Wright Eats

With the nice weather finally here in Seattle, our mason bees have been busy pollinating flowers and laying eggs for next spring.  I say “our” bees because we put up a little bee house on our side porch several years ago.  We started off with a few tubes of ready-to-hatch bees purchased at the Northwest Flower and Garden Show, but as soon as we put them outside they flew away never to be seen again.  The bee tubes were empty for a year but then the following spring some bees moved in, and their descendents have been making their home in the bee house ever since.

Mason bees don’t produce honey, but they’re prolific pollinators; they’re great for our vegetable and flower gardens.  The term “mason” is used for them because they build mud walls to protect their eggs during the winter.  When we notice a cardboard tube in the bee house get plugged up with a mud wall, we set aside that tube and put in a new one so that the females can continue laying eggs.  Here’s two bees finishing sealing up their tubes, with a recently-sealed tube nearby, and the overflow area up above:

It’s been rather fun to watch their frantic activity each spring from our kitchen, occasionally hearing high-pitched buzzing when one bee accidentally intrudes on another’s tube turf.  One bee per tube – that’s their rule.

Since Anita expanded to the U-District market earlier this year, her crêpes have become part of our Saturday morning routine.  I always wondered why the U-District market had been lacking the yummy prepared foods of other markets around the city.  Anita explained to us that it wasn’t until recently that the U-District market folks finally got permission from all of the nearby eateries to allow prepared food stands.  Now, Anita is there, and you can find other munchies too, like wood-fired pizza, and for the first time this week, Empire Ice Cream.  Starting this month, the prepared foods have all moved up to the grassy area next to the University Heights Center.  Between the grass, seating area, and the playground, it’s the perfect spot to enjoy a bite just a bit away from the market foot traffic.

Sweet or savory crêpes, it’s a difficult choice.  I started out hooked on the nutella and banana crêpe for a while, but it’s been at least a month since I’ve deviated from the spinach, mozzarella, and feta crêpe.  What makes it so addictive is the generous sprinkling of cracked black pepper on top, which goes nicely against the feta.  This week, I paid $1 more to add Wooly Pig ham to my crêpe – yum.  Eric went for the ham paired with Mt. Townsend Creamery cheese, which he said was awesome.

Anita wasn’t there this week when we bought our crêpes.  Apparently, she was off taking advantage of the sunshine and planting flowers at her soon-to-open restaurant in Ballard.  It will be a tiny place with only nine tables, and in addition to crêpes, she’ll be using her CIA and French Laundry training to develop some interesting dinner menus.  Anticipated opening is next month.

But no need to fret as I initially did – fortunately, her crêpes will still be available each week at the markets.

We were wandering through Whole Foods looking for some chocolate for our macaroons when we noticed a little sign for flying chocolate bacon pigs.  What?  There were no pigs in sight, so we asked someone what this sign was all about.  He took us around the corner to the Vosges Haut-Chocolat display, where there were indeed chocolate pigs and a number of “exotic” chocolate bars.  He pointed out that Mo’s Bacon Bar was the same flavor as the pig, but in bar form.  We were so intrigued, we had to bring one home.

What’s not to love about this decadent chocolate bar?  It’s milk chocolate, with bits of applewood smoked bacon and Alder wood smoked salt.  Each bite is a complex array of flavors – I like that you can taste the individual components, and yet there’s an overall unique flavor.  And it builds brilliantly on the premise that everything tastes better with bacon – chocolate with gray salt is good, and this is great.

Now I need to try some of their other chocolate bars, like macha green tea, or ginger-wasabi-sesame.

It’s been nearly three months since we talked about going to Ocho, and the stars finally aligned tonight.  We walked in around 6, and were lucky to get a couple of seats at the bar after a few minutes.  It was standing-room only with a line out the door not long afterwards.

