akq's Profile
Staring at a pile of shredded cabbage, what salad should I make?
Cabbage salsa!
Combine shredded cabbage, some diced tomatoes, diced onions, cilantro, lemon or lime juice, minced garlic, diced jalapeno pepper (fresh or pickled), some salt and sugar or agave syrup to taste. Let sit for a couple of hours. Serve with tortilla chips. YUM.
Taylor Shellfish (Cap Hill)
http://taylormelrose.com/about/
"For those dining in, enjoy fresh shucked oysters, Dungeness crab, and a chowder bar courtesy of award winning chef Xinh Dwelley."
It's basically a retail store with tanks of oysters, crabs, etc. There are a couple of tables where you can eat oysters or a cup of chowder.
Feeling Doubts About Going to Alan Wong Tomorrow
It's AW's signature dessert - Haupia Sorbet in a Chocolate Shell, Tropical Fruits and Lilikoi Sauce. It looks like you've been served half a coconut, but it's sorbet with the chocolate shell. Very fun.
"Least Favorite Vegetable" Poll
One of my favorite dishes was christophine (chayote) gratin at a restaurant that unfortunately closed a few years ago. Loved that dish. They combined the chayote with onions, spices and baked it, with melted yummy cheese. Sort of like a twice baked potato. It was awesome.
American Sushi in Oahu??
Sansei! Very tasty variety of rolls and other goodies. Check out their happy hour...but get in line early!
Ballard Pizza Company - Ethan Stowell
Has anyone tried the Ballard Pizza Company yet? SO and I went in the other day but the slices looked so tired (and they had about 8 more pies just sitting on a metal tree thing behind the counter) that we didn't get anything. Did we miss out?
"Least Favorite Vegetable" Poll
I'm seeing so many of my favorites in this thread! Sad.
It's really a stretch, but I don't care for Chinese long beans when they are really thick, woody and stiff.
Are You Snacking on Anything Right Now?
Saltines. I wish I had my babybel to go with them, but the janitors keep throwing them out (or eating them).
Disappointed in Benito's Chicago Eatery (Ballard) - a review
SO (a native Chicagoan) and I went to Benitos on Sat for lunch. We live in the hood and have been waiting for them to open for a very long time...
SO wanted a Chicago dog ($9) but opted instead for the 1/4lb all beef with mustard, celery salt, tomatoes and onions ($7.75 and comes with 4 toppings). The hotdog was good, but just boiled so no snap. The brioche bun was not great - it split completely before the first bite and just wasn't what we were hoping for. $9 for a Chicago dog and a bag of chips is just too much...
I had a Sears Tower (Italian beef) with side salad for like $11.50. As a roast beef sandwich, it was ok, but bland. I liked the "giardinara" but the pieces were really large and it was very mild. The meat itself was good quality, but they slice it and keep it separate from the jus rather than letting it soak up all the jus flavor. The roll was too tough to eat. I got garlic dressing with my salad, which I really liked. I ended up putting the dressing on my sandwich for more flavor. I'd have the sandwich again as a roast beef sandwich, but it would be better with horseradish and/or roasted garlic or provolone for more flavor.
The owner and the staff were all very very nice, although the staff is training and was pretty ill informed (whatever, it's a soft opening). The seating was really uncomfortable - it looks like the owner built-in custom benches that look like they took a TON of effort, but are unfortunately really really uncomfortable. The are too high off the ground, and the inidividual slats are really uncomfortable to sit on. The tables are too low for the benches, and too large for the booths (average sized people have a tough time fitting into the booths at this point).
I think it's too early to call this one but I urge anyone who goes not to expect "authentic" Chicago favorites, but more of a NW take on Chicago inspired grub.
I wish them the best and we'll be back to try a pizza!
Disappointed in Benito's Chicago Eatery (Ballard) - a review
If you find it, please let me know. :(
What would Emily Post do? [moved from New Orleans]
Even if the clothing interrupts your dinner and insults 50% of the clientele? :) What if the clothing was graphic? Or revealing? Or not suitable for family viewing? Anyway, by focusing on an analogy you're missing the forest for the trees...
Imo, the restaurant is somewhat like someone's house - if I am having dinner in a person's home and another guest's behavior upsets me (and 50% of the other guests), I might speak to the host and express my discomfort. But if the host is unwilling to intervene, it's not my place to do so as the host (or owner at the restaurant) has made a choice as to what behavior she or he deems acceptable in his or her domain. It is then my choice to deal with the hosts/owner's choice or leave.
What would Emily Post do? [moved from New Orleans]
I don't think it's the patron's place to engage another patron like that if the resto won't. The resto gets to decide what kind of loud, obnoxious behaviour is acceptable in their establishment. Once you're brought it their attention and asked them to intervene. The owners intervened to the extent they felt comfortable and warranted (i.e. did not ask them loud table to leave). It was then your choice to accept that level of intervention, or not...and if not, to leave. What if you'd been offended by the clothing another patron wore? If the establishment deems it appropriate, then it's up to you to deal with it or go elsewhere.
That said, if I had been there, I probably would have told the owners that the table was making us uncomfortable and the dinner unpleasant and that we'd be leaving unless they could get the table to quiet down. If they didn't or couldn't, I would have left.
