Deck on Wilde Rover - Kirkland Restaurant Review

Earlier this week, we had some people in town for work from the East Coast.  The first night, we had a big group dinner at the hotel everyone was staying at in Bothell.  It definitely wasn't anything to write about.  So for the second night, the "locals" decided to change things up, and make sure that anyone that wanted to was able to get out.  Since we were in Bothell for the training, downtown Seattle was pretty much out of the question, so for me, the only acceptable solution was Kirkland.  After debating for a little bit, we decided on the Wilde Rover as a place with a good location, outdoor seating (we were hoping for sun), and a casual atmosphere.  We could move on for dinner, but we would at least start at the Rover.

For me, this was my first trip to the Wilde Rover.  I knew where it was, and had been by a couple times, but had never stopped in.  I really don't go out that much on the Eastside; like a lot of people that live in the city.  But I was eager and excited to check out a new place.

The first thing that struck me when I walked in was how big it was there is a large bar in the center, with a dining room in the front and more of an open bar area in the back that leads out to a deck.  There are two pool tables, lots of open floor space for standing, and even a  separate room with a  stage for private functions.  We got a table in the back, big enough to easily seat 11 and started looking through the menus.  It was still happy hour time, but unfortunately there are no happy hour drink specials (a bit disappointing from an Irish pub).  But there were happy hour food specials, so I thought that I would partake. 

My first choice was the Guiness lamb stew which I thought would be a nice compliment to the black and tans I was drinking.  It didn't take long for the stew to arrive, and it looked and smelled pretty good when it was placed in front of me.  I grabbed my spoon, took a bite, and was pleasantly surprised.  It was a nice, robust stew, perfect for the cloudy and dreary day it ended up being. It was full of carrots and potatoes and celery, all of that good stew filling.  It was a bit under seasoned; needing some salt and pepper, though those are things I can add (and seems to be pretty much par for the course with Irish pub food).  The lamb was good, though a little dry.  But, all in all, it was better then I had anticipated, and was good enough that I decided that I wanted to order at least one other item off the menu before Happy Hour had come to an end.  This time, I went for the Meatloaf Sliders.

I'm not entirely sure what it was about the Sliders that drew me in, as they aren't a "traditional" Irish fare, at least as far as I know.  They are made with a blend of ground chuck and ground pork, and served with some slaw and a bit of bacon.  Nothing too fancy at all, but they were delicious.  The meat was incredibly tender and just kind of fell apart.  The bacon was in a sweet, barbecue sauce that worked really well with the meat.  And the slaw was very lightly dressed, which was actually perfect because a sweet slaw and sweet bacon would have been too much.  It offered a bit of a crunch which was a much needed textural balance.  It didn't take me very long at all to make my way through them.

When I walked into the Wilde Rover, my expectation was to have a couple of black and tans, maybe a small bite to eat, and then go somewhere else for real food.  When I left, I felt happy and content, and interested in trying a couple of other things on the menu like the Fish and Chips.  In fact, the only thing that I really found disappointing in the experience was that there was no drink specials as part of the happy hour, which will ultimately keep it from being an Eastside Happy Hour destination.  But if you are in downtown Kirkland, and are in the mood for some Irish food, you really can't go wrong.

Final Verdict - 4 Stars

Deck on Larry’s Smokehouse - Seattle Restaurant Review

One of my biggest gripes about working in Bothell has always been the lack of good restaurants. When I was working downtown as an intern, there were so many places to go try (though I was a little short on funds at that time). In Bothell there are just a couple restaurants and the café, or so I thought. The truth of the situation is that I really never tried that hard to look. If it wasn’t within my line of site when I drove in to work, then it didn’t exist. So, when one of my colleagues suggested we go to lunch at Larry’s Smokehouse, I was game; couldn’t be worse than the alternatives.

Larry’s is located in an area that if I didn’t know better would just look like a series of storage sheds. In fact, I’m pretty sure I’ve driven by a couple of times and never noticed it; not even the smoker sitting out in the parking lot. The outside décor is quite simple, a white awning covering the entrance and a Betty Boop statue (which seems out of place). Inside it isn’t a whole lot different with some older pictures and simple, clean tables. There are some display cases with various smoked items for sale. At the front is a counter where you place your order; no waitresses at Larry’s. It’s the type of place that would be featured on a show like Diners, Drive-in’s and Dives, not a place where the chef is on Iron Chef America.

On the way there, my co-worker told me that their smoked salmon was excellent. But, when I walked up and quickly looked at the menu, I opted for the ½ pulled pork sandwich lunch which came with chips and a side (I went for the slaw). It just seemed like the right thing to order. I also got a soda, which I was told to just grab out of the cooler. The whole thing came to less than $5.

We walked to the cooler, grabbed our sodas, and took a seat at one of the tables. It was only a couple minutes until our food arrived. The sandwich was definitely very good sized. The pork was covered in sauce with more on the side. The bread wasn’t the traditional bun that I was expecting, but more of a French style bread with a soft inside and crispy outside. When I took a bite, the sandwich was very flavorful. The sauce was sweet initially, and left a little bit of heat at the end. The pork was very moist, tender, and quite flavorful. The slaw was your basic cole slaw, with a sweet dressing and cabbage crunch, nothing too unique. I contemplated adding the slaw to the sandwich (Southern style), but since I was with a co-worker and not friends, I opted to save that idea.

