lisaf's Profile
Rehearsal dinner in downtown Seattle
My friend is planning her wedding from out of state and asked me for suggestions for her rehearsal dinner. The ceremony is at the new Four Seasons hotel, so ideally they'd like a place nearby for the out of town guests. Looking for a private room that can seat 60-70 people. They prefer something casual and are "open to anything from a brewery to an Italian restaurant."
My first thoughts were Gordon Biersch or Rock Bottom, not sure if either can accommodate a group that large. Maybe Il Fornaio? I personally love Il Terrazzo Carmine and Tulio, but again am not sure if either is casual enough or can handle a group that size.
Anything obvious that I'm forgetting, or something new that would fit the bill? Thanks for your suggestions.
The wedding is in July, so outdoor patios and decks would be a pleasant bonus.
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Il Terrazzo Carmine
411 1st Ave S, Seattle, WA 98104
Tulio
1100 5th Ave., Seattle, WA 98101
Wheelchair accessible special occasion restaurant?
Looking for a nice restaurant to celebrate a birthday with easy access via wheelchair. My mom broke her ankle and will only attend if she can be assured there will be no curb to navigate and a seating area without stairs. Maybe valet with a flat sidewalk, or a garage with an elevator?
Restaurant needs to accommodate a group of 8. Anywhere in the city of Seattle or on the Eastside is fine. I was thinking maybe Il Terrazzo Carmine, but can't remember if there's a ramp or just the stairs off the alley.
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Il Terrazzo Carmine
411 1st Ave S, Seattle, WA 98104
Yakima Valley visit, need breakfast suggestions plus Mexican
I'm heading to a wedding in the Yakima Valley (Sunnyside and Zillah in particular) from Seattle. Looking for a few good breakfast spots, a lunch option for Saturday and an authentic Mexican restaurant.
I browsed Yelp a bit and saw Burger Ranch. Is it worth a visit for a quick lunch? How's the coffee at Guerras?
What to do with egg yolks?
I separated several eggs for a meringue (it's Passover time), and am now left with yolks. What to do with them? I don't eat dairy products so Hollandaise or Bearnaise sauce not really options. Other thoughts or ideas?
Weekday breakfast in downtown Seattle
It appears that they only serve brunch on the weekend. I need a weekday breakfast at a place that opens so we can eat and get to work by 9:30 am.
Weekday breakfast in downtown Seattle
A friend from San Francisco is in town on business and wanted to meet for breakfast. She's staying at the Inn at the Market. Any good ideas for spot nearby? Doesn't have to be in the market, but a short walk or bus ride is preferred. I work downtown, but rarely eat breakfast there other than the latte and pastry variety.
Thanks in advance for any suggestions.
Girls weekend in Austin
My girlfriends and I are meeting up in Austin for MLK weekend. We are flying in from all over the country and staying at the Barton Creek Resort and will have cars, so location is flexible.
I've never been before, but have been told Salt Lick BBQ is a must visit outside of town. Looking for casual lunch spots and dinners for a group of 8-10 women in their 30's. Moderately priced, good wine list or full bar preferred at dinner. Would like to get an insider/local experience and avoid the chains and tourist traps.
Multiple city dining suggestions needed
Based on your input and some research, we decided to skip Nice and Lyon and spend some more time in Dordogne and Provence. This now puts us in Arles for our special occasion meal. Budget is very high if warranted. I have no problem with expensive if there is value and a memorable experience attached.
My itineraries are often aggressive as I visit each country as if I'll never return, but know what is worth spending more time on in future trips. I'm an American so it's hard to get large chunks of vacation time. Also, we are going in the off-season. Does much close or shutter then?
Multiple city dining suggestions needed
We are going to France for two and half weeks and looking for dining suggestions in several cities. Staying in Honfleur, Bayeux, Amboise, Sarlat, Carcasonne, Arles, Nice, Lyon and finally Paris.
We want a special occasion restaurant for dinner in Lyon and lots of moderate meals in the other cities. Looking for regional specialties and charming atmosphere. Also a bit concerned about the ability to accommodate a food allergy to cow's milk. Any and all suggestions welcome.
Blender recs?
I am about ready to throw my Oster in the trash. It is pretty gutless and requires me to put a knife in there to periodically move things around.
