Posts Tagged ‘Cascade’
- In: Eating | Seattle | South Lake Union | USA | Washington
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Autumn is here. I love the transition between seasons, how the previous lingers and the next emerges. Crisp mornings and deciduous trees shedding their golden leaves, interspersed with surprise bursts of sunshine.
A couple of locals have mentioned Row House Café and we meandered over to South Lake Union for weekend brunch. Located on Republican between Fairview and Minor, it is away from the Westlake and Terry hub.
A homely house converted into a café, Row House is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week.
The front room is warm and welcoming with chalkboard menus, cake stands and bottle lined shelves.
There are two dining rooms decorated with eclectic recycled furniture.
Salvaged mirrors hung on walls and it was fun to peek in them for interesting reflections.
Row House served illy coffee and I cozied up to a smooth mocha.
It was quiet on a late Saturday morning and service was efficient. The relatively small café had about a dozen items on the weekend brunch menu.
Mr S ordered the eggs Benedict with prosciutto. We exchanged a knowing glance when we noticed the uniform shape of the poached eggs. Deceptive in appearance, the eggs were perfectly poached and not rubbery. The Hollandaise sauce was a little bland and watery but the oozing yolk and cured meat were flavoursome.
I was tempted by the description of the hundred layer French toast. An interpretation of French toast made with a flattened croissant, it was buttery and soft.
The Row House website describes the café as a ‘conversation house’ and it is indeed a welcoming place to sip coffee and chat.
- In: Eating | Seattle | South Lake Union | USA | Washington
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From Southeast Asia to the Mediterranean, and North Africa to South America, Sydney is a multicultural city with cuisines from across the continents. Authentic or fusion, rustic or formal, the eateries are diverse and neighbourhoods specialise in Turkish, Vietnamese, Lebanese, Italian, Korean and beyond.
But I have never eaten a Filipino meal until the Thrilla in Manila pop up dinner at Ting Momo. Cuoco line cook Herschell Taghap was our host, DJ and chef for the evening.
An energetic atmosphere greeted us and Ting Momo was cosy reprieve from the coat and scarf weather. A row of glass jars containing herbs and spices lined at the counter.
Ting Momo is only open for weekday lunch and is the perfect space for special events. Chef Eric Tanaka and others were busily finalising the preparation as damp patrons trickled in from the rain.
The talented Herschell entertained us at his turntable! He described the menu in detail and explained the background of each dish.
A wooden bench along the windows had metal bowls of snacks. Calbee Shrimp Flavoured Chips and Nagaraya Cracker Nuts are popular in Asia. The chips are uniformly shaped with a distinctive flavour.
The adobo flavoured nuts were crunchy and an alternative to popcorn!
Herschell’s mother’s recipe of broiled eggplant omelette was light and silky, served on a crostini with dilis (dried anchovies) and Jufran banana ketchup.
On another table were bottles of Sunkist with an ice bucket. Herschell shared an endearing memory of his mother drinking Sunkist, how it symbolised quality of life.
Oink! A whole pig was flattened and roasted.
Sauces and condiments used in Filipino cooking.
Aluminium trays were laden with food for the Filipino buffet. Daeing bangus is milkfish with toyomansi (soy sauce and kalamansi lime juice), sugar cane vinegar, garlic, ginger, tomatoes and red onion.
A dab of pungent bagoong (shrimp paste) adds complexity to any savoury dish.
Golden and crispy, these ground beef, carrot, celery and onion lumpia were dipped in plum sauce and greedily devoured.
I love noodles and the pancit canton had strands of firm egg noodles and a colourful assortment of carrot, celery, onion, green onions and chicharrones (pork rind).
Kare kare is Herschell’s favourite. A stew of oxtail, long beans, taro root, Jif peanut butter and bagoong. Deceptively plain in appearance, the gravy was gelatinous and nutty.
A gleaming cleaver hacked the whole roasted pig into tender chunks. A tray of salty crackling was the first to be emptied.
Rings of cherry tomatoes and green onions covered chopped hard boiled eggs and day old jasmine rice. A scoop of rice and a squirt of Tiparos fish sauce is Filipino comfort food!
The sisig was in a gigantic cast iron pan, a stir fry of pig’s head meat, bell pepper, red onion, lime and sugar cane vinegar.
