The Loft
05-Nov-2008
The more you wander around Ballard the more you find all kinds of restaurants and bars tucked in here and there, often in surprising places. The Loft is one of these spots. Located on Ballard Avenue it’s just far enough south of Market that it’s not entirely obvious it’s there. Unless you happen to walk by, especially in the summer months when the large "front yard" is full of groups gathered around the outdoor tables talking and laughing and enjoying those rare days when the evening stays warm into the night.
If you look a little farther back, you’ll see the extra large garage door that serves as the east wall of the building rolled up making the line between building and outdoors nearly invisible, and the energy flows easily from bar to patio and back again.
Just as the evenings were becoming a little too cool to comfortably sit outside some friends and I decided to give The Loft a try. We perched just inside the garage door, close enough to the outside to feel it’s presence but far enough inside to stay comfortably warm. We arrived during Happy Hour so we could grab a little bite to eat along with our beverages.
Happy Hour specials include discounts on beer, well drinks and appetizers. We started with a couple varieties of beer and then ordered appetizers to enjoy along with them.
The beer menu, while not huge, offers enough to meet most tastes. The appetizer menu is filled with mostly typical bar food but some are presented with a twist. We decided to try the deep-fried pickles – one of my favorites since I first tried them at the now, long-departed Axis. And we ordered Mexican Lettuce Cups – a treat often found in Asian restaurants but this version featured chorizo for the main filling.
The pickles were good, although I have to say they may be an acquired taste for some. This version featured dill pickle spears. I prefer the pickles sliced in rounds, probably because the ratio of batter to pickle is higher which I think provides a better balanced taste. The lettuce wraps were decent, too. My only real complaint was that there was not nearly enough lettuce for the amount of chorizo.
Nothing here is going to win an award but it seems it’s all good steady bar food. For me the main draw for this location is that big outdoor patio. So while you probably won’t find me hanging around The Loft in the winter months it’s highly likely that once spring has sprung I may spend an afternoon or early evening lazing around on the patio.
The Loft
5105 Ballard Ave NW
Seattle
206.420.2737
It’s not too late to grill!
03-Nov-2008
The nice thing about having a gas grill is that if you have it in a protected area you can fire it up any time of year. Even if you just use a charcoal grill it’s nice to take advantage of the sun – or at least no rain – breaks in the fall or winter weather.
This weekend I fired mine up to grill some thick cut fillet mignon and then topped the steak with a classic – sauteed mushrooms.
Sauteed Mushrooms
Heat 1 Tbsp of butter and 1 Tbsp of olive oil in a skillet until butter is melted and starting to bubble. Add slices of garlic and about 2 cups of thickly sliced mushrooms. This week I used criminis, sometimes also called baby bellas, but any sort of mushroom works great. When the mushrooms are starting to get tender but are not yet soft add 1 Tbsp of chopped woody herbs – something like thyme, oregano or rosemary – and a generous splash of red wine. Continue sauteing until mushrooms are tender and most of the wine has evaporated.
Top a steak or boneless chicken breast with the mixture; use as a side dish; or serve along with toothpicks as a cocktail or wine accompaniment.
First Look: Polar Bar
14-Oct-2008
A few weeks ago a friend and I stopped by Polar Bar on our way to a baseball game. This bar, located in the lobby of the Arctic Club Hotel, harkens back to an earlier time in our history and brings a little glimpse of those heydays of gold mining. The Arctic Club was originally a gentleman’s club owned by Alaskan businessmen who had struck it rich during the early 1900s. At some point it was sold and went through several renditions, at one point even housing some city offices. My first memory of this building is of the Dome Room, originally the dining room for the club, but in recent history was available for catered events. A company I worked for used it on several occasions.
This bar has a gentleman’s club feel with lots of leather furniture, wood paneling and a large fireplace gracing one end of the room. A large L-shaped bar anchors one side of the room. When we arrived at 5:00 pm the bar was packed and several, but not all, of the leather chairs and couches were occupied.
