What We’re Eating by Jessie and Peter has moved to our new location: TomatoesOnTomatoes.com
Whiskey Soda Lounge and Pok Pok
We’ve been sort of dying to talk/write/read/learn about the Whiskey Soda Lounge and the Pok Pok restaurant long before we had a food blog and since the first time we tried it, which must have been about six months ago. These places are related businesses in the Portland area and focus on the food and beverage of Southeast Asia. It’s expected that there will be a wait at Pok Pok, so after putting in a name, it’s advised to go across the street to the Whiskey Soda Lounge and have a snack and a cocktail, which is really a brilliant business move. It took a few days and lots of contemplating to figure out the feeling of the Whiskey Soda Lounge, as it’s really just a mesmerizing experience. Okay, so it feels like it’s a scene out of a Quentin Tarantino movie or something, where everything is really satisfying to look at and somehow all very saturated, and it’s pretty impossible to figure out why this is so. Even the music, which at one point was the permeating sound of some type of Thai remake of Nancy Sinatra’s “Bang Bang” fits this scene impeccably and it’s hard to imagine how they keep the feeling going throughout the hour or so one might be there. Read more
La Isla
La Isla is a Puerto Rican restaurant in Ballard we frequent for one of the best mojitos around and on lazy afternoons or Sunday evenings, some domino games, as playing all fives and drinking mojitos is a great combination. We have been going to La Isla for four or so years. They just recently expanded their restaurant to accomodate all their fans, which is great, because now there is even more room to sit outside, have a drink and watch the movement of Market Street. There are a few things that must be tried when eating and drinking at La Isla. First, get a basic mojito, of course (although even classics like daquiris are still time-honored here and their unfortunate reputation what with blenders, mixes and too much sugar is thankfully corrected). Our favorites on the menu are the pernil sliders, although when these arrive at the table they should be lifted from the plate as soon as possible, as all the juices can make the bottom bun soggy. Next in line would be the cheese empanadilla, which is really a ton of melted cheese in a little fried pocket, which of course is delicious. Finally, we’d choose the prawns with the Isla de Fuego sauce, which is spicy as hell and great with the fresh mint mojitos. Many of the items on the menu are tasty, but it’s hard for us to resist these staples every time we go. We had the great pleasure of meeting one of the owners, Alfonso, whom we recognized from a picture on one of the walls and also as the author of the weekly email updates, which are helpful in gaining exposure to fresh specials and events. He so kindly bought us both a glass of one of his favorite rums, which was thoughtfully received, and proof that this restaurant and the patrons mean very much to him, and one of the reasons we will always go back.
Serious Pie
Serious Pie is a pizza place in Seattle on 3rd and Virginia that must be tried. It is not traditional Italian, and we would say it’s all mostly about the toppings at this place. The picture above shows a crimini mushroom (in winter it’s chantrelle mushrooms) and truffle cheese pizza that looks like it glows once it is set down upon the table. There’s a great combination between the earthiness of the mushrooms and the saltiness of the cheese, especially when washed down with what was called a “pga” amber ale, which of course was curious, and upon asking, we were told it stands for something like “pretty good amber”. Psshhh….we guessed “pure glacial ale”, which really doesn’t make a whole lot of sense but surely is more fun. The crust is not a thin crust, but it’s not really thick, either. It’s very flavorful, and good on its own, which is hard to find sometimes. So maybe it’s not all about the toppings, but interesting flavor combinations can be found here, and unlike any we’ve seen at any other pizza place. Just go, it’s good.
Thai Lettuce Wraps
Salad is not something that always sounds that appealing to us, and although that’s basically what this is, it doesn’t feel that way. This is great for hot days when it’s necessary to cook something that requires little time in front of anything hot and a cool, fresh result feels crucial. We found this recipe on foodnetwork.com. The recipe doesn’t call for it, but for the cucumber part of it, we mix them with a little bit of sweet red chili sauce. We serve these with a variety of sides, too, like sriracha, peanuts, cilantro and limes. It feels like a little feast, that’s so easy to prepare. Our favorite wine to pair with this is Yalumba Viognier from Australia. It’s a wine with a lot of fruit, which we don’t normally go for, but it’s perfect with the spice of the food. We have had this with lots of Thai dishes, and it’s been very satisfying. It’s relatively cheap, too, at about ten bucks. Here’s a visual, to help memory when looking for this in the store.