There was also a bowl of sinigang, a sour soup of tamarind, lime and prawns.
And finally, dessert! Biko is a soothing pudding of glutinous rice, coconut milk, caramel and toasted coconut.
It was a memorable first experience with Filipino cuisine! Thanks Herschell for your passion and energy!
- In: Eating | Seattle | South Lake Union | USA | Washington
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After a lovely brunch experience a few weeks ago, we returned to re:public for dinner. The restaurant was lively with a convivial after work crowd enjoying the happy hour. We were seated at a booth and the relaxed atmosphere was conducive to good conversation.
Mr and Mrs W shared a heart of romaine salad for an appetiser while Mr S had the house smoked Chinook salmon with spicy yoghurt and wild watercress.
I selected the grilled asparagus with hot coppa, soft boiled duck egg and parmesan. This was another version of my Eat Pray Love moment at Le Pichet. A handful of quality ingredients assembled on a plate is pure enjoyment.
We rarely cook duck at home so one of us usually orders it if it’s on a restaurant menu! A confit duck leg and slices of seared duck breast was served with a corn purée and roasted root vegetables. The cooking method preserves the tenderness and moisture of the game, and the fattiness was tempered by the sweet and crunchy carrots and parsnips.
A hearty dish, house made pappardelle was tossed with lamb ragù, lightly dusted with Pecorino and presented with a sprig of mint. The wide strands of pasta were coated in the meaty sauce, a rich and scrumptious combination.
Mrs W chose the fish for her main. Two fillets of pan roasted Alaskan halibut rested in a creamy bisque of seasonable vegetables. The halibut was fresh and firm, and we had fun sampling and guessing one unknown vegetable. I think it was daikon.
Mr W didn’t need a serrated knife for the crispy pork shank with braised onions and peas. Golden and crispy, the meat yielded to gentle carving.
There was still daylight as we exited, a reminder to make the most of the long summer days.
- In: Eating | Food truck | Seattle | USA | Washington
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If I have to draw how my brain functions, it would be a mind map with intersecting and criss-crossing lines in all directions. I make idiosyncratic associations and perplexing connections. The challenge for Mr S is that I think it but I don’t verbalise it. I ask questions or make comments that are seemingly out of context but are perfectly sensible and logical to me.
And thus, I giggle when I see the Lumpia World food truck. Because of Oompa-Loompas. Just is.
A regular rotation of food trucks now services the Amazon and biotech companies in South Lake Union. Conveniently parked on Harrison Street near Fairview Avenue, the food trucks are thriving on workers in need of a quick lunch. Sometimes a dessert food truck (I’ve spotted Parfait and Molly Moon) is also there for a weekday sweet treat!
A small whiteboard lists the lumpia and soba items. I was there for a late lunch and thankfully there was no queue. I ordered at the front window and picked up my meal from the side window. There was a sun shade with a couple of trestle tables and half a dozen foldout chairs underneath. A taupe tablecloth and yellow plastic flowers brighten the surroundings.
Served on a paper tray, the lumpia combo has your choice of four lumpias with rice and dipping sauce. I had one each of ginger pork, lemongrass chicken, ground beef and vegetables. The plain rice had a liberal sprinkling of furikake, a Japanese seasoning. The crunchy logs were a little dry on the inside, with only hints of ginger and lemongrass. The peanut hoisin sauce added depth of flavour.
Alas, no Oompa-Loompas were making lumpias in the Lumpia World food truck!
National S’more Day at Dahlia Workshop – South Lake Union, Seattle
Posted on: Thursday 11 August 2011
- In: Eating | Seattle | South Lake Union | USA | Washington
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I have fond memories of spearing marshmallows on a twig and toasting them over an open fire at school camps. The timing is crucial. The warmth and crackle of the flickering flames lulls you into a glowing sleepiness but you must be alert and watch the spongy confection closely. There is a moment where the outer skin is caramelised, and the centre is molten. This is when the marshmallow will instantly disintegrate in your mouth.
Dahlia Workshop celebrated National S’more Day by cooking artisanal s’mores al fresco on a charcoal barbecue.
Rachel the Pig was chalked to entice passers-by. The chefs were cheerful and expertly assembled the s’mores.
Space was limited outside and trays of house made graham crackers were piled into Serious Pie boxes.
