Deck on Lunchbox Laboratory - Seattle Restaurant Review

Before heading out on the road for work this past week, I decided to toss the Seattle Weekly Voracious Dining Guide into my bag as something to read during takeoff and landing.  Not only was it perfect reading material, but it reminded me that there are so many great places in Seattle I have yet to try.  So, rather than coming home and heating up some leftovers, I decided to swing by one of the restaurants that I've yet to try.  Since it was lunchtime, and I was heading to my home in Ballard, I decided to stop by Lunchbox Laboratory on NW 15th.

Driving up to the restaurant, I realized that I had probably driven by it nearly a hundred times and never really noticed it, let alone deciding to stop by.  I wonder how many other places there are like this...but I digress.  The Lunchbox Laboratory is a small, non-descript shop next to a small nail salon on NW 15th, with a sign that is barely noticeable above the trees that line the street.  Walking through the door on the side, you are immediately greeted by the smells of hamburgers crammed into a very small space (maybe 20 people could squish together at the tables.  There were multiple menu chalkboards to look at.  The first is the specials which are the pre-configured burgers.  Below that is the shakes and malts, and around the counter where you place your order is the options menu so you can build your own burger.  I took a quick look at all the menus, and then decided, to go with a special.  I narrowed it down to the "Le Truffle Love" and the "Dorkfather" (dork being a combo of ground duck and pork).  After a mental coin flip, I decided on the 1/4 lb. "Le Truffle Love", a burger containing "Super Beef" (a combo of prime rib, sirloin and rib eye), bacon, onions, cheese, and black truffle mayo; as well as a side of sweet potato fries.  All told it was $13 ($2 more for the 1/2 lb. variety), not bad for a potentially good lunch.

While waiting for my order, I perused the simple decor, made up primarily of old school metal lunchboxes and thermoses adorning the walls.  I didn't see any that I had used, but I started school in the era of platic lunchboxes.  There were only a couple of other people in there, but I assumed that it had more to do with the fact that it was barely after 11 in the morning than anything else.  After about 5 minutes I was handed a very large bag of food.  I walked out and headed two minutes to home.

Opening the bag when I got home, I noticed one bag that contained the fries, a side of dipping sauce, an aluminum foil wrapped burger that appeared much bigger than I expected for a quarter pounder, and a small box that contained the lettuce, tomato and pickle.  I was actually impressed that they put it on the side so that I could add what I wanted, but more importantly, so it stays fresh until I'm ready to eat it.  I put everything on a plate, cut the burger in half, and got ready to dive in. 

The first bite was very good.  I got a mouth full of bacon and onion and burger, with juices running down my hand and back on to the plate.  I made quick work of the first half of the burger before taking a couple bites of fries.  The fries were just perfect, nice and crispy on the outside, soft on the inside.  The sauce was a nice accompaniment, though I couldn't really tell what was it in it...kind of a southwest style.  As I started into the second half of the burger, I realized that there was something just a little off.  A couple more bites and I realized what it was...I was missing the burger and the mayo.  By this I mean that there was so much bacon and onion that it was overwhelming everything else (I know, too much bacon??  Is it possible?).  The burger could have been ground chuck and I never would have noticed.  It wasn't until I got to the last couple of bites where most of the bacon was gone that I finally got the full combination of flavors in my mouth, and it was much better.

Overall, the Lunchbox Laboratory makes a very good burger.  There was definitely a lot of flavor, but the toppings were a little overwhelming and the burger was a tad too well done for my tastes.  But it was definitely good enough to convince me to go back and try again, probably the dork next time.  And I would probably put it in the top 3 burgers I've had in Seattle, somewhere behind the Red Mill Deluxe and the Tillamook Cheddar Burger at Sport.

Final Verdict - 3.5 Stars

Deck on Smokin' Guns Barbeque - Kansas City Food Review

There are not many things to be looking forward to when 4 days after you get married, you are on a 6 a.m. flight from Cedar Rapids to Kansas City.  Especially when neither is your hometown.  But, thanks to the new food blog, and my excitement around the opportunity to not only eat but write about great Kansas City BBQ, I wasn't completely down on the opportunity.  Oh, and there was a work presentation mixed in there that not only went really well, but gave me a chance expand out of my comfort zone and present on something completely new.  But enough about work...on to the food!!!

After we finished our presentation, we wanted to try and find a barbeque place that was between where we were and the airport since one of the guys was flying out tonight.  I was in the seconod car, and due to the fact that I had tragically lost my iPhone early in th etrip, I was at their mercy.  So after many twists and turns, breaking a couple of rules of the road, and getting honked at once, we wound up in North Kansas City, and pulled up to a firehouse.  I was a little confused until I noticed that next to the firehouse was a non-descript place with the name "Smokin' Guns BBQ".  It seemed like exactly the type of place that I was looking for.

Walking in, I noticed two things.  First, it was completely empty which I found a little odd.  Second, the walls were covered with framed ribbons, and there was a stack of trophies by the front door.  At first, I thought that these were the ribbons of local sports teams sponsored by the BBQ joint or something like that (we see that a lot where I'm from, though not so usually so many ribbons).  That was until I noticed the sign that said "Grand Champion, 11th Annual Jack Daniels BBQ Championship, 1999".  Upon closer inspection I was shocked to notice that all of the ribbons were for BBQ awards over the past 15 years.  Needless to say, I was now super excited to eat dinner.

I went up to the counter, and quickly scanned the menu.  Not knowing what to do, I did what any sane person would do; I ordered the combo.  That meant ribs, pork, brisket and two sides.  I asked what the most popular sides were, and wound up getting a baked potato casserole and baked beans.  Add to that a beer, and I was ready to go.  When the food arrived, it wasn't what I would call a HUGE portion, but it was definitely good sized.  The other thing that I noticed, and which I was surprised by, was that there was no sauce on any of the meat.  Rather it was on the table to be applied as each individual saw fit.

Looking down at my food, I wasn't sure where to start.  Everything looked delicious.  I decided to pick up my fork, and start with the beans (simply because they were closest to the fork).  It was a good choice.  The baked beans were exactly what I was hoping for; perfectly cooked with a hint of brown sugar sweetness that wasn't too overpowering.  With the second bite, I caught a bit of bacon, and that was just perfect.  Moving through the plate, I next came to the pulled pork.  Before adding the BBQ sauce, I thought I would taste the meat to see how it was cooked.  In a word, it was perfect.  The pork was so juicy and so flavorful that I didn't even think it needed the BBQ sauce (not that it stopped me, I'm just sayin...).  From there it was on to the brisket which was good, but not great.  It was a little drier and I didn't see the smoke ring penetrating as far into the meat as I had hoped. 

That left only the potato casserole and the ribs left.  Since I still had my fork in my hand, the potato casserole seemed like the logical choice.  After one bite, I could tell why it was one of the most popular sides.  I had expected it to be cheesy, and was actually surprised when it wasn't.  But that didn't mean it wasn't fantastic.  The potatoes were so perfectly cooked and seasoned with butter and other spices, and prepared almost like a twice baked potato (I'm guessing sauteed then baked) that I took three bites before I even thought to take a breath.  Now on to the ribs.  Ribs are absolutely one of my favorite foods.  Everything from baby back to pork shoulder.  And here in front of me were 3 pork ribs.  I set the fork down, rubbed my hands together, and grabbed the first one.  Biting in, the flavor just exploded in my mouth (again, no sauce, just the dry rub and smoking).  The meet was incredibly tender and flavorful.  The rub had a little bit of a kick to it, but it wasn't overly spicy.  I now added some sauce to the pork and brisket (not the ribs) to finish my meal.  The sauce was very good, what I think was a traditional Kansas City style sauce, a little more sweet than savory, and not a whole lot of spice in it.  It was a very good sauce, and a perfect accompaniement to the very flavorful pork. 

It took about 15 minutes for me to fully savor and finish my meal.  At the end, I was definitely stuffed, but if another plate of ribs had arrived, I would have definitely finished them.  The ribs were quite possibly the best ribs that I've ever had, and will be the rib by which all others are measured at this point (even without the sauce!).  The atmosphere was very pleasant, and the employees very amiable.  We found out that because of their location they actually get most of their business during the lunch time.  The only possible negative was the brisket (I was hoping for a little more), and the two pieces of white bread that were on my tray that really seemed out of place.  Overall, it was an excellent barbeque place, and I can see why they have won the awards that they have.  It was exactly what I was hoping for on my trip to KC.  And, if my write up isn't enough to convince you, check them out on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives with Guy Fieri.  They filmed not two weeks ago for an episode schedule to air on the Food Network in July.