For me, it was a very good lunch, full of unexpected flavor. The only drawback for me was actually the bread, as I prefer a bun instead of the crispy bread with my barbeque. But all, in all, I was definitely pleased and will definitely be back. And it gave me hope that there is good food to be found in Bothell, as long as I’m willing to go out and look for it.


Final Verdict – 4 stars

Deck on the Barking Dog - Seattle Restaurant Review

So, I've lived in my neighborhood on the north edge of Ballard for almost 4 years now, and I'm ashamed to say that I've never been to the Barking Dog Alehouse; an establishment located exactly 8 blocks due south.  I've run countless laps around the neighborhood, passing by 70th, and have yet to stop in.  But tonight, as I had no food in the house, and needed something to eat, I finished my run, packed up my computer, and headed down to the Barking Dog.  And you know what, I'm glad I did.

The Barking Dog is a pretty nice place, aesthetically pleasing from the outside, and fitting in nicely amongst the homes in this neighborhood.  There is a small patio outside, and plenty of seating inside.  It's an unassuming place where you walk in and seat yourself, but in typical Seattle fashion, it's a place where pulling out a laptop to work while consuming a beer is not out of place.  The decor is simple, but nice.  And there are flat screen televisions strategically positioned to show a variety of sports.

When I walked in, I grabbed a table along the side so I would have some space to get a little bit of work done while I was eating (this was actually the impetus for me not cooking for myself this evening).  After getting settled, I perused a nice beer list with a blend of local brews on tap, Belgium imports, and some unique beer options.  I settled on a Silver City Red Ale, and then turned my attention to the food menu which was only a couple of pages.  Everything appeared to be simple bar food, but taken up just a notch.  I was trying to figure out what I was in the mood for, and almost narrowed it down to the burger until a part of me just couldn't do it being that I'm still on burger overload from my personal Juicy Lucy Challenge (read about it here).  So, I ended up going with the Halibut and Chips; a fairly safe choice.

After responding to just a couple of e-mails, my dinner arrived.  The halibut was nice and brown, and served over the top of some waffle potato fries.  I'm a malt vinegar guy, so I put a bit on the halibut, dipped it in the tartar sauce and took a bite.  Much to my pleasure, the halibut was cooked very well.  The breading was nice and crunchy with a very subtle flavor, and no greasiness.  The halibut was incredibly moist and was definitely the star of the show as it should be.  The tartar and the malt vinegar accented it very nicely.  I quickly put down that first piece of halibut before I even got into the fries, which were ok, but I'm guessing frozen, not fresh, and lacked just a bit of salt (which I just added myself).

All in all, I made pretty quick work of the halibut, and finished off the fries.  Then I ordered another beer and got some work done.  The meal itself was pretty simple, which is exactly what I was looking for.  And while fish and chips is not a real stretch, and probably not the best indicator of overall performance, I do have to give credit for not overcooking the halibut.  There is nothing worse to me than a dry, ruined piece of halibut.  And the atmosphere was great as well.  I can definitely see myself taking the Heel-Toe Express down to the Barking Dog Alehouse on more occasions to get some work done on nights when it is just me, while trying the more "adventurous" fare such as the grilled pork chop or the bleu cheese and fig ravioli.


Semi-Final Verdict (pending expected trips) - 3.5 Stars

Deck on Lunchbox Laboratory Part 2 - Seattle Restaurant Review

A couple of months ago I visited Lunchbox Laboratory for the first time.  After a pretty good meal, I dubbed it as probably my number 3 burger in Seattle (#2 for the over $10 category).  But that left me still looking to see if I can find something better than I've had at Sport (over $10) or Red Mill (under $10).  In that time, I've gone to a few different places, but still have not found what I'm looking for, so I decided to head back to the Lunchbox Laboratory.  This time though, I was after the dork patty; a combination of duck and pork, and something that has been bouncing around in my head as something that might be pretty darn good.

This time when I went, it was a little after noon, and the line was much longer than the first time.  Not a problem at all as it gave me time to check things out.  While moving through the line, I stopped in a spot where I could see the burgers being prepared.  It was here that I noticed every single thing is prepared to order.  The burger is not thrown on the heat until it is ordered.  The buns are toasted when they are needed.  Even the fries are not dropped into the fryer until someone asks for them.  This approach definitely created a little bit of an air of hurriedness by the two guys preparing every meal, but at the same time ensures that everything is hot and fresh, offering the best flavor possible. 

When I arrived at the front, I placed my order for a Dork 101 with Sweet Potato Fries to go.  The Burger was a 1/2 lb. patty topped by Havarti, Onion, and a Basil Pesto mayo.  All told, it probably took about 5 minutes from the time that I ordered until my burger arrived.  I took my bag and headed home to watch some baseball and enjoy my burger. 

One thing I can say without a doubt is that Lunchbox Laboratory knows how to cook a burger.  You can cut it in half, squeeze it, and see the juices coming out.  The burger had a very mild taste, though I guess you would expect that with duck and pork.  It was nearly overwhelmed by the toppings (mostly the onion), but still stood up pretty well.  It was flavorful, well seasoned, and a very good burger.  And the sweet potato fries were quite excellent, especially when dipped in the sweet chili mayo.  Nice and crispy on the outside, moist on the inside. 