Co-owner Zach Harjo was behind the bar, mixing drinks nonstop.  Dawn was eager to try the Ten Dollar Margarita (made with a premium tequila), given how much she liked the margaritas Zach made when he was bartending at La Carta de Oaxaca.  I went for a Sagrada Familia, which was a tasty blend of pear brandy and rosé cava.  Sitting at the bar gave us ample opportunity to see the other cool concoctions being served, and next time I want to try the popular Sangria Rioja, pictured here:

Ocho has a tapas bar atmosphere that reminded us of Spain – a small, loud space crowded with happy people enjoying good food and drink.  The chalkboard listed a number of tapas, including classic dishes like pa amb tomaquet from Catalonia and fabada con chorizo from Asturias.  We tried those and others, and soon were reminiscing about how we were eating fabada in Asturias just a year ago, wondering when we were going to get a chance to visit there again.  How great to have these food tastes transport us back!

While everything we had was excellent, the dishes forego authenticity in favor of tastiness.  Pa amb tomaquet is traditionally crispy grilled bread simply rubbed with garlic and tomato; Ocho serves slightly-crisp French bread heaped with diced tomatoes and a slice of warm manchego cheese.  Would I order it again?  Absolutely – it was a perfect two-bite start to our meal.

If you go, don’t miss the dates filled with blue cheese, wrapped with pancetta, and drizzled with a balsamic reduction – they’re sweet enough to be dessert!

Ocho
2325 NW Market St., Seattle
(206) 784-0699

We’d marked our calendar for tomorrow’s grand opening at Molly Moon’s Homemade Ice Cream, but were worried that we’d miss it due to a conflict at 4.  So when we found out this morning that their soft opening was today, we had an instant plan for tonight’s dessert.  Since word hasn’t gotten out yet, the line was short, although there was a steady stream of curious customers the entire time we were there.  Tomorrow will probably be another story.

As expected, we had a tough time choosing flavors.  Since the scoops are small, we each picked two different flavors so that we could try four of them.  They were also happy to provide samples (using compostable spoons – nice!).  We finally settled on these flavors: Espresso Vivace coffee, balsamic strawberry, cardamom, and honey lavender.  All were excellent, but my favorite was the balsamic strawberry.  We also tried the rhubarb-orange topping, which was great.

I even tried a taste of the bubble gum ice cream.  I still remember going to the ice cream parlor with my family when I was little, and I’d always order the bubble gum ice cream.  My rationale was that it was like two desserts in one because even after everyone else had finished their ice cream, I would still have the bubble gum to chew.  The sample tonight transported me straight back to those days.

Molly Moon’s Homemade Ice Cream
1622 ½ N 45th St, Seattle
(206) 547-5105

Three weeks ago, Ronald and Lara mentioned that the first edition of Edible Seattle had hit newsstands.  We went looking and asking at Metropolitan Market, Whole Foods, PCC, and even a bookstore or two, but the stockers hadn’t even heard of it.  Each time we went through a checkout line, one of us would scurry around to each line looking through the magazines.  And then today, there it was right in our line at the Whole Foods in our neighborhood.  We now have our very own copy.  Your photos look great, Lara!

It had been almost two years since we’d been down to Portland, Oregon.  Portland has become quite a dining destination in recent years, with skilled chefs opening innovative restaurants constantly.  We spent two nights there this weekend, hoping to whittle down the list of restaurants we’ve been compiling.  While it was one of our more memorable foodie weekends in recent memory, we’re left with a list that has only grown longer.

The first reservation we made was for Le Pigeon, since we weren’t able to dine there on our last trip.  Then, a month ago, my coworker foodie friend Kurt came back from Portland with a glowing review of his meal at Sel Gris, a fine dining restaurant that opened there last fall.  We were torn.  We’d be there only Saturday through Monday, and neither restaurant is open on Sundays.  Should we wait yet another trip to try Le Pigeon, or should we miss out on Sel Gris?  In the end, we canceled our reservation at Le Pigeon and made a new reservation for Sel Gris at 5:30 pm.  A little earlier than we desired, but it was the only time still available for the 6-seat chef’s counter (where Kurt said we had to sit).