Bullions of house made marshmallows were skewered and slabs of Theo Chocolate were stacked on graham crackers.
The chocolate pieces were positioned at the edge for gentle melting.
The bamboo sticks of marshmallows were held directly over the open fire until it bubbled and browned.
Each ingredient was layered on top of the other for a dessert sandwich.
Crumbly and sugary, it oozed and dripped with each bite. It was messy and sticky, rich and sweet.
And thus, I ate my first s’more!
- In: Eating | Seattle | South Lake Union | USA | Washington
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We’ve had meals with several Australians in the last couple of weeks. Some were visiting for work, others were on holiday. There’s a homely comfort to hearing an Aussie accent, laughing at a sarcastic comment and understanding a cultural reference.
Our sunburnt country is girt by sea and with the exception of New Zealand, it takes many hours on a plane to get to another country. In this tyranny of distance, Aussies tend to travel for weeks and months and not days.
Sustained by a warm day and long daylight hours, Mr N overcame jet lag for dinner at Cuoco. Occupying the street level of the Terry Avenue Building, the restaurant is resplendent in its restoration with brick walls, wooden beams and Georgian windows.
A wide entrance welcomes you with a view of the open plan pasta making area, lined with Atlas Marcato pasta machines in rainbow hues. We were ushered to the bar for an apéritif before being seated at our table.
I noticed a couple of private dining rooms, ideal for business meetings and special celebrations. I read on the website that there’s also a chef’s table, a concept that’s popular (and expensive) in Sydney.
The tables had dividers or were generously spaced which made for good conversation. As with all other Tom Douglas restaurants, Cuoco is dimly lit but we were lucky to be by a window.
We shared house made bread with extra virgin olive oil tasting. Fresh and fluffy, the thickly sliced bread had a chewy crust and a soft centre for soaking up the fluorescent liquids.
Our waiter was congenial and knowledgeable about the menu. Mr S ordered spaghetti with garlic, anchovy, breadcrumbs, chilli flakes, Parmigiano and grilled wild prawns. A dryer style pasta with flavoured breadcrumbs, the combination was a pleasant textural contrast. The prawns were succulent and added bulk to the meal.
Mr N craved a classic dish after seventeen hours of airline and airport food. The seven layer lasagna with tiers of Bolognese and besciamella was cosy and soothing.
I don’t recall ever eating lamb in pasta so I was intrigued by the lamb ravioli served with garlic, spring onions, English peas and Pecorino. Plain in appearance, the flat, jagged edged parcels were silky and protected a dollop of finely minced lamb.
A bowl of Bing cherries was the dessert special but my love for chocolate and hazelnut pairings prevailed. Salted, roasted and crushed hazelnuts were scattered on top of a slice of chocolate Nutella semifreddo. The waiter brought three spoons but only one was used – mine!
It was still dusk as we left. Mr N commented that Seattle is a liveable city in summer and we wholeheartedly agree.
Piedmontese food and wine tasting – Cuoco, Renato Ratti Winery and Soul Wine
Posted on: Monday 01 August 2011
- In: Drinking | Learning
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Cellar door tastings are free at most Australian wineries. We did a couple of day tours of California Wine Country on bicycles last year and we were shocked that we had to pay up to fifteen dollars for a flight of wines in the Napa Valley.
When I read that Soul Wine and Tom Douglas Restaurants were hosting Renato Ratti Winery, I called immediately to reserve spots. At twenty five dollars for the Piedmontese wine tasting and food pairing, it was exceptional value.
Ting Momo was an ideal space for the size of the group. Two long tables were set in the narrow room.
The afternoon sun shone brilliantly and a cool breeze drifted in through the open windows.
Behind Brave Horse Tavern and above Cuoco in the Terry Avenue Building, Ting Momo serves Tibetan dumplings for weekday lunches. Aluminium tables, wicker chairs and wooden benches add to a casual feel.
Seven wines and five dishes were on the menu and the wines were generously discounted for order.
Cuoco Chef Stuart Lane briefly described how each of the dishes was cooked.
Tom Douglas Restaurant Executive Chef Eric Tanaka assisted in the kitchen. The dishes were plated on the Ting Momo counter.
I love the vintage style labels on the Renato Ratti wine bottles.