Final Verdict - 4.25 Stars

Deck on 33rd Ave. Sports Bar & Grill – Iowa Restaurant Review

Thanks to a work presentation, I get to spend tonight in Cedar Rapids, IA of all places. Now, Iowa probably wouldn’t be my first choice of destinations for food reviews, but this is one of the joys of the new blog…an opportunity to try new places that I would never otherwise get to. So, after a quick workout, I headed out on foot to find some place that looked interesting to eat. An hour later, after walking through a neighborhood, and passing by a school, church, funeral home, industrial complex, and every chain fast food restaurant out there, I wound up right back where I started, and sauntered into the 33rd Ave. Bar & Grill in the neighboring hotel. I was a little bummed because I had seen the place on my way out, and decided not to go there, fearing a typical sports bar, and hoping to find something different and interesting.

Walking into the 33rd Ave. B & G, I was figuring on dim lighting, old TVs and hard wooden chairs, so I was pleasantly surprised when this was far from the case. It was brightly lit, with the music at an appropriate volume, comfortable chairs, and nice televisions all tuned to something different (Baseball Tonight to my left, Rangers/White Sox ahead, ESPNews on the right). I was greeted by a friendly waitress, Alicia, who quickly took my drink order, and provided me a menu. Not one minute later she was back with my drink and asked if I was ready to order. Since I wasn’t really, I asked her for a recommendation. She said the French Dip and Reuben were most popular, or if I liked spice the buffalo chicken sandwich. I decided on some spice, and added onion rings to the order.

When the food arrived, I was again surprised. I was fully expecting a breaded piece of chicken in some sauce, like those you get at the grocery store. Instead, I received a grilled chicken breast on a cibatta role with Swiss cheese on top. Biting into the sandwich, I was pleased with the flavor. The sauce was definitely more than some simple Frank’s Red Hot Sauce (though I think it was in there), and it was not thick and syrupy. There was also a hint of Italian seasoning on the chicken breast, similar to a preparation that I’ve done before. My only complaint would be that the chicken was just a tad overcooked and a little dry; maybe just a minute too long on each side. As for the onion rings, they were ok. They didn’t seem to be homemade, but they were cooked well enough that the onions could be bitten through without pulling them completely out of the breading.

Overall, I would have to say I was surprised. I was hoping to find a diamond in the rough tonight, and while the 33rd Ave. B&G was not that diamond, it was not as rough and as typical as I was expecting. Tonight I would say that I learned two lessons. The first is to pay attention to the hotel you are staying at if you are interested in food. There were a couple different options that I had, and I didn’t take a moment to look on a map and see where they were located. But, the second is when you screw up the first thing, keep an open mind because you might find something better than you expected.

Final Verdict – 3.5 Stars (for exceeding expectations)

Deck on Zippy's - Hawaii Restaurant Review

This morning was supposed to be my ritual visit to Boot's and Kimo's out in Kailua; quite possibly my favorite breakfast place not just on the island, but in the country.  But, unfortunately due to a couple of circumstances beyond my control, I just wasn't able to pull it off (a combination of a long line and having to pick someone up at the airport).  So, it was on to plan B, Zippy's on Vineyard.

Zippy's is something of a Hawaiian institution.  There are nearly 30 restaurants scattered throughout the islands serving Hawaiian plate lunch.  And for me, this Zippy's is a little more special than your average restaurant; it was the first place Jennifer took me to eat when I came to Hawaii for the first time almost 4 years ago.  Zippy's was my exposure to the two scoops of rice and mac salad that are synonymous with plate lunch, as well as a Sprunch and Loco Moco.

For this trip, I was still thinking breakfast, but unfortunately it is only served until 10:30, and we didn't make it until almost 11.  So, I decided to go for one of my favorites; the chicken katsu plate lunch.  Chicken Katsu is a thin, breaded filet of chicken served with a katsu sauce that is somewhere between hoisin and barbeque sauce.  The chicken was actually very good, pretty moist with a nice crunch being provided by the breading.  I did try a bite without the katsu sauce, and it was pretty bland.  The sauce definitely pulls everything together.  Other than that, the rice and mac salad were pretty much as expected, though the mac salad had a bit less mayo (and hence a little less flavor) than the Rainbow Drive In from a couple of days earlier.  The portion size was also a bit smaller at Zippy's.

Overall, Zippy's delivered exactly what I was expecting, a good Hawaiian meal at a reasonable price.  Was the food amazingly delicious?  No, but it was definitely flavorful and good.  Would I go back?  Absolutely.  It definitely delivers on it's promise, and if I just need something quick and Hawaiian, Zippy's is the place to go.  Not to mention that appeal that it will always hold as my first Hawaiian food experience.

Final Verdict:  3 stars

Deck on Bogart's - Hawaii Restaurant Review

When in Hawaii, breakfast is pretty much my favorite meal of the day.  There are just so many delicious foods that I don't usually make, and often can't find back home.  Not to mention the Kona coffee which is my absolutely favorite (I actually order it online so I can have it in Seattle).  So, when we decided to meet some friends for breakfast, I was excited.

Continuing our run of Kaimuki restaurants, we decided to go to Bogart's Cafe and Espresso Bar.  It's a small little place on Monsarrat, not far from the zoo, beach, and Rainbow Drive In.  It's in a little shopping complex that has about a half dozen stores.  Inside there is seating for about 20, with additional seating outside.  We walked in and grabbed a table, then turned to place our order.  The menu is quite extensive with breakfast and lunch items.  After scanning the menu I decided on banana pancakes with a side of Portuguese sausage and a cup of coffee.  All told, about $11, which I paid in cash as Bogart's does not accept credit cards.

After getting my cup of coffee, I returned to the table and took my first sip.  For anyone that's had Kona coffee, you know just how smooth and delicious it is.  Even when the weather is 80 and sunny, it definitely hit the spot.  After about 15 minutes, breakfast arrived.  The Portuguese sausage was the first thing I went for.  This is sausage is possibly my favorite sausage, but one that I can only find in one place in Seattle, Uwajimaya in the International District.  It is a spicy, full flavored sausage that is the perfect accompaniment to eggs and rice, or in this case, pancakes.  And this particular sausage was cooked perfectly, very juicy and tender.  Absolutely delicious.

Once finishing the first couple pieces of sausage, it was on to the pancakes.  The stack of pancakes consisted of three pancakes that were the size of the plate that they were served on, and it wasn't a saucer.  When I went to put syrup on them, I was actually concerned that if it went off the side of the pancakes, it would wind up spilling all over the table.  So, I was careful to only put it on my first couple bites.  Cutting into the pancakes, it was obvious that they were going to be good.  They had just the right amount of give to let you know that they would be light and fluffy.  And the flavor was just excellent.  The banana was not overwhelming at all.  I ended up working my way through about two-thirds of the stack before I had to call it quits, knowing that there was so much more food to eat throughout the day.  But, without a doubt, this was exactly the way to kick start the morning.



Final Verdict - 4 Stars

Deck on Rainbow Drive In - Hawaii Restaurant Review

When I think about Hawaii, certain things come to mind; sun, beach, palm trees, relaxation, and simple, but usually delicious food.  Today I embark on a week in Hawaii that will undoubtedly trigger a few blog posts.  And one of the nicest things about my food travels in Hawaii is that I spend most of my time with locals.  That means a lot of great restaurants that the traditional Hawaii tourist is not eating at.  And today, that was definitely the case as our lunch stop was the Rainbow Drive In located in Honolulu. 

The Rainbow Drive In is a simple building, located on a side street not too far from the beaches of Waikiki in an area called Kaimuki.  The Drive In has been around for over 45 years, and a lot of the ambiance and decor feels like it is still the original.  It is the type of place that writes its daily specials on a white board, has a menu board that is straight out of the 70s, and a few old picnic tables outside (there is no dine-in option...for those from Seattle, think Dick's Drive In).  It's only a few minutes walk from the beach, and a place the surfers come strolling up to after a day on the waves.  And it all just works.

This wasn't my first trip to the Rainbow Drive In, so I was prepared.  I knew exactly what I wanted; a plate lunch.  The only trick is which one?  I debated quickly between the cutlet and the curry, deciding on the pork cutlet.  One thing to note is that you have to pay attention to the menu as certain dishes are only available on certain days.  After not more than 5 minutes, our order was called, and we picked up our lunches and headed to the beach to enjoy them.