We each started with a glass of wine. Their wine by the glass list could use a step up, the wine was okay but seemed way too humble for this fine room. We ordered a selection of appetizers and were pleased with them. I think our favorite was a small poached pear – maybe a Forelle – stuffed with blue cheese. It was heavenly and such a nice-sized dessert.
We also took a little side trip up to see the newly restored Dome Room, again available for catered events or meetings. They did a really great job and the ceiling again glows with the soft lights meant to bring to mind the Northern Lights.
Since we didn’t really give the place a thorough test I’ll have to come back to try it out again but from this first glance I think this place has a lot of potential. It seems to me a great place to meet friends after work or to snuggle into warm chairs during inclement weather.
Polar Bar
In the lobby of the Arctic Club Hotel
700 3rd Ave. at Cherry St.
Seattle
A Hit and a Miss
13-Oct-2008
Last week a couple friends and I pointed our car southwest and took a little after work excursion to West Seattle. Our goal was to try a couple of new (to us) restaurants, eating a few light bites at each in sort of a power appraisal night.
Our first stop of the night (after the Bakery Nouveau incident) was The Bohemian. It’s located on California but north of the Junction in a quiet neighborhood. The interior is softly lit, furnishings are a little sparse in a clean sort of way and there’s a soft buzz from those already sitting at tables or at the bar. We snagged one of the last open tables and settled in to sample.
The three of us ordered a raclette that served one to two and what they call their "cast-iron trio", warmed olives, nuts and roasted garlic. When the raclette arrived we were a little surprised at how small it seemed. Our ideas about that changed as we started spreading the ooey-gooey, cheese-covered, pan-seared mushrooms, sweet corn, bacon & butternut squash on the variety of breads that came along with it. So utterly rich and decadent that the three of us could not finish that "small" cast-iron pan of wonderful fall flavor. The accompanying trio of bites was also tasty and fun but I’d probably only order it again if it was the only thing I was ordering or if I was with a large group. The warmed snacks were good but it just seems better suited to a starter for a larger group or a mid-afternoon snack for two.
Our next stop was Mission, a supposed tapas restaurant farther north on California and very near the Admiral Theater.
This place was really welcoming with it’s terracotta walls, little white lights and funky window displays. We chose a table up on the second level balcony which overlooks the bar on the floor below. The bar is the central focus of the room with shelves extending up fifteen feet or so, TV screens playing black and white movies with subtitles, and colorful light shades. The booths on the first floor are cozy and private, the tables on the balcony let you take it all in and spy on the activity below.
However, the food is pretty mediocre. Although they call them tapas the menu is really pretty much the same thing you’d find in any run-of-the-mill Mexican restaurant. Now, it is possible that we just happened to pick the three menu items that didn’t do the place justice but my guess is all of the menu is on par with what we had. None of it was bad and there were interesting twists (fried plantain served with the guacamole) but the taste was very so-so. The one dish that had anything going for it was the ceviche which seemed very fresh.
I think the focus here is probably more on the drinking, which we were doing only in a nominal way, than on the food.
The Bohemian is worth making a trip to West Seattle for a tasty dinner with friends. I’m really interested in trying more of the menu, although it would be hard to go in there and resist the raclette!
Mission would be a great place to meet for a drink or two and maybe have a plate of nachos to snack on but it wouldn’t be a dinner destination for me. Maybe a place to stop before or after a movie at the Admiral.
Bakery Nouveau No More
12-Oct-2008
Some friends had been begging me to go to Bakery Nouveau in West Seattle for about year now. I just hadn’t seemed to be able to get over there for one reason or another. Last week I was in the area for dinner and, although not the most opportune time, I thought I’d swing by with my dinner companions and pick up a thing or two for breakfast the next morning.
