That brilliantly yellow sunny center is indeed lemon curd, a dollop of which is dropped into a gluten-free cake made with ground almonds, brown rice flour, sugar, eggs, and brown butter. It's a true butter-fest as the tangy butteriness of the curd complements the sweet butteriness of the cake. More
Revel's dessert menu changes monthly, and as the city survived its usual April showers, it makes sense that May's theme is Flowers. The new menu includes Chocolate Malt Cake with blackberries and orange blossom crème anglaise, as well as Rose Panna Cotta with pistachio macaron and pink peppercorn honey. But thinking strawberries and cream for spring, I choose the Jasmine Buttermilk Tart with Strawberries and Chantilly ($7). More
Amidst the gorgeous religieuses marron, stunning petite cheesecakes topped with grapefruit, cute jars of panna cotta and pot chocolat that you'll find at Pâtisserie Rhubarbe in Montreal, the 1000 Feuilles ($4.50) tempted me most. More
Amidst the croissants and the kouign amann and the breads in the bakeries, doughnuts are on the rise in Montreal. At Chez Boris and Café Sardine, two different but delicious styles to try. More
Duckfat in Portland is a small sandwich shop with some incredible panini options, making it tough for someone flying solo for lunch. Given the restaurant's name, duck confit with napa cabbage slaw, cilantro, and spicy mayo tempted me, but ultimately I went for the Corned Beef Tongue Reuben Panino with marinated cabbage, Swiss cheese, and Thousand Island dressing. And no stop at Duckfat is complete without an order of the duckfat-fried fries. More
The order arrives in a deep metal tray, looking like a Southern picnic sitting upon the red and white checkerboard tablecloth. (Hattie's Restaurant uses the same tablecloths.) No sign of grease—just the allure of golden brown chicken that's plump, juicy, and delicious. More
Cooking takes a little time, but it's worthwhile as the cheese melts out and gets that crispy texture that's so tantalizing. The fontina and blue cheeses are strong and earthy, standing up strong to the horseradish and roast beef, with the onions and BBQ sauce adding sweet notes. More
Far from a customary cheesecake, this creamy, custardy square was slightly nutty, earthy. Pecans and oats offered crunchy contrast to the silken cheesecake, while caramel added sweetness. Best of all was the accompanying pear sorbet, made in a Pacojet and bursting with fruit flavor. More
Naturally, this is a knife-and-fork affair, as the egg yolks ooze out beautifully into the chewy, buttery bread. The flavors are well-balanced, with the meat mingling well with the melted cheese. More
The sandwich features a generous portion of freshly sliced, house-roasted turkey that's nice and moist. Granny Smith apples add crunchiness, their sweetness combining with that of the fig jam to be a good counterbalance to the Tallegio cheese. The cheese melts slightly on the fresh-baked, warm baguette, which is slathered with garlic aioli spread for extra zing. More
I had the opportunity to serve as a judge in Seattle's Cochon 555, a competition where local chefs take on heritage pigs with delicious results. Here's my point of view, from the judge's table. This was true nose-to-tail eating, most prominent in the long-cooking broths with head parts, the ubiquitous use of lardo, the addictive chicharrones, and the appearance of pork in the desserts. More
The desserts at The Coterie Room are seasonal and certainly special in their own right. The carefully spooned-shaped ovals of ice cream effectively elevate these desserts, adding complementary flavors and geometric interest, and making it clear that chefs McCracken and Tough are the kings of quenelles. More
She's passionate about food and proud of her Puerto Rican lineage. He's passionate about people and a former concierge at some of Seattle's finest hotels. Together, Sheena Lee Fuson and Jesse Lee Marshall make a cute couple, dressing as soda jerks and selling sweet (and savory) pancakes on sticks out of a tangerine-colored mobile kitchen. More
On Bainbridge Island just across Puget Sound from Seattle, I scoured the streets and sampled the food to find places to recommend—which include an old-time diner, a new-style restaurant, a French bistro, a local coffee roaster, and what some say is the best ice cream shop in the country. Here are my picks. More
Serious Eats shined the spotlight on Hedy Goldsmith last fall, giving out copies of her recently released cookbook Baking Out Loud: Fun Desserts with Big Flavors. Now Goldsmith has been nominated for a James Beard award in the pastry chef category for her work at Michael's Genuine Food & Drink. I met Goldsmith at the fabulous Feast Portland event last fall and was immediately taken by her desserts, so I was excited when a recent trip to Miami afforded me the opportunity to taste some of her latest creations. More
The Hangover ($9.50) is just what the carb doctor ordered: "a double order of crispy browns topped with homemade sausage gravy." Additional protein comes from two eggs, which I ordered over easy so that the yolks could run down the potatoes. More