It took me about two innings to polish off the good, messy burger and side of fries.  I can definitely say that I was much more satisfied eating that burger than some of the others I've had, though I still don't think I can move it up past the Sport burger.  The flavors were good, but not "Wow!"  In fact, I think I like the beef a bit more.  And, I think that Lunchbox Laboratory goes just a little overboard with the toppings.  With the first burger it was the bacon, and with this one it was the onion.  Now, don't get me wrong, I actually prefer a little too much over too little, but it would be nice to find that perfect balance at some point.  Anyway, after this burger, and my other experiences, I'm bumping up Lunchbox Laboratory's final score a bit.

Revised Final Verdict - 3.75 Stars

Deck on The Viking - Seattle Restaurant Review

About a month ago, I was driving through Ballard, and I noticed a small building with a neon sign that caught my attention.  I decided that when I had the opportunity, I would swing by and check the place out. This past weekend ended up being the opportunity.  So, on my way home, I decided to swing by and check out the Viking.

The Viking is a small place nestled under some trees on 24th Ave. NW in Ballard.  In the window is a sign that let's people know that the Viking has been serving Ballard since 1950.  There is also a sign that caught my attention that said "Fresh Smoked Meats, Ribs and Chili".  Now I'm a big fan of the fine dining experience, but at my roots, there is nothing like a great burger or barbeque.  So, I felt compelled to try any place that is advertising it's smoked meats in the window.

Walking in, I noticed that the Viking is the quintessential neighborhood bar.  The bartenders greeted many of the patrons by name, knowing what they liked to drink.  In the back was a shuffleboard table, and various softball trophies lined the wall.  I picked out a seat at the bar, and ordered myself a Manny's.  After taking a sip, I checked out the menu which was a single sided sheet.  I was going to order dinner when I noticed that everything on the menu was available for takeout.  I'm not opposed to eating by myself at a restaurant, but since I'd been traveling for a little while, and had a nice comfortable couch waiting for me, I decided that taking it home with me would be a good idea.  So, I finished my Manny's, ordered a second, and placed a to-go order for a Number One (beef brisket sandwich) and an order of two ribs.  In less than the amount of time it took me to finish my second beer, my dinner was brought to me.  I paid the bill (only $25 with tip), and headed home.

On the drive home, the smell of the barbeque sauce was intoxicating.  By the time I got home, my mouth was watering and I was excited.  I got situated and opened up the two different boxes.  I decided the first place to start was the brisket sandwich.  Biting in, I was pleasantly surprised.  The barbeque sauce was a tangy, not too spicy sauce with a strong tomato taste, and just a hint of sweet.  I would say that it was more of a Texas style sauce in my limited barbeque experience.  The brisket was good too, very flavorful, though a tad less smoky than I'd hoped for.  The whole thing was served on an onion roll that soaked up the sauce, and was the perfect amount of messy.

After a couple bites of the sandwich, I set it down, and turned my attention to the beef ribs.  They were coated in what appeared to be the same barbeque sauces as the brisket.  Biting in, the flavors definitely exploded in my mouth.  The meat was very flavorful, and again complemented nicely by the barbeque sauce.  The ribs were very good, and honestly a bit unexpected coming from the little place in Seattle.  Compared to the Kansas City Ribs that I had, the spice rub was a little less powerful, and they weren't quite "bite clean off the bone"tender, but I was very pleased.

The Viking was a great little find for a neighborhood bar with great food.  I will definitely be back, especially because there is a Southern Style pork sandwich that I absolutely want to try.

Final Verdict - 3.5 Stars

Deck on Bakery Nouveau - Seattle Restaurant Review

On Sunday morning, I was playing in a volleyball tournament at Alki Beach in West Seattle. As I was heading out there, I was thinking about what to do for breakfast. My normal ritual when heading out there is to either stop at Starbucks, or possibly get there and walk down to the Alki Bakery. This time though, realizing I had a little time, I decided to check out a place that I’d read and heard a little about; Bakery Nouveau. This turned out to be a great decision all at the same time.


Bakery Nouveau is a small bakery located on California Avenue, tucked in amongst some other shops. Had I not been using my GPS, the chances were pretty good that I would have driven right past it and not even noticed. As fate would have it, I noticed just in time, and got a parking spot right by the front door. The first thing I noticed when I stepped out of my car was the smell drifting toward, almost like a finger just beckoning me to come in. And so I obliged.

Walking in, I took in as much as I could. The interior was pretty simple, with a few seats for people. But the display cases were quite the opposite. Complex and delicious looking desserts and candies filled the first case. Breads were in the second area. And then in the third were the pastries. It was here that I focused my attention on. After a short amount of deliberation I opted for the Pineapple Croissant along with the Almond Croissant, probably the most famous pastry to come out of this quaint little shop. I figured that since I was playing volleyball all day, I could splurge on two pastries. I also got a cup of coffee, the entire bill coming to about $10. I paid, and then took my bad of croissants with me to the beach.

Once I got to the beach and got myself situated, I dove into my breakfast. The pineapple croissant was delicious. Very flaky crust, but still soft and moist on the inside. The pineapple maintained its texture and integrity, and added that perfect amount of balanced sweetness. Not to mention the entire thing was in the shape of a pineapple. But, as good as the pineapple croissant was, it couldn’t stand up to the Almond croissant. Talk about delicious and fantastic and incredible and all of those other adjectives. The first bite was one of just flaky, melt-in-your-mouth deliciousness. The flavors just explode in your mouth, the butteriness of the croissant with the just right almond flavor. It was just right, a perfect breakfast to start the morning.

