geoff

Watch out, peoples. A thread titled thusly can get banished from eG. As long as we continue to focus on chocolate nibs we should be OK.

If you do visit Cremant, demand a table in the front of the house. The rear environs, where we sat, was like dining in a bomb shelter. Walls of concrete, tiny windows eight feet up.

Word on the street is they call their desserts "Conclusions." That alone is enough to induce upchucking.

I second the Market Grill. Have a sandwich while you're there also.

It's a Penelope hate-fest here on eG! Who knew we were such bitter souls?

It's official. Penelope is Ghandi.

There's no question Mr. Miller is doing God's work. His pastry reigns supreme. The coffee is likewise exemplary. With Besalu and Verite within walking distance of each other, Ballard is now ground(s) zero for caffeine lovers.

I'm sorry to be a killjoy, but I just don't feel the love for this place. They put up a good front, with stylish servers and all the requisite urban-dining flourishes: exposed brick, high ceilings and bowling-alley quality noise levels. But God save the back of the house, whose suppliers must just be following orders when they deliver those five-gallon cans of mushrooms and logs of Gallo salami. Via has a Butch Blum dining room but the kitchen is strictly Bon bargain basement. We started with house salads, which the kitchen underdressed so severely we partook of the bottles of oil and vinegar at the table. One should tell the salad guy to stop salad-spinning the greens after they are dressed. The lettuce itself was nicely cultivated, however. On to the main course: calzones. My wife's was so blackened it could have come from the maw of Vesuvius itself. Hers contained the vile canned mushrooms, which rendered the whole thing characterless. My own hot pocket was loaded with salami, but not the Salumi advertised elsewhere on the menu. No friends, it was Gallo (or a similarly ghastly factory-made meat product), ridden with salt and boasting a springy texture, like that of latex gloves. Why not use fresh mushrooms? Why not spare a sixteenth of a pound of Armandino's best? At $16.00 apiece, these 'zones were a maddening rip-off. We wisely skipped desert, opting instead for a couple cups of Caffe Vita just down the road. I know it's the same owner, but he roasts beans a lot better than he cooks. Too bad. I really wanted to like this place.

Flying Fish is unimpeachable. If your guests are looking for a "downtown" vibe, it's the place to beat. Seven Stars is excellent, but its appeal is more esoteric. Union's food rocks, but the atmosphere is dull.

I also attended the 4:00. I loved every dish, but the oregano sausage with broccoli rabe was a highlight, as was the orecchiette aglio olio. They ran out of the cotechino "in jail" (i.e. wrapped in veal) before I could sample it. No bellini like last time, but the wine was plentiful, and I rested my glass on any level surface I could find. True, the crowd was large, but I managed to move about quite handily. The clearest spot was near the front of the house, and we enjoyed the breeze coming from the open door. The event ended somewhat sourly when, at the 45-minute mark, the doorman barged through the crowd ringing a bell and ordering us out. He bellowed "you WILL leave in 15 minutes whether you want to or not!" and "we WILL show you the exit" with nary a "please" to be heard. I guess you need a bouncer's demeanor when you've got rock stars like Armandino and Mario around.

Get yer Sri Chinmoy on in Fremont: Silence-Heart-Nest will occupy the former Longshoreman's Daughter.

Sounds like cheek-mania chez Don and Joe's.

From the jowls of the beast.

Can pork cheeks be far behind? Let's hope not. Wouldn't mind me some veal cheeks either.

I adore CR. If I have one complaint, it's that the cake is sometimes too crumbly; more falls in my lap than my tummy. The frosting is unimpeachable, however, and worthy of the x-treme overhang.

Count me among Frites' fans. Philosophically speaking, I must say fries sans burger is far more acceptable than a burger without fries. Take note, Two Bells.

where, then?

El Asadero is the one.

(This is from the PI's article: Your Road Map to Tasty Taco Trucks) ~A ← That's it...I think. One bus looks much like another, I'm afraid. It's on a vacant weed-infested lot and whatever was there before was apparently destroyed by mortar fire. Nothing but the finest dining venues for me. I'm heading south this evening to dine in Columbia City. I'll get the cross streets and report back.

By the way, the sign on Frites generally reads "closed" even when it's open. Step in after 3:00pm and you should be OK.

Bandeleone moved to Fremont; it's tucked in the Adobe building across from Waiting for the Interurban. For my ceviche fix, I go to a bus on Rainier Avenue, just a piece south of Mutual Fish. A mound of tiny shrimp tops a super-crisp corn tortilla. Although the ceviche is appropriately saucy, that tortilla stays cracker-crisp to the last bite. Topped with chunks of ripe avocado. It ain't haute, but for $2.00, it's tough to beat.

By the way, the December 29, 2004 New York Times Food section had a feature titled, "Take a Cup Of Tapas Yet For Auld Lang Syne," a rather cryptic title for a fun, informative article about serving tapas. Included are recipes for simple, flavorful bites like Pear and Cabrales Canapes, Anchovy and Piquillo Pepper Roll-Ups, Chorizo with Sherry Finish, and Paprika Shrimp. There's detail on how to serve each (spear with stylish toothpicks and serve on a platter), advance preparation tips, and advice on what to drink alongside. Check the midnight grape sparkler, Spanish sparkling wine iced with frozen red grapes.

I spotted Olive You the other day while driving to Rudy's for a cut. It looked very inviting, with gleaming display cases and good lighting. It's nice to see that stretch of Greenwood getting some play. One cannot live on The Baranoff alone. I'll be visiting soon. Thanks for the report!

I side with mamster here. Frangos were notable in '77 when the only other chocolate available was Hershey's. Nowadays, why bother when you have Fran's, Valrhona, etc.

As members of the culinary elite, can we please stop the following in 2005? - calling vegetables "veggies." - describing anything chocolate as "decadent." - adding an "s" to "ravioli." It's already plural. You might as well say "bananass" or "veggiesies." - ordering pounds of sliced meat at Salumi between 11am and 3pm. Better to call ahead. - all utterances of "nage" and "amuse bouche." - also forbidden: shortening "amuse bouche" to "amuse." - weekend-morning queues outside overrated breakfast joints - describing appetizers as "sharables" or "in-betweens" (Additions are welcome and encouraged.)