richards1052

So true! I came here from LA where there's so much great Mexican food you'd have to eat at a different one every night for 2 years before you exhausted all the good ones (a bit of an exagerration perhaps!). I miss it terribly!

Regarding your review of Gitano's: we ate there once & to tell you truth I can't remember much about it. Obviously, unmemorable. Jimmy's Table was quite a bit better, though it too wasn't perfect. But I would make one caution: I never make a final decision about a restaurant's quality based on a holiday (Valentine's Day) meal. Those are actually the worst times to go to a restaurant if you're going for a pure culinary experience. Too much stress & pressure on the chef and wait staff. They often have to prepare 3, 4 or 5 times their ordinary number of meals on these nights. I've had some of the worst meals at some of the best restaurants on Valentine's Day, New Year's Eve, etc. I'm sure there are a few restaurants that might be exceptions to my rule. But I've found the rule to be quite accurate most of the time.

"Licking a reef"--A memorable comment! I too would agree with your ranking.

Mamster: To change the subject...do you know if anyone here (or anywhere) has published, posted or blogged about the Seattle Zagat? I took a look at it after reading Mimi Sheraton's 'take down' of Zagat in 2001 & noted general 'grade inflation' and odd rankings for some restaurants (Le Pichet's ranking at the time was way low, I thought--& there were other odditites). I find Seattle Zagat definitely quirky (a nice phrase someone used in a diff. thread to describe Where to Eat in Canada), but still useful.

Glad we're in agreement about the bread. It's almost like it's a throwback to the bad old days of Italian-American delis and restaurants: smother the spaghetti w. tomato sauce, put candles in old Chianti bottles & spread red checked table cloths on the tables & there you have it: the bad old days of Italian-American food. Glad to say though that the content of the sandwiches far surpasses the bread. I'd only read one comment here about the bread & I wasn't sure from the way it was forumlated whether it was a criticism or not. Perhaps you've read more on this here or elsewhere. I think you're also right in saying it's not BAD bread; just mediocre. And with food this good, anything bland or medoicre is going to stand out like a sore thumb (again as you said).

French toast Serves 4 as Main Dish. This is a very simple and easy dish which is also very forgiving. My measurements are slightly rough and can always be adjusted to your own taste. 1 loaf Brioche (I use Whole Foods brioche-I estimate it weighs around 24 ounces) 4 X-lg. eggs (5 if you slice the bread thin) pinch salt 1 tsp. cinnamon 2 tablespoons brown sugar 1/4-1/2 c. milk 1 tbs. butter 1 tbs. canola oil Slice brioche into 1/2 inch slices (cautions: try to make slices as even & flat as possible; also, cutting slices too thin will cause them to break & cutting too thick will not allow egg batter to penetrate them sufficiently--try to find a happy medium). Whip eggs, milk, salt and half the cinnamon and half the brown sugar in mixing bowl. Soak each individual slice in batter briefly. Heat stovetop griddle to med.-high heat. Add a portion of the butter and oil. Lay slices onto griddle. While cooking, sprinkle remainder of brown sugar and cinnamon on top of cooking slices. Cook on each side around 2 minutes being careful not to burn (which can easily dry out & ruin the French toast). While cooking, pay attention to griddle flame adjusting if it's cooking too hot. Serve with either fresh fruit, jam and/or maple syrup. Keywords: Vegetarian, Easy, American, Breakfast ( RG748 )

French toast Serves 4 as Main Dish. This is a very simple and easy dish which is also very forgiving. My measurements are slightly rough and can always be adjusted to your own taste. 1 loaf Brioche (I use Whole Foods brioche-I estimate it weighs around 24 ounces) 4 X-lg. eggs (5 if you slice the bread thin) pinch salt 1 tsp. cinnamon 2 tablespoons brown sugar 1/4-1/2 c. milk 1 tbs. butter 1 tbs. canola oil Slice brioche into 1/2 inch slices (cautions: try to make slices as even & flat as possible; also, cutting slices too thin will cause them to break & cutting too thick will not allow egg batter to penetrate them sufficiently--try to find a happy medium). Whip eggs, milk, salt and half the cinnamon and half the brown sugar in mixing bowl. Soak each individual slice in batter briefly. Heat stovetop griddle to med.-high heat. Add a portion of the butter and oil. Lay slices onto griddle. While cooking, sprinkle remainder of brown sugar and cinnamon on top of cooking slices. Cook on each side around 2 minutes being careful not to burn (which can easily dry out & ruin the French toast). While cooking, pay attention to griddle flame adjusting if it's cooking too hot. Serve with either fresh fruit, jam and/or maple syrup. Keywords: Vegetarian, Easy, American, Breakfast ( RG748 )