Now, I had sampled the food before because MG and DW, in their efforts to get me over there, had provided me with all kinds of tasty treats. But I was anxious to see the source and the full range of offerings. Or at least whatever would still be available at that time of the evening – we arrived shortly after 6:00 pm and they close at 7:00 pm so I wasn’t expecting an abundance of choices.
We walked in to a slow but steady stream of customers. A few people were sitting at tables, a couple people were ordering when we arrived and while we were making our selections and placing our orders a couple more people showed up. With the cases being clear of customers I took the opportunity to take a few photos, as did one of my friends. Then I placed my order for several items – I wanted to test a bit of it all! – paid, and as I was waiting for another friend to place her order a new tray of beautiful, freshly sliced chocolate cake or torte wedges was brought out from the back. As I leaned over to snap one last shot, I heard someone say, "Do not take photos."
I looked up, a bit in surprise, as the other folks behind the counter had not said anything. I guess I took too long to reply as the man repeated himself, a little more strongly this time. I said "sure" and put my camera away. I was disappointed but I know that some places do not like photos taken (although the only other place I have been asked not to take photos was a place in New York – in the Paris bakeries they even turn the pastries so you can get the best angle!). But I was a little surprised that his manner was a bit aggressive, I guess. Still I probably wouldn’t have thought much of it except for what happened next.
As the man (the manager I assume, it was not the owner) walked by the register where another employee was ringing up a purchase, the man said something to the effect that "everyone’s a food blogger", in a condescending manner. Right for me, wrong for my other friend taking photos. And then continuing in his condescending manner went on to say, "but we must all have our "art"".
I did not hear him, but it turned out it was my other friend who was being helped at the register and she, of course, did. To make the statement in the first place was rude. To make it in front of other customers is too rude to be ignored.
The next morning I tried to put it behind me to just enjoy the items I’d purchased but it just made me so sad. First, bakeries should stress customer service and if they don’t want photos, fine, but be civil with the request. Second, a place that makes its living creating things that they hope appeal to customers should be happy when someone appreciates them enough to want to photograph them. And let me just say that I took a total of six photos that night – there would have been seven – I did not use flash, I did not interfere with customers in anyway. Only when the cases were free and while I was making my own selections did I shoot anything. One of the photos was actually taken outside.
So, while I do think the pastries are very nice, I’ll probably never go back. I don’t mind people asking me not to take photos. I do mind not being treated with respect.
Homemade Cinnamon Ice Cream
11-Oct-2008
Last week my dinner club met and I had responsibility for dessert. The theme was "fresh from the farm". The host was making a main dish that included pears or I may have chosen them. Instead I decided to go with another of my favorite fall fruits, apples. I made an apple crisp but I used a recipe that was brand new to me and was nothing like any apple crisp I’ve had before. In, fact, it seemed to be somewhere between a crisp and a cobbler.
It was a really great recipe, whatever it was! The recipe was from Greg Atkinson’s Entertaining in Northwest Style
. Greg is a really great local chef who has created wonderful food at some of the top restaurants in the area. Now he lives a little quieter life, although he always seems to be super busy. I find all of his recipes from this book easy to follow and always a success.
. Greg is a really great local chef who has created wonderful food at some of the top restaurants in the area. Now he lives a little quieter life, although he always seems to be super busy. I find all of his recipes from this book easy to follow and always a success. Along with the crisp he had a recipe for Cinnamon Ice Cream. This is a super rich ice cream and is perfect when you place a cold scoop of it on the hot crisp!
The photos are not the crisp from his book. My photos from dinner club just weren’t really good at showing off the ice-cream. This is my standard fruit crisp and the ice cream is great with it, too. I can think of lots of uses for this cinnamon treat and I bet you can, too.
Cinnamon Ice Cream
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2 c. milk
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3 Tbsp. ground cinnamon
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6 egg yolks
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1 c. sugar
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2 c. heavy cream
Put the milk in a small saucepan with the cinnamon over medium heat. Stir until well combined. Cook, stirring now and then, until the milk is steaming hot but not quite boiling.
