Posts Tagged ‘Seattle Center’
- In: Capitol Hill | Eating | Seattle | USA | Washington
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I have a vivid mental image of poutine. Mr S had queued patiently for forty minutes at Skillet Street Food and sent me a photo of his lunch. The poutine was a gloopy mess. Brown food is ugly and being doused in gravy makes it difficult. Appearance can be deceptive and the Quebec specialty is a classic example.
The pioneering food truck has since expanded to a bricks and mortar eatery opposite the recently relocated Restaurant Zoë in Capitol Hill. On a leafy corner, the eponymous skillets are on the Skillet Diner sign.
Mint seating and lemon walls, the interior is reminiscent of a classic American diner.
Stainless steel tables and an exposed loft ceiling render an industrial feel.
The all day menu is categorised into breakfast, greens, burgers, sandwiches and sides.
A creamy blend in a mason jar, the seasonal shake was flecked with desiccated coconut. The beverage evoked tropical memories!
Shirley and I split two sandwiches. The daily special was a meatloaf sandwich with chipotle caramelised onion and cheese. A stout bun supported a thick slab of well seasoned meatloaf, a respectable homage to American cuisine. A generous mound of French fries were crunchy batons of starch.
The second was the fried chicken sandwich. Two squares of pillowy potato bread contrasted with the crispy fennel seed crusted chicken. Tender and herbaceous, the poultry was paired harmoniously with tangy jalapeño aioli and healthful kale. A salad of mixed greens was tossed with a vibrant vinaigrette.
Skillet Counter is under construction in the Seattle Center Armory, adding culinary gravitas to the ’food court’.
- In: Eating | Queen Anne | Seattle | USA | Washington
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In a hurry for lunch, I walked briskly to Pop Kitchen + Bar. Located at the Experience Music Project, it has a dual entrance from the EMP and the street. Leafy shrubs surround a patio with crimson chairs that would be lovely in summer or with outdoor heaters in winter on a clear, still day. It would be entertaining to watch tourists board the Ride the Ducks!
The restaurant has gone through some changes in the short time it’s been opened, including reduced hours. We found this out when we were going to drop in for a quick dinner prior to an event at Key Arena several weeks ago. Dinner should be crossed off the sign!
Branded water bottles, and jars of house made apple butter and marmalade lined the shelves. The menu was displayed on screens, and biscotti and cookies were on the counter.
Bright colours splashed the walls, lamp shades and chairs. Curved white leather lounges with punctures resembled Swiss cheese.
Glowing in orange, the bar was well stocked and televisions played music videos.
The compact menu had sandwiches, salads and soups, and more substantial fare of pizza, pasta and burgers. There were also daily specials. I asked for recommendations and ordered the grilled chicken sandwich.
A bamboo skewer secured each half of the sandwich. Chunks of grilled chicken breast were layered with Gruyère, sun-dried tomatoes, caramelised onions, aioli and baby spinach in crusty ciabatta. The strong flavours of the sun-dried tomatoes were overwhelming but it was a tasty combination. The sandwich was served with a generous mound of house made potato crisps.
I was the only patron at such an early hour so service was speedy!
- In: Eating | Queen Anne | Seattle | USA | Washington
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Autumn has been deceptive. I’ve been struggling to wake up due to the gloomy mornings, the leaden sky casting a shadow over October. I feel sluggish and have a deep desire to cocoon myself in the warmth of home. I’ve been comforting myself with butter melting on toasted Macrina raisin brioche bread and steeping cups of hot tea.
I glance wistfully out the window, hoping for the day to transform into a brilliant afternoon with a splendid sunset. And thankfully Seattle has been generous this month, gifting us days to embrace the outdoors.
In contrast to the Mobile Food Rodeo, the Seattle Center Mobile Feast was free. Held at Fisher Pavilion and South Fountain Lawn, more than twenty food trucks gathered for ‘urban hops and harvest’.
We leisurely strolled the circular lawn at mid afternoon for a late lunch. Surrounded by leafy trees and with the Space Needle as guardian, it was a spectacular setting for an outdoor event.
Painted a royal blue, Damiana’s Blue Truck Special was plain compared to the other food trucks.
I ordered the curried chicken salad sandwich with apple coleslaw. The roll was overflowing with chunks of curried chicken, crisp apples and slivered almonds.
Next was Snout & Co., a black food truck with a distinctive red logo.
Mr S selected the barbecue pork sandwich. Tender pulled pork and coleslaw were wedged in a soft bun and drizzled with habanero honey.
Adjacent to Snout & Co. was the crimson coloured Charlie’s Buns N’ Stuff.
The Mutt was a teetering stack of beef patty, grilled onions, mushrooms and balsamic mayonnaise in a brioche bun.
I meandered over to the gleaming Skillet Street Food for poutine and luckily got the last serving.
A Québec specialty, poutine is French fries topped with cheese curds and gravy. In the Skillet version, crunchy French fries were covered with salty gravy and molten cheddar, and freshened with a scattering of chopped parsley.
Most of the items on the Street Treats menu had been crossed out and I was happy to find salted brown butter krispy last on the list and not struckthrough.
The salted brown butter krispy was a cube of sticky, chewy sweetness with a hint of nuttiness.
In search of a beverage, we joined the queue at Boyd’s Coffee.
We shared an apple cider. A little tart and fragrant with spices, it was a warming conclusion to the Mobile Feast.
It was a well organised event benefiting the Seattle Center Foundation.
