Grilled rice ball with uni and watercress soy butter sauce. Tasting menu
Izakaya Yuzuki, San Francisco CA
Hmm, I don’t think this was one of my favorited dishes. The grilled rice tasted great and had a strong flavor, but one that sadly over-powered the uni. I think that uni should be prominent if you’re going to include it in a dish since the ingredient is so delicate, but it just got lost in this one.
Pink and white Salvia ‘Dancing Dolls’ flowers (Lamiaceae), 18th Street.
Banh mi thit heo nuong. French bread with grilled pork, cucumber, mayonnaise, pickled daikon and carrots, jalapeno, and cilantro. $4.85
Pho Big Bowl, Seattle WA
This was a pretty sizeable sandwich for costing less than five bucks! That’s why I love banh mi’s, they tend to be delicious and a great value. The pork on this sandwich was tender and flavorful.
Seattle Cloud Cover glass bridge, Teresita Fernandez, Olympic Sulpture Park.
(Clockwise) Butter croissant, rhubarb danish, onion gruyere thyme pastries, kouign amanns, gougeres, pear tartlettes.
Honore Artisan Bakery, Seattle WA
Omg, this box was heaven! I tried a little bit of everything and each seemed tastier than the previous. I don’t think I could choose a favorite; they were all good. What a marvelous bakery with delicious creations for us common folk!
Approaching sunset on the Puget Sound, West Seattle.
Chanterelle, root vegetables, potato. $12
The Walrus and the Carpenter, Seattle WA
I don’t find a lot of goat on menus, so when I finally do and I’m in the mood I’m always down for trying more. Goat gratin, now that’s a new one for me! Goat has a very distinctive flavor, but it wasn’t overwhelming in this yummy preparation. If you’ve ever wanted to ease yourself into trying goat, this would be the dish for you!
Moon Gates, Doris Chase, bronze sculpture of three parts.
Happy hour $9
Bitterroot BBQ, Seattle WA
EW, these hush puppies were overcooked and super greasy! They were probably some of the worst hush puppies I’ve ever had. The braised beef sandwich was pretty good though, thankfully. The meat was tender, juicy and flavorful.
White tulip flowers (Tulipa sp., Liliaceae), Renton.
Salt koji marinated grilled chicken meat balls on skewers. Tasting menu
Izakaya Yuzuki, San Francisco CA
Mmm, these chicken skewers were delicious and had a suprisingly airy texture. I thought they were going to be super dense but that wasn’t the case. Noms!
Driving the Golden Gate Bridge!
Pho tai chin nam. Eye round steak, brisket and well-done flank, served with thai basil, bean sprouts, jalapeno and lemon. Medium $5.75
Pho Big Bowl, Seattle WA
There’s something very comforting about pho. The rich beef broth is usually so flavorful and completely warms your body. Mix in a little heat, sour, and umami and you have a winning combination! Mmm.
Seattle rain aftermath, Ballard.
Bourbon, lemon-sage shrub, ginger beer, angostura bitters. $9
The Sexton, Seattle WA
Mmm, this drink was mightly tasty! And I loved the while cassette tapes used for the bar counter. 🙂
Waterfront Whimsea, commissioned by the Metropolitan Improvement District (MID), Pier 57-59.
Scallion, ginger, miso, egg yolk, asparagus. $10
The Walrus and the Carpenter, Seattle WA
I’ve never had ling cod tartare before so this was a new experience. I’m glad I tried it, but I’m not sure I would order it again. It tasted fine, but there were a slimey textural element that I wasn’t fond of. I don’t know if it was from the ling cod or the egg and miso combination. Honestly, I’m not sure what the texture of raw ling cod is supposed to be in the first place. 🙂
Moss clumps, Renton.
Bourbon, infused sweet vermouth, bitters, amarena cherry. Happy hour $5
Bitterroot BBQ, Seattle WA
This was a nice neat drink and a steal during happy hour! The bar staff was friendly, helpful, and attitude-free. Score!
Bunyon’s Chess, 1965, stainless steel and wood, Mark di Suvero, Olympic Sculpture Park.
Shrimp and root vegetable tempura with green tea salt. Tasting menu
Izakaya Yuzuki, San Francisco CA
This dish was very new to me – whole shrimp with shredded root vegetables fried tempura style! I liked the flavors especially with the dipping sauce, but the texture was a little limp and chewy. The pieces looked crispy but they really weren’t. Hmm…
Iochroma ‘Royal Queen’ purple flowers (Solanaceae), 18th Street.
Goi cuon tom. Shrimp, rice noodle and veggies. $4.85
Pho Big Bowl, Seattle WA
Decent shrimp spring rolls. What I was struck by was the thick consistency of their peanut sauce. I’ve never had one so thick! It still tasted good though.
Typewriter Eraser, Scale X, model 1998, fabricated 199, stainless steel and fiberglass painted with acrylic urethane, Claes Oldenburg, Olympic Sculpture Park.
Vittle Monster 