The name alone brought back fond memories of the joyful sounds and sights of the Good Humor truck. And the dessert would deliver on my joyful expectations. The soufflé itself is simple and satisfying. Topped with whipped cream and orange segments, it's cool and refreshing after an intensely flavorful meal. The rest of the dish, though, rebels against the norm, elevating the dessert from a childhood retreat to adult eclecticism. More
Seattle may be a city known for coffee, but we're not too shabby on the chocolate front, either. We play host to an annual Chocolate Salon, as well as the Northwest Chocolate Festival. And why not? Seattle has a bounty of chocolate makers, including the only organic, fair trade, fair-for-life certified bean-to-bar chocolate factory in North America: Theo Chocolate. With all the chocolate options around the city, Seattle's becoming a bit of a chocolopolis. Here are 5 top choices to meet your Valentine's Day needs. More
Layered on brioche, a little of the crisp crackling that I normally expect with porchetta would have been a nice contrast to the soft bread. Still, this was a solid sandwich, with some micro greens adding freshness, and boosted in flavor by lemon capers and grain mustard. More
Dessert and a show. That's what's on tap at a dessert destination with the quirky name of Three F(x) Ice Cream & Waffles in Jacksonville, Florida. The three "F"s are "fresh" for coffee, "fruits" for ice cream, and "fun treats" for waffles. The best part of the show? The taiyaki, a pancake-like sandwich in the shape of a fish. More
What makes this BLT special is what's slathered on the lightly toasted Macrina Bakery brioche bun: chicken liver paté mayonnaise. The Swinery makes its own mayo, folding in a generous amount of housemade paté at the end of the process. The spread has a rich, mineral-like, earthy (and yet sweet) flavor, combining with the pork belly in elevating the sandwich from comfort food to something more elegant, sophisticated, and delicious. More
The patty itself has decent flavor to it (I believe I detected garlic and lemon), with smears of vegan fig mayonnaise and Dijon mustard spiking it up. I was pretty impressed with the dense texture, making this a little like a vegetarian meatloaf, and naturally it never hurts to have the "meat" fried. More
When you stop by Honoré Artisan Bakery in the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle, you'll be greeted by a pastry case full of crackly, caramelized pastries. Which to choose? Here are our 5 top picks. More
I love the interactivity of Vietnamese soups, as most come with a side plate of herbs, vegetables, and lime wedges. It's a must to taste the broth as presented, and then figure out how to spice it up, both with herbs and perhaps jalapeños for heat. A squirt of lime can quickly brighten up the broth. Best of all, bowls of Vietnamese soup offer a great diversity of noodles and other ingredients. Noodles can be made of rice, wheat, tapioca, and more. Meanwhile, your bowl may be filled with surprises like banana blossoms, ham hocks, quail eggs, pork blood cubes, and fish cakes—all offering fascinating flavors and textures. More
@Saucisson: Yes, in Seattle. I love Cafe Presse, but it's been a long time since eating the Croque Madame there. I recall it was quite good.
Thanks for the catch. May your next croque madame have an extra egg...
@ostroffj: I was glad to see Vege House on that street corner, but what didn't make the list fell short in quality.
Jamie, do you know anything about Kao Boon Bha, a traditional Lao fish soup? It's on my to-do list at a restaurant, but not finding much info online, unless the spelling is off.
Glad you enjoyed it. I really wanted to try the sweetbreads, but other items won out. I've heard it gets noisy inside, so it's nice to have the option of outdoor seating.
It's actually braised, then sliced and fried in pork fat!
Harmsyseatown, there's one "exotic" dish from Rainier on my Gastrolust blog. I should put more of the photos up there.
I always want to check out Max London's, but either find myself not around for dinner, or not wanting to go "upscale." Someday. Thanks for letting me know about Comfort Kitchen. I'll also keep that in mind next time I'm in town.
Yes...already eaten! Look for an article soon...
@JLHuge - I don't disagree with you. It's like buying a complete cookware set and then finding out which pots and pans you'll use most, and which sit and collect dust. The thorough makeover lets me play with lots of equipment and figure out which pieces are most helpful in improving the quality of my coffee. The grinder's been great, and the kettle offers pour control. But based on your comment, it sounds like you have expertise to share. What would you recommend as a cheaper solution? This is a great forum for such discussions, so please share!
@deliciouslymeta - That was all before my morning coffee! By the way, the grinder pictured above still bounces around a little, as it's challenging to hold it perfectly still while grinding. But pretty stable. Also, I never thought I'd want an electric kettle (more counter space), but it's great for getting to the right water temperature quickly, and maintaining that temperature.