While I don't often get to eat at the restaurants that Grimes reviews, I too admire his writing which I read regularly out here in Seattle. He really brings alive the food he's experiencing & the establishments he's reviewing. That was why I was so astonished at what I took to be the wrongheadedness of his review. That being said, Bux, I think we've all laid out our positions here & fought pretty much to a draw. I think I see the merits of some of what you say & possibly you see some of the merits of those who might disagree with some of what you maintain. So can we call it a draw and move on to other food subjects?

Sorry to go on like this in such an adulatory vein, but my wife & I discovered Harvest Vine back when it was about 15 seats & you could get a counter seat much of the time. Back then, the chefs knew you so well that they remembered what you had when you were last there!! Alas, it's not quite so anymore. But the magic's in the food & it is remarkable. Defnitely one of my Seattle faves. A few caveats though: get yourself on 'the waiting list,' give 'em your cell, & go somewhere close by for 30-60 mins. Otherwise, you might not get in (unless you're willing to wait in their line for that amt. of time). Eat at the counter if at all possible. Sitting at a table at Harvest Vine is to miss the wonderful cooking & banter that comes out of the kitchen grill from the cooks. On most nights, Harvest Vine is superb. But there is the odd off night when the dishes don't quite gel. But that's OK, even the great ones get it wrong some of the time. While I don't know Spanish wines too well & am certainly no expert on wines in general, it seems to me that ordering wines by the glass here often guarantees wine from a bottle which has been open to the air too long. Or perhaps Spanish wine is naturally very tannic & brash (a style I'm not wild about). Visit my blog for a fuller review: Harvest Vine: Tapas in Style!

Matzo Brei Serves 2 as Main Dish. My wife gave me the key to great matzo brei: run the matzo under hot water. Here's how I make it (for two) 1 T olive oil 1/2 T butter 5 pieces of matzo 3 extra-large eggs 2 T milk or cream pinch salt and pepper pinch tarragon and/or dill 1/2 onion, diced Run matzo under hot water, 5 seconds or so for each piece. Let pieces sit for 5 minutes to absorb water. Whisk eggs together with milk or cream. Add salt, pepper and herbs. Break matzo pieces 2-3 inches square and add to egg mixture. Let matzo sit in liquid ingredients for 10-15 minutes. Heat oil and butter in skillet. When hot, add diced onions and saute till they are translucent (but not burnt). Add matzo-egg mixture stirring lightly to mix onions and matzo together. Cook approx. 4 minutes on medium heat. When matzo mixture has firmed enough so that it can be flipped with spatula, do so. Be careful not to overcook. After flipping, let mixture cook another minute or two (lower heat if it is cooking too fast). When done, it should be moist, but firm. I do not like crisp, dry matzo brei though perhaps some do. Keywords: Breakfast, Easy, Vegetarian, Jewish, Passover ( RG741 )

