The greatest joy of jury duty is going to the diners around Pioneer Square that are only open for lunch on weekdays, i.e. Salumi’s. I tried Tat’s Delicatessen for the first time, as I soft spot for cheesesteak. How can you go wrong with cheese and steak? An 8 inch sub loaded with steak, cheese, onions, bell peppers (mushrooms and hot peppers if you want them) is only $8.50 and it is LOADED. Loaded to the point where the poor hoagie holding the entire monstrosity together almost fell apart before I could get through the first quarter of the sandwich (maybe I’m a slow eater). The steak isn’t very flavorful, but the sheer heft and value makes it worth it.
An Evolution
Posted onWe all learn and we all grow. I haven’t updated this blog since March and it’s unsettling; stagnated. I still love food and offering my opinions about it, but I think I was getting bogged down in the writing. So, I’m going to try something a little different, using a more straight forward voice. Make no mistake, I’m still a princess, but instead of crafting stories, I’m going to tell you the way it is my from perspective, because honestly, that’s what I do best. Hopefully this new tone allows me to post more frequently, because content is what brings you here! Look forwarding to hearing more often them from me!
~nikeheart
An Enchanted Evening – El Gaucho’s Seattle
Posted onOnce upon a time, a Black Knight, was tasked with finding a suitible restaurant for celebrating a birthday for a Princess. After much deliberation, he settled on El Gaucho’s, Seattle’s premiere steakhouse. From the moment they entered, the evening was enchanted. Live music floated through the night, the generous and attentive wait staff wished the Princess many more successful years. To try the vaulted specialities of the restaurant, they both ordered the tasting menu.
The Princess loves truffles, so naturally, the Insane Truffle Soup was love at first taste.
insane truffle soup – the gourmet version of mushroom soup, delicate and flavorful without overwhelming
Quintessential Celebration – Quinn’s
Posted onOnce upon a time, there was a princess who loved foie gras – who searched the land far and wide for dishes incorporating the rich and velvety flavor of this delicacy. Quinn’s, the local gastropub, is one of her favorite places and she revels in introducing guests to the Ultimate burger – a burger with foie gras among other things. A toast to celebrate another successful year!
apple ginger sage soda – a refreshing blend of savory and sweet ingredients
Spurring the Imagination – Spur Gastropub
Posted onOnce upon a time, there was a pub, that strove to be more than just a simple pub, and thus set lofty dreams of becoming a “gastropub” – an establishment frequented primarily for cocktails and jovial atmosphere, but with food fit for a foodie. Hailed for their molecular gastronomy techniques (the science and art of mixing chemistry to push ingredients beyond their traditional identities) and inventive dishes, they attracted accolades locally and nationally.
The Princess and Nutkin chose to dine at Spur after acquiring a voucher from a local merchant. They started with the smoked hamachi, an impressive dish serving sashimi without the aid of wasabi or soy sauce.
smoked hamachi – yellowtail sashimi with avocado wrapped veggies
Princess Dreams of Sushi – Shiro’s
Posted onOnce upon a time, there was a master sushi chef, named Shiro, widely regarded as the best sushi master in Seattle. Impressed by the praise and the honors bestowed upon Shiro, she set out to determine the merits of the claims.
Always a favorite, the agadashi tofu did not disappoint with it slightly sweetened broth and crispy texture.
agadashi tofu – crunch on the outside, bathing in a lightly sweetened broth
As she wanted the chef to shine, she ordered the omakase (chef’s choice). Ordering the omakase proved a little confusing as the table had three diners, and thus attempted to order three orders. However, the server informed them that omakase starts at $50 and is portioned for two people. $75 offered three pieces of each, but did not affect the items served. Continue reading
Fairytales from France – Rovers
Posted onOnce upon a time, there was a Chef in the Hat, who created the most fanciful menus all of Seattle had seen at his restaurant called Rover’s. However, after some time, he decided to shutter this restaurant and venture on to new projects. This would be the last time the Princess would dine here – this was his last stand. And what a stand it was!
The delicate amuse bouche of smoked duck, potato leek soup, and chevre gougere delighted.
amuse bouche – smoked duck
amuse bouche – gougere with chevre, like a savory cream puff pillow filled with goat cheese
potato leek soup with turmeric
The salmon mousse and duck confit appetizers full of complex favors set the stage for the rest of the meal. Continue reading
Once Upon A Time…
Posted onOnce upon a time, there lived a Princess in a palace in the clouds known as Seattle. She loved trying new foods, dreaming of the delicious morsels she tasted, and wanted to share her wisdom with the world.
From the fancy finery of foie gras to the simple comforts of french fries, her favorite memories always invovled food. Her earliest memory was the custard her mom made when she was a child, and to this day, some of her favorite dishes are made by her mom. Many can attest to her mom’s talents as a home chef and the Princess decreed they should be celebrated. And so they shall be.
When she traveled, she planned her intineraries around food excursions and always looked foward to trying flavor combinations she could not yet imagine. When her friends and family spoke of food, her eyes lit up and she would occassionally drool (princesses are still human afterall) 😛 They often poked fun of the copious amounts of time it took to take pictures while the food was getting cold. Nevermind that the pictures often came out blurry and off-centered… Even so, she wanted to share her memories with those who sought out her guidence and commemorate her favorite foods.
This is her food blog – Once Upon A Bite.
~nikeheart