Many Australian and New Zealand wines are twist tops. We’ve used our wine opener more in the last six months than in the previous six years!
We sipped on the first wine, 2009 Dolcetto d’Alba Colombè, as attendees trickled in. One of those was Tom Douglas!
The melodic sound of wine being poured into a glass, swirling the ruby liquid to release the aromas, caressing the stemware to reflect light, staring contemplatively at the wine legs - the beautiful ritual of wine tasting!
On the right is Michael Teer, owner of Soul Wine. Michael introduced his friend, Pietro Ratti on the left. Pietro’s father, Renato, worked in Brazil for the Cinzano company before returning to Piedmont and bought his first vineyard in 1965. Pietro inherited the winery from his father and he applies the same philosophy and approach as Renato. Pietro spoke with passion and humour, and we were all charmed by his Italian accent!
The region is also known for white truffles and Pietro joked that it’s better than the French ‘black potatoes’. Pietro explained that the Renato Ratti Winery owns parcels of land throughout the region and is not an estate. Grapes vary depending on soil (sandy or clay) and altitude (temperature); there are different microclimates within a distance of less than twenty miles.
Barolo is labour intensive, and it is manual and not mechanical. The viticulture is only on a hillside facing the sun at specific latitude. The grapes are tasted to determine when and where to pick. Each cluster of grapes is cut by hand. Cotton gloves are worn to protect the wax (natural water proofing) and yeast (natural fermentation) on the grapes.
The grapes are then crushed by equipment to replicate the gentle movement of feet. By law, Barolo has to age for at least twenty four months. Pietro recommended ‘drinking ’07 and cellaring ’06′.
Tom Douglas queried why Pietro doesn’t produce Rosato. Pietro responded that the yield is small and it interrupts the summer! Pietro mingled among the groups as we ate and drank and he happily answered our questions.
An earthenware plate with a slice of marinated red pepper was brightened by grassy green fava beans. Marinated in vinegar, the red pepper was a lovely balance of sweet and sour.
Carne cruda is a traditional Piedmontese dish. Similar to tartare, this was made with lightly seasoned minced lamb and drizzled with olive oil. This was the first time I’ve eaten raw meat and it was less meaty than expected, more like tuna.
Perched on the Barbera braised onions was a wedge of Toma. The layers of translucent onions were daintily sweet and their edges dyed by the wine. A Piedmontese cheese, the mild and creamy Toma highlighted the flavours of the small bulbs. Chef Stuart Lane noted the key to cooking onions is to lose rawness but retain freshness.
A tiny leg of quail was atop a smear of liver pâté. Golden and crispy on the outside, the quail was plump and moist. Mr S exalted the smooth and buttery liver pâté.
The final course was Nebbiolo Kobe beef cheeks with spiced lardo toast. Dark and chunky, the beef was easily pulled apart with only a fork. It was tender and enriched by the Nebbiolo.
Chef Stuart Lane commented on the interplay between food and wine, that it is a transformative relationship. Each bite and sip reveals depth and complexity to the food and wine.
Sincere thanks To Pietro Ratti for visiting Seattle, Soul Wine for organising the tasting event, Ting Momo for hosting, and Cuoco for the food pairings. Grazie!
Summer parties cooking class at Flying Fish – South Lake Union, Seattle
Posted on: Monday 25 July 2011
- In: Learning
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On a cool and drizzling Saturday morning, we were indoors at On the Fly for a cooking class with Chef Christine Keff. We laughed at the irony of recipes for summer parties in this flippant Seattle weather.
Christine relocated Flying Fish from Belltown, where Local 360 is, to South Lake Union about a year ago. Next door is On the Fly, a popular spot for weekday lunch for the surrounding offices.
The walls displayed wines for sale and clusters of cookbooks defied gravity, seemingly suspended in mid air without support.
Neat rows of chairs faced the counter where Christine would be demonstrating the recipes. A door conveniently opened to the Flying Fish kitchen where Christine sought assistance from her team as needed.
Christine was finalising her preparation as we were seated. She unfurled a black knife roll and sharpened her gleaming tools.
We had expected Christine to demonstrate three recipes but flicking through the booklet, there were nine recipes plus the grilled whole salmon not printed! Affable and knowledgeable, Christine entertained us with her commentary and encouraged us to ask questions as she cooked each dish.