Like all plate lunches that I've had in Hawaii, they aren't lacking in quantity of food.  Inside the box were three thin, breaded cutlets smothered in gravy, two big scoops of rice and a scoop of mac salad (steamed white rice and mac salad are plate lunch staples).  The gravy was a very nice, curry based gravy that was very flavorful.  The pork was nice and moist, as well as pretty tender.  I did have to use a knife to cut it, but that owed as much to the fact that I was eating out of a cardboard box perched on my lap, than anything else.  As for the mac salad, well, it's mac salad; one of those things that as long as it has a fair amount of mayo and cooked macaroni, it's pretty difficult to mess up.

In the end, it was exactly what I was expecting.  A very healthy portion of good tasting comfort food.  This is what I've come to expect when I think of lunch in Hawaii.  For those traveling to Hawaii, that are near Waikiki, do yourself a favor.  Take a few minutes to walk away from the shops and the restaurants targeted to the "tourists", and enjoy a lunch of real Hawaiian food.

Final Verdict - 3.5 Stars

Hot Tamale! - A new southwest dish and flavor

Today I decided to take advantage of the rainy weather to spend the day inside cooking.  With an entire day to cook, I figured there were a lot of different things that I could try, which meant there were a lot of things to write about.  Everything from sauces, to vegetables to actually cooking lamb which I don't do often.  But, I decided instead to write about the starch item of our dinner because it was more interesting.  Today, I attempted to make tamales!

When I had that first meal at Mesa Grill, I found the tamale just as interesting and delicious as the pork itself.  It was one of the southwest flavors that was brand new to me.  Then when I had the opportunity to dine at Frontera Grill, I again had a tamale, and again was blown away.  Now, I figured it was time to give it a try myself.  So, I pulled out the Mesa Grill cookbook and flipped to the tamale section.  Out of the various options available, I thought I would go with the sweet potato tamales with pecan butter.  

Turns out that tamales are pretty labor intensive and time consuming.  Just looking at the recipe I realized that it would take a minimum of 3 hours.  For starters, you have to take corn husks clean them and soak for at least two hours.  Then there is the roasting of the sweet potato and plantains, two ingredients that I don't work with a lot.  The sweet potato roasts for about an hour, and you throw the plantain in for the last fifteen minutes.  Then throw the sweet potato, plantain, some maple syrup, cinnamon, butter and cream in a food processor (sounds delicious already doesn't it)?  I could stop here, put the puree into a pan, cook it, and have incredibly delicious sweet potatoes...in fact, I might have to break this out for Thanksgiving.  

But, it keeps going.  After creating the puree, you put it in a blender with corn, onion, more maple syrup, and more cinnamon, and then blend until it is nice a smooth.  Then you add a bit of corn meal and create a nice, sweet potato flavored masa.  Up to this point, everything has actually been pretty easy.  A lot of roasting, blending and pureeing.  Now, the tamale prep gets a little tricky.  According to the recipe, I'm supposed to put a bunch of the tamale mixture into two corn husks that are overlapping.  Then you fold the tamales over and tie the ends.  Sounds easy, right?  It wasn't.  The first time I tried, I tied them, and then went to pick it up, and they slid apart spilling the filling.  And it's not like I can start over because the husks have to soak for over 2 hours.  So I cleaned everything up and tried again, trying to make sure that when I tied the tamales, they wouldn't slide apart.  It took about a half dozen tries and about 15 minutes, I managed to get three tamales pseudo-tied.  

After that, it's a matter of cooking them.  You put them in a steamer, and steam for over an hour.  In theory they stay together and then you take them out and open them.  In actuality, at about an hour, they had kind of opened themselves, and weren't fully cooked, so I left them on longer while I finished everything else.  The one problem is that I forgot to check the water.  I started to notice a faint burning smell and realized that there was no water left in the pot.  Note to readers, when steaming something, especially for a longer period of time, be sure to check the water level every now and then so you don't burn the bottom of the pot.

Anyway, I pulled the tamales out, added a little bit of the pecan butter that I had made earlier in the day, and served them with lamb chops with an orange/passion fruit sauce, chicken (I didn't but enough lamb...) and a roasted asparagus.  The flavor profiles were a little all over the place reaching from Italian vegetables to a Southwestern tamale, to a protein with a flavor that was pretty unique. But, in a way it all worked and came together as a delicious.  The flavor of the tamales was quite excellent.  They stayed moist, thanks to cooking by steaming.  And, I got the ok to try them again.

This was a fun dish because it allowed me to cook something that I've never done before, and present a flavor that I hadn't done before.  It was a lot of work, and there were a few mistakes along the way, but all in all, isn't that what learning to cook is all about.  Next time I'm going to figure out the trick to wrapping tamales.  I think I'll have to break out the Rick Bayless cookbook because I seem to remember an instructional guide...

Deck on Cuban Sandwiches - Seattle Restaurant Comparison

Today I decided to take a new approach to my food reviews, the competitive comparison.  I think that in order to be fair, I need to try a couple different places that do the same type of food before I declare my loyalty to any one of them (this means that I'll have to try another gelato place at some time...).

So, my first comparison is Cuban Sandwiches, pitting Paseo against Paladar Cubano.  If you've read my blog before, you know that I'm a very big fan of Paseo, especially the Cuban Press.  But, I wanted to keep an open mind and see what Paladar Cubano had to offer.  Paladar Cubano is actually a restaurant on wheels, parked at the corner of Aurora and 90th.  When you walk up, the first thing you notice is the Latin Music playing.  This probably owes to the fact that the owner is also a local musician.  I placed my order of the classic Cubano Sandwich, a combination of roast pork, ham, cheese, pickles and mustard, pressed in between two halves of cuban bread.

At Paladar Cubano, all of the orders are made at the time you place them, so there is a little wait.  But you can sit at the picnic tables under the tent and listen to the music while savoring the aromas of melted cheese and roasted pork.  After about 5 minutes I received my sandwich, and headed home, excited to taste another Cuban sandwich and compare it to Paseo.

The first thing I noticed is the size.  The Paladar Cubano sandwich is contained, where as the Paseo press was heaping and overflowing.  When I took a bite, it was definitely a good sandwich.  The bread was great, crispy on the outside, but soft on the inside.  The ham was good, the cheese warm and melted, and everything was cut nicely with a little acidity from the pickles.  However, the mustard was a bit overpowering, and the pork was completely overshadowed by all of the other ingredients.

By contrast, the Paseo sandwich is stuffed full of roasted pork, and onions which are absolutely the star of the show.  The ham and the cheese are much more muted, and definitely an accompaniment.  Everything is set off by the delicious garlic aioli type sauce, and you get that little bit of acidity from some banana peppers.

When it comes to authenticity, I think that the Paladar Cubano sandwich is much more what you would expect when you think of a Cuban press.  But with Paseo, the pork is much more flavorful and pronounced.  The sauce balances it incredibly well, and isn't as overpowering as yellow mustard.  When I finished the Press from Paseo, I sat back on the couch and just savored it.  When I finished the Cubano, I was left wanting a little bit more.

Overall, the cubano is a very good sandwich, and there are definitely worse meals to spend $8 on.  But for my money, I'm going to Paseo.  My allegiance has officially been pledged.

Final Verdict:  Paseo by a landslide.   Paseo - 4.5 Stars, Paladar Cubano - 3 Stars.  

Deck on Fainting Goat Gelato - Seattle Restaurant Review

A couple of weeks ago I made my first trip to Fainting Goat Gelato after a nice dinner at Brad's Swingside Cafe.  The gelato was just fantastic, and I wrote a "bonus review" at the end of my original review of Brad's.  The thing is, Fainting Goat deserves far more than just a one paragraph bonus review.  It deserves a post of it's own.

For about the past week I've been wanting to go back to Fainting Goat.  The cinnamon gelato was just so fantastic and so memorable, and this is coming from someone who really is not a sweets or a dessert person, that tends toward the fruity end of the spectrum.  So today, I finally gave into my craving and headed out to get some gelato.

When I got in my car, I decided that in the interest of fairness and comparativeness, I would go to the 85th St. Cafe that is right in my neighborhood rather than drive down to Wallingford for the Fainting Goat.  This way I would at least have a point of comparison and could more objectively say just how good Fainting Goat is.  But, when I pulled up at 9 o'clock, everything was closed and shut down, so I went with my initial plan and headed into Wallingford. 