Without a doubt the almond croissants are as good if not better than advertised. I will be planning on making a stop at Bakery Nouveau pretty much every time we go to West Seattle for at least one croissant. And if we ever end up moving to West Seattle (which isn’t out of the question), it is going to be incredible difficult to not stop by every morning on my way to the office. Guess that means I better figure out a workout plan now…

Final Verdict – 5 Stars

Deck on Elysian - Seattle Restaurant Review

For some reason I've set on this search for the best burger in Seattle.  I really enjoy a lot of good food, but there is just something about a great burger that can always put a smile on my face.  So, the search for the burger continued this weekend when I met one of my friends at the Elysian in SoDo prior to the Mariner's game.

The Elysian has always been a good place to meet prior to baseball and football games down in SoDo, especially when you bring the girls.  It's not a typical sports bar, they brew their own beer, and it has a little bit of class.  On this particular evening, the place was pretty full with Mariner fans getting ready for the game and Sounders fans enjoying the end of their day downtown.  When I got there, I ordered an amber and a burger.  When asked if I wanted cheese, I decided on pepperjack, adding a little spice to my life, on a medium burger.  And of course I got fries to go with it.

When the burger arrived, it looked nice, served open so I could add my own condiments.  I decided to only add one piece of lettuce (I'm just not a huge lettuce fan), the tomatoes, red onion, and roasted red pepper for a little extra flavor.  I then put the top on and cut it in half.  The burger had a nice color to it, but wasn't overly juicy.  When I bit in, I actually got a piece of paper that had been used to separate the slices of cheese, so I was a little disappointed by that.  When I removed it, and took another, non-paper filled bite, the burger was much improved.  The red pepper was a very nice flavor addition, but the burger itself was a little bland.  I really prefer my burgers to be very flavorful and juicy, dominating the flavors of the bite, with the other toppings simply accenting the ultimate flavor of the burger.

So, while the burger was merely ok, the fries were quite excellent.  They were perfectly crispy on the outside while remaining moist on the inside, and were salted very well.  Even at the end of the meal, when they had cooled down, they remained crisp and flavorful.  They were exactly what I want in a french fry.  In the end, I'm still looking for that amazing burger, but the Elysian will definitely remain one of our pre-game stops.  The food is good, though I'll have to try something a little different next time, and the vibe is just right.



Final Verdict - 3 Stars

Deck on Delancey - Seattle Restaurant Review

For the past few days, I've had a hankering for pizza.  Not the Papa John's or Pizza Hut variety, but a good wood-fired pizza.  Plus, I wanted to check out more places in my neighborhood.  So everything lined up for a trip to Delancey.

Delancey is located on a small, quiet side street in the Ballard area.  As I walked in, I was greeted by the pleasant aromas of pizza sauce and cheese.  I waited a couple minutes and was given a seat at the counter, where I could watch the pizzas being made, and enjoy the pleasantness of the wood-fire grill.  Prior to going to Delancey, I had read a lot about the lines out the door, but was fortunate not to have a long wait.  I also read some negative reviews that the lines are unexpected from a pizza joint. I should say here that Delancey isn't some pizza joint where you just go get a slice and head out.  It's a place where you sit down and enjoy a nice meal that happens to be pizza.

Anyway, inside Delancey, there is just a very fun vibe.  The decor is very simple; concrete floors, simple tables and chairs, a little art on the wall.  The Rat Pack was playing on the stereo in the background, loud enough to be heard, but soft enough to not interfere with the conversation.  The hostess was pleasant, the waitress had a smile on her face.  The only thing better would have been to be able to sit outside in the late afternoon sun, but unfortunately Delancey does not have outdoor seating...yet.  It's coming, as soon as they can set up a barrier to appease the City of Seattle.

Sitting down, I decided to order a Chuckanut Lager.  In hindsight, I should have gone with a glass of vino (not that the beer was bad, it was quite refreshing actually, but the food and atmosphere definitely said Cab).  I looked over the menu, debating between the Margherita, Sausage, and Proscuitto (everything looked so delicious).  It was at that time that I was informed of the evening special, a New York inspired white pizza, made with fresh and aged parmesan, grana (a hard cheese from Italy), Housemade Ricotta and green garlic.  It sounded delicious, and since I couldn't make up my mind anyway, I just went with it.

It couldn't have taken more than 10 minutes before my pizza was brought to me.  In that time, I was able to just watch the preparation of the pizza, one person making them, one cooking, and the two waitresses delivering.  It was surprisingly calm, but non-stop.  The cooking was non-stop, no more than 2 or 3 pizzas in the oven at any given time, each being watched and rotated.  When my pizza was placed in front of me, I was definitely excited.

The small pizza was cut into six slices.  I grabbed the first, and was surprised at just how thin the crust really was, and how light the pizza was for all the cheese.  Biting in, I was immediately pleased.  The crust was that perfect level of crispiness; not overcooked and burnt, not undercooked and chewy.  Just a nice crisp crunch like a cracker with the appropriate amount of blackness.  The cheese blend was nice and subtle too.  Not overpowering, not too greasy, just a nice blend of cheeses.  And the garlic also was a nice compliment without overpowering the piece of pizza.

