elswinger

Personally I prefer a hot buttery piece of Northern-style cornbread with my chili.

I went to El Gaucho (the one in Portland) for the first time this past weekend and it was great! The staff was so great (we were a 9 person bachelor party) and they made room for us in a private room. I had Chateau Brijond (sp?) for the first time and they cooked it exactly as I asked (the warm side of rare). The bill for the 9 of us came to $908 (thank God for no sales tax and the 18% gratuity otherwise we would have spent a grand). I'd love to go back, but there are too many other expensive restaurants I haven't been to (the Canlis comes to mind) and I can only do this once or twice a year.

I got back from Portland yesterday afternoon and lay down to take a nap and woke up this morning. I had a great time and was thouroughly stuffed. Friday night we wound up eating at La Bistro Montage (a two hour wait but the food was good and the atmosphere was fun). The next morning we had breakfast at the J&M Cafe, lunch at Henry's on 12th, and Dinner at El Gaucho. All were excellent and ran the gammut of real cheap (J&M) to over $100 per person (El Gaucho). I finally got to experience Chateau Brijond (sp?) and now I don't want anything else. Finally Sunday we had breakfast at the Cricket Cafe, which was good but I liked J&M better, and we grabbed lunch at Burgerville on our way out of town. I still don't think BV is worth all the fuss. There was barely any lettuce on my Classic, and I think Tully's makes better shakes. I do admit the hamburger patty tasted better than average, but it's still a pre frozen patty, despite its local origin. I will have to come back to Portland soon because theer were too many restaurants I wanted to try in the time I had.

Has anyone been to Oceanaire? I like the looks of their menu and I'm sure it's pricey, but I haven't read any reviews.

You can get some overnighted from here: http://www.hancockgourmetlobster.com/item/...t_lobster_rolls

I just got an ice cream maker (Cuisinart) and made my first ice cream last week (Butterfinger Vanilla). I would like to try something exotic and am wondering, since there is Green Tea Ice Cream, do people think Thai Ice Tea Ice Cream might be good, or even do-able (substituting Thai Black Tea for the Green Tea, adding a little more sugar, and using heavy cream instead of whipping cream)?

I've never had crawfish and was told this was a good place to try it. I thought about Jake's, but I don't want to pay $$$ or dress up.

I'll be in Portland too in a couple weeks (for a bachelor party) and am staying at the Jupiter Hotel on East Burnside. I was thinking of having dinner one night at Le Bistro Montage and breakfast one morning at the J&M Cafe. Are these any good, and can someone recommend some places in the area that are good (also any good places near Powell's City of Books?)

Varmint, Chocolate ice cream and vanilla soda is my favorite float!! Sometimes I'll even add a shot of Stoli cinnamon or vanilla vodka to give it some kick.

I ate there last Saturday and had a good time. My party of three had a 30 minute wait but we waited at the tavern next door and the seater came and got us when our table was ready. We shared the cheese plate and antipasto plate, which were both good, and two of us had the rib eyes while the third had the thick porkchop. The wait staff was friendly and the food was good.

I meant, how do you prepare the eggs? Do you eat them raw? Put them in sushi? Please explain.

What do you do with the eggs?

I LOVE Tully's chocolate shake! A 24 oz. might be $6 but with the exception of Hagen Daas, it's the best shake available on the Ave.

I've been to the Seattle Morton's once and though I found the food and drink great, I didn't like the service. I hadbarely started on my appetizer when they tried to take it away to bring us our meat. Plus, I guess i was naive, but I didn't know that a $19 bottle of wine I could get at Whole Foods would cost me $80 at the restaurant.

I think compared to the other sushi places on 45th, Chinoise is the best (though it's been awhile since I've been to Sushi Kuma). I think the other three sushi places on 45th (their names escape me) tend to be on the cheap side and it shows in their decor. The only other CHinoise I've been to is the one attached to Uwajimaya in the I-District and I found the food identical in taste. Is the Madison one that much better?

The only place I have had California Roll with fresh crab is Sushi Tokyo on Roosevelt (near 64th). It's a neighborhood sushi joint, but I like it.