When I walked into the Fainting Goat, I was instantly excited.  I had been thinking about the spicy chocoloate for most of the drive over there (again, I'm really not a sweets person, and definitely not a chocolate person...it was this good).  But, before ordering a big scoop of gelato, I decided to taste a couple.  First was the spicy chocoloate, which was definitely good.  A nice smooth chocolate with just a hint of heat that caught you right at the very end, just in the back of your throat.  Next I was offered the Almond which had a wonderful rich, explosive flavor.  I decided I was still in the mood for the Spicy Chocolate so I would go with it, and I placed my order. 

While waiting for my scoop, I continued to puruse the cases, looking at probably a dozen or so flavors.  The cinnamon one was absent this night, but there were some new flavors not there previously like Tiramisu (the rotating flavors has now made this even more intriguing...).  Then out of the corner of my eye, I spied a nearly empty hotel pan with a sign that read "Pistachio".  I had to stop the server before fulling dishing up my scoop of Spicy Chocolate to get a taste of the pistachio.  This was absolutely worth it.  The flavor was just perfect, sweet, with a hint of the saltiness you expect from a pistachio, yet so rich and creamy.  Unfortunately (or fortunately as the case may have it) there was only enough left for a half scoop.  So, I was able to still satiate my spicy chocolate desire, as well as sample the Pistachio. 

In the end, the Spicy Chocolate was definitely good, but the Pistachio was incredibly delicious, almost to the level of the Cinnamon.  I didn't for one second regret my drive, and gladly paid the $3 for a heaping scoop of wonderful gelato.  Again, I'm not the type with a real sweet tooth for most things (with maybe the exception being Sour Patch Kids), but Fainting Goat has won me over.  I wonder what flavors are going to be there tomorrow night...

Final Verdict: 4.5 stars, and a must visit for anyone.

Rib Roast - Delay Cooking for a delicious dinner

On the days where I get home late, there really are two options.  One is to find something quick, easy and delicious like I did last night.  The other is to use the slow cook feature on the oven (or a slow cooker should I get one).  The first time I did this, I did the forever roasted pork from Michael Chiarello that turned out amazing.  So tonight, I decided to try the slow cooking approach tonight.

For the meat option tonight, I decided to do a beef rib roast.  I've never cooked with it before, but I'm a big fan of ribeye steak, and it was on sale, so I thought I would give it a whirl.  So, this morning, I put together a rub for the roast.  It consisted of white and black peppercorns, paprika, garlic powder, sea salt and a hint of seasoned salt.  I pulled out the mallet and broke down the pepper corns and salt to try and make it a fine powder.  Looking back on it, it would have been better to do in a spice grinder.  Unfortunately my spice grinder's primary usage is as my coffee grinder, and in the morning, coffee trumps everything.

After I had firmly beaten the spices, I took out the roast.  I cut a half dozen slits in each side of it, then rubbed it down with a little bit of butter prior to spreading the rub all over it.  I tried to make sure I stuffed some of the peppercorns that didn't get smashed into the slits.  Then I popped it into the oven, and set the delay to come on.

When it comes to beef rib roast, the cooking is a little different than the pork.  With the pork, the entire dish is cooked low and slow.  However, based on various recipes that I read, when cooking the beef rib roast, if you are not going to be able to sear it in a pan on the stovetop prior to putting it in the oven, then you start at a high temperature for a short period of time to sear the outside, then reduce the heat to finish it.  So, I set the temperature to 450 on the delay for 30 minutes, and let it go.

When I got home, I could definitely smell the roast cooking, and the timer was going off.  I opened the door, and stuck in a thermometer to find that the temperature was almost 160, quite high for a beef roast (it should be in the 130-140 range in the middle).  I quickly pulled it out to stop the cooking and let it rest for a little bit.  When I cut into it, it was still juicy and still tasted pretty good.  I warmed up some rice, sauteed some red peppers, and had dinner ready 15 minutes after we walked in the door.

While this was good, it wasn't quite like the pork.  One of the challenges for me is figuring out cooking times.  When you are looking at recipes they tend to look at bigger roast, 4 - 6 ribs (6-8 pounds).  But, when I'm only cooking for two, I don't want to have the many leftovers (or spend that much money).  So I have to try and adjust for much smaller roasts.  In this case, I was using a 1.75 lb. roast with a single rib.  I had it cook at 450 for 30 minutes, but looking back, should have only done it for 20 minutes.  Also, I think I need to be more generous with both the slits and the rub so that the flavor permeates the meat, rather than just sitting as a crust on the outside.

But, even with the couple of issues, I'm realizing that doing a little work in the morning, and leveraging the delayed cooking capabilities will allow me to do more than just quick and simple when I get home.  I just need to remember to keep in mind the starches and vegetables, and factor that into the cooking time (fortunately I had leftover rice from last night, and didn't have to make any).  And one of these days, maybe I'll try and do something with the sides and not just the main course.

Deck on Quick Meals - Halibut Fishsticks

When I started this blog, I was thinking it would combine the joy of cooking with my dining out experiences, wrapped up as a love of food.  But, I'm realizing I forgot one aspect, cooking for busy professionals.  On days that I get home at 6:30 or 7:00, I can do a lot of different things, try making new dishes, things like that.  But on nights like tonight where I end up getting home around 8:30, it's a little more difficult to do a lot of cooking.  Instead, I have to come up with something quick, easy, and delicious.  It's just a different type of cooking.  And I realize, I've had a few of these posts pop up, so I should run with it.  Hence the new header "Deck on Quick Meals".

When I had gone shopping at Whole Foods, the first halibut of the season had come in, so I ended up buying a small filet.  Halibut is also one of those meats that I very rarely freeze because the flavor is just so fantastic when it's fresh (steak is the other...I never freeze steak).  So, I spent the day trying to figure out what I could make that would be quick and easy.  I should probably note that baking a halibut filet doesn't take that long, but I was considering different marinades and knew I wouldn't have time for those, and excuse after excuse.  

Anyway, I ended up deciding on halibut fish sticks.  They are easy and usually delicious.  You simply take a bunch of saltines, put them in a zip lock bag, and crumble them up into fine crumbs.  It's like a poor man's panko.  Then you take the halibut, dip in a little flour with a dash of seasoned salt, then egg wash, then cracker crumbs.  I ended up electing to heat some canola oil to cook the fish sticks in, rather than vegetable or EVOO (which is what I usually use, until I get a small fryer anyway).

To accompany the fish sticks, I made a little garlic/mayo sauce.  It was chopped fresh garlic that I ended up squishing into almost a paste form, chopped cilantro, fresh lemon juice, mayo, and some honey.  I meant to put in black pepper, but got distracted and forgot.  Then we had some sticky white rice which is an absolute staple in our household, and some green beans.

Overall, I think it turned out ok.  The sauce was good.  I'll definitely put the black pepper in next time, and maybe a little less honey.  The problem was the canola oil.  When the sauce was drizzled over the fish, I didn't notice as much, but it definitely left an unpleasant taste on the fish.  I'm not sure if it was because the canola oil is older, or because it's cheap canola oil.

The fish stick idea is still good for a quick, relatively healthy meal.  But it's important to take into consideration the flavor of the oil that you use to cook it in, and how the fish stick absorbs the oil.  I think that going forward, I will continue to use EVOO because even if some of the flavor is present, it is much more pleasing.   Then if I get a small fryer (it's on the registry!!!) I will probably use peanut or vegetable oil.  Of course, if I get a fryer, I can start experimenting with batters...Halibut fish and chips anyone?

Tonight I'm Celebrating National Grilled Cheese Day

Most of the time I try and be very healthy with my cooking, using minimal amounts of oil and butter, fresh ingredients, and smaller portions.  But some days, it's all about making something quick, easy, and delicious.  And when that day happens to be National Grilled Cheese Day, well the healthy cooking just goes out the window and the deliciousness comes rushing in.

Since we were both out and about until later tonight, I just wanted to do something quick, and really, what's better than grilled cheese and tomato soup?  But, in the interest of being a little more adventurous, I didn't go with your basic Campbell's soup and American Cheese grilled cheese (no offense to either of these wonderful products that I grew up on).  For the sandwich, I first put a generous dollop of mayonnaise on two slices of fresh wheat bread from Whole Foods.  Then I add a good bit of Tillamook Cheddar cheese.  For a lot of people, that's enough, but not for me.  Tonight, I wanted to take it to another level.  And how do you take grilled cheese to the next notch?  You add fresh slab cut bacon.  Finally, butter both sides and slowly toast in a skillet over medium heat.  For the soup, I cheated a little (hey, I said I didn't have a lot of time tonight) and purchased a Fire Roasted Tomato Soup.  For mine, I added a little milk, freshly ground black pepper and Tabasco just to give it that extra kick.

