richards1052

I was just at Dahlia Bakery & saw the blurb fr. this month's BA about his magnificent ice cream sandwiches. Unfortunately, BA does not provide full copy of its articles which of course makes it impossible to promote them in a blog (stupid media types). Would any one have the Fish for the 4th article in digital format or at least the image of the ice cream sandwich available to use as an accompaniment to my post?

One important thing to keep in mind is that since I wrote my original "review" opening this thread, Vios has become MUCH MORE POPULAR. There used to be times when you could find peace & quiet there whether you had a child or not. It's more difficult now that the place is so damn popular. SO I think it's difficult for all customers, whether they have children or not to enjoy a tranquil experience.That being said, I had no idea this thread had turned to a discussion of kid-friendly vs. kidless restaurants (which is fine--I just had no idea it'd go that way). We have 3 young children & as I said above appreciate Vios' kid-friendliness. But if the food wasn't fabulous we wouldn't be there. And I'd think that if you loved food that that would be the main reason you'd go there too if you didn't have children. And that if you loved the place, you wouldn't judge a single bad experience & say that would be the rule for all future dining experiences there. And I also bristle at the implication in jbonne's post that children should have to satisfy some standard of behavior in order for her to be able to co-exist with them. I'm not excusing bad behavior in children (& there is plenty of it I know). But children are not adults & no adult should expect them to behave with the same decorum that adults might be expected to observe. I think jbonnes' comments indicate how easy it is for all of us (including the parents among us as well) to focus on our own condition & lose sight of someone else's. I see single couples, elderly couples, groups of 20 somethings, 30 somethings at Vios all the time. I've never asked them whether they feel impeded by the children. But they all seem to be having a good time. Jbonne should also realize that just as there are children who might spoil her/his experience there are adults who spoil other adults (& childrens') eating experience. I think it's most unfortunate if you label "childhood" as a condition that spoils your eating experience rather than a particular child. I strongly believe that adults, parents & couples w/o children should be able to co-exist in the same environment. That's why I wince when I see lightly supervised children getting into serious mischief. Perhaps if more parents were more careful about what their children were doing in such situations, then jbonne would have a better experience. But I implore jbonne, & all of us, to try to feel empathy for each other's situation. I don't think I'd hang out a Belltown bar w. my 3 kids or if I did I'd know what I was getting myself (& my kids) into. And I think Vios is much more accomodating to everyone (including singles or couples w/o children) than that Belltown bar would be of kids.

Next time a group of eGers make a pilgrimage to Lark pls. invite me. MY wife I would like to go & have never been.

If you liked this bread, you should also try out Tallgrass's hominy bread. It doesn't have corn kernel but IMO it is much tastier. The corn flavor pops right out at you. Dahlia's best bread IMO is their challah. No doubt it's the best in Seattle.

A few yrs. ago while flying on a plane, I read Ms. Sheraton's Food & Wine article about the tilt in Zagat guides toward French restaurants. YOu note that in many if not all city guides, Zagat tends to rate the local French restaurant as best. When I first read the article, I thought it was close to a revelation. I'd never quite thought of the guides as having a prejudice or tilt, but indeed they do. Look at our local scene here in Seattle where Rover's (French) is consistently rated best. What is pernicious about this prejudice is that great non-French restaurants are relegated to lower categories when they deserve consideration for the top spot. I wonder if Mimi might have anything to add on this subject since she wrote the article a few yrs. ago & she might have additional thoughts on the subject.

I've written a longer post about Vios, the new Greek restaurant at 19th & Aloha on Capitol Hill at my blog. It was founded by Thomas Sukakos about 4 months ago to provide 3 squares to his neigbors and friends. This is VERY MUCH a family restaurant where both adults AND children can feel very comfortable. There's an extraordinary play area for children and changing tables in BOTH bathrooms; but Vios very much serves fine food that will appeal to adults. I've only eaten lunch here but the souvlaki was great. The pita bread, which Thomas imports from Chicago is soft, chewy and warm and the lamb was crisp yet tender. Both times I had the fritatta it was too salty and one time it had been left too long on the warming rack and was dried out, but don't let this deter you from eating here. Desserts are sublime and there is also a fine gelato bar. The cafe is open 8:30 AM to 8:30 PM. There are also small fresh produce and dairy/meat sections specializing in Greek specialty products. This is a place for friends and families to hang out and relax. A perfect place if you live in the area or even if you don't.

Halland: All I can say is hooooeeee!!! Sounds like GOOD eatin'!

I had no idea Le Fournil did lunch. Thanks for the info!

Yes, indeed it is. I didn't know Cafe Society though I've heard of it. What was it like?

How lovely!

Other than a redwood trunk, what's the food like at the Edgewater? Seems like an unlikely place for a good restaurant, but locations can be deceiving I freely admit.

I'm very impressed that Blue Heron could eat such an amazingly rich meal for lunch! I know I couldn't. But I'm glad you enjoyed yr. meal as so many have reported they have too in this thread. It's so cool to get a kitchen tour. I too would've been in awe. I only wish my waiter had responded--as well as yours did--to my polite request to allow a substitution in the 3 course dinner meal. If he had treated me as your waiter treated you I'd have been pretty happy with Rover's.