Refills To Go at Sit Down Restaurants
Different strokes. If I like what I've got and only eat half of it, I'll have the resto box up the rest and look forward to it for lunch or dinner the next day. If part of that lovely meal was bread, or naan, or tortillas or rice and I don't have enough leftover (or some on hand at home), I might ask for some more of those things so that I have it to eat with the leftovers. If the resto wants to charge me, so be it, but usually they don't.
Refills To Go at Sit Down Restaurants
To each his own, although I think equating a paying customer asking for bread to take home with leftovers with stealing toilet paper goes a bit too far.
For me, it's just not a big deal to ask nicely - why not tell the resto what you'd like? They can always say no or tell me that an extra order of bread is $2 or whatever they think is fair...or they can just say sure and pack me a couple of slices of bread to go with my leftovers. I guess to me it's no different than if I'd asked for more bread while eating my meal and, not having finished it, asked them to pack it up with my leftovers.
The example I had in mind was a few weeks ago I went to a favorite steak house for take-out to bring food to a dear friend who's just had a baby and was craving these nice steaks. Normally we'd eat there and I'd eat two orders of free bread (it's really tasty sourdough and I LOVE bread and butter). I asked them to put two extra orders of bread in the bag to go with our take-out ribeyes and they didn't bat an eye. It never occured to me that was rude or stealing...and I'd do it again in a heartbeat. Maybe it's different because it's take-out, but if I don't finish my steak and decide to take the leftovers home, I might just ask for some of their tasty bread to go with it.
Refills To Go at Sit Down Restaurants
I don't think it's a big deal as long as they'd accept no for an answer. I am surprised that some posters are so offended by the question...what about asking for extra bread to take with your leftovers? I've done that and I don't feel bad about it at all. Never occured to me to ask for a drink refill to-go, but I am certainly not offended by someone asking for one as long as they do it nicely. It would have to be a pretty casual resto or one set up with to-go cups, so it's probably not a big deal to them anyway.
Picolinos in Ballard
What is the backstory? I've never been, but I've driven by and it seems like people enjoy it.
Babbo dish recommendations please (researched)!!
We went to Babbo twice on our trip, each time ordering 4 dishes (4 pastas the first time, 3 pastas and one segundi the second time) which the kitchen split for us. We also had the gelato/sorbeto sampler the first time (disappointing...the best one was olive oil gelato).
Garganelli with funghi trifolati - our favorite! We had this both times we went. I'd add it.
Beef cheek ravioli - 2 portions - very good.
Goose liver ravioli - Rich, bold, sweet (Reduced balsamic) - 2 portions - very tasty, but very rich.
Mint Love Letters - I didn't care for this one at all.
Gelato and sorbet assortment - very disappointing
Soft shell crabs (Special) - the crab was nice, but I didn't like the overwhelming watercress and pesto that accompanied it.
Ice machine refills
Example 2: You are on the road and duck into McD's or BK for a restroom break, do you go for the ice? Only if you buy some food?
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Wait...you're using the resto's bathroom without buying anything? Whoa. At least buy a drink (or cup of ice)!
Asian Market: Beverages
My favorite is Calamansi lime juice. I also like the small orange juices with the pulp (not very adventurous but so tasty!) and tamarind sodas.
Fried Chicken on Oahu
One of my first stops in Hawaii is usually Zippys for fried chicken and chili with rice combo. So good.
San Francisco Hound Coming to Seattle: Please Critique My List for the Emerald City!!!
The best thing I ate poppy was eggplant fries with honey.
Group Lunch in University District Area
Also consider agua verde which is close to the UW medical center and right on the water. Tasty catfish tacos!
Wanted: Banana Cream Pie!
I also love banana cream pie and am excited to hear the responses, since I haven't found a really good one in the city yet. Not the same, I know, but I did have the banana cream pie cheesecake at the Cheesecake Factory last week and it was pretty tasty - nice and rich and banana-y with lots of whipped cream and slices of real bananas.
I'm being gifted expired food.
It is weird...but maybe there's a rational explanation? Many people organize their pantries so that the oldest stuff is in front to get used up soon. I only check the expiration date on the stuff on the shelf once in a while, so it's possible that the oldest stuff in the front is recently expired. It's possible that when he goes to get new healthy stuff and sees the "tempting" stuff in the pantry, he does actually want to get rid of it. Since the older stuff is in front, you get the stuff that's recently expired.
Best thing you've found at a 99ยข Only Store?
Oops. I didn't realize this was limited to the 99 cent only stores...
Eating on a drive around of Oahu
YUM. My personal additions would be Gulicks Delicatesstan in Kalihi for local kine Okazukya after the Liliha Bakery stop (go early for best selection), the in conjunction with the poke stop run, I'd head to Shiro's saimin heaven for some excellent Saimin (local noodle soup) with a teri beef stick. I always stop at the Haleiwa coffee gallery for a nice iced coffee and to pick up some beans. In Kaneohe, I've been reading the He'eia Pier General Store and Deli - their food looks killer. In Kailua, I love island snow for some shave ice.
When you drive around from Kailua to Waimanalo, keep a look out for the vans on the side of the road selling corn, dried fish, etc. Local dried fish jerky can be pretty tasty. Make sure you drive around the Sea life park/sandy beach area during daylight. It's gorgeous to see, and can be pretty scary driving at night. At Kokohead marina, check out Bubbies for some mochi ice cream, and Kona Brewing for a snack and a pint, if you're in to that (although my stops are usually Zippy's and Kozo sushi, but that's just nostalgia).