Sizzler: I do miss the time before it became a big chain and they focussed more on the salad bar than when they were a good place to get an affordable (ie. under $10) steak. I remember they used to serve the steak, fried, and mushrooms on sizzling metal and wood plates. I also miss Dairy Queen*. As far as mass produced fast food, I always thought their burgers were better, their onion rings couldn't be beat, and except for maybe local mom&pop joints, they had the best chocolate dipped soft serve ice cream. *All the one's in Seattle have closed. Ditto,almost, Burger King and Wendy's.

Foods I miss from the grocery store (when I was a kid): Larry’s Frozen Submarine Sandwiches Larry’s Frozen Barbecue Beef Sandwiches Tony’s Pizza (before they were “new and improved” back in the early 80’s) Banana Popsicles (before they were new and improved. They used to taste like Juicy Fruit bubblegum. Later they tasted more like banana. they were still good, but they used to be better. I don’t think you can get a six pack anymore). Cherry Popsicles. They must make them, but I haven’t seen a six pack of these either. I never liked orange or grape, so I don’t want to buy a big bag, just to get six cherry ones and throw the rest away. B&M Beans in a jar. Pot Pies in aluminum pans. My mom would reuse the pans for Roast Beef Hash & Egg and to reheat left over spaghetti (to make it crunchy). Restaurants I miss (again, when I was a kid): A&W. I remember you could get four Momma Burgers (basically a Dick’s Deluxe without cheese) and a gallon of root beer for $4. Farrell’s. Great BBQ Roast Beef sandwiches and sundaes. Sambo’s. They may have been born from racist roots, but they made great pancakes and hamburgers. The Sweet Shoppe (South Sound Mall, Lacey, WA). They may still be open, but this was an ice cream parlor/diner where I learned that “Secret Sauce” was code 1000 Island Dressing on my hamburgers. Shakeys Pizza. back in the late 1960’s, early 70s, this place ruled. The pizza was great and later, in the late 1980s, when I was in college, they added fried chicken. The one in West Olympia had an all you could eat pizza, chicken, and salad bar for $5. Luigi’s Pizza (Lacey, WA). This closed when I was a kid and in my 40 years of living I have yet to have pizza as good. I’ve come close, but haven’t found my pizza nirvana. Wood fired. Almost snow-white mozzarella. Perfectly seasoned sausage and pepperoni. yum KFC. Since they got rid of the Chicken Littles (boneless fried chicken patty on a dinner roll with mayonnaise and pepper) I have been in the dumps. Picture a White Castle slider but with chicken and mayo.

I remember the Ezell's in the U-District. Now there is nowhere on the Ave to satisfy my Fried Chicken and Mashed Potato craving.

Another thing I would like is more delivery options. I would like something besides pizza or chinese food. It would be great to get good mexican food, sushi/tempura/noodles, thai, or even a good hamburger/fries/shake to be delivered to my door.

I would like the owners of La Taqueria in San Fancisco's Mission District to open up a franchise in the U-District or Ballard. La Taqueria has the best Carne Asada Tacos I've ever had! There almost as big as a Taco Del Mar burrito. Barring that I wish Ooba Tooba's would open a restraunt in Ballard. I like the casual open air atmosphere and the food is great! I also wish Ezell's (or someplace even better, would open in the U-District or Ballard. (I want everything to be in the U-District or Ballard because I don't have a car, i work at the U, and will soon be living in Ballard).

I guess my definition of fast food is where at least 50% of the diners get their orders to go, and most, but not all, fast food joints have a drive up window.

I liked the location of Fandango, particularly the view, but I wasn't as impressed with the food as many were. At least what I had ordered seemed bland for Latin cuisine. If memory serves, wasn't Fandango in the location that once housed AJay's Delicatesen? I miss that place (and it's location on First Hill. They had the best potato salad (and I usually hate potato salad).

My worst experience was at Mona's in Greenlake. It was at a friend's birthday gathering and I ordered the clam's and had painstakenly removed the meat from each shell before eating them (ok I'm anal), then, ironically, had to go to the bathroom. When I returned my plate was gone. When the waiter finally returned about 20 minutes later, I asked what happened and he said he saw I was finished and took my plate, When I told him what happened he got real snotty and said he didn't believe me and charged me for the clams. I didn't want to make a big fuss at my friend's party so I paid the bill. But I did steal a few forks to make up the difference.

I third Waterfront. Has anyone been to Oceanaire? I've been thinking about going there next time I can splurge.