I continued to work my way through the pizza, enjoying each bite.  It was totally hitting the spot, and exactly what I was looking for on the evening.  Then on my second to last piece, I got an added bonus.  On this slice was the largest amount of the housemade ricotta; and it was delicious.  Just an extra level of creaminess that I hadn't fully experienced on my other pieces.  It almost left me a little disappointed that there wasn't more of this delicious cheese all over the pizza.  I quickly finished this and my last piece of pizza, then nursed my beer for a little bit, just taking in the environment.


Delancey definitely offered a very good pizza in a very nice environment.  If I had one negative, it would be that I wasn't able to try more slices.  Watching the Proscuitto Pizza being made with it's tomato base and covered in very thinly sliced procuitto go out, or the sausage with the homemade sausage, I was left wanting to try more.  The New York inspired white pizza was very good, but watching the others go out, I wonder if one of them wasn't better.  I guess that is one way to get me to go back for more.  Overall, it was a good experience, and met my expectations (though didn't quite exceed them).  For that, I will say that Delancey is absolutely worth going to for a nice casual evening out.  It was a little on the pricey side ($22 for a beer, pizza, and tip), but if you set your expectation that you aren't going out for a slice, but for dinner, it's not that bad.  Tonight I went out by myself, but I will be back with friends or my wife at some point.  And as to whether or not it is worth waiting in line?  I'd say it is worth a 20 to 30 minute wait, mostly because you can easily kill that time in the neighborhood.

Final Verdict - 4 Stars

Deck on Blue Moon Burgers - Seattle Restaurant Review

It wasn't too long ago that I started writing and Twittering about food, and the one of the first Seattle area restaurants to start following me on Twitter was Blue Moon Burgers.  I followed back and decided that when I got a chance I would be sure to stop in and try a burger that I had been reading about.  Tonight, as I was deciding what I wanted to do for dinner, I got a tweet that said it was 1/2 price burger night at Blue Moon Burgers.  I figured that tonight was as good a night as any to check it out, so after my run, I headed down to Fremont for a burger, filled with high expectations.

Walking up, I liked the area.  It has a great location, with adequate outdoor seating.  I thought this could be a good place to spend a leisurely Friday happy hour.  Inside the restaurant was clean and wide open, with seating for about 50.  It was about 3/4 full with a couple of people in the line.  Looking at the menu, I decided to go with the Southwestern Burger.   The Southwestern Burger included jalepeno bottlecaps (breaded jalepenos), pepperjack cheese and a spicy sauce.  It was really the only one on the menu that really jumped out at me (I was actually planning on trying the Blue Moon Club Burger that I saw online, but it wasn't on the menu board).  I also ordered a side of the hand-cut fries.  The burger is half-price on Wednesdays if you order a side or soda.  So I was pretty excited when I got my whole meal for about $6.  I asked for the whole order to go, and stepped aside to wait for my order.

After about 15 minutes of standing around waiting for my order, I was getting a little restless.  I understand making things to order, but it seemed to be taking a little longer than it should.  In actuality, it was taking about as long as you would expect a burger to take at a place like Sport, and I had expectations that it would be more the speed of Red Mill.  Anyway, I decided to sit down at a table and wait.  This gave me time to read up on the quality beef used in the burgers from Thundering Hooves in Walla Walla, WA.  It's all 100% grass-fed beef, with no hormones or grain feed.  After about 10 more minutes, my food came out.  I thanked the gentleman and headed out the door.  

Upon arriving home, I was ready to eat.  I pulled everything out of the bag, cut the burger in half and settled in.  I picked up the burger and got ready to take a bite.  The first thing that I noticed was that the burger patty itself was a little smaller than I had expected for a 1/4 lb. burger.  It was also cooked medium to medium-well with just a hint of pink (a little more cooked than I like).  Taking my first bite I was hit by a good bit of spice, which was enjoyable.  But, I totally lost the taste of the burger.  It wasn't that the spice overpowered the burger, but more that the burger couldn't stand up to the flavors being used as the seasoning or as part of the sauce.  I took a couple more bites trying to coax flavor out of the burger, but just couldn't really find it.  I finished the first half, and turned to the fries.

Taking the first bite of fries, I was again let down.  A great french fry is crispy on the outside, but still soft and moist on the inside.  These fries were just cooked all the way through, almost like one of those natural potato chips, but without much salt.  Not to mention they were barely warm.  Now, I know I took them from the restaurant to my house, and ate half a burger first, but it couldn't have been more than 15 minutes, and they were wrapped from the time I left until I got home.  They really tasted like they had been cooked and left out where they just continued to cook under a heat lamp or above the fryer.  I ate a few more fries, trying to dig through the pile for ones that were still a little soft on the inside.  In the end, I just stopped eating them.

I really don't like writing reviews like this, especially because I was so excited for Blue Moon Burgers.  I really, really wanted it to be good.  But in the end, it just wasn't that good.  The burger was small, not juicy at all, and just unable to stand up to the flavors.  The lettuce was warm and just overwhelming (I had to pick off two chunks), and the onion was almost non-existent.  When I bite into a hamburger I want to taste the beef, complimented by whatever is added to it, with juice flowing.  You should be able to squeeze the burger and see the juice seep into the bun (like the burger from Lunchbox Laboratory).  The one highlight was the jalepeno bottlecaps, which I could have eaten an entire tray of on their own. 

If you are looking for a place to have an ok burger and a beer, and hang outside in Fremont with your buddies, then Blue Moon is a good spot.  But if you are looking for a great burger in Seattle, Blue Moon is not the place to go.  Sport, Red Mill, Lunchbox Laboratory.  All of these offer a much better burger experience.  