We arrived in Portland during lunchtime.  Since we didn’t want to eat much before dinner, we opted for lunch at Escape from New York Pizza.  Eric misses the NY pizza from his childhood and is always on a quest to find good NY pizza.  He likes Seattle’s A New York Pizza Place, but the crust and sauce there are a little blander than I like.  Escape from NY Pizza pleased us both, with tasty sauce, plain cheese pizza for Eric (which he says is the way it’s meant to be eaten), and a New York vibe inside the place.

We did some shopping, checked into our hotel, and then caught a cab to Sel Gris.  We were the first to arrive when it opened and sat in the center two seats at the glowing amber counter.  It was really tough to order, because so many items sounded good.  My eyes kept landing on the pasta dish.  I knew it was the token vegetarian dish, and I felt that I should order a meat dish to really see what the chef could do.  But I love pasta when it’s done well, and I just couldn’t pass up the artichokes, peas, ramps, mushrooms, and goat cheese, which may as well be a list of all of my favorite things.  So I ordered it anyway.  Eric chose the lamb.  We heard a number of other lamb orders fired after his, and I don’t think we had been sitting there for more than 15 minutes when we heard the chef tell the wait staff that there was only one lamb dish left for the night – apparently they’d had an early run on lamb.  I guess our early reservation was fortuitous!

We started with the foie gras done two ways.  This was the first dish out of the kitchen that evening, and so our first opportunity to see what beautiful plates Chef Daniel Mondock constructs.  The chef’s counter directly overlooks Chef Mondock’s station, where he effortlessly drew a pattern onto our plate with molasses.  The plate was warm, so the molasses melted and then thickened as it cooled, sealing in the blood orange sauce alongside.  We know this because we were so intrigued by its consistency as we ate it that we had to ask our waitress Mary why it wasn’t fluid as we’d expected.  Both foie preparations, one cold and one seared hot, were flawlessly seasoned and we instantly knew what Kurt, and the subsequent reviews we’d read, had been fussing about.  This was only the first in a series of spot-on dishes, brilliantly presented and incredibly flavored.

Our salads were next.  Mine was fun to eat: a salade composée, where the components of the salad were artfully arranged on a plate.  Rabbit paté with a tiny cornichon and mustard on the left, grilled onions cradling olives, figs, crispy pork, and almonds in the middle, and then diced strawberries with cheese on the right.  Eric enjoyed the Lyonnaise salad with warmed frisee, lardon, bacon vinaigrette, and a poached duck egg.  His only complaint of the night was that while the salad was nicely seasoned, the egg was not, so he had to add some of the sel gris they had provided on the side.  Perhaps this was intentional, in homage to the restaurant moniker?  It did seem out of place in the salad.

I could tell that our main courses were coming when I saw vivid green English pea puree being spread in a rectangle across a dark plate.  The pasta with peas was piled into a cylinder on one side and the vegetables were arranged on the other.  One bite and I was happy.  Creamy and sweet with the goat cheese sauce and perfectly al dente hand-cut noodles, it was exactly what I was hoping for.  But I couldn’t help eyeing Eric’s lamb.  He shared a few bites and I now understood why everyone was ordering it.  Neither of us had eaten such a tender, flavorful lamb loin before.  And then there was the spherical round of spiced lamb balanced on top.  What was this?  Yellow egg yolk burst from the center when Eric cut into it – an egg had been wrapped in lamb!  The pepper crust went perfectly and we agreed this was the best part of the dish, even with that amazing loin.

Over dessert, we chatted a bit with our waitress and one of the waiters.  They wanted to know where we’d recommend they eat when they visit Seattle this summer.  In exchange, they gave us a few tips on places to try in Portland.  We hadn’t even eaten at two restaurants yet and already our list was growing again: Nicholas (Lebanese), Good Taste Restaurant (Chinese), and Restaurant Murata (Japanese).

Mary also told us how she’d lived in Barcelona recently, which piqued our interest, since we love that city.  She told us not to miss Cinq Sentis next time we visit, which is an up-and-coming restaurant that she thinks is outstanding.  She said that it’s only a matter of time before it becomes more widely known.

While we were talking about Portland, she mentioned that Le Pigeon is great, too.  We heard this at least twice more during our visit, but even so we didn’t regret missing it.  Sel Gris far exceeded our expectations, and we’re glad that we had the chance to dine at this creative Portland restaurant.