That's it.  Some days it's all about being simple, taking it easy, and just enjoying food without a lot of preparation.  I think that's exactly what National Grilled Cheese Day represents.  Just remember the simply enjoyable things in life.

Tomorrow, there will be more, possibly a halibut dish, possibly something else.  But tonight, I'm just going to sit back, enjoy my Coke Zero, and savor the taste of the delicious bacon grilled cheese still on my tongue and the smells still in the air.

A Grocery Shopping Routine

When I'm not out on the ski slopes, or traveling for work, Sundays are my lazy days at home.  This usually consists of sleeping in, having a cup (ok, a pot) of coffee and grocery shopping!  Since today was one of those Sundays, I figured it was the perfect topic for a blog post.

The grocery shopping process has started to take on a little bit of a ritual for me.  In the morning, I start planning out the menu for the week.  I grab my four cookbooks and a cup of coffee and sit down on the couch.  My current collection consists of 2 Bobby Flay, 1 Rick Bayless, and 1 Michael Chiarello cookbooks.  It's a little limited at this point, but it's a nice variety that is helping me learn a little bit more about flavors and techniques.

Before I can start planning, I have to figure out what the weekly schedule looks like for us.  Some nights we have sports or meetings or happy hours that can alter dinner decisions.  Once I get that figured out, I start flipping through the cookbooks.  I usually like to pick one or two things that are completely new that I haven't tried before, and see what ingredients are needed.  Then I jot down a few of the other things I need to make sure I remember, and head to Whole Foods.

Once I get to Whole Foods, I start in the produce section.  I get fruit, typically oranges and pineapples, vegetables, and herbs.  I then look for some of the new ingredients based on the recipes.  This is how I've discovered tomatillos, a variety of peppers outside the bell family, and fresh herbs.  After a couple more laps, just to see what else is around (found passion fruit tonight!!), I head over to the meat section.  This is where I spend the most time.  I start by looking at the fresh fish, then to the pre-seasoned meats, just to get some ideas, and then work my way down the counter from beef to pork to poultry.  In my mind, I'm trying to balance out the proteins, as I don't like to serve the same thing two nights in a row.  Finally, I'll step up to the counter and make my decision.  Tonight I opted for halibut, lamb chops, bone-in/skin-on chicken and a beef rib roast for slow-cooking.  And of course some bacon.

From there, I head up and down each aisle.  There are definitely some things that I always get like milk, yogurt and bread.  Beyond that, I'm taking in the different things, trying to figure out what would be good to have on hand, what would be good to try, and what I need for lunch for the week assuming I'm not going to have leftovers to take with me.

All told, I usually spend anywhere from an hour to an hour and a half in the store.  When I walk out, I only have three or four bags of food, but it is enough to last the two of us a week, and maintain as much fresh food as possible (I end up freezing a few meats for later in the week, but that's all).  Before going home, I will stop by Safeway just to pick up a couple things I can't get at Whole Foods, namely Coke Zero.

All that is left at this point is to put everything away and get to work on a delicious dinner from all of the great ingredients.  Tonight that was a pan-seared pork chop, green chile rice and a simple spinach salad.  It turned out very good, thanks in part to the wonderful ingredients I picked up today.

Deck on Gordito's - Seattle Restaurant Review

Everyone has their standard takeout places.  The top three in no particular order are Thai, Sushi and Mexican.  Ok, well those are the top 3 in our household, and I'd say quite a few Seattle households.  Our Thai restaurant of choice is Thai Ocean in Greenlake.  Our Sushi place is back up for grabs after a sudden quality decline at Mori's in Greenwood.  And, our Mexican place is Gordito's in Greenwood on 85th.

These tend to be quick and easy on days when one doesn't feel like cooking.  Today was definitely one of those days for me.  We were down in Oregon this morning, and I was fully planning on eating somewhere along the way.  But we left early, and I had nothing planned for dinner, so I decided on takeout.  Since we did Thai earlier in the week, I decided on Mexican.

Gordito's was one of the first places we visited when we moved to the Greenwood/Phinney Ridge/Ballard area 3 years ago, and we keep going back.  When I headed up there today, I pulled into the small narrow parking lot to find it full.  I thought I might cruise around and find some other place to try, something new to write about.  But, after a couple of minutes, I decided this was a silly idea because  I was in the mood for Mexican, my Mexican.  So, I headed back to look for parking, and found it across the street.

For some reason, I've never called ahead to Gordito's.  It's not that I couldn't, but they are usually very quick, and I don't mind waiting and watching the cooks do their thing.  It is an interesting setup where the cooking area is behind the cash register and out in the open so you can see the efficiency that goes into the preparation of all of the meals.  There was a line, but it moved quickly as they had one person walking the line, quickly filling out order cards.  That way when you walk to the register, you just hand over the card and get rang up.

I decided on my usual, a wet burrito with chicken.  This burrito is made with a very large flour tortilla, stuffed with rice, black beans, chicken and cheese, and smothered in Gordito's red sauce with a dollop of sour cream, all for under $9.  After about 5 minutes, my name was called, I grabbed my burrito, and headed home for dinner.

When I sit down, the first thing that I do is pour their homemade salsa, also known as a Pihuamo Sauce, all over the top of the burrito to give it that extra kick.  Diving in I'm hit with the savory flavors that I've come to expect from Gordito's.  The tortilla has been warmed and is very nice and soft.  The chicken is always juicy, never dried out.  The rice is simply seasoned, and the black beans tender, but not mushy.  And the red sauce finishes it perfectly, a fairly mild flavor that just meshes perfectly with everything else.

I ended up eating about 2/3rds of the burrito before putting it aside feeling completely full and pleased.  This burrito is at least 33% bigger than any burrito that you get from Chipotle or Qdoba, and far more flavorful.  I don't know if I would say it is the best Mexican I've ever had (in fact I know I wouldn't as the title currently lies with Rick Bayless's Frontera Grill).  But, it definitely delivers the goods.  It is filling and delicious and reasonably priced, everything that I expect when I'm looking for something simple.  With this consistency, Gordito's hasn't given us a reason to even consider another place.

Final Verdict: 4 Stars

Deck On Paseo - A Return Trip That was Better than the Original

Alright, I'm hooked.  I'm a huge fan, a promoter, and borderlilne obsessive when it comes to Paseo.  This is without a doubt one of the greatest food finds I've made since moving to Seattle.   Not that Paseo is a huge secret, it's doors are covered with "Best of" awards.  I just obviously was not paying attention. 

After spending four days on the road, I decided that I would work from home rather than making the 17 mile trek into the office.  The morning started like any other, four hours of conference calls, ending with me trying to figure out what to do for lunch.  It was then that I remembered that I was only minutes from the Paseo in Ballard, and that I was really interested in giving the #8 Pressed Sandwich a try.  So, I headed out.

The first thing I noticed about the Ballard Paseo is that the line was shorter.  I think this owes more to the location away from the University, many businesses, etc. than anything else.  I'm sure it will be packed on the weekends this summer as people make their way to Golden Gardens.  After placing my order, I sat at the counter waiting, savoring the tantilizing aromas of onions and roasted pork (the pressed sandwich does require a few extra minutes of cooking time, so allow for that).  My mouth was watering within a few seconds.  When they called my number, I grabbed my sandwich, and headed back home so I could be properly comfortable, and properly enjoy my lunch.

As much as I enjoyed the #2 Cuban Roast, I think I may have eaten it for the last time.  The #8 managed to absolutely put it to shame.  The #8 incorporates the same crispy bread, wonderfully caramelized onions, juicy roasted pork and incredible special sauce that the Cuban Roast does, but then it gets taken to the next level.  On top of the all of that is added thinly sliced ham, melted cheese (provolone I think), and banana peppers.  It is then pressed together and toasted to perfection.  Biting into it, pieces of the overstuffed sandwich fall on to the plate, sauce drips onto my fingers, and I savor every bite. 

I am definitely looking forward to my next meal at Paseo, but before I make my fandom official, there is one thing I have left to do.  I just found out about Paladar Cubano, a similarly small Cuban style restaurant that boasts the "...only real-deal Cuban sandwich..." in Seattle.  I owe it to you my readers, and myself as a writer to give the competition a fighting chance before pledging my allegiance to Paseo. 