Thanks for yr. response & for not taking my earlier criticism personally (as another member seems to have done). I'd say I have 3 main criticisms of the ice cream: besides coldness which you've addressed & texture (it's just not creamy & smooth but rather more flaky) which you also mentioned, I also found it lacking in heft (perhaps too low a butterfat content?) and flavor (just didn't have enough vanilla bean for my taste). I'm glad to hear you're listening to customers & working on improving the product. I've never had Toscanini's ice cream, but there are two excellent ice creams right here in town which I've mentioned in this thread: Dahlia's & Fran's. If you know either Tom Douglas or Fran Bigelow you might want to talk to them. They do a pretty good job with their ice creams I think.

Ah, yes I remember Steve's in its first iteration (around 1977) in Davis (or was it Kendall?) Square when it was so popular that people lined up around the block for a mere i. cream cone. That was when ice cream was a communal entertainment (sigh!).

Are there restrictions on how long they'll (i.e. the restaurant) honor the certificate after purchase?

I don't disagree with all of the above recommendations, but I'd like to affirm Le Pichet & Harvest Vine as just about my favorite restaurants in Seattle. I've written a long review of HV at my blog: http://www.richardsilverstein.com/tikun_ol...arvest_vin.html

Beecher's specializes in cheese. That is their reason for being. As has been reported many times here, their fresh cheese and butter are delicious, and I am looking forward to trying the aged cheeses when they are ready. I suggest you do not make assumptions about all their products based on a single tasting of the ice cream, a new product that may improve. Let's hope the ice cream does improve. There's a lot of room for that. Looks like I struck a nerve with a Beecher's lover. I'll have to try their cheese sometime since you say it's so good. But I've got to say, it's not hard to make great ice cream, you just have to use the best ingredients & not try to water it down to lower costs or make it lower fat for whatever other reason. I think Beecher's is adulterating the ice cream (I don't mean they're adding fraudulent ingredients, but rather that they're not using all the ones they should). It's just out & out lousy & I find it odd that they'd put out a product that inferior (unless of course they think it'll sell only to the undiscriminating tourist audience).

I just checked out Beecher's new ice cream offering at their Pike Pl. store. Vanilla & it's terribly underwhelming. Don't waste any effort to try it. It was pallid. Very low butterfat content (possibly watered down with milk or at least something less potent than cream). THe ice cream is served so cold it's almost frozen solid. Seattle offers so many medoicre ice creams--do we really need yet another?! I've never tried anything else at Beecher's. If the ice cream is any indication their cheese may not be much good either (though I haven't tried it myself).

Yes, I walked by the window & looked at the menu only a few wks. or months after it opened. If I recall correctly, the menu seemed even pricier than $50/dinner. I don't usually balk at prices like that. But when prices get upwards of $100, that's when I walk away. It's why I've never been to the HerbFarm, though I'd love to try it sometime.

What's your favorite lunch place? I esp. love Salumi, Dahlia Bakery & the Frye Museum cafe Esp. wanted to talk about the latter as it is off the beaten track of local restaurants. Had a delicious shrimp & cod chowder with my 3 yr. old son. THis is a kid who's highly suspicious of meat & fish. FOr hm to enjoy this as much as he did is a real triumph! I ordered the curry chicken sandwich & wasn't hugely impressed, but the desserts...O man were they good. I had the walnut chocoloate torte (dense & INTENSE) & my son had the bannana cake w. cream icing. Mmmm! If you're worried about the underwhelming sandwich, I've had lots of other main courses there that were terrific & the cafe is worth a visit if you happen to be nearby. To read an expanded version of this post, pls. check out my blog: http://www.richardsilverstein.com/tikun_ol...lunch_in_s.html

I had NO IDEA! I've been dying to eat at Cascadia but I once stopped by a few yrs. ago & looked at the menu & the prices seemed much higher than that. Perhaps they've adapted their menu. I'll be sure to check it out! Thanks...

And you admit something like this in THIS forum of all places?? When I was a kid, Dairy Queen was IT for ice cream. So glad the world has brought us new options (though I DO understand the strong hankerings of childhood).

I haven't yet completed reading this article http://www.nytimes.com/2004/07/04/travel/03tab.html , but I wanted to let people know about it. While Cascadia is outside my price range & Lampreia just hasn't beckoned to me yet. I'm pleased to see that he's chosen Salumi & Lark to be among his chosen & favored few in the article. BTW, I don't know Bittman, but he was very nice in responding to an e mail query about how to prepare & handle the corn used in making posole. For the life of me, I don't understand why he left off Harvest Vine!

I know I might disturb a hornet's nest with this question but...I'm an ice cream lover & have tried almost every kind in Seattle that I can find. Here are my favorites: Dahlia Bakery toffee crunch chocolate malt ice cream sandwiches Fran's all of it These ice creams are heavenly. Rich in butter fat, creamy and just plain devestatingly good. Does anyone else make ice cream that's worth trying?

DO try the ice creams! They're also heavenly like the chocolate. I love Tahitian vanilla, chocolats de chocolats, lemon. Oh hell, they're all declicious.