We headed back to our hotel, but it was still early – daylight, in fact.  Michelle Magidow, from Licorous/Lark, had mentioned that there is an innovative new cocktail bar in the Pearl called Teardrop Lounge.  We weren’t really in the mood for cocktails after that meal, but we wanted to go somewhere and this was another place not open on Sundays so it was our only chance to try it.  So we walked over from our hotel.  These people are passionate about drinks!  My cocktail was interesting, with forbidden black rice horchata and chipotle-chocolate bitters.  They make their bitters in house.  Eric ordered from their extensive sake menu.  It was a “small” sake but I was lucky that it was really quite large, because I stole more than a couple sips – it was amazing.

We stopped at Powell’s and stayed until close, lost in the photography section.  The only reason I mention Powell’s is for one food-related find that we purchased with our books: an Envirosax.  Everyone seems to be catching on to using reusable bags as part of their regular routine at the grocery store, including us, but sometimes we forget to bring our bag.  There’s no excuse with Envirosax, because it’s a lightweight eco-friendly polyester bag that rolls up to a tiny size that fits in your palm.  Stash one in your glove box or your purse and you’ll never be without a bag again.

Onto day two… we are not yet done eating.  We had chatted with John Sundstrom before we left for Portland, and he recommended brunch at Beast, so this is where we headed on a sunny Sunday morning.  We’d enjoyed clarklewis last time we were in town, and Beast is Naomi Pomeroy’s newest venture.

The restaurant is small.  There is one small communal table, seating eight, and another about twice as big.  We were seated facing the open kitchen, which occupies about a third of the room.  We enjoyed Stumptown coffee and fresh squeezed juice while watching them prepare the first of four courses.  The menu called it “brioche and baguette french toast” but it was really a bread pudding (thinking about it, are they really much different?).  Topped with a strip of candied bacon, maple bourbon sauce, and whipped cream, it was like starting brunch with dessert.  Just my kind of brunch!

Between courses, we had fun reading the wall-sized chalkboard covered with cooking tips, quotes, and random info.  There was a small list on the side listing their favorite restaurants.  In case you are looking for more recommendations:

Second course was a poached egg perched on a hash of morels, crispy potatoes, spring peas, ramps, and a medallion of venison.  Hollandaise paired perfectly.  It reminded us of the lovely seasonal dishes we enjoy at our favorite Seattle brunch spot.  This was followed by a selection of Steve’s cheese and a wild gathered salad.  This wasn’t the only time we noticed Steve’s cheeses while we were in Portland.

Finally, there was dessert (or was it second dessert?).  A tiny scoop of buttermilk ice cream with poached rhubarb and a dollop of caramel ended the meal sweetly.

That afternoon, we headed to the Portland Indie Wine Festival.  It was a juried event featuring small independent wineries from the state.  It was fun meeting the winemakers and learning about wines we had never heard of before.  We particularly enjoyed the 2006 Pinot Noir wines from Johan Vineyards and Capitello Wines.  We also tried an interesting cranberry wine from Hawks View Winery.  We’ve tasted cranberry wines before in Door County, Wisconsin, and haven’t been big fans, but this one was nicely refined and not too sweet or tart.  It would be a fun wine to serve at Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner.

Dinner on Sunday was at Toro Bravo, another sibling of a restaurant we’d enjoyed on a previous trip, Simpatica Dining Hall.  We sat at the bar, continuing the weekend theme of observing the kitchen while we ate.  The kitchen was surrounded by the bar seats, but unless you’re along the back corner as we were, you can’t really see the cooking.  It was controlled chaos as the kitchen was slammed that night.  Everything was delicious.  We particularly liked the oxtail croquettes, which were hot and creamy inside.

We had noticed that the cook on the far end of the line looked familiar.  During a break near the end of our meal, she came over and wanted to know if we were from Seattle because she recognized us, too.  Turns out, we knew her from Lark where she previously worked.  Rachel has just moved down to Portland and is loving it.

