rockdoggydog

Two words: NOT IN A MILLION YEARS Oh wait, that is more than two words.....Regardless, IMO, not in a million years. ← Amen! I swear the only reason they stay in business is those coupons they put out in the Sunday paper every week. Rocky

Ahh, don't bit my head off, but how about The Keg? Rocky

I would add Buenos Aires Grill to the list, the meat is well executed I think and it certainly seems like a fairly masculine sort of place. Another fun place might be a Teppanyaki place, like Nara Grill, couple guys, beers, a big grill, knives flying, what's not to like, and it's across the street from the Palace Kitchen and its bar. Rocky

Is having the dinner and the hotel in the same location a requirement? If not Union has very reasonable prices for large groups, and is willing to work with you to shut down all or part of the restaurant provided it is not a Friday or Saturday. 30 people would not require them to shut down, most likely just section off the back of the dining room. I think that Union would just fit inside your budget. I had an event at the Sorrento a few years ago in the penthouse which was really nice. The food was good and the service and event staff were great. Unfortunately I cannot for the life of me remember how much it was. For about 30 Oceanaire also has a good looking space, I have an event I am considering them for but have not had one there yet. I liked the event staff at Troiani and at The Waterfront. The Troiani space is not particulary exciting or pretty though. The Waterfront has a really nice private dining room that looks out onto Elliot Bay, the staff was great and the food was actually the best that I have had at The Waterfront, take that as you will. If this dinner will be in the spring or summer you can also walk out of the dining room onto the pier from the private space which is a nice touch I thought. Hope this helps. Rocky

I added the rest of the picture to the album. Rocky Rocking Wok Album

Driving down Roosevelt today I saw a new place called World Cup Espresso and Wine, so not exactly beer but close. The sign said coming soon and they were looked like they were cleaning up and there was furnitture in the place. It's next door to the Continental Store. Rocky

Sorry, I missed the pigs feet, fixed it. Rocky

Okay, here are the scans of two of the menu fronts that they made for us and the menu itself. I'll try and have pictures of food up in a day or so. Menu items: Appetizers Combination plate if Salt and Pepper Squid, Pork Spare Ribs, and Chicken Cold appetizer plate of Jellyfish, Cold Soy Braised Beef, Wined or Drunk Chicken, Maraschino Cherries on Pickled Daikon, pigs feet, and BBQ Pork Dim Sum Plain Steamed Buns Green Onion Pancakes Thousand Layer Pancakes Dumplings served with Ginger Chili Oil Tradional Taiwanese Food Pork Potage - Soup with pork and fish dumplings, Shitake, Bamboo Shoots, and Shave Bonito Sticky Rice - Lor Mai Gai sort of thing, sticky rice embedded with beef, pork, shitake, and nuts steamed in a banana leaf Steamed Rice Cake - Rice flour cake with ground beef and dried onions and shitake on top covered with garlic soy paste Meat Ball - Meat ball, with bamboo and shitake wrapped in a rice flour dough that's semi-clear steamed and covered in sweet chili sauce Soup Hot and Sour Soup with Seafood Main Dishes King Tu Style Spareribs - Okay I asked my mom how to make this and I got lost but it does involve brown sugar and ground dried orange peels Honey-Dew Fish - not Honeydew Melon flavor, the fish is fried in a salt pepper type preparation and then coated in a light layer of a honey sauce Pork with Preserved Cabbage - pork braised with cured cabbage Ginger Lobster - I scored lots of shells, lobster bisque here I come Yang Chow Fried Rice - moister than normal, steamed again after prep with all the usual ingredients, bbq pork, shrimp, veggies, egg Crispy Whole Duck I think that's everything and here the url for the album: Rocking Wok Album Rocky edited for typos, I'm sure I still left out stuff

Thanks for making it such a fun night everyone. Thanks definitely to Lauren and Paul for the pre-func, it was wonderful and you have a beautiful home! I'll tryand get the menu scanned and posted today and hopefully pictures within a day or two. Rocky

The final list is: LEDlund and Mr. LEDlund White Lotus +1 Little Ms Foodie +1 Mamster and Richard SeaGal and SeaGuy Eden and Bill Malarkey Creepygirl +2 Kay and Al Blue Heron Girl Chow Scorched Palate and Sea Crotty Rockdoggydog and Dani Reesek +1 Laurel +1 Mary We now stand at 30, amazingly my math was off before and so it's still $22 a person including tax. See you guys there. Rocky edited for typos and I'm sure I still didn;t get all of them.

Yup, haven't been there in almost a year and half though, they had complete turnover in their sushi chefs all of a sudden and I just stopped going. Rocky

Hey Steve, You can have the garlicky shrimp you know. I would be happy to make an olive, cheese, and cured meat platter instead. In fact, the scouting for that would be so much fun that I think I insist you take the shrimp. Rocky

yum! any menu preview? rocky - thanks so much for putting this together...i'm looking forward to meeting so many gulleteers in one fell swoop! ← I can let one loose as it seemed to very important to many people, there will be an entire assortment of salt pepper things, chicken, pork, and squid. Rocky P.S. Anyone who can't make please let me know as soon as possible, thanks.