While the milk is heating put the egg yolks in a large mixing bowl with the sugar and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy. Stir about one-third of the hot milk into the egg yolk mixture, then transfer the mixture to the saucepan and cook, stirring, until the mixture is once again steaming hot but not quite boiling. Take the custard off the heat and transfer it to the bowl used for the egg yolks.
Chill the custard completely, then stir in the cream and freeze in an ice-cream maker according to instructions.
Discounts on Starbucks Gift Cards
01-Oct-2008
If you are starting to think about year-end thank you gifts; or a little holiday something for that relative you don’t know that much about; or maybe even just a little gift for yourself…Costco is now selling 5-packs of Starbucks $20 gift cards (total value $100) for $79.99. Basically you get one free. Not a bad deal.
Everything I’ve seen points to this being a nationwide offer but I wouldn’t be surprised if there is a limit on how many packs they will sell or, based on past experience, the offer may be pulled after the holiday season. So if you are interested don’t wait too long – you might find yourself out of luck. I found the gift cards in my local warehouse today. So far I don’t see them online.
To find a Costco warehouse near you, check out their store locator.
Leavenworth: Munchen Haus
01-Oct-2008
First, for those of you outside of Washington state, the name Leavenworth may make you think of a high security federal prison but that’s not what comes to mind for Washington staters. No, we think of a little Bavarian town just on the east side of the Cascade Mountains. Okay not a real Bavarian town but one that has been designed to resemble a Bavarian town.
Located as they are, at the edge of the peaks of the Cascade range, the town folk of Leavenworth decided (several years ago) to take advantage of this location to draw tourists. And so the beginning of their plan and building codes was formulated and now the town truly resembles a Bavarian village. Sometimes this causes a bit of a conundrum for me. I grew up near the town of Mt. Angel, Oregon that looks nothing like a Bavarian village or any other German community. Yet the town has a strong German heritage and has one of the best Oktoberfests around. It actually feels German to me. Leavenworth looks German but doesn’t really feel it; still it’s a fun destination especially at this time of year when the leaves are turning color and the trip across Stevens Pass can be filled with the bright hues of fall.
This past weekend I took a quick trip over hoping to catch some of the fall foliage. Unfortunately, while the weather was perfect for photo opportunities the leaves had yet to really start turning. Just hints of color peeked out through the trees. I think two more weeks will find the color hitting its peak.
I still enjoyed the trip across the mountains and I took the opportunity to eat lunch at a place that I’d noticed a year or two ago, Munchen Haus.
Munchen Haus is an outdoor grill with a seating area wedged between two buildings along the main street in Leavenworth. Normally the lines and the smoke spewing from the grill draw your attention. There is courtyard seating surrounding a beer and wine bar and it seems to always be filled with lively conversation and activity.
Munchen Haus serves one thing – although there are several types – grilled sausages. And there are a variety of beverages, including several German beers, to go along with the sausage.
I arrived in town fairly early and took advantage of the short lines to see if the apparent popularity was deserved. I ordered a Beer Brat, a bag of chips and a bottle of water. I was handed one of those buzzy, light up discs that some restaurants use to notify you that they are ready to seat you or that your order is ready. I found a place in the sun, munched on my chips and waited for my dog.
Several minutes later I picked it up at the grill and then had to choose which of the various mustards, ketchups and relishes to garnish it with. They have an especially large selection of mustard. Along with the normal condiments there’s also a big pot of warm, apple cider sauerkraut. I picked my toppings and then did the taste test. Really, really good! Beer Brats are first cooked in beer making them extra juicy and adding a nice tang to the spicy meat. Then this one was grilled to a nice crispy finish that left the inside moist. Served on a hoagie roll, once you add your choice of garnishes you have a pretty perfect meal. And if you don’t, it’s probably your own fault!