Final Verdict - 2 Stars

Deck on Scooter's Burgers - Seattle Restaurant Review

So, I was out running errands in Ballard the other day, when I decided that I wanted to stop and get a little something to eat.  I started by heading down Market, which anyone that has been in Ballard on a sunny Saturday knows is a mistake.  Finally, by the time I got to 24th, I was ready to head home.  I was tired of being in the car, and figured I could make myself a sandwich or something at home.  It was at that point that I noticed a little burger restaurant behind some trees out of the corner of my eye.  Being open to trying something new, I turned in. 

When I walked in, I felt like I had stepped back in time a little bit.  It wasn't that it was old and run down or anything.  Scooter's Burgers just had this retro vibe about it.  The menu board was very simple, black and white with red headers.  The restaurant didn't really have any tables, just chairs along counter rails.  There were awards on the walls, most from at least 5 years ago.  It was just the perfect little burger joint for what I was looking for.

So, when I got to the counter, what did I order?  Turkey and Swiss naturally.  I spent a lot of time trying to talk myself into a burger, but knowing that I was going to be doing fried chicken for dinner later, I decided I had to go with something lighter, and the turkey seemed like a good way to go. 

After a few minutes, I got my sandwich and headed home to dive in.  When I unwrapped it and pulled it apart, the cheese just kept stretching; so much delicious looking swiss cheese that I finally had to pull it apart with my fingers.  When I took the first bit, I was pleasantly surprised.  The turkey was very flavorful and moist, not heaping, but not skimping either.  The cheese was as expected, very gooey.  But added to that was a bit of onion and freshly sliced tomato.  This provided a little crunch and a little unexpected flavor boost.  The whole thing was served on a nicely toasted sourdough bread that just brought the whole thing together. 

It was not a huge meal, or even the thing that Scooter's is known for, but it was a great little sandwich that absolutely hit the spot.  The other thing is that it left me wanting more and wanting to go back to get what they are known for, burgers and shakes.  To me it really says something when you can deliver on something as simple as a turkey and cheese sandwich, and exceed expectations.

Final Verdict - 4 Stars

Deck on Taqueria Tequila - Seattle Restaurant Review

Ah, Cinco de Mayo.  A day to commemorate the Mexican victory at the Battle of Puebla.  A holiday that is celebrated predominantly in the state of Puebla, and the U.S.  But I guess that makes perfect sense in a country that celebrates St. Patrick's Day for the Irish, Chinese New Year and of course Oktoberfest.  We Americans can't pass up the opportunity to celebrate a culture with food and libations.  So who am I to do any differently?  In honor of Cinco de Mayo, I put my work aside, and made my way to the nearest Mexican restaurante to tip my cup, and say Salud in the celebration of Mexican culture.

For me, the nearest establishment is the Taqueria Tequila in Greenwood.  I have lived in the area for going on 4 years now, driven by the Taqueria hundreds of times, and have yet to stop in.  Today, however, I made it a point to go, I no longer had any good excuses.  Plus, when I checked it out online, I saw some pretty good reviews.  So, after my run, I grabbed my computer and headed out to the Taqueria in search of food and drink.

Arriving at the Taqueria, I didn't find any parking.  I thought that this was a good sign, meaning that there were many people here (nothing worse than an empty Taqueria on Cinco de Mayo).  After parking up the street a little ways, I made my way in.  I found out that the Taqueria is divided into two parts, the main restaurant and the bar.  In the main restaurant, the tables were full, so I went next door to the bar where I found a seat.  While waiting for a bartender to reappear, I made some observations.  First, it was surprisingly quiet.  I would think at 7:30 on Cinco de Mayo, there would be a lot more people, or at least some loud mariachi music playing.  Second, there weren't that many people.  And third, considering how few people there were, it sure was taking a long time for me to get noticed and get a beer.  Finally, after about five minutes the bar tender noticed me and I was able to order my Dos Equis.  A couple minutes after that, two tables opened up, so I moved down from the bar to grab one.

After perusing the menu for a few minutes that was in no particular order (appetizers started at number 30), I decided I would start with a couple of the highly reviewed carnitas tacos as appetizers and go with the Plato Tequila for the main course.  I closed my menu and tried to get one of the two waitresses to notice me so I could place my order.

Once I was finally able to place my order, it didn't take long for the food to arrive...all at once.  Oh well, no big deal I thought.  The tacos were not that big, and everything would still be at least warm when I was ready to dive in.  So, I rearranged myself, and took a bite of the first carnitas taco.  I would say I was happy with the first bite.  The tacos were very simple, consisting of the pork, onion and cilantro in two corn tortillas (not sure why I got two tortillas).  The meat had a nice flavor to it, but wasn't super juicy, and combined with the two tortillas it was a little dry overall.  This was not something that was running down my arm juicy, that's for sure.  But, I did enjoy the tacos and thought that the meal was off to a pretty good start.  I quickly downed the second taco and got ready to dive into my Plato Tequila.