@deliciouslymeta - Thanks for the comments and questions, and the chance to clarify. The focus for this particular piece was the makeover and how an overall upgrade in equipment has made me a coffee drinker who looks forward to a new morning ritual, with Hario being generous in supplying me with equipment to try (and, as it turns out, to keep). Now that I’m feeling the buzz about quality coffee, I’m not just playing with brewing times, grind size, etc., but I’m anxious to try other types of equipment from other makers (such as Aeropress) to compare. In the end, this opportunity transformed me from someone who could care less about coffee to a bit of a java junkie—and I wanted to share the process to encourage others to consider upgrades for themselves, regardless of brand.
@jengrowsinbklyn - That grinder does require a bit of elbow grease. Sometimes I'm jealous of my neighbor's electric grinder, but then I try to cherish and enjoy the process. Naturally, the amount of time depends on the grind. For the pourover cup, grinding time is about a minute. But now that I'm also grinding for Aeropress (see, @deliciouslymeta, I've already branched out to other equipment!), the finer grind takes about double the time, and is quite the workout.
It was pretty good, even though the texture was a little tuna salad-like. And, yes, glad to be finding good restaurants amidst the tourist traps.
Wow...looks like you had a delicious trip! When you finally open your Tantuni truck in NYC, please be sure to drive it cross-country to Seattle.
@twinsue: Sorry for the less-than-satisfying experience. Maybe a bad day for them? Or, I'd hate to think, the start of a decline.
@ChengduGirl: Thanks for adding to my to-do list! I'll give it a try next time I make the long-distance (LOL) trip to Kent. I don't use Yelp as a guide to quality, but glad to know that there are good reviews there.
@Herdailybread: You've captured the difference between their kouign amann and the version of others quite well! I've had it at Bakery Nouveau and find it interesting, but I ultimately prefer the flaky, crackly version.
@graciegrace Thanks for adding to the list! I didn't forget. I'd just need to do a whole separate list, as this list was focused on the sweet side, not the savory.
@saxcolossusjr - Thanks. I know that Charm City Cakes was founded in Baltimore. The crew at Feast Portland told me they came up from the "West" location in Los Angeles.
sweth, what dishes you like? Their website seems to be down.
Sue, I was sticking with the 206 and 425 area codes. Might be psychological, but Bellevue (certainly), Redmond, and Lynnwood feel closer to Seattle than Tacoma and Lakewood do. That said, like "sweth," please feel free to share favorite places, as I'd love to check them out!
Thanks for the comments. It IS a peaceful and beautiful place. For those who go, please come back here and share YOUR food finds. And I'll hope to get to Whidbey to do a report sometime.
Thanks for the additional suggestions. I look forward to checking them out!
Gelatiamo is a great downtown stop. Consistent for years. I just like D'Ambrosio and Fainting Goat a little bit more for gelato.
It's 5,000 miles from Seattle to Paris as the crow flies. Despite the distance, the Emerald City is shining proudly in the area of pastries—good news for those who can't quite cross the Atlantic for the real thing. More
The words "molten chocolate cake" alone are enough to make most people melt in delight, and this is exactly the effect of visiting chocolatier Autumn Martin's new Hot Cakes Molten Chocolate Cakery in the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle. More
Tokyo is loaded with yakitori restaurants, most notably in Yakitori Alley near Shinjuku Station where the smoke-filled, sake and beer-stained holes-in-the-wall rumble with each passing train. Make your way to upscale Roppongi Hills, though, and you'll find an altogether different yakitori experience. More
With weekday Facebook postings announcing sell-outs in mere hours, weekend carbo-warriors have been getting to chef Neil Robertson's new Seattle patisserie well before opening. We joined the mob to see what's baking. More
The Nagi Golden Gai experience is fascinating, from the walk up and down the stairs, to the wait for a call through a tube, to the two types of noodles and the unique broth made with niboshi--dried baby sardines. With just ten counter seats in cramped quarters, you'll be rubbing elbows with your neighbors. More
Last year, Tokyo Ramen Street opened in the First Avenue Tokyo Station retail center, which includes about 100 stores and restaurants. Here you'll find eight of Tokyo's finest ramen shops, drawing long lines of adoring Japanese fans, mostly salarymen. For non-Japanese newcomers, there's a mix of mystery and confusion. More
The 39 Japanese chefs who came to the Culinary Institute of America's Napa Valley campus joined other culinary experts to sell their love of Japanese food. Panelists included Ruth Reichl, Harold McGee, David Chang, Iron Chef Morimoto, and many Japanese culinary legends. Food is clearly serious business in Japan, particularly seafood. We learned that while Japan is smaller than California, due to its coastal jaggedness, it has fifty percent more coastline the entire United States. More
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Just in time for my trip to Tokyo! Hope I have a chance to give it a try...