Delancey
We are sort of obsessed with pizza, as I’m sure many are, and we have made it a bit of a personal challenge to try all of the boasted best places to eat pizza in Seattle. It took us a while to get to Delancey, and of course we are happy we finally made it. This restaurant is tucked away in the Ballard area, in the middle of a residential street. The placement made us wish there were more hidden spots just like it; a nice little break in the expected. So we’ve been here a handful of times by now, and we always have the same routine: understand the wait will be long, sit outside with a glass of wine, finally get a table, order two pies but of course the burrata appetizer beforehand. Okay, before we get to the pizza we must pause on the burrata appetizer. Burrata is cheese, made from mozzarella and cream, and in this case, it’s served with arugula and prosciutto, and is so, so delicious. We were just there with a couple of Swedes, one of whom had a terrible toothache, and this really helped; he could eat it because it melted in his mouth, required no chewing whatsoever, and of course because it’s amazing. Ask for this first upon arrival; there have been just a couple of times we missed it because of popularity, and that’s a couple times too many.
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A Caprice Kitchen
We came across A Caprice Kitchen when of course we were waiting about an hour and a half for a piece of pie at Delancey’s, and in the end, we were so glad we had a wait, as we were able to discover this lovely little gem. There must be something like seven tables or so, and the decor is simple and comforting. A glass bottle that once held cream is set on each table, and used as a vase for fresh flowers. It feels a little country and almost a bit French. A Caprice Kitchen is owned and operated by one woman, chef Anne Catherine. We are so impressed to see what she has done (and is doing), as it seems like a great endeavor for one person alone. The menu was a lot of fun for us as frequent Ballard Farmer’s Market attendees, as we recognized cheeses from our favorite local creamery, and various small family businesses that support a sustainable, organic culture. In fact, every single thing on the menu is local and organic, and the menu changes weekly to reflect the current harvests in neighborhood markets and local farmers. There are local beers and wines on the menu, and the selection is pretty good. We’re more European in our wine choices, and these are local Washington wines, but we found a nice sparkling one and happily, an amber from Olympia’s Fish Tale Brewery. This would be a great place to experience any time of the year; we’re happy we found it in these warmer months when amazing produce is plentiful and the room is lit with evening summer sun.
Cornichon Martini
There is a newer French restaurant in our area called Bastille. It’s fairly good, draws a young, energetic crowd, and the décor really is pretty stunning; they’ve been inspired by and used elements from something like a modern European train station. We’d suggest not planning a fancy dinner for two, but going with a few close friends for late night appetizers and cocktails. One of the best drinks on the menu is the cornichon martini. We’ve recreated it at home using this vodka, as it’s a potato vodka, one of our favorites, and is a great price.
Ingredients:
• 1 ½ shots Vodka
• 1 tablespoon Dry Vermouth (or to taste)
• 2 tablespoons cornichon juice
Shake all together in a martini shaker and serve ice cold with a cornichon.
Naked City Brewery and Taphouse
This place is fairly new (opened in 2008), and we were surprised we hadn’t heard a lot about it. The beer selection is awesome, constantly changing and the food is local, organic and sustainable. Our favorite part of going to this place so far is talking to bartender John Moroney. He really knows beer. He talks about beer like wine, and that’s a right beer should have. We walked in and provided three types of beer we liked, received two different beers to taste, and shortly after we were served a perfect pint…and then of course two alternate types thereafter. Not only does John know beer, he knows his patrons. Three beers in, we made a mistake in ordering our last and he of course caught it, and brought us what we meant to order anyway. The only server error we have ever encountered with him was a free organic root beer – oh, darn. When eating here, order the landjager with mustard and possibly the bresaola sliders (though technically, it’s a sandwich cut in pieces, so don’t get caught up in technicalities).
Fresh Cherry Limeade and Vodka
Although it seems like summer is just beginning, cherry season is almost over! It seems like we have about one more week or something ridiculous like that. So, while it’s possible, try to make one of these drinks soon, while it’s pleasant outside and cherries are naturally fresh.
Ingredients:
• 1 ½ shots Vodka
• 8-10 fresh black cherries/bing cherries/whatever is dark and sweet
• 1 tablespoon simple syrup
• juice from 1 lime
Preparation:
Put the cherries in a martini shaker (stems on, pits in) with the simple syrup. Muddle until the cherries are broken and juice has been created (this might not seem possible since the cherries are round and so is the end of a muddler, but it totally works). Add the lime juice and shake a bit to stir. In a glass filled with ice, pour in the vodka and strain the rest of the ingredients into the glass. Stir, add a fresh cherry and a slice of lime. If sweeter drinks are preferred, it’s easy and quite nice-looking to add a sugar rim to the glass, as we did here in this picture.