The first was the ahi tuna pokē, a Hawaiian marinated raw fish recipe. Pokē is often likened to ceviche but no citrus is used to ‘cook’ the fish and it doesn’t require time to marinate.
Christine recommended Pike Place Market for fresh salmon, halibut and crab as they sell large quantities daily, and Uwajimaya and Mutual Fish for other seafood such as tuna. We learned that tuna doesn’t have to be a dark colour to be fresh; translucence and shine are better indicators for quality.
Scooped into a brittle lumpia cone, the pokē was succulent and infused with the flavours of sambal, soy, sesame, onions and chives. If you have a chopping board and a knife, you can make this deceptively simple hors d’oeuvre! Christine suggested spiking the cones in a bowl of rock salt for presentation. I never deep fry at home so I would serve this on crisp flatbread.
My mother often made potato salad for potluck dinners with family and friends when I was a child. I loved the mixture of waxy potatoes, wedges of hardboiled eggs and crunchy cubes of apples – very retro!
Christine’s version catered for adult tastebuds with green beans and mustard. Boiled in their skins in generously salted water, the potatoes were peeled, cut and combined while warm to soak in the dressing.
Christine shucked and grated ears of fresh corn for the next recipe. There was a lively discussion when she was cooking the creamed corn and poblano. Christine explained that the heat of the chilli is in its membrane and not the seeds. She also warned us not to wash the poblano pepper when peeling the skin as it would dilute it.
The recipe stated one to two tablespoons of heavy cream with optional in brackets. Christine poured in at least half a cup! She declared an additional one to two tablespoons was optional.
The creamed corn bubbled as it reduced, its sweet and smoky aroma wafted through the room. Saffron coloured and studded with kernels, there is something alluring about creamed corn. We each sampled a spoonful and I would have licked the pan if I could!
As Christine sautéed the ingredients for caponata, she elaborated on her remark about the locovore movement. She joked that we would be eating kale for nine months of the year if we only ate food grown in the Pacific Northwest, and we would have to abstain from drinking coffee and using lemons!
Christine supports local producers and she elaborated that food has been shipped for centuries and her preference is to develop cleaner transport than to limit our diet.
We could smell the caponata slowly caramelising as Christine mashed hardboiled egg yolks for sauce gribiche. Olive oil was trickled into the bowl and whisked to form a paste.
The final recipe in On the Fly was cantaloupe agua fresca. Agua fresca translates to fresh water and the cantaloupe was blended and strained with sugar and lime juice adjusted depending on the ripeness of the fruit.
The group walked through the kitchen into the restaurant for the flatbread and whole grilled salmon recipes. Clean and tidy, the kitchen overlooked the dining room.
Christine rolled out a ball of dough the size of a lime. She then seasoned the sockeye salmon and oiled both sides of the whole fish for grilling.
Flying Fish doesn’t have a weekend lunch service so we were the only people in the restaurant. Two long tables were set up for our buffet lunch. The interior is modern with colour accents.
The first course of our feast was the cantaloupe agua fresca. An orange sherbet colour, the fruit flavoured water was refreshing and summery.
Charred skin and just cooked, the salmon was grilled to perfection with the flesh flaking easily off the bones.
The potatoes were sliced for the potato salad which maximised the surface area for dressing coverage.
There were audible moans as the pork belly melted in our mouths. A tip from Christine was to cut the pork belly larger than bite size as the chunks will shrink as the fat renders. I’m usually averse to fruits in savoury dishes but this was an exception as the juicy cubes of watermelon cut through the fatty and rich pork belly.
A deep red wine colour, the caponata stained the warm flatbread. The eggplant was silky and imbued with heady spices.
It was a challenge to eat the creamed corn with a fork but we all persisted!
My buffet lunch buffet, clockwise from top: creamed corn with poblano, caponata, grilled sockeye salmon with sauce gribiche, potato salad with green beans and mustard, flatbread, and pork belly and watermelon salad.
A palate cleanser, the rhubarb soda was too sugary for me. It was a pretty drink with the pink hues of the rhubarb syrup at the bottom and the effervescent water poured over it.
We rested our full stomachs for a while and some people were ready to leave to enjoy the emerging sunshine. They were stopped as there was dessert!