So next time I’m in town, I’d probably even wait in line for one of these grilled sausages.
And this is a really reasonably priced meal, too. My order came to $8.50 and the bottle of water was pretty large. Not bad for a filling and delicious lunch.
Munchen Haus
709 Front Street
Leavenworth, WA
509.548.1158
Sauce at Twisted Cork
29-Sep-2008
Twisted Cork is the name of the bar in 0/8 Seafood Grill. They have a large selection of wines by the glass or flight; an interesting list of specialty cocktails; Happy Hour from 3:00pm – 6:00pm daily; and a weekly wine tasting event that includes food pairings called, Sauce. The tasting and pairings are available every Wednesday from 5:00pm – 7:00pm.
I love the Happy Hour and the flights of wines but had yet to check out Sauce. A friend and I finally made a plan and arranged to meet at the bar last Wednesday. We didn’t know what the night’s tasting would be (sometimes it’s announced in the restaurant newsletter but not always) but thought we’d take our chances. We were delighted to hear that the night’s wines would all be Oregon Pinot Noir.
The three served that night were all 2006 vintages and included: Bethel Heights Eola-Amity Hills Cuvée Pinot Noir; penner-ash Willamette Valley Pinot Noir (92 points, Wine Spectator); and Bergström Cumberland Reserve Pinot Noir (91 points, Wine Spectator). The flight of wines was brought to the table and soon after our food pairings arrived. I was too busy sipping to take perfect notes on the food when it arrived but the three items included: beef in a plum and ginger sauce; prosciutto with manchego; and a crab risotto.
We had a great time sipping wines on their own, matching them with the different bites and changing our minds about our favorites as we went along.
The 0/8 menu had just changed that day so we also sampled a bowl of the new lobster risotto and my friend ended her evening with a peach tart topped with luscious ice-cream!
This was really a great way to try some high end wines without breaking the bank. I hope to stop in again soon. And next time I’ll be better prepared to take notes on the food….
0/8 Seafood Grill and Twisted Cork Wine Bar
900 Bellevue Way (In the Bellevue Hyatt)
Bellevue
425.637.0808
Necessity is the Mother of Invention
25-Sep-2008
Okay, invention is probably not quite the right word but necessity definitely is. I’ve had a little issue with fruit flies lately. As the tomatoes sitting on my counters have ripened to nearly too ripe, the number (and size!) of the fruit flies flitting around has become unbearable. Even my fruit fly traps have been only so effective in managing the issue. So yesterday I decided that I had to use all the tomatoes I had in the house before I picked and brought any more in.
Once I’d made that decision, "what to have for lunch", was a no-brainer. I took all the tomatoes I had, rinsed and stemmed them and then dropped them in a 6 quart pot. I set the pot over low heat, starting with it covered, then removing the lid once the tomatoes were starting to steam. I stirred them every now and then; after about two hours over low heat the tomatoes were completely broken down into sauce and were pretty thick.
At this point I put batches of the sauce into the blender to create a thick and slightly chunky texture. If this sauce had been for company or if I was doing a big batch of it I would have run it through a chinois or food mill (much like applesauce) to remove large seeds and tomato skin.
Once the sauce was to this point it can be used in a number of ways, for instance as a base for salsa, soup, or as a pasta sauce. I had pasta in mind so I returned the sauce to the pot, added diced onions, minced garlic, a little red wine and a potpourri of fresh herbs. In this case I used rosemary, oregano, thyme and basil. I let the sauce simmer for another 30 minutes, made up some fusilli, topped it with the sauce and grated Parmesan. That was it!
It’s easy to do – you just need to allow time for the tomatoes to cook down and for the liquid in them to evaporate. This makes a really fresh sauce, as the slow cooking over low heat keeps much of the fresh tomato taste intact.
The best part of it all is that there were leftovers for today’s lunch!
Culinary Fool 