The Plato Tequila was a simple combination platter that consisted of carne asada, a chile relleno, and the traditional refried beans and rice that you get at so many family Mexican restaurants.  I also got some flour tortillas (though I'm pretty sure I ordered corn) that seemed to be store bought.  Anyway, the real driver in my decision was the chile relleno.  As I've gotten into more of my own cooking, and working through recipes from the likes of Bobby Flay and Rick Bayless, I've been using different chiles more often, and really acquiring a taste for them.  I was looking forward to seeing what they had done with the poblano chile, but first, I wanted to get a little sample of everything else.  I started with the rice and beans, and they were the same rice and beans I've had hundreds of times before.  A little bland, nothing super exciting, just kind of there.  So, I moved to the carne asada.  Again, it was ok, but nothing I haven't had before.  The sauce was good, but it was masking meat that was again a tad overcooked.  That left only the chile, which I was hoping would save the meal.  I cut into it, took my first bite, and was disappointed.  There was something off with the flavor of the chile.  I'm not sure if it had anything to do with them not roasting it or skinning it, or if it was just the quality of the chile, but the flavor was not good.  Giving them the benefit of the doubt, I took another couple of bites before I had to stop.  I just couldn't finish it.

After finishing my beer, I paid my check which came to $26, which just bummed me out even more.  For that price I could have bought all the ingredients I needed to make Enchiladas de Coloraditos again, or something else far more flavorful from Rick Bayless' cookbook.  The meal was a let down; a collection of slow service and bland food.  There wasn't a spice to be found in anything.

It took me four years to go here the first time, and it will probably be the last time.  Something like Gordito's far exceeded what I got tonight in terms of flavor and value.  Tacos Guaymas provides a similar type of food (maybe a bit better), but has always had a fun Cinco de Mayo atmosphere.  Maybe it's because I'm spoiled in that I was able to have truly authentic Mexican food at Frontera Grill so everything else is a bit of a let down.  But even if my expectation was what has become the slightly watered down "family-owned" Mexican that we find across the country in towns like Cheyenne, Wyoming, I would have been let down.


Final Verdict - 1.5 Stars

Grillin' Seattle Style

Without a doubt, my favorite food is steak.  And, in my mind, there is no better way to cook it than on a grill.  But sometimes that can be challenging.  Our kitchen is on the second floor and the grill is in the back yard.  This means if I want to grill I either have to walk down the stairs through the hallway and the office to get to the back yard to man the grill, or we have to eat out on the back patio.  The first becomes challenging when I am cooking other things not on the grill and am running up and down the stairs.  The second is fine with one exception...we live in Seattle.  This means that for at least six to nine months out of the year, it is either dark, cold or rainy (and usually some combination of the 3) which are not ideal for eating outside.  

Up until tonight, when I wanted a steak I would either brave the elements and darkness to cook outside, or use a sort of double sided skillet/grill for the stove.  Cooking outdoors in inclement weather is not ideal because I don't want to track things into the house, and in the darkness it is difficult to see the food in order to check for doneness.  And with the skillet/grill plate, it took up two burners on the stove which made it challenging if I was cooking a couple of sides, and the temperature was difficult to maintain since there was always a part of it not directly on the heat.  Not to mention I couldn't put anything directly on it.  I made this mistake once and ended up using steel wool and scrubbing away the coating on the metal.  So, what was different about tonight?  Enter the Calphalon Grill Pan.

The Calphalon Grill Pan is fantastic.  It is small enough that I can place it on one burner, but large enough to accommodate plenty of meat as well as regulate the temperature.  It has the raised grill ridges, but is made of a non-stick surface that nicely releases the meat to flip without the need to heavily oil or spray the pan.  And, it allows me to grill my steaks inside, upstairs during inclement weather and darkness like I experienced tonight.  When we got this pan for our wedding, I had a feeling it was going to be the first thing that I tried.

Usually when I do a steak dinner, I like to keep things simple.  My preferred cut of meat is a rib eye, followed by a New York Strip.  I always buy my meat at Whole Foods because of the level of quality I know I'm going to get (though I bet if I searched enough I could find a butcher with even higher quality meat).  At Whole Foods they do a great job, cutting nice thick steaks that are well marbled and incredibly flavorful.  On most days I go with the "regular" steaks, but on days when I want to splurge I go with the dry-aged.  There is nothing like a dry-aged rib eye to put a smile on my face.  For dinner tonight, I opted for the New York Strip because they happened to be on special.  

In preparing my steaks, I don't do anything particularly special.  I first put on some Montreal Steak Seasoning (hands down the best I've used).  It is primarily sea salt and black peppercorns, with a little bit of garlic and other seasonings.  For Jennifer's steak I sprinkle it on and rub it in.  For mine, I add it much more liberally and press it down into the meat with the goal being to create a sort of crust when it is cooked.  It will be a little saltier and have a little more of a pepper kick.  Then I brushed a little bit of extra virgin olive oil on both sides (you can do the olive oil first and then the spices).  I put her steak on first as she likes it medium, and wait a little bit before adding mine.  One of the tricks to a great steak is to not move it around that much.  Put it on one side, let it cook, flip it, and let it cook.  Sometimes I'll do a quick flip just to put the cross grill marks on, but that's just for looks.  Then, take it out and let it rest for at least five minutes.  I learned this from watching multiple cooking shows and you do it for good reason.  By letting it rest, the juices stay in the meat, and it stays nice and moist while you eat it.  if you cut into a steak right away, the juices flow out, and then meat tends to dry out.

To accompany the steaks, I made some steamed white rice (Asian style in the rice cooker) and sauteed some sliced red pepper in olive oil, salt, pepper, and a splash of balsamic vinegar.  I also made up a honey dijon vinaigrette to accompany the steaks.  The thing is, we never used it because both of us prefer to just have a very well-cooked steak that doesn't need any type of steak sauce or anything.  In fact, if I'm putting steak sauce on a steak, someone screwed up. 