Thanks for letting us use your kitchen Steve. I'd like to give the saucy clams and shrimp with wild mushrooms a whirls along with the garlicky shrimp with olive oil if no one else really wants to do that one. Rocky P.S. Anyone having a hard time find the feb F&W can borrow my copy.

Okay guys less than aweek to go and the menu that they've put together has settled down at 14 courses. The cost will be $22 a person including tax, beverages and gratuity not included. Please remember to bring cash. Thanks for reminding me to send this out Laurie! Rocky

That sounds too cool for words, count me in! Rocky

Does anyone know if Ipanema is open downtown yet? It's the place that Sam Hassan from Rio in the U-District is opening in the space that used to be Wolfgang Puck Cafe in the Harbour Steps. Their website isn't up yet. Thanks. Rocky [edited for typos, lots of them]

I have been having the worst burger cravings lately, so I'm definitely in. Rocky

The latest list: LEDlund and Mr. LEDlund White Lotus +1 Little Ms Foodie +1 LaurieA-B and Mamster and Richard SeaGal and SeaGuy Eden and Bill Sequim Creepygirl +2 Kay and Al Malarkey and Speck Blue Heron Girl Chow Scorched Palate and Sea Crotty Rockdoggydog and Dani Reesek +1 Laurel +1 Mary Waiting List: Della +1 Right now we stand at 32 confirmed so I need to cut off any more additons, email or PM me if you want to go on the waiting list. See you guys soon! Rocky

Had Christmas Eve dinner last night at Union, mmmmmm yeah! The menu was a six course special menu that ended up being eight for $65. 1. Amuse #1 - Guinea Fowl Confit on toast, a last minute additon that Ethan decided to throw in, he serves this one fairly often I think, at least I've had it a few times nice vinegary bite in the fowl that just nipped you at the end. 2. Amuse #2 - Black Sea Bass Tartare with Shaved Cucumber Strings and Basil Oil, nice and light way to start, the cucumber and sea bass were very light and matched the wine we had, a rose, perfectly. 3. Lebanon Artichoke Soup with Foie Gras Mousse on Crouton, really nice contrast in the temperature between the mousse and the soup, the two melded together really well. The soup was very mild in flavour and the mousse was fairly salty and the two together were just right. 4. Sea Scallops with Trumpet Mushrooms with Truffle Oil, the mushrooms were definitely the highlight of this dish, nice and firm offering an excellent foil to the scallops which were nice and simple, just sauteed and placed atop the mushrroms. 5. Squab and Foie Gras with Pureed Maple Dates, this was a really neat surprise our waitress came out and told us Ethan was sending us a little bonus, hah little , the squab was wonderfully tender and with a nice crisp outside, Dani said the foie gras was the best she'd ever had but anytime I'm presented with a fat slice of pan fried foie gras that's the best foie gras I've ever had too. The pureed dates were an excellent contrast to the rich foie gras and the salty squab, refreshing the palate with every bite. 6. Grilled Venison Tenderloin with Fingerling Potatoes and a Tart Berry Sauce, I'm a sucker for game meats, this is the course that sold me on the dinner in the first place when I was thinking about making reservations. It lived up to all my dreams and aspirations and was an excellent match to the Domaine Drouhin Pinot Noir we had. 7. Cheese Course, a small slice of a blue that I cannot remember the name of for the life of me, really mild as blues go, a really good way to start winding down the evening. 8. Warm Chocolate Cake with Malt Ice Cream and Vanilla Bean Creme Anglais, the cake was not too dense or sweet and paired up with the ice cream and creme anglais sublimely. Not too big either as I was just absolutely full at this point. Our favorites were the Tartare and the Squab both of them were so freaking good it just made our nights. This may become a Christmas tradition for Dani and I as it was really relaxing and gratifying to do. The restaurant was pretty busy acutally, Hans said that they may squeeze in a third seating next year as things went so smoothly this year. Ahh, I'm officially replete. Merry Christmas everyone! Rocky [edited for spelling]

The latest list: LEDlund and Mr. LEDlund White Lotus +1 Little Ms Foodie +1 LaurieA-B and Mamster and Richard SeaGal and SeaGuy Eden and Bill Sequim Creepygirl +2 Kay and Al Malarkey and Speck Blue Heron Girl Chow Scorched Palate and Sea Crotty Rockdoggydog and Dani Reesek +1 Laurel +1 Mary Right now we stand at 32 confirmed so I need to cut off any more additons, email or PM me if you want to go on a waiting list. Wow, this is a lot of people. This is going to rock. Rocky

Not a problem, I'll make the change. Rocky

Of you happen to be at U-Village a friend of the owner of Univesity Framing and Gallery made some caramels for sale that are heavenly. They're a little pricey at $6.50 for a small bag but oh so good. Rocky

How about Osteria la Spiga, and a tour of taco trucks in Seattle? In Ballard La Carta de Oaxaca and Lockspot, there's something about Lockspot that I love, it's kind of comforting in a strange way. Rocky

My vote is for Jak's Grill, I haven't had a burger at Palace Kitchen in ages but anytime I'm jonesing for a good burger I end up at Jak's. Alternatively, get on a plane fly down to California and get a Double Double at In n' Out. (Sorry, had to be said.) Rocky