A blob of cream dotted with dark chocolate malt balls hid the salted caramel pot de crème. Although smooth and velvety, I had to abandon this as I unfortunately dislike salted caramel.
At $55 per person for recipes, three course meal and matching wines, it is exceptional value. I highly recommend the cooking classes with Chef Christine Keff at Flying Fish!
- In: Eating | Seattle | South Lake Union | USA | Washington
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I have a vague memory of visiting the Nikola Tesla Museum in Belgrade, evidenced only by a souvenired exhibition guide. The temporary accommodation during our first month in Seattle was at the barren wasteland that is the west bank of Lake Union. Going into Downtown by foot necessitated a walk along Westlake, pre Amazon occupation. On those wintery mornings, I liked peering into the Tesla Store to admire the gleaming machinery. Sometimes I would stop and read the menu outside re:public, making a mental note to dine there.
I had read that re:public was now serving weekend brunch. Mr S was dubious of this as there are no hours or menu listed on the website. We compromised on Brave Horse Tavern as a backup option in the area. The South Lake Union neighbourhood has evolved in the six months we’ve been living in Seattle. It is now thriving with workers and restaurants. I noticed last week that food trucks were congregating in the car park near the corner of Harrison and Fairview.
re:public had an industrial chic feel with high ceiling, exposed air ducts and concrete floor. The televisions at the ends of the bar were on and there was a small crowd watching the Women’s World Cup final.
Mr S ordered the Dungeness crab omelette with asparagus, chèvre and arugula. I continue to be baffled by roasted potatoes at breakfast. Why not a slice of toast for the requisite carbohydrates? Is it merely to reduce white space on the plate? I digress. Chunks of crab meat, stalks of asparagus and dollops of goat cheese were cocooned in fluffy eggs.
I was intrigued by the duck confit crépinette. Served with a rösti and a sunny side up duck egg, the crépinette was a thick patty of duck confit. The flat and crispy rösti was the foundation for the rich disc of duck confit and a perfectly fried duck egg. Tender and gamey, it was a large portion of meat for breakfast. Thankfully a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice washed away the fattiness.
I’m happy that re:public has expanded to weekend brunch!
- In: Eating | Seattle | South Lake Union | USA | Washington
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There is a homeliness to buffet style dining, an openness and a warm welcome to eating together. The toppings bar at Portage Bay Café has a similar feel. A popular spot for weekend brunch, it was nearly as busy for weekday breakfast. Vintage rowing boats are suspended upside down from the ceiling in the large dining room and the staff wears black t-shirts emblazoned with their philosophy, ‘eat like you give a damn’.
Omelettes, scrambles, Benedicts, hashes, combos, French toasts, pancakes and grains – it is a comprehensive menu! Service was brisk but friendly and we quickly ordered. Portage Bay Café is a lively place – the wait staff pace back and forth, weaving between the tables and benches of a diverse crowd.
The toppings bar is a hive of activity on weekends with parents navigating children between the fruits and nuts. I was alone on this weekday, leisurely selecting berries. The centrepiece among the red, yellow and purple hues was an overflowing mount of whipped cream – I wonder how many spoons have been lost in those fluffy clouds.
Ginger is an essential aromatic in my parents’ cooking. I grew up with it julienned on whole steam fish, grated in dipping sauces and sliced in soups, and yet I’ve developed an aversion to it as an adult.
I ordered the oven baked French toast with trepidation. The house made bread is soaked overnight in ginger and blackberry custard, then baked, sliced and griddled. Three thick soldier slices were drizzled with crème anglaise and I added raspberries, blackberries, strawberries and blueberries from the toppings bar.
I would have enjoyed the French toast without the ginger. Browned on the outside and moist and spongy on the inside, it paired well with crème anglaise instead of maple syrup. Unfortunately I found the ginger too overpowering and had to swap with Mr S.
Mr S had the chorizo scramble and it was a large serving of house made chorizo, organic bell peppers and tomatoes scrambled and topped with queso fresco, sour cream, salsa and green onions. On the side was a warmed flour tortilla and roasted red potatoes. It was a fun meal to eat by hand, using the tortilla to scoop up the sausage and eggs but the cheese and salsa required fork assistance.
Absent of the hovering weekend crowds, Portage Bay Café is relaxed and comfortable during the week for a before work breakfast, mid morning snack and coffee or business meeting.