My Boston Food Recap

As I’m sitting here on the airplane, heading back to Seattle, thinking about my food experiences in Boston, I am a little bummed. I definitely didn’t come up with the content that I had envisioned when I found out I would be making this trip. I mean I only got to cross one restaurant off my Boston list in three days. ONE. And only two total food reviews? C’mon! If’ I’m reading my blog, I’m kinda disappointed in me.


In a city that has so many great restaurants, how is it possible that a blossoming food blogger’s restaurant hit list looks like this:

- Clio Restaurant
- J.P. Licks
- Hotel Breakfast Buffet
- Hotel Lunch Buffet
- Dinner Buffet
- Dick’s Last Resort
- Airport Pub
- Dunkin Donuts

Such a promising start that quickly got sidetracked. Yes, I was actually in Andover (about 25 miles north of Boston) at a work training that lasted for 9 hours a day, but that’s a terrible excuse. And there is no excuse for getting talked into going to Dick’s Last Resort (no offense meant to the fine folk at Dick’s, but really?)

So, for those of you that were expecting to read about all these different restaurants, and use my reviews to prepare for your next trip to Boston (I know there has to be one of you out there), I’m sorry. I didn’t really help you. But, I will avenge myself. I will be heading back to Andover in September, and I’m going with a plan and a focus. I will do a lobster roll comparison, trying to find the best in the area. I will make sure I find a restaurant near Fenway Park prior to a Boston game. I will surely not get talked into going to Dick’s, Hard Rock Café, or anything along those lines. Yes, it’s a sacrifice, but it’s something that I will do for you, my readers!

In the meantime, now that I’m heading back to Seattle, I will be able to switch gears and refocus on cooking.

Deck on Dunkin Donuts and Deck on Dick’s Last Resort – Mini Boston Restaurant Reviews

So the last two places that I ate at during my trip to Boston were Dick’s Last Resort and Dunkin Donuts. I’m actually a little disappointed in myself…

Deck on Dick’s Last Resort

When the entire premise of the restaurant is to be abused by the wait staff, the expectations going in are pretty low. To miss, well, that’s just inexcusable. Not only was the food not anything to write about (I’ve had better ribs at McDonald’s and better wings out of the freezer), but the staff couldn’t even live up to the name. Really, if I’m not going to get good food, at least give me the ambiance that I’m expecting. The only thing that made everything palatable was the ever –reliable Sam Adams Lager and getting to know my new colleagues.

Final Verdict: 1 Star (and that’s only because they served Sam Adams)

Deck on Dunkin’ Donuts

Alright, so on the last day of the trip, I had to go to Dunkin’ Donuts (when in Rome…) I keep hearing about how the coffee is great and the donuts are amazing. I saddled up and ordered a Large Black coffee and a Boston Crème donut. Seemed about right. I opened the coffee, added a couple Splenda like I always do with any coffee, took a sip, and…..damn… I felt like Dunkin’ Donuts forgot to put coffee in the coffee. I’ve had instant coffee that had more kick (though sadly it’s the best cup of coffee I’ve had today…Starbucks, save me!!). So, I moved on to the donut, and took a bite. Then another. It wasn’t until the third bite that I actually got some crème (and I don’t take dainty little bites). I have seriously reduced my “sweets” in take as I’m trying to get in shape for my wedding. So, when I splurge, I want to be rewarded, not disappointed. Needless to say, I don’t think I’ll be heading back any time soon.

Final Verdict: 1 Star

The joy of discovery

Earlier today I took this post down saying that a new one was coming. And as I thought about it, I decided to just put it back up. It’s not the best one that I’ve written, but not everyone is going to be perfect. As Seth Godin says, Real artists ship. It’s not always perfect, but it’s always out there and always on-time.


Since I started traveling more and more for work, and started realizing that it's ok to go out to dinner by myself, I've started to pay more attention to shows that feature different restaurants. In fact, I've actually created a spreadsheet that has different cities across the U.S. and restaurants in the vicinity. That way when I have to travel some place for either work or pleasure, I already have a list of places to eat. This is how I found out about the Ken Oringer places, and honestly added Paseo and Salumi to my list of places to try in Seattle.



It's great to have a list to pull from, but I wonder if I'm missing out on the joy of discovering new places. The other night, prior to eating at Clio, I was walking around the neighborhood, primarily up Newbury Street. Before I go further, I want to say tha I am not inentionally bashing Clio or anything; just that it happened to facilitate a thought provoking night for me. Anyway, as I was walking up the street, I just noticed a lot of different cafes and restaurants that seemed interesting. But, I had made up my mind that Clio was my destination, and nothing was going to defer me from that. Heck, I'd even posted on Twitter (@deckonfood) first thing in the morning that I was going to Clio. I couldn't possibly let my half dozen readers down after all the hype. But, did I miss out on a discovery of something better because of my myopic focus?



Actually, as I thought about this, something became clear; it was still a discovery. I wouldn't have known about Clio without watching the shows, and I wouldn't have known about Newbury Street if it wasn't for going to Clio. In fact, I still feel a certain amount of joy because I know next time I'm in Boston, there is an area that I want to go and explore further. In addition, I received a comment that said to check out Toro, which is actually the best Ken Oringer restaurant, and would change my opinion of him.



So, is there a point to this seemingly rambling blog post? Surprisingly yes. The point is that discoveries and opportunities are everywhere. I can find out about new restaurants by watching shows, walking around neighborhoods and asking locals. I can find out new techniques by watching shows, reading books and taken classes. And, the best part; each new discover leads itself to many, many more. It's like exponential growth. I wouldn't have found out about all the places in Back Bay that I now want to try if I hadn't stopped at the one. That's what I hope will make this blog worth your time. The content is everywhere. Everytime I go to a new city, or try something new, many doors are open, and there are many things to write about.



And, as a personal note for everyone out there; your inspiration and your passion come from many different places. A bad experience from one doesn't mean that you should shut down the source. Rather, look for the good that comes out of it; the glass half full perspecitve. If anything, my passion and desire has been solidified the more I thought about my experience. This is why I started what I'm doing; to share my experiences with you, but also to open up new experiences for me. So look out for some great posts in the upcoming months, stories about learning to cook with all the new gadgets I hope to be getting as wedding presents, comparisons of competing restaurants I learned about by watching TV (Geno's vs. Pat's in Philly), and random discoveries like Fainting Goat Gelato. It's going to be a good ride.

Deck on J.P. Licks - Boston Restaurant Review

Sadly, I didn't really have any meals today worthy of blogging about, but that's what tends to happen when you are at a business meeting.  So, when debating what to write about today, I remembered that I owed a quick review on J.P. Licks from yesterday.  Perfect!  I can keep my daily blogging, with something that should be interesting.

So, after my slightly disappointing dinner last night, I decided to skip dessert at Clio, and head back out on Newbury Street.  During my casual stroll, amongst all of the interesting looking shops, cafes and restaurants, I had seen a sign for J.P. Licks that said "$1.00 scoop day".  Seemed like the perfect price to me, so I headed in, and joined the line of at least 30 people inside. 

While standing in line, I started to check out the menu, as well as the surroundings.  I learned that J.P. Licks is a local Boston Homemade Ice Cream shop, currently has 10 stores in the area, and they like cows.  There were cows on the wall, cow spots on the counter and on the floor.  With all of this bovine influence, my ice cream choice was pretty simple; cow tracks.  I'm not usually a huge dessert person, so I ended up going with just a single scoop.  After feeling a little underwhelmed by my dinner portion side, I was absolutely overwhelmed with what was handed to me for exactly $1.00 (including tax) at J.P. Licks.  The picture doesn't quite do it justice.  This was one heaping scoop of ice cream.

I happily grabbed my ice cream, put on my sunglasses, and walked into the lovely Spring evening in Boston.  The first bite definitely hit the spot, and I started to feel some of my disappointment lift.  The ice cream was was very good, nice and creamy.  It featured small peanut butter cups, brownie bites, chocolate pieces, and a chocolate ribbon running through it.  In the short walk that I had back to the car, I was able to pretty much polish off my "one" scoop of ice cream. 

For me, the J.P. Licks Cow Tracks ice cream was on par with Ben & Jerry's.  This puts it higher than Baskin-Robbins and just a touch below Cold Stone.  It's not on the level of Fainting Goat Gelato (that was just incredible), but as far as ice cream goes, it was very good, and it did not make me regret my decision to go to J.P. Licks rather than ordering dessert at Clio.  If you find yoruself in Boston, you should definitely do yourself a favor and make a stop at one of the 10 J.P. Licks locations throughout Boston.

