March Restaurant Field Report

A few months ago, I wrote a blog post about some local Seattle restaurants that were on my list to eat at. Well, I had the opportunity to visit a few of them and will share about those experiences, as well as new restaurants on my list. I hope to make this a regular monthly feature, so keep an eye out for future Restaurant Field Reports!

Cross off the List

Tougo Coffee Co: My first experience here was a sandwich for lunch. They don't actually make their own food, but get it from a local, organic food company. The turkey sandwich was good, but what I enjoyed more was talking with the owner of this brand new coffee shop for about 15 minutes. I was impressed with him, so I brought Christy over the weekend to get some coffee the next day and we weren't too impressed with the coffee. I am willing to give it another chance, but I haven't been back since.

Seastar: I was really excited about this new seafood restaurant above Whole Foods and knew that both my dad and Christy's dad would like it, so when Rich came to visit about a month ago, we dined at Seastar, and didn't regret it. While the service was a little slow, it was only their second week open I think, the food was absolutely delicious! Rich ordered cedar-planked salmon, Christy had the mahi mahi, and I can't remember what I had, and we also shared an excellent bottle of Chateau Ste. Michelle's Cold Creek Chardonnay. I can't wait to go with my parents! They also have a great Happy Hour, so I'll have to try that sometime too.

Feierabend: Christy and I have been here twice and look forward to taking our family and friends here. It's two blocks from our church, so its a convenient Sunday lunch spot, though is in second place behind Portage Bay Cafe for our fave after church cuisine. This German pub has a good ambiance with a great selection of beer and a separate glass for each type! We had a great brat sandwich and pommes frites with curry ketchup the first time and absolutely loved it (Curry ketchup with pommes frites are served at Christy's favorite Scandinavian bar in Ballard, so it must be a European favorite). We sat at the bar that looks into the "kitchen" and enjoyed watching the 3 men at work. I call it a "kitchen" because it was the same size as our small kitchen in our apartment and is completely open to the restaurant. This time we got Wiener Schnitzel with cabbage and spatzle and it made me feel as if I were with the rest of my family traveling and dining in Austria and Germany!

Purple Cafe: Where to start here...Christy and I met the fabuluous Jen Tracy here one night as she was in the middle of a conference downtown. I hadn't met her yet, nor had I met Purple Cafe: neither let me down. Jen works at PLU and works with the class representatives (Christy just become the 2008 class rep a few weeks ago!). We met her at the bar upstairs and quickly grabbed a mini-table once one was available. These tables were so low that I could'n' fit my knees below them and there wasn't enough room between the table and bench to put my legs in front of me, so needless to say it was a little uncomfortable. The restaurant had a good vibe, with candle chandeliers and an enormous, spiraling wine tower in the middle of the room that dominates the spacious, high ceiling room. Now, on to the important topics: food and wine. My standard approach to wine by the glass at a restaurant is go with a Prosser wine, but sometimes I'll get an Argentine wine to change it up. I am a firm believer that Prosser wines are better than every other wine! Actually, I think that most wines taste good, but it always tastes better when it is inexpensive and made in Prosser (or at least the grapes are grown in Prosser). That's another blog post for another day, but back to Purple Cafe, I got an Argentine Malbec that was delish. The food was the best part. We ended up sharing 3 different dishes: pumpking gnocchi with pancetta bits (think bacon bits, but way fancier...Jeannie, we are going here next time you visit), calamari with a moroccan tomato aioli, and a chevre goat cheese and braised mushroom pizza, and yes, it all tasted just as good as it sounds! Definitely can't wait to go back!

Add to the List

Most of my inspiration for these restaurants come from the Seattle Magazine latest issue of Top Restaurants.

Thali
Poppy: This Capitol Hill eatery features an Indian format of food called Thali, which is a selection of dishes served in small bowls all on a big plate. My impression is that you would order 1 and share it with someone. I didn't know it was Indian food until I Wiki-d, and after reading the description in Seattle Magazine, I'm just really not sure what to expect. We walked by it yesterday and it looked fun, with an eye catching logo that almost seems to be from the 70's.


Spanish
Taberna del Alabardero: I first heard about this place just on Friday at dim sum lunch with some co-workers, then saw it in Seattle Magazine. From what I heard, they had 10 different types of paella, which sounds magical and I'd be surprised if my dad doesn't leave Switzerland tomorrow to fly home early and beg me to take him here! After taking a look through their website, it sounds like this place is the real deal. This Belltown paella house is the second location for Taberna, and the first, which is a few blocks from the White House, has been voted the "best Spanish restaurant outside of Spain" after opening 35 years ago. Seattle Times claims its Tapas Menu is one of the best Happy Hours in the city. Seattle Magazine calls it the "most authentic ethnic restaurant in Seattle." Boy, I'm getting hungry...

Ok...got a snack (ants on a celery log)...back to work as I watch Tiger Woods battle to win his first PGA tourney of the Year at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.


French-Spanish
Olivar: This may sound a little weird, but I think the person that might enjoy this restaurant this most is my friend Sean, who spent a semester in France last year and enjoys food. I say it is weird because it was picked as the "Best Restaurant for Romance on a Budget" by Seattle Magazine. Christy and I walked by this place in Capitol Hill yesterday and it looked like fun. Kinda a rustic, European style place with things on the menu that are supposed to be delicious, but I've never tried, like duck confit and stuffed rabbit. Sean, what do you say? Man-date this summer?