Matzo Brei Serves 2 as Main Dish. My wife gave me the key to great matzo brei: run the matzo under hot water. Here's how I make it (for two) 1 T olive oil 1/2 T butter 5 pieces of matzo 3 extra-large eggs 2 T milk or cream pinch salt and pepper pinch tarragon and/or dill 1/2 onion, diced Run matzo under hot water, 5 seconds or so for each piece. Let pieces sit for 5 minutes to absorb water. Whisk eggs together with milk or cream. Add salt, pepper and herbs. Break matzo pieces 2-3 inches square and add to egg mixture. Let matzo sit in liquid ingredients for 10-15 minutes. Heat oil and butter in skillet. When hot, add diced onions and saute till they are translucent (but not burnt). Add matzo-egg mixture stirring lightly to mix onions and matzo together. Cook approx. 4 minutes on medium heat. When matzo mixture has firmed enough so that it can be flipped with spatula, do so. Be careful not to overcook. After flipping, let mixture cook another minute or two (lower heat if it is cooking too fast). When done, it should be moist, but firm. I do not like crisp, dry matzo brei though perhaps some do. Keywords: Breakfast, Easy, Vegetarian, Jewish, Passover ( RG741 )

Funny how these things work: last Monday, I went down to Salumi to pick up lunch and dinner (takeout). But they're closed (OF COURSE!) on Monday. So I went again yesterday and succeeded in my Salumi expedition. That was when I decided to write up a blog review. Then I went home & in the course of visiting a few food blogs (this one was vaneats.com), I found egullet.com. Then in turn I found the NW Food thread & this discussion of Salumi. So I thought, what better place to put a link to my review than here? Salumi: Seattle Redoubt of Batali Family Food Empire

I see your point. Looks like it could work well. But I think this works better in an online format where you can merely click links to go to 'bars' as opposed to 'restaurants.' In book format, where you have to hunt for the section in table of contents, then find the page number where it begins, then leaf through pages of the book to find the right one, etc. this would be more onerous. For example, I find the back portions of Zagat, where they break out eateries by location, cuisinse type, establishment type (bar, bakery,restaurant, etc.) to be awkward to use because you're constantly having to flip from the back section where you locate the establishment's name to the front section where you find the food review. I do use it this way, but I just don't like the format (they should in the back sections at least give you the review page # along with the restaurant's name).

I've eaten there. It was a really nice restaurant. Not pretentious (which is a good thing). But really good food. The room was quiet & relaxing. Service was friendly. I recommend it. We'd tried to find some good places to eat on the eastside. Never could get a reservation at Cafe Juanita. When we found Bis we were relieved because we haven't liked too much else in Bellevue/Kirkland. If there are other places on the eastside we should try, pls. let me know.

I ate once at 727 Pine when Danielle Custer was still there. I thought it was extraordinary. Does anyone know if the successor chef is as good? I ate a wonderful lunch at Serafina a few years (but a miserable dinner there one New Year's Eve, which I discount since no restaurant seems to be able to handle big holidays). What do you think of it? I don't think anyone here has mentioned Place Pigalle & Chez Shea. I like them both very much.

I too love Salumi dearly, but what's the deal with their bread? Do they get it from Essential Bakery or Grand Central? It too tastes like it could've come from Safeway (well, that might be an exagerration). But I feel that food as good as Salumi's is done a disservice by one dimensional realtively tasteless bread. Dahlia Bakery does a great ficelle that would do Salumi's meats great honor. As for my faves...meatball sandwich (must be all those meatball heros I ate as a kid in NY). The frozen meat sauces are incredible (lamb, pork, oxtail). I always buy their entrees to take home for dinner. The soups are always interesting & tasty too.

I too agree with your critique of Zagat. There are so many things wrong with it. But the fact of the matter is that it's popular and even people who hate it use it. When visiting Sooke Harbor House I read one of the most wonderful restaurant guides (can't remember the name--it was a guide to Candian restaurants by community) I've ever read & I wish we had it here--but alas we don't. All we have is Zagat. I also see the strangeness of the best restaurant in town finding itself ranked at the top of the charts next to a bakery/lunch spot (as in the Seattle Zagat). But your idea about dividing up Zagat into different sets of ratings for different types of restaurants isn't really workable. I think people want a single guide no matter how flawed its organization & structure might be. Fragmenting the guide into mini-guides or separate chapters for diff. types of places just wouldn't work. That being said, I found Grimes' review deeply condescending & insulting to the Grocery and couldn't agree less with his set of analogies (ie. Chopin beats out pop songs??). For me full take on this see my blog: The Grocery Throws NY Times & Food Critic Grimes for a Loop