Final Verdict: 3.5 Stars

Deck on Clio Restaurant - Boston Restaurant Review

Ed. Note:  I've introduced a new rating scale from 1 to 5 stars.  Final Verdict is listed at the bottom.

Traveling east for work is always an all day affair.  Usually I'll leave around 10 or 11 in the morning and by the time I get to my East Coast destination, it's 10 or 11 o'clock at night.  This means I'm grabbing dinner at a fast food joint, or something that's open 24 hours.  Not usually the high quality, healthy meal that I'm looking for.  But this time, I decided to sacrifice some sleep and make sure I got to Boston in enough time to get dinner.  And since I was in Boston, it was time to check Clio off my list of restaurants that I wanted to visit.

I became aware of Clio when I saw chef Ken Oringer on Iron Chef America.  I don't remember exactly what he cooked or who he battled against (I suppose I could look it up), but I do remember being impressed enough that I wanted to check out one of his 3 restaurants.  Clio happened to be the closest to Logan Airport and I-93 North, so I decided to go there.  It is located in Back Bay, close to where Massachusetts Avenue and Newbury Street come together.  After a day of airport food, I was definitely looking forward to a good meal.

After walking through the neighborhood for a little bit, I decided to head to dinner a little early.  I walked in just after 5:30, and was the only person in the place.  I was a little surprised because looking at it from the outside I thought it would be dark, but it was actually open, bright and airy.  To the left was the Clio dining room, and to the right the Uni Sashimi Bar/Lounge.  I went to the Clio bar and ordered a Sankaty Light Lager.  After taking a sip, I started looking through the menu.  There was an option of a 3-course market menu, a bar menu and the regular dinner menu.  I considered the market menu, but in the end decided I'd rather have something of the dinner menu.  I narrowed it down to the Black Licorice Roasted Muscovy Duck and Confit, and the Sweet Butter Basted Maine Lobster.  I asked the bartender which she preferred, and she send the Lobster was considered a signature dish, and the duck was very good as well, but would take 35 minutes.  Knowing I still had a drive to Andover and a night of work ahead of me, I went with the lobster.  Additionally I decided to order some oysters as an appetizer.

The bartender laid out a nice dinner set-up for me at the bar which was a first, and nice.  I then got a dinner roll while waiting for my appetizers.  The roll was good, though nothing special.  When the oysters came, I dove in.  They had a yuzu based sauce that gave them a unique flavor.  The oyster was good, nice and tender.  I put the three of them away pretty quickly.  Then came the lobster dinner.  I was excited to dive in, my journalistic focus briefly forgotten (hence the picture of a partially eaten lobster dish).  When I took a bite, the lobster was good, though nothing spectacular.  I was expecting more of a butter flavor, and a little more tenderness in the lobster.  On the other hand, the sea urchin emulsion was very good.  Rich, flavorful, something unique that I had not tasted before.  I think had it been paired with something sweet like Dungeness crab, it was have been excellent.  There was also a small bit of shaved wild asparagus that went with it.

When I finished, I took a quick glance at the dessert menu, and decided against it.  During my walk I had seen a JP Licks that was having $1.00 scoop night, and I figured I would head over there (I will be doing a short post about this one...it deserves its own post).  I paid the bill and headed out.  I wasn't disappointed when I left, but I definitely felt underwhelmed.  There wasn't anything that really stood out to me.  The oysters were good, but I've had better in Seattle.  The lobster was ok, but I think I would have preferred crab in that preparation.  The quantity of food was pretty small, and the prices were pretty high.  All entrees were between $30-$40, the lobster being in the middle of the road.  Maybe my pallete is not completely up to par.  Maybe I didn't order the right thing, or hyped it too much in my mind.  Or maybe I haven't readjusted my expectations for these types of restaurants, but for $66, and I expected much more.

I am not going to say it was a bad experience, but the highlight was the beer and the sauce.  And the big question, will I go back?  Given the sheer number of restaurants just in that area, probably not.  And, I don't think I'm going to take in the other two Ken Oringer restaurants.  Now, don't get me wrong, Ken Oringer is a James Beard Award winning chef and they don't just give those out to anyone.  But, with so many other options in Boston, and across the country, I was hoping to be wowed Bobby Flay or Tom Colicchio style, and I just wasn't. 

Final Verdict:  2.5 Stars.

True Comfort...A meal that is perfect as is.

Today for Easter we decided to take advantage of the stormy weather in Seattle, and head to the slopes. With rumors of 16" of fresh snow in the last 48 hours, we had to get in one last ski day.  So, what does this mean from a food perspective?  Starbucks for breakfast, lodge food for lunch, quick easy comfort food for dinner.  It's kind of our ritual; there's something almost comforting about it.

Starbucks is one of those reliable breakfast stops.  It's not anything super special, but you always know what you are going to get.  I got the Komodo Dragon blend (still prefer the Pike Place Roast), the reduced fat berry coffee cake and a yogurt parfait.  All in all a good healthy and filling way to get started for a day on the slopes.

After a few hours skiing in what turned out to be probably the best conditions we've skied all year, we headed into one of the lodges up at Steven's Pass for lunch.  I'm not sure what the name of it is, but if you are coming down the front side, it is on the one on the far right.  Now, some ski resorts have fantastic restaurants in their lodges.  Steven's Pass unfortunately does not.  We ended up going to the pizza place in the lounge and ordering the combo.  This consisted of an ok piece of pizza (though not as good as even Digiorno), and a "caesar salad" that was pretty much a pile of lettuce with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese and a watered down dressing.  Quite disappointing actually, and next time we will probably go back to our usual fair of chicken alfredo or chili.

But enough of the other things for the day.  The point of this post is not the skiing or the disappointing lunch, but actually our dinner.  Tonight I did the ultimate comfort dinner in our house, beef stroganoff.  This is the meal that we have at the end of long days and long weeks.  This is the meal that is not experimented with or changed.  This is the meal that is quick, easy, and always delivers a smile.  I always have the appropriate ingredients for this so that I can make this whenever in a pinch.  I think that all home cooks either should have a meal like this, or already do.

It's a very simple recipe, one that I've tweaked for freshness, but really have not deviated from.  I start with sauteing some fresh onion and garlic.  Then I add extra lean ground beef and season with black pepper, seasoned salt, and basil.  A lot of beef stroganoff recipes call for something like Sirloin, or other cuts of meat.  I stick with ground beef because it's what we've always used, absorbs the spices well, and my love of steak makes it difficult for me to chop it up and add it recipes like this.  Once the beef is close to brown, I add some white wine.  Then, to finish it, I actually cheat a little.  I pull out the packet of McCormick's Beef Stroganoff seasoning.  I know, it's almost sacrilegious for someone with aspiring cooking skills to rely on the premixed seasoning packet, but it adds the perfect flavor, and like I said, I don't deviate very much.  Then I add in a little sour cream and serve it directly over some steamed calrose rice with green beans.

This simple recipe has become such the comfort meal that any deviation is usually met with some displeasure.  One time I tried ground turkey, another fat free sour cream.  I've tried adjusting the spice blend for the meat.  Nothing works.  The thing is, it's not necessarily that the taste of this is the most amazing taste ever.  In fact, it's probably not the most delicious thing that I've made, and I'm sure with enough experimenting I could enhance it in someway.  But, that's not the point.  The point is that this meal is pure comfort as it is.  And sometimes with food, that is ultimately what is most important.

Deck on Brad's Swingside Cafe - Seattle Restaurant Review

Today was a typical lazy Saturday.  I had a chance to sleep in this morning, have a great breakfast of a Dutch baby (more on this in another post I'm sure), watch some basketball, and just generally relax.  These are absolutely my favorite type of weekends.  And usually, these days end in one of two ways; either I spend most of the day cooking, taking my time on a new recipe or we go explore some new restaurant.  We decided that since we needed to get out and run a couple errands, we would find a new restaurant to go to today.  After a quick bit of searching through the Wallingford and Fremont restaurants listed as participants in the Seattle Restaurant Week, I decided on Brad's Swingside Cafe, a small Italian restaurant on Fremont Ave. (conspicuously located right across from Paseo).  When I called to make a reservation, they said that there was no need for parties under 6.  It was first come, first serve.

Driving to the restaurant, we nearly missed it, and may have if it wasn't for the few lights on the outside.  After a lap around the block to find a parking spot, we walked up.   The interior was exactly what we were looking for when it comes to a restaurant; simple and relaxed.    Overall, it probably holds about 20-30 people comfortably, and it was about 2/3 full.  When we sat down, we were told that the wine list on the table was full bottles and that the by the glass selections were on the chalkboard.  Like I said, our type of place.  