I am super excited about the Grill Pan.  I do still need to figure out how to maximize it a little bit more.  I don't think I got it quite hot enough, which led to Jennifer's steak being a little closer to medium rare, and mine a little closer to rare, though the came out much better than when I used the skillet/grill plate.  The amount of smoke generated was less than previous methods, and I was able to cook directly on the pan without the need for an aluminum foil liner.  Many more meals will definitely be cooked this way, at least until we get a couple of sunny afternoons.

Deck on Joule - Seattle Restaurant Review

One of the best things about having guests in town is that it is an excuse to go out to dinner and try a new place.  After a little bit of debate, and looking over some different menus, we decided to give Joule a shot, thinking the fusion of Korean, French and American was something unique.  Plus, with the two executive chefs being featured on Iron Chef America, there was no way we could go wrong.  So we pulled up the site, and made an 8:30 reservation.  The hope had been to go a little earlier, but given it was already Friday evening, we were glad to be able to get a table for 4 when we could.

As 8:30 approached, we were all hungry and ready for an amazing meal.  We made our way to Wallingford and walked into Joule right at 8:30.  Unfortunately, our table wasn't quite ready when we got there.  The hostess recommended that since it was going to be 15-20 minutes, we should go next door to the teahouse to wait since there wasn't a lot of room in the restaurant.  We were a little disappointed, but headed next door to wait for a few minutes.  After 20 minutes and a couple cups of tea, I walked back over to see if our table was ready.  I was told that it was, and so I went to get the other members of the party.  In that amount of time, our table was given away to people that had a reservation after us.  We then had to stand for another 5 minutes while a different table was cleared before we could sit.  This table was right in the middle of the restaurant, making it very loud, and difficult to hold a conversation, though it had a nice view of owners Seif Chirchi and Rachel Yang cooking in the kitchen.  Not exactly the start that I was expecting for a restaurant the caliber of Joule.

Given the fact that we were all very hungry now, and we had looked at the menu online already, we were ready to order...until we realized that the menu online and the menu at the table were different.  I was excited to try the duck breast entree and "mac and cheese" with black truffle side, but neither were available when we actually walked into the restaurant.  So, I quickly went back through the restaurant, and decided to go with the black cod.  We also got the whole branzino, lamb, and sides of green bean casserole and gnocchi.  After about 5 minutes, we decided to order a glass of wine, and after spending the next 3 minutes trying to flag down our waitress, we finally got her attention and ordered.  With food ordered, and wine on the way, we settled into a conversation, albeit a strained conversation due to the noise.

After a bit of time, we were starting to get restless.  Checking our watches we realized that it was 9:45, an hour and fifteen minutes after our original reservation, and we still had consumed nothing but water and a half glass of wine.  No bread or anything was brought to the table, and we hadn't thought to order a salad or soup (the only things that appeared to be appetizers on the menu).  Now we are a little upset to say the least, especially because there were people that came in after us that had already received food.

Finally, at 10 o'clock, the food started to come out, and we dove in, barely pausing long enough to take a couple pictures.  This is where the evening picked up a little bit.  The presentation of the food was gorgeous, and the smells rising up from the plate would have started our mouth-watering had we not already been salivating due to hunger.  I stuck my fork into the cod and watched a piece just slide off.  When I took a bite, I was definitely pleased.  The fish was perfectly cooked, nice and moist, almost buttery in texture.  It was accompanied by a chimichurri type sauce that blended very nicely.  From there, everything was kind of a blur as we passed around bites of food and practically inhaled dinner.  I tried a bite of the lamb which was good, though a tad overcooked (I prefer lamb at medium rare and it was bordering on medium well).  However, when you added the olive and pepper mixture, the flavors did blend very nicely, and improved it significantly.  The branzino was ok, a tad dry, even with the sauce that accompanied it.  The sides were delicious.  The green bean casserole was more of a soy bean, with shittake mushrooms that was quite flavorful, which is saying a lot coming from a person that normally picks mushrooms out of anything and everything.  And the gnocchi was light and flavorful, especially when you got a piece of bacon, or some bacon juices on it.

After about 20 minutes, all we had left were some scraps, having successfully polished off most everything that had been placed in front of us.  When the waitress came by to take the plates, we asked for the check immediately without looking at the dessert menu.  I'm sure the desserts would have been beautifully presented, but we'd already been there almost 2 hours and were anxious to get going.  Besides, Fainting Goat Gelato was four doors down, and we knew that would be delicious without the significant wait.  The check came and we paid, a very reasonable $110 for 4 people, and then headed out to get some gelato (the amaretto is now ranked right up there with Pistachio and Cinnamon...amazing!!)

Overall, the quality of the food and the presentation at Joule were great.  But, the experience is kind of like this post.  There is a long lead in with an empty table, followed by a quick dining experience, and then heading out the door to the best gelato in Seattle.  I definitely appreciate the time and effort that went into crafting each and every plate, but it would be nice to know that there is going to be significant time from the order to receipt of the food, and either provide bread, or strongly recommend an appetizer. This is a place I would definitely consider taking people, but I would want to be sure we weren't hungry, that we had time, and that we at least ordered some soup.



Final Verdict - 4 stars (I deducted about .25 stars for service).