately break down barriers at the table. She smiled saying that she enjoys seeing business workers or people on dates “getting their hands in the food, getting dirty.”

Two of us dug into two pounds of salt and pepper Dungeness crabs, accompanied by comforting sesame noodles and fresh, crunchy bites of carrot daikon salad. It was indeed fun to crack open the crab to extract the succulent morsels of meat within. There’s a nuoc mam-like dipping sauce, but we agreed with those who prompted Keff’s comment that some people find the sauce overpowering. The salt and pepper (with slight bite, leading me to believe that it’s Szechuan pepper) provided the perfect amount of seasoning for the sweet crab.... (more)

Here’s an exciting book announcement, if you’ll pardon my pride in being one of the editors: The Fearless Critic Seattle Restaurant Guide is now published and has hit the shelves of bookstores in the Seattle area.

Through the efforts of a carefully chosen panel of restaurant reviewers, the book offers brutally honest ratings and reviews of 250 Seattle-area restaurants covering a wide spectrum—from Canton Noodle House to Canlis, from Hiroki to the Herbfarm.

Readers will find a variety of lists with numerical ratings, including top picks based on food and feel. Critiques are honest and discriminating. For example, in the food category, only 16 restaurants rate 9 or higher on a 10-point scale, with Anchovies & Olives, Cafe Juanita, Crush, Joule, and Spinasse among those at the top.

Other lists rate restaurants on their beverage programs, while readers will also appreciate lists based on cuisine and location, as well as special features such as vegetarian-friendly, kid-friendly, and late-night hours.

What I especially like about the book are the full-page reviews of each restaurant. They’re easily readable, and often irreverent, but always honest. Going beyond the PR and the polish, these reviews reflect an insider perspective that Robin Goldstein, Fearless Critic’s founder and editor-in-chief, describes as “Just between you and me, putting aside its reputation, what do you really think of this restaurant?”... (more)