After we ordered a glass of wine and some caprese, we continued to look through the menu.  It was a simple menu in that it only had about 10-15 entrees on it, but it was difficult because so many things were appealing.  Prior to hearing about the specials, we were able to narrow it down to 4-5 items that we liked.  Then we heard the specials, all of which sounded even better than what was on the menu.  In the end, I elected to go with the Sicilian Seafood Farfalle.  Jennifer chose the Lobster Saffron Risotto topped with crab meat.  This was the replacement for the Rabbit Ragu that they were out of.

The caprese came fairly quickly and was good, but like any other caprese I've had.  Of course, they had to substitute the planned heirloom tomatoes with simple vine-ripened tomatoes, so I'm sure that had some impact.  We also had a nice simple bread with olive oil.  For a starter it was good.  And the ambiance definitely made things comfortable and relaxed.

Shortly after finishing the appetizers, our entrees arrived.  I had fully intended on taking a picture of it before I dug in, but that didn't happen.  It looked delicious and smelled even better, and I just grabbed my fork and dug in.  The seafood portion consisted of halibut cheeks, fresh crab, shrimp, and another white fish that I'm not sure what it was.  This dish was different than a lot of seafood pasta dishes I've had for two reasons.  The first was the fish.  Often the fish is overcooked and a little dry, and the restaurant tries to compensate with sauce.  The second is the seafood to pasta ratio where there is a lot of pasta, and not very much seafood.  In both cases, I was pleasantly surprised.  The fish was perfectly cooked, nice and moist.  And there was a lot of it.  When I got to the end of my dinner, I was actually out of pasta with fish still in bowl.  

As for the quality of the food, I was pleased.  The flavors were subtle, and not overpowering.  I took a bite of Jennifer's risotto, and it was nice and rich.  The risotto was very well cooked, and the crab was delicious (though I did get a small piece of shell).  This may not have been "Oh My Goodness" stop eating and savor good, but it was better than your typical neighborhood Italian.  And, best of all, it was very reasonable priced ($18-$30/entree).  I would definitely recommend this place for anyone in the Greenwood, Fremont, Wallingford area.  In fact, there is a good chance that this could become our neighborhood Italian place for repeat visits.

Final Verdict: 3.5 Stars

Bonus Review:  Earlier today, I saw a Tweet from @mariahines, executive chef of Tilth, and Top Chef Masters participant, mentioning Fainting Goat Gelato.  I've actually been in a gelato mood for the past few days after seeing a show on the Food Network.  So, after running a quick errand we stopped by on our way home.  It was absolutely worth it.  There were quite a few different flavors and I narrowed it down to a couple before deciding on the Cinnamon over the Spicy Chocolate.  The first bite was just fantastic.  The creaminess of the gelato was perfect, and the cinnamon flavor just exploded in my mouth. It was a perfect end to my food evening.  I will be going back here again.

Final Verdict 4.5 Stars

Taking it nice and slow

Days that I'm not at work are great for two things; relaxing and cooking.  I really like being able to sleep in, make a pot of coffee, and just take my time getting going in the morning.  And then, I get into the cookbooks and figure out what I want to do.  I usually look for things that require a lot of prep and or slow cooking or a lot of ingredients.  This way I can fill up my entire day in the kitchen which is actually quite a bit of fun.  So, for today's all day cooking adventure, I went with a forever roasted pork dish from the Michael Chiarello Tra Vigne Cookbook.  

I'll admit, going for a slow roasted pork dish is a little bit of a cop out.  I mean, I don't really cook it all day. I do a little bit of prep work, pop it in the oven, and then go have an amazing lunch at Paseo.  But, I was able to learn a couple of new things today.  First, I learned how to use the delay start option on my oven.  Great technology that I think people absolutely need to take advantage of.  And second, I learned a new way to cook a pork roast.  Up until now, my pork roast consisted of mixing up some onion soup mix, sticking a pork roast in it, and cooking it up for an hour or so.  Not any more.

It was actually an incredibly simple dish that turned out well.  I cooked down some onions and a little bit of Meyer lemon, and stuck it inside the roast (I chose a shoulder butt for this one).  Then I rubbed a fennel spice rub all over the outside of it (fennel, coriander, white peppercorn, salt).  I put it in the over, and set the delay timer to cook it at 275, and took off for lunch.  The roast ended up cooking for a total of 5 hours.  Once it hit about hour 4, I started to get a little nervous.  Is it going to dry out?  Is it going to taste ok?  Should I order Thai just in case?  So I opened the oven and stuck a fork in it to see what happened.  Juices came pouring out, a piece flaked off, and it was delicious.  When we finally sat down to dinner, I added some steamed white rice, broccoli, and a lovely Oregon Pinot Noir and made a fantastic dinner (I know I'm biased, but it was gooood).

The delay timer on the oven and slow cooking process is an incredible find for me.  One of the biggest challenges to my cooking is my day job.  I am usually at the office from 8 in the morning until at least 6 at night, so I don't get home until almost 7 with the commute.  That means it is difficult to whip up a meal that requires any type of prep, or various cooking steps (fortunately there are the classics that I can whip out quickly).  But now, I know that I can put something in in the morning, or even the night before that can cook slowly throughout the day, and have the great dinners that I aspire to every evening.  

Deck on Paseo - Restaurant Review

Today was one of those random day off holidays, so I figured it was a great opportunity to try a new recipe and a new restaurant; a perfect food day for me!  I was going to try and get up this morning and check out a nice cafe or bakery, but that didn't happen.  One of these days it will, especially since there is coffee and cafe culture around here that I really have not taken advantage of.  So instead, I decided on lunch.

There were three places I was debating.  The first is Specialty's Cafe, quite possibly my most favorite sandwich place, at this point.  I haven't gone since I was an intern downtown nearly four years ago, but it's downtown, and I've been there before, and this is about new experiences.  That left two places, Salumi and Paseo.  I found out about both of these places from watching the Travel Channel, with Salumi appearing on No Reservations and Paseo on Chowdown Countdown.  I decided on Paseo mostly because it was closer (and because I fully intend on going to the Metropolitan Market in 15 minutes to buy some Salumi Salami, thanks Marnie!).

When I looked up the address for Paseo, I noticed that there are two locations, and that I have driven by both of them many times since I've lived in Seattle.  One is down on Shilshole, near Ray's Boathouse and Anthony's, and I drive past every time I go to Golden Gardens, at least a half dozen times every summer.  The other is on Fremont Ave.  I can't count how many times I've driven and even walked past that location.  When I arrived at 1:30 in the afternoon, there was a line out the door, and I wondered how I could have missed it so many times.

Paseo is a very non-descript restaurant.  In fact, there isn't even a sign.  And don't think about pulling out the credit card as Paseo is cash only.  The line wasn't exactly fast moving; it took about 20 minutes to get to the front to place my order.  But, based on the reviews, I figured it would be worth the wait.  When I finally got to the front, I simply defaulted to the most popular item, the #2 Cuban Roast, as simple combination of roast pork, caramelized onions, cilantro, and the Paseo sauce.  As I was waiting for my sandwich, I was wondering why anyone would want to stay and eat in the small dining room.  The place was packed, and I'm not one that really enjoys eating with a line of people bumping into me the entire time...

Ten minutes after I ordered, I left Paseo with sandwich in hand.  I was hurrying to my car, so I could make it to my appointment on the Eastside.  I had decided that I would wait until I got to the freeway before breaking into my sandwich.  Before I got halfway there, I couldn't take it anymore.  The smell of the pork was just overwhelming, and so, I had to unwrap it and take a bite.  The first bite was pretty good.  The bread was nice and crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside.  The sauce was was excellent, and it had a nice hint of cilantro.  But I realized I didn't catch very much meat or onion.  So, I took another bite.  In the second bite the sandwich went from good to amazing.  The pork was so juicy and flavorful complimented perfectly by the caramelized onions, jalepenos and a sauce with it's hint of garlic (kind of like a garlic aioli).  I quickly took two more bites, and was absolutely in heaven.

I can't believe that I've lived in Seattle for 6 years, and this is my first trip to Paseo.  The sandwich was absolutely perfect, and I will definitely be going back.   I am already planning on doing the number 8, the Cuban pressed sandwich.  This is a spot that I definitely recommend to anyone that has not been there.  Just be sure to bring $10 in cash and your appetite.

And as to the question earlier as to why someone would dine in, I now get it...waiting to bite into that amazing sandwich (and I'm sure the other food) is pure torture.