Ok, just Monday left (are you still with us?). For lunch, we were headed to Pok Pok, which I’ve been dying to go to since Matthew Amster-Burton wrote about it in 2006.  He’s mentioned it regularly since and each time I wonder why I haven’t tried it yet.  This was really the entire motivation for our trip.

But wait, I forgot breakfast.  We knew we had to eat light, so we headed over to Stumptown Coffee for cappuccini (orrr, cappuccinos – they went out of their way to point out that they prepare them traditionally, but then go and call them cappuccinos :)  We also grabbed a doughnut (just one) from Voodoo Doughnuts up the street.  Only one because it was the most massive doughnut I’ve ever seen: their Memphis Mafia doughnut.  The two of us could only eat about a third of it.

We hung out until lunchtime and then headed over to Pok Pok.  This place was incredible.  The dishes we tried were definitely distinct from any other Thai restaurant we’ve been to.  Andy Ricker, the owner, is on a constant quest to recreate the best food in Thailand, along with Vietnam and China.  He regularly travels there and brings back new ideas, and is constantly evolving the menu.  We loved the Vietnamese Fish Sauce Wings, which were sweetly caramelized, garlicky, and left our mouths tingling.  Our favorite dish was the Khao Man Som Tam, which was shredded green papaya salad served with coconut rice and sweet shredded pork, along with fried shallots and cilantro.  The waitress suggested that we mix everything together to get the best combination of flavors and textures.  What an amazing dish.  The coconut rice alone was enough to make me happy.  We finished with the Pok Pok Affogato – condensed milk ice cream drowned in Vietnamese coffee, served with fried donuts for dunking.  If we had a place like this in Seattle, I would eat there regularly.

Initially, we thought that two days wouldn’t be enough, but with that much food packed into one weekend, we were ready to go home and detox.  However, we’ve vowed to return to Portland again before the end of the year.  Two years was too long.

Escape from New York Pizza
622 NW 23rd Ave, Portland
(503) 227-5423

Sel Gris
1852 SE Hawthorne, Portland
(503) 517-7770

Teardrop Cocktail Lounge
1015 NW Everett St, Portland
(503) 445-8109

Beast
5425 NE 30th St, Portland
(503) 841-6968

Toro Bravo
120 NE Russell St, Portland
(503) 281-4464

Pok Pok
3226 SE Division, Portland
(503) 232-1387

Stumptown Coffee
128 SW 3rd Ave, Portland
(503) 295-6144

Voodoo Doughnuts
22 SW 3rd Ave, Portland
(503) 241-4704

Last Saturday morning, we were awake at 3:45am so we could meet up with friends and head up to the Skagit Valley before sunrise.  We wanted to catch some photos of the tulips in the morning light.  I thought I’d be miserable and bleary-eyed, but it turned out to be a gloriously beautiful morning and it was great staying ahead of the crowds.  We were the only people in a massive tulip field as the sun rose over the Cascades.  What a sight!

We caught lunch in La Conner at the Calico Cupboard Cafe and Bakery.  They packed nine of us, including two kids, around a table in the corner.  Lunch was casual and the food was tasty.  We had to use willpower to avoid the yummy-looking baked goods in the display case.  We were trying to postpone dessert until the ride back to Seattle, when we planned to stop off at Snow Goose Produce.  Although we’ve passed by this place a number of times over the years, we’ve never stopped in.  But we wanted to try the ice cream that Catherine mentioned on her blog.

What she didn’t mention is just how enormous these waffle cones are!  We waited in a long line for at least 20 minutes before we got up to the ice cream counter, watching happy face after happy face disappearing behind gargantuan ice cream cones.  It was so worth the wait!  The waffle cones were made right in front of us, and were incredible with Lopez Island ice cream.

We also bought some of the Gothberg Farm Chevre that Catherine mentioned (she is the cheese goddess, after all), some Skagit pickles, and an extra bottle of Cornelia’s Apricot Syrup.  And on the way back, we stopped at Silvana Meats and picked up some of their gourmet jerky for the road.

Note: If you’re interested in seeing our tulip photos, they are here.