Looking for a good blender to make smoothies, batter, etc. One that can handle crushing ice would be ideal, but I don't want a margarita machine.
I'd like to spend $200 or less. Is this realistic and what brands and models should I check out?
Lunch spots near Union Square SEA?
I recently started a new job in downtown Seattle at Union Square. I worked previously at 4th & Madison. Some of my favs there were Sound Soups, Cafe Zum Zum, and Cafe Pho.
Looking for suggestions for quick, tasty, and inexpensive lunch (
Dinner in Snohomish or Mill Creek?
I'm looking for suggestions for a casual dinner in the Snohomish/Mill Creek area. We will be up there from Seattle one evening this week and wanted to grab a quick bite after our appointment. It's outside of my usual neighborhoods, so I have no idea what is there. Open to any suggestions, but prefer family run hole in the wall spots over chains. Thanks.
non-slip cutting board
I have 2 plastic, antibacterial cutting boards that I like except for one thing. They slide around on my granite countertop while I am trying to cut, chop, etc. Is there a product that has feet or some sort of non-slip padding on it to prevent this very problem?
Links to products or store suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks.
Pesach breakfast ideas?
You could make smoothies. Banana, vanilla yogurt, frozen berries, some skim milk or apple juice. Combine and blend.
Israeli breakfast--tomato, cucumber, and a yogurt. Not mixed, just each one eaten plain.
Hash, either corned beef or veggie. For veggie use: peppers, squash, eggplant, mushrooms, asaparagus or whatever you have handy. Use olive oil to make vegan/pareve. Serve alone or with poached eggs.
Matzah meal pancakes or matzah brei on the weekend.
In a rush, Lara Bars. They are kosher, gluten, dairy, and soy free. Not sure if they are KFP. They are made from dried fruit and nuts.
What can I do with mahi mahi for tonight's dinner?
Marinate in lime or lemon juice and light olive oil. Grill. Slice and make soft tacos with shredded cabbage and mango salsa. One of my favorites.
What to do with egg whites?
Meringue. Topping for pie, or meringue cookies.
I agree with angelfood cake too. Or just make eggwhite omlettes.
Brisket - help please...
I'm going against the trend here. If you slice the day before, the meat will be much drier than if you slice after reheating. Reheat, let rest for 20 minutes in foil, then slice.
I have two recipes I like depending on if you want BBQ style brisket or Jewish brisket. Both use a sliced yellow onion. Jewish brisket you add Heinz chili sauce, a can of Coke, and onion soup mix. BBQ style you can make your own sauce or use a bottled one. I've found they turn out quite tender in a crock pot.
I would only make ahead if it's a timing issue. I don't think you need an extra day for flavor to develop if you cook in seasoned liquid.
If you HAD to use margarine...
Big ditto on the Smart Balance. I have a milk allergy and use this in all my baking. People have no idea until I tell them it's not butter. Someone even went on about my cookies being so buttery once.
Poultry for Passover - traditional recipe needed!
What about Russian chicken. So easy and tasty. I usually do it for Rosh Hashana since it is very sweet, but it could work for Passover.
Russian Chicken Recipe
1 chicken cut into pieces or 4-8 chicken breasts
1 bottle Russian dressing
1 small jar apricot preserves
1 envelope onion soup mix (I only use 1/2 envelope)
Mix Together and pour over chicken in a casserole dish. Bake at 350°F for 1 hr and 15 min to 1 hr and 30 minutes.
Not Corned Beef & Cabbage ... Then what else?
Hot corned beef sandwiches or reubens too with cole slaw on the side to fulfill the cabbage requirement. Corned beef hash with the leftovers makes a wonderful breakfast.
Dinner in Scottsdale/Phoenix
We are visit my parents and want to go out for a nice dinner. We used to like Eddie V's, but had a terrible experience there last year. We've been to T. Cooks many times and also El Charro, both are enjoyable but we want to try something new to us. Which of the following would you recommend with the restrictions of one less adventurous eater and a diner with a dairy allergy? Feel free to add others if I'm missing an obvious choice. We'd like to keep it within easy driving distance of Central Scottsdale.
Budget is not a huge factor, expensive is ok so long as the restaurant food and service warrants it.
Sea Saw
Sol y Sombra
Atlas Bistro
Tarbell’s
Bourbon Steak
Elements at Sanctuary
What are your go to spots? SEA
I've noticed that over the years my family has accumulated certain restaurants that we frequent for special occasion, a date night, etc. In the interest in sharing and getting out of my rut, I thought it'd be fun to see other people's lists.
Nice occasion restaurants:
Nell's
The Met
Canlis (but have noticed the quality slipping in recent years)
Cafe Juanita
Il Terrazo Carmine
Friday or Saturday date:
Lola
Nishino
Jak's
Cactus
Neighborhood places when you just don't want to cook:
Bings
The Attic
Coastal Kitchen
Brunch spots:
Atlas
The Varsity Inn
5 Spot
I look forward to seeing your lists and maybe trying some new spots.
Superbowl Party menus?
What is everyone serving for their parties?
Right now I have buffalo wings, crudite, onion dip, 7 layer dips and potato and torilla chips.
I'm thinking I need to add some sweets, so maybe cupcakes or chocolate chip cookies. On the West Coast game time is mid-afternoon so it's more of snacks than a meal.
New Urban Eats (SEA)
That sounds about right. The green salad had a bit of fried goat cheese on it and poached grapes.
Two of us did the Urban Eats both with the salad and the scallops. The scallops were quite large and came on a bed of garbanzos with some greens (I think it was kale).
The other two ordered off the regular menu and got the risotto, a different salad, the strip steak which had a gorgonzola sauce and came with roasted potatoes, and monk fish. All of the food was tasty and I found the portions large.
For our two dessert we ordered the flourless chocolate cake and the tiramisu. I couldn't eat either of them, but both were enjoyed. They did not have a non-dairy dessert option available, so I gave my tiramisu to my husband.
With a bottle of wine and a glass our total came to $160.
New Urban Eats (SEA)
We're going to try Enotria in Laurelhurst tonight. I've driven by a bunch on times on my way to Jak's but haven't ventured in yet. Will report back on our experience. There will be 4 of us so all the better to try lots of menu items.
Need suggestions for birthday dinner
I agree about Cafe Juanita and have been a few times. My only concern about French is a dairy allergy. How accomodating are they at Le Gourmand and Rover's? Usually when I tell a waiter at a French restaurant "no butter, milk or cheese" they usually turn pale and give me a deer in the headlights look.
Need suggestions for birthday dinner
I was thinking of trying a new place for my husband's birthday. His favorite restaurant closed last spring, Mistral, which is where he normally likes to go. Lately we are in a rut and go to our favorites: Lola, Nishino, Nell's, and Jak's. Open to most cuisines. His favorites are Italian, Japanese, steak, seafood, and Mediterranean. He is a self described foody, but is not a big fan of the small plate trend or anything too eclectic. Examples of what he was disappointed with include Harvest Wine and Lark. Expensive is fine, so long as there is value. Priority is food, followed by service, then atmosphere.
Central Seattle is most convenient but we are willing to travel if the food warrants.
Pantry raid
We had our first snow of the season this weekend and potentially record lows all week. I work from home and am using this opportunity to use up some ingredients in my pantry and freezer to avoid a drive to the supermarket. I did shop pre-snow on Friday afternoon.
So far I have made pulled pork in the crock, baked beans, and today red lentil soup. I have some chicken breasts in the freezer as well as some lamb chops. I also have lots of turkey stock made on Thanksgiving. Anyone have a good recipe that uses turkey stock? Maybe a rissotto or something?
For vegetation I have a few yellow onions, garlic bulbs, some celery, carrots, and green peppers in the fridge.
I could walk to the small neighborhood grocery or drive if I had to, but am enjoying the challenge of trying to create meals with what I have on hand.
What's your favorite recipe using items from the pantry or frozen chicken?
Thanksgiving sides?
I am searching for a good vegetable dish and when I ask my non-Jewish friends for recipes it seems like everything either has pork fat, or dairy or both. What are you all making? Recipes are welcome. I thought about roasting brussel sprouts with olive oil and finishing with some lemon juice or balsamic vinegar. Other ideas?
If it just has butter I can always sub pareve shortening.
